The difference between good and delicious

I used to think all tomatoes were the same; these round red orbs were good but needed a lot of salt and pepper to make them delicious. It wasn't until I tasted them fresh out of our own garden, that I realized what a fresh tomato tastes like. I used to think tomato soup was good, until I tasted the roasted tomato soup here at Main Course. That was when I realized that tomato soup, when made correctly, should taste like tomatoes, pure and simple. It shouldn't taste like cream or salt; it should taste like those tomatoes we pulled from the garden last summer. I used to think that all beef was the same, until I experienced my first grass fed burger. Who knew a burger could be so tender and delicious, and so different from all those other burgers I've consumed over the decades.

People throw the word local around a lot these days, but at Main Course we really mean it. This important detail - where the food comes from and how fresh it is - really does matter. It matters to our tastebuds because once you've experienced it, you know it tastes better. And eating local is also better for the environment and helps our local farmers (and therefore our community).

Sure we could use canned roasted peppers, regular old caged up chickens, or your standard grain and corn fed beef. But because we are conscientious about what we put in our food, we go the extra mile. We use free-range chicken from Petaluma, olive oil from Ojai, and we even get the white beans for our hummus fresh from local farmer, Tom Shephard. Sure it takes a lot of time and energy to clean and wash them, but to us its worth it. And if you taste our hummus, you'll know what we're talking about.

While many chain restaurant menus are bulging with items, the food is often frozen, highly processed, and yes, microwaved. Our menus are simpler and based on what's in season - whether its asparagus, strawberries, beets, or tomatoes. Because the food is fresh, we don't have to do a lot to it, drown it in sauce, or cover it with salt to make it taste good. And this, my friends, is what makes Main Course unique; and this is the difference between good and delicious.

Where's the beef?

If you know Main Course, you probably know that we're pretty particular about where our food comes from(local is best), what it has been through before making its way to our plate, and how long that journey took (the shorter the better). So, you might wonder, where does our beef come from?

We get our beef - for our burgers, our steaks, and even our delicious braised short ribs - from Watkins Ranch in Ojai. Owned by John Watkins and his son Shane, this unique little farm produces truly grass fed beef. To be more specific, they are happy cows that roam on land in Piru, Cuyama, and even a bit in Oak View. Since they aren't fed grains or corn, this beef has a different flavor. And this flavor is improved as the beef is aged for 22-23 days before being cut and packaged to be sent out. Some say its a little "gamier" than grain fed beef...we like to say it tastes a hundred times better.

At Watkins Ranch, the herd is still small (only about 56 head we are told). Right now their beef is available at Main Course California, the Ojai Farmers Market, and the Ventura Wednesday Farmers Market.

Stop into our bistro for lunch and try our Watkins Ranch burger - local, grass fed beef full of fresh herbs and seasonings and layered with fresh local lettuce, tomato, homemade pickles and our red onion marmalade.

What we've been up to lately...

Here at Main Course, we're gearing up for a busy wedding season. And one of the things we've been doing is seeking out wonderful event venues for our brides. We recently went to visit Linda Jordan of Linda Jordan Photography. She rents out her Ojai home and property for weddings. And, wow, is it a jaw-dropping location! Brides can get married under a beautiful old Sycamore tree, in an open grassy field with the mountains in the background, or poolside if they choose.

The horse ring behind the pool area and the large open grassy area by the pool are ideal for your reception. And if there are kids coming to your wedding, there's even a horse, three basset hounds, and a few adorable goats that the little ones can ooh and ah over.

We've also been to Wiggy Ranch (Ojai), McCormick Ranch (Camarillo), and Meditation Mount (Ojai). If you're planning a wedding, we can give you info on any of these venues.

Pan Seared Steak with Cherry Port Sauce

This delicious recipe, from our Cooking with Fortified Wines class, serves 6.

Steak

Drizzle of blended olive oil (extra virgin will smoke really bad!)
Six 6oz steaks, room temperature
Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat your oven to 500 degrees. Put an iron pan in the oven until it is good and hot. Season the steaks with salt & pepper. Pull the pan from the oven, and put it on the stove on high flame. Drizzle with oil. Immediately put the steaks, a few at a time, in the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, then turn over and cook another 30 seconds. Put the pan in the oven, and cook for about 2-3 minutes more. Let the steaks rest for at least 5 minutes before serving, drizzled with Cherry Port Sauce.

Cherry Port Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

Drizzle of olive oil

¼ cup minced shallots

A couple sprigs of thyme

1 cup pitted cherries – believe it or not, frozen are ok

2 cups ruby port

Salt & black pepper to taste

2 tbs Beurre manie

Put the steak-free pan on the stove over medium heat, and add a little olive oil if needed. Add the shallots, and scrape the pan with a metal spatula or flat-bottomed wooden spatula. Sauté the shallots until translucent.

Add the thyme and cherries. Add the port, and stir. Continue to cook over medium high until the port is reduced by half. Season with salt and black pepper. Add the beurre manie, and stir until the sauce is thick. Enjoy.

Beurre Manie

Don't be afraid, this is so easy! Combine equal parts soft butter and flour, and knead between your fingers. Add this to sauces to provide a rich flavor and to thicken them – lump free!

Pappa al Pomodoro

If you haven't had a chance to attend one of our cooking classes yet, you may not know that in addition to being a great chef, Rachel is also quite the dynamic teacher. Check her out at our most recent class, Italian Al Fresco, preparing this delicious tomato soup. Rachel first had it in a small restaurant beneath a little hotel in Sienna, and it blew her mind! It is intensely flavored, yet so incredibly simple; and a great way to use all your garden-grown tomatoes and basil.


Serves 8

About 1 1/2 pounds ripe cherry tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
A large bunches of basil, picked and stems finely chopped - separated
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
38 oz good quality plum tomatoes
About 1 pounds good quality stale bread
The best extra virgin olive oil you can find (we’re using Ojai Olive Oil)
8 eggs

1. Prick the cherry tomatoes and toss them with two of the sliced clove of garlic and a quarter of the basil leaves. Drizzle with EVOO, sprinkle with salt and pepper, put them in a roasting pan, and cook at 3500F for about 15-20 minutes.

2. Heat a couple table spoons of oil in a pot, and add the remaining garlic and the basil stems. Stir gently and fry for a moment until softened. Add the canned tomatoes, then fill the cans with water and add that. Break the tomatoes up with a spoon, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Tear the bread up into thumb sized pieces, and add them to the pan. Mix well and season to taste. Tear the basil leaves and let the soup sit over low heat for about 10-15 minutes. By this time, the roasted tomatoes will be done. Pour the tomatoes and all the juice from the pan into the soup. Add about 6 tablespoons of olive oil, and stir.

4. In another skillet, heat a little more olive oil over medium heat. Add the eggs, cooking 3 or 4 at a time, until they are just over easy – the whites will be set, and the yolk should be runny. Cook the rest of the eggs while you plate the soup. Place an egg in each bowl, and ladle a bit of soup on top. Garnish with basil and another drizzle of olive oil. Repeat with the remaining eggs, and serve.