Spanish-style California Tapas
Padron Peppers and Bellwether Farms Crescenza Cheese
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- Half-Pound Padron Peppers
- 8 oz Crescenza Cheese
- Sea Salt
- Cracked Black Pepper
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Half-Cup Fresh Basil Leafs, thinly sliced
- In a heavy skillet heat olive oil and add peppers, quick fry till skin blisters. Remove from pan and season peppers with sea salt.
- Spoon 2 oz of cheese to center of four plates season with black pepper, top with peppers and thinly sliced basil leafs, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
- Eat right away with plenty of bread and wine!
About Chef Peter Armellino:
Peter Armellino began cooking professionally in New York when he was 17 years old. He opened the Park Avenue Cafe in 1992, followed by stints at New York City's Gotham Bar & Grill and Gramercy Tavern.
In 1999, Armellino came to San Francisco, where his culinary skills soon landed him a position as Sous-Chef of Jardiniere, where he worked with Douglas Keane.
After his tenure at Jardiniere, Armellino was lured to rural Woodside and became the Chef de Cuisine at Village Pub. At the pub, Peter assisted rising star Chef Mark Sullivan, where he further refined his craft, and adopted a feeling of connection between food and farmer. In 2001 he joined longtime acquaintance and fellow New Yorker (via France) Laurent Manrique as Chef de Cuisine at Campton Place in San Francisco. Armellino continued this partnership when he moved to Aqua's kitchen as Chef de Cuisine in 2003.
In 2005, Jardiniere Executive Chef Traci des Jardins chose Armellino from a pool of hundreds of former and current associates to be one of her two co-chefs as she faced Iron Chef Mario Batali in "Battle Shrimp" on the hit Food Network show "Iron Chef", a battle des Jardins won.
Armellino has dedicated his time to charity work as well, working over the past several years to benefit such organizations as Share Our Strength, Meals on Wheels, Tibetan Aid Relief and Tsunami Aid Relief. "Coming to the South Bay, which is wide-open territory, is an amazing opportunity for my team and me to blaze a fresh trail, comments Armellino, "Our aim is to redefine fine dining in the South Bay."
Under Armellino's leadership, Plumed Horse will present elegant, modern California Cuisine, emphasizing what is fresh, seasonal and sustainably produced.
>> Plumed Horse website
Event Information:
Toyota Hybrid Farm to Table Tour
12 City National Tour Arrives at Mountain View Farmers Market on Sunday, August 9
>> Details
About Mountain View Farmers Market
The Mountain View Farmers Market is part of the California Farmers' Market Association whose mission is to be a source for field-ripened fresh fruits and vegetables, freshly baked breads, pastries, flowers, gourmet appetizers, gifts, fresh fish, nuts, and mushrooms throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area. The Mountain View market is open every Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 1.p.m.
Website: Mountain View Farmers Market
