San Diego’s top chefs are dishing out on how to make some of their most popular and delectable dishes.
In this roundup, Chefs Kathryn Dew of The Waterfront Grill at Pier 32 Marina, Brad Wise of Trust and Maria Pourteymour of Luna Grill share recipes from their kitchens.
Luna Grill‘s Maria’s Greek Village Salad
Serves 2-3 as a side dish/ 1-2 as a main dish
- 3-4 medium tomatoes – cut into wedges then cut in half
- 4-5 cucumbers preferably Persian variety, cut into small round pieces (leave skin on if they are Organic)
- ½ small red onion sliced into thin slivers
- 8 Kalamata Olives (optional)
- 6 ounces feta cheese cut into cubes
- ½ red bell pepper, remove seeds and cut into wedges and then halve
- 2 TBSP EVOO, plus more for drizzling
- 1 TBSP of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
- Pinch of dried oregano
- Salt and Freshly ground pepper to taste
Cut and place tomatoes in a medium sized salad bowl and sprinkle a little salt over them and give them a good toss so they can start to release liquid. Cut and place Cucumber, Onion, Bell Pepper and Feta in the bowl with the tomatoes. Add 2 TBSP EVOO as well the ACV and give it a good toss. Season with fresh ground pepper, a little more olive oil and salt to your liking. Top the salad with the Kalamata olives and a pinch of Oregano.
Trust‘s Chicken Liver Mousse
Serves 4 cups
- 1 pound chicken livers
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 ounces shallots, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, minced
- 2 tablespoons cognac
- 2 tablespoons madeira
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- Zest from 3 lemons
- 2 pounds unsalted butter, cubed
1. Soak chicken livers overnight in milk. Place in colander over a bowl and drain. Put napkin on top of livers to soak up additional moisture.
2. Place a large skillet over medium high heat and add oil. Sauté shallots until they just start to brown. Stir in herbs. Add livers and cook until the middle is pink but not raw—medium rare. To check on doneness, cut through the thickest part of the livers.
3. About halfway through the cooking process, deglaze the skillet with the liquor. Reduce the heat as the livers absorb the liquor. Add the salt and stir well.
4. Once the livers are cooked, turn off the heat and let sit about 20 seconds.
5. Using a heavy-weight blender, like a Vitamix, add the liver mixture, scrapping the skillet clean to get all the bits included. Add the cream and the lemon zest. Blend until smooth.
6. Take off the top and slowly add the butter while at medium/high speed. Add a pinch more salt while mixing.
7. If you want, you can strain the mousse mixture through a sieve. Stir the mixture and add more salt until it’s just a bit saltier than you think you’d like, taking into account what you’ll be serving the mousse with, such as whole grain mustard and jam.
8. Pour the mousse into a concave serving dish and refrigerate at least five hours to let it firm. You can make this several days in advance. To keep it fresh, melt butter and pour over the top to seal it and refrigerate. Before serving, lift up the congealed butter top and discard.
The Waterfront Grill at Pier 32 Marina‘s Parmesan Crusted Albacore Tuna Melt
Serves 4
- 16 oz canned albacore tuna drained
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 oz finely chopped celery
- 1oz finely chopped red onion
- 2tbs sweet pickle relish
- To taste season with salt, garlic powder and pepper
Mix above ingredients in bowl and set a side
- To make the sandwich
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 16 slices of sharp cheddar
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
- Butter for the pan/ flat top
Turn on your flat top or skillet( cast iron works the best) and let it get hot. Once it’s heated all the way through melt some butter and sprinkle 1/4 some of the shredded Parmesan directly into the pan. Immediately place two slices of sour dough directly on top and reduce heat to medium. Top each slice bread of cheddar and 2 oz of tuna mix. Leave pan until cheese begins to melt and tuna is warm. Fold the two sides together and enjoy with your favorite side. French fries, onion rings and even a nice side salad will compliment this sandwich.
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