Follow the Chef is back!

Ashlee — Sat, 05 May 2012 06:00:02 +0000

Spring is in the air and you know what that means! The farmer’s market is back, and so is Follow the Chef. Join Oliver Ridgeway every Wednesday for an exclusive tour of the farmer’s market, followed by a three-course lunch in Grange.

When: Wednesdays from 11:00am-1:00pm
Cost: $39 per person, excluding tax & gratuity
Reservations: 916-492-4450

Spring Lamb

Ashlee — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:53:31 +0000

By: Brad Cecchi

Now that we are in the heart of spring, lamb seems to be the meat du jour these days. Here is a quick recap of what parts of a Spring lamb we utilize here at Grange. This lamb was from Matin Emigh farm near Rio Vista, and came to us weighing just under 50 pounds. The hind legs come off first, which are the classic legs of lamb we all love around Easter time, seasoned with a little rosemary and garlic.

Next are the front legs, referred to as the shoulder. This cut of meat is commonly braised, or ground for sausage. This year we used it for merguez, which made an appearance on the Grange Easter Brunch menu. Then we remove the belly, which has a lot of different uses. We usually cure it for lamb “bacon” because it is the fattiest part. We are now left with the saddle. This primal contains the ever so popular rack of lamb, and the lamb chops. We marinate these with herbs and olive oil, grill them, and serve with a smoked goat cheese potato gratin.

Remember to always save the bones for soups and stock!

For the wine lovers

Ashlee — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:42:07 +0000

Do you love wine? It’s okay to admit it….you’re in good company. We don’t like to brag, but our all-California wine list happens to be one of the best in Sacramento. And (get excited!), now there are TWO excuses to come to Grange the next time you need a wine fix!

1. All bottles of wine are HALF PRICED on Fridays! Yes, you read that correctly. Half priced. 50% off. Did someone say TGIF?

2. We have a new foursquare special! For a limited time, when you check-in to Grange on Foursquare, you’ll get 50% off your first glass of select local wine on tap. Current wines on tap: Dancing Coyote Pinot Grigio, Paul Dolan Sauvignon Blanc, Perry Creek Zinfandel / Syrah Blend, Rail Bridge Cabernet / Cabernet Franc / Merlot Blend.

Bottoms up!

Easter Brunch

Ashlee — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 20:37:51 +0000

Join us for Easter Brunch this Sunday! Reservations are available from 8:00am-2:00pm. Here’s what we’ll be serving:

Two Local Organic Farm Fresh Eggs Any Style applewood bacon / home fries 12

Farmers Omelet (choose 2 ingredients) served with home fries

ham / bacon / chorizo / asparagus / caramelized onion / preserved tomato / spinach / mushrooms / cheddar / n.v. chévre / pepperjack 12

Smoked Chicken Hash piquillo peppers / asparagus / spring onions / potato / poached eggs / red chile hollandaise 14

Cinnamon Raisin Walnut “French Toast” vanilla butter / rhubarb compote 11

Huevos Ranchero fried eggs / chorizo / black beans / avocado tomatillo salsa / flatbread 13*

Lucky Dog Burger smoked bacon / cheddar / chipotle aioli / picked onions / shoe string fries 15*

Merguez Lamb Burger mint tatsiki / chick pea fries 16

Smoked Salmon bagel / traditional garnishes 12

Croque Madame niman ham / bravo cheddar / whole grain mustard / acme sourdough / sunnyside egg / mixed greens 12*

Grilled Storm Hill Hangar Steak & Eggs patatas bravas / marinated artichoke hearts / poached duck eggs 19*

Grange Benedict poached eggs / pancetta / foccacia / hollandaise / home fries 13*

Dungeness Crab Salad arugula / frisee / shaved asparagus sliced red onion / olives / cornichons / soft boiled egg 17*

SIDES

One Egg any style 2*

Apple Wood Smoked Bacon 5

House Made Chorizo 6

Spicy House Fennel Sausage 6

Aidell’s Chicken Apple Sausage 5

Strauss Organic Yogurt 5

Seasonal Fruit 6

Granola 4

Home Fries 4

Patatas Bravas 4

Oatmeal with dried fruit 6

Toasted Bagel with Cream Cheese 5

Wheat, Sourdough, English Muffin, Cinnamon Raisin 3

March CSA Box

Ashlee — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:11:02 +0000

Asparagus is in season! Here’s a quick recipe idea for your March CSA box…

5 ingredient cocktail (plus a little zest)

Ashlee — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:55:02 +0000

Sick of the rain? Looking for a cocktail to warm you up? Make yourself a Grange Martinez!

Ingredients:
1 1/2oz Oxley Gin
1oz Carpano Vermouth
bar spoon of luxardo
dash of chocolate bitters
dash of orange bitters
blood orange zest twist

Here’s a quick how-to by one of our superstar bartenders Andrew;

Outstanding in the Field

Ashlee — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:04:13 +0000

We loved the premise of Outstanding in the Field since the moment we read their mission statement: to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food, and to honor the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it.

We are thrilled to announce that our very own Executive Chef Oliver Ridgeway will be the featured chef at the June 24th Outstanding in the Field dinner at Capay Organic Farm. Tickets go on sale March 20th and are expected to sell out VERY fast.

For more details, click here.

We look forward to seeing you at the farm!

5 Tips for Grilling Veggies

Ashlee — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 05:40:44 +0000

As the weather starts to warm up, I’m usually drawn to my grill. Since moving to Sacramento, I have been overwhelmed by the bounty of beautiful vegetables the valley has to offer. Walking around the Sunday farmer’s market, you can’t help but notice that the vegetables are the star of the show. At Grange we can’t wait for the next season to kick in so we can create some awesome vegetable dishes for our guests. Here are a few pointers on how to cook vegetables at home:

Size: Cut your vegetables into workable pieces, enough to cook quickly and still be a little aldente, but large enough to keep from falling apart while cooking. Slice tomatoes in half, cut corn into 2-inch pieces, slice eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash into 1/4-inch thick slices or rounds, cut bell peppers into thick strips and trim the stems off of mushrooms. Asparagus and scallions can go on whole. If you are using hard vegetables like carrots or sweet potatoes cut them on the thinner side (I use a mandolin).

Season: Toss your vegetables in olive oil and salt and pepper to prep them for the grill. You can also marinade them with chili or balsamic in the oil, whatever floats your boat!

Cook: Place the vegetables directly on the grill, over medium heat. As soon as you see some color from underneath and the grill marks start to appear about 4 mins, flip them once and cook for about another 4-5 minutes, depending on the vegetable (“sturdier” ones take longer).

Dress: You don’t have to, but feel free to dress your vegetables in a vinaigrette or dressing, or maybe a dipping sauce. I love hummus myself. They will taste just fine on their own, but you can also jazz them up!

Presentation: Let the vegetables be the star of the show! Often your table will highlight all the wonderful grilled meats. Use the vibrant colors and shapes to achieve great visual results, and of course flavor!

Enjoy!

-Chef Oliver Ridgeway

Trout in a salt crust

Ashlee — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:19:43 +0000

By: Brad Cecchi, Executive Sous Chef

As many of you may have noticed from our last post, we cooked a wonderful dinner on the farm at the Center for Land Based Learning last Sunday. At that dinner we wowed the diners by serving them Passmore Ranch Trout baked in a salt crust in a wood fired oven. Sounds complicated right? Good news: it isn’t nearly as tough as you would think. This method can be done anywhere you can get an oven or a barbecue close to 450 degrees.

Start with a whole fish, the one in the picture is without head and tail because that is the way they come to us. For you avid fishermen out there—removing the guts and cooking it with the bones, head and tail is just fine.

Now you want to stuff the cavity of the fish with the lemon slices, thyme, and butter.

Mix your normal kosher salt, about 4 cups with an egg white and enough water to give the salt the consistency of wet sand.

Now on a sheet pan lay out a layer of salt, place the fish on the salt and cover with the remaining mixture.

Using your hands, pack the salt tightly around the outside of the fish and bake at a temperature as hot as you can get your oven, barbecue, or campfire for 14 minutes.

After 14 minutes, remove the fish from the oven and let sit for 2-3 minutes. Using the back of a spoon or knife, crack the now hard salt crust (like an egg), remove and discard the salt, and enjoy your fish!

Dinner on the farm.

Ashlee — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:34:30 +0000

Last weekend we had the opportunity to work with the Center for Land-Based Learning on an ultimate foodie event: dinner on the farm. Funds were raised for their award-winning youth education programs, ensuring that more students get hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture on California’s farms and ranches. A fun time was had by all!