The Hobbit Restaurant in Orange, CA

My dinner group (Jamie Fingal), which meets every month to go out to dinner, for the last four years, had a lovely dining experience at The Hobbit Restaurant in Orange, CA. It is one of our favorite places to dine! This is our table.  The Hobbit has been open since 1972 and is touted as a unique dining experience serving up a 7-course prix fix menu. I remember dining here in the 80's, where we had to get our reservations 6 months in advance.  We began our adventure at 7:00pm in the bar on the second floor.

The main dining room which is elegant, but also feels like you are in a 'home' setting with the decor, windows, fireplace and very friendly and helpful staff.  Michael Philippi is the chef and owner of The Hobbit, along with his lovely wife, Debra, who coordinates events, and greets you at the door of your culinary experience.The Hobbit has been a family owned business since it began in 1972.

Loved the look of this table pedestal in the bar area

Champagne and Hors d'Oeurves are served in the cellar, and this is where you select your bottle of wine for dinner.  This is a wonderful area to walk around and talk to your table guests, as well as, others who will share the dining room with you, if you so desire.

Some of the Hors d'Oeurves - oysters, stuffed dates, cucumber wedges with caviar, beef sticks, cold soup, just to name a few

The Menu

The butter, sculpted in the shape of a rose.  I didn't want to cut into it, but when the rolls were offered, and smelled absolutely heavenly, the butter was carved into.  Nothing like butter!

First course - Cornmeal crusted smoked catfish, with sauteed mustard greens and Creole sauce.  It was delicious.  I didn't know that catfish could taste like this!

The toast to friendship and the September birthday girls - Ann and me!

The wine!  Delicious and full bodied wonderfulness

Roasted duck leg with pineapple chutney, and hose made Pappardelle pasta.  The duck was so succulent and I cherished every bite of this masterpiece.  This was quite memorable.

Watermelon and Baby Mache with peach balsamic vinaigrette.  Wonderful and refreshing flavors.  I thought the cucumbers were a nice touch, with their flower-like presentation.

Intermission.  We walked out to the patio with our wine and rested for a bit.  This vine on the wall was intriguing.

White peach sorbet, upon our return to cleanse the palette.  I wanted more.

Wild mushroom stuffed filet is what three of us had, with seasonal vegetable, and two lovely roasted and caramelized carrots, which I would have loved more of.  The steak was cooked to perfection, as I enjoy my steak more on the rare side.  It literally melted in my mouth.

Jacquin had the fresh herb pesto crusted Wild Coho Salmon with Beluga lentils and sauteed pea tendrils.  We all had a taste, and the flavors from my first bite of Salmon were amazing - full of deep flavors, but not heavy.

Dessert - double chocolate lava cake with sea salt and bourbon caramel with fresh berries!

and an extra bonus, for the birthday girls.  A champagne glass with whipped cream and three melt in your mouth handmade chocolate truffles and a candle.  Made my wish and blew out the candle.  What an amazing evening.

This is the wine that we enjoyed during the last half of our dining experience.  If you are ever in Orange, California - make a reservation at The Hobbit.  10:00pm over and out.  This is a dining experience that I would highly recommend.

Lemon Basil Ice Cream

I rarely eat dessert, but I do love ice cream.  So, I decided to search for the best recipe for what I thought would be a winning combination of flavors.  Lemon Basil.  I found a basic custard recipe on-line from all recipes.com.  Ingredients are 1 cup of heavy cream, 3 cups of half n'half, 8 egg yolks, 1 cup white sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. I am using a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, where you have to freeze the cylinder for a couple of days ahead of time.  I began with separating the eggs into a large bowl.

8 eggs, and you could save the whites to make an omelet for breakfast

Add one cup of sugar and salt

Mix with spoon, and it will be thick.  Set aside.  I admit, that I started with a smaller bowl, and soon realized that it wasn't big enough, because I would have to add the warm cream mixture to it.  So, start with a large bowl.

In a saucepan add the one cup heavy whipping cream and the three cups of half n'half.

Flame on Medium Low, you do not want this to boil, but to simmer, using a whisk to stir.   When simmered, slowly pour about 1/2 cup of hot cream mixture into egg yolk mixture, whisking as you go.  When you have added all of the cream to the egg mixture, return all of the contents to the saucepan to cook on the stove, with the same Medium Low heat.  You want a nice slow simmer, whisking constantly.  When you can coat the back of a spoon with the contents.  This is the custard base of the ice cream.  At this point you can add other ingredients to make what you desire.

I used about 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil, and about a teaspoon of lemon zest.  I also added a teaspoon each of vanilla extract and lemon extract.

So, I mixed in the remaining ingredients, careful to not let it boil, did the spoon test, and turned off the heat.  I poured the ice cream base into a 8 cup glass measuring bowl and let it cool for 20 minutes.  When cool, place in the refrigerator overnight (I put it in for 6 hours).  When ready, pour it into an ice cram maker, and turn it on.  The Cuisinart ice cream maker takes about 20 minutes.  Remove from ice cream maker, pack into covered container, and freeze for 2 hours before serving.

   But, if was my best attempt at making really good ice cream!  It was frozen, creamy and delicious.  I served it with simple butter waffle cookies.  It makes about 8 cups.  Now I want to come up with some new combinations!

Asiago Cheese, Polenta and Mushroom Pie

My friend Michele Muska sent me this book as a get well wish, for when I had an ankle replacement earlier this year.  Her pie is on the cover.  The book is "Where Women Cook: pie ography."  by Jo Packham.  The basis of my recipe was from Page 42 "Tomato & Caramelized Onion Pie.  I can't eat tomatoes, so I improvised a bit.

One sweet onion, chopped

about 3T of olive oil in a pan, add onions and cook, till the onions are golden.  To caramelize, add a teaspoon of sugar and a tad of butter, and stir.

Cooked Polenta (the entire package) from Trader Jose, and a bag of Crimini mushrooms

Have you seen this butter in stores?  Tuscan style.  I use it in very small quantities, for added flavor

Asiago cheese, grate, or chop up into small pieces and set aside

Using a potato masher, mash the polenta, add a touch of water, and microwave it about 1 minute, then check to see how it is sofening up. You want it sort of soft.

To the onions, add the Crimini mushrooms and sautee

Yum, chopped garlic, all ready to go.  I used about a tablespoon

And instead of using a pie dish, I used a 9x13 glass pan.  I sprayed the bottom of the pan with PAM olive oil spray.  Line the bottom of the pan with the Polenta

Mushrooms and onions, and I added a few strips of pre-cooked bacon that I chopped up.  You can leave this out, if you are going for a vegetarian dish

Add the onions and mushroom mixture to the top of the polenta

Then spoon the Asiago cheese on the top

Cook in the oven at 400 for about 25-30 minutes.  Serve hot.

Easy Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry

Dice one sweet onion, and cook, stirring occasionally in about 3T of Olive oil

One bag of Crimini mushrooms, pre-sliced, that you will add to the onions, when the tips are golden brown.  Add a touch more Olive oil

Pre-cut veggies

Chicken - cut into small strips.  I did about half the package.

Here are the onions and mushrooms, cooking.  After done, take out of this pan and set aside in a bowl.  Add more Olive oil and cook the chicken strips, till done all of the way through. It should only take about 10 minutes.

Add the onions, mushroom, and veggies to the chicken.  You can always microwave the veggies ahead of time, to save time.  Saute, so that the veggies are tender.

Add some stir fry sauce.  I like Trader Joe's General Tsao's Stir Fry Sauce.  You can also add in some teriyaki sauce to this sauce for a thinner sauce.  

Serve over your favorite rice or noodles and you've got dinner!