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Bonnie Lu’s Pixie Salad

Bonnie Lu’s Pixie Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Bring on Spring! Bring on the Pixies! They are almost ripe, just a matter of weeks. Bonnie Lu’s Pixie Salad is a great way to begin the Pixie season, another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.

PIXIE TANGERINES

These tangerines are synonymous with Ojai, a lovely town nestled in the foothills just inland from the central coast. Pixie tangerines are a famous crop of the region, with many citrus groves in the area. Pixie’s are sweet and a very special citrus to herald in the Spring season. I am so lucky, my neighbor has a very abundant tree that I gather from each year.

Bonnie Lu’s Pixie Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

OJAI

The town of Ojai has a special place in my heart. As a kid, we used to drive from the valley over the interior road to the town. I always loved the Spanish Mission architecture of the town, reminding me of the valley I was raised in. Charming shops and restaurants line the main street and Bonnie Lu’s is a part of the food culture.

BONNIE LU’S CAFE

One of the cafe recipes I was attracted to was this salad with a No Oil Citrus Sesame Dressing & Butter Leaf Lettuce Salad via Edible Ventura County.  Pixie tangerine is a part of both the salad and the dressing. The salad also contains asparagus spears, tomato and shallots.

Breakfast is also served at the cafe, they close at 2 pm so plan an early trip.

Bonnie Lu’s Pixie Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

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Chicken Roasted with Pixie Tangerines, Fennel & Pernod

Chicken Roasted with Pixie Tangerines, Fennel & Pernod | Bijouxs Little Jewels

More Pixie Tangerine love here at Bijouxs. I created a take on a recipe from the amazing Jerusalem Cookbook and cooked up with Chicken Roasted with Pixie Tangerines, Fennel & Pernod. Not your plain-old roast chicken here in the Bijouxs Kitchen.

COOKING FROM JERUSALEM

A wonderful gift of Pixie Tangerines from Melissa’s Produce to cook with inspired me so much here in the kitchen. I previously shared my Ojai Pixie Bars here. In this post, I reworked a favorite recipe from Ottolenghi & Tamimi’s Jerusalem cookbook. This book is a treasure chest of recipes from the diverse cuisines in the city. This recipe is wonderful for this holiday season. (Spiced Lentils & Brown Rice (Mejadra)is one of my favorites from the book).

COOKING FOR ONE OR TWO

As is many times the case, most recipes make enough to serve a big family, however in the real world, most nights many of us are cooking for just one or two people. Many recipes can be adjusted to smaller batch cooking-this chicken recipe reworked simply for 2 servings.

Chicken Roasted with Pixie Tangerines, Fennel & Pernod | Bijouxs Little Jewels

FENNEL & PERNOD

One of the major flavor notes in this dish is anise, from both the fennel seeds and the intense Pernod liquor. Sautéed Artichokes with Pernod from the blog is a nice way to introduce the liquor to your taste buds.

PIXIE TANGERINES

The sweetness of the tangerines, both juice and the fruit, are perfect counter play against to saltiness of the chicken. The fennel takes on a slightly sweet glaze cooking in the pan along with the Pixies and marinade. Just add some steamed Basmati rice to soak up the wonderful marinade-dinner is served.

Sweet holidays from Bijouxs Little Jewels in the Kitchen.

Disclosure: Melissa’s Produce sent the Ojai Pixie tangerines for recipe development.

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Ojai Pixie Bars

Ojai Pixie Bars | Bijouxs Little Jewels

I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day, what can make me feel this way? Ojai Pixie tangerines of course.
Ojai Pixie Bars, a sunny little jewel for the season. When winter’s dark days begin to end, that’s when the sunshine appears. This is also when the one-of-a-kind Ojai Pixie Tangerines appear.
I have been raving about these little jewels on the blog, it’s time to try them for your self. Continue reading Ojai Pixie Bars

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Seasonal Arugula Citrus Salad

Seasonal Arugula Citrus Salad |Bijouxs Little Jewels

Salads, can we ever have enough recipes? This lovely little jewel originates from Charcoal in Venice Beach. Citrus season makes this a perfect time for this salad with blood oranges and grapefruit, tossed with arugula, radicchio and French feta, a healthy and delicious little jewel.

L.A. RESTAURANTS

I am a L.A. born and bred girl now living along the beautiful central coast. I have tried to utilize our extended down time by cruising through all of my cookbooks, hundreds in fact. Eat. Cook. L.A. brings recipes from many of my favorite haunts in L.A. like this salad. Sadly, with the downturn, many of my favorite restaurants have closed. I am happy though to cook recipes from L.A.’s  great restaurants in-between cooking and creating my new No. 4 Beautiful Food By Design Cookbook.

CITRUS SEASON

This is a favorite time of year. The winter citrus crops bring that bright spot to winter, vibrant color while we wait for Spring. There are so many choices, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit and blood oranges just to name a few. California citrus are exported for enjoyment all over the world.

Seasonal Arugula Citrus Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

SEASONAL ARUGULA CITRUS SALAD 

I have lightly adapted the original recipe, substituting a few of my favorite ingredients such as Sherry vinegar & olive oil. French feta is my favorite but a Greek Goat milk feta will work just as well. Use baby arugula, or better yet grow your own. My garden is just beginning to produce lettuce. It is wonderful to go out and collect lettuce for your evening salad. I have other citrus salads on the website, such as Beet, Citrus and Olive Salad, Blood Orange and Fennel Salad, and a classic Orange & Olive Salad. All deliver the fresh California forward flavors.

Seasonal Arugula Citrus Salad | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Wishing you a happy and safe new Spring.