Chef Daniella Ramos Recipes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap washed whole beets and four sprigs of thyme in foil. Place on a sheet pan. Bake for 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, discard the thyme, rub the peel off (a paper towel helps), and dice into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

 

Prepare the La Villa Balsamic Reduction. In a double boiler, bring X amt of which brand or type of balsamic vinegar, 4 cups water, and 1 cup sugar to a boil and reduce by half, about X minutes.

 

Preheat the grill to medium heat and lightly oil. Cut the head of lettuce in half lengthwise. Drizzle about two tablespoons of olive oil over the lettuce. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place lettuce cut side down on preheated grill. Cook until the lettuce is slightly wilted and charred, about 5 minutes.

 

Slice radish thinly.

 

Plate the salad by placing the grilled romaine on two plates, apportion the diced beets over and around the lettuce, apportion the sliced radish on top, drizzle with the Balsamic reduction. Strip the leaves from the remaining two springs of thyme and sprinkle the thyme leaves over all.

 

Seared Bronzini over Spring Succotash

By Chef Daniela Ramos

Serves 4

For the succotash:

 

• 1 small green zucchini
• 1 small yellow squash
• 1 small red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 4 artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cup small fresh spring Fava Beans
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 large shallots
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh butter
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons Basil oil
• Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Four springs of fresh Thyme

Dice the zucchini, squash, onion, bell pepper, and artichoke hearts in 1/2-inch dice or to match the size of the Fava beans. Mince the garlic; thinly slice the shallots.

 

Coarsely chop the parsley. Strip the leaves from the springs of thyme. Reserve for plating.

 

Place the vegetables, garlic, and shallots in a saucepan. Sauté in the olive oil until the vegetables are tender but still have some bite, 5-7 minutes. Finish with the butter, wine and Basil oil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

 

 

• 1/3 cup Sherry vinegar
• 1 cup Extra Virgin olive oil
• 1 large Shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup black Truffle, diced
• Handful of flat-leaf Parsley, chopped fine
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the Sherry vinegar and olive oil to emulsify. Stir in the shallot, garlic, truffle, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

 

 

• 4 fresh Bronzini filets
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Pat dry the filets. Add the olive oil. When shimmering, place the filets skin side down. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then carefully flip and cook for 3 minutes more. Place on a paper-towel lined plate to remove any excess oil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

 

 

Place the filets on warm plates. Add the succotash to the side of the filets. Sprinkle the reserved chopped parsley and thyme leaves over all. Drizzle with the Truffle Vinaigrette.

 

Vegan Baked Blueberry Cheesecake

By Chef Daniela Ramos

For the Crust:

 

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoon vegan butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F

 

In a food processor, pulse the rolled oats into flour, until texture is fine, with no pieces of oats. Add the brown sugar, salt, and melted butter. Pulse until the mixture comes together. It should press together when you pinch it.

 

Press the mixture in an even layer onto the bottom of a 7- or 8-inch spring-form pan.

 
(If you don’t have a spring-form pan, use an 8-inch square baking dish, lined with parchment paper for easy removal, or serve the baked cheesecake directly from the dish.)

 

 

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
• 1 cup soft tofu
• 1 cup vegan cream cheese
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Drain and rinse the cashews. Place the cashews in a high-powered blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until very smooth.

 

Pour the filling on top of the crust. Bake for 45 minutes until the edges of the cheesecake are light golden brown. The center might look a bit soft, but it will firm up during cooling. 

Allow the cheesecake to cool completely (about 1 hour), and then refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. Remove the sides of the spring form pan only after the cheesecake has chilled completely.

 

Carefully move the cheesecake to a serving platter. Let the cheesecake warm at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

 

 

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ cup granulated sugar

To make the topping, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for six minutes. Let cool.

 

Add the compote to the top of cheesecake after it has been moved to the serving platter. There will be enough for the top of the cheesecake and extra to add to individual servings.

 

Store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to seven days.