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Give these recipes a try.
“The ranch,” as it’s lovingly called by repeat guests (who outnumber first-timers), serves food with ingredients gleaned almost exclusively from its six-acre organic garden. This “food less traveled” is the start for many of Jesús’ inventive dishes, low in fat and brimming with flavor and freshness. Jesús has a Midas touch with lighter healthy foods. He reduces grocery store balsamic vinegar with spices to create a luxurious syrup that mimics extravagant aged balsamic vinegar. He purées leeks, garlic, basil and broccoli for Creamy Broccoli Soup without the cream. And he enhances hot chocolate with roasted butternut squash, a technique that’s sheer genius. Jesús spent 15 years in the kitchen of The Golden Door Spa, and it shows. His food is eclectic, fresh, wholesome and healthy, perfect for hearts at the spa and yours this Valentine’s Day.
Mayan Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups 1% milk, divided
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Large pinch nutmeg
Large pinch cardamom
2. In a large saucepan, mix remaining 2 cups milk, chocolate and spices. Heat over a double boiler or in a heavy-bottomed pan, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and creamy. Remove from heat and whisk in pureed squash. Reheat. Serves 4.
Three Sisters’ Mole
Ingredients
1 ounce dried guajillo chile, seeded
½ cup skinless peanuts
¼ cup whole almonds
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup sesame seeds
1 (6-inch) corn tortilla, torn
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 ounces Mexican chocolate
(Ibarra or Abuelita)
½ cup tomato sauce
2 teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
6 cups vegetable stock
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cut chiles into big chunks. Place chiles, peanuts, almonds, cinnamon, sesame seeds and tortilla wedges on a baking sheet. Toast in oven 10 minutes.
3. Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add toasted nut mixture; sauté 5 minutes. Add chocolate, tomato sauce, salt and pepper; sauté 3 minutes. Add stock; cook 20 minutes over low heat. Purée mixture in blender in three batches 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Return mole to saucepan and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Serves 8.
Recipe by Jesus Gonzalez, "King of Hearts," Relish the Healthy Table, Feb. 2008.
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