By Ryan Shelton, executive chef at Le Cigare Volant
Chef Ryan Shelton of Bonny Doon Vineyard’s Le Cigare Volant restaurant loves berry season.
“When I was growing up, my mom used to go to Gizdich Ranch for berries and make me olallieberry pies on special occasions,” he says.
Shelton likes to mix fresh and frozen berries when he makes a pie or cobbler to give it a “more interesting texture and depth of flavor.” He also advises baking the fresh strawberries on top of a tart to bring out their “deeper apricot notes.”
But you will never find a mixed-fruit compote or mixed-berry pie on the restaurant menu. “You wait all year for the season, you source locally, then you bury the flavors,” he gripes. “I like to let the ingredients sing of what the taste is going to be.”
While he appreciates all berries, Shelton says blueberries are the “unsung heroes” of the culinary world. “They are so good, so nutritious and there are so many things you can do with them,” he says. Try making his Smoked Duck and Blueberry Flatbread from this recipe.
Serves 4
2 six-ounce packages prepared pizza dough
1/2 pint blueberries, halved
12 thin slices smoked duck breast, or if duck is unavailable, thinly sliced ham
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 pound shredded mozzarella
1/4 pound arugula
1/4 red onion, sliced very thin
Roll out the dough very thinly, under 1/8-inch thick, into two rounds. Sprinkle dough first with shaved red onions, then cheese, and top with blueberries. Bake at 400° F on a pizza stone until browned and crispy. Remove from oven and slice. Mix olive oil with balsamic vinegar and dress arugula. Top flatbreads with arugula salad.
Lay shaved duck over flatbreads and serve.
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
