Yardbird Blog Easy & Delicious Summer Recipes with Chef Chase Elder

We traveled to Ojai, California to partner with the incredibly talented chef, Chase Elder. We had so much fun learning the ins and outs of making easy delicious summer recipes. We can't wait to hear what you think! Let us know in the comments.  Grilled Peach & Burrata Toast Ingredients: Fresh peaches                 Fresh basil  Sourdough boule  Burrata cheese Pine nuts Olive oil Maldon salt Instructions: 1. Preheat your oven to 350º2. Toast 1⁄2 cup of pine nuts until golden brown / about 6 minutes3. Slice bread into 1/4 inch slices 4. Cut peaches in half 5. Remove the pit of the peach 6. Slather the peaches & bread in olive oil and season with salt7. Grill peaches & bread. Grill both until you see nice grill marks. The peaches should also start to carmelize  To plate :Slice your peaches into quarters then layer peaches and burrata on grilled bread. Add torn basil leaves and toasted pine nuts then drizzle with olive oil and sea salt! Watermelon & Arugula Salad                         Ingredients: Baby arugula 1/2 cup seedless watermelon cubed  Ricotta Salata or feta cheese 1 tbsp Calabrian chilies (jars are available at Whole Foods) Fresh lime 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tsp Kosher salt Instructions: Dressing In a small bowl whisk together chilies, honey, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and juice of 1 lime Salad 1. Toss watermelon and two big handfuls of arugula with vinaigrette2. Shave ricotta salata on top with a vegetable peeler or a cheese grater.  **If you’re subbing with feta, crumble and sprinkle on top Whole Grilled Branzino Ingredients: Small branzino (Scaled and gutted – you can request your fish monger to do so)  Fresh thyme 1 fresh lemon 1 cup olive oil 2 Bay leaves Kosher salt Fresh parsley 2 tbsp capers Chili flakes Toothpicks            Instructions: Prepare the sauce 1. Wash & dry parsley 2. Finely chop parsley  3. Mix parsley with olive oil, zest of one lemon, the juice of one lemon, capers, a pinch of chili flake, and salt to taste. 4. Wisk slightly with a spoon. Prepare your fish 1. Score the skin on both sides by making 1 vertical slice and 2 horizontal slices. It should create a diamond-like pattern2. Slice a whole lemon3. Slice open the belly of the fish 4. Stuff fish with fresh thyme, a few bay leaves, and 2 lemon slices 5. Using toothpicks you will close the belly of the fish so the herbs and lemon don’t fall out. Prepare your grill 1. Preheat grill to 400-500 degrees 2. Drizzle olive oil over the fish and season with salt 3. Place the fish on hot grill and flip after roughly five minutes. Once flipped leave on grill for a few more minutes. You can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature - 145º 4. Remove from grill and place onto a platter 5. Add a few spoonfuls of parsley sauce and a lemon cut in half 6. Serve hot and enjoy :)