Inspiration: Two Starters From Gjelina

We love being inspired by a meal out and one of our favorites is Gjelina on Abbot Kinney. A farm to table menu means everything is fresh and the ingredients are normally pretty simple. Over the weekend we got ideas for two starters that pack a lot of flavor in a small dish.

There were to appetizer/salads that we ordered: Marinated Artichokes with Burratta and a Beet, Avocado and toasted Hazelnut Salad. Both were small dishes but had so much flavor that we felt totally satiated (of course we had more food coming). They're the perfect dishes to start a meal with, it gets your appetite going but it also satisfies the senses (especially the bright colors of the beet and avocado).

Here's our best guess for how to make something similar at home (chime in if you've made something like them!)

Marinated Artichokes with Burrata & Crispy Shallots
Serves 2

5-6 Marinated Artichokes (which you buy or make
Fresh Buffalla Mozzarella
2 Shallots, sliced and carmelized
4-5 Cloves of Garlic, chopped.
Olive Oil
Lemon
Chilli Flakes
Parsley
Salt and Pepper

Pan fry the artichokes with oil, garlic, chilli flakes and parsley just to soften and infuse flavors. Arrange artichokes on platter and drop on the mozzarella. Spoon the garlic/oil/chilli liquid over the platter and then finish with carmelized shallots and freshly chopped parsley

Roast Beet & Avocado Salad with Citrus, Hazelnut & Sherry
Serves 2

1 Beet, roasted
1 avocado
Citrus (half an orange, a mandarin orange or even try some clementines)
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts

Vinaigrette:
Our best guess is that it's a mixture of sherry, lemon and olive oil with some salt and pepper. (We like subbing in lemon for sherry for the bite without the alcohol).

Slice the beet and avocado and arrange on a platter. Add the citrus. Toast the hazelnuts and drizzle the vinaigrette over the dish. Voila!

For more Gjelina inspiration, check out their menu or go eat there!

Images: Laure Joliet

Comments (12)

I just ate here on Friday, with my brilliant mother. We had the other Buratta dish with arugula and a crostini with olive tapenade. It was sooooo good.

We also shared the escarole salad with sunchokes and a pizza. Everything was outstanding.

Thanks for the recipes!

I miss having the AT local links on thekitchn. Where and what is Abbot Kinney?

These do look delicious!!

I just had dinner at Gjelina on Saturday! My favorites were the roasted sunchokes with salsa verde and hen of the woods mushroom toast. I also had oysters, grilled chicories salad with egg, grilled squid, olive, chile and anchovy pizza. I wish I had a wood burning oven at home! Abbott Kinney is a street in Venice, CA

Gjelina
1429 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, CA 90291-3740
(310) 450-1429

Not to nitpick too much but it's "bufala," not "buffalla." :) Still delicious, though.

jealous. I didn't know about gjelina til I found myself in it's neighborhood. by then, it was too late to score a seat--the place was packed!

I was really impressed by what seemed to be such a large menu (many choices.) A lot of "farm to table" restaurants don't always have big menus. I guess it helps to be situated in an area that has such great produce available all the time.

What's great about food like this is that you can just look at the pictures and know that what's on that plate tastes really good.

Ate here recently with a dear friend and it was an AWESOME experience. Gorgeous ambiance and delicious food. We ordered that exact burrata dish to start. I think I could knock out a lb. of burrata in one sitting!

Thanks ETW.
I appreciate that you posted the location of this restaurant.

Mmm, the latter one reminds me of my all time favorite salad-

-Butter lettuce
-Mandarin oranges
-Avocado
-Poppy seed dressing

Will have to try adding hazlenuts and beets some time! Bet it would be amazing.

I just remembered. I took a picture of the building that the restaurant is in before I realized, it was this restaurant. Design and food--even when I'm not expecting it...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/art_chel/4378394722/in/photostream/