When Brian Bornemann and his partner, Lenna Culhane, opened the tiny Crudo e Nudo on Main Street in Santa Monica, it became a destination for sustainable seafood. Bornemann met correspondent Gillian Ferguson at the Santa Monica Farmers Market to discuss his latest project, Isla, which he calls a natural extension of his current restaurant plus fire. The cooking aspect will allow Bornemann to use ingredients such as octopus and black cod that he can’t serve raw.
Since peas have arrived at the market, Bornemann is using them raw. He explains that, as the season progresses the peas tend to get a bit woodier and should be cooked. Bornemann pairs pea trim with a halibut fumet.
Abby Cass is bringing snap peas to the market from McGrath Family Farmers in Camarillo. Cass says climate is a factor for growing crispy, sweet, burst in your mouth peas. A frost will create a concentrated sugar in the peas for peak sweetness. The McGrath stand is currently offering pea tendrils and snap peas. English shelling peas will arrive later in the month.