Moroccan Roasted Chicken and Chickpeas at Terra Restaurant at the Steward Hotel
Summer’s Don’t-Miss Dish
Still standing tall are the family trees planted by Joseph Sexton in the late 1880s, as is his historic house on Hollister Avenue in Goleta. But there’s something new and fresh here, with the recently remodeled Steward Hotel and its Terra restaurant. This spot tucked into lush gardens melds historic with modern, international with local, and down-home comfort with delightful and charming touches.
Chef Augusto Caudillo has taken the helm, after working as a private chef during the pandemic years and co-owning and running Scratch Kitchen in Lompoc before that.
Chef Caudillo’s style of cooking is hearty and unctuous, creating dishes to warm the soul. It appears tossed onto the plate in a pile of wild and delicious art. There’s also simplicity in the ingredients and organically driven menu, as well as a rustic feel. The philosophy of the restaurant is locally sourced food in a modern, coastal California cuisine, and Caudillo has the freedom to mix it up, buying ingredients and cooking whatever inspires him. He likes experimenting with substantial dishes that are satisfying, eco-friendly, low-impact, ancient and nutritious.
Caudillo is super excited by current American cooking. “I love that right now we have the best food we’ve ever had in America, much higher quality, and sourced with a higher consciousness,” he says. “Chickpeas are underutilized in the American diet. They are a peasant food in many cultures, but they are so versatile, so hearty and delicious.”
He makes sure at least one central part of each dish is driven by local ingredients. For this warm dish of Moroccan-spiced chickpea salad with garden gremolata and yogurt-marinated chicken, the chicken and all the vegetables come from Jimenez Family Farms in the Santa Ynez Valley.
To make this dish, first marinate a whole chicken in Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon, salt and pepper overnight or a few hours. When ready to cook, don’t clean off chicken, but spread the yogurt to make sure it’s evenly coated, and roast it in the oven at 350°F for 50–90 minutes (depending on size) until done and crispy on the outside.
Add dried chickpeas and water to cover to a saucepan, along with Moroccan spices (cinnamon, cumin, ginger, garlic), onion, carrots and celery. Cook for about 25 minutes, until al dente, then drain. Spread one-third of the peas in a baking pan; drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper; and bake until crispy. At the same time, roast cubed yellow or pattypan squash in olive oil, salt and pepper until browned.
Over medium heat, sauté the other two-thirds of the chickpeas in Moroccan spices with chopped onion, garlic and butter. Take off the heat and add dandelion (or other) greens and arugula to the pan and stir until slightly wilted.
Make the garden gremolata by finely chopping broccoli, other greens, parsley, basil, pistachios, spinach, mint and garlic, then mixing this with hot pepper flakes, lemon juice and zest, olive oil and avocado oil.
Smear the gremolata over the plate, top with stewed chickpeas, olives, fresh tomatoes and cucumber. Place a quarter of the chicken on top, along with more gremolata and some crispy chickpeas.
