In the Kitchen with Shelby Mattews

Photo by Lee Kriel. Shelby makes her signature bread in flower pots for maximum impact.

We’re so excited to feature our first guest post on the blog today! Our favorite chef and teacher, Shelby Matthews from Shell Bees Kitchen, is here to share her cooking journey, favorite kitchen tools, and a gorgeous artichoke recipe for spring. Yum! I’ve know Shelby for years and loved attending her in person cooking classes pre-Covid. When the pandemic hit, she pivoted to teaching online, and now her classes attract students from all across the country. Over the past year, our family (especially Chad and Hadley) have really gotten into the taking her classes and cooking as a family, and we’ve learned how to cook everything from Chicken Shawarma, to the easiest Fresh Salsa, to Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits with Shelby.

In the Kitchen with Shelby

Her classes have a unique and fun premise-you prep the list of ingredients (or if you’re local, you can order a market bag with everything you need) before the class, and then over the course of an hour, you follow along with Shelby and cook the meal in real time together. It’s been a great way for our whole family to get involved and expand our kitchen skills, and you end up trying a recipe that might be out of your comfort zone but is never fussy and always fresh and delicious. It’s so easy for me to get stuck in a rut or for the kids to be picky, and Shelby’s classes have been great for busting out of that habit.

Her class schedule is updated monthly on her website, and we’re excited to cook Banh Mi with her class on April 8 and then grilled pizza on April 22nd. Chad and I watched an Instagram tutorial on Shelby’s method for pizza on the grill last spring and it became a Friday night ritual for us (along with her recipe for margarita’s, which are equally delicious). I’m excited to take the full class on it and really hone our pizza expertise. I know that no matter what she’s making, it’s going to end up being a fun and tasty adventure to cook along with her.

-Eloise

Introducing Shelby:

I was so flattered when Eloise asked me to write a post for Current/Classic! What a fun departure from my typical “writing” recipe writing. I’m much better at talking and teaching through my virtual classes, but I thought this would get me out of my comfort zone, so why not!? I sort of write like I talk....so here goes nothing!

Photo by Lee Kriel. One of the pre-pandemic classes that I was lucky enough to attend.

The start of something new…

I knew my work would always be doing something creative, but I never would have guessed that would translate into cooking, and all things that bring joy to me in my kitchen. For years, I had been on a quest to fulfill that oh so common phrase “do what you love, love what you do!”

But how is that possible to find in real life?? I didn’t do any soul searching or meditating over finding “it,” I just kept doing what I love and what comes easily to me. I love decorating, design, gardening, setting a beautiful table (of course!), but there was nothing that brought me more joy than the happiness I brought to others through their bellies. For long time, it didn’t occur to me that that also requires a lot of creativity, but then I realized that cooking is actually the ultimate creative space for me! And once I realized that, Shell Bees Kitchen grew very organically from there.

Good food is easy to create with the best ingredients.

My focus has always been on simple recipes with the freshest and best ingredients. It’s really hard to make bad food that way. Every time I have been tempted in the grocery store to buy something pre-made, I always tell myself I can make it better... and that is usually very true. I sometimes find inspiration in the grocery store, but friends/family, my copious amounts of cookbooks, and our travels is where my creativity comes alive.

Tools

I am adamant about having a well-stocked kitchen. Not only does that mean a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator, but the proper tools are essential to making any recipe come together. This doesn’t mean that I have every gadget out there (and there are sooo many), but I have the essentials (plus a few more!) and the best (or sharpest) of their kind! I often get asked about tools in my kitchen, and what tools I couldn’t live without. Well, that is a very easy answer. The two items that bring me the most joy, and I couldn’t live without, are a sharp Santoku knife (Japanese chef’s knife), and a large and super heavy cutting board.

These are two items I plan on keeping my entire life. Nothing makes my cooking experience more enjoyable than my cutting board. It doesn’t slip and slide, hurt my knives, or drop food off the sides. I hope someday my children fight over who gets my chopping block/board as they will have a fond memory of me always at “the block!” To make it last requires a little bit of maintenance. I clean it well, on a weekly and monthly basis. To naturally clean or disinfect, I cut a lemon in half, and sprinkle my board with a handful of kosher salt then rub the halved lemon all over the salt, squeezing the lemon and scrubbing with the salt . On occasion, I will wash my board down with hot soapy bleach water, but never will I ever leave my board washed and cleaned without oiling it all over. There are many oil brands to choose from, but John Boos makes both an oil and a cream that work well for me.

Additionally, keeping my knife super sharp is key to a joyful experience in the kitchen. Prepping and cutting your ingredients becomes very enjoyable when you have the right knife for you, and it is in its sharpest state. With a honing steel, I hone my knife a few times a week to maintain the edge. I have a small double sanding wheel knife sharpener that I use to sharpen my knives about once a month. Once a year, I have my knives professionally sharpened. I take them to my local garden store and/or to a vendor at the farmers market.

Finding inspiration:

Taste and smell have the power to transport you through time like nothing else. When I smell lemons, I'm sent back to my childhood years growing up in southern California and riding my Big Wheel through the lemon groves. Ah, to go back! Inspiration can be found everywhere, if you are looking for it. Sometimes it's just one ingredient that sparks the idea for a new dish. When Eloise asked me to share a recipe, I immediately thought “Lemons!” I use them in almost everything, and lemons and artichokes both have so many childhood memories for me. The recipe for lemon infused stuffed artichokes would make a wonderful springtime appetizer or meal.

Lemon Infused Stuffed Artichokes

Ingredients:

2 - Large Artichokes

2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs

1/2 Cup Parmesan, grated

1/2 Cup Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped

2 - Lemons

Olive oil

Butter (optional)

Salt & pepper

Directions:

-With a sharp knife, slice off the top of artichoke. With kitchen shears, cut sharp tips off of artichoke leaves. Cut the stem down close to the base.

-Fill a pot fitted with a steamer basket with about 2 inches of water, or enough so water is just below the basket.

-Place artichokes in the steamer basket, squeeze one half of lemon over top of both and then toss the lemon in the basket too. Steam artichokes until the knife inserts into the bottom of the stem easily, about 45 minutes. Discard lemon, set artichokes aside to cool.

-Preheat oven to 350°

-Meanwhile prepare stuffing: In a medium bowl mix together minced garlic cloves, bread crumbs, parmesan, parsley, 2 tbs. Olive oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper.

-Once artichokes have slightly cooled, gently fan out leaves and stuff with bread crumb mixture.

-Place artichokes in a baking dish, and bake until crumbs are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

-Remove from oven and enjoy! Peel away leaves and scrape the ‘meat’ from artichoke leaf with your teeth. Once all leaves are eaten, remove the choke by cutting out horizontally, and cut heart into bite size pieces to eat!

Bee’s notes:

For added deliciousness, melt butter with a squeeze of lemon for a yummy dipping sauce...and to dunk the heart in! YUM!