sushi @ r23

July 16, 2011 //
7

i am a snob about many things food related, but i put sushi at the top of that list. i could easily eat sushi for every meal (even breakfast), but i pass when it is offered at catering, or see it pre-packaged at grocery stores. the problem being is that i was introduced to really good sushi early on, and i can’t go back. i started eating sushi regularly when i moved to california. for the first few years i lived above a sushi place called shin. i was uber-broke, but my friend harve would treat me whenever he had the hankering. this is the first place i had uni, and fell in love with it. harve really influenced me to move beyond rolls so slathered in sauces that you couldn’t taste the fish. if the fish is good, you don’t need anything to make it taste delicious.

when i started working a lot and had money, i became addicted, and was going sometimes 2-3 times a week. this was around the time i met my friend mara, who lived near me and shared my love of sushi. we started going to tama in studio city weekly, if not more. we even became friends with our sushi chef kenji. there was a night that we got him so drunk off sake and asahi that his rainbow roll looked sad and pathetic. that is not to say he isn’t an amazing chef. some of my best meals have come from kenji. he once made a king crab roll with a grapefruit ponzu sauce that is on my ‘best dish ever’ list. sadly, kenji moved on to a place in encino and i moved downtown, so it’s not often i get to experience his talent.

thankfully, i live right next to little tokyo in downtown los angeles, so i am within blocks of some amazing sushi. r23 is my favorite.

unlike many good sushi restaurants, r23 has good art on their brick walls, chairs designed by frank gehry, and for some reason there is always a seat at the sushi bar. the first time i came to r23 was before i lived downtown. i was working around the corner, and i had given up on our caterer, so i ordered some take out. i was hooked. i often order yellowtail belly from a new place in order to judge whether or not they have good fish, and their’s was like butter.

tonight was no different. i was so excited to eat their yellowtail i forgot to take a picture before digging in, so that is why there is only one piece, and you can’t quite see it glisten, like butter does when it is warm.

yellowtail belly

albacore

anago

new zealand oysters

scallop

red snapper

red snapper

spanish mackerel

spanish mackerel

i always finish with uni, and ask them to put a little shiso leaf underneath. it’s my dessert.

uni

it was absolutely delicious. nutty and creamy with a touch of citrus. perfect.

my chef tonight was the very same when i came my first time years ago. he declined when i offered to buy him a beer, so i’m not sure we will be chums like kenji and i, but he does make beautiful works of art just the same.

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Categories review

meatless monday: grilled cheese with danny’s hot tomato jam

July 11, 2011 //
2

my sister kate made me one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches i have ever had, and i’ve been trying to repeat it since. i have reason to believe it didn’t really have anything to do with her sandwich making skills, though they do run in our family, but more because of our dad’s toaster oven. it also helped that she used good bread, and extra sharp cheddar cheese. i found some of my dad’s hot tomato jam in the refrigerator and slathered some of that on it as well. for today’s meatless monday lunch, this was my attempt to recreate it:

good rustic sourdough bread from two bits market…

sliced.

slice sharp cheddar and gruyère thin.

brush or spray a little olive oil on the outside of the bread, and layer with cheese on the inside.

carefully place on a rack in a 350º oven for 5 minutes. turn over for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

remove from the oven. open up the sandwich, and spread some tomato jam on the inside.

i like to have a little extra to dip it in too.

it was close, but still not as good at the one kate made me. damn it.

danny’s hot tomato jam:

  • x pounds of tomatoes and equal amount of sugar (out of season this may be made with large cans of plain whole tomatoes)
  • crushed red pepper flakes (to degree of hot)
  • 1-2 lemon juice and rind slivered
  • 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
  • 1 stick of cinnamon

scald the skin the tomatoes in a large heavy pan. cut tomatoes into small pieces and crush fine. cover with the sugar, stir. add 1 tsp pepper flakes (or more to taste). add cinnamon stick, zest and juice of lemon, grated ginger to taste. let stand in the fridge overnight 8-10 hours. Drain juice from pulp and cook down. add pulp and cook down until jam begins to pearl and thicken. while cooking prepare jars and lids by boiling them for 10 minutes. let jars cool. if you use paraffin, fill jars to within 1/4″ with hot jam and let cool a bit. then cover with paraffin and seal with lids. or, fill jars close to full, cover with lids and tighten slightly. when jars have cooled seal them tight.

(wf+t notes: i found a whole clove in the jar i just opened, so they may have been mistakenly omitted from his recipe. personally, i wouldn’t mind a little more heat, but because he doesn’t state the amount of tomatoes he used for the 1 tsp of red pepper flakes, that will have to be experimented with. also, even though i would have liked to talk to him about his recipe while he was still alive, because there are a few things left unclear, they will have to be left up for interpretation, which is how he liked to cook anyway, so it seems fitting.)

thanks pops! miss you + love you.

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Categories meatless monday, recipes

farmers market fairy: a day in the life

July 10, 2011 //
5

right around the time i started going to farmers markets regularly, i met my friend linda. we live in the same loft building downtown and we were both at the pool one day. we started talking about food, cooking, downtown restaurants and bars, and of course farmers markets. we even headed out to the newly opened restaurant first + hope to check out their thursday farmers market happy hour one evening. she would talk about how she didn’t really enjoy her job and wasn’t making enough money at it, and was looking to do something else. soon there after the farmers market fairy was born.

right around the same time last fall, i had a surprise appendectomy, and found myself without groceries or the energy to get myself to the market, so i used linda’s service. i simply emailed her a list of things i needed the night before, and around noon the next day she showed up with the goods. i’ve got to say, even though i love shopping for myself and enjoy shopping for food more than most things in life, it was really awesome to have fresh fruits, vegetables and meats delivered to my door.

i wanted to see what a day in the life of the farmers market fairy was like. we decided i should shadow her at the wednesday santa monica farmers market, which is not only one of the biggest, it is the market that most chefs go to. i have been to it once before, but being that it is mid-week and i am usually working, it is a hard one to get to from downtown. we left early. just after 7a linda knocked on my door.

we talked a bit on the way.

wf+t: tell me about organic certification.

fmf: organic is a term that big corporations can afford to use, and small farmers can’t. i’d say 95%, if not more [of the vendors] at this market and all the markets i go to are organic, or organically grown, they just can’t afford the certification.

wf+t: you just started doing gift bags?

fmf: i basically shop for people and put their gifts in a bag. today it’s a thank you gift…i’ve done get well, i’ve done anniversaries. i spent 40 minutes [with a client] coming up with a list that was in their budget. i put everything in a brown recycled [trader joe’s] bag…put a note in it from myself explaining that it’s not from trader joe’s, and they are items from the wednesday santa monica’s market. this particular woman i’m shopping for today mailed a card for me to include in her friend’s gift bag. how much more personal than that can you get? it’s just so thoughtful.”

(eventually she is hoping to have her gift bags delivered in canvas re-usable bags with the farmers market fairy logo on them of course.)

wf+t: why do your clients want your service?

fmf: they like good food and are often health conscious. they prefer to eat local and organic food, but just can’t get to the farmers markets themselves. it’s fun for me, but to some people it’s a real chore, can be overwhelming, or it just doesn’t fit into their work schedule. i know what’s in season and i know how to choose the best quality items. i’m also as particular when choosing their produce as i am for myself. virtually, i am their eyes, hands, and ears. i’ve had some clients who are a bit apprehensive at first, but once they realize they can trust me, it’s a really wonderful connection. quite often, a good portion of their grocery list is left up to me. this way, i’m able to expose them to the most exciting and delicious things at the markets. there is quite a bit of communication before each trip as well. i check in about likes, dislikes, and quantity. i don’t want anyone to be disappointed.

wf+t: i would think that a lot of chefs would love your service.

fmf: i’ve had a few chefs as clients. one woman wanted to follow me to make sure i knew what i was doing…and that’s cool. things can get pretty specific. some clients want 7 avocados, but don’t want them at the same ripeness.

with her signature bright red streaked hair and sundress, she hits the markets with a tricked out rolling cart, that has stacked crates inside, and is just about as big as she is. she has her system all worked out. linda has been shopping at farmers markets since she moved to los angeles about 10 years ago, so she knows the vendors and farms well. she definitely has her favorites, but as she says:

“as the seasons change, so do my favorites.”

we stopped at some of her summer ones:

harry’s berries– strawberries, tomatoes, french green beans

“i know that people do need to have strawberries from harry’s berries. they just have to have them. if they are going to give a gift, they have to have some of those berries. they are perfect every time.” -fmf

windrose farm– garlic, carrots, potatoes, herbs

“don’t even get me started on garlic…windrose has 10 different kinds of garlic right now.” -fmf

schaner family farms– herbs, shallots, unusual eggs

i am kicking myself for not taking home any of that chocolate mint. it smelled so damn delicious! i hope it’s there next week.

regier farms– peaches, nectarines, blenheim apricots

“i usually don’t buy anything without tasting it, when it comes to fruit. if they can’t give me a sample that means [the fruit] is so fucking good that they can’t give it up ’cause they don’t have a lot, but i’m pretty aware of who those vendors are. i don’t usually eat breakfast [before] because i end up sampling so many fruits.” -fmf

weiser family farms– potatoes

i picked up some ‘laker bakers’ that are a hybrid of yellow and purple potatoes.

coleman’s– lettuces

apparently i was right next to michael voltaggio while looking at their goods, but i didn’t notice him. i guess their beautiful produce was prettier than him and his tattoos…surprising, i know. linda told me later when she pointed out suzanne goin. it really is the chef’s market.

maggie’s– lettuces + herbs

i know maggie’s from the other markets i go to. i have had her herbs last 3-4 weeks. i usually use them up before that, but i have gone out of town for an extended time and come back and have been able to still use them. at $1 a bunch, for easily twice as much as you get at a grocery store in those little plastic containers, it’s a deal.

forbidden fruit orchard– blueberries, blueberry syrup with a hint of thyme

they didn’t have any of the syrup today, but would have gotten some if they did. sounds wonderful!

adams’ ranch– olives, oil, balsamic

after tasting them, i had to bring home some lemon infused extra virgin olive oil and balsamic for myself.

now on this particular day, her clients didn’t need any meats, but there are plenty of vendors with an array of choices, from chicken and ground bison to goat and rabbit. she will also make trips to specialty butchers such as mccall’s meat + fish co and lindy + grundy if needed.

once linda checked her lists, we headed to her car with all the goods.

linda always has her phone on her while at the market, so if a client forgets something and needs to add to the list, she is easily able to accommodate them. for example, we were in her car just about to leave when she got a text from a client for hot peppers, so we hopped out and quickly went to a vendor that she had seen with jalapeños, pasilla, and anaheim peppers.

it was close to noon as we headed off to deliver the gift in the pacific palisades. today’s gift included: almonds, garlic, asparagus, strawberries, sweetheart tomatoes, basil, salad greens, peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots and a lovely bouquet of flowers. she did another gift recently for a business man in town from nyc. his friend wanted to get him healthy breakfast things, so she got him granola, fruit, and raw milk from organic pastures. every gift is different depending on what the client wants, which also makes it that much more personal.

the last stop was her client crystal in mount washington, who was nice enough to invite me into her home as linda gave her the goods. she had a specific list for linda, but also wanted her to just pick some fruits and vegetables that looked good. crystal also likes to try new things, so linda tries to get her items that are a little different. today she brought her some of purple haricot vert and baby celery.

crystal was giddy with excitement as linda showed her items. clearly this busy mom was very appreciative of the time and thoughtfulness linda gave to her shopping. honestly, i think anyone wanting to shop at farmers markets, that may not know the farms and vendors, or simply doesn’t have the time, would love linda’s service. i think her gift bags are an extremely personal and thoughtful idea, not to mention an environmentally conscious option.

i was certainly glad that we sampled and tasted as much as we did during the morning, because it was nearly 2p by the time we got back downtown, and i was starving. i decided to try one of the tomatoes i got, and made a blt…yup, it’s definitely tomato season. happy summer!

the farmers market fairy works in the los angeles area and can be reached at: 213-304-8682 or farmersmarketfairy@gmail.com

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Categories farmers market

red, white + blue potato salad

July 6, 2011 //
4

i grew up eating mostly store bought potato salad that was basically mayo flavored light yellow mush. blech. the potatoes were overcooked and so drenched in mayonnaise, or worse… miracle whip (the horror!), that you could hardly taste any of the other ingredients. so, a few years ago for a 4th of july potluck bbq, i wanted to make a potato salad that you could actually taste the ingredients, including the potatoes, and not just the salad dressing.

weiser family farms at the farmers markets here in los angeles have great potatoes, and a wide assortment. for my patriotic potato salad i chose chilean reds, russian banana fingerlings, and all blues. i like to leave the skin on the potato, which i feel gives the salad more texture and color. i find if you simply use quality ingredients you don’t need much else to make something taste good, so i kept mine to the basics:

  • 18 small to medium potatoes: a mix of red, white and blue
  • 5-6 celery stalks, diced small (about 1 ¾ cup)
  • 1 medium red onion, diced small (about 1 cup)
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, minced (about  1 tbsp)
  • ½ tsp celery seed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 5 hard boiled eggs
  • ¼ cup whole grain mustard
  • 1 cup mayo, plus more to your taste
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (plus more for garnish)
  • fresh chives, chopped (for garnish)

begin by cooking the potatoes, because they will take a while to cool, but just like the eggs, they can be done ahead of time and cooled in the refrigerator overnight. cover the potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil. as suggested by america’s test kitchen on their blog for week 3 of the “dish it your way” blogger challenge,

“start boiling potatoes in cold water so they come up to temperature slowly and cook evenly. don’t be tempted to start potatoes in already boiling water to speed up the process- it will damage the texture. we also found that the potatoes started in boiling water actually had a longer cooking time than those started in cold water.”

from the time i turned on the heat until they were done was about 20 minutes. to make sure not overcook them i started checking them with a fork at about 15 minutes, remembering that they will continue to cook once off the heat. strain, and let cool completely.

while they are cooling, prep your other ingredients. place the celery, onion, garlic, celery seed, and s+p in a large bowl and mix to combine.

cut up the hard boiled eggs into chunks, and mix them in with veggie mixture.

once completely cooled, cut the potatoes into bite sized chunks, and add to the bowl.

add the mustard and 1 cup of mayo. mix to combine well. add more mayo to your taste. i prefer my potato salad a little on the dryer side rather than swimming in dressing. stir in the fresh dill.

garnish with additional dill and chives.

even though there is nothing fancy about this recipe, i did have two friends remark how they didn’t even like potato salad until they had mine. i think perhaps that they were just accustomed to eating the same mushy light yellow crap i was given growing up, but i’ll take the compliment just the same. enjoy! serves 10-12. 

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Categories recipes

plum pie

July 1, 2011 //
0

i love pie…which is actually a gross understatement. i have always preferred pie to other desserts, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that i decided to make my first pie with a homemade crust. it all began while working in griffith park, where there was a quaint little place across the street from where we were shooting called the trails, and it served pie. i collected some money from interested individuals, and bought one of their apple pies. the filling was good, but they chose not to peel their apples, which i personally don’t care for. what was unbelievable was the crust. it was flaky, thick, buttery and ultimately so much better than the filling, that it made me realize…it’s all about the crust. i began my mission to make a pie with the best crust…ever. i have tried a few different recipes, but the one i settled on is pretty much based on the cook’s illustrated version of basic pie dough.

shortly after making my first pie i entered the  kcrw 1st annual good food pie contest. i made a sweet potato pecan pie with jack daniels whipped cream. i didn’t even make it to the 2nd round, but it sure was a lot of fun.

photo courtesy of dennis barth jr.

since then, pies have been my contribution to many a cookout, holiday gathering, and birthday celebration. in fact, i have made several different pies over the past few years, but this is my first plum pie, and it might just be in the running for the 3rd annual good food pie contest.

ingredients

pie dough/crust:

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 12 tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cold and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cut into tablespoon sized chunks
  • 3-4 tbsp ice water
  • 3-4 tbsp cold vodka
  • 2 tbsp whole milk, or and an egg beaten
  • 1 tbsp raw sugar (turbinado)

filling:

  • 5 cups pitted plums, sliced and drained
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp cloves
  • 1/8 tsp allspice
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

instructions

make your dough first, so while it chills in the fridge you can make the filling. cut up your butter and shortening, and put it in the freezer, so it is extra cold when making the dough.

while they are in the chillin’ with your frozen goods pull out your food processor. put 1 1/2 cups of the flour, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt and pulse to mix.

by this time your butter and shortening will have chilled enough.  add the shortening.

i use the crisco sticks so it is easier to cut them up into tablespoon sized chunks, but if you use the tub kind, just dollop in equal amounts, and process for about 10 seconds. it will look like coarse sand.

then add the butter pieces, scattering them over the flour mixture.

process again, about 10 1-second pulses. the butter bits should be no larger than the size of a pea. add the remaining 1 cup of flour and process about 4-6 quick pulses.

turn the mixture into medium bowl.

sprinkle in 3 tbsp of the cold water, and 3 tbsp of the cold vodka.

with a rubber spatula using a folding mixing motion, pressing down with the broad side of the spatula as you turn the dough letting it stick together. you will more than likely have to add an additional tbsp each of water and vodka if it isn’t coming together.

divide the dough into 2 flattened circular discs about 4 inches in diameter, and wrap in plastic.

refrigerate for an hour, or up to 2 days, before rolling out.

in the meantime, make your filling. pit and slice up the plums. my plums were especially ripe, so many of them didn’t need to be sliced because they basically became pulp in my hands. let them drain.

whisk the sugar, cornstarch, salt, cloves and allspice together in a large bowl. add the plums, lemon juice and vanilla and mix to combine.

adjust a rack to the middle position and pre-heat oven to 450º.

once you take the dough out of the refrigerator, let it sit for a few minutes, or even more if it has been in longer than an hour. flour your work space and roll out the bottom. christopher kimball, from america’s test kitchen, has an excellent video on his blog as to how to roll out dough.

pour in the filling.

re-flour your work space and roll out the top. cover the filling. trim the edges leaving about 1 1/2 inches hanging over the edge of the pie pan.

fold both layers of dough under.

using your thumb and pointer finger on one hand and your thumb on the other, crimp the edges. (i had to hold the camera, so imagine using all three digits at the same time.)

with a brush wash the top of the dough with milk or egg. cut 6 1-inch slits on the top to vent, and sprinkle with raw sugar.

place on a baking sheet and put it in the oven. reduce the temperature to 375º.

start checking on it at 45 minutes, but mine took just over an hour. the crust should be golden brown.

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Categories pie, recipes

blt: a craving

June 30, 2011 //
2

when summer comes around i start craving blt’s. a lot. this is mostly because the tomatoes are so damn delicious! today the urge hit hard. unfortunately, i didn’t have any of the ingredients that i needed in my kitchen (with the exception of mayonnaise), so i headed out on my trusty steed to the farmers market at city hall a few blocks from where i live. it’s a pretty small market, so i wasn’t sure i was going to find everything i needed, but i was certain i would at least get tomatoes and lettuce. my preferred green on a blt is arugula, and was lucky enough to find a vendor that was selling it. right next to the arugula guy was a stand with beautiful red tomatoes on the vine. he also had ripe avocados, which aren’t essential to the classic blt, but a nice addition. since there are no meat vendors at this market, and i refuse to go to ralph’s for bacon, i thought i’d check out two bits market a few blocks down spring street. sure enough they had bacon from zoe’s meats, and thankfully, since i forgot to pick up bread at the farmers market, they had fresh loaves as well. with my shopping done, i headed home.

i don’t think anyone needs a recipe for a blt, but this is what i used to make mine:

fresh bread, sliced and slightly toasted.

arugula.

ripe red tomatoes.

avocado.

bacon, fried crisp.

slather some mayo on the toasted bread. pile on the arugula, layer the tomato slices, and avocado. top with bacon and the other piece of bread.

craving very satisfied. hello summer!

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Categories recipes

kale + beet salad

June 29, 2011 //
0

kale is one of the healthiest foods around, so i am continually looking for new ways to eat it. i first made this simple and delicious salad with raw kale, but i found that uncooked was just a bit too tough, and then i read that it actually has better cholesterol lowering benefits if it has been steamed. it is a great option for a meatless monday salad for lunch or a side dish for dinner.

for one serving:

  • 5-8 kale leaves, chopped 1-2 inch chunks
  • 1/2 small beet, cooked and sliced long into 1/8 inch wide pieces (see photo below)
  • 1 oz crumbled chevre goat cheese
  • 1 tbsp flax seeds (or sesame seeds)
  • olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • black pepper, to taste

blanch the kale leaves buy putting them in boiling water for 1 minute and then transferring them to ice cold water and submerge for 3-5 minutes.
drain really well to get excess water off the leaves. i’d even recommend to put them in a salad spinner or toss them in a towel in order to dry them as much as possible. chop kale leaves into small pieces.

put the kale in a bowl. add beets, crumbled chevre, and toss in flax seeds. drizzle some olive oil and balsamic, and add black pepper to taste.

toss to combine.

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Categories meatless monday, recipes

fried chicken

June 29, 2011 //
1

what’s more american than apple pie, baseball, and fried chicken?

as the 4th of july weekend approaches, it dawned on me that i have made many an apple pie, i have seen plenty of baseball games, but i have never made fried chicken.

when i made my first apple pie, i thought it would be difficult, and although daunting, it wasn’t hard at all.

my apple pie

baseball didn’t appeal to me at one point in my life, mostly because i thought it was uninteresting. growing up in minnesota the twins played in the metrodome, which was frankly a really depressing way to watch a baseball game. there was nothing special about it. when i moved out to los angeles and was introduced to the angels, who play in an outdoor stadium, i was taught about the game, the players, and fell in love with the whole experience.

jeff mathis

my experience with fried chicken has been minimal. growing up it was a bucket from kentucky fried chicken, and even though i liked the crunchy bits on the outside of the skin, i found the actual skin rubbery, and the meat dry with no flavor. it turned me off. over the years i have eaten fried chicken, but none of it ever surprised me. most of it was so greasy it gave me a stomach ache almost instantly. also, i had never really been a fan of chicken until i started eating organic, pasture raised, free-range birds, and especially now that i have been buying whole chickens from the hollywood and santa monica farmers markets, i am a bit spoiled.

so, i thought maybe if i had a good chicken, quality ingredients, and a simple recipe, why wouldn’t i like fried chicken?

you will need a large dutch oven (at least 7 1/4 quart) and an oil/candy thermometer to make this recipe easier.

this is based on a recipe from america’s test kitchen:

ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 lbs), preferably organic, pasture raised, free range, and air chilled
  • 1 quart buttermilk, set aside 1/2 cup
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 tsp hungarian sweet paprika
  • 3/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 4 cups peanut oil

you will need to cut up your chicken into 8 pieces, and then half the chicken breasts to make 10 pieces total. this will make them all roughly the same size. place them skin side down in a baking pan that is deep enough to submerge the chicken pieces.

use 1/2 tbsp salt and sprinkle over the chicken, then flip and sprinkle another 1/2 tbsp over the skin.

pour the buttermilk (minus the 1/2 cup that you set aside) over the chicken. cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

whisk flour, baking powder, 1 tsp salt, thyme, paprika, pepper, cayenne, and garlic powder together in a large bowl.

add the 1/2 cup of buttermilk that was set aside, tbsp by tbsp, and mix together with your fingers until it resembles coarse sand. toss each piece of chicken in the flour mixture to coat, gently pressing in order to get as much to stick as possible. don’t worry if it seems clumpy.

transfer to a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack skin side up.

heat the peanut oil in a large dutch oven until it reaches 375º using a oil/candy thermometer. you will most likely have to do 2 batches, so start with the bigger pieces first like the thicker breast halves and thighs. the 2nd batch would be the legs, wings and the thinner breast halves. the 2nd batch seems to cook quicker, so keep an eye on them, as they will be done earlier.

place pieces skin side down in the oil with tongs and cover. if using a thermometer that clips on the side, the lid will be slightly cracked, which is fine. at about 4 minutes (the oil should register about 300º, adjust heat/burner as needed to keep that temperature) uncover and check if the skin side is golden brown, letting them cook up to 3-4 minutes longer if not, keeping them uncovered. turn them over and cook an additional 6-8 minutes until also golden brown. once all sides are golden i let them get to an even deeper brown by flipping them back and forth a couple more minutes on each side, continually watching.

place paper towels on the wire rack on the rimmed baking sheet you used before. using tongs transfer to drain and let stand for 5 minutes.

in the mean time cook the 2nd batch. heat the same oil back up to 375º and place the remaining pieces in the oil. cover, check and uncover after about 4 minutes, flipping and keeping the oil at about 300º until all sides are equally brown. since these are smaller pieces and not as thick they will cook quicker, so keep an eye on them. transfer to the paper towels and let stand 5 minutes. you can keep the first batch warming in the oven at 200º if need be.

not only were the crunchy bits on the outside perfect, the skin itself was was crisp, and clung to the bits. the meat was extremely moist and not greasy. even the wing, which tends to be the greasiest and most over cooked, had delicious juicy meat. to be honest, for the first time making fried chicken, i was thrilled.

i guess like apple pie and baseball, fried chicken is not only an american tradition, it is easy and wonderful if done right.

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potato pancakes

June 24, 2011 //
0

what to do with leftover mashed potatoes? want potatoes with your morning eggs, but don’t want to go through the process of making hashbrowns? looking for a breakfast option for meatless monday? this is extremely easy, and adjustable to how much and what you have on hand.

this is what i had in my kitchen this morning:

  • mashed potatoes (about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 small shallot, minced (onion or garlic would be good substitutes)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • splash of whole milk
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped fine
  • olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of your pan
  • sour cream (for garnish)
  • fresh parsley (for garnish)

if you don’t have leftover mashed potatoes, simply peel and boil potatoes until soft, and mash. stir in shallot, milk, and thyme.

mix in egg until combined.

heat oil over medium high heat. add large dollops to the pan, careful not to splash oil, and flatten out a bit.

fry for about 4 minutes, but keep an eye on them, because just like regular pancakes, they can go from golden brown to burnt quickly. flip them over and fry a few minutes longer until the other side is brown as well.

i served them with scrambled eggs and garnished them with sour cream and parsley. salsa, hot sauce, or even apple sauce are good options too.

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Categories meatless monday, recipes

french lentils cooked with red wine + tarragon

June 20, 2011 //
4

ingredients:

  • 1 cup carrots, diced
  • 1 cup onions, diced
  • 1 ¼ cup celery, diced
  • ½ cup broccoli, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 oz pancetta
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 10-12 grinds of black pepper mill
  • 1 cup french green lentils
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

heat oil over medium heat. sauté the mirepoix of veggies, broccoli and 1 tsp salt for about 15 minutes.

stir in pancetta, tarragon, cumin, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, and black pepper and sauté about 5 minutes. stir in lentils to combine.

add about 1/3 of the red wine and turn up the heat to medium-high, stirring occasionally. once the wine has been absorbed add another 1/3 of the wine, and let it absorb, about 5 more minutes. then add the last 1/3 of the wine, and let it absorb.

i prefer lentils al dente, not mushy, but you may need to add some water at the end if the lentils haven’t softened enough. remove from the heat and stir in butter.

discard bay leaf and toss in parsley.

4 servings

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