A Work in Progress

Grilled Cheese with a Twist

2012-01-23T10:26:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's a grilled cheese sandwich, with provolone. Nothing special, right? But look at the crusty outside.

The bread was spread with tomato vodka sauce and sprinkled with grated parmesan before grilling.

Delicious. I don't think I can have a grilled cheese any other way from now on.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XXVIII

2012-01-19T13:27:00.000-08:00

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He's got a sweet blue Volvo. But I need to buy him a pie for his birthday.

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If your mom had a chihuahua, she'd be the perfect gay guy.

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I'm not hanging out with you. I'm telling you $h!t. There's a difference.

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Just look up "weird squishy thing for your butt".

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Family cocaine time!

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Quick Berry Trifle

2012-01-17T14:45:00.000-08:00

OK maybe it's not a trifle. But it's quick. And it's got berries and whipped cream.

The best part? The spongecake. Yes, it was from a storebought package. But it was toasted in butter in a skillet before topping it with the macerated berries (a little sugar and a basil leaf, let sit for 2 hours) and the whipped cream.

I don't do dessert too often, but this was delicious.

Poached Egg on a Tortilla

2012-01-10T15:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm addicted to poached eggs. I blame my husband.

This was a lightly toasted tortilla, some cheddar cheese, green onions, tomatoes, poached egg. Surrounded by green chile salsa.

Not glamorous, but tasty.

Non-Food Post - Books Read in 2011

2012-01-04T12:06:00.000-08:00

Once again, I'm reading less. Only 18 books in 2011, compared to 24 in 2010. To be fair, I spent most of December reading A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin, which is monstrous. And I'm almost done.

With no further adieu, the list:

Spice – The History of a Temptation – Jack Turner

Manitou – Graham Masterton

Edible Stories – Mark Kurlansky

Mafia Hairdresser – Jon-David

Mistborn – Brandon Sanderson

Salted – Mark Bitterman

The Sword-Edged Blonde – Alex Bledsoe

The Well of Ascension – Brandon Sanderson

The Hero of Ages – Brandon Sanderson

The Way of the Wiseguy – Joseph D. Pistone

Best Food Writing 2007 – Holly Hunter, ed.

The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop – Lewis Buzbee

The Gathering Storm – Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

Odd Bits – Jennifer McLagan

Choice of the Cat - E. E. Knight

The Ramen King and I - Andy Raskin

11/22/63 - Stephen King

Much Depends on Dinner - Margaret Visser

What did you read?

Poached Egg and Smoked Salmon on Toast

2011-12-30T15:30:00.000-08:00

Just reading the title made me want this dish again.

Apparently, my husband can poach eggs. Perfectly. I'm a little miffed that I didn't know this for the first 13 years of our relationship. But now that I know, he's going to be in the kitchen a lot more frequently.

What you see below is completely my husband's doing. Lightly toasted sourdough, a smear of a French herbed cheese, sliced baby heirloom tomatoes, olive oil, lemon salt, pepper, smoked salmon, chives, a couple pieces of arugula, poached egg.

Look at that gorgeous yolk. There was absolutely nothing I would have changed with this dish.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XXVII

2011-12-28T16:01:00.000-08:00

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If you're going to be holding my foot hostage, you better be rubbing it.

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I so wish my aunt Eulalia's nickname had been lollipop instead of Emma.

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I saw that woman's nipples in the casino.

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Stop licking my phone.

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If I ever get thrombosis, I'm f*(k!ng set, dude.

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Grilled Buffalo Wings

2011-12-14T11:39:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late to the party, but I received a free bottle of KC Masterpiece Hot Buffalo Marinade from Foodbuzz, since apparently they consider me a Tastemaker.

I rarely (and by rarely, I mean never) buy bottled marinades or dressings. But this was free, and KC Masterpiece makes decent products, so I gave it a shot. Also, there's no high-fructose corn syrup in their Buffalo marinade, so that made me happy, even before tasting it.

I marinated wing sections for about 30 minutes while I got the grill going, then grilled the wings over indirect heat (so as not to burn the sugar in the marinade), basting occasionally.

Served with a simple iceberg wedge with homemade blue cheese dressing, this was a great simple meal. (The dressing recipe is from Great Greens, a cookbook that I highly recommend.) Thanks, Foodbuzz!

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XXVI

2011-11-29T09:53:00.001-08:00

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Dude. I seriously had a crush on Lorenzo Lamas back in '85.

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"Luke's such a dick, he didn't invite me to his birthday party."
"That's because he's Asian now."

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I can help you if it has to do with making spaghetti, being awesome, or Canadian trivia.

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I have the power of a hundred horses, and my brain is as bright as a thousand candles.

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I feel so dirty buying the giant box of Goldfish.

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SD Street Eats Food Truck

2011-11-18T11:25:00.000-08:00

Next up in my food truck adventures is SD Street Eats. This was actually the first truck we visited, and the one that inspired us to try others. Seared ahi and braised short ribs off a truck? I was skeptical at first, since I'm used to "roach coaches", but these guys changed my mind.

Here's the ahi. Perfect.

And here's the Asian-braised short ribs. Tender and saucy.

The slaw that came with both dishes was super-spicy with wasabi. It made my nose run and my throat burn, and I loved it. And look, wood sporks!

Their menu changes pretty frequently. Currently they're offering smoked bacon mac & cheese and a Brandt burger. As soon as they're back in my area for lunch, I'm there!

Baby Artichoke Risotto

2011-11-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

Baby artichokes are so cute, how could you resist them? I hadn't made a risotto in at least a year, so it was time to remedy that. I used this recipe from the NY Times with no alterations.

Pretty, huh?

Unfortunately, I didn't trim the chokes well enough, and ended up with some tough leaves. Oh, and this recipe makes a LOT of risotto, so you'll probably have leftovers. If so, make arancini. Fried cheesy rice? Yes, please.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XXV

2011-10-28T14:46:00.000-07:00

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The Asians think I'm a karaoke Jesus.

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Instilling a love of cured meats is every parent's responsibility.

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Have you ever heard a turtle have sex? It sounds so weird.

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I saved the human race today. You're welcome.

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I don't think I'd ever want to eat something called Dave's Hot and Juicy.

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Meat and Eggs in Various Combinations

2011-10-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

I love meat, and I love eggs, and I especially love the two together. Here's a random sampling of various combinations:

Kabanosy with an overeasy egg and an English muffin. Kabanos is like a Polish Slim Jim, only a thousand times better.

Sucuk with scrambled eggs and an English muffin. Sucuk is a Turkish dry cured beef sausage, with a slightly sour tinge. I like it, but my husband doesn't.

Hamburger with an overeasy egg. There's something about a runny yolk on top of juicy beef.

Sunny-side-up egg cooked in a ham cup, on toast.

Bagel sandwich with black forest ham, scrambled egg, avocado, provolone and bacon. Mmm, bacon.

What are your favorite meat/egg combinations?

Asparagus, Fingerling Potato, and Goat Cheese Pizza

2011-10-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

I had some fingerling potatoes and a beautiful bunch of skinny asparagus to use up. Searching Epicurious, I found this recipe for Asparagus, Fingerling Potato, and Goat Cheese Pizza. Why not?

I followed the recipe, except for reducing the amount of goat cheese, since neither my husband nor I like large amounts of goat cheese.

Was it good? Yes. Would I make it again? Probably not. I guess I just don't like potatoes on my pizza. As a matter of fact, I roasted the leftover potatoes and asparagus in some olive oil, and we preferred that over the pizza.

French Fries with Eggs

2011-10-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

OK, it's not just french fries with eggs. There's other stuff. And the potatoes aren't deep fried. This is one of my husband's creations, and, I've got to say, it's pretty darn good, and also a great clean-out-the-fridge meal.

Buy yourself a bag of frozen french fries. Heat up a little oil in a skillet, and dump in as many fries as you want. Cook, stirring and tossing, until the fries are as crispy as you want. Beat up a couple eggs, and add them to the skillet. Cook and stir until the eggs are set.

That's the basic "recipe". We've added cheese to the eggs. We've also added roasted chile pepper strips, and bell peppers and onions (saute with the fries). Garlic can't hurt, and mushrooms would work as well. Various toppings we've used include tomatoes, green olives, avocado, and sprouts. If you're not vegetarian, add some bacon or other pork product. Serve with toast, English muffins, or by itself. And don't forget the hot sauce.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Squash Blossoms

2011-10-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

It's zucchini season, which means it's also squash blossom season. Since we're currently vegetarian, I couldn't make my parents' recipe of beef-stuffed blossoms, so I went with cheese instead.

I mixed some finely chopped green onions and basil into some goat cheese, then stuffed each flower with about half a teaspoon of the mix. Next up, I whipped up a quick batter of sparkling water and flour, about the consistency of thick pancake batter. (You could use beer or plain water, too.) Twist the top of each flower, give it a quick dip in the batter, and fry in about 1/4" of oil until golden.

Since I had some beautiful heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market, I made a quick sauce to top the flowers. But they're also delicious on their own.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XXIV

2011-09-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

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I had a bad day and all I wanted was some pho, but instead I got this bowl of lies.

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I don't believe that hummingbirds have legs. They're too little.

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"I'm gay! I'm not going to populate!"
"See? Then you don't need nuts."

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"Do you ever think that she's hot and sweaty because you're a 220-pound Mexican that lays on top of her?"
"Dude, I smell like Manteca in the morning."

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I do not eat, nor f@(k, nor associate with chickens, dammit!

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Stop ruining my shit, Jenna, I'm trying to be the harmonica master.

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Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XXIII

2011-09-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

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He's not weird, he's just Russian.

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I like what you did with your tampon, I mean, dresser.

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It's bright and obnoxious and it's got stars on it. It looks like me.

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Just as I reject Satan, I reject Pepsi.

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You can't rub Chipotle on your wounds and expect them to heal.

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Facial hair is creepy. It's like pubic hair for your face.

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Green Truck SD

2011-09-08T14:44:00.000-07:00

Continuing on with my exploration of San Diego food trucks, next up is Green Truck.

They've got trucks in LA, SD and New York, and provide organic food, prepared (according to their website) in solar-powered kitchens. Here's their mission statement:

And look, they run on veggie oil!

This was the menu the day we visited.

You guys know me, I wasn't about to get a vegan burger or a beet salad. I opted for the grass-fed burger with aged cheddar, chipotle sauce, tomato and mixed greens.

And you know what? AWESOME burger. It was pink in the middle! The chipotle sauce added a bit of tang, the bun was nicely toasted, and the cheddar melted nicely. I can't wait until they're back in my area, because I need to try their hand-cut sweet potato chips!

Super Q Food Truck

2011-09-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

It seems that food trucks are all the rage lately, doesn't it? I'm not talking about what we here in southern CA call "roach coaches", providing questionable "Mexican" food while dripping a stream of fryer oil that's never been changed. I'm talking nice trucks, serving good, restaurant-quality food.

San Diego has a pretty good variety of trucks - BBQ, burgers, veggie, even sushi! (Check out San Diego Food Trucks for daily updates.) Since I'm out in the 'burbs, not all the trucks make it up here, but I have had the chance to sample several.

First up: Super Q Food Truck

Nice truck, professionally painted, and clean! And check it out - they even set up tables with tablecloths.

Their website says that their BBQ has elements of North Carolina, St. Louis and Texas. They've got pulled pork, pulled chicken and brisket. Fries, potato salad, mac'n'cheese make an appearance, as does a mysterious "Vegetarian Entree: Ask for Today's Selection." (Although, I'd have to question why a vegetarian would even consider a BBQ truck.)

You can get the 'Q on a roll with just coleslaw, or you can go all-out and get a Super Q Melt. For example, the Super Q Pork Melt consists of 3-cheese mac'n'cheese, pulled pork, sauteed onions and melted cheddar on grilled sourdough.

I wasn't brave enough to try a Super Melt (as I had to go back to work after, and not pass out in a food coma), so I got the pulled pork with coleslaw.

Tender pork, just the right amount of perfectly seasoned sauce, fresh roll, crunchy coleslaw. This, my friends, was an excellent sandwich.

Stay tuned for further San Diego food truck adventures!

Steak and Vegetable Kabobs

2011-08-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

Summer and grilling. They're like Joanie and Chachi. Or not. But you know what I mean.

I was lucky enough to find some Hatch chiles at the new Whole Foods nearby, and decided on chile hummus. It's absolutely delicious, very spicy, but completely non-photogenic, at least not by me. So pop on over to Taste of Beirut, where you can get the recipe.

I asked my husband what he wanted with the hummus and pita (which was actually Trader Joe's naan, but whatever). He said steak. I said veggies. He said steak. So, I compromised.

I marinated the beef (NY strip, cut into chunks) in a mix of olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper and a bay leaf. The meat went onto skewers along with bell peppers, onions and mushrooms, then got thrown on the grill until the veggies were charred. During grilling, I drizzled some olive oil, salt & pepper on the kabobs. (Be careful, olive oil is really smoky. Cough.)

Amazingly, some of the beef was still pink in the middle (yay!). Next time I'd used a slightly fattier cut of meat, and also bigger chunks, so that the veggies can be completely charred without overcooking the beef.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XXII

2011-08-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

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"You know, the priest, the pasture."
"Not pasture, pastor."
"Whatever, the fat guy with the hat."

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Stop giving my mushrooms nipples.

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This is like a Mexican chocolate boner right here.

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Why are you always killing the Olsen twins?

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What the hell, goat wiener?

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Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XXI

2011-08-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

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If I had to die and come back as somebody, Derek Jeter would be on my list.

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I've been reading Romans lately, and Paul's kind of a dick.

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"Are you British?"
"Yes, yes I am."
"Well, pip, pip, cheerio!"
"Hey, that's racist."
"No, it's ok, I've got a black President."

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"Dammit, work!"
"Maybe technology knows you're a doucher."

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Quit rubbing your man-meat all over my KitchenAid.

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Spanakopita, Almost

2011-07-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

OK, it's not really spanakopita, because I used ricotta instead of feta. But that's what I had on hand, and the end result was delicious.

Making this reminded me how much I dislike phyllo dough. Super-thin sheets of dough that crack if you look at them wrong.

But, it was worth it. Crispy flaky layers, rich cheese and spinach with a hint of nutmeg.

Pierogi with Squash Blossoms

2011-07-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

I picked up a couple bunches of zucchini flowers from the farmers market the other day. I could've stuffed them with ground beef, breaded and fried (like my parents do). I could've made a quesadilla. Or tossed them to pasta. But instead, I decided to add them to pierogi.

First, start caramelizing an onion. Low and slow, this takes about an hour. While that's happening, cook up some bacon and crumble it. Cut the squash flowers in half lengthwise and crosswise, removing the reproductive part of the flower. Briefly sauté (more of a wilt, really) the flowers in a little butter. Boil your pierogi, then pan fry them until crispy. Top the pierogi with onions, squash blossoms, bacon, and sour cream.

Heaven in a bowl. Pierogi by themselves are good. With onions, bacon and sour cream, even better. Adding squash blossoms cuts through all the carb and dairy richness, lending a brightness to the dish, "almost like peas", the Husband says. I'm not sure if they taste like peas, but they definitely have that green taste that is a welcome addition. So the next time you have pierogi, add some squash flowers. That way you can say you ate your vegetables.

Tonkatsu Curry

2011-07-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

My Youngest is enamored with all things Japanese, and asked for curry. Instead of making my typical curry with veggies and meat, I decided to make an all veggie curry with tonkatsu (panko-breaded pan-fried pork chops).

Tonkatsu couldn't be easier - salt and pepper the pork, coat in panko crumbs, and pan-fry.

Serve with white rice and boxed curry, and you've got a quick dinner that even your picky teenager will love.

Side note: I keep thinking of making curry from scratch, but the Japanese lady I work with says "Why? Too hard. Use box." And since I think she's secretly a ninja, I'm following her advice.

Savory Scones

2011-07-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

If you all couldn't tell by now, I'm much more likely to reach for something savory over something sweet. So when I came across Bite My Thumb's recipe for rosemary, parmesan and black pepper scones, I knew I had to make them. (Also, I have about 100 pounds of fresh rosemary that I need to do something with.)

These are delicious just out of the oven slathered with good butter. If you've never had black pepper in a baked goodie before, you're missing out. And, if rosemary's not your thing, you could easily switch it out with dill, oregano, basil, tarragon, whatever.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I hear a scone calling me from the kitchen.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XX

2011-06-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

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Do you mind not leaving your wine where I can dip my shorts in it?

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There needs to be a takoyaki and okonomiyaki truck. I'd hijack that m@th<$fu

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It's like a big giant sparkly butt plug. Please, can I set it on fire?

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Pandora is the asshole of the iPhone.

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Hey wait a minute, that's not Mexico, that's Ohio.

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It's not easy to say jungee bumpers.

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The only problem with Doobie Brothers radio on Pandora is that every now and then you have to hear a Doobie Brothers song.

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Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XIX

2011-06-15T20:28:00.000-07:00

(SPECIAL EDITION!)
All of today's quotes are courtesy of my Youngest.

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Can you imagine if you were just walking, and all the Mexicans decided to do a flash mob?

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Why did you call me a single finger ninja monster?

I didn't, I said take it like a man, you pansy.

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Dad and I had this idea that every time we want something fattening, we punch each other in the face.

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Well, pardon the hell out of me, your royal highness.

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No, dude, you don't understand, you were David Bowie on a dragon, and you had to fight a dark overlord in a white castle while he was throwing rock bombs at you. I'm not high. I swear.

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Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XVIII

2011-06-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

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Where did you get those shorts? They look like my grandmother's babushka.

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"Then, in the early 1990s, an analyst researching asteroids placed a piece of ALH84001 under an electron microscope."

Oh, no, he didn't.

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How did you find that?

Because I'm a gypsy.

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Do you know how badly I want to take a glass bottle and break it, and threaten someone with it? It's just one of those things that I want to do.

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Things turned purple. They turned purple and they started spinning, sir.

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Lamb Tongue Tacos

2011-06-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I have this, um, problem, with buying random "off cuts" of meat, and then figuring out how to cook it. This time it was lambs' tongues.

I braised them with bay leaf, garlic, onion and peppercorns until tender. Then I peeled them. This was definitely on my top ten list of weird things I've done in the kitchen that I don't want to do again. Then chop, mix with chile sauce, and make a taco.

My favorite? No. But I'm glad I tried it.

Kaito Sushi in Encinitas

2011-05-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've done a restaurant post, and what better way to bring it back than with Kaito Sushi in Encinitas? We've been there three times, and each time, we sat at the bar, and didn't order anything, just let the itamae (sushi chef) serve us what he thought was best. This is Edo-style sushi, ie. the real deal.

I'm going to (mostly) shut up and let the pictures do the talking:

Raw scallop, cooked scallop:

Aji:

Ono "carpaccio":

Eel tempura with fried eel spine: (I could eat fried eel spines like popcorn.)

Bluefin:

Skipjack:

Needlefish: (Completely unknown texture to me - crunchy, almost. Amazing.)

Tuna with garlic oil:

Fried oyster:

Tuna:

Toro:

Unknown fish topped with grated rock salt: (I want that salt!)

Halibut:

Clam:

Anago (salt-water eel):

Spanish mackerel:

Spanish mackerel skeleton, fried:

Fried smelt with shisito peppers and butternut squash:

Giant clam:

Baby octopus:

These guys know their sushi. It is hands-down the best I've had in San Diego. If you're in the area, please go, you won't be disappointed. (And you can follow them on Twitter for daily updates on their offerings.)

Kaito Sushi
130-A N. El Camino Real
Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 634-2746

Steamed Clams and Pasta

2011-05-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

No, not together. The first night I did my standard steamed clams - butter, white wine, garlic, lemon, finished with parsley. We ate them, as always, with good crusty bread to dip into the "sauce".

When we were done, we had about a 1/2 cup of sauce left. So the next day, my husband cooked up some pasta and fried some really good smoky bacon from Tip Top Meats, and tossed it with the clam sauce.

Quick, easy, delicious.

Bacon and Mortadella Pizza

2011-05-08T19:04:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how much I love my Kitchen Aid mixer. After making the pretzel rolls, I decided to make pizza dough.

We made 2 pizzas - the first was spread with a little tomato sauce, mozzarella, garlic and bacon.

The second was sauceless (spread with garlic oil instead), bacon, mortadella, garlic, mozzarella. We all agreed the sauceless one was better.

And the Kitchen Aid adventure continues...

Artichokes!

2011-05-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

I bought 2 massive artichokes, and the next day, I was gifted with 4 more. Ack! Artichoke overload!

Of course, I steamed the first one. It was so good that I didn't even bother with butter or mayo for dipping. For the second, I packed some garlic cloves into the choke, and roasted it.

Roasting an artichoke gives it a whole different flavor. Very good.

For the 3rd, I roasted it, then diced the heart and mixed it with ricotta, garlic and parmesan. Not my favorite, but I think that was because my ricotta wasn't top quality (kinda grainy).

The remaining three? I steamed them, trimmed, wrapped the hearts in foil, and chucked 'em in the freezer. A girl can only handle so many artichokes in 3 days time.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XVII

2011-05-02T20:45:00.000-07:00

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You're right because you're Mexican. That's the only way you're right.

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Rooster fights and death and mean-ass old men and f*cking accordions.

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You suck. I suck. Eddie Vedder does not suck.

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Do you realize that half this magazine is Kim Kardashian's ass?

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The iPhone 5 can turn water into wine. It's like having a baby Jesus in your pocket.

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Great American Bake Sale

2011-04-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

You guys have heard of Share Our Strength, right? They're a non-profit organization dedicated to ending child hunger. They're currently running the Great American Bake Sale, where people around the country are organizing their own bake sales to benefit the organization.

Friends of mine in Chicago are holding their bake sale on May 7th at Butcher & Larder. They've got some awesome sponsors, and lots of people donating home-baked goods. If you can make it, please do, and say hi to Mike and Tati for me. If not (sadly, I'm in the can't make it group), you can still donate here.

Homemade Pretzel Rolls

2011-04-11T19:21:00.000-07:00

Look! I finally got a Kitchen Aid mixer! It was on sale, a deal I couldn't pass up. So Husband said it was an early anniversary gift (thanks, baby!).

How did I pop my Kitchen Aid cherry? With homemade pretzel rolls, recipe courtesy of Stresscake.

I am in LOVE with this mixer. Dump everything in, turn it on, wash the dishes, and the dough is done. And it's a very nice dough, by the way - silky, not sticky.

My favorite part of making pretzels is dumping the baking soda into the boiling water - massive foam. A quick poach, a brush with egg, sprinkle with salt, and bake.

Easy peasy. They're great fresh out of the oven with some good Irish butter, and make great sandwiches when they're room temperature (salami, mustard, provolone!).

Quail Sauce for Pasta

2011-03-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

I picked up a package of 4 quail at the local market. Why? Because they were there. What were my plans? I had none. I mean, I knew I was going to cook them, but I had no idea how. So, off to Google I went, and found this recipe for Quail Sauce for Fresh Pasta on Epicurious. It got good reviews, and it's a Marcella Hazan recipe, so how could it go wrong? (That's not foreshadowing. Nothing went wrong.)

You start by browning the quail in olive oil. I have a new-found appreciation and love for my cast iron skillet, so that's what I used.

Take the quail out, and saute carrot, celery, onion, rosemary and sage. The recipe called for 2 teaspoons of each vegetable, which I thought was just silly, so I upped it to at least 4 tablespoons each. I also doubled the sage and rosemary. When the vegetables are starting to soften, you add back the quail, glug in some white wine, cover and cook. I also added anchovy paste at this point, because...why not?

After 20 minutes, add a chopped up tomato (I used 2), and cook for another 25 minutes, adding water as necessary. Remove the quail, pull the meat from the bones, and add back to the sauce. (Keep a couple legs whole for presentation if you want to be all fancy.) Cook up some fresh pasta (fettuccine in this case), and toss it with the sauce. You'll probably want to add some of the pasta cooking water to make it more, um, saucy.

Top with parmesan, a sprinkle of fresh pepper and a dusting of some crunchy salt, and you're in business.

Would I make it again? You bet. And yes, I tagged this post "chicken" because I think it would be ridiculous to have a "quail" tag with only one recipe. There might be more in the future, however.

What would you do with quail?

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XVI

2011-03-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

It seems like there's been more talking than cooking around here lately, huh? Rest assured that I have been cooking, but it's all been stuff you've seen before. So...talking it is. Happy St. Patrick's Day.

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I wouldn't mind some corned beef in my taco.

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I don't understand why our Spanish teacher wouldn't tell us how to say midget nipples in Spanish.

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You can't have multidimensional holes! Stop it!

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Me: What are we doing?
Youngest: Dad's putting on pants, and I'm dancing.

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"Will you stop talking sh!t about your Lord and Savior?"

"I love my Lord and Savior. I wear him on my wrist. He sexy."

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No me gusta pelotas en mi ensalada.

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Wine Vault & Bistro, San Diego

2011-03-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

Back in December, Hubby and I went to Wine Vault & Bistro in San Diego for the first time. Dinner, was, simply put, amazing. For $35 per person, we had a 5-course tasting menu, each course with a paired wine. This was a special event, highlighting the wines of Gérard Bertrand, an importer with vineyards in the Languedoc region of France.

First course: Black Missing Fig | Chèvre | Fried Shallots | Candied Bacon | Wild Arugula | Pistachios
Wine: 2007 Gérard Bertrand Cremant de Limoux

2nd course: House Smoked Salmon Rilletes | Toasted Brioche | Tarragon Pistou | Petite Herbs
Wine: 2008 Gérard Bertrand Chardonnay

3rd course: Duck Confit Roulade | Fried Quail Egg | Red Wine Gastrique | Frisée
Wine: 2007 Gérard Bertrand Minervois

4th course: Sous Vide Tri Tip | Sunchoke Purée | Caramelized Garlic | Bloomsdale Spinach
Wine: 2007 Gérard Bertrand Pic Saint Loup

5th course: "Boeuf Bourguignon" | Braised Maitake Mushrooms | Pearl Onions | Pommes Purée | Watercress
Wine: 2007 Gérard Bertrand Chateau L'Hospitalet Rouge

This past Fat Tuesday, we had the opportunity to visit Wine Vault for the 2nd time. This was, of course, a Mardi Gras dinner, again for the phenomenal price of $35 per person. (I apologize for the picture quality, the lighting was horrendous, as is my iPhone camera.)

1st course: Asparagus "Benedict" | Biscuit | Béarnaise | Poached Egg | Bacon Jam
2nd course: Pickled Apricot | Hazelnut | Crème Fraîche | Watercress
Beer: Abita Amber Lager

5th course: Gumbo | Crispy Braised Pork | Micro Celery
6th course: Andouille Sausage | Black Eyed Peaks | Okra
Wine: 2008 Sextant "Wheelhouse" Zinfandel

9th course: Brioche Beignet | Espresso Ganache | Steamed Milk
10th Course: Housemande Cappuccino Truffle
Beverage: Cafe Brûlot Diabolique (Devilishly Burnt Coffee)

Based on these two magnificent dinners, I can assure you we'll be visiting again in the future.

Cheese-Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Tater Tots

2011-03-06T15:53:00.000-08:00

Doesn't that sound incredible?

I thought so when I saw this post by Lori of Recipe Girl. So I ran out and bought some tater tots.

These are super-easy to make - partially thaw the tots, cut a lengthwise slit into each one, stuff with a bit of cheese. Sprinkle with hot sauce, and wrap in bacon, and stab with a toothpick.

Bake at 450 for about 15 minutes, turning once.

Not health food, but oh so good.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XV

2011-02-14T15:18:00.000-08:00

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Hey, I put a little bit of this on, then suddenly I get Justin Bieber in the house.

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That could so be a quote if it didn't involve balls.

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"Am I allowed to use the hammer?"

"I don't...know...exactly what that means..."

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If you can't jump, you are of no use to me.

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If I kicked your mom in the face, it might put a strain on our relationship.

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Jesus and Chuck Norris are taking names and kicking ass.

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Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XIV

2011-02-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

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Don't act like all of a sudden you don't like Simply Red.

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Friend: That's how we learned how to drive, back home, was with the donkey.
Youngest: Oh, so that's how you learned how to drive stick shift.

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Could you imagine if you were allergic to bacon? Your life would be so meaningless.

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Dude, if you were Iggy Pop, I'd like you so much more.

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Me: I don't understand this: "the U(1)y factor of the SM gauge group is within the U(1) factor of the GUT group."
Husband: God, you don't understand anything, do you?

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Chester, you ate all the chips, you fat lard.

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Bacon Pretzel Caramels

2011-01-26T17:50:00.000-08:00

Not just bacon pretzel caramels. Bacon pistachio pretzel caramels with Newcastle. Or, little pillows of chewy decadence.

I used this recipe from Lisa at Lisa is Cooking, substituting pistachios for the cashews, and adding crumbled bacon. Because, as everyone knows, bacon makes everything better.

First lay down the pretzels and nuts (and bacon!) in a dish lined with greased foil. Don't skip the grease part, it's completely necessary.

Next pour the cooked sugar mixed with cream and Newcastle (or any other ale you like) on top, and chuck it in the refrigerator until completely chilled.

Then cut into small pieces...

And wrap in wax paper or parchment paper.

Yes, boiling sugar is kind of scary. And it's a freaking mess to clean up afterward. But it's definitely worth it.

Sweet, salty, creamy, chewy, crunchy. And bacon.

Pseudo Filipino Breakfast

2011-01-11T19:09:00.000-08:00

My husband was raised by his great-grandfather, who was Filipino. He grew up eating things like this - delicious, filling, cheap, and did I mention delicious?

The basic formula is mostly rice, a couple eggs, and a little meat. Garlic rice is preferred, where you take day-old cold rice, and fry it with garlic (think Chinese fried rice, but without the soy sauce). But you can just as easily mix fried garlic chips into the rice. Cook your eggs however you want. I like over-easy. Husband likes scrambled. But not really scrambled - pour the eggs into a skillet, poke the yolk, let it cook slowly, chop and flip a little. You want the separate areas of white and yolk, not a homogeneous concoction.

For the meat - the best would be longanisa. Or tocino. If you don't have access to either of those, cube some Spam and fry it in a hot skillet. Or, even better (IMHO), although it does sound strange at first, cube up some hot dogs, and fry in a skillet with a little bit of mustard (plain yellow is fine) and black pepper. Seriously. Something about the mustard and pepper makes it taste...not like a hot dog...

For garnish, add sliced green onions, some Sriracha or other hot chile, soy sauce, a splash of fish sauce, fried garlic chips. Whatever you add, it will be good.

Pan-Fried Salmon with Garlic and Capers

2011-01-05T16:58:00.000-08:00

Or, more accurately, my husband's pan-fried salmon with garlic and capers. He makes this dish, I never have.

Season the salmon with garlic powder, paprika, a little rosemary, salt and pepper. Fry in about a half inch of canola/vegetable oil until done. Let it get crispy at the edges - yes, it's technically over-cooked, but the crispy bits are really the best part.

Remove the fish to drain on paper. Saute minced garlic and capers in a mix of butter and olive oil until they start getting a little crispy. People always say "don't burn the garlic", and this isn't exactly burnt, but it's crispy. And good. Pour the garlic/caper/fat mixture over the fish.

Served with zucchini, potatoes, garlic cloves, shallots and pearl onions roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper, this was an awesome, if garlic-heavy, meal.

Non-Food Post - Books Read in 2010

2011-01-02T20:59:00.000-08:00

I seem to have dropped off in my reading, only 24 books in 2010. My favorites were Proust was a Neuroscientist by Jonah Lehrer and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Honorable mention goes to Full Dark, No Stars, because it seems like Stephen King is finally returning to the writer he used to be.

With no further adieu, the list:

The Sopranos Family Cookbook: As Compiled by Artie Bucco – Allen Rucker, Michele Schicolone

The Hellbound Heart – Clive Barker

Donnie Brasco – Joseph D. Pistone

Proust was a Neuroscientist – Jonah Lehrer

Shadow of Albion – Andre Norton and Rosemary Edgehill

The Elves of Cintra – Terry Brooks

Veronika Decides to Die – Paulo Coelho

Eleven Minutes – Paulo Coelho

The Stranger – Albert Camus

The Living Dead – John Joseph Adams, ed.

Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert

A Homemade Life – Molly Wizenberg

The Witch of Portobello – Paulo Coelho

Shadow & Claw – Gene Wolfe

Sword & Citadel – Gene Wolfe

Rant – Chuck Palahniuk

The Road – Cormac McCarthy

A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini

The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold

Bloodstone – Nate Kenyon

The Tartar Steppe – Dino Buzzati

Gomorrah – Roberto Saviano

The Shack – Wm. Paul Young

Full Dark, No Stars – Stephen King

What did you read?

Thai Papaya Salad

2010-12-28T16:30:00.000-08:00

Do you ever crave something you've never had before? No? Just me?

A while back, I was craving som tam (ส้มตำ), Thai green papaya salad, even though I had never had it before. Just looking at the list of ingredients, I knew I wanted it, knew I would love it. Shredded unripe papaya, tomatoes, green beans, dried shrimp, peanuts, hot chiles, lime juice, sugar, fish sauce. I finally had it for the first time at Sab E Lee, and, seriously, I could do shots of the dressing, it's that good. Then recently I decided I needed to make it myself.

So I consulted with Leela from She Simmers, using her recipe, and asking her a couple questions along the way. I have a mortar and pestle, but it's the Mexican kind with the rough granite. My instinct told me I needed a smooth-sided mortar to make som tam, so I used a large cutting board and a metal bowl, and alternated between the granite pestle and my meat tenderizer. Don't laugh. It worked.

Aside from an altercation with the vegetable peeler, in which I removed a fair-sized chunk from my thumb, everything came together nicely. Lots of pounding, crushing, mixing, more pounding. It's a fair amount of work for a salad, but any time I get to pound on things, it's worth it.

Will I make it again? Hell, yes. But I think I'll ask my husband to peel the papaya.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XIII

2010-12-19T15:34:00.000-08:00

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Youngest (to Dad): You have a condition you're not telling me about?

Me: He's pregnant.

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"Dude, did you know that Bad Kitty likes olive oil?"

"Of course, all dogs like olive oil....f*ck...she's a cat."

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I have epiphanies, like, all the freakin' time.

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Yeah, but he's all big and gay. And those aren't qualities I look for in my men. That would be strange.

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Youngest: She has way too many crisises. Crisisi?
Me: Crises. It's Latin.
Youngest: Like the pig?

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Pappa al Pomodoro

2010-12-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

I had half of a baguette leftover that wasn't worth eating. Until I remembered that you could put dead bread in soup, as a way to thicken and a mark of frugality. Behold, pappa al pomodoro. I'm not sure exactly what 'pappa' translates as, but I think it's something like mush, hence: tomato mush. Not very appetizing, is it? I'll stick with pappa al pomodoro.

I used this recipe from Dana Treat, chicken stock instead of vegetable stock, and a little less basil because I didn't have enough.

Whatever you do, don't skip the garnish of baked basil and croutons. It's amazing. You could sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top if you wish, or even add some crispy pancetta. I didn't. And it was still good.

Pretty amazing for dead bread, huh?

Lamb Ragu

2010-12-12T16:56:00.000-08:00

With the weather being cold and nasty (well, for southern CA, anyway), I wanted something meaty and hearty. I came across this recipe for Lamb Ragu from the kitchn, and knew it was exactly what I was looking for. I also knew that my slow cooker would be perfect for the job.

I'm still wary of my slow cooker. I don't want to plug it in and and leave it on while nobody's home. I know, I know, thousands of people do it all the time. Maybe I'll get to that point eventually. But since I'm not there yet, I let the ragu cook overnight, then put in in the refrigerator in the morning. Reheated for dinner, it was amazing.

I altered the recipe only slightly, using dried herbs instead of fresh. The lamb was perfectly tender - I didn't need two forks to shred the chunks, just one smoosh and it fell apart. Acid from the tomatoes, sweetness from the carrots - everything blended together nicely. You could serve the ragu over polenta, potatoes, rice, whatever. I served it over this pasta because it reminded me of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (and it was also the perfect shape, almost like a Scoop chip, to hold the ragu).

My slow cooker may win me over yet...

Fried Cardoons

2010-12-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

What the heck is a cardoon, you ask? It's a big celery-looking vegetable related to the artichoke, that tastes a little of both. Oh, just go to Wikipedia.

How do you cook them? They're very fibrous, so they need to be boiled first. After boiling, you could cook them in a gratin topped with breadcrumbs. Or you could bread and fry them like I did.

Fried Cardoons
1. Trim any brown spots, and peel any accessible strings from the cardoons.
2. Cut into 2-3" pieces.
3. Boil for 20-30 minutes or until soft. Drain and pat dry.
4. Dip each piece in beaten egg, then in seasoned bread crumbs, pressing on the crumbs so they stick.
5. Fry in canola or vegetable oil until browned.

I served them with Caesar dressing. Marinara sauce would be equally delicious. Sriracha mayonnaise would probably be good, too.

Cornmeal Crackers with Dill and Grains of Paradise

2010-12-04T15:25:00.000-08:00

Since it's now getting dark earlier and the weather's cooling off, I now have the desire to bake things. After the coconut chocolate chip cookies and the Nutella chocolate chip cookies, I was pretty cookied out, and wanted something not sweet. Crackers.

I found this recipe for Corn Crackers with Savory over at The World of Food and Cooking. Instead of the dried savory the recipe called for, I used dried dill and crushed grains of paradise*.

Exactly what I was craving. Dunk them in soup or top with cheese and an olive. Or just munch on them plain.

*I received the grains of paradise from Marx Foods free of charge. They didn't pay me to mention them or use their products. They're just a really cool company with lots of awesome stuff.

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-12-02T18:23:00.000-08:00

So, after the coconut chocolate chip cookies, I still had some chips left. And Nutella. *cue light bulb*

A quick search brought me to Kirbie's recipe. So I made it.

And it was good.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-11-30T18:49:00.000-08:00

I wanted to bake something, but didn't want to go to the store (lazy, y'know). I raided my pantry, and found bits and pieces of a lot of things. Nuts, fruits, seeds, etc. But what stood out was the chocolate chips and the shredded coconut. Cookies? Who doesn't like cookies?

I used this recipe from Gourmet, via Epicurious. Very good. But don't overbake them like I did on the first tray.

Chocolatey, chewy, cookie-y. Even the coconut hater in the house liked them.

Dried Ghost Chiles

2010-11-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

So after making the hot sauce with the ghost chiles from Marx Foods, I still had a few chiles left over. Having absolutely no idea what to do with them, I figured I could dry them in the oven. (I saved the seeds, sending some to friends, and keeping the rest for myself to plant in a few months.)

My oven only goes down to 170, but I wanted to dry them at a lower temperature, about 150, so I stuck a wooden spoon in the oven door. Once again, I feel I must warn all of you about the fumes. My entire kitchen was filled with eye-tearing, throat-choking evilosity. (Yes, evilosity is a word, because I said so.)

So now these pretty chiles are safely stored in a baggie in my pantry until the next time I feel like spicing up dinner.

Aside: My Youngest told me: "You are not allowed to snort that line of seeds."

Ghost Chile Hot Sauce

2010-11-19T16:25:00.000-08:00

Remember the ghost chiles I got from Marx Foods? After using 1 tiny one in my Japanese curry, I needed to come up with a way to use up the rest. I settled on a hot sauce, and used Rick Bayless's recipe for habañero hot sauce, posted by Michelle at Thursday Night Smackdown.

Looks innocent, doesn't it? All orange and pretty from the carrots.

As it turns out, looks can be incredibly deceiving. I almost passed out when I was making the sauce. Twice. The first time was when the carrots, onions and chiles were simmering in cider vinegar. Look out for those fumes! Boiling vinegar combined with hot chiles is not a fun thing to inhale.

The second narrowly averted pass-out was after I blenderized all the ingredients, took the top off the blender, and (like the fearless/stupid chemist that I am) leaned my face directly over the blender to see what it smelled like. Immediately, my eyes were stinging and tearing, I felt like sneezing, and the breath that I was in the process of inhaling got stuck in my throat.

That being said -- this is one of my favorite homemade hot sauces. Sweet from the carrots, definitely spicy, tangy from the vinegar, and, um...oniony from the onions. Very good. Just be careful.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XII

2010-11-16T18:38:00.000-08:00

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This lasagne is awesome. It's almost a shame to eat it. It's like killing a unicorn. Like with a bomb.

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"It's $48 a pound."

"That's more expensive than weed. Wait, no it's not. I lied. I don't know."

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I hate the word 'secretion'. It's a horrible, horrible word.

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H: You should be a doctor. You have the mind for it.
Y: I hate people. That's why I want to be a writer. That way I don't have to deal with people.

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Douchebag - it's not so bad, you can throw that away. But doucheface? You're kind of stuck with it.

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Never underestimate the power of a pretzel.

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Dad, are you upset with how often I use the word "titties"? 'Cause I say "titties" a lot.

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Bacon Fried Rice

2010-11-14T14:53:00.000-08:00

Who could ever get sick of fried rice? Not me. It's so versatile - you can make it a clean-out-the-fridge meal, or add specific ingredients (like shrimp and pineapple). This, my friends, is of the clean out the fridge persuasion.

I though about using Spam, given some online conversations I've been having, but I saw the package of thick cut bacon in the freezer, and decided to go with that. Here's my mis en place: clockwise from top left, carrot, red onion, chiles de arbol, ginger, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, bacon, and scrambled egg. Not pictured is the rice and the peas I added at the end.

Normally I use canola or peanut oil to fry the rice, but looking at the bacon fat left over in the skillet, I thought, Why not?

Husband said this was one of the best versions of fried rice, not only that I've ever made, but that he's ever had. Score.

Chicago Vacation

2010-11-11T17:44:00.000-08:00

I recently spent 5 days in Chicago. What did I do? Visited friends and family. And ate a lot. I'm surprised I didn't gain 10 pounds. What follows is only some of what was on the table.

But first - the Bean. Because no trip to Chicago would be complete without it.

Dinner at Sushisamba was an epic experience. A friend of mine knows the chef (Dan Tucker, awesome guy), so we ordered nothing, just let him send things to the table.

Sushi:

Kobe beef, cooked by us on a hot rock:

And, my personal favorite, duck ragout on a corn arepa with cilantro cream:

There was more (much more), including a sweet corn fritter, a whole chicken, skirt steak with Malbec butter (!), etc., etc. This meal alone would have been worth the trip.

Filipino breakfast at Uncle Mike's Place. Longanisa, tocino, garlic rice, overeasy eggs.

The Purple Pig wasn't in the original plan, but was a spontaneous decision. And a good one it was.

Pig tails braised in balsamic vinegar:

Bone marrow!

Shaved Brussels sprouts with cheese:

Green onions with romesco sauce:

Breakfast at El Tinajon, a Guatemalan dish called revolcado. Piggy ears, tongue, heart, liver. Delicious.

Korean BBQ at San Soo Gab San:

I certainly enjoyed my brief culinary tour of my favorite city, even though I only scratched the surface. Looks like another trip is in order...

Japanese Curry with Ghost Chiles

2010-11-09T19:43:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of ghost chiles? I've also seen them called bhut jolokia and naga jolokia. They're hot. Really hot. Hottest pepper in the world. They come in at about 1,000,000 on the Scoville scale, or 3-10 times hotter than a habañero.

I was lucky enough to get a sample package of fresh ones (only dried have been available until now) from Marx Foods*. I opened the package, and was immediately assaulted by their fragrance - they even smelled hot. I was a little apprehensive - what could I possibly do with a chile that's so strong? Well, first off, I gave a few away to coworkers. (None of the Americans wanted any, so they went to Mexicans, a Laotian, and a Korean.)

I realized I hadn't made Japanese curry in a while, and that sounded like a good (and easy) place to start. Armed with my package of S&B Golden Curry (mild), I chose the smallest pepper in the package.

Aw, how cute. What wasn't so cute was that I could find only one glove. So my knife hand went gloveless. While mincing, a piece of chile touched a cut on my hand. Ow. Burn. Ow. Yikes! Experiencing firsthand what this little monster chile could do, I decided to only use half of it in the curry. I used about 1.3 pounds of pork, and an equal amount of veggies (carrot, celery, green pepper, onion). So 2.5 pounds of stuff, with a piece of chile the size of my fingernail.

And you know what? It was good. Really good. Ghost chiles have an awesome flavor. I could've even added the other half of the chile, and it wouldn't have been too hot. (Husband called this a "3" on the hotness scale.) Maybe it's because it was simmered for a while, maybe because it sat overnight, but the heat definitely mellowed out.

So, experiment #1 with ghost chiles complete and successful. I wonder what's next...

*The chiles were provided free of charge from Marx Foods. I didn't promise to blog about them, and they didn't ask me to.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

2010-11-03T19:32:00.000-07:00

I picked up some gorgeous king oyster mushrooms at Mitsuwa the other day - they sat in my fridge while I pondered what to do with them. I had already breaded and fried, and had also sauteed and sprinkled with smoked salt. Hmm, what to do? I looked outside at the rain, and - bingo - soup.

This recipe is almost exactly like my husband's clam chowder, just substituting mushrooms for clams, and chicken broth for clam juice. Chop the shrooms finely, along with some onion and a little bit of celery. Sauté until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms lose most of their liquid. In the meantime, make a roux, then stir in some heavy cream, then some milk and chicken stock. Dump in the mushroom mixture, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a while. (Don't forget to stir!) To serve, dust with paprika, sprinkle with parsley (or both), and don't forget the crusty bread.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part XI

2010-11-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

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You've got to be an a$$hole if you don't like garlic and sauce.

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"Hey Dad, did you brush your teeth this morning?"

"Yes."

"Oh,...that's nice." (Followed by an evil laugh)

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"He said put the cortisone on it, and it'll go away."

"...Mi corazon...."

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Husband: I'm going to the store. Do you need anything?
Me: Milk.
H: Milk? I was thinking more like tampons, douche...
M: No, that's your shopping list.

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"Fried beef balls!"

"That was my next thought."

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Nobody could f*ck with Lou Diamond Phillips.

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Simple Tostadas

2010-10-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

Tostadas are one of my favorite "healthy" meals. Sometimes I get complicated and make my own beans and tostada shells, but this time I opted for purchased shells, and beans from Compadre's (house-made, no lard).

You could also add any meat you want - pulled pork, shredded chicken, ground beef. Or skip the beans and top with ceviche. Endless possibilities. These particular tostadas were vegetarian out of laziness and lack of thawed protein.

There's no recipe, just spread some beans on the tostada shell, and top with whatever you want. This one had tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, cilantro, red onion, green olives, yellow chile, green chile sauce, Tapatio, and a squeeze of lime juice. (Yes, I have a tendency to over-chile.) No cheese, because I typically only use cheese when meat is a topping. But go ahead and use cheese if you want.

Visually appealing (look at all the colors!), always delicious. Great for when you don't feel like turning on the oven/stove. Lots of chopping, but worth it.

Clam Chowder

2010-10-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

Due to the crappy rainy weather we've been having lately, I had a craving for soup. I thought about going out and picking up some pho, or maybe menudo, but then my husband said he'd make clam chowder. Score!

He finely chopped celery and onion, diced potatoes, and sauteed the mix in some olive oil. While the veggies were cooking, he made a roux, then added heavy cream, broke up the lumps, then added 1% milk. In went the veggies to cook for a while, then he added a few cans of chopped clams (rinsed!), the strained liquid from the clams, and an additional bottle of strained clam juice.

He simmered the soup slowly, stirring frequently. (Creamy soups have a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot.) Pretty soon the soup thickened nicely from the combination of the potatoes and the flour in the roux. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve with crusty bread.

Things I've Cooked Lately, Part IV

2010-10-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

"Deviled" eggs. With anchovies, roasted red peppers and capers. Oh, stop it. Most people who say they don't like anchovies have never tried them.

Sandwich with homemade pickles (cucumbers in peperoncini juice for 3 days). And yes, those are indeed Doritos.

Sardine omelette on a toasted bagel. Again, stop it, sardines aren't bad. You can get some very good imported Spanish and Italian ones.

Spinach and strawberry salad with candied pecans. I used Simply Recipes' method for the pecans, but used smoked paprika and cumin instead of sweet spices. The dressing was white balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Hope you enjoyed the random collection. I'm sure there will be more in the future.

Sab-E-Lee Restaurant

2010-10-17T19:29:00.000-07:00

After reading Kirk's and Kirbie's accounts of their visits to the best Thai/Lao restaurant in San Diego, I finally made it to Sab-E-Lee. And I'm kicking myself for not having gone sooner. I want to go again. Tomorrow. It's that good. (Even my husband loved it. And he purportedly "hates" Thai food.)

So here's what the outside looks like.

Inside is very tiny, only 6 tables. But that's good, because the rest of the space is devoted to their kitchen and the wonderful things that come out of it.

We started with the Papaya Salad, or Som Tam. Shredded green papaya, tomatoes and tiny green beans, dressed with pounded peanuts, dried shrimp, and lime juice, fish sauce, something sweet (maybe palm sugar) and chiles. This was amazing.

My husband had the BBQ Pork Neck, or Kaw Moo Yaang (thanks, Leela!). Extremely tender pork, served with a small bowl of a spicy dressing/sauce for dipping. We both loved it.

I had the Duck Larb (Larb Ped). Strips of grilled duck with the skin still on, with red onions, roasted rice powder and chiles. Spicy, tart, ducky, earthy. Delicious.

We're most definitely going back. There are so many other things on the menu that we have to try - Beef & Tendon Stew, Nahm Tok, Spicy Raw Beef, Thai Sausage...yes, I must really get back there soon.

Sab-E-Lee
2405 Ulric St.
San Diego, CA 92111
858-650-6868

Egg Balls

2010-10-13T19:01:00.000-07:00

What the heck are egg balls? They're delicious eggy cheesy puffy things with a terrible name.

My best friend learned to make them from her father, and she passed the recipe on to me, but only after getting permission from her son, who has insisted that the recipe remain a family secret. She asked him if she could show me how to make them, and he said "of course, she's more a part of our family than some of our blood relatives". How warm and fuzzy.

So since it's a secret, I can't give you proportions. But it's not too hard to figure out. Make bread crumbs from a fresh French or Italian loaf. Mix in parmesan (NOT the green can, for God's sake), chopped parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Some chopped basil if you so desire. Beat in eggs, until you get something with the consistency of polenta that needs to cook a little longer. Kind of like a thin Cream of Wheat.

Heat about an inch of oil (vegetable, canola or corn) in a skillet. Use an ice-cream scoop or two large spoons to scoop up dollops and slide them (gently!) into the oil. Fry, flipping to cook all sides. As they're done, remove them from the oil, drain briefly, then put them in your tomato sauce.

On this particular night, we also had meatballs in the sauce, topped with sautéed mushrooms, along with fettucine.

But my favorite? Leftover eggballs and meatballs on a sandwich with provolone and torn basil.

So, there you have it - egg balls. Anyone have a better name?

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part X

2010-10-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

Please note: Slightly less PG than previous installments.

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"Did you feed the puppies?"

"Yes...No...You mean food?"

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Dad: "You don't want to go to the fight with us? Frank Mir is fighting."

Youngest: "Did you say I get free beer if I go to the fight?"

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Dude, I'm like the black-up pan. I mean back-up plan.

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I refuse to marry anyone that can't make his penis dance.

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You got to watch me grow up into a lady. With tits.

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Chester's hips don't lie. He IS the she-wolf in the closet.

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Olive Bread

2010-10-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

I felt like doing something productive in the kitchen, but was too lazy to go to the store (that seems to happen a lot, doesn't it?). Glancing through what I had on hand, I soon came to the conclusion that I had to bake something, since every protein product I had was frozen solid, and pasta with homemade sauce just wasn't what I was looking for.

So, the first part of the decision was made. But what to bake? Hmm...I've got yeast. And a new bag of flour. Yeast + flour = bread. (Of course there's more to it than that, but you know what I mean.) Then I saw the containers of olives in the fridge, and remembered Ravenous Couple's no-knead olive bread. Everything about it was appealing, especially the no-knead part (see above regarding lazy).

So I grabbed my Oxo cherry pitter, and set to work on the olives (Castelvetrano and a marinated mix). I love my cherry pitter, and it's allowed in my kitchen because it pits both cherries and olives cleanly, and therefore has more than a single function.

I halved the recipe, and was later extremely glad that I did, because the jiggly puffy bubbly dough rose pretty close to the top of the largest bowl I own. After a few hours on the counter and a few more in the fridge, I scooped out a very sticky glob of dough, coated it in flour because I was out of cornmeal, and plopped it into my pre-heated enamel-coated cast iron Dutch oven. Into the oven it went, along with a tray of water below it to provide steam.

Ten minutes later I turned on the vent fan and removed the batteries from the smoke detector.

Twenty minutes after that I had delicious olive bread with a crackly crust. I had a slice still warm, spread with butter. The rest we ate with soppressata, Spanish ham, and cheese.

The best part? The dough keeps in the fridge for days, getting a little more sour with the passage of time. Four days later I had another loaf that was even better than the first.

Simple Tomato Salsa

2010-10-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

Everybody likes salsa, right? It's so versatile - you can put it on top of eggs, fish, chicken, tacos, whatever. Or just eat it with tortilla chips (the typical mode of consumption in this household).

Here's my basic salsa recipe. (Yes, it's a lot of chopping. Make sure you have a sharp knife, and hide the tips of your fingers. Bobby Flay has a good video showing basic knife skills.)

Salsa

3 large tomatoes
¼ - ½ red onion
1 serrano chile
1 jalapeño chile
1 yellow chile
a handful of chopped cilantro
the juice of ½ - 1 lime
salt
1-2 garlic cloves (optional)

Quarter the tomatoes and remove the stem, core and seeds. (I freaking hate tomato seeds.) Do the same for the chiles. Dice up everything. I personally like ¼" pieces for the tomatoes and onions, and smaller for the chiles and garlic. Mix together, adding lime juice and salt. Let it sit for a while so the salt can work its magic on the tomatoes, i.e. it'll pull the water out so you have a salsa, not just a bowl of diced vegetables.

Serve. With everything.

Things I've Cooked Lately, Part III

2010-09-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Well, that's a little of an untruth, because my husband cooked this for me one Saturday morning. He rarely cooks, and did this with zero pressure, input, or involvement from me. Fried pork chop, sauteed mushrooms, overeasy egg, with tortillas and green chile. I normally would've broken the egg yolk for the picture, but I was still in shock from the fact that the man cooked.

Getting back to normal, next up, braised cabbage with smoky bacon, recipe courtesy of Almost Bourdain. I used a Hungarian bacon given to us by friends that is absolutely amazing.

This time I remembered to crack the yolk.

This carbonara is from way back, when I made duck prosciutto. No cream. Don't you dare add cream.

Butter and store-bought bread. Why post this? Because I made the damn butter. And it was good.

Pulled Pork Chilquiles

2010-09-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

OK, I've done tacos and BBQ sandwiches, and I still have pulled pork left. Now what?

Chilaquiles.

I fried up some corn tortillas into chips, then sauced the pork with the same chile sauce from the tacos, but added a little water. Heated a skillet on high with a slick of oil, dumped in the pork, stirred, then added the chips. Continued stirring and flipping until the chips softened (but not too soft, that's gross) and the sauce thickened, then threw in some cotija cheese. Dish out, top with cilantro.

You could also do this with a green chile sauce, either one works. What doesn't work is reheating the leftovers. Floppy chips are not cool.

And with that, I think I need to go vegetarian for a while.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2010-09-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

Still having massive quantities of pulled pork after the tacos, I decided to do BBQ sandwiches. I made a sauce of cider and white vinegar, juices from the pork roast, paprika, Louisiana hot sauce, brown sugar and salt, and mixed it into the pork. I can't give you a recipe because it took a lot of tweaking, and I have no idea how much of anything ended up in there.

I also made a cole slaw, because you have to have cole slaw with BBQ pork sandwiches. Again, no recipe, but the dressing consisted of cider vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard powder, and pepper. I let it sit overnight in the fridge to de-crunchify the cabbage.

And then stupid me forgot to buy hamburger buns, and I didn't feel like going back to the store. So I made buns using this recipe from Confections of a Foodie Bride. They were absolutely delicious, but not really the soft pillowy buns I was looking for. They made good ham or roast beef sandwiches, though.

And here you go.

I still need to tweak the sauce a little. It was good, but I know my friend James was looking down at me from his cloud telling me I was doing it wrong.

I still have more pork left...

Chile Sauced Pulled Pork Tacos

2010-09-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

For my birthday, one of my awesome friends gave me a slow cooker. I had never used one before. Honestly, the whole concept seems like cheating to me. Then there's the part of me that wants to constantly be able to poke, flip, re-season, etc. Putting something in a pot and not touching it for 8 hours just seemed wrong. Plus, I'm supposed to leave something plugged in and HOT while I'm not home? It still scares me.

But I'm determined to overcome my aversions and fears. What better way to start? Pork roast. I trimmed an 8lb pork shoulder of most of its fat, and marinated it overnight with chile powder, cumin, salt, pepper, paprika, and lemon and lime juice. The next morning, I put a couple of thick slices of onion on the bottom of the cooker, plopped in the pork, filled the gaps with chunks of carrots and potatoes, and dumped in the marinade. Then I walked away.

Really. I actually left the house. But after 3 hours I was way too paranoid and came home. Of course, everything was fine. The pork continued to cook for another 5 hours. The result? The tenderest pork roast I've ever had. It broke into three pieces when I took it out of the slow cooker. And shredding? Just threaten it with a fork and it falls apart. OK, slow cookers are cool.

So now I have a huge amount of "roasted" pork. What to do? Tacos!

I made a quick chile sauce (toast dried chiles, de-seed and tear into pieces, toss in a blender with skillet-seared onion and garlic, add the liquid left from the pork shoulder, and blend), and mixed it with the pork. Warm a couple corn tortillas, spoon in the pork, and top with whatever you like. I like avocado, grilled green onions, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

I still have a ton of pork left...more to come...

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part IX

2010-09-16T16:58:00.000-07:00

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You've got seashells around your neck and pantyhose on your head.

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Mmm, this new spoon works really good.

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Dude, Kurt Russell rocks!
(Not heard in the household, but it had to be repeated.)

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My hair is au natural. Except for the hair color.

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I like when I eat cereal that's little balls, because I see flowers.
(I thought she was high, until she showed me the colored-ball cereal on a spoon. It really did look like a flower.)

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You look like that guy that sings "She Bangs" but with hair.

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I love these new containers. They're so much better than Tupperware. And they'll be perfect for the organs that I'm harvesting.

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Wasabi Sushi, Vista CA

2010-09-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

I don't do restaurant reviews very often, but for Wasabi Sushi, I feel I must.

The owner and sushi chef is Andy, a very likable and friendly guy. His wife Sarah waits tables. There are about 8 tables, the sushi bar seats about 8-10, and they've got a big screen TV tuned to the hottest sporting event.

But, on to the food.

First, the 911 Roll. I think you can see why.

Next up, the Ceviche Tostada.

Here we have an eel hand roll. Best I've ever had. Andy also makes a mean salmon skin roll.

Toro. Like butta.

Sawagani, little river crabs, quickly fried and served with a ponzu-soy sauce. Crunchy little bugs. Better than popcorn.

My husband had a live octopus one time. I've seen the video, and would post it, but you don't need to hear the drunken audio that accompanies it. So until I find a way to post video while killing the audio, you'll just have to imagine pieces of just-chopped octopus crawling around on a plate.

Aside from all the awesome sushi (OMG, try the white tuna!), they also have the typical teriyaki plate offerings, as well as an awesome clam miso soup, and an udon soup that looks delicious but that I have yet to try.

Wasabi Sushi
1688 Melrose Drive, Ste. 212
Vista, CA 92081
(760) 727-8090

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part VIII

2010-09-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

Youngest: Dad, you're a Mexican, right?

Dad: Yeah.

Youngest: Well, the dishwasher went home drunk, so you need to go in the back and wash dishes.

And he did.

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Stop signing your name as Wang Chung, or my teachers are going to figure it out.

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That would have been really awkward if I had a penis.

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"He's hot. And there's nothing wrong with window shopping."

"It's a beautiful window. I want to lick the window."

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"Get away from my soup, Diddy. Get your own damn soup."

"You need to calm down."

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"I love my penis."

Note that this is only funny because it was spoken by a 15-year-old girl.

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Cast Iron Skillet Chicken

2010-09-07T09:12:00.000-07:00

I will never roast a chicken any other way.

With help from Thomas Keller and my friend Suzanne (if you're in Chicago and need to get in shape, look her up!), I made the best chicken ever.

Preheat your oven to 425ish, with a cast iron skillet inside. While that's happening, get to work on the chicken.

You start by removing the wishbone. Why? I have no idea. And thank God I started at the right end of the chicken, or that would've taken a very long time. Wishbone removed, pat your chicken dry. Really dry. When you think it's dry enough, dry it some more. Salt and pepper the inside of the cavity, then do the same to the outside. Use one whole tablespoon of salt for the outside. You'll understand why when you taste it.

Get some string for tying the legs together. Shove the wing tips back between the leg and thigh, then tie the ends of the legs together. Sounds easy, huh? Yeah, if you have 4 hands.

Open the now-heated oven, deposit the chicken in the skillet, and close the door. At this point you may want to open the windows and turn your vent fan on. I had a lot of smoke. So much so that I lowered the oven temperature by 10 degrees. That probably didn't make any difference, but it made me feel better.

Your chicken is done when a thermometer reads 160-165 in a meaty part of the thigh.

The wing tips won't be crispy and worth gnawing on, since they've been tucked between the nether regions, so toss them. Better yet, save them for stock along with the rest of the bones. I recommend eating the wings first. Just because. Be careful when trying to remove the legs, this chicken turns out so tender that I was left with the leg bone in my hand and all the meat still attached to the chicken. So use a knife and work your way around the joint. And don't forget the crispy, salty, perfect skin.

Oh, and do you like the wine cork mat? I loosely followed the instructions at Craftynest. But there was no way I was going to cut 75 wine corks with a pocket knife. I used a band saw.

Avocado Toast with Sardines

2010-09-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered avocado toast. Easiest thing ever - toast, mashed avocado, salt. The other day I was thinking about the can of sardines in my pantry, and thought, why not?

And it was good.

Porterhouse Steak

2010-09-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

Steak:

Seasoning, cast iron skillet:

That is all.

Things I've Cooked Lately, Part II

2010-08-18T17:18:00.000-07:00

So this is a clean-out-the-camera post. Some of these I made quite a while ago, some pretty recent. And now, for your viewing pleasure:

Corned Beef Hash. Egg is not optional.

Adobo made with country-style pork ribs.

Indian spiced pickled kumquats.

Tomato & blue cheese soup repurposed as a pasta sauce.

OK, Sami, I finally posted something. Are you happy now?

Crispy Fried Trotters

2010-08-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

First off, let me apologize for this photo. It's underlit. The composition sucks. Hey, at least it's in focus.

What is it? A fried pig's foot. I basically gave it the same treatment as the pig's tails I did before, but omitted the first deep-frying step. So - boil, dry, dust with flour, fry, salt.

Success? Depends. I thought this would be as glorious as the tails, but sadly, it wasn't. Feet just don't have as much meat on them. The crispy skin was wonderful, but there was too much gooey stuff inside that got a little weird from the frying. I guess Michael at A Dash of Stash was right when he said "I prefer them soft".

Fried Frog Legs

2010-07-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

Oh, stop that. They're not gross. Yes, they look a little funny. No, they don't taste like chicken. And they don't taste like fish. They taste like meat.

Please excuse the blurry spot on the left pair of legs. I found out after I took it that my lens had a smudge :)

I used this recipe from ChiliCheeseFries.net. The recipe calls for milk, but never says what to do with it, so I soaked the legs in it for about 30 minutes, before proceeding with the flour-egg wash-flour coating. Fry up in canola oil, et voila.

The legs were good, but the roasted garlic sauce that went with them? Oh. My. God. I'm glad I made the legs, but most likely won't do it again. The sauce, however - you braise garlic in a mix of beef and seafood stock, squish the soft garlic into the broth, add some lemon juice, blitz in a blender or processor. Bring back up to a simmer, and whisk in cold butter and a shot of cayenne. I'd eat styrofoam dipped in this sauce.

Crispy Fried Pig's Tails

2010-07-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, I said pig's tails. And why not? There's skin, meat, fat, and other stuff, just like on every other part of the pig. And isn't it just awesome that the front-most piece in the picture kind of looks like a dolphin?

I followed the recipe from the Nasty Bits section of Serious Eats. Basically, you deep fry the tails for 4 minutes first, then braise them in water with onion, garlic, soy sauce, wine and salt for an hour. Then you very thoroughly dry off the tails. If you have leftover stock sticking to them...well...let's just say you don't want that.

Roll the tail pieces in flour, then carefully deep fry for about 3 minutes. Make sure you have a pot lid in your other hand to use as a shield.

The recipe said to dress them with a mix of soy sauce and vinegar, but I served them with a delicious mustard sauce that I whipped up, and unfortunately forgot to write down not only the proportions, but the ingredients.

So was it worth it? Hell, yes. Crispy outside, tender inside, the right proportion of meat:skin:fat. Absolutely delicious. I'm going to try it with trotters next.

Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

2010-07-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

Pictures and recipe courtesy of my parents. My comments are in italics.

Meat Stuffing (for about 15 flowers):
Mix 1 lb ground beef, ~1 teaspoon salt, ~2 teaspoons pepper, ~1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 beaten egg.

Remove sex organs from the flowers. I disagree, I think they add flavor. Also remove the 5 little spiky green things on the outside of the flower base, but keep the green cup where the stem attaches. Again, I disagree, leave the spiky things. If there is a little zucchini at the base, that's ok. Soak and clean in cold water for 5 minutes.

Remove flowers from water, shaking off the water. Stuff with a plug of meat stuffing. Close flower around meat. If it can't close, you're using to much stuffing.

Dredge each meat/flower package in flour,

then beaten egg (or Egg Beaters),

and then seasoned bread crumbs.

Fry in about 3/8" of canola oil (or whatever oil you like), until nicely browned on all sides, usually 5-10 minutes. They can also be deep fried.

I grew up eating these every summer. Haven't had them in about 15 years now, and I can still remember exactly how they taste. If you're lucky enough to have zucchini (or any squash) flowers, make these!

Random Quotes from the WIP Household - Part VII

2010-07-18T00:18:00.000-07:00

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This was the funniest thing ever. There's funny, there's uber-funny, there's pee-my-pants-funny...and then there was this.

(Funniest thing about it? She couldn't tell us because of a promise to her sister.)

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Destroying my neurons never felt so good.

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Vampires only want me for my body, zombies want me for my mind.

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F&(king frog legs in my f&(king refrigerator.

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I'll punch you in the puffy side of your face.

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Fried Rice Vermicelli with Pickled Mustard Greens

2010-06-27T15:23:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe for Fried Bee Hoon over at The Malaysian Cuisine (make sure to check out Angie's other blog, seasaltwithfood), checked my pantry, and realized I could make this, stopping at the store only for bean sprouts.

I soaked my noodles for about 30 minutes, but they were still kind of chewy-strange. Perhaps they were old. Maybe I'll boil them next time. The recipe didn't state whether the choy sum was fresh or pickled, but I had a package of pickled mustard greens in the fridge, so I used that. I don't have chicken bouillon, so I used a little of the Better than Bouillon beef flavor I have in the freezer. And I replaced the shallot with onion, just because.

Aside from the chewy noodles (which did soften up more when thrown in with the veggies and sauce), this dish was perfect. I couldn't live without noodles, and throw in some crunchy veggies, and I'm even happier. You could definitely add some meat to this if you wanted. Quick, not a lot of heat involved in the preparation, good hot or slightly warm.

I'm submitting this dish to Presto Pasta Nights, this time hosted by Ruth at Once Upon a Feast.

Grits & Shrooms

2010-06-23T18:31:00.000-07:00

Lately I seem to get hooked on one particular food, and stick with it for a while. Last time, it was seafood - ceviche, soft shell crabs, clams & mussels. This time, it's mushrooms.

This go-around, I bought a package of baby portobellos. Then I saw Michelle's post on Thursday Night Smackdown, and I had to make grits & shrooms. I sliced up the mushrooms, and sauteed them in a mix of butter and olive oil. I didn't have sherry (!) or arrowroot, so I used a half-a-splash of brandy, chicken broth, and thickened with cornstarch.

On to the grits, I heated up chicken broth to boiling, then whisked in some cornmeal. Simmer, stir, simmer, stir, adding a little water as necessary. I had no cream, and no goat cheese, and my milk went bad, so I used cotija cheese and butter.

Scoop some grits into a bowl, and top with saucy shrooms. Doesn't look like much, but it was delicious.

I would've liked to sprinkle on some parsley, but the bag in the fridge that I thought was parsley was, in actuality, cilantro. And I wasn't too sure about cilantro in grits, even if they were laced with Mexican cheese.

Grits and mushrooms - who knew? Definitely a keeper, and open to endless variations.

King Oyster Mushrooms Two Ways

2010-06-22T19:41:00.000-07:00

I saw these King Oyster mushrooms at the market the other day. Aren't they astounding?

I couldn't make up my mind what I wanted to do with them - so I didn't. One half, I sauteed in butter and olive oil, and sprinkled with smoked salt.

Holy jeebus, these were tasty.

The other half, I egg washed and breaded, and pan-fried in olive oil. Once again, tasty.

Both preparations, since they were so simple, really let the mushrooms' flavor and texture shine through. Meaty, earthy, etc., you know, all those words used to describe mushrooms. Why not just say mushroomy?

Bottom line - if you find these in your market, buy them.

Steamed Clams and Mussels

2010-06-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

I must be on a seafood kick lately, this makes 3 posts in a row! Maybe my body's craving mercury. Heh.

I decided one day that I wanted steamed clams and mussels. So off to the market, $5/lb, I bought a bunch of each. All my clams behaved well, but I had 1 cracked mussel and 1 that didn't close when I tapped him. Those get tossed. Unless you like feeling like you're going to die.

In a large pot, melt butter, add wine, lemon juice, smashed garlic, salt, pepper (black or red), maybe a bay leaf. You could also replace the wine with beer if you want. Bring it all to a boil, dump in your crustaceans, cover, let steam for 3-5 minutes, uncover, stir, let steam some more. They're done when they're opened. (And by now you all know to toss any that don't open.)

Make sure you have some good crusty bread to dip into the "broth". And a lot of napkins.

Clam

Panko Breaded Soft Shell Crabs

2010-06-14T19:29:00.000-07:00

Did you know it's soft shell crab season? No? Well, hurry out and buy some before it's too late! (If you live in North County San Diego, Major Market in Escondido has them for $2.59 apiece.)

OK, are you back with your soft-shelled water bugs? Here's what you do. Rinse them off, dry them very well. And I mean very well. Dust them in flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in a beaten egg, letting the excess drip off. Then coat in panko - make sure you've got as much panko on there as you can.

Heat up some olive oil in a skillet, and fry those babies until they're golden. Serve with sriracha-mayo.

They're also good on the grill - olive oil, salt, pepper, grill, lemon juice. No pics of that, we ate them too fast.

Don't miss out, they'll only be around for another couple weeks!

Shrimp Ceviche

2010-06-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

Shrimp ceviche is pretty easy, it just takes a lot of chopping. But it's definitely worth it, if you want something light, fresh, and delicious.

I fried up some corn tortillas cut into 6ths to make my own chips. But that's only because I wanted to use them before they went bad, you can definitely use store-bought chips or tostada shells.

Start with the shrimp - this time, I used a 1lb frozen bag (they were on a 2/1 sale, what can I say?), so defrosted them, brought a pot of water to a boil, and cooked them until just done. Drain, then dump into an ice bath. When cool, chop into little pieces (maybe 6 per shrimp), and refrigerate.

For everything else: Dice 2 tomatoes (I got rid of the seeds), slice up 1-2 green onions, dice about 1/3 of a red onion, and chop up a handful of cilantro. You could also mince a jalapeno or two, but I forgot to buy them.

Throw all the veggies in a bowl, and squeeze in the juice of 2 limes. Add the shrimp, and mix. Dice an avocado, and carefully fold it into the shrimp/veggie mix. Chill for a bit. Serve with chips.

Random Quotes from the WIP Household, Part VI

2010-05-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

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Me: Where did the day go?

Youngest: To the left. That's where it likes to go.

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If only Communion tasted this good, people would go to church more often.

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Youngest, eating a hot fudge sundae: It's like Jesus. Only better.

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"I ain't gonna conversate with bitches I ain't gonna hit."

(Sorry for that, I try to keep this blog mostly PG, but that one was really funny. Or maybe you had to be there.)

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Good Lord, the History Channel rocks!

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I'd be sexy in China.

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Breaded Fried Sardines

2010-05-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

A while back I was at Marukai Market, and picked up a package of four whole sardines for about a dollar. What was I going to do with them? I had no idea, but was sure I could come up with something.

After a while, I decided I wanted to stuff them with bread crumbs, cheese and herbs, and pan fry. So I got to work.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the package and discovered that these fish were whole. I mean completely whole, guts and everything included. It looked like I had to learn how to gut a fish.

It actually wasn't too bad. And by that, I mean it was thoroughly disgusting and I really don't ever want to do it again. I learned two things: fish guts are gross, and sardine skin is incredibly fragile. But in the end, I had 8 fillets, relatively intact. I had been aiming for whole (so I could stuff them), but that apparently doesn't happen once you pull out the spine. Oh well, on to Plan B - no stuffing just rolled around in seasoned bread crumbs, and fried in a little oil.

Tasty? Heck, yes. These taste nothing like sardines from a can. They taste like...well...fish. Good fish. Crunchy fried fish. So good, that I'm now on the lookout for more (already cleaned) sardines.

French Onion Soup Cups

2010-05-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

I rarely buy those packages of refrigerated biscuits, but I read On My Plate's post on French Onion Soup Cups one day, then saw that Trader Joe's makes their own dough-in-a-tube. Coincidence?

I modified the recipe slightly, using milk instead of cream. I also caramelized the onions for about an hour at low heat, instead of the higher heat / shorter cooking time in the recipe. Left out the thyme (Hubby hates it), and added bacon (because I could).

The end result was happy sweet onions in a cheesy peppery sauce, studded with bits of always-delicious bacon, topped with more cheese, all in a carbo-cup.

That's some serious comfort food.

Shrimp Salad for Cooking to Combat Cancer 4

2010-05-11T20:13:00.000-07:00

I made this salad a while back, took a photo, and promptly forgot about it. But then Chris from Mele Cotte reminded us that she's hosting Cooking to Combat Cancer, in it's 4th year.

I figured that this was a healthy salad, but after doing a little research, I realized I need to make this more often!

Since it's a salad, there's not much of a recipe, just slice, chop, cook the shrimp (seasoned with tons of garlic, paprika and salt), make the dressing (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, crushed garlic if you wish, salt & pepper), and toss everything together. Since there's no recipe per se, instead you'll get a breakdown of why this salad is a cancer-fighting bowl of delicious:

Lettuce - The darker the better for cancer-fighting properties, but even romaine has health benefits.
Shrimp - High in selenium, a trace mineral helpful in keeping prostate cancer away. Shrimp are good for you in other ways, too.
Tomatoes - One of the best sources of lycopene, a cancer-fighting carotene.
Fennel (bulb and fronds) - Contains anethole, a powerful antioxidant.
Radish - Contains lots of vitamin C, folic acid and anthocyanins.
Balsamic vinegar - Lots of antioxidants, including quercetin.
Olive oil - Fights colon and breast cancer.
Garlic - It's an allium, therefore it's good.

The only component of this salad that isn't cancer-fighting is the feta I crumbled on top. But with all the other healthy goodies, I feel no guilt.

So, have this salad with a glass of red wine (another cancer combatant), and you'll be doing yourself a favor.

Franks and Beans, or Beanie Wienies

2010-05-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

Can you believe I've never had franks and beans before? I know I've never made it or had it in a restaurant, and I can't remember my parents ever making it when I was a kid. But I came across this post for Beanie Wienies for Grownups over at Homesick Texan, and I just knew it would be good.

After sauteing the onion and garlic (plus a jalapeno, because I could) in bacon fat (from crisped up bacon instead of the salt pork), in went the beans, sliced Nathan's hot dogs, the sauce ingredients, and the chopped up bacon. I omitted the brown sugar, because I thought it was sweet enough with the molasses. My chile powder was a mix of ancho, chipotle, and New Mexico powders, along with a little Aleppo pepper and a habanero flake or two.

I didn't make my beans from scratch, because I've found that Sun Vista beans are better than anything I can do myself. Instead of the white beans the recipe called for, I used pinto beans, because Hubby insisted on it.

Was it good? Hell, yeah. Especially served with a biscuit and a poached egg.

Hubby said he thought the coffee made it bitter, but I totally disagree. He wouldn't have know there was coffee in it if I hadn't told him.

Like I said, I've never had beenie weenies (I prefer the incorrect spelling in this case) before today, but I can guarantee this is 100 times better than anything out of a can.

Sun Flour Bagel, Carlsbad CA

2010-05-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

The other day I had the pleasure of visiting Sun Flour Bagel, at 6955 El Camino Real in Carlsbad (in the Vons shopping center, across from the post office). My iFriend hifisamurai had contacted me, wondering if I’d like to post a review of the shop. I jumped at the chance, because I had been there once before, and enjoyed what I had.

Sun Flour Bagel will celebrate their four year anniversary in June, and I'm kicking myself for missing their first 3.5 years. Besides the regular bagel shop offerings, they have Japanese pastries on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. The rush starts at 11am, and they usually sell out by noon. So if you want to get your hands on some of these goodies, get there early!

Sun Flour Bagel has a loyal Japanese clientele for the pastries, and a loyal American clientele for the bagels, but the owner, Mr. Numata, is looking to bridge the gap, and get more Americans to try the Japanese pastries. And so they should, for these are delicious, and most likely different from anything you've ever tasted.

I asked about the bread, and what makes it special. Mr. Numata told me (with help from his employee Sayoko as translator) that the Japanese have the perception that good = soft, and hard = bad. He had me squeeze a loaf of his bread – this is definitely not Wonderbread, people. It’s pillowy and squishy and airy, the softest, lightest bread I’ve ever seen. Mr. Numata said that he doesn’t know how to make the typical “hard” American bread, but that it did take him some time to get the recipe right for his Japanese bread, due to the ingredients available here. He said a lot of the texture has to do with the water – American water is hard (i.e. full of minerals), while Japanese water is soft – and also that the flour must be high in gluten to get the proper texture.

All the sweet buns (or pan, which means bread in Japanese) are made with this bread dough, are sweet but not too sweet, and are stuffed with various fillings. Japanese pastries are typically much less sweet than American baked goods, but Mr. Numata adds a little more sugar than is traditional to his pastries, to better fit the American palate. I tried the green tea cream and red bean pan, and the custard cream pan. Both were delicious.

Green Tea (Matcha) and Red Bean (Adzuki) Pan

Custard Cream Pan

I also sampled the croquette pan, consisting of potato and vegetable croquettes, rolled in breadcrumbs and fried, and tucked into a bun with cabbage. The bread crumbs for the croquettes are made from the loaves of Japanese bread, grated while still fresh. Sayoko told me that the crumbs don’t work as well if they’re dried or flaked very small, because they absorb too much oil when fried.

Croquette Pan

But my favorite hands down has to be the curry pan– a light bread shell, filled with a mildly spicy curry (don’t think Indian curry, folks, this is Japanese all the way), and fried until golden. Fried, but not greasy in the slightest. And they reheat very well in a 350 degree oven. So stock up if you can.

Curry Pan

Also on offer is the yakisoba pan - yakisoba and cabbage in a bun, topped with shredded pickled ginger.

Yakisoba Pan

And for more sweets, try a melon pan or a red bean pan. I didn't taste either one, but a coworker said "that's some good stuff".

Melon Pan

Red Bean (Adzuki) Pan

There's also the cream cheese French toast pan, made from the thickly sliced bread, with a layer of jam in the middle.

Cream cheese French toast

And finally, the sausage cheese pan, which made me think of a grown-up version of pigs in a blanket.

Sausage Cheese Pan

All of the pastries run from $1.75 to $2.80 - a better deal cannot be found in La Costa!

There are sandwiches available, including the special tonkatsu sandwich, which isn’t on the menu, and is made to order. Call it on the “secret menu”, if you wish.

And, just to prove to you all that they serve typical bagel shop goodies, here are some menu shots:

Bottom line: If you find yourself in Carlsbad, stop by Sun Flour Bagel. Whether you get a bagel or a pastry, it's money well spent, and your taste buds will thank you.

Note: I was not compensated monetarily for this review; however, all the goods in the pictures were provided to me free of charge by Sun Flour Bagel (and subsequently shared with my happy and grateful coworkers).