Sunday Dish

LA Times Food Section Friday...

 
I look forward Wednesdays.  That's the day the Los Angeles Times comes out with it's food section. 
That's not to say I don't have one major beef with them, and that being, their overwhelming neglect of the Valley.  There are rarely reviews or articles, that have an even remotely "Valley-centric" view, I aim to change that, as I believe my little corner of Los Angeles has a population with great tastes and a big need for fine dining right in their own back yard....(getting off my soap box).

Even so, I enjoy perusing the section over my cup of coffee, wincing when a restaurant receives less then 1 star and cheering when they receive more.  Of course I always turn to my fellow bloggers to see who has gone to the restaurant themselves, and compare reviews.

Then, there are the recipes.  Seasonal recipes ranging from simple to complex, some from staffers others from contributing writers.  I always tell myself to save the paper, clip my favorites, and actually try making some.  But I must confess, after 20 years of reading the paper, and 5 of reading the food section regularly, I have YET to clip or try my hand at even one of their recipes. Handsome cohort has actually clipped, but alas no cooking has resulted from said clipping.

Of course I am not alone in this. ..right?

In that light, as I delve deeper into my "blogism", I am vowing to try at least one recipe from my local food section, per week.
 
This, of course, is not an original or uber inspired idea, just my way of staying motivated to try new ingredients and cooking methods.  Plus, don't  you always wonder how good those recipes really are from those setting themselves up as the arbiters of taste?

Before I go further I must mention the Wednesday Chef Website  authored by Luissa Weiss, who has been blogging since 2005.  She may very well be the originator is this fun way to cook.
She takes, and creates, recipes from the LA and New York Times food sections and then tells her readers like it is, in an honest and amusing way. 

Unlike Wednesday Chef, Sunday Dish doesn't have the wherewithal to review more then one recipe a week!  Nor do I have a stack of cut out, yet never used recipe clippings. None-the-less, Luissa at Wednesday Chef, and all the other creative bloggers out there, have truly inspired me! 

That is why I decided that Fridays will now be:  "Food Section Friday."  Of course, being an Angeleno, I will draw mainly from the Times.  But I'm giving myself a bit of wiggle room, leeway if you will, to borrow from the food sections of other cities. 

So without further ado...

Roasted red pepper-Casacbel Romesco sauce
From the Wednesday May 28, 2008 issue:

- 2 dried Cascabel peppers (note:  I went to 3 stores looking for these. I live in LA in an area with a large Hispanic population and could not find these.  Ooooh!  So frustrating.  I used a Guajilla pepper instead - but only 1/2 'cause that baby was spicy!  I'll find those damn peppers, I swear I will!)
-  1 large red bell pepper
-  1/4 cup hazelnuts
-  1/4 cup almonds - blanched and peeled (I brought almonds that were already blanched, peeled and sliced.  Much easier)
-  4 Roma tomatoes
-  1/4 + two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
-  1 oz good quality country white bread, sliced - crusts removed (fyi, I didn't remove the crusts, no harm done.)
-  3 cloves garlic
-  1 teaspoon sea salt
-  1 teaspoon sweet paprika, preferably Spanish
-  2 tablespoons of Sherry Vinegar, preferably Jerez
-  1 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley.

   
1.  Place a rack in upper third of oven and heat the oven 375 degrees. 
Stick a fork (I used a knife) through the peppers and place down in a bowl to keep the peppers submerged. 


Cover with boiling water for at least 30 minutes to soften, then stem, seed and set aside. 


2.  while the peppers are softening roast the red pepper on a gas stove or under a broiler.  Place the pepper in a plastic bag or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap, and cool.  Peel, stem and seed the pepper, don't rinse, set aside.


3.  toast the nuts in the 375 degree oven until golden and aromatic, 8-10 minutes.  If the hazelnuts have skins, cool and remove by rolling them in a kitchen towel.  Set aside the nuts and increase oven temperature to broil.


4.  Half the tomatoes, length wise and place them skin side up on a foiled lined baking sheet.  Coat the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then broil the tomatoes until the skins begin to darken and crack, about 5 minutes.  Cool on the baking sheet, then peel, core and set aside.  (note:  because I didn't read this closely, I pre-cored my tomatoes, and cut them in 1/2 through the middle.  It was super easy to use my fingers to scoop the seeds out later.  I also broiled my tomatoes and my bell pepper at the same time, didn't really see the point in doing them separately. And as you can see I used parchment, not foil, just a personal preference.)


5. In a skillet heat the rest of the olive oil and fry bread to golden brown. Cool and set aside.

6. In a food processor (note: I used a blender) coarsely chop the garlic, salt, fried bread and nuts. 
Add the peppers, tomatoes, paprika, vinegar and parsley and process to a rough paste.  Slowly pour the remaining olive oil in a steady stream and process until combined.

Click here for the complete story @ latimes.com

Results:

This was a an easy recipe to follow considering all the little odds and ends there were to do, in order to get it all together.  There was the minor irritation I suffered in not being able to find the peppers, but when it comes to cooking you often have to punt, and so I did.
The flavor of this is terrific (although Little Chef - my daughter - found it a tad too spicy.)  The nuts and toasted bread give it an underlying richness, a smokiness, that is unique and very delicious.  Be forewarned, if you have a date, you may want to lay off the sauce, the garlic flavor is pretty intense.  Since my kissing partner is out town for the next week or so, I dug into it with gusto!!

To go with my Romesco I created another recipe from this weeks Food Section:  Peter Reinhart's Thin Wheat Crackers.  This one was not quite a success.  I'll fill  you in on the details of that endeavor, later in the week.

My Favorite Local Markets - Part 1

For me, one integral aspect of the joy of cooking, and eating, is the part that comes before.  Finding that perfect recipe, or honing in on that dish that's going satisfy the craving you've been having for days, is where the fun begins.

Then comes the part where you write the list and set out to get your ingredients. 

I am not a huge fan of supermarket chains.  I understand their necessity for things like Kleenex and band-aids.  But for other things - the important things, the food, their cold impersonal nature, their hermetically sealed meats and cheeses, their slicked up veggies and perfect fruits just leave me feeling, to put it mildly, underwhelmed.

What I love about visiting and shopping in New York City, Rome or Paris are the small neighborhood stores.  They're personal, the food is lovingly picked out and placed on the shelves.  There are no glaring fluorescent lights, no sounds of "ping, pinging"  as food is "scanned" through a computer system.  Shopping in these kinds of places is a much more intimate affair.

The Valley, for the past 20 years has gotten a pretty bad rep.  And I'm not saying some of it isn't deserved.  But there is a incredible ethnic diversity here, and some great mom and pop markets to to serve that population.  Once I started paying attention, I found there were some such gems, right under my nose.
I'm definitely on a hunt for more, but for now, here are some of my favorites.   

Valley Produce
18345 Vanowen St. Reseda, CA 91335

There is one in Reseda and  one in Simi Valley.  This is a place where you can find unusual fruits, nuts and veggies for unbelievably cheap prices.  They had the not unusual russet potato on sale for 10 cents a pound not too long ago.  Hello!?

Their ethnic offerings are also, as Todd would say, off the chain!  You want Indian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Vietnamese?  You will most likely find the ingredients you are looking for.

There meat and fish counters are crazy (in a good way) with every part of every animal you might like.  If you are into trying the more "unusual"  bits and parts of a creature, you will be in heaven.

Cheeses are limited, but Feta is $3.99 a pound, about half what you'd pay at a major chain.  Although, for my day to day cheese purchases I still think Trader Joe's is a pretty good bargain.

A few caveats:   it isn't always as spotless as one might like (more of a Farmers Market kinda feel), there are no oiled up fruits and veggies at this place, a good thing in my estimation, so you'll have to pick and choose amongst the piles  and it's beyond busy on the weekends - be prepared.

But if you are an adventurer in the kitchen - go for it! 

Vallarta Supermarkets

This isn't exactly a "mom and pop"  place, it is a larger chain, but, you may have overlooked them, and that would be a shame.
I love some good Mexican food - grilling up a little Carne Asada con todo on the weekend is all good by me.  I've driven by Vallarta's Markets for years but finally stopped in a month or so ago.  Mariachi music pumps from the speakers to accompany you while you shop.

Produce?  Check!  There are inexpensive peppers and chilies of every kind imaginable.    Lemons, plantains, yucca and more are also there in all their glory.  You want jalapenos?  You've got about 10 brands to choose from.  The meat  and fish are of great quality as are their pre-made offerings - like pickled carrots (the spicy kind, yum!)  several kinds of salsa and guacamole.

There there is the Taqueria - Oh yeah.  So far we've only picked up a bag of their "hot off the presses" corn tortillas, but if you don't want to cook you can buy a huge variety of hot food - carnitas, tortas, enchiladas, you name it.

It's not a place I shop for coffee, dairy, paper products - but when I get the itch to cook Mexican it's the only place I'll go. Besides they offer shuttle service so the ladies can come and do their shopping - how stinkin' cute is that?

Find A Vallarta Near You

Tarzana Armenian Grocery and Deli
18598 Ventura Blvd.  Tarzana, CA 91356         
818.881.6278      

If you are hankering for some dolmathes, a little kasseri cheese or maybe some hummus then look no further.  This small market has a good variety of Middle Eastern ingredients but most people come here (some from OVER THE HILL) to try their freshly made sandwiches and salads.

Q Market
17259 Vanowen St.  Van Nuys, 91406  Phone: 
818.345.4251



Hankering for some Turkish Delight?  This is an interesting little Middle Eastern Market.  From my limited understanding of the regions represented in this market, there is a Kosher section and a Halal section. Halal is food that is "permissible" by strict Islamic standards and Kosher is the same for Jewish standards.
In any case, the market has some really interesting and unusual Middle Eastern ingredients.  Don't let the scruffy exterior scare you away - it's well kept inside.

Domingoes Italian Grocery
17548 Ventura Blvd.  Encino, CA 91316
818.981.4466


Pancetta from Domingoes...Yum.

This is one of those places I've driven by, literally, hundreds of times.  When I first walked in the other day, I almost kicked myself for having missed this hidden gem for so long.  I just returned from my first trip to NYC.  One of our favorite things about the city,  was among other things, the little markets we lingered in while in Little Italy. Tucked away, with goodies galore, they seem to be waiting for you to find them.  Domingoes, for me, had a little bit of that vibe, right here in the big 'ol Valley.  I picked up some pancetta, some great Italian cookies, and then spent a half an hour drooling over their spices, oils, wines, and yes, freshly baked bread.  They have a full service deli making sandwiches and other goodies, definitely on my list of "things to do."
I may have missed this placed before, but I've found it now, and I'll be back!

It excites me to discover my part of the world in a whole new way, looking for those places that, sadly, may go unnoticed.  I'm done doing my shopping at some big, cold chain store.  For me, the independently own shops are the way to go.

Spaghetti Bolognese - My way...

Whether you have kids, or are still one at heart, there is always that one dish that hits home, makes you feel good, that you just love, hands down.

For my daughter, that food has been, since I can remember, pasta.  The noodles don't matter, but the sauce does.  It has to be tomato based and it has to be rich.  Meatballs?  Maybe, but they better be just right, meaning, not too big, not too fatty, not too spicy, well, the list goes on.

I'm sure you can identify with me, when I say that it can get pretty boring cooking up the same old pasta sauce month, after month, after month.  Last night though, I got to feeling guilty because I haven't cooked up any sauce for her in weeks, bad mom.   With that, I whipped up a batch of Bolognese sauce, or my version of it, using ground turkey.  It's right up her alley, and just different enough to keep me interested. 

My pasta sauce connoisseur gave it a huge thumbs up.  With kudos like that I felt I must share it with you.

Ingredients:

-  1 - 2 thick slice pancetta, ground up in the food processor (there are 2 here, but I actually only used 1 and saved the other for another dish.)

- 1 carrot - finely diced

-  1 celery stalk - finely diced

-  1 large yellow onion- diced

- 2 cloves garlic - minced

- 1 lb. ground turkey

- 1 1/2 cups white wine

- 1 cup milk

-  2 cans whole or diced tomatoes pureed in blender/food processor

- salt and pepper

- 2 teaspoons allspice

- splash of white wine vinegar

- Pasta of your choice

-  cheese of your choice - Pecorino, Parm, or even a little Feta is nice.
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In a heavy bottomed pot, cook pancetta over medium heat until it is not quite crispy.  Remove pancetta from the pan and set aside.  Lower the heat and in the rendered fat, saute the carrot, celery, onion and garlic until they begin to soften. 
Add the ground turkey to the pan, breaking it up and letting it cook until all the pink is gone from the meat.
Put the wine into the pan and let it cook down for about 5 minutes or so.  Then add the milk and let that cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Next, add the tomatoes and seasonings and bring the mixture back up to a good simmer.  Put the pancetta back in the pan and let the sauce simmer uncovered for about 1 hour.
Before serving - add the splash of vinegar and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Check your seasonings at this point as well and adjust as necessary.

Cook pasta according to directions and serve sauce over the pasta with your choice of cheese ( I used Feta, not traditional, but it's what I had on hand and it was very compatible with the sauce).

MANGIA, MANGIA!   

The True Tale of a Food Filled - "Fu Family" Weekend

 
 

I'm just getting over the weekend, and it's already Wednesday.
But what a weekend it was!!
So please excuse me, but this post is somewhat of a mish mash, a pot pourri, if you will of all that's happened over the last 4 days or so.

For those of you who have been with me for awhile, you know my "handsome cohort" (as I like to call him) Todd, is living in New Mexico, Albuquerque to be exact, for the next few months.  For those of you who are new to Sunday Dish (and that's alot, considering Sunday Dish is just a baby!)   Click Here and Here to read a bit about the history of our adventures in NM and a bit about the food we've eaten. 

I've made no bones about the fact that I don't exactly love (cough, cough) Albuquerque, but even so, have plans to go back in a few weeks.  That's love for you people, that's mother f'ing love.    But enough about that....

THIS weekend the prodigal son came home!  Hooray!!!!!!  It's been 3 looooong weeks.  His visit also brought along his three amazing kids, who I've grown to love, admire and respect over the last 5 years.  As a group, we've dubbed ourselves "The Fu Family"  a moniker I will explain at a later date, but if your sense of humor is as whacked as our, you may already have correctly guessed what the name stands for.

But I digress, which is fitting since this post is, as I said, a conglomeration of happy events all surrounding food.

Let's start off with Pizza!  It's Saturday, we're pooped, and just happy to be hanging out.  We want to cook and we want all hands on deck.  When you have a relatively small kitchen and 4 kids ranging from 7 to 16 a sure fire hit for all is pizza.

We made our dough from Cooks Illustrated - they don't give out their recipes online (well they do, but you have to pay.)

Here's the ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water
1 envelope instant yeast
1 1/2 cups water - room temp
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups bread flour (note from me:  do use bread flour, not regular, it does make a difference)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Put warm water in a 2 cup measuring cup and sprinkle yeast over it.  Let dissolve and swell (about 5 minutes)
Add room temp water and oil to cup and mix
Process that along with flour and salt in food processor until it forms into a ball.
Put dough in oiled bowl and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Here's the dough in all it's risen glory, after about 2 hours.

There are ways to knead by hand, used a standing mixer, and more, but I won't go into those here. 

Here's a link to a good recipe online:
Click here for a pizza dough recipe from Epicurious

While the dough was rising I went ahead and roasted some cherry tomatoes:

I simply put them in a large mixing bowl, tossed them with:
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Pinch of sugar
Then, placed them in the oven @ 350 for about 30-40 minutes.

I also sauteed some onions:
   
I cut up a large yellow onion, sauteed it in butter and olive oil over medium high heat until the onions began to brown.  I then lowered the heat and let them continue to cook 'till they were nice and soft.  Mmmmmm

These, along with a variety of fixins were prepared.  We had goat cheese, basil, Canadian bacon and pineapple, pepperoni etc.

We then let the youngest girls roll out the dough for everyone, creating individual pizza shells.
Then, we all went to town, loading up our shells with all of our favorite fixings.  Then, into the oven they went...


Here they are, baking away, in the oven.



I went for some goat cheese, roasted tomatoes, onions and basil.  I also added a little fresh mozzarella around the edge of the crust and then folded it over.  I'm not sure if you can tell, but in the after shot, you may notice that part of my crust unfolded, boooooo.  But it still tasted yummy.

The moral of the story?  Pizza, good.

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Sunday found us at the Greek Festival.  I did a little "pre-post"  a few days back...

Read more about my love of the Greek Festival here.... 

But Sunday was the day.  We started off with sodas for the kids and Ouzo for the big kids (that's us.)

If you've never had Ouzo, that's such a shame!!  It tastes like black licorice.  There are those who feel it should be imbibed, straight up, as a shot.  Maybe in my 20's I would have agreed with that.  But now, Todd and I like our Ouzo, with a little ice (Todd says one cube only!  I'm a bit more flexible) and sipped.

I won't go into it too much, since it is a past tense thing, and the next chance you'll have to go is a year from now, but suffice it to say, the food was delish!  We tried Spanikopita, Calamari, Pastitsio and  Moussaka.  But my favorite of the day was....

Loukoniko! Greek sausage, seasoned with fennel and lots of orange zest.  Served simply, with bread and a hunk of feta cheese.  Soooo flavorful.  They grill it right before your eyes and it comes off the bbq steaming hot. 
I've made a vow, that before the end of the summer, I'm going to make my own Loukoniko.  I've made so many Greek dishes, but not this one.  It involves casings and meat grinders and cool stuff like that.  It sounds like so much fun!
Anyhooo....next time you make it to a Greek Festival in your area, check out the Loukoniko, if they have it, and let me know how it is.
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Monday, it was time, sadly, to wrap up the weekend.  Kids were dropped off  at various and sundry places which meant Todd and I found ourselves with a couple hours to kill.  We were on the coast and decided to stop in and check out Ventura Harbors version of Brophy Brothers.

Brophy's is a staple in Santa Barbara and we've loved it for years.

I have photos from SB's Brophys you can see here...

But we'd never tried the Ventura Harbor arm. It's only been open less then a year, I believe.

We went with our usual choices, just so we could honestly compare the two restaurants...

Bloody Mary's, of course.  These were great, lots of heat and very flavorful!  Todd would have enjoyed his more if I'd stopped taking pictures!

Clam Chowder.  Nice and chunky, creamy and piping hot.

  And of course Ceviche.  Big chunks of white fish, tomatoes, cilantro and red onion, seasoned with cumin, citrus and generous amounts of salt and pepper.  The fish tasted very fresh.  There is something special about Santa Barbara and the Brophy Bro's at the Marina.  But their little sister (or brother) in Ventura definitely is getting on it's feet in a big way.  Thumbs up for sure.

Check out both Brophy Bro's locations online

With the end of that meal, we headed back to Los Angeles, and more specifically to LAX.  I'm not good at goodbyes, and this was no exception.

The only down side to great weekends, is that they eventually have to end.

Southwestern Chicken Salad with Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

The weather in Los Angeles has been absolutely craaaazy lately.  Earlier this week, we tipped the scales at close to 100 degrees, flip flops and tank tops were the order of the day.  Then, a few days later?  Cloudy with random rain and thunderstorms.  What's up with that?

I don't know about you, but much of my inspiration for what I'll cook up on any given day, is weather related.  Cool and overcast?  I'm thinking comfort food, a nice stew bubbling on the stove or a big batch of lasagna.  If it's warm, then I'm definitely in the mood to grill, have a salad, go for something light. 

But when the weather is pulling a Jekyll and Hyde, Sybyl, split personality thing on me, it just gets my knickers all in a knot!

I shopped earlier in the week (um, when it was seriously like mid summer) and bought all the fixins for a grilled chicken salad.  I had visions, of me, manning the grill, glass of Sauvignon Blanc in hand,  q-ing up some chicken, corn, onions, and these gorgeous tomatillos I picked up.  Then throwing them all together in a salad.  Girls night rolls around (and my girls do enjoy keeping it light with a salad) and it's anything but balmy.  I'm not going outside, dammit, and risk getting pummeled by a freak hail storm.

So, instead of manning the grill, I roasted everything in the oven.  It wasn't quite my mid-summer's night dream fantasy, but, well, in the end, the damn salad tasted good.  And the creamy tomatillo dressing?  Ooooh!  I don't want to toot my own horn or anything, but BEEP! BEEP! 

Alright, enough of the chit, chat....on to the recipe.

Ingredients:

4-6 tomatillos (depending on size) husks removed.   (Aren't these stunning????  I'm so in love with how pretty they are.)

1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges

2 chicken breasts (see recipe for marinade below)

2-3 ears of corn -silks removed, husks left on  (let them soak in water for at least 30 minutes)

1/4 stick of butter, melted.

1 large tomato - diced

1 can of black beans - rinsed

1 cup Cotiija Anejade  - crumbled and divided. ( This is a Mexican Cheese - if you can't find it, Feta is a decent substitute)

Greens of your choice.  I used Romain but any dark green leafy lettuce will do.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing (see recipe below)
__________________________________________________________________________

Marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
1/3 cup diced red onion
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 Tablespoon cumin
salt and pepper

Rinse Chicken, pat it dry and place in a roasting pan.  Mix all the marinade ingredients together, pour over chicken, and rub the mixture into the chicken thoroughly.   Cover, and chill for at least an hour, and up to  4.

Meanwhile,  preheat the oven to 425  degrees.
 
Place your onion wedges and tomatillos on a cookie sheet that's lined with parchment paper (this is optional, but it makes clean up so much easier.) 

Take the corn, gently pull back the husks, and baste the ears with the melted butter.  Also give them a good seasoning of salt and pepper.  Place the ears on a separate cookie sheet.

Place both cookie sheets in the oven. 

The tomatillos and onions will be done in about 30 minutes.  Remove those, but let the corn cook for about another 1/2 hour.

Once you've removed the onions and tomatillos, place the chicken in the oven.  Let it cook, along with the corn at 425 degrees for that remaining 30 minutes.  Then, remove the corn, set it aside to cool, and lower the oven temp to 350.  Let your chicken cook for an additional 30 minutes (or a bit longer if you have very large pieces.)

While the chicken cooks, you can now make the dressing....

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing:

Roasted Tomatillos
Roasted Onions
1/3 cup cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
2 table spoons red wine or white wine vinegar
1/4 cup of water
salt and pepper
1 clove garlic
pinch of cumin
1/4 cup of the crumbled cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream

Mix all the ingredients together in a blender. 
Side note:  I made this recipe up as I went along, measurements are not exact.  So have some fun, and do a little experimenting with this dressing. I'd love to hear if anyone does a variation of this!

Let the dressing sit for a bit and then give it a taste and adjust your seasonings accordingly.
 
Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oven, let it cool, and then shred it or dice it, whatever you like best.  I'm a dicer, Todd's a shredder.  Hey, we can't see eye to eye on everything! 

Now is also a good time to cut the corn, from the stalks, and put it in a bowl. 

Whew!  Now it's time to put it all together!

Putting the salad all together.

You can do one big, family style salad, or individual servings.  I change my mind from day to day on which I like best, and that's my womanly prerogative, right?  The one thing I never do is pre-toss my salad with the dressing. 
Remember "When Harry Met Sally"?  She liked everything "on the side?"  Well, I'm down with that.

So, place your greens, tomatoes, chicken, beans, corn, in a bowl and dressing with the creamy tomatillo dressing.  Sprinkle a little cheese on top and you are good to go. 
To accompany our salad, we had corn chips and Vanessa's tasty guacamole.  (I'll have to get the recipe from her and share it with you guys!)

Enjoy.  It sounds like a lot of work for a salad, but really, it was more work writing it all down then it was making it!

Oh, and next time, I'm going to roast another onion, and put the second one in the salad, I think it would have been a great addition, don't  you?   

Valley Greek Festival

Do I like Greek food?  As my best gal pal Vanessa would say:  does a one legged duck swim in a circle?
The answer is a resounding  Ne! (which sounds like no, but is actually yes, in Greek.)

Now that my Grandma has passed I don't get Greek food cooked for me nearly as often as I used to.  I still cook something Greek at least 3-4 times a month, but once a year I know there is a place I can go, to get home cooked, quality, Greek food. 

That place is the Valley Greek Festival hosted by St. Nicholas Greek Church in Northridge.

Every major city, it seems, hosts a Greek festival at some point in the summer, but for my money, the Valley version is one of the best.  There is a large Greek community in Northridge and Reseda and the food here is all homemade, put together by loving hands, from members of St. Nick's.

If you do go here are my suggestions:

Loucanico:  Greek sausage, grilled and served with a hunk of bread, feta, some lemon and kalamata olives.  This is delicious with a little sip of Ouzo on the side.  Opa!

Greek Chicken is going all day on large open grills.  It's served with rice, salad, bread, feta and other fixins.  I like their version, it's really well made, so if you've never had it, give it a try.  For me, I find Greek Chicken is so easy to cook at home, I often go with the dishes, that, due to their complexity, I don't often cook at home...like...

Pastitsio or Moussaka:  Pastitsio is like a Greek Lasagna made with bechamel sauce.  I've made this on numerous occasions, and let  me tell you it's a bitch to make!  Their version often dries out a little bit, but it's the nature of the beast.  It's still worth a try.  The nutmeg flavors in the rich sauce are so damn yummy.   Make sure they give you a center piece, from a pan that is fresh - you'll have better luck if you do. Their Moussaka is delish as well, and usually not as dried out.  I love egg plant, don't you??

The Gyro (pronounced "Year-oh"  not "Jeye-ro  or Guy-ro") is also really fab.

For desserts, well, when it comes to Greek desserts they're all pretty much some version of flour, nuts and honey (my Nouna would kill me for saying so, but people, it's true!).
The ladies of the church, though, create something crazy, like 48 THOUSAND pieces of pastry.

The most fun dessert, hands down, are the handmade Loucoumathes. 

Little donut holes they cook right in front of  you!  Yum.  I feel so sorry for the poor soul who has to man this station on a hot day.

When you are done eating, you can dance...

watch cooking demonstrations...  play games and shop.  It's just a nice atmosphere. I always get a little nostalgic, for my childhood, when big Greek family gatherings where a regular thing in my life.  These days, I still embrace my Greek-ness, and my friends (my extended family) have embraced it with me. 

I plan on spending a good few hours at the festival this weekend, and I'll let  you know how it went.

Click here to check out The Valley Greek Festival website
Photos courtesy of Valley Greek Festival Website

I also have some of my own Greek recipes that I'd love for you to try out:

Click here for my Tzadziki recipe (cucumbers with yogurt, dill & mint...so refreshing!)

Our families classic Greek Chicken recipe (it calls for baking it in the oven, but it's great on the grill too!)

They don't serve Avgolemeno at the Greek Festival, but it's a traditional soup, that's so easy to make and super delish too... if I do say so myself!

Peach and Tomato Bruschetta

I love Spring!  It's a toss up between Spring and Fall, but right now, today, Spring wins.
It's like winning the lottery when walking through the produce section, or the Farmers Market - all that fabulous fruit, all those amazing veggies, it makes me giddy like a little school girl.

So yesterday, it was peaches that called my name.   

Pretty, fuzzy, sweet little peaches.   Oh yeah, peaches and the baguettes they were piling in a basket, fresh out of the oven.  I'm sorry, if you can pass up the smell of fresh baked bread, let me know how you do it...  Bread-aholics anonymous perhaps?

Anyhoo...with peaches and bread in hand I then set to thinking.  I've really been craving  bruschetta.  So, I thought to myself, why not mix some of those fabulous little peaches into it?  I did it, and I share it now with you.  The mixture turned out quite nice and my daughter and I had a lovely dinner outside eating our peach and tomato bruschetta.  Mmm, mmm, MMMM!

Ingredients:

4-5 tomatoes (depending on size) diced

3 peaches - Peeled and diced (see my tips for peeling peaches below)

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1 clove garlic - minced

salt and pepper

pinch of sugar

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil
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To peel your peaches...

create a small X on the bottom of each peach, then carefully place them in a pot of boiling water for about 1 minute. 

Using a slotted spoon, lift the peaches out of the boiling water and place them in a bowl full of ice water.  Let them sit for about a minute. 
Remove them from the water and the skins should pull off, easy as pie! (aren't those pretty??)

Mix all of your ingredients in a large bowl, adjust your seasonings accordingly and place the mixture in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

  In the mean time, cut a baguette into 1 inch slices, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush them lightly with olive oil.  Put them under the broiler, until they begin to brown, then flip them over and brown the other side.  Keep a close eye on them, they toast up quickly.

Add your tomato and peach mixture, to the toasted bread and enjoy!
   

Jingo - Japanese BBQ in Encino

My review of Jingo was originally printed in the Sun Community Newspapers. 
It is reprinted here with their permission.

It was Saturday night, a few weeks back, around 9:30, when I first visited Jingo to try their Japanese BBQ.  I'll be blunt, my initial impression was mixed, at best.

Jingo is the new incarnation of Gochi, and my first thought was that the latest proprietors have taken the decor from "Mom and Pop" to casual and cool.   The black and red color scheme and sleek bar up front, combined with the house music playing and wall of windows that look out onto a Zen inspired patio, all say that this place has definitely been given a hip makeover.

My next thought was, "where's the host?"  There was no one to greet us as we entered, not a host, a waiter, or bartender was in sight.  It was awkward to venture toward the back of the restaurant in hopes of finding someone to seat us.  At the very back, sat the hostess stand, helmed by a nice, if rather blase guy, who then, finally, did find us a table.  There is also a back entrance, perhaps they assume most will enter from there.  Either way, it's something I feel, should be addressed.

My third and final initial impression was to notice that, although there were only about four tables full , there were about six tables sitting with dirty dishes on them.

Let's just say we got off to a rocky start.  If my curiosity about the food hadn't gotten the better of me, I may have walked out.  Luckily, things improved from there.

Our waiter greeted us with menus and took our drink order immediately. I asked him if we'd just missed a dinner rush, in hopes of explaining the dirty tables, but he just shrugged and said "I guess so."  So much for that.    To their credit, the tables were all bussed within the next  5 to 10 minutes.

The set up at Jingo is like most Japanese or Korean BBQ places.  A large circular grill is built into the center of the table with wooden charcoals underneath.  You order bite size pieces of uncooked meat, fish and vegetables and then grill them yourself table-side.

After our drinks arrived, a Sake and Aloe Martini for me, which was surprisingly fresh and sweet, we ordered our appetizers.   We tried the Seaweed Salad and the Asparagus with Sesame Sauce. 

The salad was pretty and vibrant.  The seaweed was served on a bed of mixed greens and dressed with a light ponzu sauce.  The flavors were tasty blend of citrus and garlic and my only complaint was that the portion could have been bigger, I wanted more!  I guess that's a good thing. 

The asparagus was cooked perfectly, but I'm not sure where the sesame in the sauce came in.  It was loaded with mayonnaise.  The flavor was bland and the consistency heavy in comparison to the crisp vegetables.  We ate all of the asparagus, but left the sauce alone.

The waiter brought things out quickly and efficiently, but never overloaded the table.  The service definitely warmed up as the evening went along.

Next, he brought out some items for us to grill, the Assorted Vegetables and the Harami - or skirt steak. 

The vegetables consisted of carrots, corn, mushrooms, onion and squash.  They were fresh, but again, I felt the portion was a bit on the skimpy side.  Also, they offer only one dipping sauce, as compared to three when the place still called itself Gochi.  I think they'd score some huge points by offering more choices.

The meat was tender and well seasoned.  We ordered it "Tare" or BBQ style, but you can also opt for it marinated in Miso.  I thought it was delicious, while Todd thought it was overly sweet.

From there we tried the shrimp.  It came dressed with lots of minced garlic, pepper and olive oil.  The shrimp and the dressing were all very fresh.  But I'm going to say it once more...more dipping sauces would be a plus.

We also tried out the Kalbi - or short ribs.  This time we went for it Miso style.  It was underwhelming.  The meat was flavorful and very tender but I am still not sure what, if anything, the Miso marinade added to it.

Let's break it down...there are some really nice elements to Jingo.  The vibe and decor are great and the service is laid back but still efficient.  The food tastes good, but you are going to spend a pretty penny or two to leave feeling full.  If folks in the Valley are looking for a hip looking place to grab a drink and a small bite (and I know they are) then Jingo is definitely worth giving a try.

I plan on going back on a warm summer night just for a chance to sit out on their gorgeous patio.

Jingo:
17970 Ventura Blvd.
Encino, CA 91316
818.774.9621

Chicks with Knives

Normally, Saturday night is my night to try a new place and dish about it here later.

But last night I had a different kind of dining experience, and it was so much fun.

Via the wonderful world that is the blog-0-sphere, I met a great gal named Rachael.  She has her pal Pace have teamed up to create "Chicks with Knives."  Together, they put on a 4 course meal, in an intimate and cozy setting, for about 16 lucky invitees.  I was one of them and I just wanted to share about how much fun it was.

The evening consisted of lovingly prepared (and tasty) food, great conversation and entertainment in the form of a dramatic poetry meeting.

If you ever need a great recipe idea check out Rachael's blog:

Fresh Approach Cooking

You can also check out Pace's blog here:

Taste Of Pace

Thanks to Rachael and Pace for a great night!!

Smashed Grape Tomato, Cilantro & Orange Coulis

This is another of those "necessity is the mother of invention" recipes.  And it turned out quite tasty. Although a "coulis" is, strictly speaking, a thick puree or sauce,  I let the ingredients cook way down and I did smash the tomatoes, somewhat pureeing them by hand.  But, I may be stretching it a bit by calling this a coulis, considering I did not, in fact, put it anywhere near a blender.  But hey, breaking the rules is half the fun!

My kid, who is beautiful, fickle, amazing and quite the connoisseur, was craving a little Mexican food.  I didn't quite find the time to make it to the store (you know how that goes) so I turned to the refrigerator to see what mamacita (we're feeling Mexican, can  you handle it?) could whip up.

To start I thought I'd make a little something to go along with a simple quessadilla. Tomatoes?  Check.  Cilantro?  Check.  Lime?  Dammit.  No lime, but some gorgeous oranges, that'll do. Let's see what happens when we pop those in a pan and turn up the heat.   Here's the results...

Ingredients:

2 cups grape tomatoes

1/2 red onion - diced

1 jalapeno - seeds removed and finely diced.  (optional, I left it out since it was for my kid-lette)

1 clove garlic - minced (or put through a garlic press, we're easy here folks.)

1/2 cup cilantro

Juice of 1 orange

1/2 cup (or so) of chicken broth

Pinch (or two) of each:  oregano and cumin depending on your particular taste buds

Salt and pepper to taste
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Spray a pan with some non-stick cooking spray (or olive oil either will do fine)
Add the tomatoes (leave them whole) the onion, garlic, jalapeno if you are using it, and juice from 1/2 the orange. 
Cook over medium until the tomatoes begin to burst.
Add the rest of the orange, the chicken broth and seasonings.
Cook until all the tomatoes have burst and are quite soft and broken down (while they cook, I continue to mash them down with the back of a wooden spoon).
Check your seasonings and adjust accordingly.

I served the coulis with a simple cheese quessadilla and some beans that I doctored up with red onions, cumin, garlic, a little chicken broth, orange juice and s &  p.
If the clean plate my daughter left behind is any indication - it went over quite well.