Sunday Dish

Bacos - on Food Section Friday

Okay, it's Sunday,  not Friday, I know, I know.  But I think you'll cut me some slack when you see what a behemoth this recipe was.  Lordy! 
I suppose I could have just picked one sauce, but I love sauces and once I got started, well, as other food obsessed souls will understand, I couldn't stop.  I'll keep the intro brief since there is much cooking to be read about, many recipes to go over and many pictures to see...

This Wednesday Amy Scattergood, of the LA Times, wrote a great piece on Chef Jose Centeno, his restaurant Lot 1, and his Baco creation.    Read all about Chef Centeno and the baco and get the recipes online here....

Anyway, this dish is right up my alley, a mix between a gyro and a taco, lots of sauces, easy to improvise with, just your basic messy, gooey goodness.  It's perfect.  Here's my take on the creation, notes on the cooking process and of course my critique of the fabulous Baco!

I won't list the exact amounts of each ingredients here since it's simpler just to click on the link and print them out.  Let's start with...

Pickled Red Onion

This one was pretty easy to make, one of those satisfying dishes that's great to have in the fridge, for this dish and others.

To begin you simply put the sherry vinegar, olive oil, sugar, mint, jalapeno and bay leaf in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil (Note:  this boils quick so keep an eye on it.)

While the marinade heats up, slice the onions and put them in a bowl...

Then simply pour the piping hot mixture over the onions, let  it sit for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

The Results:  This was simple to put together and tasted fantastic.  It was sweet and tangy with just a hint of a spicy kick.  I had some bread sitting out and couldn't help but rip off little chunks to dip in the sauce.  This is a definite keeper.

Next, I dove into the Garlic-Chive Cream

I don't know why but I couldn't find creme fraiche at 2 stores that I went to.  I had all the other ingredients except this and so I settled for Crema Fresca Natural, which in hind site was a mistake.  I'd never used it before and as you can see the bottle is not see through, so it was sort of a crap shoot as to what I would get when I opened it.  Anyway, the consistency is more of a really heavy whipping and less of a cream cheese kind of feel. 
Anyway, this too is quite easy to make.  Simply beat the creme fraiche with a hand mixer until it's light and airy.  Then mix in the buttermilk, chopped garlic and chives, lemon juice and lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.

The Results:  As you can see the consistency of this sauce is super thin - a mistake fixed by using what the recipe called for and not a last minute substitute.  Oh well, chalk it up to a "live and learn" moment.  Other then that, it tasted quite delicious.  Creamy, sweet and tangy  all at the same time.  Since there is quite a bit of heat in some of the other sauces, I think this is just the right bit of coolness the Baco needs.

From there I tried the Ancho-pomegranate Sauce

There was a little more prep to this baby.  Roasting the peppers and the chili, toasting the bread and the nuts.  But after that, all you do is pop all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and bada-bing, bada-bang, you've got sauce!  The recipe calls for you to push this sauce through a medium mesh strainer, and as I was doing it, I couldn't understand why.  In my opinion, it didn't need it at all.  But upon reading the recipe further, I realize that it doesn't call for you to seed the peppers or the chilies before blending everything together.  I removed the skin and seeds from all of them after they were roasted and cooled.  Perhaps I'll do it again the other way and see if it changes the taste, but if not, I think it's much easier to remove seeds ahead of time rather then sit there with a strainer.

The Results:  As you can see in the photo, this sauce doesn't look as pretty as I'd hoped. Anyone with kids can perhaps imagine what I was thinking it looked like.  Maybe this is because I used a yellow pepper and not a red one?  Regardless of how it  looks, it tasted phenomenal, it really did.  It was smoky with a great smooth texture.  There was also a little bit of fire in the after taste... this one is a real keeper.

The last sauce (are you exhausted yet?) was the Salbitxada Sauce

There was a bit of dicing going on with this sauce (which isn't really a sauce), but other than that, again, pretty easy to create.  It called for whole almonds.  Two things: first , I only had sliced almonds, second, I just couldn't imagine biting into a whole almond in the middle of my baco.  So, I toasted the slivers instead.  After cutting up the parsley, tomatoes, garlic and serrano, you simply mix it all together with the vinegar and oil, lemon zest and salt and pepper. 

The Results:  I loved this, I was surprised at how much I loved this.  The crunch of the nuts (still glad I chose not to use the whole ones) and the garlic were fabulous.  Oh yeah, the garlic, Holy Cow!  It called for 6 cloves - this is not a first date kinda sauce.   My research found that Salbitxada (pronounced:  Sahl-bee-tcha-dah) is a Catalonian kind of Romesco.  Other recipes I saw called for blending all the ingredients up.  I enjoyed this chunky version quite a bit, but would like to try it blended together as well. 

Next, it was time to cook the fish.

Ahi is pretty pricey, luckily a little fish goes quite a long way in this dish.
You basically mix minced shallot,  chives, parsley and lemon zest.  Then beat some eggs and put in a bit of the herb mixture into the eggs, reserving the rest.  Also, set out some panko (fancy bread crumbs.)  Cut up the fish, dredge it in the egg mixture then pop it in the panko.



It looks pretty already.  Then heat your vegetable oil up and cook the fish very quickly in the oil - only for about a  minute. 

Once cooked, remove the fish and set it to drain on a paper towel.

The Results:  I think I was supposed to cook larger chunks of the ahi and cut them after cooking. If I had done this I think the results would have been better.  By cooking the pieces so small, it was very easy to overcook them, and over cooked ahi is a yucky no-no.  The panko coating gives the fish a very satisfying crunch!   I salted them a bit right as they came out of the oil and I think it was a good touch.

Now, finally, all the elements are ready to come together.  I heated the flat bread up on the grill and then began to assemble the Baco.  This was the fun part!!

The Results:  I'd definitely give this dish a thumbs up, although next time I think I'd do it with some braised pork or some grilled chicken.  Since all the sauces do well in the refrigerator for a couple of days,  this is certainly a good dish to do for a bbq. You could make everything a day or so before.  I actually transported all the fixins over to my "BFF"  Vanessa's house and we at it there. 
Which brings me to Vanna's contribution to the meal, a delicious white sangria. Ain't it pretty?



This is a combo of Chardonnay, fruit, a splash of Vodka and some Welche's Light Grape-Peach Juice (my girl likes to keep it light, don't cha know.)   She let the fruit, liquor and juice combo sit in the freezer for about an hour.  Then, when it was time to make the drink, she poured it over ice and added a splash Tangerine-Lime Sparkling Water (if you like it less sweet just use regular soda water.)

It was very flavorful and altogether it was a perfect summer meal/drink combo.

I'm looking forward to going to Lot 1 for lunch and trying one of Chef Centeno's Bacos and see how they compare to the ones I made.

If you try the Baco's, please leave a comment or shoot me an email!!  I'd love to know what you think of the recipe and how your Bacos turned out.

Oh Crackers! Food Section Friday Follow Up...

My, my, my.  What lovely alliteration in my post title.  What it should really say is Food Section Friday F - - - Up (you fill in the blank.) 

Okay, fine, I'm just trying to distract you, make you laugh, or butter you up.  I'm hoping you'll be kind to me, when I bare my soul and share with you, my utter lack of talent when it comes to baking.

It's true. While I consider myself an excellent home cook , my baking prowess, or lack thereof, is pathetic.  But, I am determined to change it!  I think it's the precision of it all, so much measuring!

There are so many amazing bakers and fellow bloggers out there, and I would love, love, love your tips and feedback (or words of encouragement!).

So here's how it all went down...I decided to make the Romesco sauce from last Wednesdays LA Times Food section.

Read about the delicious Romesco Sauce here...

To go with my sauce, I decided to make yet another recipe from the section:

Peter Reinhart's Thin Wheat Crackers:  (I think there is a big clue as to my failure right here in the title of this recipe... read on)


Ingredients:

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra as needed

1/2 cup whole or low fat milk (you can also substitute soy or rice milk as well as buttermilk.)

2 tablespoons honey or agave  (you can also use brown or white sugar)

1/3 cup vegetable oil (canola, corn, soy, peanut, etc)

1 egg

course sea salt for garnish

1.  In a mixing bowl, mix the salt with the flour.  In a separate bowl, combine the milk, honey (or agave) and oil.  Pour this into the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon until the dough forms a ball and all the flour is  absorbed.  The dough will be very soft.  (Note:  I believe my failure may have started as early as this...my dough was not "very soft"  at all.  I probably should have added more liquid, but as a Nervous Nelly baker, I didn't want to mess with Texas, as they say.)

2.  Knead the dough for a few minutes on a well floured surface, adding more flour as needed until the dough forms a smooth ball and feels soft and supple but not sticky, like modeling clay.  (Note:  again, my dough never, ever, felt remotely sticky and therefor never, ever formed a smooth ball.  To understand why I didn't do something to fix this hot mess, read #1 above!)

3.  Heat the oven to just below 300 degrees.  Line 3 baking pans with baking parchment or a silicone baking pad.  Dived the dough into three pieces and form each into a ball.  Set two of the dough balls aside and roll out the third.  Dust the counter with flour and also the top of the dough, pressing it with your hand to flatten it.  Use a straight rolling pin (not a tapered pin) to work the dough into a thin oval or rectangle, less then 1/8 inch thick.  Every few seconds lift the dough and dust under it with more flour and dust the top as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to the counter top or the pin. If the dough resists and shrinks back, let it rest for a few minutes and move on to one of the remaining dough balls.  Repeat the rolling process with each piece of dough.   (Note: yeah, I don't think my dough got that thin, and this whole "adding flour to keep the dough from sticking"?  Uh, never happened.)

4.  Combine the egg with one half cup water to make an egg wash.  Brush the top of the dough with the egg wash and lightly sprinkle with course sea salt.  Cut the dough into desired size for crackers with a pizza cutter or with a knife or pastry blade (you can also use a small biscuit cutter).  Transfer the crackers to the pans, placing them very close together (the will not rise or spread).  Place the pans in the oven (you can bake them all at once or one at a time).  Rotate the pans after 8 minutes (if baking multiple pans, switch shelves).  After another 8 minutes, rotate again.  Bake an additional 6-8 minutes until toasted and light golden brown, 22 - 24 minutes total.  If not brown, increase the temp by 25 degrees and continue baking until the crackers are golden brown and stiff, not flexible. Remove from the oven and leave on the pan until they are cool and crisp.    (Note:  I had to bake alot longer then 22 minutes - more like 30-35.)

Results: 

I think 90% of the failure of this recipe was operator error.  If I was more confident in my baking I would have fixed the dough early on.   The flavor was nice, although I would add a bit more honey. 

Read the article from the LA Times Food Section here...

If any of you seasoned bakers out there would like to give me a holler and let me know what I should have done to fix the dough, I would love the information.  Earn and learn, that's our motto!

Until this Friday, where I'm happy to say, I'll be making a salad recipe from the food section, Cheers!

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.