Lunch at my desk #5 with a surprise!

Posted on November 2, 2012 by floricooks

Yes, for those of you who are really paying attention there was no #4. I lost track (so soon!) and used #3 twice. This is quinoa and vegetable soup that I made a couple of weeks ago. I made quite a lot and got tired of it so I bagged it up and threw it in the freezer. This morning, thinking that I should bring lunch since I might stay in town and go to synagogue tonight (therefore meeting up with friends and going to dinner before) I grabbed this out of the freezer. It wasn’t until it was melting down in the nuclear oven (why don’t we call them that -it sounds so Jetsons) that I remembered the di-yummy chicken meatballs. There’s also mushrooms and Romano beans along with the kale and carrots that I could see while it was still in the bag.

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This is also the first time that I am using a photo taken with my iPad. A bit clumsy but I want to see how it looks on a full size screen.

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Time is the enemy of the soft tortilla

Posted on October 31, 2012 by floricooks

Chichen Itza restaurant used to be on 6th Street across the street from Lafayette Parkin the Westlake District of Los Angeles. They are now in an interesting space south of Trade Tech College, a bit over a mile from the dealership where I get the Fiat serviced. It’s an old warehouse space that has been transformed into the Mercado La Paloma: filled with mostly restaurant stalls and a few handicraft spaces. There is interesting art on the walls and chance encounters with friendly people. When I approached a woman who looked the image of my longtime friend Maryanne from the back, she shook my hand and said she was sorry she wasn’t because I looked like someone who would be fun to hang out with.

Anyway, there’s an emphasis on fresh ingredients at all of the restaurants and really friendly staff. I ended up with an off-menu plate of 3 Yucateño items and an orange and jicama salad.

  • A Panucho is a tortilla that has been fried, filled enfijolada style (thinned black bean purée) and topped with lettuce and shredded turkey
  • A Salbut – a fried corn tortilla, topped with lettuce, shredded turkey, pickled red onions, tomatoes and a slice of avocado.
  • A Cochinita pibil taco. THIS is reason enough for me not to keep kosher. Better than bacon, marinated and slow roasted, achiote seasoned and topped with habanero pickled red onions.

I saved that last for last and the lovely soft fresh tortillas were starting to go. I was forced into the embarrassing situation of eating it with a fork like a gringa. Deep sigh***

This was where Ricardo Zarate had his original Mo Chica before moving to downtown. There is a sign that says he is working on a new concept. I can’t wait!

On the walk back to pick up my car I passed an LA landmark…

…and for dinner to balance the meaty richness? I made my new favorite greens. BROWN half an onion in a tablespoon of chicken fat. [I render my own from chunks of organic fat that I get from Whole Foods. Caloriewise at least, a tablespoon of fat is give or take 100 calories. Chicken fat is super tasty and I won’t miss the meat at all.] I had about a 1/4 pound of mushrooms so I sliced them and added them along with a minced clove of garlic. Then in go the diced stems of a whole bunch of Swiss chard. When that all softens a bit I add the chopped up leaves. Yum. And really healthy!

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Night of 1,000 Shabbats

Posted on October 27, 2012 by floricooks

The LA Jewish Federation (where I work as the Program Director of the Hunger Initiative) just ran a very successful campaign to have people host Shabbat dinners in their homes or synagogues all on the same night. The campaign was VERY – with more than 1,200 people participating. I hosted dinner for 12 in my little Pasadena bungalow and it was wonderful. The chicken was pure experiment after reading several recipes and it was GREAT!

Here’s the menu:

  • Olives (my home brew and some lovely little black olives)
  • Nana’s Homemade Hummus
  • Chevre with garlic and herbs
  • Pistachios with dried cherries
  • Challah of course!
  • Bob’s spectacularly good salmon gefilte fish
  • Jane’s Once-a-Year (unless we can talk her into making it again tomorrow!) Plum Tart
  • Carl’s Bowtie cookies and Semolina Coconut Cake
  • Espresso

When my house is full of good friends, good food, laughter and conversation it becomes a holy place. This as much as anything makes Shabbat.

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Angus’ Angels

Posted on October 24, 2012 by floricooks

Maybe I should have made angel food cake, but I don’t really like it so pound cake it is. Don’t look for a recipe here; pound cake is one of those things that doesn’t need to be reinvented. A pound each flour, butter, sugar and eggs plus a little salt and vanilla (lemon extract if you want to add it). That makes 2 large loaves or 6 mini’s. This was my first time using paper pans too which makes them easy to gift. That brings me back to the title.

Angus is a pretty special boy. His mother was feral in an industrial park and she lost 4 of 7 kittens to opossums when they were about 7 days old. Angus’ first angel rescued him and the 2 other survivors, took mom to a no-kill shelter for medical treatment (she was attempting to fight off the beasties) and bottle raised the remaining 3 kittens.

On Sunday night Angus didn’t come in no matter where I walked around the courtyard and called or rattled the dry food for him to hear. Monday morning, still no Angus. I left for work and text-messaged a few neighbors to keep an eye out. Well, they did more than that. I came home to find them still out searching (they had been out looking on and off all day). Even the courtyard cats – Angus’ best friend Pico, Mars pacing the rooftops, Leo and Zed tagging along and 3-legged Bebop who cries at my door when Angus can’t come out to play – were at it all day. Angus finally responded to my voice and once we got him coaxed over the fence and in the house we sat around him in a circle toasting him. Hope he doesn’t get too used to the idea of being the center of the party…

Why are these crazy humans thrusting glasses of foul smelling liquid at me?

These lovely cakes are to thank everyone for their dedication yesterday. I love this place I live and wouldn’t trade it for the world.

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Soup for Sally…

Posted on October 21, 2012 by floricooks

There is no wine in this soup.

When I make vegetable soup it is based in large part on what’s in the house. Last week I made a batch of chicken stock. My friend Sally Kemp has been touting the benefits of kale on FaceBook so there’s the inspiration. What else in is in the produce drawer? Always – carrots, mushrooms, celery; in the pantry – quinoa (could have gone with the wild rice just as easily), panko bread crumbs to make the meatballs and raz el hanout to season them.

I slow-cooked the kale this morning and them headed out into this perfect finally-fall day. Farmers’ Market – grabbed some romano beans to add to the vegetable medley. Walked to go meet a friend for lunch and a great olive oil tasting – Ojai Olive Oil – turns out the owner knows my daughter! Walk around old-town and then back home.

Start building the flavor base – remember that flavors are deeper from sautéing than they would be from boiling.

Start with the leeks and celery. Add the carrots. Then the mushrooms and the beans.

Finally the quinoa and stock. Set it to simmer for about 20 minutes while you make the meatballs. About 2/3 pound ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, raz el hanout, a small egg, salt and pepper. Brown in a skillet; turn down and a continue cooking until done through.

Add a few meatballs to a bowl along with a goodly amount of the kale, ladle in the soup and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a grate of Parmesan.

Yay, FALL!

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