Author Archives: Anne

You’ve GOT to be kidding me…………….

Last night, I was watching a Japanese movie, Shimotsuma Monogatari (Kamakaze Girls is the English title and I highly recommend you rent it now!), on AZNTV (The Network for Asian America- yes, it exists and yes, I watch it) and I saw one of those dumb infomercials that literally stopped me in my tracks. I mean, we’ve all seen that ridiculous plastic cylindrical container that you toss pasta and hot water in, then presto! You have perfectly cooked pasta every time! Um, yeah……more like stuck-together-slimy-on-the-outside-but-teeth-shatteringly-hard-on-the-inside glob. I mean, you know how hard it is to boil water and then have to put the pasta in a pot. I mean, who has the time to for that??? Most of the products featured in these ads are ridiculous, but the one I saw topped them all, at least in my world. Even J thought it was so funny- we sat on the sofa and couldn’t stop laughing.

For you Japanese or fans of Japanese-food out there you know exactly what this contraption is:

It’s a takoyaki pan- used to make the little savory, puffy balls filled with octopus, ginger and topped with sauce and mayo otherwise known as takoyaki. It’s a fixture on the Osaka street food scene (yeah, there’s a scene) and a not-uncommon-kitchen-item in the home of many Japanese.

Here’s how we saw it advertised on TV last night:

Pancake puffs??? You’ve GOT to be kidding me! And on the Asian Network? Oi- the whole thing was so ludicrous. It says “Now you can make pancake puffs just like your grandma used to! Just use your favorite pancake or cake mix and pour it in to make easy-to-eat pancake puffs!” Er…..excuse me? The “pancake puffs” that MY grandma made would have likely been filled with chopped up OCTOPUS! The silliness continued with talk about how you could make a dozen different things with the Pancake Puff Pan. “Not only can you make the perfect sweets, but you can create pizza puffs, taco puffs, pepper puffs or cheese puffs – perfect for your next party!!!”

“But wait, there’s more! If you call within the next FIVE minutes, we’ll upgrade your order to the Chef’s Choice set which includes a filling injector and a dozen flipping sticks!” Flipping sticks? They look exactly like the bamboo skewers that come in a pack of one hundred for $0.38.

I wonder what moron (or genius?) was in Japan, saw the takoyaki pan and thought “I’ll call this Pancake Puffs and Flipping Sticks!”

TGIF!

Niçoise salad

Frequent readers (all two of you;) of Tuna Toast know that tuna is one of my favorite foods. I mean, this blog is called Tuna Toast for a reason, my friends. With so many exotic and interesting things to eat in the world, why is tuna one of my top five? I think it has to do with the fact that I ate it often growing up, and my parents made a simple can of tuna taste really darn good. Tuna sandwiches were a favorite, tuna casserole, tuna macaroni salad……..it was never too loaded up with mayo and had bits of chopped red onions and other goodies. Now, when I taste tuna, it always takes me back a little, so part of my love for it is definitely sentimental.

Fingerling potatoes from the farmer’s market

When we were in Nice a couple of summers ago, tuna was everywhere- on pizzas, in salads, and in the ubiquitous sandwich, the tuna Niçoise, or pan bagnat. It’s basically a simple crusty roll filled with olive oil packed tuna, boiled eggs, olives, radishes, anchovies and other delights, depending on the maker. Basically, I was in tuna heaven, and I truly believe that the hot Mediterranean Sun and scent of the cool, blue water made the tuna taste even better than I’d ever had it.

Since I had a can of olive oil-packed tuna in the pantry, I decided to whip up my version of a tuna Niçoise salad for dinner the other night. I just tossed some arugula and baby romaine in a dijon vinaigrette and piled it high with tuna, boiled eggs, roasted red peppers, green beans, baby tomatoes and these beautiful fingerling potatoes that I purchased at the farmer’s market. I had to leave out the namesake ingredient- the Niçoise olives- because you know well by now my disdain for olives of any kind. I did sprinkle some capers over the top to get some of zing from the brine.

The salad was enjoyed on our patio with a nice glass of sauvignon blanc- it’s been pretty warm so it’s nice to eat outdoors. The potatoes were so creamy and flavorful- I had tossed them in some of the vinaigrette while they were still warm so they’d soak up the dijon. It wasn’t exactly like sitting on the beach in Nice, but it did take me back a little bit.

Have a great weekend!

Restaurant Review: Fraiche, Culver City

As you know from reading this blog, J and I love to eat out, and do…….a lot. Too much, probably. Ok, defnitely! We have our favorites- Briganti and Bistro K in South Pasadena, Z Sushi in Alhambra, Sushi Gen in Downtown, Parkway Grill in Pasadena, Beaujolais in Eagle Rock, Mozza in Los Angeles…….we go to these places often because we know it’s going to be good. As a food blogger, however, I should try new places more often and expand my horizons, but you know how it goes……..there are few things more aggravating than spending good money on bad food and bad service. It’s not like buying a sweater that doesn’t look good when you get home- you can always return it. But seeing as you already consumed the meal, you can’t really ask for your money back. And good food is so subjective……..it may be crap to you and gourmet to someone else. There’s also more of a chance that a new restaurant will be so-so as opposed to mind blowing…..there are just too many mediocre restaurants out there to avoid that.

Well, that wasn’t the case when our friend R suggested we try Fraiche this past weekend. We’d been meaning to make plans with him and his girlfriend for awhile, and, being fellow food maniacs, we knew we’d hit it off and we did. We rarely venture out to the Westside to eat but was excited at the prospect of trying a new place that I’d already heard some good buzz about.

We arrived to find a large, open space with floor-to-ceiling windows and high ceilings. The tables were nice and set apart from each other- this is not a place where you’ll rub elbows with your neighboring diners. I loved that, even though they could have placed at least 50% more tables in the restaurant, they chose not to and give the patrons some privacy and space. The place was well-lit from the natural light coming through and the open kitchen was bustling. A great start………..

R was kind enough to bring several terrific wines, and we perused the menu while the waiter told us about the specials. Fraiche is actually divided up into two parts- the restaurant and the bar- with a separate menu from each. You cannot order bar items in the restaurant but both menus do share some items, like the raw oysters. Everything on the menu sounded delicious, and the four of us decided to share the Fruits De Mer Petit Plateau ($50) to start.

Hm, I’m not sure what part of this platter was petit as a large, two-tiered behemoth of seafood was placed on our table. Oysters, clams, mussels, crab salad, shrimp, calamari salad and lobster sat on a bed of ice and came with aioli, cocktail sauce, mignonette, and horseradish . Every single thing was fresh, meaty, cool and absolutely delicious. Definitely worth the price and could be a nice meal for two. The chef (a friend of R’s) then sent out an order of the mussels, which is on the bar menu only and usually prohibited from being ordered in the restaurant. I guess since we didn’t technically order them, it was ok, and once I popped one in my mouth, I understood why the chef chose this dish to have us try. I’m sure you’re thinking “Moules Frites? What’s the big deal?” but these mussels were big, meaty and just so amazingly fresh and tasty- I can say they were the best mussels I’d ever had in my life. There- I said it. Each mussel was the size of Texas, or so it seemed, put full of the flavors of the sea. One of the favorites of the night for me.

Moules Frites

I asked R if he thought we should still order appetizers AND entrees, and he replied “Yes- I’m feeling indulgent tonight!” OK, I was convinced (doesn’t take much, does it?). We each ordered an appetizer and an entree, sat back and waited for the feast to begin.

Smoked Eel w/ Arugula, Orange, Mint & Breakfast Radish

J ordered the Smoked Eel w/ Arugula, Orange, Mint & Breakfast Radish ($11). It was lovely and refreshing, although I felt that the oranges slightly overpowered the subtle eel. Still, everything was fresh and lightly dressed- he liked it but would have liked a bit more eel.

Beef Tartare with Bacon Sabayon, Chives and Arugula

R got the Beef Tartare with Bacon Sabayon, Chives and Arugula ($13)- wow. We agreed it was the best beef tartare we’d ever had (I know I said that about the mussels but I’m serious about both). The beef was chopped into cubes so you really got the texture and flavor of the meat, while the bacon sabayon added a nice saltiness and smokiness which was very distinctive but didn’t overpower.

Farro Salad with English Peas, Roasted Peppers, Herb Salad and Tuscan Pecorino

D ordered the Farro Salad with English Peas, Roasted Peppers, Herb Salad and Tuscan Pecorino ($9) – once again, fresh ingredients, great combination of flavors and a simple presentation made for a great first course. I’d definitely order this next time.

Tre Baccala

I got the Tre Baccala- Whipped With Yukon Gold Potato, Crispy With Espelette Aioli and Crudo with Sea Beans and Tomato ($13). The crudo was my favorite as I’d never had salt cod served almost sashimi-style. It was pleasantly but not too salty, and the sweet cherry tomatoes were a nice compliment. I also enjoyed crispness of the baccala cake.

Tortelli w/ Braised Rabbit, Sage Brown Butter and Artichokes

What, we’re still eating? You have no idea- we were just getting started! For his main, J got the Tortelli w/ Braised Rabbit, Sage Brown Butter and Artichokes ($13). When I first saw this on the menu, I wanted to order it but then was torn between this and something else. I LOVE handmade tortelli……..and I adore braised rabbit. Luckily J said he’d order it, so that freed me up to order the other thing I was eyeing. Well, one bite of this tortelli and I was once again torn- although I loved my dish, this was…….spectacular. The brown butter coated each tortelli in a dry sort of way- no pool of butter here- and the flavor married with the shredded, braised rabbit inside each pocket of pasta in a way that was, well, nothing short of heavenly. I know- I’m gushing, but you have to understand that at this point, I was thinking “How can a restaurant (especially a NEW restaurant) keep hitting the mark dish after dish?!?!” This tortelli was made for me……….or, I was born to eat this tortelli. It’s tortelli destiny…………

Kurobuta Pork Chop w/ Braised Baby Vegetables, Lemon, Violet Mustard

R got the Kurobuta Pork Chop w/ Braised Baby Vegetables, Lemon, Violet Mustard ($23)- a big, honkin’ pork chop which actually came on a bed of chive mashed potatoes in addition to the veggies. It was thick, tender and nicely smokey which I wasn’t expecting but was really delicious. So many times at restaurants, pork is dry but it wasn’t the case here.

Monkfish “Francaise” with Spinach, White Wine and Shallots

D had another thing I was eyeing- the Monkfish “Francaise” with Spinach, White Wine and Shallots ($22). The butter just added another layer of velvetiness over the tender fish and, again, made for a very lovely dish. I love the meatiness of monkfish and the entree was prepared simply to bring out the flavor of the fresh fish. Another winner.

Roasted Veal Cheek w/ Semolina, Romesco and Pickled Lipstick Peppers

My Roasted Veal Cheek w/ Semolina, Romesco and Pickled Lipstick Peppers was as tender and melt-in-you-mouth as anything could be. See, I have a rule- if I see “cheeks” on a menu, I’m ordering it. Halibut cheeks, yellowtail cheeks, beef cheeks….you get the idea. The meat of the cheek is always SO tender and flavorful, so when I saw Veal Cheeks, it sealed the deal (although yes, I was distracted by that tortelli and the monkfish). I wasn’t disappointed. The romesco was spread in a thin layer underneath of meat as not to overtake the wonderful flavor of the veal, and the puffy semolina cakes were subtle and delicious. Yet another winner.

Goat cheese mousse w/ raspberry sauce

We couldn’t leave without ordering dessert, and opted to share two. One was sort of goat cheese mousse with raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries which was divine. We also shared the cookie plate which was fine but nothing really stood out. I often order the cookie plate at a restaurant for the variety but have rarely had one that really impressed. I was pretty floored, however, by the warm madelines that the chef also sent out- wow. That was my kind of cookie plate.

Cookie plate

I’ll put this out there in the interest of full disclosure. Yes, R is a friend of the chef and they have worked together in the past- this obviously was the reason we got the complimentary mussels and the madelines. However, every single dish was outstanding and I could see all of the dishes coming out of the kitchen looked of the same, stellar quality. J even said to me at one point, “Do you think everything is this good because R is friends with the chef?” I hardly believe that a busy kitchen would even have the time to make one set of dishes one way and all of the others with less effort, and you could see by the busy restaurant that the other patrons were enjoying their meals.

As you can tell, I loved Fraiche and am looking forward to having many meals there. In a city where restaurants open with tons of hype, then disappear after a few months since that hype wasn’t based on anything tangible, it’s great to see a place that puts its food where its hype is. Los Angeles could use more Fraiches, that’s for sure.

Fraiche
11 Culver Blvd., Culver City, 310.839.6800
www.fraicherestaurantla.com

Thousand Layer Lasagna

The minute I heard that magical phrase, I knew it was something I had to eat. The description of ultra thin egg noodles surrounded by tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan and the crispy edges it all formed when baked in the oven were burned into my brain and I knew I’d have my day with the multi-layered dish soon.

I decided to do the whole thing by hand- after all, I had purchased a pasta roller almost two years ago and only used it a few times. Every time I’d made homemade pasta before, I remember thinking how easy it was. I decided to make spinach noodles, so I simply blanched a couple of cups of baby spinach, rung it out and blended it with the eggs and olive oil before forming a dough with the flour. I used Mario Batali’s egg noodle recipe from the Babbo cookbook, as well as his Basic Tomato Sauce. Let me tell you- that tomato sauce is a keeper. SUPER simple but so well balanced – I’ll be making it forever. It’s just olive oil, canned whole tomatoes, garlic, thyme, onions and carrots. Pure, simple and lovely.

After I let the pasta dough rest for 30 minutes, I started the process of rolling it. Since the whole point of Thousand Layer Lasagna is to get the pasta as thin as possible, this took a lot of time. That one dough ball was enough to make maybe not a thousand sheets but it certainly felt like I had! I rolled each sheet until it became paper thin, put them in between sheets of moist paper towels and continued this for about 2 hours. Time consuming, yes, but very relaxing too.

When all the pasta was done, I got my little assembly line ready- the vat of tomato sauce, sheet pan of pasta layers, bowl of grated fresh mozzarella, julienned basil and some finely grated parmesan. I stopped counting after fifteen layers but I think I got to about eighteen total. This actually took quite a bit of time as well since the pasta had to be handled with great care. I popped the lasagna in the oven and waited………

After about 40 minutes, I took out the hunkin’ dish of lasagna, let it rest for another 10 minutes and took it out to the patio. J’s parents were in town so my parents came and joined us for dinner. I cut everyone a nice, big slice and dug into a corner piece (hey- it was a lot of work so I had dibs on it!) for myself. It was light and rich at the same time- layers and layers of paper-thin pasta oozing with cheese and tomato sauce. I loved it, although I wished I’d baked it a bit longer to get more of a crust on the edges. Still, it was delicious.

I’m glad that I took the time to make this. For one, I discovered the joy of Mario’s basic tomato sauce. I also remembered how much I like making homemade pasta- and other than having to roll it on the thinnest setting- it’s very easy and pasta dough is quite resilient. Of course the lasagna itself was reward enough!

We enjoyed the lasagna with a multitude of other goodies of which I will post later!

Have a great weekend!

Crispy Gnocchi Salad and Grilled Swordfish

Before I start, I must give a shout out to Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks fame. She recently published a wonderful cookbook called Super Natural Cooking, and it’s a beautiful collection of recipes and photos that you must run out and buy right now! The book focuses on whole grains, vegetables, and other good-for-you stuff but has a fresh perspective, turning things like cannelini beans into a mouthwatering side dish or telling you how to get delicious crispy egg rolls in the oven, not the fryer. If you’re feeling sluggish and want to know creative ways to put more power foods into your diet, pick up this book. Even if you’re not feeling sluggish, go out and get this book! You won’t regret it.

Although this recipe isn’t in the cookbook (it’s on her blog), the minute I saw her post on Golden, Crispy Gnocchi I knew it was a dish I had to make. I did deviate from the recipe based on what was in my fridge, but the concept of browning gnocchi in a bit of butter and then tossing it with vegetables or shelled beans never occurred to me until I saw that post. How brilliant is that?! I do love gnocchi but avoided making it often due to its heaviness; this was a way to enjoy the little nuggets in a much lighter way, and let me tell you- it was a hit. J’s parents came to our house for dinner the other night and I served it along with some grilled swordfish and we couldn’t stop eating the gnocchi “salad.”

I didn’t have any of the shelled beans that Heidi used in her version, so I just cut up some steamed haricot verts, sautéed some portabella mushrooms in a bit of butter and thyme, then tossed both with the golden gnocchi and cherry tomatoes and mixed it all with some finely grated Parmigianino-Regianno. The warm gnocchi and mushrooms melted the cheese and enveloped the whole dish with the nutty, salty flavor of it. The crisp hericot verts and sweet cherry tomatoes were the perfect compliment. I haven’t fallen this hard for a side dish since discovering the wonder of puy lentils, although this certainly would make a substantial, vegetarian main course as well. It’ll be appearing (in many variations, no doubt) on our table often this summer.

The swordfish I purchased at Fish King in Glendale was so gorgeous that it didn’t need anything but a light brushing of scallion olive oil which I whipped up in the mini Cuisnart, some sea salt and black pepper. After about five minutes per side (these were thick!) on the grill and a sprinkling of some Meyer lemon juice, they were ready. Although swordfish is certainly not the cheapest fish, I have to say that the cost was far cheaper than if we had eaten this meal out, and it fed five people, so it was quite the bargain. If you live in the LA area and have a craving for swordfish, run to Fish King and get some……they were succulent, moist and simply delicious.

Super Natural Cooking

Fish King
720 North Glendale Avenue
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: (818) 244-2161

Yum Nuea

Yikes! I haven’t blogged in awhile. There’s a lot going on right now so I haven’t had a lot of time, but I’ll try to update as much as possible! For one, our dreams of a Greek vacation were dashed after weeks of trying to get Awards Travel tickets through United. I’m not going to spend almost $4K on airplane tickets that we could get for FREE, and there simply are no open seats that they’ll give us, unless we want to spend 2 days on planes and in various airports. So, thanks for the advice on Greece, but we’ll have to go another time when it’s less hectic. We’ve switched gears completely and have decided to spend a few days in Mexico City and a few more in Zihuatanejo (which is where Morgan Freeman decided to “get busy living” and finally met up with Tim Robbins at the end of Shawshank Redemption……..one of the best movies of all time!!!). Although I was initially disappointed that my hummus fantasies (um, nothing kinky, ok?!) were dashed, I am getting really excited about trying some restaurants in Mexico City and wading through the blue seas of Zihuatanejo. As always, any recommendations are utterly appreciated.

Now, onto the food! Almost every time I dine at a Thai restaurant, I order the beef salad- yum nuea. I love the combination of limes, chilies, cilantro, onions, fish sauce, mint and beef, but it’s one of those dishes that vary greatly depending on which restaurant you go to. At some places, it’s a sad pile of iceberg lettuce with a few overcooked slices of beef on top; at others, it’s a glorious combination of many flavorful ingredients.

I’ve often wanted to make it at home, but never took the time to look up any recipes. Since our friend JN was kind enough to send us some fantastic beef as a thank you gift, I thought now was as good a time as ever to make this salad. I did a bunch of research and came up with a few recipes. It was easy to make and came out pretty well for a first try. After I made it, my friend D mentioned that his dad makes a fantastic version and uses shrimp paste (“the stinkiest stuff on earth” he says) in the dressing which really makes a difference. Although I have to admit I’m a little concerned with his description of the stuff, I’ll have to add that next time.

You can find a version here.