Category Archives: Uncategorized

Tha-thon tha-thon thon thon…..

Ok, I couldn’t resist spoofing The Thong Song- many apologizes. As you can probably tell by the title of my blog, I love my thon. That’s tuna in French. Canned, raw, broiled, grilled, sandwiched, pasta’d, pizza’d, cracker’d, salad’d or spread on toast (Tuna Toast!), it’s one of my all-time favorite foods.

I think my love affair with tuna started with the gorgeously bubbling and panko-topped tuna casserole that my dad would make for me as a kid. It continued with mom’s tuna sandwiches and tuna macaroni salads during the summer. In Japan, I was thrilled to find tuna tomato spaghetti at Caprichosa and ordered it every single time I’d go to any of their multiple locations. For a chain restaurant, they had amazing pasta dishes and pizzas. Bakeries in Tokyo carried beautiful “tsuna pan“- golden, buttery rolls with flaked tuna and Kewpie mayonnised baked right on top. Last summer in Nice, every single pizza I ate was topped with tuna and I couldn’t have been happier. Yes, I love the little fishy.

When I spotted a recipe and photo for Bouchons Au Thon on Oswego Tea (by way of Orangette) I knew I HAD to try them. These cute litte wrinkly bouchons were a simple combination of tuna, crème fraîche, tomato paste, gruyère cheese, eggs, onion and parsley. What on earth could sound any better to my tuna-loving ears?!?!

Mixing in the onions and parsley

Ready for the oven

Warm and browned…

What did my tuna loving taste buds think of this creation? Oh, it was love at first creamy, flavorful and tuna-filled bite. Not quite a quiche and not as eggy as frittata, the slightly dense yet surprisingly light bouchon paired perfectly with slices of crusty baguette, a spring salad and a glass of crisp sauvignon blanc.

The salad was made with yet another purchase from last week’s Farmer’s Market- beautiful golden beets. After wrapping them individually in foil and baking for 40 minutes, they came out tender, earthy and sweet. My husband is as crazy about beets as I am about tuna so we sat and ate giddily as our cat looked on, probably wishing she could have a little bouchon of her own.

A very balanced photo….er…dinner

Cooking,Tuna dishes

Rainbow Swiss Chard……I love thee so…..

A few days ago I reported that I had brought home a bounty of fresh produce from the local farmer’s market. One of the most beautiful and interesting items was the bunch of rainbow chard that were as bright as Jakob Dylan’s eyes. I had to bring such beauty home….but I had never prepared chard before. I did have experience in mustard greens and kale, so I wasn’t too timid but I wanted to make sure I cooked it in a way that fully presented it’s natural, vibrant nature.

After searching on several sites, I came across a simple recipe on Epicurious which looked good and had gotten positive feedback. It made sense to me that the tougher stalks and ribs were to be boiled for 5-10 minutes before sautéing it with the leaves. A big bunch of kale or chard can look intimidating with their thick, strong build and I must admit, I sometimes shy away from making greens for fear that they will be bitter. Not so, my friends. I’m sure the main reason the chard was so tender and sweet was the fact that I bought them at the Farmer’s Market instead of some huge, neon-lit grocery store. This preparation, however, really enhanced the natural flavors and let the taste and texture of the vegetable shine through. The added bonus of it’s gorgeous appearance doesn’t hurt either! I think this will be making frequent appearances at our dinner table from now on.

I needed to use up leftover potatoes so I made cod & potato croquettes. I love croquettes of any form and it’s such an easy and versatile way to get rid of leftovers. I poached some thawed cod in water, salt, bay leaves and pink peppercorns before flaking it and adding it to the mashed potatoes, parsley, garlic, egg and breadcrumbs. After a few minutes in about 1/8 inch of canola oil, they were golden and crisp.

Croquettes before….

...and after

White carrots were another interesting item I picked up at the market. After adding a bit of butter to a pan, I threw in the carrots, 1/4 cup of water, salt and pepper and shut the lid for 5 minutes under a low heat. They had a much more subtle carrot taste than their orange counterpart and the sweetness matched well with the spiciness of black pepper.

Dinner!

Why can’t I remember to take a photo BEFORE taking a bite?

On a side note: After dinner I made some stock with the carcass of my roasted chicken from the other night. I didn’t take photos because really- who wants to see a big ‘ol pot of lifeless vegetables and chicken bones who have given their life for a nice, rich stock? It doesn’t look attractive but the end result is so worth it. Stay tuned for a steaming bowl of chicken soup or some risotto in the near future…..:)

Cooking,Swiss chard

Roast chicken and braised fennel dinner on a Monday? Boo yah!

As much as I try to plan quick dinners on the weeknights, there are times where I can’t fight my craving for food that requires a bit more time and care. Since Mondays are so, well…….Mondays, I knew I’d want a nice, comforting meal when I got home yesterday.

I had read Orangette Molly’s ode to the Zuni Cafe Roast Chicken and knew I wanted to try it. What could be more comforting than a roast chicken? I had done the prep on Saturday- washed and dried the bird, salt, peppered and massaged the skin and slipped a few sage leaves beneath it. On my way home from work yesterday, I called my partner-in-crime (husband) and asked him to preheat the oven to 475 and take the chicken out of the refrigerator so it could warm up a bit.

When I arrived at home I hurriedly heated a heavy skillet on the stove until it was scorching and then set the seasoned bird in it breast-side up. It started to sizzle immediately and I stuck it in the oven.

While listening to the crackle & pop of browning chicken skin (mmmmm!) I sliced my fennel and prepared the braising liquid. I must admit, I’ve had a hate-hate relationship with fennel in the past but realized that the strong, liquorices flavor of the raw version dissipates into a mellow sweetness when baked or braised. I had never made fennel before but had enjoyed it so much in a pasta dish at Blair’s a couple weeks back that I knew I wanted to jump on the bandwagon (the fennel bandwagon, that is).

Browning the fennel

After braising

Now back to the bird. After a few flips and an 80 minutes later, the chicken looked and smelled delicious. I let it rest before cutting through the crispy brown skin and into the juicy meat- and boy, was it juicy. I have to say this is the best roast chicken I have ever made! In the past, I always used a roasting pan and basted the bird repeatedly. Although that method results in a tender bird, it doesn’t make for a crackling skin which, as many of you readers would agree, is the best part. It may require a bit of extra clean up of the oven but it’s worth it.

Ready for carving……

Ready for consumption

And the fennel? I topped it with a few shavings of parmesan to contrast the sweetness. Although I did like it, it wasn’t as meltingly tender as the versions I’ve had at various restaurants. I need to sharpen my fennel-making abilities, so I ask humbly, my fellow food bloggers, for any advice on the topic.

Dinner is served

Cooking,Chicken dishes

Weekend Farmer’s Market & Nihon Ryori Dinner

After a couple weekends of stormy weather, I finally awoke on Saturday morning to the bright sun shining through my curtains. I jumped out of bed, woke up my snoozing husband and insisted we hit a farmer’s market. One of my goals this year is to cook more in season, so what better way to see what’s in season than to buy all of my produce at the local markets every week?

We didn’t let a mediocre brunch (at a place that shall remain nameless since the ladies working there were just SO nice…) get us down, and we made our way to the Pasadena Farmer’s Market at Victory Park. The bees were buzzing, the weather was perfect and I excitedly made my way from stand to stand- I told my husband that we had to do a once-over before committing. I looked over the gorgeous produce, artisan breads and flavored honeys before deciding that the produce at one particular stand looked the best.

What did I end up getting? Take a look:

Fava beans, white carrots, golden beets, fennel, oregano, sage, cara cara oranges (THE BEST!!), rainbow Swiss chard, strawberries and a big, beautiful if slightly off-center tomato. It’s a bit early still for an abundance of tomatoes but this one caught my eye- I just know it will be juicy and sweet.

I’ve already got the sage under the skin of a big roasting chicken which is waiting for me in my refrigerator, and I plan to serve it with either braised of roasted fennel and a simple salad. Although I have some plans for the beets, I’m still undecided on what to do with the chard and white carrots. As usual, any suggestions from my fellow food bloggers are more than welcomed.

Last Friday night I came home from work and just had a major craving for gohan (rice), miso soup and a salad. I had a couple of cans of my beloved saba no ajitsuke (mackerel braised in sweet soy) which I made into my own sort of sushi roll. After toasting some nori, I simply spread it with rice (not seasoned, since I thought unseasoned would work best with the saba), flaked saba and minced green onions and rolled up into maki. My favorite thing to put into miso soup is cabbage which I had to use up anyway so I did, along with some cubed silken tofu. Served with some ginger-sautéed red bell pepper and daikon salad, it was a nice accompaniment to the cold sake.

I mean, the sake was a nice accompaniment to the meal;).

Japanese Food,Cooking, Farmer’s market

Beef…..it’s what’s for dinner

No no, this isn’t the beef but I didn’t take enough steak photos so bear with me….and she is quite a beefy little thing, no?

When your formerly vegetarian husband instant messages (yeah, I think that’s a verb now) you at work with “I feel like eating a steak for dinner,” it’s only natural to pack up your things, tear out of the parking lot and head for the nearest Trader Joe’s to pick up two fat filets for the newly ordained carnivore (he’s been eating meat for over a year but I still get excited when he’s so blatant about it!). Although we initially toyed with the idea of going out to eat, I didn’t feel like paying restaurant steak prices especially after doing taxes (the bane of my existence).

Before I knew it I was perusing the meat case at the Eagle Rock TJ’s. I knew exactly what I wanted. It’s funny- some days I find myself unable to come up with the food combination that will eventually make that night’s meal. My brain goes batty with thoughts like, “Should I make broccolini with the salmon cakes? Wait….a salad? Oh- forget the salmon cakes, I’ll get some nice salmon steaks. Oh wait….I have shrimp in the freezer…but I feel like chicken” and so on. But not last night. I went into the store with the focus of a Jedi Knight. I deftly moved through the narrow aisles and grabbed one bag of haricot verts, a bag of small yellow potatoes and a bag of (I know- a bag of this and a bag that but how else am I supposed to say ‘bag’???) of baby spring greens. Next I picked up a pack of two perfectly plump Angus Beef filets, one cab and one zin. I was in and out in 15 minutes- a proud moment for the normally hour-long supermarket lurker.

The minute I got home I started boiling the water for the potatoes, put the haricot verts in the microwave (don’t cringe- they come out perfectly crisp/tender this way) and heated a touch of butter in my pan for the filets. It was all coming together. After searing the filets and getting that lovely crust, I popped them in the oven for a minute more while I finished off the vegetables in a small pan with another wee pat of butter, sea salt and black pepper. I almost got smoke inhalation though, when I poured the red wine in my still blazin’ hot pan to deglaze and create a wine reduction- I simply didn’t pour enough at first so it started fizzing and splattering like mad while the kitchen filled with winey smoke. I quickly recovered with a splash of beef stock (phew) and the whole meal was complete. I considered stacking it all à la Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar & Grill fame, but I did want it to be functional so I decided against it.

Mmmmmmmm……….meat

The filet was medium rare and juicy……it was just SOOOO GOOD. Sometimes nothin’ beats a nice piece of meat- especially when the entire steak dinner comes in at under $10 a person!

Just another gratuitous steak photo…..

Happy Friday!

Steak,Cooking

The Springform That Wouldn’t Budge + Tuesday’s Dinner

Good olive oil….but we’ll get to this later

With the weather being so cool lately (I know, I know- it isn’t so bad LA girl!)I thought I’d bake something for my coworkers. I’d bake it for myself but the chances of my husband and I spending the better part of our waking hours eating all of it prevents me from keeping an entire cake in the house. I had found a recipe for a berry cake on a blog and didn’t really pay much attention to the actual recipe since I was completely smitten by the lovely photo that accompanied it. I printed it out and knew I’d found the sweet treat that would take shape in my kitchen the following weekend.

I was talking to my best friend on the phone as I gathered the ingredients so I wasn’t paying too much attention to the fact that the cake started with 3 sticks of butter. And yes, I said started with…..and continued with the addition of a block of cream cheese and six eggs. By this time I was off the call and my mind really started to focus in on the 3 cups of sugar (yeeps!) that followed , I thought, “What am I making? ” See what happens when you fail to show the proper reverence demanded by baking? Not wanting to waste the truckload of ingredients already in the bowl (and, admittedly, curious about what this butter-laden cake might taste like!) I continued. After all was said and done, the batter came almost to the top of my 9-inch springform pan. I topped it with the berries and crumble and heaved it into my oven.

An hour later, the cake still wiggled tremendously so I kept it in for another 20 minutes. I checked again, and it still moved like a water balloon. I went through this routine a couple more times until the total baking time was over two hours at which point it finally seemed set. The entire house smelled like a bowl of vanilla buttercream and I set the nearly 5 pound cake (I’m guesstimating!) on the table to cool a bit before unmolding. After 20 minutes, I clicked the hinge on my springform and prepared to see the entire cake in it’s naked beauty when…..nothing. The sides of the pan did not move. I pulled on both sides with all my strength- NOTHING! My husband put forth a mighty effort but the thing refused to move even a millimeter. I finally reached into our tool drawer and used two pairs of pliers (what is this, American Chopper?) to get a good grip on each side, all to no avail. My springform had failed me for the first time and was ready to retire, apparently. Too bad it didn’t tell me before I poured a gallon of batter into it.

I let the cake cool a bit more and decided to simply flip the cake onto a plate upside down, then invert back onto another platter. It worked, thank goodness. The crumble even managed to stay on.

I don’t WANT to come OUT! Leave ME!

So, how was the cake? The sides of it had turned quite dark due to the long baking time and high butter/sugar content, but the inside was a golden yellow. Slicing through it felt like cutting through a massive chunk of fudge- the density was incredible. I must admit, it tasted more like sweet butter than any pound cake I’d ever eaten. I allowed myself a very, very thin slice (which probably contained the a day’s worth of calories) before doling it out to my coworkers, who were delighted. That said, I don’t think I’ll ever be making this cake again. I’m no health nut, but it’s almost….morally reprehensible to make a cake of that buttertude. Actually, I just don’t feel like baking anything that requires two hours in the oven and a virtual grocery store’s worth of ingredients ever again.

Onto dinner last night. I’d been dreaming of a white bean and arugula combination of some sort and put together this simple dish. Whole wheat pasta with garlic, arugula, white beans and parmesan. Drizzled with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, it was a nice combination of nutty flavors and I realized how much I love creamy white beans. If any of you have a great recipe for escarole & white bean soup, please pass it my way!

Quite a refreshing change of pace from the Granddaddy Butter Cake- my affectionate nickname for the big lug.

Baking,Pasta dishes

I Won’t Breathe On You: Ina Garten’s Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Every weekend, I look forward to sleeping in (which, for me is usually 8:30 AM), brewing a big pot of coffee and tuning into the Food Network. Sometimes I’ll view the butter-drenched cookery of Paula Deen, other times I may see what budget eats Dave Lieberman is creating. There are only a couple things I MUST do when it comes to watching the Food Network on the weekends- 1) Avoid Sandra Lee or Rachel Ray like the plague and 2) Watch Barefoot Contessa. I love the nice, low tone of Ina Garten’s voice as she whips up beautiful meals made with fresh ingredients. Some of her food is a bit on the heavy side, yes, but at least she makes it with fresh cream and locally bought cheese. Don’t you love how everything is just fabulous, or how almost everything she makes is for her dear husband because “Jeffrey’s going to love it?” I’m sure I’d love pretty much anything if I lived in that beautiful Hamptons house, being waited on hand and foot….but the food really does look very appetizing.

There are quite a few of her recipes I’ve been meaning to make, but none more appealing than her Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic. It seems like the perfect cold weather food, and with all of the rain/cold we’ve been having (I know I know- I’m a whiny Los Angelino with nothing to complain about) I thought it’d be perfect for dinner. I love anything that is made in one pot and left to simmer in the oven or on the stovetop while the smells permeate the house, and this is that kind of dish.

The chicken is so easy to make- just brown the chicken, remove from pan. Then add the garlic to the fat (I drained all but 1 TBS of fat before adding the garlic- the recipe does not say to do this but really….you don’t need all of it) and brown. Deglaze the pot with congnac, add the chicken, herbs and white wine and simmer for 30 minutes. Make a roux with some of the liquid and flour, add back to the pot and finish off with a bit of cream. You can find the recipe in full here.

Browning the chicken

Add the wine

After adding roux

The flavor of the wine mixed with the garlic and cognac was so deep and delicious. The garlic cloves end up being soft and sweet. I served it with grilled ciabatta which we smeared the garlic cloves on and added an herb salad (Trader Joe’s makes an amazing bagged herb salad with mixed greens, dill, Italian parsley, etc)to make the meal complete.

Grilled bread to sop up the gravy and garlic

Dinner is served

As Ina would say “How bad can THAT be?”

Chicken dishes,Cooking

Something Out Of Nothing Meme, hosted by Toast

I’m afraid I am late in posting and submitting this entry but hopefully it will be added to the roundup! About a month a go, I had seen a recipe for steamed pork buns on bakingsheet and couldn’t wait to try them. When I was living in Tokyo, I’d go to 7 Eleven and pick up a “niku man” (meat bun) which came in many flavors- the traditional pork, curry, pizza (!!), taco and chicken. ALL of them were great and it was just nice to hold the steaming hot bread in my hands as I walked home in the cold.

Ingredients for filling

Although I followed the dough recipe to the letter, I made up my filling since I had a bunch of stuff I needed to use. Thus, the idea for making this the “something out of nothing” entry. We’ll call it Steamed Chicken Buns. I had two whole chicken legs left over from the pack I bought for the lemon chicken I made last week, so I boiled them and shredded the meat. I diced some green cabbage and white onions and sautéed them until they were soft. In a large bowl, I combined the meat, cooked cabbage/onion mixture, chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, bottled hoisin sauce, garlic chili sauce, sesame oil and soy sauce to make the filling.

Chicken filling

Putting filling in the dough

Fold dough over filling and pinch to seal

All ready for steaming

Nic was right in saying that this dough was an absolute dream to handle. The prospect of making your own steamed buns may seem daunting, but it really was so easy. You probably have all of the ingredients for the dough in your pantry and refrigerator, and you can fill it with whatever you like. Have some leftover curry? Perfect. Leftover kung pao chicken or other Chinese takeout? Use it in this dough. It’s the perfect way to make something out of, well, nothing!

Before…..

After

Mmmmmmm

The end

Meme,Cooking

BBQ’d Salmon Sandwich & Asian Slaw

Still wanting to “eat clean” this week (before the weekend debauchery that will no doubt ensue after a long working week), I made BBQ’d salmon sandwiches and Asian slaw for dinner last night.

I’ve had a head of cabbage and one small daikon in my refrigerator for almost a week and didn’t want them to go to waste. At first I thought about making a big pot of miso soup with them but it just isn’t something you’d eat a big bowl of, like chicken vegetable or something, so that idea got vetoed. On my way home from work I kept thinking of my options. “What would go well with salmon? Should I braise my cabbage? Will I be able to find the shredding device for my mandoline? Should I stop daydreaming about food and pay attention to weaving in and out of LA traffic?”

When I got home I started on the slaw. First I shredded the cabbage and cut thin juliennes of the daikon. Next I made a dressing of rice wine vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and soy sauce and tossed it in with the veggies. After letting it sit for about 10 minutes, I added some green onions and chopped cilantro to finish. It looked and smelled so fresh and delicious that I couldn’t wait to eat it…but I still had the main course to do.

I took the defrosted salmon (Trader Joe’s has some very decent frozen fish) out of the fridge and put it into the broiler before basting it with my friend’s famous BBQ sauce- the Kelso Q. He’s actually ranked in California for his ribs and other smokey edibles and has a yearly BBQ where he grills up everything from whole turkeys to brisket. As a parting gift for coming and eating all of this free food (cos you know, YOU should be THANKED!), you get a bottle of the Kelso Q. Anyway, it makes anything taste better and I love the combination of buttery salmon with the sweet and spicy sauce. After toasting a couple slices of multigrain bread, I built the sandwich with the salmon, sliced onions, lettuce and a touch of Kewpie Mayo.

Here’s the finished product- the flavors of the sandwich went really well with the refreshing slaw- I would definitely make this again and it’s a great way to use up leftover veggies. This sandwich would be great with some added avocado and a few sprigs of cilantro as well.

Now onto the weekend! Happy Friday.

Healthy Cooking,

Turkey Larb

Sometimes you just need a little green in your system. After a night of Truffled Mac ‘N Cheese, Orecchiette w/ Roasted Fennel, Red Peppers and Burrata, Ceasar Salad, a basket of garlicky shoestring fries, several glasses of wine and several trips through the bread basket (no no- I didn’t eat ALL of that alone…four of us shared a bunch of stuff) at Blair’s, I felt like eating something light and clean.

Ingredients

I’d found a recipe for Thai Pork Salad with Cilantro and Mint on Epicurious about a month ago and saved it for an occasion such as this. Larb, which is basically what this dish is, is something I order often from Thai restaurants and I’ve always loved the flavor. I read the user comments and made some adjustments. Instead of pork, I used ground turkey and added ginger since the original recipe didn’t call for it. I also substituted chili garlic sauce for the cayenne and rice powder for breadcrumbs (?!). It was quick and easy to put together, and the perfect antidote to the rich meal I’d eaten the night before. The combination of the fresh lime, salty fish sauce, bright mint and cilantro with the lean meat was so delicious- a taste of summer in our relatively cool Los Angeles spring.

I just served it with some steamed snow peas drizzled with a tiny bit of toasted sesame oil, sea salt and sesame seeds- a nice, quick weeknight meal.

Snow peas w/ sesame

I’m looking forward to the leftovers for lunch today….speaking of which, it’s time to eat!

Turkey Larb in Lettuce Cups
(adapted from Thai Ground Pork Salad with Mint & Cilantro from Gourmet Magazine, June 1999)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 TBS fresh mint, chopped
2 tsp grated ginger
1 white onion, chopped
1 lb ground turkey
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons of toasted rice- ground
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (preferably naam pla)
2 tsp chili sauce w/ garlic
3 TBS chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

Lettuce or cabbage leaves for wrapping.

Note: To get the ground rice- simply take white rice and toast it in a dry pan until the rice gets brown. Put it in a coffee grinder to make a fine powder.

Take the ground turkey and put in a pot with 2 TBS of the lime juice- cover with cold salted water and bring to a simmer- use a fork to break up the meat. Cook until meat is just done- about 3 minutes after it starts to simmer rapidly. Drain well in a sieve.

Put turkey in a large bowl with the remaining 2 TBS lime juice and all of the herbs, ginger, onion, rice powder, fish sauce, chili sauce and peanuts (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with lettuce cups.

Low carb, Cooking