The Magic Mushroom, The Pioppinno

Today while I was at the Silver Lake farmers' market, I stopped by Kane's Family Farm booth to see their beautiful mushrooms. It seemed Marissa gave her husband the day off and she set up a beautiful display. She quickly brought to my attention that she had something very special today. She showed me a small tray of mushrooms that looked less than special. They seemed to be long spindly shiitakes. But they weren't. Marissa revealed that they were rare Piopionno Mushrooms, also called Block Poplar. But what made these fungi so special? 

"Unlike other mushrooms, when you cook these, they get crispy," Marissa said excitedly with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. That twinkle sold me. So did the intrigue of how these shrooms would cook up. 

She advised me to cook them at high heat in a skillet with a little olive oil. I did so and threw a little garlic in at the end. 

The mushrooms cooked magically to perfection. They got super crispy and were delicious. I fried up a couple pieces of Canadian bacon, mounded it with some smashed red potatoes and topped it with the crispy Pioppinno mushrooms. It was a delicious treat. 

I'm gonna keep this one in my pocket for the future. They would be the perfect topping to a nice risotto or salad. 

A Beautfiul Breakfast is a Healthy Breakfast

Start your breakfast with a beautiful plate of healthy goodies.

As you may know, I'm a big fan of the morning masterpiece. Waking up and making something extra-special to get your day started. I love to take this opportunity to wake up my senses in the morning in every way. If you're looking for healthy breakfast ideas, this is a great start.

All it takes is a mix of textures, colors, flavors and a little bit of imagination. I like to start with a white plate. It's like a blank canvas for me. I then make some healthy breakfast choices. Raw food makes gorgeous ingredients for your artistic palette as well as your taste palette. I usually like to start with yogurt as a foundation to build upon. Jams, jellies and squirts of juice add great bursts of texture to the plate. Large pieces of fruit make a great anchor visually and I often I like to stud it with honey comb. Honey makes a great drizzle texture. Granola and nuts add crunch and variety to the plate. I like to choose from colorful and exotic fruits and often edible flowers from my garden to complete my composition. Consider adding cheeses, meats, dried fruit or anything you desire.

Breakfast in my courtyard

Don't be afraid to play with your food! Have a great time. It's also a wonderful activity to do together with your kids. You can make a healthy breakfast for kids, they will think they are making art and the will love eating their magnificent morning creations. Provecho!

Morning Masterpiece

Fig Yogurt with Banana, Guava, Honey and Cinnamon

I love fruit. I've been called a fruit. But sometimes fruit can feel a little boring in the morning. Making overnight oats or dumping some yogurt, granola and fruit in a bowl doesn't always give me extra satisfaction I sometimes need in the early hours of the day.

So when I need an little extra visual fulfillment or just need to impress a stranger who stayed over the night before, I like to put my best fruit forward and make a lovely looking plate filled with healthy ingredients to start the day.

I stop thinking of my food as ingredients, and more as materials for art. After assessing my materials I start thinking of the shapes, colors and textures before me. I begin cut shape profiles and lay them out on the canvas, which in this case is now a white plate. A dollop of yogurt, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon completes my edible art.

So, next time you have guests over for brunch, or just want to make sometime special for yourself in the morning, take a few extra minutes for plating and make your own morning masterpiece. If you create something I would love to see it. Upload your breakfast to Instagram and use the hashtag #morningmasterpiece.

Mac and Cheese Waffles, Leftover Makeover!

Mac and Cheese Waffle topped with Sarayo by Xhico

My aunt sends me emails constantly of stuff to try cooking. I think somewhere in the flurry of her emails I saw something about Mac and Cheese Waffles. I never read the article, but remembered it today when I was thinking of what to do with all this leftover amazing Mac and Cheese. So I decided to pull out the waffle iron and give it a go.

I gave the waffle iron a light coat of non-stick cooking spray and heated it up on medium-high. Then I saw some smoke and could smell a burning odor. Oops. I put the cooking spray onto way too soon. But I kept going. I sliced out a piece of mac and cheese from the casserole dish. I laid it in the waffle iron and it began to sizzle. I pressed the waffle iron until it was tight. I could hear the cheese crackling away and I could begin to smell it in the air. It was delightful. I waited and waited for about 8 minutes and thought it was done.

When I opened the waffle maker my macaroni surprise fell apart. The center feel right out as the top stuck snuggly to waffle iron. I pried it away from the top and bottom and set the crispy bits on a paper towel. I tasted them and they were salty, cheesy, crispy goodness. I had to make this work. Being a designer, makes me a good problem solver among other things.

After a quick wipe down, I let the waffler get hot. This time I sprayed a nice coat of non-stick cooking spray right before I put the slice of mac and cheese in. Also, I just gave it a gentle pressure as I closed it and didn't force it in too hard. This time I waited with anticipation. Would my adjustments give me a magic-mac-cheesy-waffle?

The aroma of the cheese crisping was promising. The crackling sound was another sign things were going good. After about 10 minutes I opened the waffle iron and it came away from what has become a golden crunchy crust of cheese. "Yahoo!" I exclaimed. I was so excited that I had actually accomplished this leftover make-over. I took the waffle out and could hardly wait to eat it. I threw it on a plate, topped it with some Sarayo and got to work on that salty, crackly, gooey, cheesy wonder waffle.

Get my BAKED MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE here!

Recipe: Baked Mac & Cheese

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

When I was a kid I loved when that little blue box would come out. I could here the noodles shake in the box and Could totally relate to how my dog felt everyday when he heard the food coming. In that blue box was mac and cheese magic. Little elbow noodles in nuclear orange colored sauce that tasted like heaven. By the time I was ten, I could manage to make it on my own.

It wasn't until I was a teenager and staying at a friends house when his mom said she was making macaroni and cheese, but there was no blue box in sight. No jiggling sound of noodles. I was puzzled. But then I was mesmerized as she began to mix together butter, flour, milk and cheese to make this incredible cheddar sauce. She poured the creamy goodness over perfectly cooked jumbo shells and folded them together. And to my amazement, there was macaroni and cheese – made from scratch, not a little blue box. 

Baked Mac and Cheese

While I was in college, I remembered that night and decided I too would make mac and cheese from scratch. I found a cookbook with a recipe. Though I was frightened by the idea of a bechamel sauce, I would find that it was easy and would become a foundation for many cooking techniques later. So don't be afraid. Ditch the blue box and make some real homemade mac and cheese for your family, but more importantly your self! Treat yo' self!

BAKED MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE:

You will need a large casserole or baking dish, a large high-sided sauce pan for sauce, a large stock pot for pasta and wooden spoon.

Ingredients:

Bechamel Sauce:

1 Stick Butter

1/2 Cup Flour

4 Cups Whole Milk

Seasoning:

5-7 Cloves of Garlic, Finely Diced (You can add more garlic if you're into it and don't have anyone to kiss after dinner)

1 Tbsp Salt (plus more for pasta water)

1 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper

1 Tbsp Mexican Oregano (you can also use Italian Oregano)

1 Tbsp French Thyme

1/4 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg (Optional)
1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper (Optional)

1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs - Reserved for Topping(Optional)

Cheese:
2 Cups Sharp Cheddar

1 Cup Smoked Cheddar

1 Cup Gruyere

1 Cup Pecorino Romano

(You can use all Cheddar if you want or any combination of these cheeses or other cheese such as Monterey Jack, Fontina, Pepper Jack, etc.)

Noodles:

1 Pound Box of Elbow Macaroni

(I also like to use Jumbo Elbow Macaroni, Penne and Rigatoni)

METHOD:

1. PREP

- Chop garlic

- Measure out all seasonings and put in small bowl

- Grate cheese and put into one large bowl (Set aside a 1/2 cup of cheese for topping)

- Butter the bottom and sides of your casserole or baking dish

2. Preheat oven to 400º F and put the rack in the center.

3. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil in a large stock pot. Add noodles and return to a boil and cook for about 3-4 minutes. The noodles should start to be soft, but still undercooked. Drain noodles and rinse with very cold water to stop them from cooking. Set pasta aside.

4. In large high-sided sauce pan add butter on medium-low and let melt. Once butter is melted add flour. With a wooden spoon constantly stir flour mixture and it will form into a paste. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes until it starts to turn golden-brown. This mix is called a roux and is often used to thicken sauces and soups.

5. Once your roux is golden brown, slowly add your milk about 1 cup at a time. Constantly stir the mixture as you add the milk - slowly breaking up the flour mixture. It will look clumpy and first but as you add the milk it will loosen up. Continue stirring constantly and bring to a boil. Be sure to stir gently and scrape the bottom of the saucepan as you stir. This will prevent the milk from building up and scorching at the bottom. 

6. Turn off heat and stir in garlic and seasonings. Stir until mixed through. Begin to add cheese handfuls at a time. The sauce should still be hot enough to melt the cheese itself. Stir until all cheese is melted and throughly combined. At this point taste the sauce to see if you need to add any additional salt or seasoning.

7. Gently fold your noodles into the sauce until all noodles are coated with sauce. *Note: If you don't want to bake it and eat it all hot and cheesy right off the stovetop, you can! Just cook your noodles all the way to al dente and you're good to go!

8. Pour the noodle mixture into your baking dish. Top with 1/2 cup of cheese and bread crumbs.

9. Bake uncovered in oven at 400ºF for 30-40 minutes until cheese is bubbling and top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Provecho!

Strawberry-Mint Agua Fresca Recipe

Strawberry-Mint Agua Fresca

 It's hot here in LA this week. If you want the perfect afternoon refreshment, make a Strawberry Mint Agua Fresca. It's quick, easy and will make you feel a lot better about the heat.

STRAWBERRY-MINT AGUA FRESCA RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Basket Strawberries
• 1 Handful Mint Leaves
• 2-4 TBSP Brown Sugar (optional)
• Pinch of Salt 
• 10-12 Cups Water



METHOD:

1. Wash and stem strawberries. Wash a small bunch of mint and pick leaves off until you have a handful of mint leaves.

2. Add Strawberries and 2 Cups water to blender. Blend for about 2 minutes until smooth.

3. Add mint leaves, salt and brown sugar. Blend for about another 30 seconds. NOTE: Brown sugar is optional. Only if your berries are a bit tart or if you like things on the sweeter side. You of course can also substitute sweeteners like regular sugar, honey or agave nectar.

4. Pour mixture into a large pitcher. Stir in 8-10 cups of water.  NOTE: You can add more water if you like it on the lighter side. You can also strain the mixture before you pour it into the pitcher. I prefer to have all the bits and pieces.

5. Serve cold over ice with mint garnish. It's also good with a squeeze of lime. It's even better with some tequila or vodka!

PROVECHO!

Roly Poly Potato Recipe

Roly Poly Potato with Cream and Sarayo Sauce

Potatoes are my favorite carb so I'm always looking of new ways to prepare them. I thought I had the fabulous idea of making one similar to an "awesome blossom" aka bloomin' onion. I later learned on Facebook that my idea wasn't so original and these potatoes are actually called Hasselback Potatoes. I don't care, I call them "Roly Poly Potatoes" because they look like the little roly poly bugs I used to play with in the garden as a kid. So, I find it great that these potatoes look like giant bugs or crustaceans.

This potato recipe gives you a tender inside and a crispy texture on the outside. It's a great side dish with meat and perfect substitute for a baked potato. It's very easy to prepare and good to make for just one person.


ROLY POLY POTATO RECIPE (Hasselback Potato Recipe)

INGREDIENTS:
1 Potato (I used Purple Potatoes because they look pretty on the inside)
1 Clove of Garlic
Olive Oil
Butter
Sea Salt

Cut slices evenly and place garlic between each slice

METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 425º F (215º C)
2. Starting at one end of the potato, cut the potato cross-ways downward in direction. The slice should be about 1/8" thick. Don't cut all the way thru leave about 1/8" connected at bottom of potato. Continue to cut slices down the entire length of the potato.
3. Slice thinly one clove of garlic.
4. Place one slice of garlic in each slot that you have cut into the potato
5. Coat bottom of baking dish with olive oil. Put potato in dish.
6. Generously drizzle potato with olive oil.
7. Sprinkle with sea salt (make sure salt and olive oil gets into the slots)
8. Bake uncovered for 40-60 minutes. Depending on size of potato and your preference of the doneness of center and crispiness of the outside.

• Melt 2tbsp of butter and drizzle over top. If you want it extra garlicky, then add sliced garlic to your butter as you are melting it. I also enjoy it with crema (Mexican table cream) or Sarayo Sauce.

Provecho!

Bringing the Perfect BLT to Mexico City

( Xhico in Mexico City )

I'm going to be making deliveries in Mexico City soon! So I've been working on some classic American recipes to bring to the mouths of the people in Mexico via ComeCasero. I decided to start with one of my favorites, the BLT, sometimes the BLTA.

The perfect BLT on Ciabatta from Panadería Rosetta

That's right, the simple Bacon Lettuce Tomato and add Avocado if you want it California style. Who thought getting this sandwich right would be such a challenge. First, of course, there was the bacon. I had to figure out where to get good bacon and an efficient way of cooking large amounts in a tiny kitchen. First of all, finding good bacon in the grocery store isn't going to happen. The butcher there will not have it, so I needed to head to a carnecería at my local market. That took me to one of my favorite places, the mercado, Mercado Medellín to be exact.

There amongst the fruits and vegetables toward the back corner you will find the meat men. An array of butcher stands that specialize in poultry, pork, fish, beef and sometimes other things. I began to collect samples of bacon as I visited a few stands and made sure to hit up the butcher where I bought that amazing chicharron prensado from the trip before. Mostly because I like it when the guy calls me "patron".

Butcher cutting my smoked bacon into slices

After testing all the bacon for flavor, thickness, fat content and how it held up after cooking, the butcher that calls me "patron" was the winner. Their bacon was smokey and perfectly marbled and the butcher could cut the bacon to my preferred thickness. Now I had to figure out how to cook large amounts of bacon in a tiny kitchen. After some skillet tests and oven tests, the oven was going to be the method. Now I thought I had it down.

Perfect smokey, marbleized bacon from Mercado Medellín

I just needed good bread now. Then I realized that I'm in the land of tortillas. There aren't many bakeries around and most of them specialize in pan dulce - sweet bread and other pasteries. Finding a good fresh loaf of bread was not easy. I started with the supermarket bakery. This made me appreciate my supermarket bakery in Los Angeles much more. There was no beautiful loaf of brioche. The bread here was dense and mealy, and the interior crumb, was just that – crumbs. The loaf was beyond disappointing. This challenge led me on a hunt for the best bread that I could find in Mexico City.

Making my bread at Panadería Rosetta

Going for coffee at Panadería Rosetta

I hit up some of the bigger chains like La Espiga and Globo, as well as some artisanal bakeries. They were all dissapointing (though those donuts in Globo smelled and looked delicious - I had to resist, because I'm was on my mission). I had a few more high-end artisanal bakeries to explore. My friend, Tanya, had reminded me of a bakery we went to once to have pan dulce and coffee, Panadería Rosetta – but it was too busy and we went down the street to La Puerta Abierta.

Ciabatta Test: Panadería Rosetta (left) vs. Pan Verde (right)

I finally made it to Panadería Rosetta for a coffee with Tanya. We sampled some pan dulce and it was delicious. The roll was airy and light and the scones were fluffy, moist and had a nice outer crunch. I had a good feeling about this place. I left with ciabatta and a loaf of pan blanco (which is the closest thing I could find to sourdough or good white bread). I arrived home with some bread from other bakeries as well.

3rd Place: Ciabatta from Pan Verde

Slicing, buttering and toasting was how it spent the next hour and a half. Making notes and taking pictures in between. Then I had to make sandwiches and see how they all held up. This brought me down to the top three breads to use for my BLT. They were Cibatta from Pan Verde and a Ciabatta and Pan Blanco from Rosetta. Ideally I would have used the pan blanco because it was more like a traditional BLT slice. But the bread was difficult to slice into even pieces because of the shape of the loaf. This left me with the two ciabattas and Panadería Rosetta was the clear winner. The ciabatta had a wonderful cloud-like inside with a slightly salty crust and they were easy for preparation.

2nd Place: Pan Blanco from Panadería Rosetta

1st Place: Ciabatta from Panadería Rosetta

After nailing down those two main ingredients, my BLT was well on it's way. It just need some lettuce, tomato and some of my secret sauce. It will remain a secret, but where to find amazing bread in Mexico City won't. Panadería Rosetta is the bakery where you want to be buying bread.

Panadería Rosetta
Colima 179
Colonia Roma, Mexico City

Cucumber Ice Cubes Recipe

Cucumber Ice Cubes

Cucumber ice cubes are the perfect summer refreshment. I grew some cucumbers in my garden this year and the plant took off like wildfire. I had so many cucumbers and ran out of pickle jars. I started making cucumber agua frescas which were so refreshing. I had some extra and decided to make some popsicles and ice cubes. The ice cubes turned out to be great. They made water more refreshing and added a great nuance of flavor to vodka cranberry cocktails.

Cucumber from my urban garden.

Cucumber ice cubes and popsicles are easy to make. Here's how:

Ingredients:
1 Large Cucumber
Water
1/4 cup sugar (more or less to taste)
Pinch of salt

You need:
Blender
Ice cube trays (or popsicle molds)

1. Peel and roughly chop a large cucumber into one inch pieces. It doesn't matter how they look, because it's going into the blender.

2. Add cucumber, sugar, salt to blender. Fill blender almost to top with water. Blend until smooth.

3. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze. If you have popsicle molds, these are also a great summer treat for kids.

4. Serve with water or vodka cranberry cocktails.

Enjoy!

Verdolagas Sauce Recipe, Something New to Cook

(Xhico en México)

Chicken with Salsa Verdolagas and Crispy Fried Potatoes

I was at the Tuesday Tianguis for my usual ritual of quesadillas. I always pick up some produce to cook. As I was leaving, a woman was waving a large handful of greens at me and shouting, "Joven, diez pesos!" The leafy green looked similar to watercress, but I was sure what it was. As usual curiosity got the best of me and I stopped to investigate this produce. It turns out it was "verdolagas" which translates to English as "purslane". I had heard of it, but never heard of eating it. This annual succulent is actually one of the most nutritious greens on the planet with high levels of omega-3's and vitamins.

Verdolagas (Purslane) and Garlic

It sounded great, but I had no idea how to prepare it. The woman rattled off several recipe suggestions to me, but the one that resonated with me with the idea of making it into a sauce to accompany chicken. Chicken was already on my menu for the night, so it seemed like the perfect plan. And it was.

I prepared Chicken in Salsa Verdolagas topped with Queso Blanco served with Crispy Fried Potatoes and Spring Onions. Here's how I made it:

Recipe: 

CHICKEN IN SALSA VERDOLAGAS

INGREDIENTS:

2 Chicken Breasts (pounded flat)

1 Bunch of Verdolagas (Purslane)

1 White Onion

4-5 Cloves Garlic

1 Small Serrano or Jalapeño (Optional if you like it Spicy)

1 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock

Juice of 1 Small Lime

Salt to Taste

2-3 tbsp Oil for Cooking

METHOD:

1. Prepare your ingredients. Slice onion, crush garlic cloves whole with side of chef's knife, chop verdolagas into 1-2 inch pieces.

2. Sautee onions and garlic with a little oil on low-medium heat until the start to caramelize. Remove and set aside once caramelized. I use a deep stock pot so that I can use the same pot to cook the verdolagas.

3. Add verdolagas to the hot pot. You may need a splash of oil. Not much though. Let the verdolagas wilt down until the start to become tender. Don't overcook them and let them get too dark.

4. Add all ingredients to blender and blend a couple minutes until smooth. If you are added a chile for spiciness, chop it and add it into blender with rest of ingredients. Return salsa to a small sauce pan and cover or put on low heat to keep warm.

5. Meanwhile, those chicken breasts... I buy them here in Mexico already pounded flat and thin -"aplanado" or "para milanesa". Warm up your skillet to medium heat. After it is evenly hot, add 1 tbsp of cooking oil to the skillet. Let it get hot. Gently add your chicken breast as not to splash yourself with the hot oil. Let each side cook until light golden brown. These are flast so the cook pretty quick, just about 3-4 min on each side.

6. Served chicken with sauce poured over and topped with queso blanco.

Provecho!

Recipe: Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Chicharron Prensado

While in Mexico City, I'm enjoying some of my old favorites (which always includes tacos) and always discovering new flavors. While at Mercado Medellín I as waking by the butcher and discovered a pork product that's new to me. It's called chicharron prensado. It's different pieces of pork meat and fat that is mixed with guajllo chiles and some other spices. The meat is then pressed into a giant cylinder. It basically looks like a giant piece of salami that is a foot and a half in diameter. Then when it's cut, it shaves off into pretty little chunks of a deep red color.

Since I'm staying with the gringas we decided to make the American classic of baked mac'n'cheese. But we needed a vegetable side. Even though we would have been fine with an overload of four cheeses.

I decided to make an adaptation of a roasted brussel sprouts recipe that I make often. Instead of bacon though, I used the delicious chicharron prensado.

Ingredients:

12 brussel sprouts (medium size, cut in half from pole to pole)

1/2 cup Chicharron Prensado (or more if you like pork as much as I do)

4-5 cloves of garlic chopped fine

1 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a small baking dish and pour half the oil in the dish so that the bottom if well coated and there is a nice layer of olive oil. Toss the brussel sprouts with the rest of the oil so that they are well coated (I do this all in the same dish). Make sure the flat side of the brussel sprouts are face down in the pan. Squeeze over the juice of one lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic and chicharron prensado over the top. I add this last so that the sprouts can be well salted themselves.

Place in preheated oven on middle rack and bake 25-30 minutes until sprouts are fork tender through the middle. When ready, give a quick blast under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. When they start to brown they are done. Watch closely during this step so that the small bits of garlic don't burn.

Serve as a side. In this case, with Mac'n'cheese.

 

Provecho!

Note: you can substitute bacon instead of the chicharron. If you do you won't need as much salt because it's salty already. The chicharron isn't too salty, just full if flavor!

Recipe: Easy Fish in Foil, No Fuss - No Mess

Wrap fish and veggies in foil

This is an easy go to method when I want to cook something easy on a hot Los Angeles afternoon. Taking off the French technique of 'en papillote' of cooking in parchment, I do the same with foil on the grill. It leaves your kitchen clean and cool with little mess. The other great thing is you can use about any kind of fish and veggies you have around.

After simmering in the foil all the flavor fuse together. Then you open up this packet to a beautifully cooked meal and it's already plated! You can eat right out of the foil.

You will need:
FOIL
FISH - any kind in small to medium fillet.
VEGGIES - what ever you have available or that you like
OLIVE OIL
LEMON JUICE
SALT
PEPPER

Throw on grill for 20 minutes or so

METHOD:

 FOIL - Pull out your foil off the roll until it's a square size.

CHOP VEGGIES into equal sizes so that they cook evenly together. I try to put 2-3 veggies and one is usually onions, leeks or garlic to get the aromatics. In this case I used brussel sprouts, leeks and fennel. You can make any combination you like.

MAKE A BED of veggies in the center of the foil. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, add salt and pepper.

PLACE FISH ON BED of veggies. Also giving a good drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, add salt and pepper. You can used any fish. I used Tilapia this time. Arrange thin slices of lemon across the top of the fish.

SPICE IT UP - You can also add fresh herbs like dill and thyme or dried spices for extra flavor.

COOK on grill over medium heat for 20-23 minutes. You can also cook in oven at 325ºF for about same amount of time. Don't over cook the fish!

Finished open fish in foil, ready to eat!

Recipe: Cilantro Cream Sauce

I love making sauces and salsas. I make this Cilantro Cream Sauce for my green goddess veggies tacos. It's simple and subtle, but refreshing. It's also great on fish and chicken tacos.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Cilantro (or more to taste)
3/4 Cup Mexican Creama (table cream)
Pinch of salt

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and use an immersion blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Recipe for Cilantro Cream by Xhico

Green Goddess Vegetarian Tacos with Cilantro Cream and Sarayo Sweet

Recipe: Avocado Toast

Avocado Toast by Xhico

I've been seeing Avocado Toast popping up as a trend in Los Angeles restaurants lately. I have yet to try one, so I decide to make one today for lunch. Here's how it went:

This toast is basically like a California style bruschetta, using avocado as the base.

For each piece of toast you will need:

- 1 Slice Bread
- 1/2 Avocado (Sliced)
- 2 Tbsp Heirloom Tomato (Diced)
- 1 Tbsp Red Onion (Finely Diced)
- Cilantro (Few leaves or 1/2 tsp chopped)
- Lemon or Lime Juice (Squeeze)
- Olive Oil (Use a really tasty Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
- Sea Salt (to taste)
- Fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
- Cumin (a pinch)

First toast a thinly sliced piece of bread. I use fresh French bread. I brush it with olive oil and toast it on the skillet. Get your toasts ready and set aside.

Next prepare your other ingredients: Tomato, Onion, Cilantro. Save your avocado for last so it is fresh and doesn't discolor. Dice your tomato to about 1/4" pieces. Give your red onion and fine dice. Pick several leaves off your cilantro. Cut your lemon in half and have your olive oil and seasonings on hand.

Avocados are delicate so take care and treat them with love. First you want to slice your avocado in half. First slide your knife into the avocado running from pole to pole cutting through the stem side. Gently let your knife go into the flesh until it hits the seed. Now slide your knife completely around the avocado keeping the knife touching the seed. After the knife has cut completely around the avocado, remove the knife. Grab the each half of the avocado with your hand and slowly and gently twist in opposite directions. One half of the avocado should then remove from the seed. If you can't get the seed out of the other half, take chef's knife and whack the seed. Be very careful! The knife should stick in the seed, then gently twist. The seed should pop right out.

Now you have two clean avocado halves. To get perfect slices, leave the avocado in the skin. Slice the flesh from tip to tip creating even slices. If the avocado is perfectly ripe, you may be able to slide the skin right off. Otherwise, use a spoon to nudge between the flesh and the skin. Gently remove your slices. The slices can now be fanned out to cover your toast beautifully.

If you're not into all the work, you can scoop the avocado out with a spoon and smear it across your toast.

After putting on the avocado, give it a sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Top with tomato, onion, a few cilantro leaves, a squeeze of lemon and drizzle with good olive oil. Finish with a sprinkle of cumin and a little more salt.

Recipe: White Sapote Oat Porridge

I've always loved oats. But growing up, I only ate them one of two ways - cooked up hot with butter, brown sugar or whatever I was desiring that day - and the other way was in an oatmeal cookie. I never thought of eating oats cold until I tried soaked oats by Zen Monkey. It's a blend of yogurt, soaked oats and fruit available in the yogurt section of Whole Foods. The apple flavor was delicious. So I did some research and recreated the recipe at home in a mason jar. This cold oat porridge has become one of my favorite go-to breakfast recipes. You can make it quickly at night before you go to bed and in the morning you have a delicious and healthy breakfast to get you going.

I will be posting a more traditional Apple Oat Porridge recipe soon, but for now here's one made with an exotic fruit. Learn more about White Sapote.


WHITE SAPOTE OAT PORRIDGE RECIPE

Ingredients for White Sapote Oat Porridge

Ingredients:
2 Small White Sapote Fruits (diced small)
1 Cup Instant Oats (I recommend Quaker Oats)
1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt
1/2 Cup Apple Juice (you may need to add more depending on the consistency of yogurt and the consistency you prefer for your porridge)
1/4 Cup Shredded Coconut
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
Squeeze of Lemon

Combine ingredients in mason jar.

Method:
Combine Yogurt, Apple Juice, Vanilla Extract in Mason Jar. Stir until smooth. Stir in Oats then stir in White Sapote Fruit. Add a pinch of salt and squeeze of lemon to taste. If you feel it's too thick add a little more juice or water. Put the lid on the jar and give it a shake. Let sit overnight in refrigerator. Oats will swell up up with flavor. The mason jar makes it convenient to take out a serving or take it on the go. Keeps up to 5 days in refrigerator.

You can always substitute Apples for the White Sapote. You can omit the coconut and vanilla and add cinnamon or nutmeg instead. I like to try other little additives too. You can add things like raisins, dried cranberries, other dried fruits, slice almonds, chopped walnuts or chia seeds.

Refrigerate oat porridge overnight in mason jar.

Recipe: Chorizo-Potato Hash with Poached Egg

I love Chorizo! It's adds wonderful flavor to dishes. I grew up eating corned-beef hash, so I developed this twist with chorizo. Chorizo is a spicy Mexican sausage made from pork or beef. I usually prefer the pork. When you buy chorizo, you can pick it up prepackaged in the refrigerated section near the sausages. But if you're as fortunate to live in an area similar to Los Angeles, with a dense latino population, you can probably find the real thing. Go to your local carneceria (butcher shop) and pick up fresh chorizo.

I'm going to show you how to make this great breakfast dish. It also makes a great stuffing for breakfast burritos - just add some cheese a wrap in a tortilla! This is

So let's make some chorizo-potato hash topped with poached egg!

This recipe makes a serving for two.

1/4 Pound Chorizo Sausage (removed from casing)
1 Large Russet Potato (small dice)
2 Cloves of Garlic (chopped)
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Paprika
Chives (chopped finely)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil -or- Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper
Crema Mexicana -or- Sour Cream
2 Tortillas

2 Eggs
4 tsp White Vinegar (1 tsp per each cup of water)
4 cups Water
You will also need a ladle (a teacup or small ramekin will also work) and a slotted spoon.

1. BOIL WATER FOR EGGS
Bring 4 Cups of Water and 4 tsp of White Vinegar to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Prepare has while water comes to a boil.

2. PREPARE YOUR CHORIZO 
When cooking with chorizo, I remove the meat from the outer casing, by slicing the casing with a knife and then scooping it out with a spoon. Set aside in a bowl.

3. PREPARE YOUR POTATOES
We want a small dice of potato. First take your potato and cut it in half lengthwise. Take one half and put it flat side down. Hold your knife parallel to the cutting board and hold your palm flat on top of the potato. Keep your fingers up and be careful! Starting at one end slice the potato about 1/4" from bottom and then again another 1/4" above that piece. Continue to make 1/4" slices until you are at the top. Now cut the potatoes into 1/4" strip lengthwise from top. Turn the potato so that the strips are perpendicular to you. Starting at one end make cuts every 1/4" and you will see perfect little cubes start to fall onto your cutting board. Now you have a small dice! Repeat with other half.

4. SAUTEE CHORIZO
Add chorizo to a large skillet over medium heat. Separate meat with a wood spoon and cook until evenly heated for about 4-5 minutes. Set aside but keep any juices from chorizo in skillet.

NOTE: While my chorizo is cooking is when I like to chop my fresh chives and garlic.

5. COOK POTATOES
Over med-high heat add 2 Tbsp Oil to the skillet the chorizo was cooked in. When oil is hot, add potatoes. Add and gently mix together the Cumin, Paprika, Salt and Pepper. Let potatoes cook for about 3 minutes and give a good stir. Cook for about 6 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add about 3 Tbsp water and quickly cover and let potatoes steam for a few more minutes. Add Chorizo and chopped garlic and stir together. Cook on high heat for 1 minute. Turn off heat and cover to keep warm.

4. POACH EGGS
Once your water is boiling, lower the heat to a low rolling boil. Crack your egg into a ladle. You can also have multiple eggs ready in tea cups or small ramekins. Gently lower the ladle into the water, letting a little hot water in around the egg. When it starts to set (you will see it turning white) gently release it into the water. It will need to cook for about 3-4 minutes, until all the white is set. You may need to use a spoon to gently move it in the water so it doesn't stick the side by accident. Stay with your little egg and watch it. When the white is cooked, remove and serve immediately.

NOTE: You may want to lightly spray your ladle with cooking spray. But it's not necessary.

5. TORTILLAS!
Tortillas are a perfect accompaniment for this dish. You can use then to sop up all the deliciousness. I heat my tortillas while the eggs are poaching. You can heat them on a skillet or that way I prefer is directly on the burner of my gas stove. Keep them moving circularly and flipping them so they don't burn. Fold them into quarters (in half and half again) and fold in dish towel to keep warm.

6. PLATING
I like to use a colored plate for this dish, because there is alot of white with the egg and the cream. So a colored dish really adds nice contrast.

After your chorizo-potato hash is finished keep it warm. About 30 seconds before your eggs are done. Add a generous scoop of hash to the center of the plate and with the back of the spoon press the center slightly down, making a place for the egg to rest. Dip a fork into the crema and quickly drizzle back and forth on one side of the plate, making a white line across the hash and plate. Top the hash with the poached egg. Sprinkle with chives. Add tortilla to one side of plate and serve immediately.

Recipe: Parmesan Crisps

Parmesan Crisps are easy to make, delicious and make you look awesome in front of your friends. You can make them into crackers, garnish or a topping for sandwiches the way I do. There's really no recipe, it's just a simple method. You can use a fresh wedge of parmesan and grate it or you can buy the pre-grated parmesan in the tubs. I feel the fresh parmesan cheese has a bit richer and fresher taste and takes a little less time to cook.

Parmesan Crisp as a Cracker

Here's how you make a Parmesan Crisp:

1. PREHEAT OVEN TO 300º 
I like to make sure my oven is evenly pre-heated for at least 10 minures.

2. COOKIE SHEET
Get your cookie sheet ready. Any flat cookie sheet will do, large or small. It just depends on how big you want to make your crisps and how many you want to make. On your cookie sheet place parchment paper or a Silpat (silicon cooking mat) if you have one.

3. PARMESAN CHEESE
Get your cheese ready. Use either a fresh wedge and grate it on a grater or use pre-grated cheese from the deli section of your supermarket.

You can use any amount. It just depends on how big you want to make the crisps. Here are some different ways:

• Parmesan Crisp Crackers: Put about 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp of grated cheese in a little pile. Gently spread out from center so it is about 2" round and just a few layers of cheese

• Sandwich Parmesan Crisps: Look at your bread and sprinkle cheese a little large than the shape of your bread. Add one more layer of cheese by sprinkling. You want it to all be connected evenly, but still just a thin layer of cheese.

• Parmesan Crisp Garnish: You can make crisps in any shape you want by sprinkling or using a template. Play with making them thin. If you lay the cheese very sparse you can make them appear very "lace-like"

4. SEASON
Seasoning is optional. The cheese is already salty, so you don't need salt. For a little extra flavor and color you can try different seasonings. I like to use fresh cracked pepper. I often use green szechuan peppercorns. You can also try smoked paprika, fennel pollen, caraway and really anything else you want.

5. BAKE
Bake in oven pre-heated to 300º for 8-12 minutes until golden brown. I recommend setting timer for 8 minutes and checking on them. Watch them closely until they are golden. Remove from oven and let cool and place in tupperware to keep fresh.

Recipe by Xhico

Tortilla Pizza

When I'm tired and want to make a delicious snack, I usually make a tortilla pizza. It's easy to make because there really is no recipe except to start with a tortilla and put some good stuff on it. I sometimes use tomato sauce but in this case I didn't have any. So I used olive oil and balsamic.

Tortilla Pizza with Goat Cheese, Parmesan, Mushroom, Scallions, Olive oil & Balsamic.

TORTILLA PIZZA RECIPE:

1. Start with a flour tortilla. You can also use corn. There are no rules.

2. Get Saucy. Put a light coat of sauce on your tortilla.

Suggested Sauces:

• Tomato Sauce

• Pasta Sauce

• BBQ Sauce

• Sarayo

• Pesto

• Olive Oil & Balsamic (if I use this I usually drizzle over rather than use as a base).

3. Get Cheesy. Add your cheese. Use what you have.

Cheese Ideas:

• Goat Cheese

• Oaxacan (Mexican Melting Cheese)

• Fresh Mozzarella

• Shredded Cheese

• Sliced Deli Cheese

4. Top if off. Add your pizza toppings - look in your fridge and use what's there. Things you may have a little of or that may not be fresh much longer.

Topping Suggestions:

• Mushrooms

• Scallions (Green Onions)

• Canned Olives

• Pickled Artichoke Hearts

• Onion

• Tomato

• Fresh or dry herbs: Basil, Thyme, Parsly 

• Capers

• Spinach

5. Bake in pre-heated oven at 300º for 15-20 minutes until cheese melts and edges get golden brown.

Recipe by Xhico.

Recipe: Garlic & Cherry Tomato Sauce

This is an easy recipe. It makes enough sauce for two or enough for one plus next day.

Cherry tomatoes simmering with garlic

After simmered, everything is blended into a sauce

Grilled Summer Squash with Garlic & Cherry-Tomato Sauce,
topped with Basil from the garden.

Recipe:

1 Basket of Cherry Tomatoes
3 Cloves of Garlic (more or less if you like)
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt to Taste
Chili Flakes to taste (Optional)

Cut tomatoes in half (or I just like to squash them when i add them to skillet, be warned of getting juiced!) Add tomatoes to large skillet with garlic sliced thinly with the olive oil. Sautee on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until tomatoes soften. Add Balsamic Vinegar and Sautee a few more minutes until vinegar starts to absorb into tomatoes. Add 1 cup of water, oregano, salt, chili flakes. Let reduce by half. Add one more cup water, let reduce by half again. Remove from heat and let cool. Put in blender. Puree into a sauce. Pour back into sauce pan. Put over pasta or veggies.

Recipe by Larimie Garcia for GrowlerEats.com

Leftouts: Make Hash

Make hash. Not the kind of hash you get in Amsterdam. It's a simple skillet dish you can make if you have left over roast (either pork or beef). It's super simple and great for breakfast with a fried egg and may some ketchup.

Pork roast and potato hash

Here's how to make an easy hash.

• Add a couple teaspoons of olive oil to hot cast iron skillet.
• Dice a potato or two depending on how hungry you are to 1/4" cubes and add to skillet.
• Salt and pepper to taste. You can also add a little onion powder and/or garlic powder or chile powder.
• Let potatoes start to fry and get crusty on medium heat. Turning only occasionally.
• pick apart and shred your left over roast while potatoes cook
• When potatoes start to get crusty on all sides after turning a few times, add the shredded roast in about equal amount to potatoes. You may need to add a splash of oil. I add the solids at bottom of roast dish.
• Let all of it start to fry together and get crunchy.
• Get a 1/4 cup water and the lid to the skillet in your hand.
• Pour the water over the hash and cover immediately. Let steam for a couple more minutes.

Eat it alone or serve with a topping like sour cream, cheese, chopped onions, ketchup, salsa or pesto - or top with a fried egg.

Enjoy!