Cookbooks Just In... from Roy Choi, Julia Child and more!

Cookboks by Roy Choi, Julia Child and more

I just added some new cookbooks to add to my library. It was a little gift to myself for Christmas. Cookbooks are great gifts for any occasion. They are also a great gift for yourself - a way to learn new food recipes from you favorite chef, learn about new food ingredients, different cooking methods and open your palette up to a whole new food culture.

The books I ordered were a mix from new chefs, classic chefs, world cuisine and making homemade pantry recipes. I'll be preparing recipes from these cookbooks soon so make sure to check back and see what recipes I cook up in the kitchen.

Check out these new cookbooks I just ordered:

L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food by Roy Choi
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1, 40th Anniversary by Julia Child
The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making by Alana Cherlina
Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales: Flavors from the Griddles, Pots, and Streetside Kitchens of Mexico by Roberto Santibanez

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!

Find Your Fonda

( Xhico in Mexico City )

Morning breakfast at ¿Qui'hubo Cuando? fonda in Mexico City

Whether your you're going to be in Mexico City for a few days or a few months, I recommend finding your fonda. What's a fonda? I asked Angelita, who along with her mother, made me breakfast several times in a month. Her response to the difference between a fonda and a restaurant was that a fonda offered traditional Mexican food and was akin to a home-cooked meal. A restaurant was a place that specialized in a particular meal or international cuisine. On my international excursion to Mexico, I was fortunate enough to have the fonda of Angelita and her mother, Angie, just two blocks from my apartment near Chapultepec park.

Angelita, me and Angie.

Mole enchiladas, my favorite!

Menu changes daily

Super hot pickled habanero salsa

 Small kitchens and dining rooms make the perfect digs for an authentic Mexican meal. Going to a fonda is just like having a mother cook for you. So for the first month in Mexico City, Angie fed me in the mornings. I would go early for a quick bite and to have a coffee a fresh squeezed juice before work. Sometimes I would order something to-go so I could eat while I work. My choice was usually mole enchiladas filled with chicken, chilaquiles or mollettes - they are like mini Mexican pizza breads topped with beans, cheese and pico de gallo.

I would walk up early to a sign with the menu of the day. I would instantly be hungry reading the amazing choices... Enchiladas, Enfrijoladas, Tacos de guisados, Sincronizadas, Tinga Res, Bistec en Guajillo, Milanesa pollo, Ejote con huevo, consomé, huevos al gusto... everything was just delicious.

I eventually made my way into Angie's little kitchen to see where all of this magic was made. I followed the hypnotic smells wafting from behind a curtain. Behind that curtain was Angie, often aided by her daughter working hard to make home cooked meals for the people.

The name of the fonda, ¿Qui'hubo Cuando? is a
reference to the movie "Dos Tipos de Cuidado"

One last note. When I asked Angleita what the name of the fonda was from, she said it was a reference to a joke in a movie called "Dos tipos de Cuidado". Make sure to stop by Angie's fonda ¿Qui'Hubo Cuando? and have breakfast near Chapultepec park at the corner of Tampico y Sinaloa.

¿Qui'Hubo Cuando?

Tampico 37 (Sinaloa), Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

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: Mini Bistec Tortas

My trip to Mexico City did me some good. I just made the most amazing sandwiches! I made mini bistec tortas with salsa I brought back from Mexico.

So I halved two small rolls and grilled them with butter. I took some homemade black beans (you can used can beans if you want) and quickly refried them in the skillet while grilling a thin slice of steak (bistec) in the same pan on the side. I then coated the rolls with a thin layer of mayo for moisture. Then I put the refried beans on the bottom layer and topped it with Oaxacan Cheese (this kind is perfect for melting). I put the cheese side straight onto the skillet and let the cheese melt and get crusty. I scooped it up, put on a slice of steak and then finished it with the salsa I bought at the gourmet market in Mexico City. It's a spicy oil with nuts and quite delicious. You can use any salsa you like to spice it up!

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.

Street Fried Quesadilla

Quesadilla all done up

I left this art show in Echo Park last night. I was starving and my favorite blue corn quesadilla lady wasn't around. But I saw a woman kitty corner at the intersection with a small cart and steam rising above her. I couldn't wait for the lit red hand to change to the walk signal and I crossed toward her.


I heard her saying, "quesadillas" as I approached. When I go there I saw what seemed to be more of giant empanadas. But they were more of a deep fried quesadilla. She made a tortilla like shape out of dough and stuffed them with cheese and potatoes (she also had cheese and chorizo or just cheese). She folded it in half and dropped it in the hot oil. She then served it to me, what i call, pupusa style - topped with cabbage, sour cream and crumbled cheese. Then she had all these delicious salsas to choose from... Avocado, Tomatillo, Salsa Roja and Habanero, which was pretty spicy. Overall it was delicious but a little messy. I could have used a knife.

WHERE:
Quesadilla Street Cart
Sunset Blvd & Echo Park Blvd.
Echo Park, Los Angeles

Quesadillas on the streets of Echo Park

Salsa bar street cart style

before salsa

after salsa

Kombucha in the Kitchen

I was with a friend today at his friend's place and he had this giant glass jar filled with what appeared to be dirty liquid and layers of cream colored buttery tissue. I had no idea what it was. Then my friend asked for his "mushroom". I thought he was going to get some shrooms to trip. But it turns out that those buttery layers in that jar were actually mushrooms. They were fermenting with a mix of tea to make Kombucha.

The mushroom layers were oldest from bottom to top. He also had two old vases to ferment wine with the Kombucha growing. It was incredible.

Kombucha is a fermented beverage that smells like apple cider and has an effervescent zing to it. It's supposed to be extremely healthy for you. I tried some and it was one of the most potent drinks I've ever had. He said you need to cut it with some water...

Lunch: Lomo & Gouda Wrap

Lomo & Garlic-Basil Gouda wrapped in multigrain flatbread with mayo, mustard and lettuce from garden.

Leftouts: Making Beef Broth

I try to use all of my resources to their full potential - even all my leftouts. After Christmas I had some leftover prime rib bones with alot of meat and fatty tissue still attached to the bone. I decided to make a beef broth. It was fairly simple. There really is no "recipe" you can do it all to taste, say with bone, a carrot, couple green onions and couple cloves of garlic. Just reduce the ingredients accordingly and to taste. Anything goes.

From this process you will yield three products for future use: Beef Broth, Beef Tallow and Beef Meat.

1. I took a large stock pot and filled it with water (about 8 cups) and set it on high.

Use leftover prime rib bones to make beef broth. 

2. I then added:

• Leftover Prime Rib bones with meat and fat on bone
• 1 carrot cut into 3 pieces
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 4 green onions cut into thirds
• 
  
• 2 tsp thyme
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh ground green pepper

3. Bring all ingredients to a boil. This takes about 15 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for an hour and a half.

5. Add two more cups of water. Salt and pepper some more. 

Bring all ingredients to boil and reduce to simmer

6. Simmer until meat falls off the bone. About another hour. Just keep checking on it.

Remove and discard bones, carrot pieces and onion.

7. Remove from heat. Remove and discard the bones, carrot pieces and any large chunks of fat. You probably wont see much left of the garlic and onion. After they cook this long, they basically dissolve.

Strain broth from meat

8. Have a large bowl with a strainer ready. Empty and strain stockpot with remaining beef broth and beef pieces. Set aside strained meat pieces. Remove large pieces of fat and carrots in the meat mixture and reserve the meat for later use.

Set meat aside and refrigerate broth for about an hour.

9. Refrigerate bowl with broth for about an hour until it "sets". You will see a white solid layer form on top of the broth. 

White solid layer of "tallow" will form on top.

10. After solid layer forms on top of broth, remove from fridge. This solid white layer you are seeing is the fat (which when was raw was called "suet") now solidified into a "tallow". You will save this part to use later.

Gently remove top layer with fork.

Take a fork down the edge of the bowl and gently separate the solid layer from the layer below by slowly lifting it up. Do this slow and be careful to try to keep it in one piece and it will be less messy. Remove this piece and set aside on a piece of foil. 

11. Below the fat layer you will see a gelatinous brown liquid. This is your broth base. Put in airtight container and freeze for future use or use immediately to make soup.

You now have three resources from this process to use:

Broth base - use immediately or freeze for future use. Gently heat on low and add a little water until mixture returns completely to a liquid. You can use this for a base to make delicious soups.

Beef Meat - use immediately or freeze for future use. This meat is great for taquitos, tacos and pasta sauces.

Beef Tallow (Fat) - freeze this fat to use for the future. To use, gently reheat in a skillet. Use beef suet to make refried beans, fat base for gravy or to fry french fries.

Enjoy your new cooking resources!

Not-So-Brittle Brittle

My grandma makes the best peanut brittle. I love it. I made it on occasion with her while I was growing up. And by "made it", I mean followed her around the kitchen and watched everything she was doing. I decided this year to make some brittle myself. How hard could it be? One pot, three ingredients, twelve minutes. Well, unless you've been doing this 70 years, it's not as easy as it seems. You see my grandma had learned this recipe when she was a kid from her aunt "Pud". My grandma is an expert at this by now. I am not.

Not like grandma used to make.

As soon as I poured my first batch of peanut brittle, I knew from the color, something was wrong. I called my grandma to find out what it could be. She acted in disbelief as if something could go wrong, because I don't think it ever does for her. Then she assured me that the last batch she made she over cooked a little. This batch happens to be en route to me. She then told me I probably under cooked it. I realized I did. A combination of undercooking and the wet air from the rainy weather didn't allow the first batch to set. I ended up with a cross between a caramel and a nougat.

My "brittle" was so pliable, I could roll it. NOT, the texture I was going for.

All rolled up...

The moldable candy provided some interesting textures.

I set out for batch two. This time cooking it a bit longer and higher temperature. It totally worked. I didn't use peanuts this time around, I made a Sunflower Seed - Cacao Nib - Coconut brittle. It was airy, crackly and crisp. 

The final brittle turned out splendid. Sunflower Seed, Cacao Nibs, Coconut Brittle.