Monday, December 3, 2012

Thanksgiving: My favorite time of the year

This is my fourth year cooking Thanksgiving dinner for my family and I try to make it more fabulous each year.   The menu was divvied up between me, my sisters and cousin.  I was in charge of the 20 lb turkey, roasted brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, gravy and crispy kale chips.

Roasted Turkey 

I use Alton Brown's brine recipe to start things off.  It takes 12 hours so I prep the turkey the night before the big day.  I grab my mom's huge (holds 5+ gallons) pho pot to mix the brine and store the turkey.  Using a cheesecloth to hold the spices is highly recommended to avoid the peppercorns sticking to the turkey.  It's not in the recipe, but I like to add a slice of lemon, a few thyme and rosemary leaves too.
While the brine is cooling off-- I clean the turkey and take out the neck and gizzards.  I use the neck and gizzards to make the turkey broth for the gravy.  I placed the turkey inside the brine and stored it overnight.
The next day, the turkey is then removed, rinsed off and patted dry.  I finely mince and chop garlic and mix it in a stick of butter.  I then stick as much of the garlic butter under and over the skin as humanly possible.  This is ensure a crispy brown skin as well as a moist bird (since I don't baste the turkey more than twice).
In the cavity of the bird, I place a cored granny smith apple, a lemon I poke holes in, fresh sage, rosemary and thyme leaves.  I then take a piece of foil and fold it into a triangle to cover the breast and wings of the turkey.  I also poured 2 cans of chicken stock on the bottom of the roasting pan.  In a preheated 500 degree oven I placed the bird on the bottom rack for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, I turned down oven to 350 and cooked the bird for another 3-3.5 hours (basting it at the 1.5 and 2.5 hour mark).  I also remove the foil the last hour to brown the breast skin.



Sausage Sage Stuffing

I used both a rosemary loaf and french baguette for base, added granny smith apples and dried currants to the recipe.  It's a great recipe to make beforehand and reheat the next day.

 Suffering Bastard Cocktail

 Careful with this cocktail-- it got me in trouble.
 Recipe is  below.

1 part gin
1 part whiskey or bourbon
1 part lime juice
Splash of bitters
4 parts ginger ale (but I reduced it to 1 part)

Crispy Kale Chips
The only problem making the chips was that I didn't have the oven when I wanted it.  I needed a 375 degree oven that would fit two trays of kale.  I baked some in my parents' toaster oven and fit one small tray next to the turkey.  These were good--but I'll likely not make them again for a large dinner.



Gravy

I took the neck, livers and gizzards of the turkey and covered them with water in a 3-quart saucepan.  I let it simmer on low heat for 1 hour to make a concentrated turkey broth for the gravy.  I strained the broth and refrigerated it.
Once the turkey was removed from the roasting pan, I put the pan on the stove top and added a few tablespoons of flour and the turkey broth, whisking it until it thickened.  I then strained the gravy before serving.

Spiced Cranberry Sauce 
Still not a favorite dish with my family, but I liked it.

Corn Bread Muffins

I basically use the recipe on the side of the Albers Corn Meal box--but it works every year!

Friday, September 28, 2012

LA TIMES: THE TASTE 2012

What better way to spend Labor Day weekend than to munch and consume gourmet food and drinks at Paramount Studios?  Unless you really love family barbecues there isn't a better way.  I was lucky enough to attend one of The Taste events, the Cocktail Confidential, for free rather than paying the $75 entry fee (although you do get your monies worth since the food and [alcoholic]drinks are unlimited).

The Cocktail Confidential was held Saturday night inside Paramount Studios.  Dozens of gourmet food and drink vendors set up shop on the studio lot and provided patrons samples of food, beer, wine or cocktails from 8pm-11pm.  The event also had mixologist demonstrations but I was too busy stuffing my face to remember to watch.  The lines could get a bit long but if you had a food buddy like I did, splitting up and grabbing plates for each other was the most efficient way to sample each vendor.

   Everything was tasty but the highlights (i.e. the dishes that I remembered a month later) were:
Bulgarini Gelato:  almond gelato with red wine  and The Gorbals: confit beef tongue romesco .
Bulgarini Gelato: Almond Gelato with Red Wine (poured over)


The Gorbals: Confit Beef Tongue Romesco








Bourbon cocktails
Cheddar popcorn


















The participating vendors are listed below.  (Photos courtesy of the lovely Christina Phan)
Restaurants
A-Frame
American Tea Room 
Ammo
Be. Flirty
Blue Palms Brewhouse
Bulgarini
Casa Azul Cantina
Creme Caramel LA
Factors Deli
FEED Body + Soul
Glendon Bar &; Kitchen
Haven Gastropub
Industriel Green Street Tavern
Katana
Marsatta Fancy Chocolates
Nonna Of Italy
Pig’s Feed Under Plantation Rum
Pig’s Feet Under
Pinches Tacos
Ray’s & Stark Bar
Red Lion 
Sadie
Sunny Spot
Takami Sushi 
Terroni Restaurant
The Blvd at Beverly Wilshire Hotel
The Cake Mamas
The Counter Custom Built Burgers
The Gorbals
The Pub at Golden Road 
The Roger Room
Villains Tavern
Wood & Vine


Wines, Beers & Spirits

ABSOLUT Vodka
Adult Beverage Company
Akvinta Vodka
Ancnoc Whisky
Atlantico Rum
Bernardus Winery
BlackBeard Spiced Rum
Bulleit Rye
Caorunn Gin
Chopin Vodka
Citadelle Gin
Cline Cellars
Coco Breve
Cold Spring Brewing Co.
Death’s Door Spirits
Don Q Rum
Double Cross Vodka
Francis Ford Coppola Winery
Freixnet USA
Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
Herzog Wine Cellars
Jefferson’s Very Small Batch Bourbon
Karlsson’s Gold Vodka
Karma Tequila
Kooksoondang Brewery/Bekseju USA
Mionetto
Pearl Vodka
Pearl Wedding Cake Vodka
Peroni
Prévu
Rebel Yell Bourbon
Seven Daughters
Simply Naked Wines
SkinnyGirl
Stella Artois
Svedka 
Tequila Semental
The Glenrothes Select Reserve 
Tyku Premium Sake & Spirits
VeeV Açaí Spirit 
Wente Family Estates
Wild Turkey 

http://events.latimes.com/taste/

Thursday, September 27, 2012

FOOD SHOP LA: PART DEUX

This menu was so popular before that chef Itay and Hjeyin brought it back.  Since it was my second time, I remembered to take more pictures for the Dinette Set.  I brought Christina with me this time knowing that she'd appreciate the rustic romantic atmosphere and amazing food.

The Menu 

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Aperitif Vodka, lychee, kaffir lime leaves
Grape Salad Arugula, black grapes, Comte cheese, Marcona Almonds
Kaffir Kabobs ground brisket, kaffir leaves, Thai basil, la lot leaves
Curried Mussels fresh mussels, coconut curry, kaffir leaves, Belgian ale 
Garlic Fries Hand-cut potatoes, fresh herbs, Garlic

Crumble Warm peach crumble, Thai basil ice cream




Kaffir Kabobs
The meal always starts off with an aperitif to get guests to mingle while waiting for everyone to arrive.  The aperitif was refreshing but maybe a bit too sweet for my taste-- I'd prefer more of the kaffir lime taste.  For this meal it was suggested to bring Belgian ales but many guests brought bottles of white and red wine as an accompaniment.

The grape salad was perfectly dressed and I can eat handfuls of those marcona almonds.  But what took my breath away were the delicious Kaffir Kabobs, which tasted very authentic of Southeast Asian cuisine and really reminded me of eating out with my parents to a cheesy asian restaurant in Westminster.  The Curried Mussels with the Garlic Fries were also a delight.  I think Christina and I ended up eating 30+ mussels and a whole loaf of garlic bread.




Curried mussels with garlic bread
Peach crumble with Thai Basil Ice Cream


Ending the meal was the peach crumble, but the crumble was overshadowed by how good the thai basil ice cream was.  I've never had anything like it and it was phenomenal.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Dinner For One: Turkey and Crimini Mushroom Meatballs w/ Polenta

On my daily scouring on Seriouseats.com, I came across this recipe for turkey meatballs with marinara sauce and polenta:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/07/turkey-and-porcini-meatballs-with-rosemary-and-polenta-recipe.html
I'm on a tight budget these days so any recipe that calls for a few ingredients is on my culinary radar.  Also the recipe is configured for just two it was easy to convert for my standard dinner of one.  I figured I can swap the dried porcini mushrooms with criminis and some marscapone cheese instead of milk that were already in my fridge, so the only thing I needed from the market was the marinara sauce and ground turkey.

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup white onion, chopped and diced
1 egg
olive oil
4 crimini mushrooms, chopped and diced small
1 lb ground turkey
Japanese breadcrumbs, about 1/3 cup
3 rosemary leaves
2 heaping tablespoons of marscapone cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, (more or less)
1 jar of marinara sauce
1 cup corn meal
basil

Preparation:
In a frying pan, I sauteed the onions and crimini mushrooms with some olive oil until translucent and soft.  I turned off the burner and while that was cooling, I combined the garlic, egg, turkey, most of the parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp on marscapone cheese, 2 chopped stems of rosemary, and breadcrumbs.  Once the mushrooms and onions were cooled, I added it to the turkey mixture with a generous sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper for seasoning.
I turned the broil on placed my french non-slip baking mat on a baking sheet for the meatballs.  I rolled the turkey mixture into generous sized meatballs and broiled them in the oven for 10 minutes to brown the outside.
While the meatballs were in the oven, I simmered the marinara sauce in a sauce pan with a rosemary leaf ( partially covered the pan to lessen the mess).  Once the meatballs brown, I added them to the marinara mixture and simmered the sauce (and finish cooking the meatballs) for an additional 15 minutes.

I then boiled about 1 1/2 cups of water (more if you like the polenta creamier) and slowly added the corn meal, whisking constantly.  Until you get the desired texture, I added 1 tbsp of marscapone cheese and a little left over parmesan cheese and mixed until smooth.  Then I finished it off with salt and pepper.

Onto the plating (my favorite part)!  I spread the polenta on a plate and topped it with a meatball and a generous spoonful of marinara sauce.  I finished it off with chopped basil and a sprinkle of parmesan.  I can't wait to eat the leftovers!  Bon apetite!





Sunday, July 29, 2012

LA Street Food Fest


The 3rd Annual Los Angeles Street Food Fest is a nice place to come with a group of friends to indulge on a hot summer day.  For $45 (general admission) you get to enjoy small plates from over 100 vendors and the option to relax with a beer (or tequila shot) on the football field of the Rose Bowl.
But one of the drawbacks was that some of the vendors ran out of food in the middle of the day (The Mighty Boba Truck, The Jolly Oyster, and the wine vendors ran out of cups), so getting to the Festival early is a must if you're looking forward to a certain vendor. Another drawback are the long lines for beer and the popular vendors.  But the long lines can be alleviated if one person stays in the line while the other grabs samples for everyone from nearby booths.  By the time you get to the front of the line, you've already consumed your plate of food.
Maybe it was due to the high temperature, but the best part of the Festival was the Ice Cream Social -- a designated area for ice cream, desserts, and candies.  I think my favorite was the grapefruit sorbet, frozen banana, and the salted vietnamese coffee (so simple but genius).  Sorry for the lack of pictures-- I relied on the ones taken by Christina.

Highlights (Savory):
Parks Finest BBQ - coconut curry pork with rice
The Jolly Oyster - fresh oysters
Ayara Thai - spicy grilled clams 
Laxy Ox Canteen - paella
Moodaepo - pork belly
Picca - sweet potato beignet





Highlights (Sweet):
Waffles de Liege - caramel waffle
Sweet Lucie's - organic strawberry lemonade
Mother Moo Creamery- salty chocolate ice cream / grapefruit sorbet
Saints and Sinners - salted caramel chocolate ganache
Longboards Ice Cream - Chocolate covered frozen banana with potato chips
Beachy Cream - key lime ice cream sandwich
Secret Squirrel Cold Brew - Salted Vietnamese Coffee

Monday, June 18, 2012

LAFoodShop

FoodShop is just another fine example of how food is truly a communal experience.  Hosts and chefs Itay Zach with pastry chef Hyejin Cho generously invite 30 guests to enjoy a homemade 5 course dinner.  I was enlightened by this monthly pop up event through a friend of mine who attended few months back-- and I'm glad he did.  Not only did I enjoy a great meal, I was able meet a group of interesting foodies I would have never met before.  Two particular ladies I met were Juliette and Tracy --- both in the food and wine (and champagne) industry.  My friend and I were lucky enough to be sitting across from them-- and I mean lucky!-- they brought about 6 bottles of delicious wine that they generously shared.  


I RSVP'd to the Friday dinner held at 7:30pm.  When you arrive at the "Barn" -- dinner guests are already mingling around the large farm table which was finely set with candles and an eclectic array of plates and glassware.  Dinner guests are greeted by Itay's wife Adee (and her very pregnant belly) with a watermelon martini.  Once all the guests check in, you are seated at your assigned spot and the chefs personally bring out each course.  Although everything was delicious, the stand outs for me were the Watermelon Martini (because I'm a sucker for herbs in cocktails), the Moroccan Meatballs, and the Shrimp n' Grits.  The entire menu is listed below, but the menu changes each month.  


The Menu (Suggested donation $45)
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Waretmelon Martini gin, watermelon, thyme, lime
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Corn Soup corn, cream, shallots, vegetable broth
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Grilled Peach Salad fresh peaches, arugula, le Delice de Bourgogne cheese, balsamic
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Moroccan Meatballs grass-fed beef & lamb, tomatoes, garlic, serranos, spices
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Shrimp n' Grits fresh prawns, butter, garlic, polenta
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Fresh Berry Tart Fresh berries, orange verbena sorbet
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DRINKS Please bring the beverages of your choice (white or reds work)

After dessert is served, a donation box is passed around, but since it was my first time I just paid the suggested donation of $45/person to FoodShop's paypay account.  Another thing I must mention that adds to the charm of the dinner was the art gallery in the back of the Barn which you walk through on your way to the facilities. It felt like I was entering into another dimension-- from industrial barn house to a bright gallery of contemporary and modern art.  My only regret was that I wished I was more outgoing and talkative to other guests, seeing as how it was my first time and the Barn was a wee bit cramped.  Hopefully, I'll break out of my wallflowerness the next time around.  


http://www.lafoodshop.com/

Friday, June 15, 2012

FYI, baking soda does expire.  Your chocolate chip cookies will look like discs.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

This is a non-hostile takeover. You can put down the cutlery.

For too long, the Dinette Set has consisted of a lonesome diner.  Although this was initially a collective of experiences amongst friends, the Dinette Set lost it's appeal to Tumblr, Pinterest and Twitter.  In order to revive the blog, the Dinette Set is now becoming my personal outlet of food, wine, and all things related. This is not a hostile takeover-- Viv graciously handed me the reigns and I hope to do her (and all of the authors I deleted) proud.

Yours forever (unless I'm yelping),

Les