FRANK | FOOD

Malibu Seafood! My favorite place in all of Southern California...

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:17:00 -0700

Malibu Seafood!

My favorite place in all of Southern California for fish and chips and where I stop EVERY time I go to the beach! Big honking chunks of mild sweet white fish in the perfect batter fried to dark golden crispy Nirvana with hearty steak fries and homemade tartar sauce.

This little road side shack and fish market on an otherwise empty stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu between Pepperdine University and Zuma Beach is always packed with locals and celebrities and regular folks and the lucky hungry tourist that happened to stop for lunch.

The fish is superb and absoulutely try the deep fried oysters! There are other “healthier” choices like grilled fish and a salad or two but I’ve never had them. I can’t imagine being there and not getting the two piece basket with a cup of perhaps the best clam chowder south of Seattle.

Skip Dukes and the famous tourist traps when you are in Malibu and eat every time at Malibu Seafood!

PS: That giant Mediterranean mansion surrounded by a like a 1,000 palm trees just up the street: Cher’s house. But don’t go bothering her!

Memorize this sign and when you see it stop immediatly! The...

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:04:00 -0700

Memorize this sign and when you see it stop immediatly! The outdoor seating gives a great view of the beach and ocean (and the occasional Ferrari in the parking lot as you can see).

Chunky, cruncy fresh cole slaw! The perfect accompanyment. I...

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:02:17 -0700

Chunky, cruncy fresh cole slaw! The perfect accompanyment. I added a dash or two of malt vinegar because I like it that way but a test bite with Tapitio on top was not delicious.

Amazing BBQ Potato Salad! What! You say? BBQ potato salad!?!...

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:00:14 -0700

Amazing BBQ Potato Salad!

What! You say? BBQ potato salad!?! Who’s ever heard of such a thing!

Well I have and it’s awesome! I made a batch for a BBQ at my house last week and it literally disappeared before I even got a scoop. Grilling the spuds gives a smokey sweetness that combined with the crunch of celery, mild bite of sweet onion and the flavor of celery seed mixed with creamy mayo and tart sweet wine vinegar is a flavor explosion in all points of your mouth!

Clean and halve a dozen medium Yukon Gold potatoes, toss with a tablespoon of olive oil salt and pepper. Place in a single layer cut side down in aluminum foil packets and toss on the grill until done, about 12-15 minutes. Test with a fork and when done, take them out of the packets and let cool on a cookie sheet in the fridge. When cooled at least to room temp, chop into bite sized pieces and put in a big mixing bowl.

Add to that, a half cup chopped sweet onion and 3 chopped scallions, a quarter cup chopped Italian parsley, a quarter cup chopped celery, a half cup real mayonnaise, two tablespoons country Dijon mustard, a teaspoon celery seed, a half teaspoon celery salt and one tablespoon sweet wine vinegar plus a few generous grinds of the pepper mill.

Mix it all up and serve to your adoring new fans! Just make sure you get a serving before it’s gone!

Orzo Salad! This is a total crowd pleaser and a nice alternative...

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:43:04 -0700

Orzo Salad!

This is a total crowd pleaser and a nice alternative to the usual hum drum picnic bow tie pasta salad. The orzo pasta’s “giant rice” fun past shape makes for quick cooking and fun eating!

Cook to al dente a whole package of orzo, drain, rinse and let cool while you prepare the rest the ingredients. In a large bowl put a half cup chopped fresh basil, six ounces crumbled feta, a half cup chopped kalamata olives, 5 chopped scallions, two minced cloves of garlic and a half cup chopped reconstituted sun dried tomatoes.

Toss in the orzo. Season with about a half cup olive oil the juice of a whole lemon salt and pepper taste. Mix well together and there you have it!

Like most of my recipes, you can adjust and play with adding different elements and flavors to the orzo to suit what you like best! Add pine nuts or walnuts for an extra level of flavor. Try chopped arugula, fresh tomatoes and bacon crumbles with parmesean cheese! What ever suits your fancy!

Fancy Baked Potatoes! Quick, fun, deliciously easy to prepare...

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:38:02 -0700

Fancy Baked Potatoes!

Quick, fun, deliciously easy to prepare and especially great for kids or finicky guests. It’s totally audience participation as well so everyone can be involved in the preparations and since they all get to load up their ‘taters with as much or as little of their favorite bits every one is happy!

Preheat oven to 450 and plan on one to two whole potatoes for each person. Cut them in half and toss in a big work bowl with a glug of olive oil, a couple of pinches of salt and a grind or two of pepper. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and put in the oven for twenty minutes or until done when tested with a fork. I like to use small to medium size potatoes so cooking time is shorter and I can make several combos in one meal!

While the ‘taters are baking, assemble all your preferred toppings.

Here’s where the creativity and comes in and where the kids can help. Simply assemble small bowls of anything and everything you (and your guests) would ever think of liking on a potato. Now don’t just stop at the usual toppings of butter, sour cream, baco’s and chives. Really get creative and you will make this again and again!

I made up dishes of: roasted corn, shredded yellow beets, cilantro, grilled aspargus and bacon bits.

For protein I had some chopped grilled chicken breast and some small frozen scallops I tossed on the grill on skewers while the chicken was cooking.

Once everything is assembled and the potaoes are done serve it all up in the middle of the table and let people go at it!

Try going theme style with Mexican ‘taters! Grated spicy jack cheese, sauteed peppers and onions, spicy ground beef or grilled flank steak, and roasted corn. A dash of Tapatio or Tabasco and delish!

Or try Pizza style with grilled mild Italian sausage, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, grilled tomatoes, black olives and red bell peppers!

You could even go Gourmet Mushroom style by doing a quick saute of assorted fungi like shitake, oyster, crimini and enoki in butter and white wine with smoked tofu, chopped parsley and little dabs of mild goat cheese.

Ooh! How about Greek style with chopped fresh spinach, feta cheese crumbles, pine nuts and a little yogurt tzatziki sauce! (There is a great recipe for tzatziki here: http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/07/worlds-best-tzatziki-sauce-recipe-greek.html )

So many ways to eat a humble baked potato, you’ll never go back to just butter and sour cream again!

Roasted Cinnamon Almonds! Another easy fun appetizer. Take one...

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:03:41 -0700

Roasted Cinnamon Almonds!

Another easy fun appetizer. Take one cup, raw almonds and pan toast in a dry pan on medium-high heat for about seven minute or until good and toasted. Remove from heat and dash in one teaspoon vegetable oil and toss to coat.

Put in a small mixing bowl and add two teaspoons of ground cinnamon, and one-half teaspoon kosher salt, tossing to evenly coat. Pour the coated nuts in a small serving dish and serve warm or cool!

Classic Bruschetta! Now That tomatoes are starting to come on,...

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:40:59 -0700

Classic Bruschetta!

Now That tomatoes are starting to come on, this classic Italian appetizer is a great way to use them up. Super with any kind of tomato and especially fun using heirloom varieties for different colors and flavors.

Since I needed to make a big batch for a friend’s party I used eight fresh, ripe romas so just halve the quantities here if you don’t need to make as much. However, I’ve never had a problem of too much bruschetta!

So chop fine your eight medium sized tomatoes and put in a good sized bowl. Now mince a half cup of fresh basil leaves (whole leaves packed into a measuring cup) and three cloves of garlic. Toss in with the tomatoes and pour in a good solid glug of extra virgin olive oil (about a quarter cup), two tablespoons of balsamic or cider vinegar, a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, a half teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Mix and serve with ready made mini-toasts or toasted baguette rounds!

Easy summer crowd pleaser!

Mmmmm! Southern Fried Chicken! Ok not a calorie light few posts...

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:54:00 -0700

Mmmmm! Southern Fried Chicken!

Ok not a calorie light few posts but it’s summer and all that time swimming and hiking and being outdoors will knock a few of those extra ounces off! Plus its SO good!

I choose to use drumsticks only because 1. they are what everyone usually goes for first, 2. they are inexpensive, 3. they are fun eat-with-your-hands food and 4. they cook up faster and easier.

In a cast iron skillet (if you have a mini deep fryer that, of course, will work just fine too, but the skillet method is classic) heat about an inch and a half to two inches of vegetable oil to 375-400. My vintage stove has a really cool burner that you can set the temp on but I use a thermometer to double check.

Obviously be VERY CAREFUL WITH HOT OIL!!!

Take a dozen fresh drumsticks out of the package, rinse and place in a single layer in a shallow baking pan and pour fresh buttermilk over the top. Make sure they are all good and coated, give a couple grinds of the black pepper and let marinate in the fridge while you are putting the breading together.

In another shallow pan mix one cup all-purpose flour with a half teaspoon each salt, paprika, celery salt, ground cumin, thyme and garlic powder. Add a few generous grinds of the pepper mill and you are ready to bread and fry!

Re-coat the chicken in the buttermilk marinade and roll in the flour mixture getting a good layer all over each piece. Gently place in the oil. I could get 5-6 drumsticks in my pan with each batch but don’t over crowd it and watch that the oil level doesn’t get too high. Cook for 12-15 minutes each side or until nice and golden brown, flipping once. The exact length of time will vary slightly depending on the size of your drumsticks and the heat of your oil.

Place the finished pieces on a paper towel lined cookie sheet in a 250 degree oven to keep warm while you do up the second batch and serve piled high on a big platter. The crispy, juicy, southern deliciousness of fried chicken goes great with black eyed peas, mustard greens, corn bread and a juicy peach pie for dessert.

You can go hiking tomorrow….

Black Eyed Peas! I love a mess of black eyed peas! They have a...

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:23:14 -0700

Black Eyed Peas!

I love a mess of black eyed peas! They have a creamy texture and a distinctive nutty flavor that when cooked up with bacon and the magic duo of onions and red bell pepper are just a fantastic side dish. I first had them at my friend Charles’ house with a New Years supper where they are traditionally served to bring luck and wealth and I have been making my version several times a year since.

I take two cans of black eyed peas (the dried kind do cook up pretty fast for a bean/pea but I find the canned are just fine and well worth the convenience) and drain off the liquid and give a quick rinse.

In a big saute pan cook up 6 strips of good thick smokey bacon chopped into half-inch bits until fully cooked but not too crisp. Now toss right in on top of that one chopped white or yellow onion and a chopped red bell pepper and continue to cook until the onion is translucent.

Pour the black eyed peas in and mix it all together real nice. Season to taste with black pepper and salt if necessary and a dash (about a half teaspoon or less) of mild chili powder or paprika (if you have smoked paprika that would be the BEST).

Once the beans are heated through and looking good it’s ready to serve! This dish was excellent with my Southern fried chicken and makes a great alternative to the usual old potato salad.

Spicy Jalapeno Corn Bread From Scratch! Which is pretty much...

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:16:14 -0700

Spicy Jalapeno Corn Bread From Scratch!

Which is pretty much just as easy as the box kind. I made a Southern style Sunday dinner this week (I’ll post about all the dishes!) and realized that I’d forgotten to get box of corn bread mix so instead of panic, I realized I had all the ingredients in the house already so I threw them together and, zoom, there was corn bread!

All it takes is a cup of corn meal, a cup of all-purpose flour, a quarter cup sugar, a tablespoon of baking powder and a teaspoon of salt mixed together in a medium sized bowl.

In a separate bowl mix one cup milk, one-third cup vegetable oil and one large egg, slightly beaten. Now mix the wet ingredients into the dry, add a small can of diced jalapenos, mix in a pour in a nine inch round cake pan (or square or what ever shallow tin you have) and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Ok now here’s a country gourmet trick. Instead of the cake tin, take a 10 inch cast iron skillet and heat it up on a high flame, take it off the heat and toss in a tablespoon of butter and let it melt and cover the bottom and sides. Now pour the corn bread batter in the skillet and toss in the oven to bake. It will take a little less time to bake so watch carefully and the bottom will have an extra delicious buttery browned crust which complements both a spicy and a sweet corn bread.

Make some tonight! It’s so easy and good!

Apricot Blueberry Galette!It’s a tart kinda a pie with out...

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:29:00 -0700

Apricot Blueberry Galette!

It’s a tart kinda a pie with out the tin and above all else easy and fun to make! I was hunting around for ideas since I had a pile of apricots to use and everything I was running across was waaaaay too involved until I remembered this French style bistro tart.

First pit and slice your fruit and put in your big mixing bowl. Like all my favorites, this recipe is very versatile and you can use whatever summer fruit you have on hand; peaches, blackberries, plums, cherries, nectarines, boysenberries or any combo of them, you’ll need about a pound and a quarter in all. Adjust the amount of sugar and lemon for how ripe and sweet your particular fruit is. I used pretty ripe apricots and a handful of blueberries for this one.

Ok, toss in with the sliced fruit, a half cup of sugar, two tablespoons of flour, a half teaspoon almond extract, the zest of one lemon and two teaspoons of lemon juice. If it moves you to, you can also add a quarter cup of dried currents or raisins and a quarter cup slivered almonds but I like it best with just the fruit.

Mix gently but thoroughly and let it sit while you whip up the pie crust.

Use any pie crust you like. I’ll put the fancy sounding but simple “Pate Brisee” recipe below or you can use a pre-made one or your “mom’s favorite” recipe, and roll out to about thirteen inches in diameter and of even thickness.

Place in the center of a lightly buttered baking sheet.

Now, just pile the fruit mixture in the center in a nice big mound leaving about a two inch margin all around. Gently fold the edges up and over the sides of the fruit mound so the fruit is visible in the center. Don’t be nervous that there’s no tin or support! This works great just make sure your tin has a rim because juices will flow a little and who wants to clean an oven!

Stick in a 375 degree oven just like that for around 40-50 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and the filling bubbling.

A little paitience is needed for this next step because you have to let it cool for at least an hour before serving. Once its mostly cooled, it slices and serves like a dream. If you can’t wait because it smells so good, the tender pie crust won’t hold it all together and there will be no pretty picture of it being served for the blog. But boy did it taste great!!!

All Butter Pie Crust – “Pâte Brisée”This makes one pâte brisée crust, enough for one tart. If you...

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:25:00 -0700

All Butter Pie Crust – “Pâte Brisée”

This makes one pâte brisée crust, enough for one tart. If you are making a pie with a bottom and top crust, double this recipe and form two discs of dough instead of one.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar (increase to 1 1/2 teaspoons if for a sweet recipe)
2 to 4 Tbsp ice water, very cold

Cut the sticks of butter into 1/2-inch cubes and put in the freezer for at least ten minutes so that they become good and chilled. In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar, pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add water one Tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some together and it holds then it’s ready, if not, add a little more water and pulse again.

Dump dough from machine and place on a clean lightly floured surface. Carefully shape into a disc. Do not over work the dough! Just knead enough to make the disc. You should still be able to see little bits of butter in the dough and these bits are what will make you a flaky crust! Sprinkle the disc with a little flour on all sides and wrap the disc in plastic wrap and toss in the freezer for 12 minutes to firm up.

When you are ready to roll it out, if it is too stiff, let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12-13 inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. Be careful and gentle as you roll out the dough, and use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep from sticking.

Gently fold in half. Place on to a 9-inch pie plate, lining up the fold with the center of the pan. Gently unfold and press down to line the pie dish with the dough.

Hummus! It’s so easy to make in my new food processor!...

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:42:00 -0700

Hummus!

It’s so easy to make in my new food processor! (Did I mention I LOVE my new food processor? I do. I love it!) You can also easily whip this up in a blender!

Take one can of garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas), organic if at all possible, and put in the food pro. Add 2 generous tablespoons of tahini (ground sesame butter) the juice of one lemon (add half a lemon more if you like extra lemon), a teaspoon and a half of ground cumin, a glug of olive oil and couple pinches of salt.

Blend the heck out of it until nice and creamy! A blender will do a better job if you like creamy-creamy hummus. I like mine with a little more body so the processor is perfect. You might have to add a tablespoon or two of water if it’s looking too thick to blend well.

Top off with a splash of olive oil and light sprinkling of paprika.

I served it up with warm pita triangles and a host of veggies: cucumber, carrot, jimica, string beans, bell pepper and celery. A fantastic snack, party platter or light meal on a hot summer night!

Summer Slaw! I LOVE to make coleslaw for some reason. My mom...

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:46:15 -0700

Summer Slaw!

I LOVE to make coleslaw for some reason. My mom used to make the BEST slaw until she got a food processor and decided that it was easier to make a super fine chopped up version of her delicious hand chopped one I’ve always loved. It may be tempting to use short cuts but HAND CUT EVERYTHING for delicious slaw. Ok, a mandolin or grater is ok but don’t use a food processor for this one or you’ll make me sad!

I used napa cabbage for this one but I think I actually prefer good old regular green cabbage however either work well. Chop as fine as you can a half head of cabbage and put in a big work bowl. Now cut into fine matchsticks half of a red bell pepper, a small cucumber (I like the english or Persian type) and three green onions. Finely mince about eight fresh basil leaves and a little Italian parsley, about a tablespoon or so.

Toss it all in the bowl. Add two tablespoons of olive oil, three table spoons of real mayonnaise, one tablespoon of country Dijon or stone ground mustard, a dash or two of sweet wine vinegar, the juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Mix! Toss! Serve!

Add or subtract anything you like or have on hand because it’s a very versitile recipe. I often add tomatos and other colorful peppers or Walla Walla sweet onions!

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Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:00:07 -0700

Grill-Roasted Corn on the Cobb and Armenian BBQ Chicken. So I...

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:59:49 -0700

Grill-Roasted Corn on the Cobb and Armenian BBQ Chicken.

So I may have gone to a bunch of BBQ’s this weekend instead of cooking up much myself but what a treat! I love a good BBQ holiday especially one that involves large amounts of exploding sparkly things in the sky PLUS I got to eat two of my favorite things and discover a new spice.

I love, love, love roasted corn! Whether at a street fair or carnival or off my home grill, the roasty, smokey, sweet goodness dripping in butter, salt, lime and chili or garlic salt and pepper or Parmesan cheese is the ultimate of summer finger food.

At home, I shuck most of the outer layers of husk off and pull off the silk, soak in water for ten minutes while the grill heats up, then toss on for around seven to ten minutes a side or until the corn is good and roasted. The exact time will depend on the heat of your grill and the level of roasty you like.

You can also shuck the ears completely and put directly on the fire but I like the handle the husks make when you peel them back after they’re done!

Now, the new spice I was told was “pomegranate skin powder”. Apparently a common Armenian spice and was sprinkle on the delicious BBQ chicken above. I’m doing a bit of research since the BBQ master was too secretive to share much info but it was kinda tart, kinda dry tasting but I need to find some and experiment so look for a more in depth post soon!

The BBQ sauce he made was awesome though and the pomegranate flavor definately added to the experiance. I’m pretty sure he used pomegranate molassas as the secret ingrediant!

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Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:08:40 -0700

Street Fiesta Taquitos-Pupusas-Taco Stand! Not too far from my...

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:08:14 -0700

Street Fiesta Taquitos-Pupusas-Taco Stand!

Not too far from my house I stumbled upon a weekend long street fair in a predominately Mexican and Central American neighborhood. Smack in the middle was this awesome food stand with nearly every tasty treat you could ask for. Pupasas from El Salvador, roasted corn, tacos, gorditas enchilada style, plantains, burritos, fruit smoothies, agua frescas and one of my favorite street snacks, taquitos!

Everyting looked so tasty, but I limited myself to one carne asada taco and a trio of chicken taquitos with queso fresco and a splash of smokey roasted salsa. Taquitos are really just tacos rolled up and deep fried and served with favorite sauces and cheese.

Super easy to do at home healthy style too. Just take your favorite cooked and seasoned taco meat (or veggies like roasted potatoes and peppers), roll up in six inch corn tortillas and gently fry in a half inch of hot vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet flipping over once for around five minutes on each side. Make dozens beacause people will chow though them! Such great finger food for adults and kids plus every one can choose what kind of sauce, salsa or cheesy goodness to dip in!

Angels on Horseback. Another oyster post since they are my...

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:28:00 -0700

Angels on Horseback.

Another oyster post since they are my favorite summer, and in my family, fourth of July treat. For the family BBQ we pick up a bag of big ol’ Totten oysters from a road side stand (one of the perks of being in the northwest), toss ‘em on a hot grill for about 5 minutes and just as the shells pop open squirt on some lemon eat!

Tottens are a bigger oyster better for cooking than the more delicate and smaller types (Kumomoto, Blue Point or the tiny, excuisite Olympia) and also a great choice for angels on horseback but you can use any oyster available in your area.

Take a dozen shucked oysters and marinate in the juice of a lemon, a dash of cayenne and a tablespoon of chopped parsley. While they are marinating, cook 12 strips of bacon in a pan until just browned.

Drain let cool a little and pat off extra bacon grease. Now, wrap each oyster in a strip of bacon and thread on a bamboo skewer leaving about a half inch between each little bacon wrapped dream and season with salt and pepper.

Grill or broil until the bacon is crisp and the oysters start to contract or curl, about 5-7 mins. per side depending on how high the heat.

Serve either on the stick or arranged on top of a little vinegrette dressed arugula salad.