Monthly Archives:

April 2018

Review April 29, 2018

A Meatloaf in Every Oven

A Meatloaf in Every Oven Frank Bruni and Jennifer Steinhauer Illustrations by Marilyn Pollack Naron 2017 Purchased at Eataly New York Flatiron Recipes cooked: Michael White’s chicken eggplant loaf, Greek loaf with lamb and feta, a meatless loaf for Dennis, Alex Guarnaschelli’s Mom’s meatloaf, Swedish meatball loaf Recipes I want to cook: Annie Miler’s home-style loaf with cheddar and parsley, South African bobotie loaf, Daniel Patterson’s zucchini loaf, Auvergne style loaf with prunes, Leslie Bruni’s sweet nostalgic loaf Difficulty to…

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Review April 22, 2018

The Home Cook

The Home Cook: recipes to know by heart Alex Guarnaschelli Photographs by Johnny Miller 2017 Pre-ordered from Amazon with love Recipes cooked: Zucchini and Parmigiano-Reggiano soup, 1984 portobello sandwich, all-day low-maintenance chicken broth with peppered carrots, warm candied corn salad, fresh and frozen pea salad, asparagus soup with toasted walnuts, quickie “white” minestrone (with modifications) Recipes I want to cook: Raw white mushroom salad, shrimp bisque, lobster rolls, midnight Bolognese with rigatoni, my dad’s lemon chicken, chicken marbella 2.0, crisped…

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Featured Restaurant Review April 21, 2018

Down South

Down South: Bourbon, Pork, Gulf Shrimp & Second Helpings of Everything Donald Link with Paula Disbrowe Photographs by Chris Granger 2014 Purchased from Kitchen Witch, French Quarter, New Orleans Dishes cooked: Creamy onion dip, shrimp rémoulade, smothered chicken, lamb shoulder stew with lemons and olives, pork neck bone stew Dishes I want to cook: Chicken liver pâté, blue crab beignets with rémoulade sauce, parmesan bacon gougères, fried fish collars with chile vinegar, shrimp and crab spaghetti, orange cream cheese bars with…

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Restaurant Review April 21, 2018

The Scarpetta Cookbook

The Scarpetta Cookbook Scott Conant Photographs by Brent Herrig 2013 Purchased from the LA Times Festival of Books and signed to me personally by Chef Conant Recipes cooked: Focaccia, carne crudo albese, Scarpetta tomato sauce, fresh spaghetti, black farfalle, black truffle risotto, rabbit ragù, celery root purée, sunchoke purée, Scarpetta’s roasted porchetta (seasoning only) Recipes I want to cook: Stromboli, mascarpone butter, yellowtail crudo with chile and ginger oils, short ribs with farro and vegetable risotto, sweetbreads with pan-roasted fall vegetables and…

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Restaurant Review April 21, 2018

My Nepenthe

My Nepenthe: Bohemian Tales of Food, Family, and Big Sur Romney Steele Photographs by Sara Remington 2015 Purchased from the UCLA bookstore on a rough day at work Recipes cooked: Nepenthe cheese pie, chopped salad with Roquefort dressing Recipes I want to cook: Ambrosiaburger, butter and radish sandwiches, Day at the Beach minestrone soup, Lolly’s lamb curry, marinated fresh Monterey sardines, sangria a la Nepenthe Difficulty to make: Easy to medium Difficulty to source: Easy to medium At Nepenthe and…

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Restaurant Review April 21, 2018

The Roberta’s Cookbook

The Roberta’s Cookbook Carlo Mirarchi, Brandon Hoy, Chris Parachini, and Katherine Wheelock Art direction by Ryan Rice 2013 Received as a prize for winning the “most creative” award at the UCLA Edible Book Contest for a focaccia, cheese, and assorted jelly depiction of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden Recipes cooked: Pizza dough; Cheesus Christ; roasted garlic dressing; asparagus with egg yolk, trout roe, and lemon; togarashi dressing; bonito butter; salsa verde Recipes I want to cook: Linguine with sea urchin and chili; pappardelle…

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Restaurant Review April 21, 2018

Root to Leaf

Root to Leaf: A Southern Chef Cooks Through the Seasons Steven Satterfield Photographs by John Kernick 2015 Purchased from the restaurant Miller Union and signed to me personally by Chef Satterfield Recipes I’ve cooked: Mostly, I’ve used this as a reference book for buying, storing, and preparing vegetables and fruits, not a cookbook—though there are many enticing recipes Recipes I want to cook: All of them, really Difficulty to source: Easy Difficulty to cook: Easy I love Root to Leaf…

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Restaurant Review April 21, 2018

Mozza at Home

Mozza at Home Nancy Silverton with Carolynn Carreño Photographs by Christopher Hirsheimer 2016 Purchased from Artbook at Hauser and Wirth, Arts District, Los Angeles Dishes cooked: Tomatillo salsa, roasted spring onions, perfect hard-cooked eggs, marinated summer squash salad, salsa rustica Dishes I want to cook: Endive salad with date anchovy dressing; carrot and rice salad with ginger sumac dressing; Sal’s roasted pork shoulder; braised oxtails; green potato leek salad with scallion vinaigrette; pasta salad with bitter greens, Parmigiano cream, and guanciale Difficulty…

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Restaurant Review April 21, 2018

Smoke and Pickles

Smoke and Pickles: Recipes and Stories from a New Southern Kitchen Edward Lee Food styling by Dimitry Jones, handlettering by Jacob Covey 2013 Christmas gift in 2013 Recipes cooked: Darkly braised lamb shoulder; grilled kalbi; rice bowl with chicken, orange, peanuts, and miso remoulade; rice bowl with spicy pork, jicama, cilantro, and kimchi remoulade (except with salmon and no jicama) Recipes I want to cook: Grilled lamb heart galbi, Kentucky fried quail, bacon pâté BLT (with Schramsberg blanc de blanc per…

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Restaurant Review April 21, 2018

Bäco

Bäco: Vivid recipes from the heart of Los Angeles Josef Centeno and Betty Hallock Photographs by Dylan James Ho and Jeni Afuso 2017 Purchased from Skylight Books in Los Feliz, Los Angeles Recipes cooked: Mint and rose pickled red onions; poblano-feta dip; caramelized cauliflower with mint, pine nuts, lime, and yogurt; slow-roasted berbere-cured ocean trout; fuyu persimmon salad with grapes, red walnuts, and sherry vinegar; roasted golden beets with radishes, cucumbers, hazelnuts, and creamy poblano-feta dressing; Sichuan pepper lamb top…

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