ok, so maybe this isn't exactly "on the street," but a couple weeks ago i was at the bar, dada, on 2nd and mission for a happy hour drink celebrating a coworker's birthday when in strolls a latino man, around his late 40's/50's, dressed in shorts and garb reminscent of a tommy bahamas outfit gone bad. in rolled behind him a large cooler on a small collaspable metal dolly. he parked himself and his fridge against the wall five feet away from our seats. the bouncer let him in with that? he looked oddly out of place.
i minded my own drink until i overheard another man say above the noisy bar din, "what you got?" "chicken mole, pork verde, and cheese." "i'll take a chicken and pork." "five dollahs." glancing over i watched the man flip open the cooler, reach in, and parcel two small bundles into the other man's hand. my eyes widened.
TAMALES!! IT'S A TAMALE GUY! thoughts of rapturous tamale/street food experiences lived vicariously through the tales of chowhounders and south central LA'ers alike danced through my head. i jumped right up and took two big steps up to the cooler.
"how much?" "one for three dollahs, two for five." "i'll take a... um... pork and chicken! are you always here?" "nah, i hop around from place to place until i sell out." an exchange of paper, corn husk, and thanks.
whoa! that ain't no cooler. these little suckers were piping hot! i sat back down, happy that i'd gotten the goods before the growing crowd around the cooler got even bigger, unpeeled the husks off the pork and dug in with my flismy, white plastic fork.
the masa had a wonderful texture: not too mealy, not too soft. it was well-seasoned and exquistely juicy (read lard, hehe), the pork verde filling tender and slightly tart and spicy. the chicken fared even better, its mole being savory and smokey at the same time.
by this time several others had plopped back into their stools and seats with their own masa concocctions and were savouring an unexpected bar snack. one felt the filling was a bit sparse while another raved about the lard. still another argued between mouthfuls how the tamale lady of mission was way better. whatever. my head was buzzed and my stomach was full. i'd call it a good nite. i do hope the tamale guy of 2nd street is around next time i'm out for happy hour.
11.15.2006
11.07.2006
collard greens and ham hocks
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
ok so this recipe isn't exactly green eggs and ham, but doesn't a glance at the title of this post make you think of green eggs and ham?? maybe not. i loved this dr. suess tale as a kid so i do. i've always wanted to try green eggs and ham. anybody know what the dish actually refers to (without looking it up on wikipedia)? =)
as i've never made slow-braised greens before, only sauteed greens, i've decided to test this dish out before making 30 servings worth at my thanksgiving dinner. i researched several recipes but didn't find one with enough complexity in flavors. so i'm combining a couple with the hopes that it'll come out good. here's what i've done...
lightly brown the following in a large stock pot:
1 smoked ham hock
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic smashed
1 bay leaf
evoo
once brown i added 1 bag (1 lb) precut, prewashed collards and the following:
6 cups water
1 T brown sugar
2 T vinegar
1/4 t paprika
1/2 t tabasco
brought it up to a boil and then lowered to a simmer and covered for 45 min. and that's where i am right now. i'm going to check for seasoning after 45 min and let it cook another 15 uncovered. then i'll chop up the meat and remove the bone and bay leaf. to be continued...
it's now 1.5 hours later. after checking at the 45 min mark, i realized the cellular structures of the greens weren't even close to breaking down and the hock hadn't even started melting so i popped the lid back on and let it go for another 30 min at a simmer. checking it now shows the hock is a lot more tender and the collard stocks are edible. but it's still not at the soft consistency i want it at. also, i seasoned with a good amount of salt and pepper and a few more dashes of tabasco. i'll check again in 15 min and see how it's doing. =)
so after another 30 min (2 hrs total), i'm finally at the consistency and flavor development i want. the liquid has cooked down quite a bit and the hock meat is falling off the bone. i had to adjust again with salt and overdid it a little with the pepper and/or tabasco. i'll have to watch that next week. i'm going to wait for it to cool down a bit and taste it again, as your tongue's ability to taste salt and some seasonings is based on how hot food is.
just had a sample. my lips now have a light film of grease. haha. flavor actually was pretty good and has a nice kick to it. it does need a little more salt and i'll have to watch out on the pepper/tabasco combo. i wonder what it'll taste like tomorrow after it's had a chance to sit and meld... mmm...
I do not like them with a fox.
I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
ok so this recipe isn't exactly green eggs and ham, but doesn't a glance at the title of this post make you think of green eggs and ham?? maybe not. i loved this dr. suess tale as a kid so i do. i've always wanted to try green eggs and ham. anybody know what the dish actually refers to (without looking it up on wikipedia)? =)
as i've never made slow-braised greens before, only sauteed greens, i've decided to test this dish out before making 30 servings worth at my thanksgiving dinner. i researched several recipes but didn't find one with enough complexity in flavors. so i'm combining a couple with the hopes that it'll come out good. here's what i've done...
lightly brown the following in a large stock pot:
1 smoked ham hock
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic smashed
1 bay leaf
evoo
once brown i added 1 bag (1 lb) precut, prewashed collards and the following:
6 cups water
1 T brown sugar
2 T vinegar
1/4 t paprika
1/2 t tabasco
brought it up to a boil and then lowered to a simmer and covered for 45 min. and that's where i am right now. i'm going to check for seasoning after 45 min and let it cook another 15 uncovered. then i'll chop up the meat and remove the bone and bay leaf. to be continued...
it's now 1.5 hours later. after checking at the 45 min mark, i realized the cellular structures of the greens weren't even close to breaking down and the hock hadn't even started melting so i popped the lid back on and let it go for another 30 min at a simmer. checking it now shows the hock is a lot more tender and the collard stocks are edible. but it's still not at the soft consistency i want it at. also, i seasoned with a good amount of salt and pepper and a few more dashes of tabasco. i'll check again in 15 min and see how it's doing. =)
so after another 30 min (2 hrs total), i'm finally at the consistency and flavor development i want. the liquid has cooked down quite a bit and the hock meat is falling off the bone. i had to adjust again with salt and overdid it a little with the pepper and/or tabasco. i'll have to watch that next week. i'm going to wait for it to cool down a bit and taste it again, as your tongue's ability to taste salt and some seasonings is based on how hot food is.
just had a sample. my lips now have a light film of grease. haha. flavor actually was pretty good and has a nice kick to it. it does need a little more salt and i'll have to watch out on the pepper/tabasco combo. i wonder what it'll taste like tomorrow after it's had a chance to sit and meld... mmm...
11.02.2006
wednesday nite dinner no. 2
hard to believe it's already been 2 weeks since my first wednesday nite dinner. time flies fast and especially as of late. between work and social life, i've neglected my poor food blog. but dedicated i am and right now i'm working on some interesting entries including a review of the new front porch in bernal heights and a photo journey of my summer trip partaking in some of new york's finest hole-in-the-walls. but back to this entry... and we all know what this one's about... =)
in attendance from left to right: victor, kendrick, danna, andrew and ali
on the menu tonite, latin influence...
coming up with an interesting starter that would complement the main dish was a challenge this time. i wanted to be creative but couldn't get past the old chips and salsa concept. upon researching different salsas, i realized tomatillos (used to make tangy and tart salsa verde) could be stuffed like tomatoes are. so i picked up a basket of tomatillos, which interstingly enough, when hulled, emit a slimy, sticky goo from its skin. very werid.
reaching back on an old childhood favorite, i decided to devil it (think deviled eggs) only spicing it up with smoky saffron and hot red jalapenos to add more of a latin element. the tomatillos were deseeded then roasted whole with evoo, salt and pepper.
i then mixed the yolks of 4 eggs with some mayo, dijon, lemon juice, saffron, salt and pepper, then added the chopped egg whites and jalapeno. spoon some "devil" into each tomatillo, plate with greens tossed in vinaigrette and sprinkle a little paprika for effect and voila! saffron deviled tomatillos with greens in a lemon-lime vinaigrette.
overall this was ok but definitely needs tweaking of seasonings. i agree with ali that it should be spicier and there was too much acidity going on, given the tomatillo and the lemon-lime vinaigrette. some sweet element was missing. but it shows promise.
pork chops al pastor served with cucumber-jicama-mango salsa and caramelized onion couscous with cilantro and pomegranate seeds.
i love tacos al pastor. the sweet and savory marinated pork served on steaming hot tortillas with hot sauce and cilantro and onions is to die for. so i wanted to bring that to the chop platform and replicate. the marinade consists of pasilla, chipotle and guajillo peppers, cloves, cinnamon, vinegar and crushed pineapple. i let the chops marinate for a couple hours.
meanwhile i caramelized 2 mayan sweet onions for 20 min in a frying pan...
and stirred them into a pot of buttery couscous...
grilling the chops on the grill downstairs took about 15 min total. however, the heat on my grill is uneven and resulted in a couple chops being over/undercooked. toughness became a factor and this really wasn't my moment to shine, being a self-proclaimed pork chop wizard. the marinade also wasn't quite right, lacking depth and complexity, with only smoky and sweet notes that didn't meld together. i also should've pre-salted my chops a day ahead, (per zuni cafe practice). i think it really works to season the meat throughout. next time. it plated beautifully though...
i laid a bed of couscous and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds, then rested the chop on that. a ladle of salsa accompanied the meat. this consisted of diced jicama and mango, thinly sliced cucumbers, lime, cilantro, jalapeno, and evoo. the jicama provides a nice crunch. the mango, however, could've been more ripe and would've sweetened it up a bit. i personally felt the couscous was right on track, having sweet caramelized onion cut by the tartness of pomegranate and pungent cilantro.
all in all, everyone did a pretty good job of cleaning their plates -- and bones -- so i guess it tasted good enough.
dessert came next. victor graciously photographed while i assembled...
flutes of pomegranate almond champagne with floats of mango and raspberry sorbet
this dessert was inspired by both my recent trip to citizen cake in hayes valley and what my chef friend, paul tang, did with his dessert and wine pairing there. having poured his leftover raspberry sorbet into his sweet, crisp champagne, he created a fizzy fruit smoothie that was just awesome. here, i opted for an almond flavored champagne from TJ's and added some pomegranate seeds to the bottom (which ended up floating to the top)...
and added mango sorbet to the mix.
the result was pretty good overall, although some of us felt the raspberry didn't go with the almond flavor that well. in fact the almond flavor was a little too unexpected. i'll be experimenting with other champagnes per danna and ali's suggestions. what was the italian one called again? =)
so overall i felt my 2nd wednesday nite dinner was good. prepping and timing was a lot more manageable this round, but seasoning was off. i guess that's the risk you run when you're cooking or creating dishes for the first time. ah but then again, all of you out there are my guinea pigs. =) so don't worry, i will get better and better. for those that dined last nite, please give me feedback. i'm always looking to improve!
and so ends another dinner and anticipation for another... here are the next lucky five!
drumroll please...
jeff! (he couldn't read your writing)
scott! (what's the heart doing there?)
who's RD? oh that's rebecca der!
edmundo!
june!
congratulations! the next wednesday nite dinner will be held on december 6th. what with thanksgiving dinner for 30 on the 18th and then again for family in LA on the 234d, i'll need the time to get my creative cooking juices flowing again. ;)
thanks again for everyone's support and see you at the next wednesday nite dinner!
in attendance from left to right: victor, kendrick, danna, andrew and ali
on the menu tonite, latin influence...
coming up with an interesting starter that would complement the main dish was a challenge this time. i wanted to be creative but couldn't get past the old chips and salsa concept. upon researching different salsas, i realized tomatillos (used to make tangy and tart salsa verde) could be stuffed like tomatoes are. so i picked up a basket of tomatillos, which interstingly enough, when hulled, emit a slimy, sticky goo from its skin. very werid.
reaching back on an old childhood favorite, i decided to devil it (think deviled eggs) only spicing it up with smoky saffron and hot red jalapenos to add more of a latin element. the tomatillos were deseeded then roasted whole with evoo, salt and pepper.
i then mixed the yolks of 4 eggs with some mayo, dijon, lemon juice, saffron, salt and pepper, then added the chopped egg whites and jalapeno. spoon some "devil" into each tomatillo, plate with greens tossed in vinaigrette and sprinkle a little paprika for effect and voila! saffron deviled tomatillos with greens in a lemon-lime vinaigrette.
overall this was ok but definitely needs tweaking of seasonings. i agree with ali that it should be spicier and there was too much acidity going on, given the tomatillo and the lemon-lime vinaigrette. some sweet element was missing. but it shows promise.
pork chops al pastor served with cucumber-jicama-mango salsa and caramelized onion couscous with cilantro and pomegranate seeds.
i love tacos al pastor. the sweet and savory marinated pork served on steaming hot tortillas with hot sauce and cilantro and onions is to die for. so i wanted to bring that to the chop platform and replicate. the marinade consists of pasilla, chipotle and guajillo peppers, cloves, cinnamon, vinegar and crushed pineapple. i let the chops marinate for a couple hours.
meanwhile i caramelized 2 mayan sweet onions for 20 min in a frying pan...
and stirred them into a pot of buttery couscous...
grilling the chops on the grill downstairs took about 15 min total. however, the heat on my grill is uneven and resulted in a couple chops being over/undercooked. toughness became a factor and this really wasn't my moment to shine, being a self-proclaimed pork chop wizard. the marinade also wasn't quite right, lacking depth and complexity, with only smoky and sweet notes that didn't meld together. i also should've pre-salted my chops a day ahead, (per zuni cafe practice). i think it really works to season the meat throughout. next time. it plated beautifully though...
i laid a bed of couscous and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds, then rested the chop on that. a ladle of salsa accompanied the meat. this consisted of diced jicama and mango, thinly sliced cucumbers, lime, cilantro, jalapeno, and evoo. the jicama provides a nice crunch. the mango, however, could've been more ripe and would've sweetened it up a bit. i personally felt the couscous was right on track, having sweet caramelized onion cut by the tartness of pomegranate and pungent cilantro.
all in all, everyone did a pretty good job of cleaning their plates -- and bones -- so i guess it tasted good enough.
dessert came next. victor graciously photographed while i assembled...
flutes of pomegranate almond champagne with floats of mango and raspberry sorbet
this dessert was inspired by both my recent trip to citizen cake in hayes valley and what my chef friend, paul tang, did with his dessert and wine pairing there. having poured his leftover raspberry sorbet into his sweet, crisp champagne, he created a fizzy fruit smoothie that was just awesome. here, i opted for an almond flavored champagne from TJ's and added some pomegranate seeds to the bottom (which ended up floating to the top)...
and added mango sorbet to the mix.
the result was pretty good overall, although some of us felt the raspberry didn't go with the almond flavor that well. in fact the almond flavor was a little too unexpected. i'll be experimenting with other champagnes per danna and ali's suggestions. what was the italian one called again? =)
so overall i felt my 2nd wednesday nite dinner was good. prepping and timing was a lot more manageable this round, but seasoning was off. i guess that's the risk you run when you're cooking or creating dishes for the first time. ah but then again, all of you out there are my guinea pigs. =) so don't worry, i will get better and better. for those that dined last nite, please give me feedback. i'm always looking to improve!
and so ends another dinner and anticipation for another... here are the next lucky five!
drumroll please...
jeff! (he couldn't read your writing)
scott! (what's the heart doing there?)
who's RD? oh that's rebecca der!
edmundo!
june!
congratulations! the next wednesday nite dinner will be held on december 6th. what with thanksgiving dinner for 30 on the 18th and then again for family in LA on the 234d, i'll need the time to get my creative cooking juices flowing again. ;)
thanks again for everyone's support and see you at the next wednesday nite dinner!
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