You know you’ve got a true friend when they’ll stand at the counter, practically developing a case of carpal tunnel, squeezing dozens of limes, lemons and oranges for what seems like hours to make fresh citrus margaritas for a party. That’s exactly what my friend Chip did at a summer gathering I had a while back. He made the mistake of telling me about these delicious, fresh margaritas he first had at the bar of the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, California, after a long, hot day on the golf course. The bartender bragged that he made the best fresh citrus margaritas, and now, so did Chip. Of course, I had to try these legendary margaritas and a party seemed like the perfect occasion. Well, needless to say, the margaritas lived up to their legend and they were a huge hit. Every time Chip finished making one, an empty glass would be shoved in his direction, ready for a refill. He stood there like a trooper, squeezing and shaking those drinks until the mountain of citrus was gone. When I told him I wanted to include the drink in this blog he looked slightly befuddled. “But it’s not really my recipe,” he said. I disagree. Anyone who will stand there for that long squeezing all that citrus has earned the right to lay claim to the recipe. So, for your enjoyment, by way of the Fairmont Hotel, here are Chip’s Fresh Citrus Margaritas. Oh, and just so you know, the next time he got roped into making these for a party, he came armed with an electric juicer.
Serves 1 Juice of 2 limes Juice of 1 lemon Juice of ½ an orange 2 ounces premium silver tequila 2 ounces Cointreau or Triple Sec 1 ounce simple syrup, or to taste depending on sweetness of the fruit Kosher salt, for rimming glass Lime wedge, for garnish
Rub the outside rim of a glass with a cut lime and dip lightly into a plate of kosher salt.
Combine the lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, Tequila, Triple Sec and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Tumble in a handful of ice and shake until icy cold. Serve on the rocks, garnished with a lime wedge.
Whenever my friends attend parties I can hardly wait to corner them and find out all about the food that was served. Forget the guest list or the locale. I want to know about the food! If I can’t sample it myself I can always live vicariously, right? A good friend of mine recently attended a very chic wedding in Malibu and couldn’t wait to tell me all about these perfect little bites. Grilled plum with a bit of creamy Gorgonzola slightly melted on top, wrapped up in buttery prosciutto and fastened together with a sprig of rosemary. An elegant, easy starter.Done and DONE!
Prosciutto Wrapped Grilled Plums with Gorgonzola & Rosemary
Serves 8 2 purple or black plums, pitted and sliced into eights Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing plums
8 teaspoons Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled or sliced 8 slices prosciutto
16 small sprigs of fresh rosemary
Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill over high heat.
Lightly brush the plum slices with the olive oil and place on the hot grill. Turn once to get grill marks on each cut side of the fruit. Remove and cool slightly. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of Gorgonzola on each slice of plum. Cut each slice of prosciutto in half lengthwise. Wrap the prosciutto around each plum slice and skewer with a sprig of rosemary to secure.
There is a time of year in Los Angeles (a city not exactly known for its change of seasons) when the mildly warm days of spring give way to the blistering hot days of summer. The days get longer, the whirring sound of central air-conditioners everywhere become a constant hum and the first scent of a neighbor’s grill wafts through the window, signaling the start of grilling season. It’s my favorite time of year! Though admittedly, I don’t limit my love or consumption of grilled food strictly to the summer months. I have long had a sturdy, well-seasoned cast iron grill pan in my kitchen that I use with unapologetic regularity, rain or shine. Sometimes, it’s just more comfortable to grill inside, in the 65° comfort of my own central air-conditioned kitchen, than to be outside sweating over a grill in the heat. The following recipe for Salt Steak however, must be cooked on an outdoor grill, but that’s part of the fun.
Glancing over the recipe, you may find it odd, even alarming that I’ve instructed you to use 1½ cups of kosher salt (no, I haven’t lost it completely and it’s not a typo). It is called Salt Steak after all. This method of grilling the meat, on a bed of coarse salt placed directly on the paper towels, the whole thing over the flame, doesn’t make the meat taste too salty. Instead, it keeps the meat incredibly tender and seasons it perfectly. This method is loosely based on a cooking technique used in both Italy and France for cooking chicken and whole fish encased in salt.
This recipe calls for London Broil, which is inexpensive, feeds an army and goes on sale all summer long. Interestingly, London Broil is a cooking method, NOT a cut of meat. Contrary to its name, it's virtually unknown in London, England. It can be flank steak, but is usually top round roast. If you’ve never dealt with London Broil before, it’s important to remember a few things: for really tender meat, it needs to be cooked to medium-rare, sliced thin on a 45° angle, and always, always cut across the grain.
2 to 2½ pounds London Broil 1½ cups kosher salt, for grilling Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste 2½ sticks unsalted butter, melted 3 cloves garlic, minced, or to taste ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 loaf sliced French bread (sandwich-style)
Preheat outdoor grill to high heat.
On a plate, layer 3 white paper towels, one on top of the other, and place the London broil on top of them. Allow the meat to sit for several minutes so the juices soak the towels, leaving behind an impression of the meat. Remove the meat and fill the impression with an even layer of salt, about ½ inch thick. Season the meat generously with plenty of freshly-cracked pepper on both sides and place it on the salt.
Lay the whole thing on the grill and - stick with me here - don’t be alarmed when the dry edges of the paper towel catch fire and burn up almost immediately; the soaked portion of towel will be fine. Grill the meat for about 10 to 12 minutes per side turning it once back onto the paper towel. For medium rare, it’s done when an instant read thermometer registers 130° to 135°. Transfer the meat to a cutting board, tent it loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the garlic and allow the flavors to infuse for a few minutes. Pour the butter into a shallow dish and stir in the chopped parsley.
To serve, slice the London Broil diagonally across the grain into thin strips. Quickly dip one side of the bread into the melted garlic butter and place butter side up on the plate. Lay several slices of meat over the bread and dig in greedily.
"You always had it, Dorothy." It's my favorite moment in the Wizard of Oz when Glinda the Good Witch gives a gentle reminder of what should have been obvious all along. By "it" of course, she is referring to the power to return home, an answer Dorothy spent the entire film searching for. I've always believed she missed it because she was expecting something bigger, something that would hit her over the head, rather than quietly whisper in her ear. It's true that sometimes exactly what we're looking for has been right there all along and it doesn't always hit us over the head.
I got that reminder recently when I was searching high and low for the perfect dessert to serve at a dinner party. I'd been pouring over my favorite cookbooks and websites. For me, it's not really a dinner party without something sweet and homemade to cap off the evening. I was looking for something homey and familiar, not overly fussy, but impressive and delicious enough to make my guests think I'd spent all day preparing it. I wanted them licking their forks and groaning in pleasure with that look that says: "I really want another piece even though I'm stuffed." I live for that look on people's faces.
The answer came in the form of chocolate cream pie. Not just any chocolate cream pie, but the best chocolate cream pie I ever ate, according to my friend Beth. It was a very exuberant endorsement. "You have to make this pie, Dave. You HAVE to. You. Will. Die!" she exclaimed, in a giddy and overly-punctuated tone that drove her point home with laser-like precision. She explained that she'd just made a mile-high cream pie that appeared in the latest issue of Saveur magazine and it was so delicious, so over-the-top, she had to give most of it away because she couldn't stop eating it. I pictured a goldfish that just keeps eating until it explodes. "I don't know Beth...," I hesitated, as images of Jell-O Instant Pudding pushed their way into my head, "I have that magazine and I saw that pie and it looked pretty good, but I need something AH-mazing." The truth was I get so many food magazines every month I sometimes do little more than scan them walking back from the mailbox. I really had seen the recipe; it just didn't seem exciting enough to make me stop on the page. Beth wasn't having it. "You don't understand!" she replied breathlessly. "This pie is beyond amazing, it's RI-diculous! It starts with 9 egg yolks and almost a pound of chocolate! It's sooo good!" She had me at 9 egg yolks. That was all the convincing I needed.
On the way home I stopped by the market and picked up the ingredients I needed to make this Holy Grail of chocolate pies. Standing in the checkout line I flipped through a copy of Saveur, found the recipe and took the time to actually read it. I was immediately hypnotized by the drool-worthy picture of the pie in the magazine and the geniusness of its back-to-basics simplicity. As I read further it became clear this was no ordinary chocolate cream pie. I bought that copy just in case I couldn't find my original at home.
As I made the custard and piled it high into the chocolate shell to chill, I was of course licking the wooden spoon and scraping at the bowl to get every last bit of custard. It was heavenly. It was so dense with rich chocolate flavor and so creamy (undoubtedly from the 9 egg yolks) that I briefly considered skipping dinner all together and going straight to dessert. Needless to say the pie was a huge success at the dinner party. After the first bite, silence fell over the table. After the second bite, one of my guests spoke almost reverently, "OMG! This is the best chocolate cream pie I've ever eaten. This is really good!" I replayed the story of how I wasn't so easily swayed when Beth tried to convince me to make it for dessert. "It just seemed so ordinary," I confessed. Secretly I was a bit embarrassed that I gave her such a hard time. Licking their forks and groaning in pleasure my guests exclaimed, "Are you crazy?! This pie isn't ordinary, it's orgasmic! You HAVE to share this recipe!" Orgasmic indeed.
Turns out the perfect dessert was right there under my nose, it was just buried in a large stack with all my other food magazines and unless that stack toppled over on me, it wasn't about to hit me over the head.
Like Dorothy I just needed a gentle reminder that I'd always had it.
The Best Chocolate Cream Pie I Ever Ate
The title alone should tell you everything you need to know on this one. A crunchy crust and pudding-like filling make this pie a standout. This pie should be well chilled before it’s served.
Serves 8 to 12
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½ -inch cubes and chilled, plus more for pie plate ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar 1 (9 ounce) package Nabisco chocolate wafers, finely ground 3 ½ cups half and half 2⁄3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided ¼ cup cornstarch 9 egg yolks 9 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped 2 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped 2 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 cups heavy cream Good quality dark chocolate, shaved, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch glass pie plate with butter; set aside. Heat 8 tablespoons butter and brown sugar in a 1-quart saucepan until sugar dissolves. Transfer butter mixture to a medium bowl; stir in ground wafers. Transfer mixture to pie plate; press into bottom and sides, using the bottom of a measuring cup to compress crust. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Bake until set, about 15 minutes; let cool.
Heat half and half in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until it just begins to simmer; remove pan from heat. In a large bowl, whisk together 2⁄3 cup sugar and cornstarch; add egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Drizzle half-and-half into egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan; heat over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until bubbles rise to the surface and mixture is very thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add remaining butter and chocolates in small batches, whisking until smooth; stir in 1½ teaspoons vanilla. Set a sieve over a medium bowl and strain chocolate mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic onto surface to prevent skin from forming; refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.
Remove plastic wrap from chocolate filling and, using a rubber spatula, stir mixture until smooth. Spoon mixture into reserved crust, forming a dome, and smooth surface with the spatula.In a large bowl, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, remaining vanilla, and heavy cream until stiff peaks form; spread on top of filling, forming a dome. Using a vegetable peeler, shave some of the dark chocolate onto top of pie. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Orange-Scented Whipped Cream
Serves 8 to 10
FOR THE CAKE 12 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate 12 tablespoons unsalted butter 6 large eggs, separated 12 tablespoons sugar, divided 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste Zest of an orange, grated 1 large marshmallow, to stabilize* cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line the bottom a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and the butter in a double boiler, or even better, in the microwave for about 2 minutes on medium power. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with 6 tablespoons of the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla, fold in the melted chocolate and set aside.
Meanwhile, beat the egg whites in another medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar and beat until medium-firm peaks form. Lighten the chocolate mixture by folding in a third of the eggs whites, then fold the remainder gently into the chocolate mixture, being careful to just incorporate, but not overwork the batter. A few white streaks are okay. Pour into prepared springform pan and bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is puffed and cracked and a tester inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool the pan completely on a wire rack, don’t be alarmed when the center sinks in and forms a crater. To release, run a small sharp knife around the the edge of the cake and release the sides of the pan.
To make the orange scented whipped cream, whip the cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, orange zest and the marshmallow to stabilize. Dollop the cream in the center of the cake and serve in large slices. Pure chocolate bliss!
*To “stabilize” whipped cream, beat as usual and whip in one large marshmallow that has been softened for about 10 seconds in the microwave.
Macaroni and cheese is like pizza. Even when it's not that great, it's still pretty good. But when it's really good, it can be on another level!
My early introduction to macaroni and cheese was humble at best. Like most people, I grew up with the boxed variety that still stocks many a pantry. I honestly didn't know that you could get it any other way. While my Mom made many things from scratch, including bread and cakes, homemade macaroni and cheese just wasn't in her culinary lexicon and I was fine with that. As a kid I hadn't yet learned to appreciate the beauty of quality ingredients made into something from scratch and I certainly wanted nothing to do with macaroni and cheese of the homemade sort. It had to be psychedelic orange powder or nothing! Admittedly in my teen years I experimented with that NASA-like vacuum pack of "cheese sauce" that you squeezed over shell-shaped pasta (don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!) and it was of great debate between my sister Adrienne and me which was actually the "best" brand of macaroni and cheese. She swore by the NASA-like squeeze packet and I held on stubbornly to the neon Cheeto powder of my childhood. Even at 14-years old I was slightly creeped out by a packet of "cheese sauce" that needed no refrigeration and could undoubtedly outlive me. The expiration date was printed right there on the shiny foil packet and this was at a time when I was still grappling with the incomprehensible idea of partying like it was 1999!
Fast forward to a few years ago on my first visit to Aspen Colorado. I was at Jimmy's Restaurant for the second time that trip and stumbled upon the "Jimmy Mac" on the bar menu. This wasn't just any old macaroni and cheese. This macaroni and cheese had the genius addition of bacon and jalapeño. That was all I needed to read. For me the math is simple: Bacon + Cheese = NIRVANA. I was IN! Needless to say this was some of the best macaroni and cheese I'd ever had the pleasure of eating. Eating? Who am I kidding? More like bowl-licking devouring! It was piping hot, served in a generously sized gratin dish with beautifully browned melted cheese on top and studded with salty bits of crispy bacon and green flecks of jalapeño for kick. The menu lists this delicacy under the category of "Sides to Share." Let me tell you, there wasn't much sharing going on. In fact, I think we ordered more for the table! I literally dreamed about Jimmy Mac that night and returned to Jimmy's a few more times to greedily consume more before my trip was over.
Jimmy shares several of his famous recipes on his restaurant site, including the Jimmy Mac. Before I knew that though, I spent a great deal of time in the kitchen creating my homage to his culinary revelation and I think I've come pretty close. In fact, I think Jimmy would be proud. In a recent Facebook exchange he humbly referred to the Jimmy Mac as a "Reese's Peanut Butter Cup accident that just happened to hit a perfect combo." Perfect indeed, Jimmy.
In fact, it's on another level!
Outrageous Macaroni & Cheese with Bacon & Jalapeno (My Take on "Jimmy Mac")
Serves 8 to 10 1 pound large elbow macaroni 1 quart whole milk 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 4 cups Gruyere, grated 2 cups extra-sharp aged Cheddar, grated 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 1/2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled Panko Bread Crumbs, for topping
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, being careful not to boil it. Melt the butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Whisk over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to cook out the raw flour taste. While whisking, add the hot milk and bring to a boil, cooking until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, cheddar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the jalapeño and bacon and fold in the cooked macaroni. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish. Top with panko bread crumbs. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is evenly browned on the top.
It's threatening to rain again, and weirdly I'm not craving slow cooked stews, or big bowls of chili. All I can think of is summer food, namely Baja-style fried fish tacos. If you've never had a fish taco the way they make them in Baja you don't know what you're missing.
Okay, admittedly I’ve never been to Baja. But taco stands that serve Baja style fish tacos are a staple in Southern California these days. I swear you can almost imagine yourself standing on the beach in San Felipe when you eat these. Served with an icy cold Mexican beer, there is nothing better.
Serves 4
FOR THE FISH 1 cup pale beer 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to tasteVegetable oil, for frying 1 pound boned, skinned white fish (cod, catfish, halibut) 24 warm corn tortillas 1/2 head shredded cabbage Lime wedges
FOR THE CHIPOTLE SAUCE ½ cup good mayonnaise 2 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder, or to taste
FOR THE PICO DE GALLO 3 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded, finely chopped 1/4 cup small white onion, finely chopped 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped 1 jalapeño, seeded, finely chopped Juice of 2 limes Kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt and cayenne pepper. Whisk in the beer, blending well, making sure there are no lumps. Batter should be the consistency of thick pancake batter. Rinse fish and pat dry. Cut into 2-inch pieces.
Heat a large, heavy bottomed frying pan or Dutch oven with enough vegetable oil to create a 1-inch depth. Heat the oil over high heat to 375 degrees on a deep fry thermometer. Dip fish pieces in beer batter and lift out, draining briefly. Gently slide coated fish into oil, a few pieces at a time. Adjust heat to maintain oil temperature. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Remove fish to a paper towel-lined platter using a slotted spoon or Chinese strainer. Continue until all fish pieces have been fried. To assemble, stack two tortillas in your hand. Add a few pieces of fish, chipotle sauce, pico de gallo and top with shredded cabbage. Spritz with a squeeze of lime, fold in half and enjoy!
Private chef and cookbook author David Lawrence grew up in a house where the kitchen was always abuzz with activity. He learned early the simple pleasures of cooking and spent years assisting in his Mother’s kitchen, a woman he affectionately describes as a Martha Stewart incarnate, minus the chic poncho and clunky ankle bracelet! From then on David knew his mission was clear, he wanted to feed and entertain people.
David’s cookbook, Boy Eats World! A Private Chef Cooks Simple Gourmet, (Lake Isle Press) is all about having fun in the kitchen and demystifies cooking for the Atari generation. David’s humorous style and easy to follow recipes will help even the most timid cook feel like a kitchen rock star!
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