Couple of Surf Sessions. Couple of Lunches: Knuckle & Claw and Wexler's Deli!

I am giving myself props for surf sessions last Wednesday Sunday. Why? Well, once again conditions were slightly different than I expected from reading reports on Surfline -- when I got out and took a look-see for myself, I could tell it was out of my comfort zone. It wasn't that the waves were all that big, but the ocean was choppy, and waves were coming in fast, with little time between them. I have issues with choppiness, but the good news is I put those issues aside, and I paddled out anyway on both days. Sunday's session was particularly good. My old mentor/teacher did not approve of my giving myself pats on the back -- he thought I was way too easy on myself, but since I've come such a long way in terms of overcoming fears and phobias, I have to do it anyway. I have learned that sometimes if you don't pat yourself on the back, nobody else will, so often it's okay!

Good, productive surf sessions deserve delicious lunches, I say. Recently I had read about Knuckle & Claw, a new place in Silver Lake devoted to lobster Rolls. Who doesn't love lobster rolls, that perfect simple combination of lobster meat and, if you're in Connecticut, melted butter, and elsewhere mayonnaise and maybe a little chopped celery, all piled into a split top hot dog bun that's also been grilled in butter, so that the bread develops a nice, little crispiness? We are particular fans of the lobster rolls at Lunch, in Amagansett, New York, and on this coast Connie and Ted's in West Hollywood's has awesome ones, as does the Hungry Cat. Here is Knuckle & Claw's version--

These rolls were really stuffed with perfectly cooked, nicely seasoned lobster meat. This was, as far as I could tell, closer to the Connecticut version, the lobster napped with butter, although I think I could detect some mayonnaise inside the bun as well. Served with a dill pickle, and with some Cape Cod Salt and Vinegar chips on the side, this was a pretty perfect lunch. So the next time you want a lobster roll, hit up Knuckle & Claw. I can't wait to get back to try the chowder too.

But wait, there's more! Surf Session #2 also merited a fine lunch. I've discussed and been partial to the MacArthur Park at Wexler's Deli downtown in the Grand Central Market. This sandwich, a tribute to the #9 at Langer's, is so, so good -- pastrami, Swiss cheese, cole slaw, Russian dressing, on excellent seeded crusty rye bread. I've had it several times, when not ordering my other favorite at Wexler's, half lox, half whitefish on a bagel. But I'd been eyeing the Reuben, and now it was time. Here, have a look at it:

Now I have a new sandwich to love at Wexler's! The Reuben is made up of corned beef with just the right amount of fat, sauerkraut, Swiss, and Russian on that same rye, but it's grilled, so the bread has that golden, buttery crunch to go along with the saltiness of the beef and the tang of the kraut. Wow. Another amazing lunch at Wexler's. In fact I was walking with it on a tray toward a table at the Grand Central Market and some dude looked at it and said, 'where'd you get that?' So I pointed him in the direction of Wexler's. You should go too.

Here's some info:

Knuckle & Claw: www.knuckleandclaw.com
Wexler's Deli: www.wexlersdeli.com

Another Good Surf. Another Great Burger. An Oklahoma-Style Fried Onion Burger.

More steps forward in the surf odyssey! Two sessions in a row of paddling straight out to the line-up and then paddling into some waves. Conditions have been in the sweet spot for a while now, for me anyway. The boys and girls who crave bigger waves are out of luck. But while I'm doing well catching some little guys, we still need loads of work staying on the board after the pop-up. But it will come, I am sure of it!

It was burger night after that second session, and that's always a good thing. Recently I had seen an episode of Cooks Country on PBS where they made Oklahoma style fried onion burgers, and they looked extremely tasty. I've heard of these burgers but never made them, so I decided to give it a go. But first what's the origin of the fried onion burger? Well, a little research uncovered the following: fried onion burgers seem to have come to life in El Reno, Oklahoma around the time of the Great Depression. Beef was expensive, but onions weren't, and a thin layer of onions stretched out the meat; so it was economics that was at the root of it. Of course the combination also proved to be delicious. That always helps, no? Side note: Route 66 begins not far from one of my favorite surf spots in Santa Monica. Route 66 also runs by El Reno. Coincidence? Hmmmmmm.  Anyway, most credit a joint called the Hamburger Inn, and a dude named Ross Davis, with the burgers' origins, so kudos to him. Here's my rendition--

So if you can't get to El Reno any time soon, you can make an Oklahoma style Fried Onion Burger at home.  Do it!

Oklahoma Fried Onion Burgers
(Recipe adapted from Cooks Country)
Serves 4

1 medium onion, very thinly sliced
1 tsp. salt
12 ounces ground beef (80/20 is best)*
Salt and Fresh ground pepper
4 burger buns (brioche buns are awesome if you can get them)
3 tbsps. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. veg. oil
4 slices American Cheese**
Sliced dill pickles
Yellow mustard
Potato chips for serving

1. Place onion slices in bowl and toss with 1 tsp. salt. Transfer to colander and let drain 30 minutes, or longer. After draining, place onions in dishtowel, or paper towels, and squeeze them dry. Really squeeze out as much moisture as you can. Season onions with some fresh ground pepper. On a baking sheet, or a piece of parchment, divide onions into four small piles.
2. Season beef with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Form into four balls.
3. Place a beef ball on top of each pile of onions. Press and shape beef into patties about 4 inches in diameter (you can do this several hours ahead of time. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge).
4. In medium skillet (non-stick is preferred, but I didn't use one), heat 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tsp. vegetable oil. When butter stops foaming, transfer burgers to skillet, onion side down. Cook over medium heat, about 6-8 minutes, until onions are golden and caramelized.
5. Meanwhile, butter sliced buns. Heat another small skillet. Place buns in skillet, buttered side down. Cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Place cheese slices on bottom half of buns.
6. Flip burgers, crank heat to high and cook until done, about 2 minutes more.
7. Set burgers over cheese, top with pickles and yellow mustard. Serve with potato chips on the side, if you like.

*burger note: as always when you buy meat, poultry or seafood, you get what you pay for. Look for a butcher that grinds and blends beef in-house. Like McCalls Meat and Fish!

**American Cheese note: did you know most supermarkets have a deli section where you can buy American cheese by the pound? That way each individual slice isn't wrapped in plastic, which is a real waste. So think about buying it this way.

One Step Back, Then One Step Forward. Plus Baja Fish Tacos!

So after a totally excellent session last week, I headed back to the beach for another, but this time I sucked, so it was that one step forward, two steps back thing. For the second session, conditions were not ideal, so not totally my fault, but I was itching to get back in the water after a few days away so I went for it anyway. Mostly it was swim and splash around time because even though surf was elevated, there really were no good waves to catch, even for the more able surfers. Waves were closing out, which means, I think, they're not really rideable. But then on Sunday things swung back in my direction. Waves were mellow. The tide was on the high side for me by the time I could make it, but I put my wariness of high tide aside and I just went for it. Sometimes you just have to push yourself a little, right? By the way, I have joked in the past that I'm 'backward' surfer. I like small days and I used to, before I knew better, dug low tide because I could always touch the bottom of the ocean with my foot. Then I learned that low tide is bad because you're more prone to injury when you wipeout and there's less of a watery cushion. So I'm trying to get better about being backwards, if that makes sense! Anyway, Sunday was a fun day. I paddled into a bunch of waves and caught a few. My old mentor's words still ring in my head, though -  I still tend to pop up too soon, and I have to always be thinking of how and where I place my front foot. And stay low! So, still a lot to work next time and, I'm sure, the time after that.

On to dinner after the fun surf. I figured a classic post-surf meal would be ideal, like fish tacos, Baja style. These you see here:

A little history on the fish taco. There's some controversy, it seems, about the origins of this most excellent of meals. Some claim the fish taco was born south of the border in San Felipe, and others insist it was in Ensenada. Most agree on the basics, though. The dish consists of some sort of firm white fish, usually beer battered and deep fried. This part may have descended from a wave of Japanese that immigrated to Mexico in the 1920's, apparently, because the batter is close to a Tempura batter if done right -- the crust should be thin, but really, really crisp. The fried fish should be served in a warm corn tortilla and topped with some sort of mayonnaise based white sauce, a little red or green salsa and some sliced cabbage, along with a squeeze or two of fresh lime. This recipe, adapted from America's Test Kitchen, includes pickled red onion and jalapeños, and cilantro on top if you like it.

Where ever Fish Tacos came from, they are always so good. So the next time you have a day at the beach, I say make them for dinner.

Fish Tacos, Baja Style
(recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen)
Serves 4

For Pickled Onions and Jalapeños:
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 large or 2 small jalapeños, sliced (seeded if you want less heat)
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsps fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

1. In a small saucepan add vinegar, lime juice, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar.
2. Pour hot liquid over sliced onions and jalapeños. Let sit 30 minutes or longer, then drain, but reserve liquid.

For White Sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 mayonnaise

1 tsp. lime juice

salt and fresh ground pepper

Milk or water for thinning

1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Thin the sauce with a little milk or water until it's a pourable consistency. Set aside.

Cabbage:

1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced

1/4 cup reserved liquid from pickled onions

Salt and fresh ground pepper.

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Set aside.

Fish, batter and tacos

1 pound firm white fish, like Halibut or Cod, skinned and boned*

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup beer
1/2 - 1 quart vegetable or canola oil
8-12 corn tortillas.
Tomatillo salsa or Pico de gallo
Chopped Cilantro
Lime wedges

1. Slice fish into strips, about 3 inches long and an inch or so wide. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Set a rack over a baking sheet to drain fish once fried.
2. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and beer. Don't over mix.
3. Pour oil into a large pot or dutch oven until pot is about 1/3 full. Heat oil to 350 degrees.
4. Stir fish strips into batter. When oil is at 350, carefully lower battered fish strips into pot. Don't over crowd -- fry in batches if you have to. Fry until fish is golden and cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Remove to rack to drain. Continuing frying until all fish is cooked. Place rack in oven to keep warm.
5. Warm tortillas over gas flame until charred in spots, or warm them in a microwave, covered with damp towel, until pliable.
6. Construct tacos! Lay 2-3 warm tortillas on each plate. Place fried fish on tortillas. Top with salsa of choice. Add on some pickled onion and jalapeños, then some sliced cabbage. Drizzle tacos with white sauce, top with Cilantro if you like, and serve with lime wedges.

* Fish note: the most important part of buying fish is finding a good fish monger. We have McCalls Meat and Fish here in town, but it's also a good idea to periodically check the Monterrey Aquarium's site, which lists the best choices in terms of sustainability. The link is below.

For the best fish if you're in LA: www.mccallsmeatandfish.com

For the Monterrey Bay Aquarium: www.seafoodwatch.org

Victory In The Surf! Plus A Victory Dinner. Linguine With White Clam Sauce (Linguine Alle Vongole).

Breakthrough! The other day was, most definitely, my best surf day ever. I had waited all week for conditions that looked like my sweet spot, but a problem arose: I couldn't make my preferred mid-tide. Still, it was close enough that I figured I'd go for it. And I'm so glad I did. This is definitely one of those stories about sticking with something, even if you're sucking at it, even if it seems like you may never see the light at the end of the tunnel. This has often seemed the case in my surf life. But I ended up having unqualified success, choosing waves, paddling into them, and getting up and getting rides. I don't know why everything came together. But I am still so stoked it did. Now if I can just duplicate it every time.

So on to a celebratory dinner, which you can see here:

Yes, linguine with white clam sauce. I figured since the sea was nice to me on this session, it would be cool if the sea helped provide dinner. Or, under the sea really, because you have to dig for clams, but still clams always remind me of the ocean, with their briny taste and smell. And when I stopped in at McCalls Meat and Fish on the way home, there were the beautiful Littlenecks you see below, along with a few other things you need for this recipe.

This is a super simple dinner to make. The recipe is adapted from Lidia Bastianich's excellent cookbook, Lidia's Italy In America. If you love Italian-American food like we do, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. You will cook from it frequently.

Linguine With White Clam Sauce
Recipe adapted from Lidia Bastianich
(serves 4 big eaters or 6 small ones)

6 tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
36 Littleneck clams, scrubbed
1/4 tsp. peperoncino
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1 pound linguine
3/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
Grated Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese* (see note below)

1. Add 1 tbsp. kosher salt to a large pot of water and bring to boil. In a large skillet heat 4 tbsps. of the olive oil over medium heat. Toss in sliced garlic, and when it starts to sizzle add in the anchovies. Stir until anchovies dissolve, about 2 minutes. Add the oregano and peperoncino.
2. Lower the clams into the skillet, along with about 2 cups water from the pasta pot. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook until the clams open, about 5 minutes. As they open, remove the clams to a bowl. (if any clams don't open after five minutes, toss them).
3. When all clams are done, increase heat to high. Add 1/2 cup of the parsley. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Meanwhile shuck the clams, reserving any juice and adding it to the skillet. Set the sauce and clams aside.
4. Cook linguine until al dente. When it's nearly done, bring sauce back to simmer. Add the pasta to the sauce, and drizzle with remaining 2 tbsps. olive oil. Cook and toss until the pasta is coated with sauce. Add the shucked clams, and remaining parsley. Cook a minute more to blend the flavors and serve.

*cheese note! It's a real no-no in Italy to have cheese on a pasta that has seafood. However, we like cheese on ours. So it's up to you. If you like cheese, pour it on! Just don't do it if you find yourself in Rome.

For the best seafood in LA: www.mccallsmeatandfish.com

For all things Lidia: www.lidiasitaly.com