Crowds Are A Bummer. But Fish and Chips at Bombo Rock!

Summer weekends in Santa Monica can be drag. Even if you paddle out early -- say 7:00 or 7:30 AM latest  -- it can get pretty crowded, and that's generally not a good thing. This past Sunday I thought I was out early enough to beat the crowds but I was wrong. There were tons of surfers, and a very big contingent of swimmers as well. Now, I've said it enough times, but I'll say it again: I'm no expert surfer. Really, really far from it. But I understand there are rules, and right-of-way issues, and some people, I guess, just don't pay any attention to that. Like if I've already got a spot in the line-up, and there's three of you paddling out, how about giving me some space and not crowding me out? That's what these dudes did and, quite frankly, it was kind of rude. Did I say anything? Nope. It's not worth starting something over. I've seen surfers get territorial and it's not pretty. Anyway, I paddled off and found a new spot. The good news is that it's almost Labor Day, and after the holiday the summer crowds will definitely thin. So it will be more like during the week -- I made it out for a surf session Wednesday morning, and though the waves were pretty mellow, there was almost nobody out. So that was nice.

Also nice was the post-surf lunch. Heading home, I detoured. I'd been having a craving for fish and chips, and I just read somewhere that Mark Peel's Bombo, in the Grand Central Market, had added them to the menu (or they might have put them back on the menu because for a while they didn't seem to be on it). Bombo's been on the must-try list for a while, but as I've said I always get sidetracked at the Grand Central Market by Wexler's. But I really wanted fish and chips so I resisted the urge for deli and this time was a success, as you can see here:

We still miss Mark Peel's Campanile, which closed a few years back but was consistently one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles, in one of the most beautiful spaces in town, with some of the most delicious food. Who wouldn't miss grilled cheese night too, huh? I was also a fan of the short-lived Tar Pit on LaBrea. So it was only good news to hear that Peel was setting up shop at the Grand Central Market, which has become such a great destination for good eats. Bombo is mostly about seafood, and you can even buy some nicely curated fish to take home and cook yourself if you want. Many of the dishes on Bombo's menu are cooked in broth, in these big steam kettles I've never seen anywhere else. I'm going to come back and try more of the menu, but like I said, this time was all about fish and chips. So how was lunch? In a word, excellent!  You might be used to a beer batter, but here the fish -- cod, which is always great for fish and chips -- had a crust that was bread-crumb based, so it was super crunchy, while the fish inside was light, flaky and not at all greasy. There was vinegar for sprinkling over the fish and, of course, a cool tartar-like sauce for dipping. The potatoes were perfectly fried little discs with the skin on, which is the way I like them. All in all a super delicious lunch, and highly recommended if you're downtown. Thanks, Bombo!

More info. here:

www.bombofoods.com

And more on Chef Mark Peel:

www.chefmarkpeel.com

Road Trip/Surf Trip/Food Trip To Pet-Friendly Carpinteria.

This past weekend we headed north to Carpinteria with some friends and the beagles for what's become an annual getaway. This highly anticipated trip involves a lot of beaching, a lot of surfing (for me) and a lot of good eating. I've talked about Carpinteria but it bears repeating -- it's the best low-key little beach town around, if you ask me. Carp can still be a little scruffy around the edges, and it hasn't gotten all glitzy like nearby Santa Barbara, but that's what we all like about it. We always head to a little strip of beach off Santa Claus Lane. You park (for free!),  and cross the railroad tracks (just make sure the Surfliner isn't chugging by). One of the reasons we love this beach so much is that it's an old-school, anything-goes kind of beach that might remind you of a California of the past. There are no lifeguards and no amenities at all (if you need a bathroom there are some porta-potties, but also if you walk down the street a bit there are a bunch of cool restaurants and shops where you can find a restroom). So, no lifeguards, you can barbecue on this beach, you can even discreetly drink and some people even smoke (and not just tobacco I suspect). Surfers, boogie boarders and swimmers mix together, and it's a very varied and interesting crowd. Oh, and dogs are cool here too. Of course the other great thing about Carpinteria for a surfer like me is that often the waves are super mellow and gentle and, usually, not very big or intimidating. So I just paddle out easily, and I can spend endless amounts of time catching and even getting up on these little waves, and it's so much fun. Also, it's one of these rare times when I can surf multiple times a day, days in a row.

This trip is also good for eats. Usually there are two nights involved, so two dinners, but a tradition has arisen of having cocktails and a picnic on the beach at sunset. Like this one you see here--

Beauty, huh? I never get enough of this beach when most of the people have left, and the sun is going down. Here's the dinner we had--

There's a vegetarian in our group but we often like to go meatless too, so on the menu was a chilled cream of zucchini soup, couscous with summer vegetables, and a baguette with various cheeses from Say Cheese in Silver Lake. There was a brie, a hard goat cheese, and a really amazing cheddar/blue combination. For dessert we had soft ice cream from Foster's Freeze in town because it's summer and you're at the beach and you have to have a soft ice cream cone dipped in chocolate. If you want to know how to make the soup, there's a recipe in the 7/28/14 post of this blog. The Couscous salad recipe is below.

A couple of more dog-friendly suggestions. For accommodations in Carpinteria, the Holiday Inn Express is dog-friendly.  Here's beagle Derric, resting on his bed!

Let them know beforehand because you need to have a first floor room. There's nothing fancy about this hotel (and it's not all that cheap -- this is the Santa Barbara area, remember!) but the beds are super-comfortable, there's flat-screens, free Wifi, and even a free breakfast if you want it. But if you have the dogs you can (and should) also have breakfast in town at Esau's on Linden Avenue. This place has awesome breakfasts and lunches and dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables. They have excellent omelets, egg dishes of all kinds, and even biscuits and gravy. For a dog-friendly dinner in Carpinteria we tried a new place this year, Delgados, on Carpinteria Avenue. If you're into old-school Mexican and strong margaritas (and who isn't?) hit up Delgados. The Taco-Enchilada-Chile relleno combo was perfect, as was the on-the-rocks Margarita. If you have pups, reserve a table on the small patio.

So that was the trip. If you've never been to Carpinteria, go. If you have dogs, bring them!

Couscous with Summer Vegetables

(recipe adapted from Ina Garten's "Make It Ahead")

Serves 4-6

*note: I made a number of changes to this recipe. A couple of ingredients I didn't have on hand, but also Ina calls for raw zucchini and I'm not a big fan of it raw in salads, so I sautéed it in olive oil and garlic, along with a yellow squash from the garden.

1 1/2 cups couscous (regular or whole wheat but not Israeli)

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup golden, or regular, raisins

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cumin

Salt and fresh ground pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise, then cut in 1/4 inch slices

1 large yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut in 1/4 inch slices

1/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

3-4  ripe tomatoes, diced

1 carrot, peeled and finely diced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup white beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley

1/4 cup Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 tbsps. red wine vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

1. In a medium saucepan, place water, 2 tbsps. olive oil, the ginger, cinnamon and cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper, and the raisins. Bring to a boil. Off the heat, stir in couscous. Cover and set aside for about ten minutes. Then fluff couscous with a fork. Meanwhile, place sliced red onion in a bowl of ice water. Set aside for ten minutes. Drain, then dice onions finely.
2. In a medium skillet heat 1/4 cup olive oil until hot. Toss in zucchini and yellow squash. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Cover the pan and sauté about ten minutes, until squashes are soft and beginning to brown. Uncover, toss in garlic. Stir for a minute, then remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl combine sautéed zucchini, carrots, red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, chopped parsley and white beans. Again fluff couscous with fork and add it to the vegetables.
4. Whisk together the lemon juice, red wine vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil. Pour it over the couscous. Stir everything together. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. The flavors will continue to blend the longer it sits and it will be even better.

More Carpinteria info can be found here:

Holiday Inn Express: www.carpinteriaexpress.com
Esau's Restaurant:  www.esauscafe.com
Delgado's Mexican Restaurant: www.delgadoscarp.com

Crappy Surf, Good Surf, Even Gave A Tip. Plus An Hour Well-Spent At The Grand Central Market: Wexler's, Belcampo and McConnell's Ice Cream!

More SW swell and more choppy seas have meant some not so fun sessions in the water until Sunday, when the swell eased and so too did the chop. I paddled out really early and I did pretty good on some small waves. In fact I even had a first -- not far from from me in the line-up was a guy who was clearly a surfer like me -- kind of a kook. I was watching as he kept trying to paddle into and catch waves but he wasn't having much luck. I am so far from any kind of expertise about this sport but I've been at it for a while, plugging away methodically in an attempt to improve, and I have learned a few things, both from all the lessons I took and just from a lot of trial and error, and also watching better surfers. I could clearly see this dude was perched too far back on his board and that also he needed to paddle a couple more times in order to get into the wave. Then I debated whether or not to say anything because you never know if a person's going to be into getting advice or not. But I did say something. And he didn't get mad or anything. In fact he kind of knew what he was doing wrong and was going to try and make the correction, he said. And he thanked me. That was cool. So, all in all, a pretty good surf session.

Often afterwards I stop at McCall's Meat and Fish on the way home to pick up something to make for dinner. People know I'm loyal to McCall's through and through. I'm pretty sure I was literally one of the first people through the door when they opened, and it's been such a joy watching this business grow, expand and thrive. But this week Nathan and Karen have closed up shop for vacation! Knowing this was coming I did pick up a few things to stick in the freezer, but I needed some pork shoulder for canitas. So if you happen to be reading this Nathan or Karen, look away now, because I picked it up at the competition, Belcampo Meat Company in the Grand Central Market where, I have to say, these Bistecca alla Fiorentina's also caught my eye. Look at these babies!

To be honest, I'd been meaning to check out Belcampo, and if there was no McCall's I'd have gotten there sooner. But every time I thought about going, it felt like cheating. But since they're on vacation, I felt it was okay. A few things to know about Belcampo, which is not just a butcher, but also a farming operation. They care about the welfare of their animals, and they care about the land. This is so important, I think. I've said this before but it bears repeating. If you're going to eat meat, get it from the best source you can, from places like McCall's and Belcampo or a farmer's market, where often you can look the farmer in the eye and actually talk to him or her. Yes, you will pay more than you would at the supermarket, but it's okay to eat less meat and buy better quality, I say. In fact that should be everybody's policy. Anyway, turns out Belcampo was out of pork shoulder, but they were super-helpful, and the butcher behind the counter suggested I could use some pork sirloin. He even knocked a couple of bucks off the price since they were out of shoulder. Soon I'll return and try their burger for lunch. Oh, and here's the pork sirloin, cut into cubes and seasoned, before being turned into Carnitas. Beautiful, huh? You can always tell high quality pork from that rich, really white layer of fat. The carnitas tacos, by the way, were excellent. Side note to the Bistecca mention: we've had Bistecca alls Fiorentina in Florence, at a little tucked-away restaurant called Trattoria Sostanza. If you ever get to Florence, go there. You won't forget your meal, I assure you.

But Belcampo wasn't the only stop. I've mentioned that I can't seem to pass through the Grand Central Market without stopping at Wexler's Deli. I thought maybe this time. But no. Lunch was this Reuben from Wexler's.

Somehow it was even better than the last time I had it -- they've got the bread perfectly crisp and the swiss cheese perfectly melty. This sandwich is the ideal combination of salty, tart from the sauerkraut, smoky from the beef and rich from the cheese. I am addicted to this sandwich.

Oh, and there was one more stop. Directly across from Wexler's is this place--

Yes, McConnel's Ice Cream. How convenient is that? Like Belcampo, McConnell's has been on the must-try list for a while, but usually after eating Wexler's I'm kind of stuffed. But this time I figured I'd ask if they could pack the goods in ice so I could bring some home for Sam and we'd eat it later. McConnell's, by the way, began up in Santa Barbara, in 1949. So they've been at it awhile and clearly they know what they're doing, making small-batch ice cream from scratch. Lucky for us, they've slowly been expanding south. I ordered a couple of scoops of Salted Caramel and then a vanilla-like Sweet Cream. Can I just say this was some of the most delicious ice cream I've ever eaten? Okay, there, I said it. Go to McConnell's and get some ice cream.

www.mcconnells.com
www.belcampomeatco.com

Mick Fanning At J-Bay and Fear. And Phobias. Get Over It. Just Eat Comfort Food. Like Fried Chicken.

Anybody who has anything to do with surfing has probably seen the Mick Fanning video from J-Bay last Saturday. And, yes, it scared the pants off me too! I think I've discussed my various fears and phobias. There are several, but I saw "Jaws" as a kid and even read the book too. So yeah, sharks scare me. Honestly, I doubt there's anybody who goes in the ocean -- to swim or to surf or to Paddle-board or dive or scuba or kayak -- who doesn't occasionally think about the dangers. Of course statistically the odds are very much in your favor of everything being fine. But, I wasn't able to get into the ocean over the weekend. This wasn't because of fear or phobia, though. It rained! A lot. Hurricane Dolores, down south of Cali, was churning north and she brought with her much needed and very rare July rain, enough rain that it was a good idea to steer clear of the water for a couple of days. And then the Fanning video was all over the place but still I missed being able to get back in the water, so when conditions looked better yesterday I paddled out. Was a I little afraid? Yep. But I think it's important to face fears and try to conquer them. Oh, there was one moment when I saw fins -- it was just dolphins though, and we always like seeing dolphins. Dolphins are good.

Also good when you're feeling a little stressed is comfort food. Fried chicken, for example, just says comfort to me. Like this, which was the post-surf dinner:

Making fried chicken at home isn't really all that hard. In fact I think a lot of people fear it, but all you need is a deep-fat thermometer and a cast iron skillet and you're good to go. For this recipe, which I've making for years and is so, so good, you just have plan ahead a little because it needs to sit overnight in a zesty brine. The recipe originally came from Jane and Michael Stern's book "Two For The Road", and they got the recipe from The Bon Ton Mini Mart in Henderson, Kentucky, which, sad to report, apparently just recently closed for good after a long run. Luckily, we have the recipe. This chicken is excellent hot right out of the pan or at room temperature on a picnic. So next time you're feeling stressed for fearful about something, here's my advice: face that fear. Especially if it's about frying things. In fact, make fried chicken!

Bon Ton-Style Fried Chicken
(recipe adapted from Jane and Michael Stern's "Two For The Road")

Brine
2 tbsps. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne (use more if you like it spicy -- the original recipe calls for 2 tsps.!)
2 tsps. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. accent (I always skip this)
1 1/2 tsps. white pepper (I use black)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsps. Worcestershire Sauce
1 quart water (4 cups)
1 whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces (2 wings, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 breasts, each cut in half)
*as always try to get your chicken from a good source

Spiced flour
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. accent (again, I skip it)
1/4 tsp. cayenne (again, more if you like it spicy)
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour

Vegetable or Canola oil for frying

1. Brine the chicken: stir all seasonings into the water until they dissolve. Add the cut up chicken pieces. Cover the bowl and refrigerate 24 hours, stirring the chicken parts occasionally.
2. Mix up the spiced flour: stir all seasonings into the flour.
3. Fry the chicken: heat about 2 inches of oil to 365-375 degrees in a large cast-iron skillet. Pull the chicken from the brine one piece at a time and dredge well in seasoned flour. Set on a piece of foil for five minutes (or more while waiting for oil to heat)
4. Cook the chicken in the hot oil for 20 to 25 minutes, turning each piece a few times so it cooks evenly and turns golden brown. Don't crowd the pan -- cook in batches if necessary.
5. Drain on a wire rack.

Another SW Swell...Plus Chef Tim Hollingsworth's Tri-Tip!

Surfing changes you as a person. It really does. Since I began this adventure, for example, I have become far more aware of my relationship with nature. Do we need to use so much plastic? Because lots of plastic ends up in the ocean and that's bad. Do we need to spray poison and other crap on our front yards? Because those poisons end up in the ocean. So we now reuse as much plastic as we can and recycle the rest, and we ripped the grass out of our front yard and put in natives that have turned the space into a wonder zone of bees, hummingbirds and butterflies, who seem to visit on a daily basis. Meanwhile, you begin to learn more about nature, about things like ocean currents and what's doing with monsoons down in Baja because these have an effect on where and when you might surf. Before I starting getting in the water, I couldn't have told you the difference between a SW swell and a hole in the wall. Now I have learned a few things -- for me, SW swells pack a lot of energy and usually bring waves that are far bigger than I'm happy with so now I know those are good days to probably stay out of the water. Lately there have been a couple of SW swells, not majorly huge ones, mind you, but enough that things were out of my comfort zone. So my weekend session consisted of practicing like a dork in the whitewash. Yesterday things had eased and I paddled out, but conditions were very choppy and it was hard to catch anything. still, in earlier days I would have been put off by chop too. Thanks to my former teacher I can deal with choppy days.

Speaking of teachers, a good mentor in the kitchen would be a dude like Chef Timothy Hollingsworth, who I think I first stumbled upon at some point after we were treated to an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime meal at The French Laundry in Yountville. How did this happen? Well, a dear, dear friend was given a gift certificate allowing him to treat about 6 of his closest friends to dinner at the restaurant. This was a truly epic meal of many courses, and wine pairings with each course were also included! God only knows what this cost, but it was definitely something everybody should do at least once in life. Of course we saved the menu, and it is framed in the kitchen. A picture of it is below so you can take a look. Anyway, Hollingsworth was Chef de Cuisine at the French Laundry (and a competitor in the Bocuse d'Or), and I started following him on Twitter (bonus points…I think I read somewhere that he surfs) so it could only be good news when he left Yountville to come south to LA where, with some partners, he's already opened barbecue joint Barrel and Ashes in Studio City, with Otium set to come downtown as part of Eli Broad's museum, which is scheduled to open in September. I've been meaning to get to Barrel and Ashes one of these days and just haven't made it (they have Frito Pie!) but recently I clipped from the LA Times Hollingsworth's recipe and technique for tri-tip, which is one of my favorite cuts of meat. It took a while to get around to making this, but here's the results, co-starring hand-cut twice fried Frites!

I made a couple of adjustments to this recipe (minor things, of course, because you don't mess with a master). For one, it doesn't say in the recipe to remove the meat from the refrigerator and let it come to room temp so I've added that step. Also, I served the salad on the side (and I had romaine to use up so I substituted that for the arugula. It would definitely be more peppery with the arugula though. Also, I added some seeded, diced cucumber because I also had some to use up). As always, source your meat carefully -- this tri-tip was from McCall's Meat and Fish, and it's excellent.

Tim Hollingsworth's Tri-Tip and Salad
(recipe adapted from the LA Times)

1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 2 - 2 1/2 pound tri-tip
1 onion, sliced thin
3 tbsps. chopped garlic
1 bunch thyme, chopped (I totally forgot this…just saying)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1. In a small bowl stir together onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne and red pepper flakes. Mix in about 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper. Rub this mixture all over the meat and set aside for at least 1 hour. Top with sliced onion, chopped garlic and thyme. Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.
2. Transfer the tri-tip and the rest of the ingredients from the bowl to a zip-loc bag. Add the olive oil and vinegar. Press out any air, seal tightly and then rub to distribute evenly. Refrigerate at least 6 hours, or overnight.
3. Get your grill going -- I used a chimney full of Kingsford briquettes and hickory chips that had been soaked for a couple of hours in water. When the coals were ready, I kept half the grill free for a cool side, but you want it hot at first for the sear. Sear all sides of the meat, then move to the cooler side and cook, turning frequently, until well-browned and medium-rare to medium (about 130 degrees), 30-40 minutes. The meat should feel firm to the touch, but still give with pressure.
4. Let rest 10 minutes. Slice meat thin, across the grain, holding the knife at a slight angle to make larger slices. Serve either over the salad below or with the salad on the side, as I did, with Fries!

For the Salad

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large shallot, minced

2 tbsps. balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

2 cups diced tomato

1 small onion, diced

1 avocado, diced
Juice of 2 limes

2 tbsps. chopped cilantro

Optional: 1 cup cucumber, seeded and diced

3 cups arugula (or lettuces)

1. Combine garlic, shallot and vinegar in a bowl. Let stand five minutes or so, then whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Combine tomato, onion, avocado, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl. Set aside 30 minutes, then drain excess liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Place arugula in a large bowl. Toss with enough vinaigrette to moisten lightly. If serving the whole dish as a salad, line a platter with arugula. Arrange sliced tri-tip on top, then spoon over tomato mixture.  If serving salad and meat separately simply spoon tomato mixture over arugula and serve alongside the sliced tri-tip.

So that's it. Oh, below is the French Laundry meal we had.  Again, it was an incredible experience so if you ever get a chance…grab it!

One Step Forward…Plus Dune, And Not The Sand Kind, for a Vegetarian Lunch

After a few sessions in the water where I've done pretty good for a Kook, the last couple of times have not been as productive and kind of a bummer. First in Malibu conditions were not ideal, but I paddled out anyway. I tried to catch a couple of waves but didn't really get much of anything. Then, in Santa Monica yesterday, again the session was not great. This time conditions were on the bumpy side, and the waves were what I think some people call mushy, or they were closing out. Again, I did my best to try, but it was not my greatest effort. I've said this before, though, but it bears repeating: I consider any time in the water productive time. If nothing else it adds to the knowledge base.

Lunch, on the other hand, was a resounding success. In a previous post I mentioned Dune, which opened in Atwater Village not too long ago. We've now tried quite a bit of Dune's menu, and everything is so excellent. The falafel, for one, is I think the best I've had anywhere, and it's not just me saying that -- EaterLA just rated it number one too. The falafel at Dune isn't dry and crumbly like some  you encounter but moist on the inside, with a perfect crunchy crust. They have a pickled beet sandwich that's incredible. I've also sampled the lamb sandwich, which was delicious as well. But this time I felt like being super-healthy and going vegetarian for lunch so here's what I had:

This is the falafel and hummus plate, which is very generous and very filling. There's three nice sized falafel, a large serving of Hummus (which is also really terrific), pickled cabbage on the side, along with some watercress and a pretty large piece of naan-like flatbread. There's a generous amount of food on this plate, but it's all so healthy you don't feel overstuffed after finishing it all off. I've read elsewhere that Dune is serving some of the best falafel in town right now, and it's true. Go!

www.dune.kitchen

Impressed The Teacher! Plus El Cholo's Chiles Rellenos At Home And Other Weekend Eats: Dune And Crossroads Kitchen.

This week we had family visiting. My big sister was here, along with her son, and my brother's sister-in-law, and her daughter, because the kids were looking at colleges. And then another nephew happened to be in town too! So one of the days we had a big barbecue. And of course I had to take the out-of-towners to the beach. Also, of course I also had to bring along my surfboard so I could show off my extensive skill set…hahaha!  Well, at least I could hope for a super-mellow day and, with any luck, I wouldn't look too much like a kook. Turns out conditions were on the somewhat bumpy side. The waves were pretty small, but there were a few bigger sets mixed in. But I did okay, and I had given my sister a mandate: get it on video if I get up on a wave. And she did -- except she caught it just as I wiped out. She got enough of it, though, that you could see me getting a short ride. So I sent the little video to my old surfing teacher, because I figured he'd get kick out of it. And I think he was impressed. Anyway, we ate a lot of delicious food when they were here, and I sort of wish I had documented it all -- falafel, lamb wraps and other things from Dune in Atwater Village (all of it incredibly good), a baked pasta with some garden zucchini I made (excellent, of course), burger blend and Kobe dogs from McCall's for the barbecue, and then on Monday they wanted to take us to dinner. My nephew is mostly a vegetarian, and I'd been wanting to try Vegan Guru Tal Ronnen's Crossroads Kitchen for a while, so that's where we had dinner. This place was amazing -- Vegan, but not earthy-crunchy. Cool vibe, plus great cocktails, and the food was so, so delicious. Learn more about Crossroads Kitchen here, if you're interested (and you should be!):  www.crossroadskitchen.com.

For their last night in town, I thought about good Cali old-school Tex-Mex, like Chiles Rellenos, refried beans and Spanish rice. Here they are (the only thing missing the taco and enchilada which would make a classic combination plate!):

It doesn't get much more old-school for Mexican food in Los Angeles than El Cholo -- the original has been on Western Avenue since the 1920's. This is actually their recipe for Chiles Rellenos. It appeared a few years ago in the LA Times food section, and I've made it numerous times. Now, making Chiles Rellenos is no walk in the park, I'll admit. If you're being super traditional, you'd roast the chiles, peel and seed them yourself. Luckily this recipe saves that step, and you use whole canned Green Chiles. We use Hatch, which are so good, but sometimes hard to find. Definitely get Hatch Roasted Green Chiles if you can.  Here's what they look like.

And here's how to do it:

El Cholo's Chiles Rellenos
Serves 6-8
(recipe adapted from the LA Times)

Relleno Sauce

1 tbsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tsps. vinegar
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
2 whole canned green chiles, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Increase the heat and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat. Simmer gently, stirring frequently to break up the tomatoes, until all the vegetables have softened, about 25 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Discard the bay leaves. If you like a chunkier sauce, mash the tomatoes with a potato masher and whisk. I like it a bit smoother, so I use an immersion blender to blend the sauce, although I still leave it a little chunky. Taste for salt and then set aside.

Chiles Rellenos

Approx. 3/4 pound grated Cheddar cheese, plus more for topping if you like

6-8 whole canned green chiles (Hatch if you can get them)

6 large eggs, separated

Vegetable or Canola oil for frying

Relleno sauce (above)

Sour Cream

Guacamole, diced green onion and shredded lettuce for serving

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Select the best 6-8 chiles from the can that you can find. Some you might notice are broken or are coming apart. Save these for scrambled eggs or sandwiches.
2. Divide the cheese into 6-8 mounds and roll each into a small football size that will fit into the selected chiles. Carefully stuff the chiles with the cheese and pat with paper towels to remove any excess liquid, then set aside. 
3. Heat about an inch of oil in a large cast iron skillet to 350 degrees. While oil is heating, beat egg whites in a stand mixer until they form soft peaks, about 4 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks until frothy.  Gently fold yolks into the egg whites to form your batter.
4. When oil is up to temperature, grab a stuffed chile and dip it in the batter. Make sure to get one side, the bottom, well coated, but for now don't worry about the top. Set the chile, batter side down, in the hot oil. Using a spoon, or your hands, add batter to finish coating the top. Continue with more chiles. Fry until golden on the bottom, then carefully flip and fry the second side until brown. Remove to a sheet pan, letting excess oil drain off.
5. When all Chiles are fried, top each with sauce. Scatter grated cheese on top. Place sheet pan in oven about five minutes, until sauce is hot and cheese is melted. To serve, set a chile on each plate. Add a dollop of sour cream, some guacamole and scatter green onion and shredded lettuce over the top. Serve with refried beans and Spanish rice if you like.

Note: Chiles Rellenos can be made ahead. Once you've finished stuffing and frying the chiles, cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to several hours. When ready to serve, preheat oven and then sauce and top with cheese. It'll take about ten minutes to reheat everything if you do it this way.