Today, Sunday, I am sending this out from my home in KC but this week I was back home home in LA. I flew in on Wednesday and was originally supposed to stay until next Friday. Then it was shortened to next Tuesday. After a positive covid test (not me, someone else) I shortened the trip again and flew home late last night. So I ended up having a quick four-day trip to eat salads in the sunshine with 0% humidity. Ah, the west coast (the best coast?).
Los Angeles is a big city but the little pocket I grew up in is small. I regularly run into people that I know, either directly or through my mother or grandmother. My network broadened greatly when I worked in homes with families for a handful of years. When I was nannying I got to know not just the parents I worked for but all the friends of the kids, their parents, their parent’s friends, their siblings, and their nannies…it’s a lot. I now find myself recognizing someone everywhere like in a workout class and spending the whole class trying to figure out what chapter of my life I know them from. It’s interesting.
I have written about this before but some of my favorite people to get to know are the employees at my regular grocery store. Friday afternoon I walked to Whole Foods to grab a few things to make for dinner. When I looked up from the display of fish at the seafood counter I instantly recognized the man that was about to ask me if I needed help. Without even saying hello I asked, “you’ve worked here for a long time haven’t you?” “A little over four years” was his response.
We put together that he was just starting out when I was working as a personal chef. My client at the time would have me cook a handful of proteins each week for her dog (lol). He would help me every Tuesday at 8:30 AM with my usual pound of salmon for this client. We chatted with him standing over pieces of salmon, tuna, and whole branzino and me staring up at him with aggressive cold air from the open refrigerator blowing on me. It was a small but very lovely encounter that felt like seeing an old friend. An added bonus is that I checked out with a fresh fillet of sockeye salmon that arrived that morning instead of one of the pieces on display.
I went home and played around in my mom’s kitchen. I braised the white and light green parts of leeks in a mixture of garlic, miso, olive oil, and chicken broth until they were golden and jammy. Truthfully…this experiment needs a lot more tweaking, it was lacking.
I sliced asparagus into rounds and made a lemony salad, briny from capers and heavy on the dill. Then I cooked the salmon in my favorite way – crispy salt salmon. When it came out I topped it with a salsa verde of sorts made of the dark green leek tops finely chopped. They sat in a mixture of rice vinegar, mirin, ginger, and miso to soften and slightly pickle for a few hours. That turned out to be one of the best new things I have come up with in a long time. I’ll work on it some more and send it out in The Kitchen Club.
The last dish I experimented with was a crunchy shaved carrot salad. Dressed with lime juice and a bit of sesame oil. I was pleasantly surprised by how simple and truly delicious it was. If you try this at home, throw those shaved carrots in an ice bath for maximum crunch. Ice baths are your friend!
Before my flight on Saturday, I had lunch at Chainsaw where Little Fish was doing a popup. Chainsaw in an underground restaurant run out of a garage (check out their Instagram and you’ll get the idea) and Little Fish is a seafood pop-up. We had grilled oysters, fried anchovies, grilled shrimp, and their signature fish sandwich. That sandwich was the best-fried fish sandwich I have had in years. Keep an eye on both Chainsaw and Little Fish for more rad pop-ups.
The only downside to leaving last night was missing Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, grandpas, pet dads, and people that identify as dads. ❤️
What Kitchen Club subscribers made this week…
I have come to the realization that I am a ✨burger girl✨. I love all burgers but I am currently obsessed with this Grilled Chicken Burger. Very in love with the curry ketchup!
One of my favorite food memories from childhood is sharing a fire-roasted artichoke with my mom at Newsroom Cafe (RIP) on Robertson. It was GOOD, so good that I think about it every spring when artichokes are in season. Grilling artichokes are easy and something you can’t mess up. Unless you really burn the artichokes…but even still, you can probably still eat the heart.
Grilled Artichokes
Prep
Artichokes need a little cleaning up. I start by trimming the stem to about an inch long and taking a peeler and peeling the outer layer of the little stem. Then I cut the artichoke in half. Using a spoon I scrape out all the “hair” in the center. The fuzzy stuff you don’t eat and any of the extra small layers that you skip eating too.
Some people take scissors and trim off any sharp pointy tips of the leaves. Or they cut the whole top off. I never do this. I’m an adult and know that the tip could be a little pointy so I avoid touching it. Plus it’s more work and I can’t be bothered.
Boil
The artichokes are really cooked in water and finished on the grill for flavor. Boil a large pot of water. Season it with salt and throw half a lemon in the pot. Once boiling add your artichoke halves and cover with a lid. They take 10-15 minutes to cook depending on the size. You can test them by poking the stem with a knife. If it slides in easily they are ready. Transfer the cooked artichokes to a tray and let the water drain off of them.
Grill
Once the water drains off you can throw them on the grill. I rub the whole artichoke with oil first. Over high direct heat grill until they are nice and charred.
Eat them while they are hot! Here is an easy dipping sauce I like to enjoy them with:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 scallion finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 garlic clove grated
1 lemon, juiced
Pinch of salt and lots of black pepper
Mix everything together and get dipping.
After 22 years, Adam Platt is signing off as the restaurant critic at New York Magazine *A good read!
Corn Dogs *I have a deep deep love for corndogs.
The Bloomin’ Onion *A fun weekend project.
This interview about diet culture covers a LOT in a quick 26 minutes. Give it a listen.
A+ marketing team at Liquid Death.
Something fun – Head to this website and search your location to find books set in your city.
I found this website from Caitlin Dewey’s newsletter, Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends.
Smoothies don’t do much for me. I am happy enjoying one but I don’t ever care to make one. Years ago, like 6/7 years ago, I would get the crunchy monkey smoothie from Juice Crafters while nannying (kids like smoothies). I got not one but TWO crunchy monkey smoothies this week and they tasted as good as I remembered. It’s basically a milkshake but we all pretend it’s “healthy” by calling it a smoothie and I’m here for it.
There is no link for this one, you have to go out and hunt for this. Trader Joe’s has cross-back linen aprons. I have two colors and they rock. I refuse to pay over $40 for an apron because it’s a freaking apron! These are $20, super yummy and soft, and functional. I like them more than my favorite World Market ones 🤭.
Have a great Sunday, talk to you next week!
Xx M