Where Does Food Come From?

I realize it's been many moons since I've written anything here, but it's a new season and school is in full swing, and I feel like talking about photosynthesis.

Harnessing the energy from the Sun, my friend, Matt, is the envy of all the bitches in west L.A. who wish they had dahlias like this. His garden is poppin'.

Summer is over. What did I do? I learned how to surf like an amateur; I drove myself and a surfboard up to a fundraiser farm-to-table dinner party at Happy Girl Kitchen in Pacific Grove; I surfed Big Sur on my way home and learned an important lesson in surfing etiquette (almost had my ass handed to me); I bought my first surfboard; I was spoiled with an abundance of food from the farm and my garden; I saw many of my good friends and shared delicious meals with cool people; I found myself drinking craft beer (made in my hood!) with a sophisticated gangsta who taught me all about the ways of a true playa. & then it was over. We're about to fall back and kiss daylight savings goodbye. It's all very bittersweet, because I heart summer, but it always breaks my heart. Now it's entirely acceptable for me to use the heat in the kitchen and wear sweaters while I do it.

So here we are, post autumnal equinox, and I think it's a good time to reflect on the importance of many of the things we take for granted. Let's talk about how we revolve (revolution for real) around a star that is fusing elements together, creating an absurd amount of energy in the process, sending it in our direction, and then the energy is literally trapped in between the carbon bonds of glucose while simultaneously pulling carbon dioxide out of the air. The "waste" product is oxygen, and the real miracle of it all is that solar energy is being transferred to my neurons via cellular respiration (is there such a thing as mitochondria doping?) so that I can share my love for chloroplasts and chlorophyll and those pancake-shaped thylakoids right now. Damn, it feels good to be a gangsta.

Pollinators wanna act like it's all about them, but we both know they would have a hard time without the real life reaction that happens between sunshine (aka photons) and chloroplasts. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of love for the pollinators. They're O.G. true playas, hustlin' all day. Haters gonna hate. Role models come in all shapes and sizes.

O.G. in action

It's hard to tell, but this photo is highly inappropriate. There's a honeybee homegirl down there, gettin' all up in this passionflower. True playa.

If you're like me, you be tryin' to ball till you fall, so you probably have VIP status at your local organic farm. How else are you gonna get a hook up on some freshly photosynthesized complex carbohydrates? Gardens are legit, but I have to argue for balance here. It's a full-time job growing your own food, so why not support your local small farmer while you supplement with your own homegrown goodness?

Concrete jungles can be modified to support photosynthesis and life. Can't stop, won't stop.
Those are 4 different kinds of heirloom tomatoes growing in paint buckets (less than $3/piece), arugula in the silver bucket, and herbs in the concrete blocks. DIY, bitches.

Sun Sugars. You can make this kind of magic happen. Photosynthesis and pollinators want to help you, but you can't act like it's all about you all the time. Cultivate living space, develop and maintain.

Sun Sugar harvest. If you're a baller, harvest tomatoes in a crystal bowl. Keep it classy.

Heirloom harvest: Goosecreek tomatoes and Big Rainbow.

Summer harvest: Sun Sugars, Goosecreek, Black Seaman, and Big Rainbow.

Grand finale! Garden salsa with basil, lime, pink sea salt, and a splash of the strawberry vinegar I bought from Happy Girl Kitchen. Find something fancy in your kitchen and experiment. Be wild.

Salsa Garden Salsa

Please feel free to modify this recipe to suit your palate and/or to better complement the flavors you decide to include. For example, I did not use any jalapeño in this recipe because it would overpower the brightness of the basil and the subtle hint of strawberry.

•  1.5 - 2 lbs of your favorite tomatoes
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 - 2/3 of a small white onion (or a sweet onion if you can find one)
• 1 cup (give or take) of your favorite fresh basil
• 1-2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1-2 tsp strawberry vinegar
• Pink sea salt to taste

You have a couple of options with assembly. I tend to go either way, depending on my mood and that day's commitments. Option 1: use a food processor (faster). Option 2: don't use a food processor (slower). If you decide to go with option 1, I would recommend processing the roughly chopped onions with the minced garlic, basil, salt, and lime juice on pulse before adding the roughly chopped tomatoes. If you're not in the mood to use your fancy kitchen equipment and you have time to really involve yourself, take the liberty to add ingredients together, in a large bowl, in whatever order makes you most happy.

On a final note, I am grateful for the sun, the pollinators, and the summer harvest. However, I am also grateful for apple season that's happening right now in southern California. I can't wait to tell you about my trip to Julian and the subsequent apple butter-making-marathon.

Life Changes & Tacos

Once again it feels like I am beginning a new chapter in life (wtf, enough already). Despite my tendency to be cranky about changes, I am as grateful as the horizon is wide.

This is the view from my new neighborhood - sunset after a rain storm reminiscent of the east coast.

I am at the end of my first weekend in my new home. Most of what I have is still in boxes (most of what I have is still in a storage unit on the east coast), but more importantly I am grateful. I am grateful it rained this weekend versus last weekend while I was moving; I am grateful for my cozy, bright kitchen in my sweet little beach bungalow; I am grateful for the generosity of the beautiful people who helped me get here (with a lovely new collection of dishes, eating utensils, and cute Ikea storage containers); I am grateful for the little Mexican store across the street where they make the tiniest little tortillas, so I can make tiny little tacos for my super cute friends.

breakfast-for-dinner-tacos + mango avocado salsa

breakfast-for-dinner tacos deconstructed

 My friends are so cute - they came over and dolled me up for a vintage housewife photo shoot in my new kitchen while I made tacos (like a nice southern Californian vintage housewife).

"Do vintage housewives make tacos?"

"In southern California, they do."

We were banking on shrimp tacos, but I spent all my money moving and making ends meet, and there was no more money in the pot. Fortunately, I spend my Saturdays working at a charming little farm stand, and when I hang around colorful, luscious produce all day, I spend what little money I have left on the most necessary and/or seductive options.

The menu of my first beach bungalow dinner party included breakfast-for-dinner tacos with fried eggs, cabbage carrot slaw, avocado, and salsa fresca. We also had mango avocado salsa, made with some seriously seductive mangoes. They were so sweet and juicy, it was freaking inappropriate. The girls found cane sugar Coca Cola & rice pudding at the little Mexican store across the street, so we had sweet beverages and a sweet dessert to top it all off. It was so so dang delicious!

Beach bungalow dinner party #1

Let me just say, I am so easily torn apart by life changes, I don't know how I would have made it through this weekend without such wonderful friends. What is life without friends and food? and music? I should mention, the soundtrack to the photo shoot was provided by the most lovely, Zee Avi.

So, to all my friends, far and wide, please know how much you mean to me. I cherish the gifts and the memories more than you know... I only wish we could all get together for tacos more often. <3

What A Pickle!

My great grandmother used to tell me I was going to turn into a pickle. I guess she thought I ate too many pickles. She probably just wanted me to stop eating all her pickles but I don't know when to stop. Story of my life! If they weren't so dang delicious, I wouldn't have this problem.

I am still settling into my new kitchen, slowly re-acquiring all my kitchen supplies & gadgets from the old storage unit on the east coast (ask me how you can contribute to the kitchen supply shipment fund!). Meanwhile, beautiful friends of mine gifted some of the most beautiful deep, dark red Swiss chard my way, and I knew I finally had to make this brilliant recipe for pickled chard stems.

 

Luscious

I modified the recipe a little, ate all the pickled chard stems (my friends helped) with a quickness, and then pickled sliced cucumber in the same brine! After I ate through all the cucumbers (in one sitting), I pickled sliced beets in the same sweet sweet brine. I'm dirty like that.

I have to preface this recipe with a quick story: I am currently teaching a cooking class - how to prepare and cook in-season produce, and we made fresh salsa. It was totally fantastic, but the students I had that day are super anit-tomato :( C'est la vie.

Fresh tomato salsa & corn, avocado, basil salsa

The tomato salsa was super juicy. The recipe was simple: tomatoes, fresh-squeezed lime juice, cilantro, red onion, garlic, jalapeño, and salt. With so much extra juiciness, the salsa was slightly unappealing and hard to eat, so I strained the liquor out, but then I couldn't just pour it down the sink -- what a tragic waste that would be. Tangy, sweet, spicy... it would be oh so delicioso in some kind of crazy pickle concoction!

Sweet & Spicy Pickled Swiss Chard Stems

• 1 large bunch of chard stems, leaves mostly removed
• 3/4 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 rounded Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp coriander seed
• 1/2 jalapeño, sliced crosswise, pith & seeds removed
• Approximately 1/3 cup salsa liquor

Rinse the chard stems well and slice into batons to fit into whatever glass container you're using. I don't have any Mason jars, so I used a Pyrex storage container.

Blanch & shock the chard stems prior to pickling. This will give them a longer shelf life in the refrigerator if you're not canning them. I reserved 1/2 cup of the boiling water, post-blanch, for the pickle recipe.

Combine the vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and coriander in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.

 Stack chard stems in your clean glass container and cover with brine. Add the sliced jalapeño and the salsa liquor.

Allow to marinade in the fridge for at least 24 hours, in a sealed container.

Last step, invite me over when they're ready. You might actually want to double the recipe if you are going to share with me (or any other pickle lover). They are completely fabulous right out of the jar and they're utterly brilliant in a salad.

So Dang Spoiled

Dang y'all, fortune smiles upon me! After a busy day working at Jessica's fabulous organic farm, I came home with an incredible bounty of produce. New life change: I am an amateur farmer with too much food (not complaining).

Isn't it beautiful? This Saturday was my fourth day at the farm, and I couldn't be happier with my new job. It is very clear to me that this is a step in the right direction.

Soon after arriving home to a very happy puppy, I got word that my badass friend, Dave, finished the latest modifications to my bicycle! No more perpetual motion of the pedals, woohoo! Watch out world! Here comes a safer, sassier cyclist! As if my night wasn't already completely delightful, Dave's badass wife, Missy, delivered dinner right to my table:

• Fish tacos with mango avocado salsa (all-time fave)
• Black bean, jicama, corn salad (sdd)
• Fresh sliced pineapple (fave)
• Pumpkin brioche bread pudding (o.m.gee)

I am notoriously seduced by food, it's no secret. But there are few things that satisfy my belly the way good fish tacos satisfy my belly. Most specifically, this recipe. I have a borderline love affair with these tacos. They are simultaneously simple and tricky, but arguably more simple than tricky.

Halibut Fish Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

Mango Avocado Salsa

Honestly, the tricky part is finding the ingredients. To make mango avocado salsa you have to have a ripe mango and avocado on hand, which is easier said than done (although, I suspect you can use frozen mango). Then, for these tacos to be completely outstanding, you have to go to a tortillería to buy soft corn tortillas, which isn't a big deal, just a little out of the way. I go to a little place, called Bianca's, where 1 lb. of fresh corn tortillas = $1! Bianca's tortillas are amazing.
I would love to be a total foodie and request a steak of pole-caught amberjack from the Gulf every time I make these, but I typically don't have time for all that, so I usually buy a couple of frozen steaks of halibut from WFM. When I say "steak" I mean steak. No tilapia allowed. Seriously, tilapia does not belong in a taco unless it is expertly battered and deep-fried, and even then, it's not my first choice. I know tilapia is hella affordable, but there is a reason for that (if you want to know more, send me an email, sodangdelicious@gmail.com, and I will do my best to explain). On that same note, having these tacos is a rare treat for me, which is why I got all excited and had to write about it on SDD.

I acquired this recipe some years ago, and subsequently shared it with my friend/coworker. It was from a domestic ladies' magazine, but I forgot which one and I forgot to cite it in my recipe collection, so I can't tell you who, specifically, is responsible for this goodness. I can tell you it's not me, although I am definitely responsible for those tacos in the picture above.

Fish Tacos & Mango Avocado Salsa

• 1 mango, peeled, pitted & cut into 1/3" cubes
• 1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/3" cubes
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice + wedges for serving
• 1 3/4 tsp kosher sea salt
• 3 Tbsp cornmeal
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1tsp chili powder
• 1 lb. white fish (halibut, flounder, or amber jack), skinned & bones, cut into 3/4" cubes
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and sliced
• 4 Tbsp canola oil (approximately)
• 16 6" fresh corn tortillas

Place mango, avocado, scallion, cilantro, juice, and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl; toss gently for salsa. Set aside.

Combine cornmeal, cumin, chili powder and remaining 1 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl; add fish and toss until coated well (discard excess coating); set aside.

Using 2 Tbsp (approximate), lightly brush onto one side of each tortilla. Heat a large non-stick skillet (cast iron if you wanna be SDD) over moderately high heat. Add tortillas in pairs with uncoated sides together and cook, turning once, until just golden and starting to crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with a towel.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil on the same skillet. Add jalapeño and fish; toss to coat with oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fish is just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Spoon into paired taco shells. Serve with salsa, lime wedges, and hot sauce, if desired.

Please be warned, you will be spoiled after eating these tacos. Fish tacos will never be the same.

The mango avocado salsa is SDD on almost anything spiced with cumin and/or chili powder. If you are opposed to eating fish, replace the fish with tempeh. An especially lovely friend of mine turned me on to the combination of tempeh and quinoa in tacos. SDD without a doubt. Spice up your quinoa with scallions and fresh basil, and add it to the mix!

I would really like to take this opportunity to thank Missy & Dave for being so wonderful!