…from the California Kitchenow you doin’? To all of our Parrot Head friends—we had the pleasure of designing the menu for the opening of Margaritaville, Las Vegas. Perspectives had done a lot of work in Sin City over the years and never did we see a Las Vegas strip hotel and casino remove slot machines to put in a restaurant… Margaritaville was a first. The restaurant occupied 3 floors of valuable gambling space for, what became, the highest grossing restaurant in the United States. When Chef Spencer and I started designing the menus, Jimmy told us it was to be fun, affordable, on brand and it must include his mother’s meatloaf--just like mom’s. This is what we call a dream client—few restrictions. James William Buffett was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi on Christmas Day in 1946. While Jimmy is known for his easy-going, barefoot life-style and music, he is also an author, actor and successful businessman. He is one of the hardest working perfectionists we’ve ever worked with. I used to love to go to his concerts and watch from backstage as he, seemingly effortlessly, put on a great show. Unlike too many celebrities of our day, Jimmy is also a very good man. With all that’s going on around our world today a lot of us are a lot about classic, comforting meals—and it doesn’t get more comforting or more classic than Jimmy’s Mom’s meatloaf. It’s humble, homey, and comforting. Jimmy’s Mom’s meatloaf is really nothing new. Meatloaf has been around since Ancient Rome, the version we’re familiar with saw a resurgence during the Great Depression and again during the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Now with war in Europe and inflation rates soaring at home, meatloaf is still warm, nourishing, and inexpensive—allowing families to stretch their food budget. The Margaritaville meatloaf is made with ground beef, eggs, milk, onion and breadcrumbs seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, fragrant garlic, fresh parsley and thyme, and of course, plenty of ketchup. Nothing flashy, just simple, well-balanced flavor. And don’t forget the glaze—just ketchup, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and molasses. The top of the meatloaf glaze caramelizes in the oven, giving it a sweet and tangy depth of flavor. The loaf remains tender and juicy; never dry or too well done. At Margaritaville we served two slices of Mom’s meatloaf atop a mountain of mashed potatoes, with glazed carrots and steamed green beans along side. Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 65 to 70 minutes Cool time: 5 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients For the meatloaf 2 pounds 85/15 ground beef (or 1-pound ground beef and a half pound each of ground pork and veal) 1 large yellow onion, minced 4 tablespoons garlic, minced 2 large eggs, whisked 1/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup milk (or half & half) 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme) 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon roasted garlic powder For the glaze 1/3 cup ketchup 1 teaspoon molasses 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt Directions To make the meatloaf
ChefSecret: Be sure to tap the pan to fill in the corners. If you don't do the pan-tapping, the meatloaf will not hold together. Quip of the Day: “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” –Jimmy Buffett ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. #Entrees #Dinner #Meatloaf #JimmyBuffett #Margaritaville #LasVegas #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022
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…from the California Kitchen How you doin’? Last week I was sitting in a booth at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants when the server walked by our table with a piled-high plate of nachos. There’s something lovely about the unapologetic lustiness of a big pile of nachos. I ordered a far less decadent dish consisting of a pair of beef tacos. I came home and kept thinking about those darn nachos. I looked around the kitchen and had everything but the tortilla chips. What’s a person to do? I decided to dial it up a bunch with my recipe for Carne Asada Fries. This recipe was created to fill the hole in your hearts left by all those missed happy hours not shared with friends and family during the pandemic. These make the ideal appetizer or even a dinner. The center of this recipe is the highly-flavored carne asada. It is a tender, juicy steak marinated in a sauce made with roasted chiles, cumin, citrus and cilantro. The carne asada (steak) contributes a hearty, smoky flavor while the fresh jalapeño, tomato and onion add a zesty bite of heat and acid. The crema takes down the spiciness. The crunchy fries add a decadent counterpoint to the tender carne asada. I only had frozen fries on hand, which was just fine because time was of the essence, but if you have the time and the equipment you can make your own light and crispy homemade air fryer French fries. Finally, the hearty protein of the steak will be a steadying influence alongside the cocktail of your choice. I enjoyed mine with a top-drawer margarita, or it could work with an ice-cold beer. The perfect choice for celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Prep time: 45 minutes Marinate time: 3 hours or overnight Cook time: 15 minutes Assembly time: 5 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients For the carne asada 3 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed 3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce 1 cup water 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for grill 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoon Thai fish sauce 4 tablespoons minced garlic 1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems; reserve some for garnish 1 tablespoon whole cumin seed, toasted and ground 1 tablespoon whole coriander seed, toasted and ground 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste 1-1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 2 equal-size pieces For the air fryer French fries 2 15-oz packages frozen French fries Spray oil (I prefer Pam) 1 seeded and diced tomato 1/2 cup diced white onion 1 thinly sliced jalapeño pepper 1/4 cup crema 6 lime wedges, for garnish Directions To make the carne asada
ChefSecret: Consider making a double batch of carne asada to use in tacos, enchiladas, tortas and rice bowls. Quip of the Day: “Why are eggs packaged in flimsy Styrofoam packaging and batteries come in a package that takes a chainsaw to open?” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. #Appetizers #CarneAsadaFries #CarneAsada #FrenchFries #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022 …from the California KitchenHow you doin’? What’s your favorite cut of steak—Sirloin, Filet, New York or Ribeye? For the last 35 years our test kitchen has been churning and turning out a wide variety of foods. We don’t usually have a hard time getting people to sample our efforts. The two most popular categories are steak and chocolate (not together, of course, except for one recipe for prime rib that is peppered with cacao nibs). Ribeye steaks are a particular favorite of mine because of the marbling of the fat. Ribeye Steaks can be prepared in a variety of ways. Here’s a simple one. Close your eyes and imagine a big, juicy Ribeye Steak and potatoes—the perfect combination of familiar, comforting and still a bit fancy. We cooked this steak recipe in a hot cast-iron skillet, starting with the potatoes. The process is quite simple—get the oil hot and start the potato wedges, salting them generously. Let the potatoes cook for ten minutes before you flip them. This creates golden-brown potatoes with a light, crispy crust on the outside and a perfectly creamy interior. For the steak, we like a couple of USDA Prime Ribeye steaks. As they’re cooking, we melt some butter in the pan, throw in some garlic and baste the steaks with the buttery goodness. Basting gives the steak a fantastic sear, especially in a cast iron skillet. With the combination of the cast iron skillet and the butter the steaks develop deep, golden brown crust and crispy edges. Of course, during the cooking process, the steak’s juices mingle with the garlic butter. Add a little lemon and some parsley, and you’ve got a wonderful buttery pan sauce. Potatoes love fat, too! So, of course they taste amazing drenched in the bright, buttery sauce. The Ribeye Steaks, infused with the aromatic butter, slice up tender, miraculously juicy and super flavorful every time. This is a perfect dinner for two. It’s easy and fast enough for an ordinary weeknight and special enough for a romantic celebration. Add a shaved baby kale and artichoke salad, a bottle of robust red wine and grilled fruit for dessert. Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Yield: 2 to 4 servings Ingredients For the potatoes 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound medium Yukon Gold or red potatoes, cut into ¾” wedges—think steak fries 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt For the steak and garlic butter 2 12-oz 1”-thick ribeye or New York strip steaks 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 teaspoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste Directions To make the potatoes
ChefSecret: Allow both the potatoes and steaks to sear to a crust before trying to move them around the skillet. This will allow a crisp crust to develop on both. Quip of the Day: “When you’re talking, you’re only repeating what you already know. But when you’re listening, you may learn something new.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. #Entrees #Dinner #Beef #RibeyeSteak #WedgePotatoes #Filet #NewYorkSteak #YukonGold #RedPotatoes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022 Joan’s Healthy Recipes How you doin’? Ukraine has been in the news lately, and I thought Ukraine might be of interest to our readers because of its importance to agriculture and food in general. Ukraine is the second-largest country in Eastern Europe, after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine also shares borders with Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the south; and has a coastline along the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Ukraine is often referred to as the “breadbasket of Europe” because of how much the Ukrainian people value wheat and grain, a staple in Ukrainian cuisine due to their historical relationship with it. Most original Ukrainian dishes are popular in Russia and other Eastern European countries (with some changes in ingredients from country-to-county). Many of these Ukrainian foods are even enjoyed in English-speaking countries, as well. Traditional Ukrainian dishes are derived from ancient peasant meals that made use of plentiful grain resources such as rye, as well as essential vegetables such as potatoes, cabbages, mushrooms, and beetroot. The cuisine is also heavily influenced by the rich dark fertile soil in which many ingredients are grown. Because of the changes to borders, many of these dishes incorporate both Slavic and Eastern European influences as a result of years of foreign occupation, enslavement and jurisdiction. Ukrainian Holubtsi, or stuffed cabbage leaves, are the perfect warm comfort food for a chilly day. Traditional stuffed cabbage mixes pork and beef with barberries, giving the dish a complex sour note. If barberries are hard to find, you can substitute cranberries, currants or raisins soaked in lemon juice. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes Yield: 4 servings Calories: 321 kcal Ingredients 12 to 14 large savoy cabbage leaves (from 1 large Savoy cabbage; use the inner smaller leaves for coleslaw) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup finely diced yellow onion, divided 3/4 cup peeled and finely grated carrot 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1 can chopped tomatoes (14-1/2-ounce can, undrained) 1-2/3 cups water 2 bay leaves 1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste 8 ounces ground beef 8 ounces ground pork 1/4 cup barberries (optional) 1/4 cup parboiled white long-grain rice (cooked for only about 5 minutes) 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill Sour cream, for topping Sliced grilled sourdough bread, for serving Directions
ChefSecret: European barberries have a tart flavor, like cranberries, while barberries from North America are sweeter. Barberries contain several beneficial compounds, most notably berberine, which acts as an antioxidant and may help to manage conditions like diabetes, fight dental infections, and treat acne. Barberries can be purchased at Whole Foods or Amazon online. Quip of the Day: “A Ukrainian proverb: A stupid Russian gives straw to his dog and bones to his horse.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. #Entrees #Lunch #Dinner #Ukraine #Holubtsi #CabbageRolls #SavoyCabbage #Beef #Pork #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022 …from the California KitchenHow you doin’? Lawry’s California Center was the center of my life for 5 years. I joined the company to help design one of the most beautiful corporate headquarters in California—26 contiguous acres just 3 miles from downtown Los Angeles. It was a great experience, so much so that I stayed working there long after my design gig ended. A lot of money went into this beautiful garden center. My bosses, Richard and Ralph Frank, were the perfect people for me to work with since they catered to creativity. One afternoon we were all talking, and I asked the question, “With the upcoming stockholder’s meeting how are you going to explain the millions of dollars spent with no apparent revenue?” The decision was made to open-up a small restaurant at the center and see who might come. After all, we were all restaurant people and we could easily design a new concept and get open in the next 3-weeks. La Cocina was the brand and most menu items sold from this small walk-up were made using Lawry’s ingredients. La Cocina Enchiladas turned out to be a guest favorite; in fact, people were queued up from 11:30 to 2:30 every weekday. With La Cocina Enchiladas there are two points of excellence easily duplicated at home—the meat and the tortilla. The meat must be well seasoned—we used a homemade seasoning—and the tortillas must be fried and dipped into sauce before rolling. These enchiladas are amazing! Close your eyes and imagine you are dining at Lawry’s California Center—where Southern California isn’t just a state, but a state of mind. Epilogue: After the Thomas J. Lipton Company bought Lawry’s, they closed Lawry’s California Center in 1992. They turned the land over to the State of California and it was later re-opened as the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Los Angeles River and Garden Center. This is truly a recipe your family will love. Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 20 mins Yield: 8 servings Ingredients 1 pound lean ground beef 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon dried parsley 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (see recipe below) 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cups enchilada sauce, plus 1/4 cup, divided (I prefer Las Palmas) 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 8 corn tortillas 4 tablespoon chopped black olives, drained 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 8 whole black olives Directions
ChefSecret: Frying the tortilla before rolling will help maintain the texture of the corn masa which give the enchiladas a nice bite. Ed’s Taco & Enchiladas Meat Seasoning Mix The perfect seasoning for ground beef, ground chicken, turkey and even tofu. Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cup Ingredients 1/4 cup sweet paprika 2 tablespoons chili powder 2 tablespoons dried oregano 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Directions
Quip of the Day: “If you can’t laugh at yourself, let me do it for you.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. #Entrees #Lunch #Dinner #BeefEnchiladas #Beef #Lawrys #LasPalmas #LawrysCaliforniaCenter #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022 |
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