Playdates and Japancakes

By Steph Farrar

Oh so long ago, before weddings and babies, adulting and anxiety, I traveled to Osaka and Tokyo with Sam and his former band (please get back together) Phantom Planet. We ate our way around these massive cities in between their gigs and Harajuku shopping, blindfolded when tasting raw horse meat (to my and Sam's surprise), robata chicken gizzard, liver and heart - and the rest of this damaged animal, Ippudo ramen, crisp beer, and many other weird and wild dishes. 

The next afternoon, after jet-lagged Sam and I decided to dye our hair in a fancy Japanese Salon (where they had NO idea how to work with Caucasian hair) we met the rest of the guys at a pancake house, a chain actually. But to us, this spot was wholly progressive. 

Making a batter with a few simple ingredients.

We used to travel more; correction, I used to travel more. So when a memory from a decade back presents vividly like yesterday's sunset, something about it must've made it stick. It wasn't the egg in the batter, but something else ... it was just THAT GOOD.

I've always been an adventurous eater, even as a chap. I recall the first time I actually enjoyed avocado. I remember loving steamed cabbage, covered in butter and s+p, tossing cubed sweet potato back like popcorn. This doesn't seem that "adventurous" until you have your own 8-year-old who's the pickiest, most bland eater of all time. All the sudden a quesadilla would be a win for this mom. 

As my hair slowly recovered from the intense dye, a cabbage pancake sounded like a reprieve. Something crisp and unique for our American palettes. Shit, just something different from sushi, bonito flakes and ramen. 

I'm one of those ladies who always grabs last minute food magazines at the check-out stand at Gelson's. Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Cooking Light, Real Simple...  you name it. Last month, Real Simple killed it. I pulled two pages and immediately started testing recipes for a few catering gigs. This gremolata below went so well over sea bass filets soaked in the fennel and farro, served over slow roasted tomatoes. Now, the japancake is a new staple in our house since making it for the first time in years. And the sauce is a forever larder stock. 

Just like the Japanese pancake house, adorned with dozens of topping options, the most important ingredient in the recipe is the sauce. Sriracha, mayo, ketchup, tamari (or soy, coconut aminos), Worcestershire. Die. Oh and scallions, which are really just an excuse to add green. 

Mix the cabbage, carrots, eggs, ginger, flour and s+p. Let it sit.

Between professional days, parent / teacher conferences, holidays and WTF days off for no reason, Vesper has had a LOT of playdates lately. Incidentally, the playdate is sort of a vacation for me. They play with each other, require snacks near constantly, but for the most part, they leave me alone. It's magic. I get to cook and play in the kitchen, shove food in their mouths as they scoot by, and carve out the time I need to be creative. 

I've been cooking so much for other people lately, for parties and vacations, small dinner or lunch gatherings. For someone who's always been the social butterfly in almost any setting, I'm reveling in the peace of stepping away from it all and focusing. Intent on feeding those I love and admire, winning their praises, sleeping with compliments. What a joy to provide. A joy beyond.

Feed your loved ones Japancakes. They will keep coming back for more. Just remind them to take beano before bed. Cause you know, toots. 

Japancakes  (Okonomiyaki)

adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients:

• 3 scallions

• 4 cups shredded green cabbage (from ½ small head)

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour for GF)

• ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 2 tablespoons tamari, divided

• 2 tablespoons canola oil

• ¼ cup mayonnaise

• 1 teaspoon sriracha

• ¼ cup ketchup

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Slice scallions, separating white and green parts. Stir together cabbage, sliced white scallion, flour, ginger, eggs, and 1 tablespoon tamari in a large bowl until well combined.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add cabbage mixture; press to flatten and cover bottom of pan. Cover and cook until bottom is golden, about 8 minutes. Carefully flip pancake; cook, uncovered, until bottom is golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter.

3. Mix mayonnaise, sriracha, and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl. Add ketchup, Worcestershire, and remaining 1 tablespoon tamari. Drizzle sauce over pancake and sprinkle with sliced green scallion.

Makes one large pancake or about 6 small ones. 

You can make this thing BIG or ...

A little smaller so friends can use their hands

Frittata

By Sierra French Myerson

Do yourself a favor...Take time to make brunch at least once this coming weekend.  Let if be uncomplicated.  Let it be fun.  Let it be easy.  Let it be long.  Eat.  Talk.  Laugh.  Eat.  Reflect.  Breathe.  Eat.  Laugh.  Repeat.

In our ever-growing complicated times, I'm finding myself having to remember to just stop and breathe more frequently.  Shut down and breathe.  1,2,3...ok.

Throwing together brunch has become especially important to me for this reason.  It is an almost essential part of my Sunday.  I ritually go to the farmer's market in the morning, and then I keep it simple.  Nothing grand.

A frittata.  Simple salads.  No fuss vegetables and fruit that I’ve gotten at the market.  Sliced, olive oil, salt, pepper, platter.  Whatever is around.  No stress.  Take your time.

Brunch is intended to be informal.  Frankly, it doesn’t even require cooking if that’s not in your “at ease” vision of the day.  Bread, cheese, tomatoes, fruit…brunch!

Brunch can even be a meditation of sorts.  Morning focus and breathing and ease of mind with no pressure to deliver anything other than food for friends and family.  The breathing even comes back naturally. 

Again, I encourage you to grant yourself the time to enjoy an effortless brunch at least once on the weekends…I promise it will help guide you into the poundings that these recents weeks seem to continue to deliver.  And, during the week while waiting in line, or on hold, or in traffic, turn down the news for just a minute and repeat the new mantra…Eat.  Talk.  Laugh.  Eat.  Reflect.  Breathe.  Eat.  Laugh…before you know it, it will be time for brunch again.

Frittata with Caramelized Onions and Boursin Cheese

What you'll need:

• 2 Tbs olive oil, divided

• 1 medium onion (white, yellow, or red), halved and thinly sliced

• 12 large eggs

• 1/2 cup whole milk*

• 2 Tbs. chopped chives

• 2 Tbs. chopped Italian Parsley

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 package Boursin Cheese

• Salt & Pepper

*The key to the perfect frittata is the addition of the dairy.  For every dozen eggs, add 1/2 cup of full-fat dairy…whole milk, creme fraiche, heavy cream, yogurt are all good options.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Heat 1 Tb olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat.  Add onions;  stirring often.  Lower heat if onions start to brown too quickly.  Cook until onions take on a nice golden color.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs, milk, Parmesan, chives and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.

Turn heat up to medium-high and add remaining Tb. of olive oil.  Pour the egg mixture over the onions.  Cook the frittata without stirring for 5 minutes until edges start to set.  

Dollop Boursin over the eggs.  Transfer skillet to oven.  Bake until set, 25-30 minutes.  Definitely don’t want to over cook the frittata, so air on the safe side and take it out 5 minutes early to double check if it’s done.

Transfer to platter, slice.  Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Apple, Manchego & Chives

By Steph Farrar

My folks moved to Naples, Florida, an income tax-free state, almost a decade ago. They’ve always loved the water no matter where they've lived. I was basically raised on boats, in and out of galleys, heads, staterooms, pretending to learn port from starboard, bow from aft. We’re talking Tennessee River floating, slalom skiing, wave-running next to a nuclear facility. Not quite the California way of things. Not quite the peaceful, warm Gulf coast of Florida either.

It wasn’t a huge surprise when my parents made the move to the West coast of Florida to build their dream home on the water. It was time. They had braved the South long enough; it was time to enjoy all they had worked for. Unfortunately that great idea, building a dream home, took two years to complete and drained most of their stored enthusiasm for the Gulf Coast.

Years later, after completion and a resolving repose with staying put, my folks wear their Naples pride playfully. Naples more recently boasts dozens of amazing restaurants and watering holes, but is still anchored in the quiet, temperate Gulf. For the last few years we’ve visited for Thanksgiving, which is usually right around my birthday. And there is only one place I like to spend my birthday in Naples: Cafe Bar Lurcat.

There are three reasons why: 1. Great wine list 2. Fried rice topped with soft boiled egg 3. Apple, chive, manchego salad. So this week, I’m insisting Cafe Bar Lurcat comes to me. In Cali.

Simple Ingredients

This is one of the easiest things you will ever make. And one of the most delicious. The apples and cheese so closely resemble each other, it’s hard to pick them apart. The only things which divide them are taste and the touch of green at the end of the apple stalk. The apples have that bitter, sweet lemon kick and the cheese is so salty and nutty it could kill anyone with a nut allergy. With the tiny crunch of chive and little kick from the pepper, your taste-buds will be pleased. I like to cut the apples last, since they brown so quickly. If you must cut them earlier, squeeze lemon over them, cover and refrigerate.

Cut em like matchsticks

If you can believe it this salad can stay in the fridge for about a day or two, with the right amount of lemon to preserve. If you wanna follow this dish with the Pancetta Leek Fried Rice, you’ll have the closest meal to Lurcat since Lurcat. I mean really when are you ever going to Naples, Florida? Sorry Mom and Dad.

Summer!

Apple, Manchego & Chive Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 Granny Smith Apples, cored and cut into matchsticks

• 6 oz manchego cheese, cut into matchsticks

• 2 tbsp chopped chives

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Juice on one lemon

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Using a mandolin, slice apples and cheese into the same width slices. Then cut each slice into matchsticks. Unless you have a mandolin with a julienne blade, then use that of course.

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Store covered in refrigerator for one to two days max.

A,M,C on brick