Bye bye Bombshelter, HELLO street food trucks

Ever since the great adventure that was the 1st Annual LA Street Food Fest, I've been craving grilled steak banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich)...and after missing my chance with Phamish last week, I was determined to get one from the Nom Nom Truck. While they didn't have grilled steak, their grilled pork banh mi was an amazing alternative. $5 for a 12" sandwich filled with tasty grilled pork, pickled veggies, cilantro and some sauce (mayonnaise, perhaps?)--definitely an experience worth repeating. This was Monday...



...today, I revisited The Grilled Cheese Truck set on trying something a little more adventurous than the last time. So what did I order? The Cheesy Mac and Rib, aka Fully Loaded. $7.50 gets you macaroni and cheese with sharp cheddar, bbq pork and caramelized onions all in between two toasty slices of french bread. Maybe it was because I was so hungry, or maybe it was because it was that good, but regardless, this delicious melt was gone in less than 5 minutes, leaving one content me.

So where can one find these meals on wheels? For myself and those I work with, right on UCLA's south campus (lucky us!). Two trucks are parked at the Court of Sciences every weekday. Got to warn you though, the lines can get pretty long...luckily I have a fairly flexible schedule.

Ba-2(na) 2(co)-2(nut) muffins

Banana Coconut Nut Muffins

Recipe adapted from Food Network/Tyler Florence's Banana Bread with Pecans

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 overripe bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
  

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tin with paper cups.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together for a good 3 minutes; you want a light and fluffy banana cream. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla; beat well and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated; no need to overly blend. Fold in the nuts, shredded coconut, and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared cups, about 2/3 full. Give the pan a good rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.

Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Rotate the pan periodically to ensure even browning.

Cool the muffins in the pan for 10 minutes or so, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Fit for a king

King Cake

Here is my attempt at making a traditional king cake in celebration of Mardi Gras. I think it looks pretty. We'll see how it tastes, tomorrow.


and yes, I did put the symbolic baby Jesus in it...let's see who gets him. (Sandra!)

updated: 2/22/10

recipe adapted from Cajun Chef Ryan:

King Cake Dough

½	Cup	Warm water (110 degrees F.)
2	Pkg	Active dry yeast
½	Cup	Sugar (plus 2 tsp)
4½	Cups	All purpose flour, un-sifted
1	Tsp	Nutmeg, ground or fresh grated
2	Tsp	Salt
1	Tsp	Lemon zest
½	Cup	Warm Milk (110 degrees F.)
5	Each	Egg yolks
1	Stick	Butter, (plus 2 Tbsp) softened
1	Each	Egg and 1 Tbsp milk beaten (egg wash)
1	Tbsp	Cinnamon

Procedure Steps (preheat oven to 350 degrees F)
1.	In a small bowl add the warm water and sprinkle in the yeast with 2 teaspoons of sugar. Allow the yeast and sugar to rest for 5 minutes then mix well. Set the bowl in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until the yeast bubbles and mixture almost doubles in volume.
2.	Combine 3½ cups flour with ½ cup sugar, nutmeg and salt, then sift into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon zest.
3.	Create a “hole” in the middle of the bowl with the flour mixture on the sides of the bowl. Gently pour in the yeast mixture and the warm milk into the flour mixture. Add the egg yolks and combine the dry ingredients with the wet mixture. When the dough is smooth cut in the stick of butter 1 Tbsp at a time and continue to fold and combine until the dough can be formed into a soft ball shape.
4.	Place the ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and knead adding up to another cup of flour in small tablespoon portions at a time. Continue to knead the dough until smooth, shiny and elastic, about 10 minutes or so.
5.	Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of a large bowl evenly with 1 Tbsp softened butter. Place the dough ball in the bowl and rotate until the entire surface is buttered. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and place in a draft-free place for about 1½ hours, or until the dough doubles in volume. Using a pastry brush coat a large baking sheet pan with 1 Tbsp of butter and set aside.
6.	Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Using your fist punch down the dough with a heavy blow. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top and roll the dough into a cylinder or tube shape. Twist the dough to form a curled cylinder and loop it onto the buttered baking sheet pan. Pinch the ends of the dough together to complete the circle.
7.	Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and allow to rise again in a draft-free warm location for about 45 minutes or until the dough circle doubles in volume.
8.	Brush the top and sides of the dough with the egg wash and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool cake to room temperature on a wire rack. Now is the time to hide the bean or plastic baby.

Tinted Sugars
1½	Cups	Granulated sugar
¼	Tsp	Purple food color
¼	Tsp	Green food color
¼	Tsp	Yellow food color

Procedure Steps

1.

While the cake is cooling prepare the tinted sugars by taking three separate bowls with ½ cup of sugar in each. Then take the purple food color and slowly drop a dot or two at a time into the sugar. Using a spoon stir to mix and spread the color around until all sugar is tinted. Add more food color as needed. Repeat the process for the green and then the yellow in their own bowls as well. Set the tinted sugars aside.

Icing
3	Cups	Powdered confectioners sugar
¼	Cup	Fresh lemon juice, strained
3 to 6	Tbsp	Water

Procedure Steps
1.	Combine the sugar, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of water in a deep bowl whisking until smooth. If icing is too stiff whisk in 1 tablespoon water at a time until spreadable.
2.	Place cooled cake onto a serving platter or heavy cake cardboard and coat the top and sides of the cake with the icing. I like to dip my fingers into the icing and then drizzle it over the top of the cake. While the icing is still fresh immediately sprinkle the tinted sugars in individual rows about 2 to 3 inches wide of the purple, green and gold (yellow).

If preparing in advance allow the icing and tinted sugars to set up a bit then cover with a plastic bag or plastic wrap. Typically a King Cake can last 2-3 days un-refrigerated.

Note On Fillings: If filling the cake you will want to have your filling prepared prior to the step where you are twisting the dough. In fact, for filled King Cake dough’s I will roll the dough out similar to cinnamon roll or danish dough style, instead of the cylinder shape as described above. Then I will sprinkle more cinnamon sugar and then add the filling. Then the dough will get rolled up around the filling jelly roll style. Then the filled dough is added to the baking sheet pan and looped into the circle and pinched before the second rising and baking stages. Typical fillings include sweetened and softened cream cheese, cherry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, lemon filling, custard filling, and my favorite is a double chocolate chocolate cake filling. Typically any pie or doughnut filling will work, you are only limited by your imagination.

**for filling- I rolled out the dough and placed globs of almond paste (about half a tube) to cover as much of the dough as possible. I then sprinkled sliced almonds on top of the paste (about 1/2 cup), rolled the dough into a cylinder, pinched the edges together and set aside for the second rise. (step 7 in dough preparation)

Taking it to the streets

Here are a few snapshots from the 1st Annual Los Angeles Street Food Fest


$2 Mini Grilled Steak Banh Mi from Phamish-I have to admit, the first thing I did after taking this picture was remove the pepper slices, but other than that, the grilled steak was very flavorful and I wanted to go back for seconds, but there were so many more trucks ahead...


$2 Housemade Cake Donut Bites and $3 Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Pancake Bites from Buttermilk. For the first 30+ min line of the day, these breakfast treats were pretty good. The Donut Bites were nice and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, but a little too oily to eat more than one. The Red Velvet Pancakes were a surprise treat with the cream cheese frosting on the side--I might have to try making this in my own kitchen, since I don't really like paying $3 for 3 silver dollar-sized pancakes.


$3 Plain and Simple Melt on French bread with American Cheese, Bacon and Tomato from The Grilled Cheese Truck. Okay, so I didn't go for any of the fancy choices, but hey, I'm not that adventurous with cheese, and I like bacon. My friends waited in this line while I was at Buttermilk, and when I met up with them, we waited for at least another 20 minutes. Was it worth it? Maybe not for my plain Jane choice of sandwich, but maybe for the other specialty grilled cheese options...I can't say for sure.


$2.50 Option 2: Ginger Cookies with Lemon Ice Cream and Chocolate Chip Cookies with Spicy ____ ____ Ice Cream from Cool Haus. The cookie-ice cream combos were a little strange-of the three options, we only really liked one, but I could see how being able to choose your own unique cookie-ice cream pair could make the experience more worth it...


$1 (usually $2) Cookie Casa Chocolate Fudge Cookie Bar a.k.a. "Crack Bar" from Sweets Truck. I bought three of these on a whim and gave them away, so I don't really have much to say about this one.

That was how I spent a big chunk of my Saturday. Thank you, to my friends who joined in the fun, helped split the line time and shared all their yummy street food.

Blast from the past: a collection of cakes

Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar-Pecan Streusel (this was made around the beginning of grad school--nothing like cake for breakfast)


Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze (one of my absolute favorite recipes--when life gives me lemons...I make lemon pound cake)

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (need I say more? Delicious pineapple chunks coated in caramelized goodness over a fluffy cake...sometimes it's hard to share this one)

Chocolate Cake filled with Strawberries and Whipped Cream covered in a Whipped Chocolate Ganache (breaking lent, Easter 2009--Chocolate, I love thee)

Make a Splash!

This is how I started last year's Skyline to Sea weekend with the girls--delicious clam chowder in a toasted buttery bread bowl. If you're in the Pismo Beach area, make sure to drop by Splash Cafe and pick up a bowl...or two.

http://www.splashcafe.com/cafe.html

Quick and easy cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes

from Amy Sedaris's I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence and http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Amy-Sedariss-Vanilla-Cupcakes-236125

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/4 cups milk

PREPARATION

(according to Amy Sedaris)

Turn oven on to 375 degrees F.

Put butter in mixer and beat at medium speed until somewhat smooth. Pour in sugar and beat well. Add 2 eggs. I like to crack the eggs on the side of the bowl while it is moving, which can be really stupid. I like to take chances. Yes, I have had to throw away my batter because I lost eggshells in the mix. Yes, it was a waste of food and yes, I know how expensive butter is, but what can I say? I'm a daredevil. Mix well. Add: vanilla, baking powder, salt, flour, and milk. Beat until it looks like it is supposed to and pour into individual baking cups, until they are about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Should produce 24 cupcakes; I get 18 because I'm doing something wrong, although my cupcakes were voted second best in the city by New York Magazine.

2009 Cookie of the Year

Petite Lemon Curd Cookies

recipe from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Petite-Lemon-Curd-Cookies-108921

INGREDIENTS

For cookies

• Ingredients for basic butter cookies
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar for dredging and dusting

For lemon curd

• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large egg yolks

• Special equipment: a 1 1/4-inch round cookie cutter; a pastry bag fitted with small plain tip or a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag (not pleated)

PREPARATION

Prepare cookie dough:
Follow recipe for basic butter cookies, forming dough into 2 balls (instead of a log) and flattening each into a 6-inch disk. Chill disks, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Make lemon curd:
Simmer lemon juice, zest, sugar, butter, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl, then add 1/4 cup lemon mixture, whisking. Add yolk mixture to remaining lemon mixture, then reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, then cover surface with plastic wrap and chill while rolling out dough.

Roll out dough:
While oven preheats, roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining dough chilled) into a 9-inch round (slightly less than 1/4 inch thick) on a well-floured surface with a well-floured rolling pin. (If dough becomes too soft to roll out, chill on a baking sheet until firm.) Cut out as many cookies as possible with cutter.

Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Dredge warm cookies in confectioners sugar until coated and transfer to a rack to cool completely. Make more cookies in same manner.

Transfer lemon curd to pastry bag or plastic bag (snip an 1/8-inch opening in a corner of plastic bag). Put 1 cookie upside down on work surface and pipe about 1/2 teaspoon lemon curd onto cookie, then top with another cookie, right side up, to form a sandwich. Make more sandwiches in same manner.

Just before serving, sift some remaining confectioners sugar over tops of sandwiched cookies.

Rib Eye was on sale at Ralph's this week...this is what happened to steak #4

Beef with Broccoli

adapted from my parents' kitchen

Ingredients:

broccoli (as much as you like, cut into even pieces)
oil (vegetable or olive oil will do)
ginger (about the size of your thumb, cut however way you want to)
onion (small to medium yellow/brown onion, cut into strips)
beef (1-2 lbs rib eye, tri-tip, anything, really...I like a little bit of fat on it. Cut into ~1/4" thick pieces)
salt (to taste)
ground black pepper (to taste)
oyster sauce (2-4 Tbs)
soy sauce (2-4 Tbs)
sugar (1-2 tsp)

*note: all of the above quantities are guesstimates, since my family's dishes don't come with measurements

Preparation:

Blanch the broccoli. (Boil water, submerge broccoli for a couple minutes-should turn a vibrant green. Remove from heat and drain water. Place broccoli in cold water. Drain and set aside.)

Heat oil in pan.
Add ginger and onion. Saute until fragrant and starts to brown.
Add beef, salt and black pepper. Cook until beef loses pink color.
Add oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Mix until well incorporated.
Cook together until sauce reduces a little, ~3-5 min, or until the consistency you prefer.
Add broccoli and mix, cook together for a little longer.

Done. I think this would serve about...4-6 people, but I'm not entirely sure. I'll let you know in a couple days.

.
.
.

yup, 4-6 servings.

This is how I roll...

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze (and Caramelized Pecans)

Recipe adapted from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cinnamon-Rolls-with-Cream-Cheese-Glaze-241631

INGREDIENTS

Dough:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 1/2 cups (or more) unbleached all purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast (from 2 envelopes yeast)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Filling:

• 3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

Glaze:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pecans:

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/2 Tbs butter
• 1 Tbs sugar

PREPARATION

For dough:
Combine milk and butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed to 120°F to 130°F, 30 to 45 seconds. Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 21/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky, about 8 minutes. Form into ball.

Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

For filling:
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl.

Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15x11-inch rectangle. Spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up. With seam side down, cut dough crosswise with thin sharp knife into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide).

Spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up (there will be almost no space between rolls). Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.

For glaze:
Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature.

For Pecans:
Melt butter in sauce pan. Add pecans and sugar. Stir until sugar is clear. Place pecans on aluminum foil to cool.