Top Ramen Gone Fancy

I grew up on Top Ramen, apparently Tad did too so we both have an affection for these rubbery instant noodles despite their MSG properties. Here's Tad making Family Meal out of a 99¢ item, throwing in poached eggs, fresh herbs, some shrimp, pork, additional spices, snap peas and roasted peppers and heirloom carrots. It's still coming in at under a few bucks a serving and yet filled us all right up. Dee-lish.

Our Secret To Success Is Family Meal

I met Matt in a fine dining kitchen that got clobbered by the recession and bad management but in it's nascent stages it was the darling of the press and not without good reason. The Italian food played on classics with dishes I still dream about. It was not straightforward, it was inventive and undisputedly spectacular. 

So I never understood why the family meals there were so incongruent. The same care and pride seen during service was nowhere to be found when it was time to feed staff. Scraps were thrown together into a rondo and heated up without any thought, save for the chopped parsley to finish which undoubtedly was used to conceal the mish-mash that was being served. Irene Virbilia would never make it to the restaurant before service so why exert any special effort?

At some point Matt volunteered to take over the family meal detail with the same scraps and in the same amount of time as others had been given. His dishes were all simple, things like shepherd's pie, tacos, and the best mac n cheese I had ever tasted, all from leftovers that couldn't be sold for the prices on the menu. It was so touching to see the difference of what a little love can make and how quickly Matt became everyone's favorite co-worker, including mine.

We've been hiring a few new kitchen people here at Heirloom LA as of late. Each of them has impressive resumes, kitchens they've spent time at, chefs they've cooked for, but the true test of talent is family meal. With the pressures of getting through an extensive prep list, how much care do you put into a meal that you make for your peers? I have known dishwashers to make more impressive family meals than celebrated chefs. Pomp doesn't serve memorable food to just anyone.

Lately we've been having outside visitors stop by and spend some time with us. Matt invites everyone for our noon-time family meals which has prompted one of our prep cooks, Paco, who was our first hire, to set a table outside, complete with linens and umbrellas and a centerpiece (a handled sponge placed face up in an empty bottle). It's this kind of attention that speaks volumes because there's no credit you are sure to receive except on this blog. It's this kind of care and love of the job that is valued because it translates to all of our food and has helped us to grow at an accelerated speed right in the middle of a historical economic slump. The buck pauses at Family Meal, and then it dashes on to a tasting, drop-off, catering party or food truck stop near you.

photos: George Simian + Beata Bernina

Everything Outside Of The New Walk-In

Sometimes Migs has a heart and cares about ours. He came up with this dish for Family Meal yesterday which was made of all scraps so basically it cost next to nothing and was supremely healthy and delicious. Here's a rough recipe to follow with any of your scraps at home. Think of soup made with scraps as layers:

HEALTHY SCRAP SOUP

1. Aromatic layer: In olive oil over medium heat, sauté some aromatics (garlic, shallots, and/or diced onions) until translucent. Season with salt + pepper

2. Veg layer: Add chopped vegetables + saute until caramelized. Season with salt + pepper

3. Flavor layer: Stop cooking with some white wine or vermouth or stock, stir to pick-up taste nuggets from bottom of pan

4. Base layer: Once veggies have absorbed this liquid, add several cups of water or stock

5. Thickening layer: Add cooked legumes and/or rice. You can also add a skinned tomato

6. Heat layer: Bring to boil, then bring to a simmer

7. Optional layer: Now add cooked turkey or chicken or beef

8. Essential layer:  Once heated through, eat up!

Pickled Onions

We love tacos around these parts. Migs makes them all the time for our Family Meals. He threw in some bacon over a hot skillet and then chopped onions and reheated some brisket (you can use any leftover meat or roasted veggies). Then he added some fresh corn and topped with pickled onions which are crazy easy to make and really pretty as a garnish.

PICKLED ONIONS

3 purple onions, sliced

1/4 t salt

2 oranges, juiced

1 lime, juiced

1 lemon juiced

Boil 4 cups water. Place onions in a bowl and once your water is boiling, pour it over the onions and let sit for 5  minutes. This takes out their acidity. Conversely, you can also use Sweet & Sour Orange Juice by Goya.

Strain onions and pour citrus juice over them and toss with salt. Keep refrigerated.

Vitamin P for Josh Lurie

We are movin on up! Yes and to the Eastside, in a De-Lux Kitchen me-o-my!!!!

Yesterday we had Josh Lurie of Food GPS come in for a look. And what's a visit to come see us without a Family Meal? Migs made his favorite, Conchinita Pibil Tacos and VERY HOT salsa, tangy jicama, pickled onions, and guacamole with grilled corn. Avocados are very special right now. Smush them up, add some lime juice, salt, pepper, cilantro, and minced shallots. The grilled corn is a nice surprising crunch. mmmmmmmm.


P.S. If ever you would like to get on Josh Lurie's good side, know that he LOVES pork and considers it a vitamin to be ingested regularly.

Family Meal, Pastrami

We can't get enough of the stuff around here. We've always got slabs of Nieman Ranch Brisket in the house so why not brine it for two weeks, Taz Style?

He covered it in a spicy crust and smoked it on our outdoor grill (see, you can do this at home and oh man, is it ever worth it!!). He put some Hickory and Bayleaf and Applewood in that cast iron skillet down there for the FLAVA and then torched it with one of those fancy creme brulee tool-dabs to create smoke before closing down the grill.

Top with some spicy dressing and sauerkraut on freshly baked bread. Boom.