I’ve always heard of Tomatillos and had Tomatillo Salsa (or salsa verde), but I never worked with it in my kitchen. Soooo, when I came across some beautiful tomatillos at the Farmers Market this past Sunday… I had to get them! Here is my “recipe” for Roasted Tomatillo Salsa. I put “recipe” in quotes because I rarely measure out my ingredients so feel free to tweak as you see fit!

What You’ll Need:

Approx 1 lb Fresh Tomatillos
6 cloves of Garlic (unpeeled)
1 lrg Shallot
1 Jalapeno Pepper
1 Lemon
1 Lime
Olive Oil (approx 2 tbsp + 1/4 c)
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
S+P

Baking sheet or pan + food processor (or blender)

What You Do:

Preheat your oven to 400. De-husk and rinse your Tomatillos and peel your Shallot. Place your Tomatillos, Shallot and Garlic in an oven-safe pan. Drizzle with ~2 tbsp Olive Oil and season with S+P. Roast for 15-20min, until brown and softened.

In your food processor, combine your roasted veggies (remove peel from Garlic) with the Jalapeno, juice from the Lemon and Lime, ~ 1/4 c Olive Oil, 1/4 tsp Cayenne, and S+P to taste. Blend until combined, but not pureed.

Use it to top fish tacos, tortilla chips or really any of your fave dishes….

Dark leafy greens… Let me tell ya, those Southerners were on to something.

There are collard, turnip, mustard, and beet greens (use the beets and keep the greens!), spinach, artichokes, cabbage, bok choy, arugula, escarole, kale… and tons more. What’s so great about them? Leafy greens are chock-full of vital nutrients that benefit many different aspects of our body. Calorie for calorie they pack the most nutrients of almost anything you can eat.

Low in fat and calories. High in minerals like Iron, Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium. High in Folic Acid (related to fertility- essential for women in their 20’s). Great source of Vitamins K (helps prevent blood clotting and bone problems), C, E, and B. They also contain important Phytonutrients like beta-carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein that help protect our cells and eyes from damage over time.

The USDA recommends that we get at least 3 cups of dark leafy greens every week, but I try and eat them every day.

The softer greens like salad greens (i.e. arugula and spinach) work great raw in salads. Throw in some tomatoes, avocados, chick peas and green onion with a little olive oil and lemon juice and you have a healthy, nutrient rich lunch. The tougher greens (i.e. collards, kale, cabbage) usually require a little heat. You can steam them or saute them with garlic, a little acid (lemon juice or vinegar), chiles, onions, etc and you have a yummy side dish.

By ensuring you are getting all the necessary nutrients into your body… you’re not only going to feel better, but help your body run most efficiently.

Nothing is better, in my eyes, than trying a new type of cuisine. I’ve tried a LOT of different types of food, but Shabu Shabu managed to escape me until I moved to LA.

I stumbled upon the Shabu Shabu House when the line for Hama (See previous post) was too long and I saw a bustling place around the corner in Little Tokyo (by far my favorite area of town to get some grub). The restaurant was always busy and looked intriguing as I watched the patrons dropping meat, veggies and noodles into their individual boiling pans of water. I am all for anything interactive and hands on and even though we ended up waiting just as long for our turn at the ~20 person bar, we soon learned it was well worth the wait.

Shabu Shabu (literally translating to “Swish Swish”) is a Japanese style of eating where everyone has their own pot of boiling water and are given a huge selection of accoutrement to cook on their own. Typically you are given: A plate of raw thin-sliced rib eye, plate of uncooked vermicelli and udon noodles, raw cabbage, carrots, tofu, green onion, mushrooms, etc. At every place setting you also have minced garlic, sesame oil, minced green onion, soy sauce, cayenne and minced radish to flavor your broth and toppings. They also give you a bottomless bowl of rice with bowls of both ponzu sauce and peanut sauce that they constantly refill. Phew… i’m out of breath. AND you get all this for ~$16/person without alcohol.

Now, there are tons of these places around Los Angeles, but the place I stumbled upon is apparently the best- and I have no reason to disagree. In fact, Maruyama opened this restaurant in 1991 when it was considered the first of its kind in America. It is known as one of the best kept secrets in the city… until now

The wait can be up to 2 hours, so you’re best bet is either to come at 5:30 when they open to get on the list or come around 9 after the typical dinner rush. Maruyama is always there manning the list and if you let him know, he will come get you at neighboring establishments when your spot is ready. He is also famous for his homemade Ponzu sauce which is available for purchase. Oh, and I request my beef extra lean.

Great, now I want some… BUT they are closed on Mondays. Suck!

Shabu Shabu House. 127 Japanese Village PLz Mall, Downtown Los Angeles

(Don’t be fooled by the several other Shabu options in the area. Shabu Shabu House is set back, just off 2nd St in the square area of Little Tokyo)

“If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character…Would you slow down? Or speed up?”

-Chuck Palahniuk

I really like that quote because it speaks both to the possibility of reincarnation and I think it stresses that people are remembered differently in everyone’s mind in living and death. We each see a different side of ones character based on our own personal experience.

They say death comes in 3’s…

Yesterday, we lost two greats in the entertainment industry, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. Farrah to a long and inspiring battle against cancer and Michael more suddenly when he went into cardiac arrest as a result of currently unknown causes. We also lost Ed McMahon on Tuesday due to ongoing health complications. While all three made very different contributions to our world, they are all classic and legendary performers who will never be forgotten.

I could sit here and list all their accomplishments, but I don’t think anyone needs me to remind them… These icons speak for themselves. They were not only staples in our society, but served as benchmarks for comparison in their respective fields.

I’m interested to see how Elton John manages to squeeze all of them into this rendition of “Candle in the Wind.”

RIP M.J. and F.F. 6.25.2009 and E.M. 6.23.2009

So, there are as many sushi places as taco trucks in Los Angeles. While many disagree on where the best south of the border cuisine is made, I have a winner.

And the winner is… TACO ZONE! Without a doubt, this truck beats all others. I have tried many a truck, all around Los Angeles, and while many are good, Taco Zone takes the cake.

My choice is always the Carnitas Tacos, and to be fair that’s what I ordered at the many other stands I visited. At Taco Zone, the pork is deliciously caramelized and a little crunchy making for a great contrast to the multitudes of salsa they offer. Taco Zone has about 4 freshly made salsas along with onions, cilantro, lime, cucumbers and cabbage to choose from as your toppings. The tortillas are always hot and the women who run this joint are at the top of their game. While some choose Taco Zone for dinner, their busiest hours are definitely 12am-3am when the local hipsters spill out of bars and high tail it to taco glory.

Others I frequent the truck with rave about the Suadero or Asada Quesadillas. The more adventurous opt for the Lengua and Cabeza.

My typical order consists of 2 Carnitas Tacos for here (~$1.5/ea) and sometimes a Carnitas Burrito to-go. It’s a must eat when visiting the East Side of LA.

It’s not just me: Taco Zone Truck on Yelp

Taco Zone. Alameda (and Montana) just North of Sunset. Von’s Parking Lot.

Hah. I just wanted to say that.

Thinking back, I thought LA and DC were going to be worlds different, but after being here for almost 8 months now, I can say that they are, in fact, quite similar.

As I’ve said before, politics is all showbiz and showbiz is all politics. So really you are dealing with the same personality types in both places. Politicians and entertainers are in the business of self promotion. In DC, a politician will have a “meaningful” conversation with anyone in their voting district and in LA an actor will make a “lunch date” with anyone in hopes that they will make a much needed connect. At least everyone’s nice to eachother so as not to burn any bridges… even if it is based on selfish motives. It’s the nature of the biz.

I put Cayenne pepper on just about everything. Eggs, salad, fruit, soups, chicken, nuts, avocados- you name it, it gets a dash of this magical dust. In my kitchen I have Salt, Cayenne, Black Pepper and Balsamic Vinegar next to my stove (the Balsamic is only there because it’s too tall for the cabinet.) I use those three spices more than any others when I cook…the Cayenne especially.

Yesterday, I had some vanilla yogurt and sliced up a nice ripe cantelope (the guy at the farmers market hand picked by it to be ripe Tuesday) and sprinkled on a tiny bit of sea salt and dusted it with a healthy amount of Cayenne and lemon juice. I learned that trick from the fruit stand guys…(Tangent: For those of you who are unfamiliar, the fruit stand guys in Los Angeles are THE best. You give them $3 or however much you want to spend and they will cut up a variety of ripe melons, mangos, papaya, guava etc and then top the bag with Cayenne, lime juice, salt, and a few other mysterious seasonings. They usually stand in the sketchiest parking lots, but that doesn’t stop you from busting a U at the instant you see one). I then made an avocado/gucamole type spread with Cayenne and minced red chiles. I used the spread on my lunch with this delicious Country Farmer bread from the FM (Farmers Market) guy… it has carrots and raisins and grits and all kinds of grains and things. I topped that with a fried egg and some FM tomatoes, salt, pepper and (surprise!) Cayenne. Then for dinner I had a big bowl of the chix veggie soup I made earlier in the week that had a good few teaspoons of Cayenne in the batch. Wow…even I’m impressed with yesterday’s Cayenne pull.

What can I say?? I love spicy food. A little kick adds a nice note to almost everything you can eat, not to mention Cayenne has added health benefits. I initially started upping my Cayenne intake about 3 years ago when I heard it was good for your metabolism and circulatory system. Now, considering my hands are freezing most of the time… I can use the circulatory help. I’m also a huge fan of anything related to your metabolism because I happen to think having a healthy digestive system is one of the best things for staying healthy and in shape. I just can’t get enough! Don’t worry if you aren’t a spicy food fan, I am very considerate when cooking for other people

In Los Angeles, there are more sushi places than one could ever dream of. Unfortunately, it seems in most cases the actual fish has taken a back seat to all the fixin’s these places insist make the dish better. While I am a fan of crispy onions, cream cheese and mayo on just about anything… when I’m craving sushi, it’s because I want something fresh, pure and healthy.

Hidden amongst the adulterated versions of this Japanese tradition is Hama. The purest of the pure for sushi lovers.

Hama consists of ~20 seats at the bar and 2, 4-top tables. Upon entering, you are greeted by a hand-written sign that warns “No Teriyaki. No Bowls of Rice. No Tempura.” That’s how you know it’s legit. Between 7 and 9 the wait can be up to an hour, but go after 9 (but before 9:30) and you will be seated within 15 min. My typical round at Hama (and recommendation) includes: At least one Spicy Yellowtail Handroll, order of Broiled Mussels, Raw Oysters served with a little ponzu and green onion, Red Snapper sushi served with a pinch of salt and wipe of lemon (no soy sauce!), Albacore Sashimi and of course you wash all that down with a few Tall Sapporos and large bottles of Hot Sake. I also recommend the Sweet Shrimp served with the whole Deep Fried Shrimp Heads (Seriously. They taste like potato chips.) and the Toro.

A decent amount of sushi with alcohol will run you ~$50. For a few hand rolls (~$4 each) and some sashimi, you’re looking closer to $25. Well worth the wait and money.

Tip: The sushi chefs appreciate a beer (the older one prefers Bud Light, seriously) or some Sake. You can also ask for a beer or tea while you wait and they’ll add it to your bill.

Hama. 347 E 2nd St in Downtown Los Angeles.

I think the biggest difference between myself and every other of the gazillion “actress/models” in LA is that I spend all my money of food and drink and not a penny on clothing and accessories.  For me, what I put INTO my body is more important than what I put ONTO my body. Not to mention every style repeats itself, so if I just keep my clothing for long enough, it comes back into fashion! Seriously, I was at a “hip” party the other night and I saw fashionista girls wearing dresses I wore in 5th grade… and they’re as ugly as they were when my mom made me wear them. I would rather spend $30 on 4 oz of Inniskillin Vidal Gold Icewine, than $30 on a stupid headband… unless the headband has seahorses on it.

Heaven for some would be a closet of Jimmy Choo’s, but heaven for me is a 3 hour meal topped off with a turkish coffee and a glass of ice cold Johnny Walker Black.

I don’t think there’s anywhere I’m more at home than a Farmer’s Market.

Lately I have been hitting up the Hollywood Market every Sunday morning to get my produce for the week.¬† The great thing about LA is that no one is up until at least 10, so if you can head out around 9, you’ll beat the crowds.

What I love about a farmer’s market is that they are universal. For instance, the picture I used for today’s post could represent a farmer’s market 1,000’s of miles away and wouldn’t necessarily shout LA, yet the sticky rice is delish. And thanks to the fertile CA soil, we have much of the same produce, as well.

A typical week’s pull would consist of: Green onions with bulbs the size of shallots, Carrots (for juicing), cabbage, beets (for juicing), ginger (again, juicing), apricots and peaches, cherries, grapefruits, some herbs and nuts, loaf of bread (this dude has THE best sourdough- the first week I tried the garlic variety with whole cloves baked in that you could spread once toasted!!!!), some kind of leafy green ala kale or chard, lemons, garlic, eggs, fresh seafood (learned how to properly shuck an oyster), flowers, heirloom tomatoes… And I could go on and on.

The Farmer’s Market has also sparked my interest in putting in some time at the local organic farms. I love nothing more than fresh food, but picking it right out of the ground? The freshest freshest.

Which brings me to my next point: Juicers are the coolest.

I acquired a juicer when I moved houses in LA. I always wanted one, but it seemed superfluous… Finally, I got one and started to use it and am here to tell you it’s THE greatest. While it is a pain in the ass to clean, it’s totally worth it when you have fresh juice ALL THE TIME! As opposed to take a bunch of vitamins where you have to trust the box, with a juicer you know what’s going into it and the outcome is delicious Toss in a few carrots, grapefruit, apples, beets, oranges and ginger… Now that’s a complete breakfast!

It also does wonders for my liver which has taken quite a beating over the years… Couple stalks of sugar cane + huge piece of ginger + 2 lemons + tsp of cayenne = Heaven for my liver and Hell for my acid reflux.

See photos we took here:

Hollywood Farmers Market