Mexican Cocktails; Ice Cream Round-Up; Flatbreads and Flavors

Guest Interview

Good Food Sweepstakes ()

Support KCRW's Good Food and you could win a shiny, French-made 10.5" Mauviel Professional Copper Skillet. The Mauviel Professional line has precision heat sensitivity with the strength of 2.5 mm copper walls, thick cast-iron handles riveted through a cast-iron plate, and enhanced sturdiness.

Call 800-600-KCRW or donate at KCRW.com and we'll automatically enroll you into the Mauviel Professional Copper Skillet sweepstakes. Just remember to make a note or mention on your subscription that you're supporting Good Food.

Guest Interview

The Market Report ()

Laura Avery chats with Oliver Garner, of Burkart Organic Farms in Dinuba. Garner has two varieties of yellow nectarines as well as "nectaplums," a cross between a nectarine and plum with a  sweet, white flesh and pink skin. He also brings in crunchy, flavorful, red, seedless Flame grapes.

Laura also speaks with chef Chris Harbrant, of Axe restaurant in Venice, who creates a savory okra succotash. He uses okra from farmer Elmer Lehman, organic corn from McGrath Family Farms, Celebrity tomatoes from Munak Farms in Paso Robles, Texas Sweets onions from farmer Peter Schaner and Opal basil from Coleman Farms.
 
Okra Succotash

• 1 lb okra pods, stems removed
• 1-2 ears of corn
• 2 tomatoes, small dice
• 1 sweet onion, small dice
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 handful of torn basil leaves

Blanch okra in boiling water for about 4 minutes. Remove to an ice bath, drain and dry. Slice okra into ¼" rings and set aside.  Remove kernels from the ears of corn and set aside.  

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan; when hot, add onions and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Sweat over medium heat until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and cook for one minute.  Add tomatoes, corn and okra and sauté for about 3-4 minutes.  In the final minute of cooking, add torn basil leaves.  Taste and correct for salt.

Guest Interview

Mexican Cocktails ()

¡Lotería! Grill owner Jimmy Shaw and his bartender, Carlos, mix up some savory and sweet micheladas and other tasty Mexican cocktails. His newly opened restaurant is ¡Lotería! Grill Hollywood.

To make a michelada, start with ice, Tapatio sauce, 1/2 lime and a tiny bit of soy sauce or Maggi, then pour a lager-type beer, like Corona or Sol. Drink!

¡Lotería! Grill Hollywood
6627 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-465-2500

¡Lotería Grill! - Farmers Market
6333 W 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-930-2211

Guest Interview

Ice Cream Round-Up ()

Lesley Balla, editor of EaterLA, give us the scoop on the best ice cream and gelato eateries in Los Angeles. She recommends the following:

Gelato
Al Gelato Continental Desserts
806 S Robertson Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90035
310-659-8069

Gelato Bar
4342 1/2 Tujunga Ave
Studio City, CA 91604
818-487-1717

Bulgarini Gelato
749 E. Altadena Dr
Altadena, CA 91001
626-791-6174

Caffe Primo
8590 Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310-289-8895

769 Americana Way (at Brand)
Glendale, CA 91209
818-551-9255

Old-fashioned ice cream
Fosselman's
1824 W Main St
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-282-6533

Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain
1526 Mission St
South Pasadena, CA 91030
626-799-1414

Bennett’s Ice Cream
Farmers Market
6333 W 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-939-6786

Milk
7290 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-939-6455

Unique Finds
Boule Atelier
408 N La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310-289-9977

Mashti Malone's Ice Cream
1525 N La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90028
1-866-767-3423

Scoops
712 N Heliotrope Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323-906-2649

Guest Interview

Flatbreads and Flavors ()

Naomi Duguid tastes flavorful flatbreads and their delicious accompaniments in her book, Flatbreads & Flavors: A Baker's Atlas. These delectable pairings include dips, chutneys, curries, salsas, and stews among others. Duguid co-wrote the book with her husband, Jeffrey Alford.

Sweet Persian Bread (nane sheer)
Makes approximately 2 dozen 3- to 4-inch square thin flatbreads.

These breads are more like cookies than flatbreads, but they are so simple and delicious we had to include them. They are made with milk and flavored with brown sugar and vanilla. We should warn you that they can be somewhat hard-to-the-bite once they've cooled, so enjoy them as they are customarily served, with a cup of hot tea or coffee, and dunk the breads to soften them. They are also delicious dunked in hot milk for a milk-and-cookies-style snack.

• 2 cups hard unbleached white flour, or more as necessary
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup milk, or more as necessary
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. You will need a medium-sized mixing bowl, two small (10- by 14-inch) baking sheets that can fit side by side in your oven, a rolling pin, and a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
2. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Whisk or stir together. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk and vanilla extract. Stir the flour into the milk until a soft, kneadable dough begins to form. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour; if too dry, add a little more milk. Turn out onto a lightly floured bread board and knead for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Dust two 10- by 14-inch baking sheets with flour. Divide the dough in half and roll out each piece to the size of the baking sheets (the dough should be less than 1/4 inch thick).
5. Place in the center of your oven, and immediately turn the heat down to 250°F. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven. Working with one sheet at a time, turn out onto a large cutting board, and cut into 3- to 4-inch squares while the bread is still warm; it will harden quickly as it cools.

Three-Color Focaccia (focacels alla pugliese)
Makes 4 round breads about 8 inches across and 2 inches thick.

Focaccia is a flatbread traditionally cooked on the hearth, often in a skillet covered with hot embers. Nowadays it is more often baked in an oven, though a skillet is still used, as in this recipe. Focaccia comes in many forms; all tend to be thicker than most pizza and to carry their flavor in the dough rather than on the top surface. In the north of Italy focaccie are made with wheat-flour doughs and usually flavored with herbs. The potato-based dough used in this focaccia from Puglia, in the south, produces a dense-looking tender dough. This version of a focaccia recipe in Carol Field's classic The Italian Baker has the colors of the Italian flag: the red of sun-dried tomatoes and the green of sage and parsley, all floating in a pale dough -- a pleasure to look at as well as a satisfying snack or accompaniment to soup.

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 tsps dry yeast
• 4 to 5 cups hard unbleached white flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups chopped cooked peeled potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes)
• 1/2 cup potato-cooking water (or spring or tap water)
• 3/4 cup packed flat-leafed parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup packed fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tsps salt
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
• Olive oil for brushing
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Note: If you use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes, drain, and pat dry before using.

Recipes from Flatbreads & Flavors by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid.