Get your mind out of the gutter!!! I’m talking gastronomic pleasures that require a knife, maybe a box grater and some olive oil not a tub of lube, rubber gloves and an enema (but now that I look at it, the former could probably be construed sexually too).
When I was asked to write a food article, I was immediately struck with what I should write about and why people would listen to me. Then I figured I would just write about whatever I wanted and let the reader decide whether to read me or not. As a self proclaimed foodie and avid home cook, I felt that to hold my own with new audience, the most honest and truthful place for me to gain inspiration for a topic should be my own kitchen.
My philosophy is to eat as local and healthy as possible within reason of budget, convenience and ultimate desire: all of which take a certain rationalization at each food choice juncture, but that is the wonder of our Western diet, right? We can choose how far we want to go with a food trend until it takes too much work. I understand this may seem like I have compromised myself to the end goal but I believe in applied thought and moderation to (almost) everything. Because if the regiment begins to undermine the ultimate joy of cooking food, you’re left with just as sterile an item as the over processed foods in which you are trying to avoid. The bottom line for me is getting people back in the kitchen, applying an artistry, direct interest and love of food. So if a strict “organic” diet is going to compromise these things than I believe one should expand the repertoire intelligently.
While wondering and wandering about the kitchen for an aha! moment I couldn’t help but realize that I was staring at six pounds of fresh zucchini which I recently purchased at Poncho Villa.
Fresh and Local can only go so far, so when I wanted to go only so far to find fresh, I found myself at the local Mexican market, Pancho Villa located at 3245 El Cajon Blvd. 92104 (on the corner of 33rd). The produce department covers about forty percent of the store which is remarkable compared to that of other markets in the area. Although this produce department does not or cannot advertise a completely organic selection, they are sourcing from mostly local California providers (so says Gerardo in produce) and delivering very competitively priced fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, I was unable to speak with the produce manager, but during my last visit I found some very inexpensive produce items including tomatillos for $0.33/lbs; oranges, limes and seedless watermelon for $0.11/lbs; cucumbers for $0.17 each and zucchinis for $0.16/lbs.
I have always loved summer squashes: zucchinis, crookneck, pattypan, or any other heirloom variety of the “soft” skinned cousin to the pumpkin because of their simple flavor, delicate texture, ease of preparation and aesthetic. Unlike the winter squashes (butternut, acorn, spaghetti, turban, etc.), the “summer” variety have a higher water content, edible seeds, do not require long cooking times, and most importantly are available practically all year in a warmer climate such as southern California. Not only are they ubiquitous to our produce departments but also benefit the eater with bursts of vitamins A and C as well as niacin (a B vitamin that lowers LDL, “bad” cholesterol, and increases HDL, “good” cholesterol, levels). Whether sautéed, baked, deep fried or steamed, these little suckers find their way into many meals aside from just being an afterthought vegetable with dinner. During breakfast we find zucchini muffins, as snacks they’re found raw on crudités platters (raw vegetables with dip), in the bar they are served breaded and deep fried (thank you Urban Mo’s!) to soak up some of those alcohol vapors, even as a sophisticated hors d’oeuvres you can find gravlox with crème fraiche (smoked salmon and fancy sour cream) topped with caviar on a zucchini pancake instead of the traditional potato cake variety. Here, I adventure out into the community and also back to the kitchen to find some tasty preparations.
Wondering where I could go and find a zucchini-centric menu item, I remembered a summer squash appetizer I had a couple months ago on a summer evening in North Park at El Take it Easy located at 3926 30th St. 92104 (Linkery’s new sister restaurant). So I trotted off hoping to rediscover what I remembered as a delicious small plate and maybe find a few other items on the menu to stimulate the palate. EZ, as it is known to locals, calls itself a Gastro Cantina, which is, by their own definition, a Social Club with excellent, Mexican-inspired food.
I walked into EZ on a Saturday evening, welcomed by a dimly lit, open room with a high ceiling and a certain asymmetrical allure of the room’s design. There was a good crowd giving the place a buzz of white noise beneath the beats of modern Spanish/Mexican music spun by the DJ. Assessing the room to find a place to sit, I was drawn by the design to a seat in front of a table-level bar area. A flat screen TV silently showing a closed-captioned Aventurera (a campy black and white film set in Guadalajara), a well thought beer and wine menu, and closely sat patrons afforded the comfort that I would leave there with a buzz and the satisfaction of being part of this “Social Club”.
I promptly ordered a draft of pale ale from Mexicali, the Summer Squash Tostada I was happy to find still on the menu, and the Egg and Squash Consuela. I sat back and enjoyed the ambiance, the movie, the music, and beer as I waited for my small plates. I bided my time with quick conversations with patrons around me and a server Courtney, who was very natural and pleasant while we discussed whether or not I should order the Sweet and Sour Fried Chicken Heads and Sautéed Chicken Spleens to quench my inner foodie’s sense of adventure, which I did. The tostada arrived looking just as I had remembered it, layered (from bottom to top) with: a crisp fried flour tortilla, house made sour cream, shredded lettuce, thinly sliced radishes, three large rounds of grilled summer squash and finally topped with a chunky guacamole. This small plate is very remarkable, delivering both fresh flavors and great texture: the crispness of the tortilla was smoothed by the perfectly salted guacamole and silky squash rounds while the tongue was tickled with the subtle heat of the radishes then cooled by the shredded lettuce. A quality was there that one doesn’t taste often which can only be attributed to their produce sourcing (I later found out the squash came from Wing Shadow Hacienda in Warner Springs, CA) and passion for good food. Tonight, the Egg and Squash Consuela was prepared with a red mole instead of the menu description of a mole verde which was fine by me because this dish was superb. A small crock of diced summer squash and over medium fried eggs swimming in the mole served with warmed tortillas on the side; the flavors of the sauce were smoky and bold without over powering the main ingredients. By the time I was done, there was mole dripping down my fingers and dotting the counter top. My bottom line: come here for the ambience, beer, consuelas and vegetable dishes (forgo the fried chicken heads and sautéed spleen). Enjoy the high quality products and don’t complain about the price or the 18% added gratuity. You get what you pay for and this “revenue share” gratuity goes not only to the servers but those that are preparing the food and washing the dishes. Thank you to El Take it Easy.
So what did I do with the six pounds of zucchini on my counter? Two pounds were used to make cranberry-zucchini muffins, two pounds were used for the following recipe and I’ll let the readers use their imagination as to what I did with the remaining summer squashes.
Zucchini and Thyme “Omelet”:
Using the rougher side of that oval Ikea cheese grater we all own:
Grate 2 lbs (four small) zucchini
Sprinkle with 1 Tb salt and let sit 30 minutes.
Using a clean kitchen towel, wring out the grated zucchini of all excess liquid (your hands would work too). Then in a 12 inch skillet:
Heat 2 Tb olive oil over high heat until the oil is glossy. Add in the zucchini and sauté until browned (about 7 minutes) stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl:
Whisk together 4 large eggs, ½ tsp. pepper, and 1 Tb fresh thyme. Stir in the browned zucchini.
In the same skillet:
Heat 2 Tb butter over medium high heat until the foam subsides. Add in egg and zucchini mixture distributing evenly over the surface and cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium low and cook an additional 3 minutes. Using a plate and spatula, carefully flip the “omelet”. Cook for an additional 1 minute then set aside.
If your skillet is oven safe, pre heat the broiler to low and skip the above flipping step. Instead, finish the preparation under the broiler until golden brown.
Serve at room temperature while pondering what you’ll be doing with all the other produce you picked up from Pancho Villa.
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