FRICO

FRICOS, WHICH ORIGINATE IN FRUILI, ARE LITTLE DISKS OF CHEESE, MELTED TO A CRISP. YOU CAN SERVE THEM WHOLE AND SERVE THEM WITH TOMATO SOUP OR A SALAD. OR, YOU CAN CRUMBLE AND SCATTER THEM OVER PRACTICALLY ANYTHING. THEY STORE NICELY SO YOU CAN MAKE THEM AHEAD OF TIME OR STORE THEM IN A TIN FOR FUTURE USE. THEY’RE RIDICULOUSLY SIMPLE TO MAKE. YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP A SHARP EYE OUT DURING THE BAKING– TOO LITTLE AND THEY’RE LEATHERY; OVERCOOKED, THEY HAVE A BITTER TASTE. WHEN PERFECTLY MADE, HOWEVER, THEY ARE AN UNEXPECTED TREAT. THIS RECIPE WAS ADAPTED FROM THE SIX SEASONS COOKBOOK.

https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/frico/

CHUPE DE CAMARONES AT MARIO'S

May 13, 2025 No Comments

WE MOVED TO LOS ANGELES IN 1975 FROM NEW YORK AND WERE APPALLED INITIALLY BY THE FOOD SCENE. THERE WERE ONLY A HANDFUL OF DECENT ITALIAN OR FRENCH RESTAURANTS. OUR KNOWLEDGE OF CHINESE FOOD DIDN’T EXTEND MUCH BEYOND CHINATOWN AND WE’D NEVER EXPERIENCED THAI, VIETNAMESE, ARMENIAN, AND EVEN MEXICAN FOOD. THAT BEGAN TO CHANGE WHEN WE EXPLORED THOSE CUISINES RIGHT IN OUR HOLLYWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.

A NEWCOMER IN 1990 WAS MARIO’S PERUVIAN SEAFOOD ON THE PENINSULAR CORNER OF MELROSE AND VINE. THE FOOD DISHES WERE DELICIOUS, COPIOUS AND CHEAP.

I OFTEN WENT BY MYSELF FOR LUNCH, BUT WITH THE LONG WAITS FOR A TABLE BEGAN TO PALL, I GAVE UP ON MARIO’S UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN I RETURNED WITH MY FOOD JOINT GUYS ON ONE OF OUR PERIODIC JAUNTS FOR CHEAP, GOOD EATS.

THE FOOD WAS BETTER THAN EVER; THE SERVICE, FRIENDLY AND EFFICIENT AND THE PRICES REMARKABLY REASONABLE CONSIDERING HOW MUCH MARIO’S PACKS ON EACH PLATE. CEVICHE OF SQUID, FISH AND SHRIMP IS LIVELY WITH LIME, RED ONION, GARLIC AND CILANTRO. SALTADO DE MARISCOS IS TOSSED WITH BROWNED ONIONS, GARLIC AND TOMATOES OVER RICE WITH A SUBTLE KICK OF CHILIS.

ON A CHILLY SPRING DAY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, HOWEVER, I HAD A HANKERING FOR THEIR CHUPE DE CAMARONES.

THIS RICH SOUP IS A DAY-GLO BOWL OF SHRIMP STOCK FLAVORED WITH PIECES OF FRESH GINGER, CHILIS, TOMATO, CELERY, GARLIC, AND ONIONS WITH LITTLE PIECES OF EGG WHITE LIKE EGG DROP SOUP. IT IS SO HOT ON ARRIVAL THAT YOU MAY BE WELL INTO THE BROTH BEFORE THE SHELL-ON SHRIMP ARE COOL ENOUGH TO PEEL AND EAT. BUT NOTHING ELSE COULD BETTER WARM YOUR COCKLES ON A CHILLY CALIFORNIA DAY.

L.O. CHICKEN TARRGON

I PROBABLY SHOULD WRITE A LEFTOVER CHICKEN COOKBOOK. I LOVE ROAST CHICKEN BUT BECAUSE I’M USUALLY COOKING FOR TWO, THERE’S ALWAYS A LOT OF LEFTOVER CHICKEN, MOSTLY WHITE MEAT SINCE BOTH LYNN AND I PREFER THIGHS TO BREASTS. WHITE MEAT DOESN’T TAKE WELL TO MORE COOKING, WHICH TOUGHENS IT AND DRIES IT OUT. SO, ONE IS LEFT WITH THREE OPTIONS– CHICKEN SALAD, CHICKEN SOUP AND CHICKEN IS SOME KIND OF SAUCE, WHICH GOES WELL OVER PASTA OR RICE. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE INVENTIONS AND ONE OF THE SIMPLEST. MAKE A SAUCE WITH LEEKS AND GARLIC. ADD A GENEROUS QUANTITY OF CRÉME FRAÎCHE, AND LOTS OF FRESH TARRAGON, FOLD IN THE LEFTOVER CHICKEN, HEAT GENTLY AND SERVE OVER PASTA. YOU’LL PROBABLY HAVE ENOUGH FOR FOUR. YOU MIGHT EVEN HAVE SOME LEFTOVERS.

https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/l-o-chicken-tarragon/

BUCATINI WITH MUSHROOMS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS

I SPOTTED THESE INTRIGUING LITTLE MUSHROOMS WITH THEIR ROUND NUBBY CAPS AND LONG STEMS AT A STAND IN THE FARMERS MARKET WHICH SELLS SEVERAL VARIETIES OF EXOTIC CULTIVATED MUSHROOMS. THEIR FIRM TEXTURE ALLOWS THEM TO STAND UP TO PAN COOKING WITH THE UMAMI OF SOME WILD MUSHROOMS. I DON’T KNOW THEIR NAME, BUT I CAN FIND OUT. SHITAKES WOULD BE A FAIR SUBSTITUTE. SO WOULD SMALL BROWN BUTTON MUSHROOMS. IN ANY CASE, I SAUTÉED THEM WITH GREEN GARLIC AND LEEKS, DEGLAZED THE PAN WITH WHITE WINE AND CHICKEN STOCK, THEN TOSSED IN SUGAR SNAP PEAS FOR THE BRIEFEST OF COOKING BEFORE COMBINING IT WITH BUCATINI. THEN ALL YOU NEED IS FRESHLY-GRATED PARMESAN. SERVED WITH A CRISP WHITE WINE AND YOU’VE GOT THE PERFECT SPRING PASTA.

https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/bucatini-with-mushrooms-and-sugar-snap-peas/

FENNEL AND BLOOD ORANGE SALAD

CITRUS SEASON IS AT ITS HEIGHT AND THE FARMERS MARKETS ARE BRIGHT WITH MANDARINS, POMELOS, MEYER LEMONS, AND ALL KINDS OF ORANGES — NAVEL, CARA CARA AND BLOODS. I’VE BEEN SQUEEZING THEM EVERY MORNING FOR BREAKFAST, MAKING CITRUS SALADS, INCORPORATING THEM IN BRAISES AND EATING THEM FOR DESSERT. THIS PARTICULAR RECIPE COMBINES BLOOD ORANGES AND SLICED FENNEL. THEN ALL YOU NEED IS GOOD OLIVE OIL, SOME FRESH PARSLEY OR DILL AND SHAVINGS OF PARMESAN. AESTHETICALLY, IT MAKES FOR A CHEERFUL AND FLAVORFUL FIRST COURSE SALAD.

https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/blood-orange-and-fennel-salad/

BEEF SHORT RIBS

SHORT RIBS, LIKE ITS BONE-IN COUSIN OXTAIL, IS A TOUGH CUT WHICH WITH LONG AND GENTLE BRAISING YIELDS DEEPLY FLAVORFUL MEAT WITHOUT LOSING ITS TEXTURE. “MEAT IS SWEETEST CLOSE TO THE BONE,” SOMEONE ONCE SAID AND NOTHING COULD BE TRUER IN THE CASE OF SHORT RIBS. IF YOUR BUTCHER HASN’T DONE IT ALREADY, CUT BETWEEN THE RIBS AND BROWN THEM TO A DEEP MAHOGANY BEFORE BRAISING THEM WITH ONIONS, CARROTS, CELERY, GARLIC, TOMATOES, AND A BOUQUET GARNIE. IF YOU WANT A REALLY RICH SAUCE, THEN USE RED WINE AND/OR BEEF STOCK, BUT I PREFER CHICKEN STOCK (HOMEMADE IF YOU’VE GOT IT), WHICH ALLOWS THE MEAT TO ASSERT ITSELF. YOU CAN ADD CARROTS, POTATOES AND ALL MANNER OF ROOT VEGETABLES. OR, IF YOU’RE LAZY, SERVE THEM WITH EGG NOODLES. EITHER WAY, I CAN’T THINK OF A BETTER DISH TO COMBAT THE LINGERING CHILL OF WINTER. https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/beef-short-ribs/

SHRIMP WITH ONIONS, GARLIC AND TOMATOES

COMING UP WITH A NEW RECIPE IS NOT SO MUCH AN ACT OF CULINARY GENIUS AS SIMPLY COMBINING ONE’S FAVORITE INGREDIENTS. AND, IN MY CASE, MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT’S IN MY KITCHEN. I’D ALREADY BOUGHT A POUND OF PINK “COLOSSAL” SHRIMP (AN OXYMORON). I HAD MOST OF A LARGE RED ONION AND A HANDFUL OF EARLY GIRL TOMATOES. THE SHRIMP TAKE ONLY A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO COOK; THE OTHER INGREDIENTS, A BIT LONGER. SO I STARTED WITH THE ONIONS, GARLIC AND TOMATOES, SET THEM ASIDE, WASHED OUT THE PAN AND SAUTÉED THE SHRIMP. I COMBINED THE TOMATO MIXTURE WITH PENNE AND TOPPED IT WITH THE SHRIMP. THE DISH TASTED AS GOOD AS IT LOOKS.

https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/shrimp-with-onions-garlic-and-tomatoes/

LAMB SERENDIP

MY MOTHER’S FAVORITE WORD WAS SERENDIPITY, A HAPPY ACCIDENT, LIKE TRIPPING ON THE STREET AND LANDING ON A $100 BILL. SUCH WAS THE CASE WHEN I ATTEMPTED A SIMPLE LAMB STEW WITH HERBS AND WHITE WINE VINEGAR. IT IS COOKED ATOP THE STOVE AND WHEN I WENT TO CHECK ITS PROGRESS, FOUND TO MY HORROR THAT THE LIQUID HAD COOKED OFF, LEAVING A CHARRED MESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POT. BUT THE LAMB TASTED OKAY, ALTHOUGH IT NEEDED A BIT MORE COOKING. SO I RESCUED THE LAMB AND FINISHED IT WITH CHICKEN STOCK IN A FRESH POT. STILL, IT TASTED TOO STRONGLY OF VINEGAR. THE SOLUTION WAS TO CUT TWO RED ONIONS INTO EIGHTHS, BROWN THEM SEPARATELY AND ADD THEM TO THE POT. THE FINISHED STEW, TEMPERED WITH THE SWEET ONIONS, WAS RICH AND COMPLEX. GOOD ENOUGH TO SHARE WITH YOU.

https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/lamb-serendip/

SOLE MEUNIÉRE

SOLE MEUNIÈRE IS A FRENCH CLASSIC; A CLASSIC THAT IS ALWAYS MADE WITH DOVER SOLE. WHAT MAKES DOVER SOLE SO SPECIAL IS THAT ASIDE FROM ITS SUCCULENT TASTE, THE TEXTURE OF THE FLESH IS FIRM LIKE TURBOT, WHICH IS IDEAL FOR PAN SAUTÉING THE WHOLE SKINNED FISH. UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, HOWEVER, YOU COULDN’T FIND AUTHENTIC DOVER SOLE IN THE U.S. BUT NOW IT TURNS UP AT HIGH-END FISH MONGERS. THE PREPARATION IS SIMPLE BUT PRECISE. DREDGE THE SOLE IS FLOUR AND BROWN ON BOTH SIDES IN CLARIFIED BUTTER. A LITTLE PARSLEY, SOME LEMON WEDGES AND STEAMED FINGERLING POTATOES. THAT’S IT. I WOULDN’T DISCOURAGE A SAUCE BEARNAISE, BUT SOME MIGHT ARGUE THAT’S GILDING THE LILY.

https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/sole-meuniere/