California, the state of plenty and countless opportunities, hooked me at 8. It was 1977, Elvis had died, and I landed there with my family to live for 12 months. In the assessment of our dusty nook of the Middle East, the land of warm dogs, countless seafood, Taco Bell, Flintstones-formed vitamins, multi-channel color TV, and massive Cadillacs had a dizzying effect on my young mind. Decades on, I adore California for its abundance and irreverence, wealthy cultural combination, and potential to excite and supply delight.
Cobb salad with mango and lime dressing (pictured above)
Cobb salad is (nearly) as American as apple pie. It is all about the shameless show of abundance (as a result of the even longer-than-regular substances listed right here). Pick and pick out from my selection, and upload a number of your own, as long as you preserve the spirit of plenty and fun.
Prep 35 min
Cook forty min
Serves 4
Six slices prosciutto
2Twohuge eggs
60ml olive oil
350g asparagus, woody ends trimmed and discarded, spears cut widthways into three
Salt and black pepper
Two corn cobs, kernels shaved off
350g extra-huge, sustainably sourced shelled king prawns, veins eliminated, and patted dry
Two garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
200g battering tomatoes (or baby plum tomatoes), halved
1Onebig head iceberg lettuce, reduce into chunk-sized pieces
15g coriander, leaves picked with a few systems connected avocado, stoned, peeled, and cut into skinny slices
1Onesmall crimson onion, peeled and sliced into skinny rounds (use a mandoline, preferably)
½ lime
For the dressing
200g ripe mango chunks (ie, from 1-2 mangoes)
75ml fresh lime juice (ie, from 3-4 limes)
60ml olive oil
Two anchovy fillets, tired and more or less chopped
1½ tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
One crimson chili deseeded and finely chopped
Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/375F/gasoline 5. Lay the prosciutto on a huge oven tray coated with greaseproof paper and roast for 15 minutes, or until it’s miles starting to crisp up, then go away to cool completely.
Meanwhile, boil the eggs in boiling water for seven minutes, then drain and run them beneath the cold faucet until cool. Peel and reduce each egg into 4-four wedges, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Now for the dressing: Place the mango, lime juice, oil, and anchovies in a blender and blitz clean. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the coriander, chili, a third teaspoon of salt, and a great grind of pepper.
Put a teaspoon and a half of oil in a large saute pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the asparagus, 1 / 4-teaspoon of salt, and a terrific grind of pepper, and cook for 4 mins, turning more than once, until softened and charred. Then, switch to a plate.
Pour every other tablespoon of oil into the equal pan, add the corn kernels, 1 / 4-teaspoon of salt, and an excellent grind of pepper, and prepare dinner, stirring now and again, till softened and charred in locations – about four mins – then transfer to a bowl. Pour every other tablespoon of oil into the pan, flip the heat to excessive, and, once it’s very warm, upload 1/2 the prawns, half the garlic, a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and a very good grind of pepper, and cook, turning now and then, for three minutes, till sooked via and browned. Transfer to a separate bowl and repeat with the ultimate prawns and garlic.
Toss the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and pepper, a teaspoon, and half of the oil in a small bowl.
In a huge bowl, toss the lettuce, coriander, a third of the dressing, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and a very good grind of pepper. Spread out on a large platter. Top the lettuce with separate piles of tomato, avocado, onion, corn, asparagus, eggs, prosciutto, and prawns. Squeeze the 1/2 lime over the whole thing, drizzle half the final dressing on top, and serve the relaxation.
Steak and cheese tacos with jalapeño and orange
You can use ready-made corn tortillas, but the real deal is tough. You could also make them several hours beforehand—cover them with a tea towel and heat them in the pan after cooking the steak. Cheese may be messy to fry, so use raw if you choose.
Prep 15 min
Cook 55 min
Makes 12 tacos
3Threejalapeño chilies halved lengthways and finely sliced (get rid of the pith and seeds in case you opt for less heat)
1½ tsp chili flakes (or purple bell pepper flakes if you prefer much less heat)
60ml sunflower oil, plus greater for greasing and frying
Salt
125g masa harina (Mexican corn flour) – from supermarkets or online)
360g skirt steak in one piece
140g piece mature cheddar, cut into 12 x 5mm-thick rectangles (optionally available)
1Onesmall orange pores akin, and pith eliminated, then cut into segments (discard any pips)
1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely sliced
2Twolimes, reduced wedges to serve
Put a frying pan on high heat until smoking, then toast the jalapeños, stirring a few times, until they start to char—approximately 4 minutes. Tip into a bowl, cool for 2 minutes, then stir in the chili flakes, oil, and 1 / 4-teaspoon of salt.
Put the masa harina, an awesome pinch of salt, and 250ml hot water in a medium bowl and stir until it comes together into a dough. Once it’s a cool, cool-sufficient address, knead vigorously until you turn out to be with the ball the consistency of Play-Doh, then divide it into 12 30g portions. Lightly grease a piece of floor and your palms with oil, roll every piece into a smooth ball, and cowl with clingfilm.
Put a nonstick frying pan on high heat, and as soon as it’s smoking, add a teaspoon and a half of oil. Fry the steak for a minute and a half to two minutes on each side or until nicely browned on the outside and still rare on the interior. Transfer to a board, season generously with salt, cover with foil, and go away to relax even as you cook the tortillas.
Wipe the pan easily and go back to excessive heat. Meanwhile, get a clean tea towel equipped and reduce out some pieces of greaseproof paper that you’ll want to help you press the dough. Place one piece of dough among two sheets of paper, then, using a heavy-based pan (or other comparable spherical weight), press down calmly and firmly at the dough to unfold it right into a 10cm-12cm-wide circle. Remove the top sheet of paper and use the bottom sheet to transfer the tortilla to the new pan. Cook for 90 seconds until properly browned, then turn and cook for any other minute to brown the alternative side. Transfer the cooked tortilla to the tea towel, fold it over to cover, then repeat with the remaining dough (prepare dinner as many tortillas at a time as will suit in the pan).
Once all the tortillas are achieved, reduce the heat below the pan to medium-high. In batches, lay inside the cheese slices and leave for a minute or two until they form a crust on the bottom and soften. Using a butter knife, cautiously elevate the slices (they may be melting and warm) and place them on a plate so they don’t stick.
Reduce the steak against the grain with a sharp knife into 24 slices, each approximately ½cm thick. Top every warm tortilla with slices of steak and one slice of cheese. Cut any thicker orange segments in half lengthways and pinnacle every taco with multiple pieces.
Sprinkle over the coriander, drizzle over some jalapeño oil, and serve without delay with the lime wedges alongside for squeezing on top.
Salted espresso, pecan, and lime rocky road
Rocky Road might also have originated in Australia in the 1850s but is tremendously popular in California and the US. You can find it in all forms of candy and nut combos. Here, I’ve given it a grown-up twist by including coffee, cardamom, and lime zest.