Tinker: LA Gun Club

So my friend Pete's been dying to go to a shooting range for the past few months. Having grown up in the cuts of Western Pennsylvania, I shot my first gun at the age of 13, a 12-Gauge, so it's been a long time since holding a any kind of firearm. Yeah, I guess you can consider me an Asian-hick-American, but hey I take pride in my upbringing. Anyways, after a great lamb, double dip, french dip sandwich at Philippe's French Dip we decided to head to the LA Gun Club just a stone's throw away from Philippe's. By the way, this place seemingly had a ratio of 1:2 (guys to girls), at least. So the next time all you guys are trying mingle, forget the bars, coffee shops and bookstores...head to a shooting range.

Enjoy the show and, yes, laugh all you want. Say hello to the Raging Bull!

Taste: Classic Cheeseburger with Fried Egg

I got this really awesome coffee table book for Christmas called My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals. As a foodie and one that appreciates great coffee table books, it was such a perfect and very thoughtful gift (thanks BMJ!). The book asks 50 of the some of the world's most renowned chefs 5 questions, such as what their last meal would be if there was no tomorrow and who would cook it. The latter part of the book contains a single recipe from each chef, one that they'd make for the last time, which I find myself reading through a few times a week because it's just so damn entertaining and inspiring.

One of my favorite chefs is Wylie Dufresne of wd~50 in New York City. In the book, he talks about keeping a burger simple, yet classic, by adding a fried egg. I've always wanted to try this and on a rainy, Friday evening with a 12 pack of Guinness in the fridge, I whipped out the cast iron skillet and recreated it. I'm a bit of a health nut, but moving forward, when I have a burger, there's certainly going to be cheese and a fried egg on top. Oh, and a glass of Guinness or two.


Classic Cheeseburger with Fried Egg on Brioche Bun

Prep Time: 5 Mins.
Cook Time: 8-10 mins.
Serves: 3

1 lb. ground chuck (85/15)
3 eggs
3 slices American cheese
salt and pepper
3 Brioche buns

Start by forming 3 burgers, loosely. Handling the meat as little as possible will keep the burgers tender. Season generously on both sides with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Heat the cast iron skillet on med-high. Once the skillet is hot, place the burgers in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip, place a slice of American cheese on top of each and cook for another 3-4 minutes for medium to medium-rare.

In the meantime, start frying the eggs, sunny-side up. Once the burgers are done, place on slightly toasted Brioche buns and top with the fried egg.

Taste: Roasted Bone-In Chicken with Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Roasted chicken can be one of those meals where you royally **** up and it comes out tasting like cardboard, or even worse, undercooked. But after dozens of times making roasted chicken, I've realized it's really simple to make perfectly cooked and amazingly juicy roasted chicken. It really comes down to cooking time and, in my opinion, the cast iron skillet. Pair this with old school, simple mashed potatoes, and you've got yourself a killer meal with very little effort.

*NOTE: Mashed potatoes are courtesy of my good friend-to-be, Tyler Florence.

Roasted Chicken with Rosemary and Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time: 60 Mins.
Cooking Time: 35 Mins.
Serves: 2

2 Bone-in chicken breast with skin
3 russet potatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 lemon, halved
1 tbsp chopped rosemary
2 tbsp chopped chives
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Bay leaf
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim the chicken of any unwanted fat, but leave the skin on. Rinse under cold water and pat dry. *NOTE: You want to make sure that the chicken is very dry before you add anything to it as this will ensure you a crispy outside skin. Drizzle the chicken breasts on both sides with the extra virgin olive oil making sure you rub them to lightly coat them. Generously sprinkle the chicken with the fresh rosemary, juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper, rubbing them again to get a good coating all over. Set aside and let it marinade for at least 1 hour (optional, however).

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. I like to drizzle some extra virgin olive oil in the pan and wipe it with a paper towel. A good way to see if the pan is hot enough is to flick some water on it and it should sizzle. Start cooking the chicken breasts by placing them skin side down for approximately 10 minutes. In the end, what you are looking for is a nice, golden brown skin. Turn the chicken over, cook for another 3 minutes, and then place in the oven for 30 minutes or until the it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

In the meantime, peel and cut the potatoes into 2-inch cubes and place in a pot with water. Salt the water and place the bay leaf in the water. Boil the potatoes until soft and then drain well. Mash the potatoes with the heavy cream and butter. Fold in the chives once mashed and set aside.

Once the chicken is done, take it out of the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Plate the chicken with the mashed potatoes and serve with a simple salad and glass of wine...or two.