Although I haven't been to Cobras & Matadors in more than a year, I still get a craving for their socca cakes. Warm, nutty, and drizzled with honey. So delicious. I think I asked our server what socca was - garbanzo. But when I looked it up on the internet I got "chickpea/garbanzo flour." I found a plethora of socca recipes, ranging from crepe like crispy soccas to thicker heartier soccas, but never tried any out considering I've never noticed garbanzo flour while food shopping.
But I finally bought my first bag of garbanzo flour this week and gave it go with my very untraditional version, Chorizo Corn Socca Cakes. Although I've seen an abundance of Spanish chorizo, the Mexican ones which would work better in the recipe has been pretty MIA. So I had to go out of my way to get an 8 inch cut (for only $0.80) and it wasn't that great. I think next time I'll try making a batch of chorizo at home and save some grief. Now only if I could get Guelaguetza and Antequera de Oaxaca's recipe.
I sweated 1/2 onion then added the chorizo, squeezing it out of the casing and breaking it up with a spatula. I defrosted 1/2 bag of frozen sweet corn and drained any excess water. When the onion chorizo mixed cooled down I mixed it with the corn, a pinch of salt, a grind of black pepper, and few stalks of sliced scallion. In a separate bowl I mixed up some garbanzo flour with water, I would say about a 2 to 3 ratio. Then poured that into the chorizo corn bowl. After a few socca cakes I thought the mixture could use a bit more batter. So in it went and the rest of the cakes came out cleaner around the edges and quite cute with its quaint size of only 3 inches.
At one point while frying these cuties in olive oil, the aroma was very reminiscent of Korean nokdoo cakes, which are made with ground mungbeans. Not surprising I guess since both use beans, chilies, scallions and pork. But I think next time I'll try making the more traditional socca with just olive oil and black pepper. (Maybe with cheese on the side.)
13 comments:
So does it taste as good as bin dae duk? I'm starting to get into more flour/cornmeal based stuff. I'll have to get polenta recipes from you.
Has it been that long since we've been to Cobras & Matadors? Crazy. I liked their socca cakes a lot.
I really want to try yours too.
"Bean" cake competition - sure to be a show in the near future on FoodTV.
dylan,
oops, sorry for not sending you the recipe!
*melt 1/2 stick butter w/few drizzles of oo. then add few garlic cloves and rosemary
*add liquids (2C milk + 1.5C chicken stock) and bring to boil
*add 1C polenta slowly until it thickens and season.
that's it!
for the onion relish i just sweated some red onions with lemon-thyme. then added reduced balsamic vinegar and some white truffle oil. add the vinegar and truffle to your own taste. i think i would probably add a bit less vinegar in mine just bc the relish came out kind of dark. i would have preferred to use rosemary but didn't have any on hand. and the polenta, i got it from an italian market.
what flour/cornmeal recipes have you tried out? polenta is usually the only one i do bc i don't like to bake too much.
sloe,
i wish we had more spanish restaurants in la. but we should definitely go back for the socca cakes and lentils. i wish the los feliz location would revamp itself. it's so frickin dark and echo-y loud. not the lively tapas bars i remember.
thanks yoony. i hate baking too, but you make polenta look easy.
not sure how spanish it is, but have you two tried Sonora Cafe on La Brea? i remember eating there once - had a filet mignon burrito $18.50. absolutely delicious.
i'd like to try Cobras & Matadors very soon.
dylan,
i remember eating there many many years ago and thought the food wasn't very good. and that was when i wasn't even cooking and eating as much. but maybe it's changed up. any other recommendations?
My father makes some crazygood chorizo. Growing up, I used to eat chorizo at least two or three times a week, and I would gobble it up!
It's probably the only meat dish that I still occassionaly crave.
well here's the thing, this was a free meal about 4 years ago. who knows? the chef could have changed.
This isn't spanish, but i've been eyeing this restaurant for a while.
http://www.fogodechao.com/ on La Cienega Blvd. $50/person! this place is supposed to be hot right now.
dylan,
i think you can go for lunch and get the same food for a lot cheaper. why is brazilian bbq so expensive! even at the farmer's market on fairfax.
dex,
i see cute little you eating chorizo and mashing up cumin in the mortar and pestle. :) if i make some will you taste and be the judge of my first batch? if you can't resist your cravings of course.
Dylan, I've been trying to push Fogo De Chao on the Yoon. Hopefuly, she'll break soon. It's been too long since I've been to a decent churrascaria. Even if this is an overpriced, chain-y version of it - I hear good things.
sloe,
i said i'll go! sheesh. but for lunch only. the thought of having dinner on la cienega restaurant row discourages me. of course since you are pushing it naturally it must mean that you are taking me there. :) i'll mark it on my calendar.
Yoony, yes why is brazilian bbq so expensive...
it's only juicy, tender sirloin beef with mouth-watering caps of fat...
it's tender, marinated chicken wrapped with succulent pieces of crispy bacon...
it's filleted pieces of rib drenched in garlic slivers...
so overrated huh? haha. i'm in debate, for the price of going to Fogo de Chao ONCE... i can eat at Manna or Shik Do Rak THRICE. I think Shik Do Rak tastes better and it's less packed.
justin, i think it's a good thing when one's gf can consume endless amounts of beef. this will be a true test for Yoonyfer haha. i think for this day, you guys will have to fast and make every single penny of that $49.99 work for you. I certainly will be fasting and probably eating there alone. My girl couldn't even get her money's worth at Souplantation haha.
haha. wow im just imagining myself falling over with food coma walking out of fogo. i don't know if that's a good thing though since i've long weaned away from my super consumption days. but i do want to bite into some juicy nicely fatted meat. damn, im salivating now.
I can just imagine the scene at Fogo de Chao. Half of the people are eating, the other half are passed out on the table by the meat attack.
The waiter might say something like:
"Thank you, here's your check. Do you need me to help carry you to your car?"
One time, 10 of us went to Manna and ate 14 plates of beef. It was a disaster - we just looked at each other for a good 20 minutes. We couldn't move. We were supposed to go bowling and drinking - yeah right, whatever.
I'll be eating at FdC soon. Mmmm....
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