Poblano scallion queso
If you’re going to a royal wedding watching party, or throwing one yourself, you know that the food will take the spotlight — after we all get a look at the wedding dress, of course.
To help craft the perfect menu — a Cali-British mash-up worthy of Los Angeles’ own Meghan Markle and Britain’s Prince Harry — we turned to Gaby Dalkin, creator of the popular Los Angeles lifestyle and food blog “What’s Gaby Cooking.” Her new cookbook, “Everyday California Food,” is a celebration of the way we eat here in Southern California, reflecting the region’s diversity, the abundance of fresh, vibrant produce, and the fact that we’re always tinkering with our diets. (Translation: Vegans, meat eaters, the no-carb and the all-carb crowds will all find something in its pages.)
“I can’t wait for it,” Dalkin said of the wedding. “I will be watching, absolutely. I love Meghan Markle, she a fascinating and independent woman. And she’s ours, she’s L.A.”
A royal wedding brunch could pay homage to Britain and the traditional high tea with scones served alongside clotted cream and lemon curd and finger sandwiches. (Shortcut: Make the sandwich of your choice, cut off the crusts and slice into triangles. Done.)
To add some California sparkle to the menu, there must be avocado, Dalkin said (her first cookbook was titled “Absolutely Avocados.”) She suggests an avocado toast bar and lots of homemade guacamole and salty, crunchy chips.
Countdown to the Royal Wedding » Your complete guide to the royal wedding 2018 »
Dalkin also shared three recipes from her new cookbook with us that would also represent L.A. at your watching party: a hot, cheesy poblano chile dip that would go perfect with those chips, Vietnamese-inspired spring summer rolls with a peanut dipping sauce and a fresh strawberry and lemon curd tart. You’ll also find more recipes — for scones, tea cakes and more — in our California Cookbook.
“There are so many negative things in the world right now, and a marriage and a wedding are really exciting,” Dalkin said, “so it’s great to gravitate to something so positive and happy. I think they are truly in love.”
Here’s to the happy couple!
Heat the broiler.
On a baking sheet, place the peppers. Place the sheet directly under the broiler and broil, turning a few times with tongs, until blackened on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Remove from the broiler and place in a bowl, covering it with plastic wrap to steam. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, after 15 to 20 minutes of steaming, remove the skin, chop the flesh and set aside. Alternatively, you can char the poblano peppers over an open flame on the stove, turning with tongs until all sides are charred, before steaming.
Adjust the oven temperature to 425 degrees and bring a pot of water to a boil.
In a 2-inch-deep cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, green onions and roasted peppers and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and top the onion and pepper mixture with the cheeses. Add the milk and stir to combine.
Place the skillet in a roasting pan or baking dish that is deeper than the skillet, and set the roasting pan in the oven. Add enough hot water to the roasting pan or baking dish to come 1 inch up the side of the skillet, making sure the water doesn’t come close enough to spill into the skillet. Bake until the cheese is melted and gooey, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve immediately with tortilla chips.
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