An ode to an intersection in Los Angeles, the 5th & Adams is a spicy and fruity mescal cocktail everyone can get behind.11/2 ounces high- quality mescal1 ounce pineapple juice3/4 ounce Ginger Syrup (see right)1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice2 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters1 pineapple spearCombine the mescal, pineapple juice, ginger syrup, lemon juice, and bitters in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Double- strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with the pineapple spear and serve.5TH & ADAMSSERVES 1GINGER SYRUP MAKES ABOUT 1/4 CUP1/4 cup sugar2 tablespoons fresh ginger juiceCombine the sugar, ginger juice, and 1 tablespoon water in a blender and process until com-pletely smooth and emulsified; it may take as long as 10 minutes. Use immediately.COCKTAILS67I bought an entire half of a cow once, like an idiot. I butchered it and did my best to use all of the parts but still ended up with a lot of leftover trim cuts. I decided to run meatballs as a special, but after we sold through all of the extra beef, customers were still asking for them. The grill became constantly overcrowded with meatballs, and we didn’t have any space to cook anything else, which forced us to take them off the menu anyway.This recipe is for grilled meatballs, the way we make them at the restaurant. For a braised version, see page 133. In both cases, I serve them with wilted greens and fresh ricotta to lighten the dish.MEATBALLS3/4 cup panko bread crumbs1 cup whole milk11/4 pounds ground beef chuck (80/20— that is, 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat— is a good choice here)5 ounces ground pork fat1/2 cup Creamy Ricotta (page 40), made without the salt, or store-bought whole- milk ricotta cheese1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese1/4 cup packed chopped fresh flat- leaf parsley3 cloves garlic, finely chopped11/2 teaspoons anchovy paste, homemade (page 50) or store- bought13/4 teaspoons Fresno chile powder, or 11/4 teaspoons ground red pepper flakes21/4 teaspoons toasted caraway seeds1 tablespoon plus 11/2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds1 tablespoon kosher salt1 teaspoon fish sauceTOMATO SAUCE1 cup dry white wine3 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced1 cup Fennel Soffritto (page 38)1 (28- ounce) can puréed San Marzano tomatoes1 tablespoon Smoked Dried Anchovies (page 50), or 4 salt- packed anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped1 tablespoon kosher saltBRAISED GREENS1/4 cup olive oil4 cloves garlic, smashed2 pounds leafy cooking greens such as beet greens, Swiss chard, or spinach, tough stems removed, roughly chopped2 tablespoons rinsed and finely chopped Preserved Lemon (page 23)11/2 cups Creamy Ricotta (page 40), or store-bought whole- milk ricotta cheese for servingMaldon salt, fennel pollen (see Note, page 18), dried oregano, and extra- virgin olive oil for garnishTo make the meatballs, in a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and milk and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain the bread crumbs, squeezing to remove excess milk, then transfer to a food processor and process until smooth.In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork fat, bread- crumb purée, ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, anchovy paste, chile powder, caraway seeds, ground fennel seeds, salt, and fish sauce. Mix thoroughly by hand, kneading until you have a smooth, even mixture. Roll the mixture in your hands to form 18 well- packed 2- ounce balls, roughly the size of golf balls, arranging them on a baking sheet as you work. Refrigerate until ready to cook.MEATBALLS WITH CREAMY RICOTTA, TOMATO SAUCE, AND BRAISED GREENS WITH PRESERVED LEMONMAKES 18 MEATBALLS; SERVES 6 AS A STARTERcontinuedBESTIA130To make the tomato sauce, in a small saucepan over high heat, bring the wine to a boil and cook until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.In a medium saucepan over medium- low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown around the edges, about 1 minute. Add the soffritto and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the reduced wine, the tomatoes, anchovies, salt, and 2 cups water. Increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer, then remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.Meanwhile, take the meatballs out of the fridge and bring to room temperature while you build a medium fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium. Brush the grill grate with olive oil. Arrange the meatballs on the grate over medium heat. Sear on one side until well grill- marked, about 5 minutes, being careful not to move them too much; turn and sear for another 5 minutes until fully cooked. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.Just before you’re ready to serve, make the braised greens. In a sauté pan over high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add the greens to the pan in batches and sauté until wilted. Add the preserved lemon and ½ cup water and toss quickly until the water evaporates. Remove from the heat and set aside.Place 3 meatballs in the center of each serving bowl. Ladle about ½ cup tomato sauce over the meatballs. (Store any extra tomato sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month.) Top each serving with about ½ cup of the braised greens and ¼ cup of the ricotta. Garnish with a pinch of Maldon salt, a pinch of fennel pollen, a pinch of dried oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil and serve.BRAISED MEATBALLSTo cook the meatballs in the tomato sauce instead of on the grill, once the sauce is simmering, turn the heat to low and add the meatballs. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until cooked through, turning the meatballs once after about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, then cover and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. The braised meatballs can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator; just rewarm in the sauce over low heat before serving.MEATBALLS, continuedSTARTERS & SIDES133In this recipe, crunchy heads of bitter endive or Coraline wilt, char, and absorb a ton of smoky flavor from the grill, then we dress a pile of them with the same apple balsamic and brown butter sauce that we use to finish our bone- in rib eye. The texture is incredible, with slices of ripe pear— make sure you find one that’s super- ripe and very soft— almost melting into the endive, and the end result is so meaty, it can almost hold its own as an entrée.3 tablespoons Black Butter (page 48)1 tablespoon apple balsamic vinegar, aged balsamic vinegar, or saba6 heads Belgian endive or Coraline chicory (see headnote, page 97), quartered lengthwise (do not remove the cores; they’ll help the endive pieces hold together on the grill)11/2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oilKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper1 very ripe pear, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leavesMaldon or other flaky sea saltIn a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the vin-egar and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and set aside.Drizzle the endives with the olive oil, season with kosher salt and pepper, and toss well.Build a hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to very high. Brush the grill grate with olive oil. Arrange the endives on the hottest spot of the grill and sear, tossing occasionally with tongs, until the leaves are charred around the edges but remain somewhat firm, about 3 minutes. If the flame gets too high, or the endives start to burn, move them to a cooler spot of the grill.Pile the charred endives on a large serving plate. Arrange the sliced pear on top and spoon the butter mixture over the dish. Finish with the thyme leaves and Maldon salt and serve.GRILLED ENDIVE WITH BLACK BUTTER, APPLE BALSAMIC VINEGAR, PEAR, AND FRESH THYMESERVES 4 AS A SIDESTARTERS & SIDES145We hope youenjoyed this EYB Book PreviewThe complete book is available from all major booksellers. Or use the "Buy Book" button and help support EYB.Next >