The Cadillac of Philly Cheesesteaks

Ok, so I took a month off, so what? As it turns out, I found out I am going to become a father for the first time and it took some time to regain my bearings. Now that I have them back, I can get back to blocking your arteries and raising your triglycerides.

Being raised in Western Pennsylvania, it’s easy to hate Philadelphia. But I must say, I love Philly cheesesteaks. I’m sure that somebody from Philadelphia will take issue with the recipe below and a verbal assault against myself and family will ensue. But trust me, when you try it, you’ll see that it’s worth it.

• 4 Italian sub rolls
• 1.5lbs of ribeye
• 1lb of smoked cheddar
• 1 sweet onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1-2 jalapeño pepper(s), julienned (sliced lengthwise)

1. Slice the ribeye into thin strips.  It’s easier to cut if  it’s placed in the freezer for 40-45 minutes.
2. Sauté the meat until slightly browned and it has rendered about 1-2 tablespoons of fat.  If not enough fat has rendered, make up for what you need with some olive oil.
3. Remove the meat from the pan and sauté the peppers in the rendered fat until tender.  In the meantime, melt the cheese until it becomes a thick sauce.
4. Mix the meat back into the peppers.  Sauté until well mixed and the meat is done.
5. Smear some of the cheese onto the rolls and then transfer some of the meat mixture onto each bun.
6. Serve.

Aww Shucks

I couldn’t think of anything more witty for the title.   I guess “How to Shuck an Oyster”  could have worked … but, oh well.

I love oysters and you probably do to.  However, most people, including myself, only eat them at restaurants or raw bars primarily because of the fear of losing digits and/or severing arteries during the shucking process.  A valid concern indeed.  But after a little online research and some fruitful practice it became clear just how easy, and safe,  shucking an oyster actually is.  So rather than providing you with a wordy description of the process, I thought that the below video would better illustrate the proper procedure and free you to enjoy oysters at home.   Stay safe my friend.

Football Food – Week 2

At some point during this football season, it’s likely that you were served a nice bowl of chili.  Probably by one of your buddies who has anointed his chili recipe as the best in all of chilidom.  It probably  had a tomato base of some sort with some kidney beans, some onion, greasy ground beef and a gallon of hot sauce from a bottle whose label depicted an ass spewing orange-red flames.  This is not that recipe.

Chili Verde  (“Green Chili”)

• 1 1/2 pounds of ground pork
• 1 1/2 pounds of  pork tenderloin, diced
• 3/4 pound of hot Italian sausage removed from its casing
• 1/2 bunch of scallions
• 1 roasted poblano pepper, diced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 2 1/2 cups of canned green enchilada sauce
• 1/3 bunch of fresh cilantro
• garlic powder and black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Begin to simmer the ground pork, pork tenderloin and sausage in a large pot of water.
3. Once the oven heats, roast the poblano for 15 minutes or until the skin begins to blister.
4. Remove the skin and the seeds from the poblano and then dice it into 1/4″ squares.  Set-aside.
5. Once the pork is tender, drain out the water and return it to the pot.
6. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the poblano, and simmer until the mixture is  heated through.

Serve in bowls with a dollop of sour cream or shredded cheese.

Makes 5-6 bowls.

Rabbit Etouffee

The problem that most of American society has with game meat is the high psychological barriers they have established that keep them from even entering this most delicious (and healthy) of culinary domains.  Of course, your more “refined” folks from metropolitan areas will immediately turn their nose up at any meat not from a fish, cow, pig or chicken (if they even eat meat at all) as being reserved for poor white trash rednecks.  And, of course, most can’t get over that some game meat looks like this:

Now this latter reason is a valid barrier as it is hard to think of slaughtering, butchering and eating something that most people find to be cute and cuddly.  Unfortunately, for the animal depicted above, it tastes so damn good that  it is easily worth overcoming this barrier, even just for experimentation purposes.

If you have not tried rabbit meat, especially wild rabbit, I highly recommend you give it a shot.  It does not taste like chicken.  It is better.  Imagine a meat with the texture of chicken breast, but with a sweet and earthy flavor to it.  When cooked correctly, you will forever more see Thumper and imagine him delectably waiting for you on a warm plate with a nice salad of greens and maybe some mashed potatoes.  Mmm, mmm, mmm.

This recipe is a good way to experience rabbit for the first time.   It is a very traditional Cajun recipe that I “borrowed” from Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen.   Chef Paul was one of the first celebrity chefs who introduced the world to the awesomeness that is traditional Cajun cooking back in the 80’s.  Today, he has kind of been drowned out by the Rachel Rays and Emerils of the world who relentlessly pummel us with different, yet still the same, versions of Italian American dishes and drown our palates with blandness.  Let’s bring Chef Paul back.  This recipe makes 4 servings.

Rabbit Etouffee

• 1 2-3 pound rabbit cut into 5-8 pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• vegetable oil
• 1.5 cups of finely chopped onions
• 3/4 cups of finely chopped celery
• 6 cups of chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons of Cajun/ Creole Seasoning (I like Tony Chachere’s, but you can also use Chef Paul’s “Poultry Magic” or you can make your own)

1. Rub 2 teaspoons of the seasoning into the rabbit pieces and sprinkle one teaspoon into the flour.
2. Heat about 1/4″ inch of oil in a heavy, preferably iron, skillet until it reaches about 350 degrees.
3. Dredge the rabbit pieces in the flour, reserving any excess flour,  and fry in the oil 2-3 minutes on each side. Drain the pieces on a paper towel when done.

Now for the roux:

1. Drain all but 1/2 cup of the oil out of the skillet and then return it to high heat.  Keep any sediment in the bottom of the skillet.
2. As the oil heats, scrape the sediment from the bottom of the skillet until the oil begins to smoke.
3. Gradually add the leftover flour into oil, whisking it until it dissolves.
4. When the oil turns dark red/brown, mix in the onion and celery mixture and remove from the heat.
5. Continue to stir until the roux stops darkening in color.  Set it aside.

Now for the sauce:

1. Bring the stock to a boil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven.
2. Begin to add the roux in spoonfuls to the stock, whisking until it dissolves in between additions.
3. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning
4. Add the rabbit to the sauce and cook on high for 5 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the rabbit is tender and the sauce is reduced to about 4-5 cups.

Portion out 1-2 pieces of rabbit per plate with a gigantic helping of sauce.  Serve with mashed potatoes or rice and tell your family and friends it’s chicken.  It will be the best chicken they ever had.

OMG…

You know I had thought the pictures of Rachel Ray circulating the internet were elaborate fakes…butt apparently they are not.  Rachel, congrats on the pics and on adding the 18-24 year-old male to your ratings profile.  Damn!!!

Football Food – Week 1

Ah yes, it’s NFL playoff season once again.  That time of the year when we all gather around the television with our loved ones to root for our teams who have managed to make it in, to celebrate America’s Passion and to get as drunk and stupid as we possibly can get.  And of course all of that drinking inevitably ends up in an orgy of gluttony that rivals any holiday.

To celebrate the holiday season that is now upon us, I’ll be posting a new football-friendly recipe once a week, up to and including the Super Bowl.  Each recipe will be carefully chosen to fit perfectly at any football party and guaranteed to increase in deliciousness the drunker you get.  Enjoy!

Pepper Shrimp

This is another recipe I “borrowed” from the book Some Like It Hot by Clifford A. Wright.  It is one of my favorite cookbooks and I encourage you to check it out.  It is a take on a Jamaican item that is often sold at roadside stands.  It has killed every time I’ve made it.

• 2 pounds of shrimp in shells without heads or 4 pounds of shrimp with heads and shells
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 6 habanero peppers, finely chopped (don’t forget those rubber gloves!)
• 1.5 tablespoons of white vinegar
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• pinch of salt

1. Heat the oil with the peppers and garlic in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until they begin to sizzle.
2. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring until they begin to turn orange.
3. Add the vinegar and continue cooking until the shrimp are heated through.
4. Dump the entire mixture in a bowl and allow to cool.  Then place it all in a ziplock bag and allow it to marinate overnight, or at least 6 hours
5. Serve at room temperature.

Cuban Contraband

I experienced my first Cuban while on a trip to Key West earlier this past year and I must say  it is now my favorite.  Isn’t it strange how something so simple, yet so exotic,  can have such a hold on us?  If you have never experienced a Cuban before, try this recipe. You’ll see what I mean.

The Cuban

• 1/4 pound swiss cheese
• 1/4 pound salami
• 1/4 pound ham
• 1/4 pound roast pork
• yellow mustard
• 4 sub rolls
• 10-12 dill pickle slices

1. Split the sub rolls in half and spread each side with mustard.
2. Pile evenly onto each roll bottom the ham, pork, cheese and pickles and then cover with the roll tops.
3. Heat a buttered  sandwich press or skillet and grill each sandwich until the cheese is melted.  If using a skillet, place a second heavy skillet on top of the sandwiches to press them flat while cooking.
4. Serve warm.

New Year’s Resolution

Ok, so I thought that maybe as a New Year’s Resolution I should start posting on this blog more frequently than once every five months.  It was a tough year, this 2009.    You see, by day, I am your average ordinary everyday office worker and it was quite a stressful year just trying to continue paying the bills.  In addition,  I have  been trying to get a wedding planned, so life has been pretty hectic.  Hopefully in 2010 I can get back to my true calling of trying to save the masses from culinary blandness.  My first step down this path of change is the recipe below.

Morning After French Toast

You know how sometimes you wake up around 1pm with your head throbbing like someone was bashing the inside of your skull with a sledgehammer?  And then when you roll over to cover your head with a pillow you find there is a strange person lying there next to you in the same condition, if not worse?  This is what you make this person for breakfast (if you don’t want him/her to leave, that is).

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar for the batter and 3/4 to 1 cup for the coating
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 8 slices of any whole grain bread (my favorite is whole wheat)
• Butter, to grease the skillet

1. Heat enough butter in an iron skillet until it is  thoroughly greased.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the cream, eggs, tablespoon of sugar, cinnamon and allspice until blended.
3. Put the remaining sugar on a dredging plate.
4. Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, shake off any excess batter, dredge both sides in the sugar and then place them in the skillet.
5. Cook each side for about 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Serve immediately.

You can serve this with plain ‘ol maple syrup or you can make the evil sauce below.

Maple Butter Sauce

• 1/2 cup cream
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 6 tablespoons of butter

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan under medium high heat and then stir in the cream.
2. Pour in the maple syrup and stir until it blends with the butter and cream.  Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 5-10 minutes until warm and thick.
3. Serve immediately.

Special thanks to Mark Bittman for the Maple Butter recipe and for showing me how to make french toast.

The Scoville Scale

In 1912, a man by the name of Wilbur Scoville decided it would be a good idea to objectively  measure the piquancy of various peppers and then rank them on a scale from the most to the least pungent.  In so doing, he provided the culinary world a way of discerning the level of evil in the myriad of peppers that are out there and provided the Satanic Chef a way to determine which peppers to focus on in their various concoctions and potions.

In order to measure the heat provided by a certain pepper, Scoville soaked each pepper in alcohol over an extended period of time.  The chemical in peppers that provides the heat, capsaicin, is extracted into the alcohol and was then tasted by Scoville and his researchers.  Sweetened water was then incrementally added to the mixture until the pungency disappeared.  The volume of water that was added to remove the heat in relation to the volume of  original capsaicin solution is a Scoville Unit.  For example, it took sweetened water in volumes 100,000 – 325,000 times the volume of the capsaicin extract before the heat was removed in a scotch bonnet  pepper.

Below is a Scoville Scale I found on Urban Dictionary and make much use of.  If you are interested in learning more about Scoville Units, Tabasco has some great information and was a major source for this post.

5,000,000-16,000,000 (Sources vary) Pure capsaicin dihydrocapsaicin
Blair Lazar’s “16 Million Reserve” product, said to be pure capsaicin
9,100,000 Nordihydrocapsaicin
8,600,000 Homodihydrocapsaicin and homocapsaicin
7,100,000 “The Source” hot sauce
5,300,000 Police grade Pepper spray
2,000,000 Common pepper spray or Pepper Bomb
350,000 – 580,000 Red Savina habanero
100,000 – 350,000 Habanero chile
100,000 – 325,000 Scotch bonnet
100,000 – 225,000 African birdseye (aka “African Devil”, “Piri-Piri”)
100,000 – 200,000 Jamaican hot pepper
100,000 – 125,000 Carolina cayenne pepper
95,000 – 110,000 Bahamian pepper
85,000 – 115,000 Tabiche pepper
50,000 – 100,000 Chiltepin pepper
50,000 – 100,000 Rocoto
40,000 – 58,000 Pequin pepper
40,000 – 50,000 Super chile pepper
40,000 – 50,000 Santaka pepper
30,000 – 50,000 Cayenne pepper
30,000 – 50,000 Tabasco pepper
15,000 – 30,000 de Arbol pepper
12,000 – 30,000 Manzano pepper, Ají
5,000 – 23,000 Serrano pepper
5,000 – 10,000 Hot wax pepper
5,000 – 10,000 Chipotle
2,500 – 8,000 Jalapeño
2,500 – 8,000 Santaka pepper
2,500 – 5,000 Guajilla pepper
1,500 – 2,500 Rocotilla pepper
1,000 – 2,000 Pasilla pepper
1,000 – 2,000 Ancho pepper
1,000 – 2,000 Poblano pepper
700 – 1,000 Coronado pepper
500 – 2,500 Anaheim pepper
500 – 1,000 New Mexico pepper
500 – 700 Santa Fe Grande pepper
100 – 500 Pepperoncini pepper
100 – 500 Pimento
0 Bell pepper

Smokey Bison Burgers

Bison meat is an extremely nutritious alternative meat source that many tend to overlook due to the tendency for it to be classified as a game meat (and therefore can only be eaten by a lower class of human). The truth of the matter is that bison is raised much like cattle on free range farms using organic methods – and it is absolutely delicious.  Everyone should give it a shot if they get the chance.  In addition, it is lower in fat, cholesterol and calories than pork, chicken and beef.  This very simple recipe is a good introduction to bison if you’ve yet to give it a try.

Makes 4 burgers.

Ingredients:

1-1.5 lbs of  ground bison (can typically be found in most supermarkets)

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

4-6 ounces of smoked cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

4 whole wheat hamburger buns

Your choice of burgers fixings and condiments

1. Mix the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a bowl with the ground bison.
2. Form 4 burgers by splitting the meat into four parts and then halving the parts.  Take one of the halves and form it into a patty, placing a 1 ounce chunk of the cheddar into the middle.
3. Then take  the other half and form a lid over the cheese, making sure to seal the sides.  Repeat this  process with the rest of the meat and cheese to make four burgers.
4. Grill or cook the burgers in a cast iron skillet at high heat for 3-4 minutes a side, or until the melted cheese begins to seep through.
5. Let them rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to set and then serve with your choice of burger fixings on toasted buns.