Meatball-and-Provolone Subs

Game day is just around the corner and, if you're like me, you'll be having guests over for the big game. Time to menu plan. Why not try these delicious meatball-and-provolone subs that were recently featured in F&W? You can use canned sauce to save time and you can make these ahead of time. Like any sandwich, bread is key so make sure to get fresh, soft rolls to make your fans happy.

Meatball-and-Provolone Subs

1. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
3. 6 large garlic cloves, minced
4. 2 teaspoons dried oregano
5. 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
6. 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
7. 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8. 1 cup plain dried bread crumbs
9. 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
10. 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
11. 1/3 cup milk
12. 2 teaspoons salt
13. 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
14. 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
15. 1 pound ground beef
16. 8 hero rolls, split
17. 3/4 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese

Preheat the oven to 400° and brush 2 rimmed baking sheets with olive oil. In a medium skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, fennel seeds, sage and crushed red pepper and cook over low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, 5 minutes; scrape into a bowl and let cool.

Add the bread crumbs to the bowl with the cheese, eggs, milk, salt and parsley. Add the pork and beef and knead gently until combined. Roll the mixture into 32 meatballs, about 2 1/2 inches each, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until nearly cooked through, shifting the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.

Gently fold the meatballs into the warm tomato sauce in a pot. Simmer over moderate heat, covered, until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Wipe off the baking sheets. Set the open rolls on the baking sheets and top both halves with the sliced provolone. Bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese melts. Spoon the meatballs onto the rolls and top with the sauce. Serve right away.

Meatball-and-Provolone Subs

Japanese Hamburgers

I have a friend that swears by this recipe. I had her over on Sunday night for Shrimp & Grits and she wouldn't stop talking about it so I asked for the recipe. She came across it on a fellow blog, Just Hungry. The two biggest differences? Adding pork to the meat and the sauce made with tonkatsu. Give it a try.

Japanese style hamburger (Hambaagu or hambaagaa)

This makes 4 small hamburgers, serving 2 to 4 people depending on what else you are serving.

• 200g/ about 7 oz. ground beef (from a cut that has a fair amount of fat in it - very lean beef will not work because it will be too dry.)
• 100g / about 3 1/2 oz. ground pork
• 1/2 medium onion
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• About 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• About 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 cup soft white breadcrumbs (Make the breadcrumbs from regular white bread slices with the crusts off. The crumb of a baguette is really good for this.)
• 2-3 Tbs. milk
• 1 egg
• Oil for cooking

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup Japanese tonkatsu sauce such as Bulldog brand

Chop the onion very finely. Sauté the onion in a little oil until translucent. Let cool.

Moisten the breadcrumbs with the milk. Combine the meat, cooled onions, moistened milk, egg, salt, ground pepper and nutmeg. Your hands are the best tools for this. Combine well until everything is amalgamated.

Divide into 4 portions. Form into patties, slapping each with your palms until the surface is smooth. Indent the middle with your thumb - this makes sure the middle gets cooked evenly.

Heat up a large frying pan with some oil over high heat. Place the hamburgers well apart in the hot pan, and fry until browned. Turn over and turn the heat down to low. Put a tight fitting lid on the pan and steam-cook the hamburgers for about 10 minutes until the middle bounces back if you press down on it. Take out and keep warm.

Pour out any excess oil from the pan and turn the heat up to high again. Add the red wine and deglaze the pan with it (scrape off the brown bits and blend). Add the ketchup and the Bulldog sauce and blend. Pour over the hamburgers.

They are best served piping hot, but they are also very popular for bento boxes.

Japanese Hamburgers

Horseradish-and-Herb-Crusted Beef Rib Roast

This rib roast is the perfect wow-factor for the holidays and big enough to feed a small army. Food and Wine Magazine suggests serving it with popovers and I second that idea!

Horseradish-and-Herb-Crusted Beef Rib Roast

1. 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2. 1 head of garlic, cloves coarsely chopped
3. 1 cup prepared horseradish
4. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped thyme
5. 3 tablespoons chopped rosemary
6. 3 tablespoons chopped sage
7. One 16-pound rib roast of beef
8. Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. In a food processor, combine the butter with the garlic, horseradish, thyme, rosemary and sage and process to a paste.
2. Stand the roast in a very large roasting pan. Season generously all over with salt and pepper and set it fatty side up. Spread the horseradish-herb butter all over the top. Bake for about 3 1/2 hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 125° for medium rare. Transfer the roast to a carving board to rest for at least 20 minutes or for up to 1 hour before serving.

The horseradish-herb butter can be refrigerated overnight. Let the butter soften before using.

Horseradish-and-Herb-Crusted Beef Rib Roast

Roast Turkey with Fried Sage and Pecans

OMG, are you as excited about the holidays as I am?!? We are about to enter into my absolute favorite time of the year where countless celebrations and festivities take place that are surrounded by great food, wine and bubbly. It's really the only time of year where gaining weight is socially acceptable and encouraged. They didn't make the gym a new year's resolution for nothing. So let's get started on some planning! First step, the Thanksgiving turkey.

If you can't get your hands on turkey stock, no big deal. Sub chicken.

Roast Turkey with Fried Sage and Pecans
F&W
Ingredients

1. 1 cup pecans
2. 1 cup canola oil, for frying
3. 1 large garlic clove, smashed
4. 1 cup sage leaves
5. 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
6. Kosher salt
7. 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
8. One 18-pound turkey
9. 1 carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
10. 1 onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
11. 4 cups Turkey Stock

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes. Transfer the pecans to a food processor and let cool completely.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until very lightly golden, about 1 minute. Add the sage leaves and fry, stirring gently, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage leaves and garlic clove to a paper towel–lined plate and let cool. Add half of the sage leaves and the garlic clove to the food processor along with the butter and 1 tablespoon of salt; pulse until smooth. Transfer 1/4 cup of the butter to a small bowl and stir in the flour; reserve.
3. Beginning at the neck end, gently separate the turkey skin from the breast and legs using your fingers. Season the turkey cavity with salt. Rub half of the pecan-sage butter from the food processor under the skin, spreading it over the breast and thighs.
4. Set the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan and scatter the carrot and onion in the pan; add 1 1/2 cups of water. Rub the remaining pecan-sage butter from the food processor all over the outside of the turkey. Roast on the bottom rack of the oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted deep in the thigh registers 170°; halfway through roasting, add 1 1/2 cups of water to the roasting pan and tent the turkey with foil. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and let rest for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, strain the pan juices into a large measuring cup; discard the solids. Spoon off the fat and discard it. (You should have about 2 cups of defatted pan juices.) In a large saucepan, boil the turkey stock until it is reduced to 3 cups, about 15 minutes. Set the roasting pan over 2 burners on high heat; add the reduced stock and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom and side of the pan. Strain the stock into the saucepan, add the pan juices and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the reserved pecan-sage butter with flour and simmer over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt.
6. Carve the turkey, transfer to a platter and garnish with the reserved sage leaves. Serve the turkey, passing the gravy at the table.

Roast Turkey with Fried Sage and Pecans

Wolfy's Northbrook

Attention Chicago!!!

Wolfy's Northbrook opens tomorrow at 11am so round up your friends or kids and go grab a bite that everyone will love that won't break the bank. Some menu items to be excited about are:

· Fresh Salad Bar with everything you might want to please your healthier side
· Fresh brisket and chuck burger made daily by the most famous butcher in Northbrook - served on a hand baked Challah roll (yum)
· Polish’s done right like we’ve come to love on Maxwell St
· Grilled Salami sandwich that emulates Poochie’s with grilled onions, on soft French bread, and a dab of brown mustards
· Real Merkt’s cheddar for your dogs, fries, and burgers
· Vienna products across the board of course!!
· An amazing gyros (pita-meat-sauce-meat again-onion-tomato)
· Awesome Chicken pita sandwich’s marinated overnight
· Kick ass fries to round off your meal!

Location is in the little strip mall on the southeast corner of Dundee and Sanders.
873 Sanders Rd., Northbrook, IL, 847-272-1177)

Make sure to say hi to Josh Kaplan, my good friend and fellow foodie. Also, check out Wolfy's video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZAcB_jrQTA

See you there Kaplan Brothers!

Wolfy's Northbrook

Quiche Brunch with Green Salad and Roasted Potatoes

I wanted to host a fuss-free brunch so the first dish that came to mind was quiche. I haven't made a quiche since college so when I went online to refresh my memory on recipe ideas, I was shocked that there were no silver bullet. Some recipes partially baked the crust while others didn't. The ratio of egg to cream (or milk in some cases) was all over the map. I panicked and wondered how this go-to recipe became so difficult over the last 10 years? Then, I had a brilliant thought: Julia Child. Of course she would know what to do!

I flipped through my first edition of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and found a Quiche Lorraine recipe and decided to use that and then tweak the recipe to do a vegetarian option with asparagus. Of course the dish turned out perfectly but it did take longer than noted. My quiches baked for 50 minutes until they were golden and puffed. I used frozen pie crusts and partially baked them for 12 minutes at 375 degrees before I poured in the filling. Setting is key so make sure you wait 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. These are quite rich so one slice per guest was plenty.

Quiche Lorraine
8 slices of bacon (thick cut), cooked and coarsely chopped
3 eggs (or 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks)
1 1/2-2 cups whipping cream or milk (or 1 1/2-2 cups half cream and half milk)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
1/2-1 cup grated swiss cheese
1-2 tablespoon butter, cut into pea-sized dots
8 inches pastry shells, partly cooked

Directions

To partly bake the pastry shell:
Prick thawed crust with fork. Bake in middle of oven at 375 degrees F. for 9-11 minutes.

For filling:.
Cook bacon on medium heat and coarsley chop.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place oven rack in upper third of oven.
Beat together eggs, cream, salt, nutmeg and pepper.
Stir in cheese and bacon. Check seasoning.
Pour into pastry shell and distribute butter pieces on top. Place on baking sheet.
Bake 25-30 minutes or til puffed and browned.
Slide quiche onto a hot platter and serve.

Quiche Brunch with Green Salad and Roasted Potatoes

Meatloaf with Homemade Ketchup

Mealoaf is making a big comeback and I am not talking about the singer.

I know, I know...meatloaf. What a terrible name with an even worse stigma of tv dinners and the 1950's. But the truth is that it's pretty tasty and can feed a small army for cheap. My sister made this dish for her mother-in-law's birthday and it was down right delicious.

Do not let the picture above fool you. My sister did all the leg work. I just took it out of the oven and her husband snapped a photo. The pot above the meatloaf was her homemade ketchup that was rockstar. Quite frankly, it made the dish so don't attempt the recipe without making the ketchup, too. You will be very disappointed.

Homemade Ketchup

1 Tblspoon Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic

3 Anchovy Fillets (Optional)

1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

T Teaspoon dry mustard

T Teaspoon Celery Seed

2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

2 Cans (28 Oz/875 g each) whole plum Roma Tomatoes, Coarsely Chopped with Juice

1 Cup Light Corn Syrup

3 Bay Leaves

Kosher Salt or Coarse Sea Salt tot Taste

2 Tablespoons Sugar (Optional)

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and the anchovies, if using, mashing and stirring until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger, mustard, and celery seed and heat until fragrant. Add the Worcestershire sauce and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the pan bottom. Cook until almost fully evaporated.

Stir in the tomatoes and their juice, the corn syrup, and the bay leaves. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low so the mixture simmers gently. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and shiny, about 1 hour. Season with salt, and sweeten with sugar, if desired. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Meatloaf

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 green onions, including tender green tops, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt or coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 egg, beaten
1.5 lbs ground pork
1.5 lbs ground beef

To make the meatloaf, in a small frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the green onions until soft, about 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper and stir to distribute evenly. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Put the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat and heat until small bubbles appear at the edge of the pan. Pour the hot milk into a large bowl and stir in the rolled oats and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Let stand until the liquid is absorbed about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add the egg, sauteed green onions and 1 cup of the homemade ketchup to the rolled oats and stir to incorporate. Fold in the ground meats and mix gently with your hands just until the liquids are evenly distributed. Do not overmix, or the meatloaf will be tough and crumbly. Sear a small patty of the mixture in a hot frying pan until cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Pack the meat mixture into an 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pan, mounding it nicely on top. Place in a baking pan to collect any overflowing juices. Bake the meat loaf for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and pour off the fat. Return to the oven until the juices run clear when the meatloaf is pierced in the center with a sharp knife or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest park registers 165 degrees, 30-45 minutes longer. If the top of the meatloaf is browning too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Just before the meatloaf is ready, reheat the remaining ketchup. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Then cut into slices of desired thickness. Pour some of the ketchup on the slices and pass the rest of it at that table.

Meatloaf with Homemade Ketchup

Deep-Dish Sausage Pizza

There will always be the battle between NYC and Chicago- Who's pizza reigns supreme? The truth is that their styles are so different that I find them incomparable. In fact, I love them both. Sometimes I'm in the mood for something thin and crispy and other times (usually in the winter months) I am looking for something more comforting with lots and lots of gooey cheese.

I've lived in NYC and Chicago and both cities have really honed their craft. Lou Malnati's in Chicago and John's of Bleecker Street in NYC are local institutions that are not to be messed with. They are quite serious about their pies. In fact, if you're craving for deep-dish gets out of control you can order it to be delivered in the mail and pop it in the oven at home anywhere in the country. That means that I can enjoy my favorite Lou's pie (spinach and cheese) in my San Francisco living room!

Pizza is great but fresh pizza is amazing. If you have the time, tackle this recipe at home and make your very own deep dish. Sausage is just a suggestion in this case. You can sub in and out as you see fit.

Deep-Dish Sausage Pizza

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water (110° - 115°F.)
• a 1/4-ounce package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for oiling bowl

• 1 pound Italian sausage, casings discarded
• a 14- to 16-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 2 cups grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 pound)

Make dough:
In a large bowl dissolve sugar in water. Sprinkle yeast over water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour, cornmeal, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil and blend until mixture forms a dough. Knead dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

(Alternatively, dough may be made in a food processor. Proof yeast as described above. In the food processor process yeast mixture with 2 1/4 cups flour, cornmeal, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil until mixture forms a ball, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if too dry or some of remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if too wet, and knead dough by processing it 15 seconds more.)

Put dough, prepared by either method, in a deep oiled bowl and turn to coat with oil. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

While dough is rising, in a heavy skillet cook sausage over moderately high heat, breaking up lumps, until no longer pink and stir in tomatoes, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer sausage mixture to paper towels to drain and cool.

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Punch down dough and knead 4 times. In an oiled 10 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet, press dough with oiled finger until it comes 2 inches up the side and is an even thickness on bottom. Let dough rise, covered loosely with plastic wrap, in a warm place 15 minutes.

Sprinkle dough with half of mozzarella and top with sausage mixture and remaining cheese. Bake pizza in lower third of an electric oven or on floor of a gas oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F. and bake 10 minutes more, or until crust is golden.

Deep-Dish Sausage Pizza

Shepherd's Pie

Cities around the U.S. have been experiencing some unexpected winter temperatures...snow in Vegas? While I can't complain too much because I'm used to the winters in the Midwest and East Coast, San Francisco has been in the 40s. Locals tell me that they don't remember such cold temps since the 70s. Regardless, the chill in the air motivated me to make some serious comfort food and the first recipe that came to mind was the British classic Shepherd's Pie.

Donna Hay is Australia's best selling cookbook author and food editor. She began her career at 19 and never looked back. Her book, Modern Classics Part 1, was a recent birthday present from my friend Jen. She swears by her recipes so I thought I would give her Shepherd's Pie recipe a shot. The hearty dish really hit the spot.

I made a tweak or two because I love stews and mashers so I have some staple items that I like to add. For the mashers, always add more cheese and butter than the recipe calls for and I even like to add about 1/4 cup of cream cheese, too. For the pie, I like my spice so I hit it with a teaspoon of red chili flakes and a teaspoon of sriracha. Be careful when adding sriracha to your dishes because a little really goes a long way.

Shepherd's Pie
1 tablespoons of olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
20 oz or minced (ground) lamb or beef
14 oz can of peeled tomatoes
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 cup beef stock
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper

Potato Mash
2 lb potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 stick of butter
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook oil, carrots and onion over medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft and golden. Add the meat and stir until browned. Stir through the tomato paste, tomatoes, stock, thyme and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add frozen peas and simmer uncovered for 15 more minutes. Add salt and pepper.

Boil potatoes in water until soft. Drain and mash with butter and milk and then add Parmesan.

Spoon meat mixture into a 4 cup capacity over proof dish. Top with mash and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 4-6.

Shepherd's Pie

Ken's Beans

The great thing about working in the wine business is that you meet a ton of foodies. They come in all shapes and all sizes and are always willing to share tips and recipes. Last night, I had a gentleman come in and we got to talking about southern food. I told him about my shrimp and grits recipe and he shared his baked beans recipe that 'can't be beat'. This looks like an easy dish to pull together that has a lot of substance and flavor. I am looking forward to making it.

Ken's Beans
1 pd ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper
1 celery stalk
1 large can of pinto beans
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1 tsp sugar

Heat beans in a large pot. Cook ground turkey in saute pan until browned. Add onion, celery and green peppers in same saute pan and cook to soft. Mix all together with beans and simmer for 25 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a teaspoon of sugar.

Ken's Beans

Mushroom Barley Soup with Mini Meatballs

My little sister loves mushrooms and I realized in a recent conversation that I never post recipes with mushrooms on the blog. The reason for this is that I am not as crazy for these earthy fungi as my sister is but this hearty soup looks like a culinary delight. The meatballs are an easy mixture of sirloin, egg, cheese and breadcrumbs and the soup as whole comes together with ease so you can whip this up during the week no problem.

Mushroom Barley Soup with Mini Meatballs

1. 4 cups beef stock or low-sodium broth
2. 1 cup water
3. 1/2 cup pearled barley
4. 1 large thyme sprig
5. Salt and freshly ground pepper
6. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
7. 1 pound mixed wild and cultivated mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (or 3/4-pound presliced mushrooms)
8. 1 large shallot, finely chopped
9. 1/2 pound ground sirloin
10. 1 large egg
11. 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
12. 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
13. 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
14. Sour cream, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the stock, water, barley and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the barley is nearly tender, about 18 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the mushrooms and shallot, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until tender and browned, about 8 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the sirloin, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Knead the mixture until blended, then roll it into sixteen 1-inch balls.
4. Add the meatballs and mushrooms to the soup and simmer over moderate heat until the meatballs are cooked through and the barley is tender, about 8 minutes. Discard the thyme. Stir the parsley into the soup and serve in bowls with sour cream.

Mushroom Barley Soup with Mini Meatballs

Turkey Burgers

To be honest, I screwed this recipe up. I haven't grilled a lot of turkey burgers in my day and since they are lean they do not extract fatty juices that create a great natural divide between the grill and the meat. Instead, each time I flipped these burgers the grilled portion would stick to the grill and rip off the bottom. Thus my burgers became thinner and thinner and thinner. A medium heat and like brush of oil on the grill will solve that problem. I guess there is always next time...

Here is a great recipe from Martha Stewart's website. I would sub panko instead of breadcrumbs but if you don't have panko around it's no big deal.

Turkey Burgers
Ingredients

Serves 4
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey, preferably 92 to 93 percent lean
1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese
4 thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for grill
4 hamburger buns

Sliced tomatoes, red or white onion, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and lettuce leaves, for serving

Directions
Heat grill to high. In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine ground turkey with cheese, scallions, breadcrumbs, mustard, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Gently form mixture into four 1-inch-thick patties.

Lightly oil grill. Place patties on the hottest part of the grill; sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Move the patties to cooler part of the grill; continue grilling until cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes per side.

Turkey Burgers

Low and Slow

Hosting a BBQ for the 4th or anytime this summer? Want to actually have fun at your own party? I looked to find an easy recipe that will allow you to visit with your guests instead of turning ribs every 10 minutes. Looks like Larry has it figured out...

Larry's Best Baby Back Ribs
2 racks baby back ribs1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
5 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups catsup
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tbs. spicy mustard w/horseradish
2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Melt butter in 2 quart pot. Add onions and garlic. Cook over low heat until onions are soft.
Stir in remainder of ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool completely.

Cut each rib rack in half. Place in tins and pour a liberal amount of BBQ Sauce over ribs. Cover with tin foil and place in preheated 190°F oven for 9 hours. (Yes, 9 hours!)

Remove from oven. Discard drippings or save for other use. Transfer ribs to grill or place under broiler for about 10 minutes. May be refrigerated and grilled at later time. Serve with extra BBQ sauce. Enjoy!

Low and Slow

Stuffed Piquillo Peppers with Charred Tomato Sauce

I've been a HUGE fan of Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen in St. Helena since it opened a couple years ago. Owner Cindy Pawlcyn is a James Beard award-winning cookbook author and Chef and Owner of Napa Valley's famous Mustards Grill. She is also a co-creator of many renowned Bay Area restaurants. Not bad, eh?

What's great about this place is it's no fuss. Napa Valley can get a little stuffy at times so it's nice to be able to walk in to a place that consistently delivers delicious and fresh food from farms surrounding the area with service that's attentive but laid back and local.

I met my best friend Lindsay there for lunch this week and she suggested that I start with these bad boys you see here.
Once I had them, I knew I wanted to make them at home. The plus about living in California is that I have access to many more ingredients, especially ethnic ones. Spanish stuff? No problem.
This recipe is a little hi-mai (pronounced hi may) which is short for high maintenance but it's so worth it. Come on, take on the challenge.

Stuffed Piquillo Peppers with Charred Tomato Sauce

Serves 6

12 piquillo peppers

Scharred Tomato sauce

2 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed

3 cloves garlic1 medium onion, thickly sliced

1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and thickly sliced

2 large tomatoes

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Stuffing

1 1/4 pound hanger steak or skirt steak

2 tablespoons olive oil and more if needed

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

3/4 cup diced peeled tomato

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground toasted cumin seed

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Directions:
Remove piquillo peppers from can or jar. Drain in colander and pat dry. Set aside covered in refrigerator. For the tomato sauce: Toast the dried chiles in a hot dry skillet over medium-low heat. Press with a spatula. Do not toast more than 1-2 minutes. You want the chiles to soften a little and give off a whiff of chile fragrance but not darken. Set aside. Use the same skillet to toast the garlic, onion and jalapeno until caramelized and blackened on edges. Char the tomatoes over a gas flame using a long fork or under the broiler. They should be completely blackened. Cut the tomatoes in half. In a saucepan, place the guajillo chiles, blackened tomatoes, garlic, blackened onion and jalapeno. Add water, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Cool the sauce, then pour into a blender and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper as needed. Set the sauce aside while you prepare the stuffing.

For the stuffing: Using a very sharp chef's knife, mince the steak. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add steak and saute until caramelized and browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add onion and garlic and lower heat a little to cook until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 15 minutes more so the tomato releases its juices and the steak is tender. Chill the stuffing for at least 30 minutes so it will be easier to work with.

To assemble: Preheat oven to 375F. The piquillo peppers tear easily, so handle them carefully. Hold in the crook of your hand between your thumb and forefinger, like an ice cream cone. I like to use my fingers, of other hand, to carefully place stuffing into the pepper. Use about a rounded tablespoon per pepper. Lay pepper down on flat plate and press a little. As you fill the peppers, lay side by side. When ready to serve, spread a half cup of the charred sauce in a heatproof dish and lay the filled peppers on top. Place in oven for 8-10 minutes just to heat the peppers. Return the rest of the charred tomato sauce to a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Spread a few tablespoons sauce on each plate and top with 2 stuffed piquillos. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro.

Note: Piquillo peppers are sweet and rich Spanish red peppers smoked over wood fires. In the United States, they are available only in jars or cans.

Stuffed Piquillo Peppers with Charred Tomato Sauce

Steak Frites with Herb Butter and Creamed Spinach

Men love steak frites. So when I decided to cook dinner for my step dad, I decided that I would recreate a Chicago steak house style dinner that would leave him happy and pleasantly full. After all, it pairs quite nicely with his delicious Cabernet.

I bought two New York strip steaks at the store and made herb butter to serve with it. Right now, we only have parsley and rosemary in the garden. I grabbed a little of each, chopped it up, mixed it with a half stick of butter and scooped it out in a nice ball. Anytime you grill steak please make sure to season generously. There is nothing worst than a great piece of meat with no seasoning. A crime.

I've made these frites a couple times before and it's been a trial and error process. Finally, I figured out how to make them crispy because in the past they have ended up soggy. Just slice them into skinny strips and let them go more than you think in the fryer (I use my wok). They'll be ok. Just watch the color.

Now, on to the creamed spinach. Believe it or not, I have never made creamed spinach before. I have to say that it is easy and a big time crowd pleaser so it's no wonder why it's a steak house staple.

I fried bacon and chopped it up in crispy pieces. I spread evenly on top, covered it with some Parmesan cheese and popped in the oven for a nice crust on top.

Shaw's Creamed Spinach
4 servings
5 slices thick cut bacon
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan
3 spinach bunches (I highly advise on not using frozen spinach but for larger groups (8+) you could do a mix to save $)
1/2 yellow or white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. cream
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoon butter

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Fry bacon and set aside. Add butter to pan on medium heat. Add onion and saute for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add flour and stir until powder disappears. Heat cream in microwave fro 45 seconds and slowly add to pan. Once cream is heated and smooth, add spinach. Cook for 3 minutes.

Chop up bacon into small pieces. Pour spinach in baking dish. Sprinkle bacon on top and Parmesan on top of bacon. Pop in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Steak Frites with Herb Butter and Creamed Spinach

DIY Kebab Party

While reading June's issue of Food & Wine magazine, I came across an article by Tina Ujlaki that suggests hosting a DIY Kebab party this summer. Well, Tina, I plan on doing just that! Sounds like a fabulous idea that allows people to prepare their own food to order and makes cooking fun for all ages. I can just see my 6 year old nephew piecing his together with a big grin on his face.

Tina suggests three different menus: Asian, Mexican and Mediterranean. I think most of you can guess that Mexican is my first pick. So, here is the great line up for the Mexican DIY Kebab party that I will throw once I get to California next week.



Mexican Kebabs
Portions will depend on the amount of guests that you plan to have. Cube and portion out skewer-ready sizes and create an assembly line to mix and match. Don't forget to soak your skewers otherwise they will catch on fire!

Shrimp
Chorizo
Zucchini
Pork
Pineapple
Chicken
Yellow and red bell pepper
Red onion
Scallops
Poblanos
Cherry tomatoes
Pickled jalapenos

Tina also suggests serving with a Chipotle-Citrus Mayonnaise


Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 chipotles in adobo, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
Salt
Directions
In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Season the sauce with salt.

DIY Kebab Party

Ode to Mooncakes- Steak Sandwiches

When I lived in NYC, I went to Mooncakes in my SoHo neighborhood (Watts & 6th Ave) about once a week. Mooncakes is a tiny dive that serves quality and fresh food fast and for cheap (hard to find in SoHo). Nothing beats their steak sandwich and a cold Sierra Nevada (right, Friedman?) but other popular dishes include their miso salmon and shrimp summer rolls.

I've been craving a little Mooncakes so last night I decided to try to recreate the steak sandwich I love to so much and introduce it to my boyfriend. They use a homemade wasabi mayo but I opted for pesto mayo instead and it was just as delicious. Drew and I agreed that this needs to cycle into our monthly menu more often. I served it with chopped romaine lettuce and avocado tossed with a red wine vinegar and stone mustard dressing.

Mooncakes Steak Sandwiches
(The Easy Shaw Version)
2 jumbo french bread rolls (rectangular not round)
1 small jar of roasted red peppers
1 10 oz skirt steak
2 parts mayo
1 part pesto (store bought)
2 whole romaine lettuce leaves
1/8 c. Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons cumin
Salt & pepper

Marinate skirt steak in Worcestershire sauce, cumin and S&P for at least 1 hour and up to 6.

Remove two outer leaves from head of romaine. Chop about 1/2+ inch from ends, rinse and pat dry with paper towel. Mix 2 parts mayo and 1 part pesto and set aside. Half french rolls and place on broil pan. Next to rolls, lay out enough red peppers from jar to cover 2 halves of the rolls, about the size of one red pepper total.

Turn on broiler and heat up grill or stove pan (I use a hybrid of the two- a Calphalon grill pan). Generously season steak again and grill until medium rare- about 4 minutes per side. While skirt steak is grilling, pop broiler pan in the broiler for about 1 minute. *Note: watch this closely. All ovens are different. Could take less or more time. If you don't have broiler pan or broiler, use a cookie sheet in 500 degree oven and add more time.

Once bread is toasted, coat with pesto mayo and layer with lettuce and roasted red peppers. Carve steak into 1/2 inch slices. Layer on bread and serve.

Ode to Mooncakes- Steak Sandwiches

Greek Night

Last night, Drew and I went Greek and it was very easy to prepare and delicious.

Lemon Zest and Garlic Marinated Lamb Chops
8 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs of rosemary
Zest from 2 lemons
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 lamb chops

Put garlic and lemon zest in mortar and pestle and mash up until it forms a paste. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and rosemary. Cover lamb chops with marinade and place in fridge for 4 hours. Grill on high heat (I used a grill pan on stove top) about 6 minutes per side for medium rare. Cut lemon in half and grill for 3 minutes with lamb. Serve on the side as a garnish.

I served the lamb with a traditional Greek salad.

Greek Night

Tapas Night - Part 3

How can you go wrong with these two dishes? They are SO easy and SO delicious. I used jumbo shrimp which made for a very creamy and luscious treat. They were cooked to perfection. For the caramelized onion, I drizzled some very good balsamic that I picked up in Rome which added another great depth of flavor. I ended up marinating the steak in diet coke and lime juice. It was a perfect combination.

Garlic Shrimp
12 jumbo shrimp (medium are fine)
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon red chili flakes

Peel and devain shrimp. Sauté shrimp on medium high heat in butter and garlic. Add red chili flakes and cook for 3 minutes turning shrimp on either side while basting it with butter and garlic mixture. Serve immediately.

Marinated Skirt Steak and Caramelized Onions with Balsamic
1 can of Coke
1/2 lime
1 red onion
2 tablespoons balsamic
1 tablespoon butter
1 skirt steak
2 teaspoon sugar

Pour coke and lime juice into bag and add steak. Marinate for 5 hours. Cut onion in half. Cut halves into small strips. Add to sauté pan on low heat with butter. Add sugar. Sauté over low heat stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Add balsamic and serve warm. Can be made ahead and reheated.

Grill steak (I used my indoor grill pan) until medium rare on high heat, about 3 minutes per side. Cut into strips and serve with onions. Season with salt and pepper.

Tapas Night - Part 3

Goulash for Porter

Not too long ago my pals Andrew and Emily welcomed baby boy Porter Takehiro (photo by A. Skwish) to their fam, and then they decided to buy a house, so last night Jamie and I went over to help pack and to bring dinner. First of all, he's a total pumpkin, but then again, he's got the coolest parents ever, so that was a given. After spending an hour or so packing books, (they have a LOT of books) we tucked into this delish goulash that I had made the night before. I was inspired by smittenkitchen's lead -- she must live in my hungry brain! But what really sealed the deal is that goulash was one of my grandfather's favorite dishes, and making or eating it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. I served it over big dumpling egg noodles and with a white wine and dill cucumber salad. It was so homey and easy and perfect for winter. My only complaint is that it was a little watery ... I think I'd reduce the water.

Goulash
Gourmet, December 1994

5 slices bacon, chopped
3 pounds boneless chuck, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 medium onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons paprika (preferably Hungarian sweet*)
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup tomato paste
5 cups beef broth (i used homemade stock that i made from the short rib bones)
1 beer (i used 2 below, new belgiums winter ale)
1 teaspoon salt
2 red bell peppers, chopped fine

In an 8-quart heavy kettle (helllloooooo new dutch oven. are you sensing a trend in my cooking?) cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp and transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In fat remaining in kettle brown chuck in small batches over high heat, transferring it as browned with slotted spoon to bowl.

Reduce heat to moderate and add oil. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden. Stir in paprika, caraway seeds, and flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in vinegar and tomato paste and cook, whisking, 1 minute. (Mixture will be very thick.)

Stir in broth, water, salt, bell peppers, bacon, and chuck and bring to a boil, stirring. Simmer soup, covered, stirring occasionally, 60 to 75 minutes.
Season soup with salt and pepper. Soup may be made 3 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, before chilling, covered. Reheat soup, thinning with water if desired.

Goulash for Porter