Duck Fat Roasted Brussels Sprouts – P.H.A.T. with an “F”

With all the rich and decadent football party food I’ve been sharing lately, I’d thought I’d take a little break, and post a nice, simple green vegetable side dish. Of course, these beautiful roasted Brussels sprouts were just a prop so I could demonstrate using leftover duck fat, but still.

If you watch any amount of celebrity chef TV, you’ve undoubtedly heard them going off on the virtues of duck fat. They mostly pontificate on its deep, palate-coating richness, which is true; but they also like to point out the health benefits. That part is a little cloudy…you know, like saturated fat when it cools down.

Duck fat does have much less saturated fat than butter, and is higher in oleic acid, the stuff that makes olive oil so popular with the healthy eating gurus, but make no mistake, this is still an animal fat, and should be used in moderation. The good news: “in moderation” totally works!

A few tablespoons and a very hot oven is all you need to turn some sleepy vegetables into something much more special. As I mention in the video, bacon grease will make a fine (and even more flavorful) substitute, but if you do cook duck, saving the leftover fat is nothing short of mandatory. I hope you give this technique a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
Brussels sprouts (about 4-6 per person)
salt, pepper, cayenne to taste
enough melted duck fat to coat vegetables generously (about 2-3 tablespoons per pound of sprouts)
fresh squeezed lemon to finish
*Roast at 450 degrees F. until tender but still a little firm, about 15-20 minutes

Baked Crab and Artichoke Dip – A Snack So Nice, You Finish it Twice

Nothing says, “this party rocks” like a creamy, cheesy, baked dip, and when you’re talking about a hot crab and artichoke dip, people have been known to put an extra choice word or two before “rocks.” If only there were a big event coming up soon to test this theory.

Not only is this additive dip easy to make, it works with any budget. You can load it up with the finest fresh crab, use frozen or pasteurized lump crab meat, or even canned in a pinch. By the way, (and off the record) I’ve had these made with fake crab, and it wasn’t bad at all.

While the loaf of bread base does make for a nice presentation, not to mention recycled after party snack food, you can simply bake this in a casserole dish as well. As I mentioned in the video, I had a little extra leftover, and if this happens to you, give it a try as a stuffing for ravioli, wontons, or other dumpling-like delivery systems.

No matter which team they’re rooting for, all your guests will be cheering for more of this delicious baked dip. By the way, nothing beats watching your friends play tug-o-war with the crust once the dip is gone. I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 12 portions of Baked Crab and Artichoke Dip:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped green onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh chopped tarragon leaves
zest and juice from 1 lemon
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne to taste
1 pound lump crab meat, drained
1 (14-oz) can artichoke bottoms
6 oz white Cheddar cheese, divided
1 large round or oval loaf sourdough bread
About 30 min at 375 degrees F.

Super Bowl Spoiler Alert: San Francisco 49ers Will Win!

As promised, here’s my official Super Bowl XLVII prediction, using our patented Buffalo chicken wing bones method. The game will feature the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens, and while I’m sure you’ll have fun either way, recent studies have shown that winning lots of money during a sporting event, results in significantly higher levels of enjoyment.

And of course, by using chicken wing bones to predict the winner, I don’t waste time and money sifting through information, analyzing game film, or considering any actual facts. This allows me to pass the savings on to you. Anyway, this is obviously not a joke, and I fully expect you to bet your entire savings on this sure thing. Not doing so would just be plain stupid. Enjoy!

I Dip, You Dip, We Dip

I just started working on this year's special Super Bowl dip recipe (spoiler alert: it's not low-cal), and thought in the meantime I'd repost this short but delicious collection of previously posted dips. Just click on the recipe name in the caption, and as always, enjoy!

Gaining Weight at the Taste Awards

No, not from all that Schiltz smoked goose, but from those two gorgeous medals hanging off my neck. Speaking of gorgeous, as great as getting the hardware was, it was even more special to catch up with old friends, like Sara from Average Betty (right), as well as meet new ones, like Laura Vitale from Laura in the Kitchen (left).


I want to give everyone who voted for us one last thank you for taking the time to support what we’re doing here. I’ve said it many times before, but you're the best and most loyal fans on the web! Thank you very much.

Baked Eggplant Sandwiches – Get’em While They’re Room Temp!

I didn’t intend for this baked eggplant sandwich to turn into yet another Super Bowl party food post, but two bites in and I realized that’s what may have happened. The reason for this epiphany had nothing to do with taste or texture, but with temperature. I’d forgotten just how truly delicious these are served at room temp, which was always how the Italians I learned this from served it.

Of course, like any normal person faced with a warm, cheese-filled anything, I ate one as soon as possible, and it was great. Golden-brown and crisp on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside. However, when I went back for seconds an hour later, I got to experience these in all their cooled-off glory.

While not as crispy, they were still crunchy around the edges and featured an entirely different flavor profile. Hot salami isn’t the greatest expression of the sausage maker’s art, and you really don’t appreciate the eggplant’s subtle sweetness playing against the cheese when hot.

I’m not sure exactly why, but Italians seem to have a thing for room temperature fried foods, especially vegetables. I’ve heard Mario Batali talk about this before, but there seems to be a long tradition of letting fried stuff cool down first before eating.

Happily, this practice works perfectly for entertaining, since you can bake these off ahead of time, and put them out on a tray anytime. Whether for your Super Bowl party, or not, I hope you give these addictive eggplant sandwiches a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for each eggplant sandwich:
2 thick slices eggplant (Note: some people salt the slices to draw off liquid, which they say is bitter. I’ve done this for other eggplant recipes, but not for these sandwiches. With the breading and filling, I actually think the slight bitterness is an advantage.)
3 thin, small slices of salami
1/2 slice provolone cheese
1 generous tablespoon olive oil, divided
seasoned flour as needed (flour with enough fine salt, pepper, and cayenne so that it tastes “seasoned” when you dip your finger in it)
beaten eggs, as needed (2 eggs is enough for about 4 sandwiches)
plain breadcrumbs, as needed
1 tsp very finely grated Parmesan cheese

An Award-Winning Smoked Goose

I’m heading down to Los Angeles tomorrow for the Taste Awards, and in addition to the medals we won for “Best Food Program: Web” and “Best Home Chef in a Series,” we also were gifted a smoked goose by one of the show’s sponsors, Schiltz Foods

While the picture may look food styled and photoshop’d, I can assure you it was not. These delicious geese really are as gorgeous as you see here, and I thought I’d repost the video below as a little thanks to the fine folks at Schiltz for this year’s bird.

The Taste Awards may not yet have risen to match the prestige of the James Beard Awards, but the last time I checked, those guys weren’t getting any free poultry, so there. To read the original post, and get the ingredients, just follow this link. Enjoy!

Beef Goulash! Thick Hungarian Soup, Thin Austrian Stew, or None of the Above?

I’m not sure how authentic this goulash recipe is, since the recipe I use is adapted from one by Austrian chef Wolfgang Puck. Austria is Hungary-adjacent, and I’m pretty sure they were the same country once, but still, the Puckmeister’s version, further modified by me, is closer to a stew called "Pörkölt." Apparently true goulash, or Gulyás, is much more like a soup, and is served with dumplings.

Okay, two things. First, when it comes to a main course, I like stew more than soup. If you want to stay truer to the original, add more liquid. That’s not going to bother me, or Wolfgang. Also, since I operate in a universe ruled by Google, I went with “goulash” since it’s a thousand times more recognizable than pörkölt. When’s the last time you heard someone say they were craving a big bowl of pörkölt?

Of course, none of this helps my American viewers who, thanks to the cafeteria ladies from our childhoods, think “goulash” is a tomato, hamburger, and elbow macaroni casserole. I’m assuming that variation was born when some Hungarian (or Austrian?) immigrant tried to stretch the last few ladles of soup/stew into another full meal.

Anyway, now that we’ve cleared up absolutely nothing, I can talk about this gorgeous dish of food. I adore everything about this dish. The color is stunning, the beef is sticky and succulent, and paprika-based sauce is incredible.

By the way, I’ve heard from my people on YouTube that this is never served on noodles. How do you say, “whatever” in Hungarian? Despite our questionable naming, ingredients, and side dish, this made for a fantastic winter dinner, and I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 4 large portions of beef goulash:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes, seasoned generously with salt and pepper
2 onions, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 teaspoons caraway seeds, toasted and ground
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 tsp dried marjoram leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
4 cups chicken broth (1 to deglaze pan, 3 more added to stew)
*Note: real goulash is more like a soup, so if you want yours thinner, just add 2 or 3 extra cups of broth.
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
*Simmer for about 2 hours, or until tender
Garnish with sour cream and fresh marjoram if desired.

Cara memasak steak yang sempurna


Steak yang baik, saya pikir, salah satu kenikmatan karnivora murni yang tersedia. Makan malam panggang hangat memiliki pesona, tentu saja, seperti halnya lambat-dimasak, rebus agar-agar, tapi tidak begitu mutlak, hampir primitif gemuk sebagai steak sederhana - yang merupakan salah satu alasan itu muncul begitu sering, dalam pengalaman saya , dalam makanan final fantasy rakyat.

Memasak Steak


Yang lainnya, saya menduga, adalah bahwa steak mahal, dan memiliki reputasi sebagai sulit untuk melakukannya dengan baik di rumah, yang berarti tetap memperlakukan langka bagi banyak dari kita. (Langka, tentu saja, menjadi satu-satunya cara yang masuk akal untuk makan steak.) Tapi itu bahkan pricier ketika Anda membayar orang lain untuk memasak, dan orang lain untuk melayani, namun lebih banyak orang untuk mencuci setelah itu - pasti itu harus dimungkinkan untuk memasak steak yang layak di rumah tanpa grill 18.000 Josper £?

Bahkan, saya memutuskan untuk menyingkirkan apapun chargrilling, karena dalam iklim kita untuk sebagian besar tahun itu tidak praktis untuk menyarankan mendapatkan barbekyu keluar, ini menjadi urusan dapur-satunya ketat. Dan sementara jelas pendapat akan berbeda untuk memotong "sempurna", aku memutuskan untuk pergi untuk iga, atas dasar bahwa tampaknya menjadi yang disukai di sebagian besar resep steak, dari Hawksmoor London ke Baru York April Bloomfield. Dan jika itu cukup baik untuk koki ...

Persiapan


Wall Street Journal resep steak. Foto: Felicity Cloake
Makanan ilmu sarjana (sebagai pers populer akan istilah dia) dan umum jenius Harold McGee menganggap ada dua rahasia untuk memasak steak yang sukses: "daging hangat dan sering membalik". Yang kedua saya akan datang ke dalam sesaat, tapi rupanya cara terbaik untuk memastikan pertama adalah untuk membungkus steak di cling film kemudian membenamkan mereka dalam air hangat selama 30-60 menit sebelum memasak.

Sebuah resep dari Wall Street Journal berdasarkan tips dari beberapa steakhouses New York City terbaik merekomendasikan memungkinkan mereka datang ke suhu kamar sebelum memasak, seperti halnya Michelin-mega-chef Alain Ducasse dan Hawksmoor at Home, buku resep dari luas-menyembah London steakhouse kelompok. Aku bisa melihat solusi McGee adalah satu yang baik jika Anda hanya pulang satu jam sebelum Anda ingin memasak steak atau jika Anda terikat oleh peraturan kebersihan makanan kejam, tetapi sebaliknya, yang memungkinkan mereka untuk duduk selama dua jam tampaknya menuai persis hasil yang sama.

Pengeringan


Hawksmoor resep steak. Foto: Felicity Cloake
The Wall Street Journal, dan Hawksmoor Illustrated ini buku resep New Cook Terbaik semua merekomendasikan menepuk-nepuk permukaan steak kering sebelum memasak, yang masuk akal bagi saya setelah pengalaman saya rambut-dryering bersama daging babi dalam mencari berderak sempurna.

Hawskmoor menjelaskan bahwa steak basah akan "berjuang untuk membentuk kerak yang layak dan dapat mengambil beberapa rebus daging rasa yang tidak menyenangkan". Ini tampaknya membantu sedikit dengan pencok awal, meskipun sekali steak telah pada suhu kamar selama beberapa jam mereka sudah sedikit lebih kering dari mereka akan langsung dari lemari es dalam hal apapun.

Bumbu


Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall resep steak. Foto: Felicity Cloake
Dalam Misteri buku Kitchen nya, Hervé kimiawan Perancis ini menganjurkan tidak pengasinan daging "karena fenomena osmosis menyebabkan jus untuk melarikan diri daging saat serat otot dipotong dan terbuka" - tapi Cook Illustrated, Ducasse, Wall Street Journal, Hawksmoor, Daging Leiths Alkitab dan April Bloomfield of New York, The Pig Spotted, semua setuju.

Memang, dalam bukunya A Girl dan Babi nya, April menunjukkan "murah hati" bumbu steak seluruh dengan garam dan membiarkan mereka berdiri selama 10 menit - "ini akan membantu steak masak merata". Nigel Slater dan Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall garam baik proses memasak separuh jalan. Anak-anak Hawksmoor, sementara riang mengabaikan gagasan, mendesak pembaca untuk musim daging "baik Lebih dari Anda mungkin berpikir masuk akal.. Ini akan membantu membangun kerak asin lezat. Ada yang mengatakan Anda tidak seharusnya musim steak sampai setelah Anda ' sudah dimasak itu. Kami pikir mereka salah. "

Setelah memasak dengan cara saya melalui tujuh steak secara berurutan, saya harus setuju dengan mereka: garam pasti tampaknya untuk membantu membangun garing, gurih lapisan pada bagian luar daging, dan tidak tampaknya telah mengakibatkan kerugian yang signifikan jus, mungkin karena waktu memasak yang singkat yang terlibat.

Lemak


Alain Ducasse resep steak. Foto: Felicity Cloake
Hervé ini menunjukkan Anda dapat "meningkatkan kontak dan transfer panas" dengan menyikat daging dengan minyak atau mentega sebelum dimasak - ide juga disukai oleh Slater di Appetite (meskipun "tidak terlalu banyak, hanya cukup untuk memberikan gloss yang baik" ). The Wall Street Journal, Fearnley-Whittingstall dan Babi Buku Jahe Daging memilih untuk grease panci gantinya: WSJ dengan flavourless minyak canola, Fearnley-Whittingstall mentega menyarankan, menetes atau lemak babi, dan Ginger Pig terjadi, seperti Slater, untuk minyak zaitun .

Saya menggunakan menetes, tapi menyimpulkan bahwa lemak apapun yang tidak perlu, jika tidak benar-benar berita buruk - meskipun sizzles steak yang Fearnley-Whittingstall sebagai hits panci, kemudian tampaknya gelembung pergi untuk 30 detik pertama daripada kecoklatan. Harus ada cukup lemak pada tulang rusuk-mata yang baik agar tidak menempel dalam hal apapun. Bloomfield drizzles steak nya dengan minyak zaitun dan jus lemon karena terletak sebaliknya, yang menurut saya ide jauh lebih baik jika Anda benar-benar seperti rasa, meskipun lagi, tidak benar-benar diperlukan.


Cook Illustrated bistik resep. Foto: Felicity Cloake
Ducasse menggunakan mentega - tapi bukannya menambahkannya ke panci kosong, atau menyikat pada steak, dia menunggu sampai steak yang kecoklatan di semua sisi sebelum memperkenalkan itu. Mentega mencair dengan cepat, dibumbui dengan bawang putih, kemudian digunakan untuk jelujur steak karena selesai memasak. Ini memberikan sebuah kekayaan cantik - bahkan buku Hawksmoor, yang tidak repot-repot dengan memasak lemak dalam resep restoran, mengakui bahwa steak di mentega adalah salah satu penulis '"favorit, cara yang paling memanjakan memasak mereka di rumah". Yang penting, mencokelatkan mentega membantu untuk memberikan beberapa rasa gurih indah untuk kerak bersama dengan bawang putih, itu tidak dalam panci cukup lama untuk membakar. Steak adalah indulgensi sesekali bagi kebanyakan dari kita, sehingga Anda mungkin juga menikmatinya dengan penuh.

Soup For You!

I'm not sure where you're reading this from, but for the sake of this post I'll assume it's freezing outside, and you're craving a huge bowl of steaming, hot soup. Sweaters are great, but when you need to get warm from the inside out, there is really only one way...well, two actually, but this isn't a cocktails blog, so we're just going with soup. Here are a few of my personal favorite cold weather soups. Click on caption to read the post and watch the video. Bundle up and enjoy!

Spicy Coconut Shrimp Bisque
















Bumblebee Soup - Bacon, Black Bean and Corn Chowder


















Minestrone Soup
















Cream of Mushroom Soup


















Classic Chicken Noodle Soup



















Garlic Parm Hot Wings – Video Recipe 800! 800? Really?

This garlic Parmesan hot wings video represents the 800th recipe we’ve uploaded to YouTube since we launched the channel in January 2007. As I waited for the file to upload, an odd sense of disbelief started to wash over me. Had I really cooked, filmed, and posted 800 video recipes? It didn’t seem possible.

The more I thought about just how much content that is, the more improbable it seemed. 800 recipes? That’s like 10 cookbooks! Then, a different kind of disbelief came over me as I considered all the dishes I’ve still not done.

After all these hundreds and hundreds of recipes, I still have not done things like risotto, goulash, blue cheese dressing, calamari, or beef Wellington; just to name a few. Anyway, it was an interesting and introspective ten minutes, sitting there watching the upload progress bar slowly move across the screen, thinking about what I had done, and how much I still needed to do.

As far as these gorgeous wings go, they rocked. My wife Michele, who is not a big fan of chicken wings, ate more than I’d ever seen her eat before, and deemed them my best yet. I’m not sure about that, but they did come out really, really well.

One reason it’s hard to get a crispy-crusty coating on a wing in the oven is all the moisture that leaks out during the initial phase of baking. Here, we are parboiling the wings in a very flavorful liquid, which not only helped season the chicken, but also produced a surface texture in the oven that your guests will swear came straight out of a deep fryer. I hope you give these a try soon, and as always, and for the 800th time, enjoy!


Ingredients for 5 pounds of wings (about 48 pieces):
3 quarts cold water
1/4 cup salt
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
4 to 5 pounds of chicken wing sections
8-10 cloves garlic plus big pinch of salt
3 or 4 tbsp olive oil, or as needed
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste (obviously you can add cayenne or other hot stuff to make these even spicier)
2 tbsp fine breadcrumbs
about 1 cup of very finely and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
creamy Italian dressing for dipping, optional

The Tuna Melt – Open Face, Insert Hypocrisy

If you watch as much food television as I do, then I’m sure you’ve heard a celebrity chef or two, pontificating about the horrors of combining cheese and fish. They say it’s never acceptable, no exceptions, never, ever.

Of course, after the show ends, they have a couple beers and head for their favorite late-night diner, where they enjoy delicious tuna melts. Those hypocritical bastards. I’m not saying to start pouring nacho cheese sauce over your sautéed sand dabs, but when it comes to food, it’s best to never say never.

As I mention in the video, this will only be as good as your tuna, so use something nice. You know I’m a Tonino man, but any imported, olive-oil packed brand should work fine. By the way, I enjoy the classic, toasted sandwich-style tuna melt a great deal, but this open face version is a little easier to execute, and perfect for larger groups, since you can fit a bunch on a pan.

Whether you use my formula or embellish to your tastes, I really hope you give these a try soon. And, if you know any celebrity chefs, invite them over and see if you can get them to admit this totally works. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 2 large tuna melts:
2 thick slices of Italian or French bread
2 tbsp soft butter
6.5 oz jar of oil-packed tuna, drained
2 tbsp small diced celery
1 tbsp minced green onion
2 tsp capers
1 tsp hot chili sauce or other hot stuff to taste
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp mayonnaise, or more to taste
about 1/3 cup shredded or crumbled fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
cayenne to taste

Sausage Ribs – Deliver A Bone-Jarring Hit to Your Football Food Lineup

Chips and dips may be fine for regular season gridiron action, but when the playoffs roll around, and you need to go that extra yard to score a touchdown with your guests’ taste buds, these Italian sausage-spiced baby back ribs are a proven big game performer. 

If only I could’ve somehow added a few more forced football references into that intro.

Sweet and succulent pork ribs are never a bad addition to the game day buffet, but they can get predictable with the same old rubs and sauces. Here we have all the baby back rib-y goodness you know and love, but with the flavor profile of sweet Italian fennel sausage.

I know a lot of you wrap your ribs in foil for the initial slow/low cooking phase, as do I, but here we’re doing them uncovered to help achieve a slightly chewier, more toothsome texture. These are still quite tender and juicy, but just not too soft, and falling off the bone.

These really did have a wonderful flavor, which was further highlighted by the spicy, sweet, and tangy orange glaze. My only regret was that I didn’t have any hotdog buns around, as I would have pulled out the bones, and served these just like a real sausage sandwich. There’s always a next time.

Anyway, I enjoyed all that rich and fancy holiday feasting as much as anyone, but now all I’m craving is a couch, a cold beer, and a simple plate of ribs…that tastes like sausage. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 2 racks of baby back ribs:
2 trimmed racks of baby back pork ribs
For the rub:
1 tbsp fennel seed, crushed fine
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cayenne or to taste
For the glaze (simmer until reduced by half):
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tsp hot chili sauce or to taste
1 tbsp orange zest

- Bake ribs at 275 degrees F. for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until fork tender.
- Cut, coat with glaze, and finish in a hot 425 degrees F. oven until caramelized.

Next Up: Sausage Ribs


Mushroom Ricotta Bruschetta – This Was Anything But Flat

Please do not take this post’s brevity for any kind of lack of enthusiasm or excitement over this very handsome mushroom and ricotta bruschetta. Time’s a little short today, as my car’s left-front tire was fatally injured last night in a brutal pothole attack.

Everyone else is fine, but I didn’t want to delay the uploading of this fine recipe until I had time to do a proper blog post. So basically, I’m phoning this one in. Of course, my biggest fear isn’t that you’ll be disappointed…it’s that you won’t notice that big a difference.

Anyway, this was super tasty, and very simple to make. I show making the ricotta bruschetta part first, but as I mention, you’ll obviously want to have your mushrooms cooking while you prepare the bases. I hope you give this delicious, and very versatile dish a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 4 Mushroom Ricotta Bruschetta
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
zest of one lemon
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
red chili flakes to taste
4 thick slices of lightly toasted bread
1 tbsp olive oil
For the mushrooms:
2 tbsp butter, divided (half to sauté, half to stir in at end)
1 tbsp olive oil
16 large white mushrooms
1/4 cup green onions and/or 3-4 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

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