Philly Cheesesteak (United States)

      Let's be honest, when you here the names ' Cocky Joe Lorenzo' and 'The Olieveri Brothers' you might think that I was talking about the characters in some Mafia drama, not the inventors of one of the most famous sandwiches on the east coast. 

    But, that is what is funny about the culinary world, is that an innovation can come from the most unlikely of places.  The Philly Cheese steak is one of those foods which once you crave, no other food with suffice.  Thinly sliced pieces of steak, sauteed with onions and peppers, then stuffed into a hoaggy role before being topped with provolone cheese.
     Now originally I was not a fan of this Pennsylvanian import, partially because of my die hard loyalty to the Cleveland Browns, which requires that you cringe any time something near to Pittsburgh is mentioned.  But more so for the fact that my first cheese steak was a bit of "Mock Cheese Steak." 

     While in college one off my friends decided that she would treat me to dinner.  She maid her mothers 'Moc Philly' which was a concoction of these frozen meat slices called 'Steakums', 'Frenches Fried Onions', green peppers, 'Cheese Wiz' all stuffed into a hot dog bun.  After two bites I excused myself from the table and purged for the sake of my arteries.
    
      Two lessons learned that day.  The first is that you can always blame it on the alcohol.  The second never trust the word 'Moc'.
   
      After the ulcers from the 'Mock Philly' had healed I did experiment with the sandwich until I found the actual healthy versions of the Philly Cheese Steak.  A word to the wise foodie, if you can not find Alfalfa use a small green such as baby spinach. 

(If you are packing this sandwich away for later, please do not add the mayo until later. Pack a plastic butter knife a small container or the juices from the steak will mix with the mayo and disintegrate your bun.)

Philly Cheese Steak.

1 medium sized flank steak (about 2 pounds)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 cup green peppers, sliced

1/2 cup onions cut into rings

12 slices provolone cheese

4 pretzel sub rolls

1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts

mayonnaise (optional)

Using a kitchen mallet tenderize the flank steak until the meat has flattened slightly.  In a large zip lock bag or meat tenderizer combine the flank steak oil vinegar and salt and pepper and marinade for up to 4 hours or overnight. 

Place the flank steak onto an oiled grill pan and cook 8-10 minutes on each side or until well done.  Cover the steak with aluminum foil and set aside to rest. 

In a medium skillet saute the peppers and onions.  Saute the vegetables until golden brown.  Slice the meat into 1/4 inch slices.  If using the mayonnaise spread a thin layer on the bottom bun.  Top the bun with the slices of meat then the peppers finish with the cheese and alfalfa.  Serve immediately. 

Serves 4.



Dulce de Leche (South & Central America)

      Move over Caramel, Dulce de Leche is the true king of the dessert toppers.  This cooked cream, literally meaning 'Milk Candy', has been flavoring desserts in the Latin culinary world since about the 19th century.  It was originally used as a topper for cakes and a flavoring for coffee, however when it came to the U.S. it almost immediately became the new topper for ice cream.
      Now most people are surprised when I tell them this, but Dulce de Leche only requires one ingredient.  No that is not a typo, all that you need is condensed milk you bake it in a water bath and voilà.

Dulce de Leche

2 cans (12 ounces each) sweetened condensed milk

In a medium sized pan or kettle bring water do a boil (it usually is about 5-6 cups).  Pour the condensed milk into a 9 inch glass pie plate.  Place the pie plate into a 9 x 13 pan.  Pour the boiling water into the pan just until it is about halfway up the sides of a pan. 

Cover the 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and place in a 350* oven cook for 10-15 minutes or until the milk has turned golden brown and has thickened.  Remove from the oven and scrape the contents into a bowl.  Give the dulce de leche a quick whisk.  Place in an airtight container or sanitized jar and store until ready to use.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups. 



Floating Islands (France)

    Well my friends, today marks the momentous hundredth birthday of the ever famous queen of French Cooking the late and great Julia Childs.  Of all of my idols in the culinary world, she is one of my all time favorites.  In fact, hers was the first cook book which I had ever read.  I remember being a 10 year old in the cookbook section of my local library reading her recipes with as much enthusiasm as if I were reading a canonized epic.  She had a way with her words that the rest of us fail to mimic and she will always be remembered for it. 
      My all time favorite find in Julia's 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' was her recipe for floating Island's, or as the French call them "Ile flottante".  Beautiful poached meringues swimming in a sea of Creme Anglaise then drizzled with caramel sauce.   Floating Islands just has an excellence to it's simplicity, much like the little black dress.
     Now although I love Julia's version of the recipe, I gave it yet another one of my ethnic twists back when I was in college.  Rather than have the white meringues against a white background with a hint of color from the caramel; I gave the dish a chocolaty spin with a cinnamon anglaise which is then drizzled with Dulce de Leche (recipe available in the blog of the same name).  Bon Appétit!

Chocolate Floating Islands

8 egg whites

pinch of salt

1 cup sugar (divided)

1 tablespoon unsweetened coco powder

4 egg yolks

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup hazelnuts, chopped

Dulce de Leche

In a large bowl beat the egg whites and salt together until the mixture begins soft peaks.  Slowly add 3/4 cup of the sugar beating well after each addition.  Continue to beat until the egg white become very stiff fold in the coco powder.  Place the meringue mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer.  Pipe a mound of the meringue mixture onto a metal spatula then using a knife or another spatula slide the meringue into the hot water.  Poach the meringue in the water for about 2 minutes then flip it over to continue poaching for another 4 minutes, then remove from the water and set on a wire rack to dry.  Repeat the process until you have 12 meringues. 

While the meringues dry, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar.  In a medium sized pan, scald the milk and add it to the egg mixture in a slow steady stream.  Whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking to much.  Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water to create a double boiler.  Cook stirring constantly until the cream begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Whisk in the vanilla and cinnamon and set aside. 

Place the chopped hazelnuts in a skillet over medium heat and toast for at least 5 minutes, do not allow to over brown.

To assemble spoon a portion of the creme anglaise onto the plate.  Place two of the cooked meringues onto the sauce.  Sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts over top.  Finish with a drizzle of the Dulce de Leche.  Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Eggs Benedict (United States)

      I always wonder where the idea of brunch came about.  My theory is that a certain someone woke up after a long night of drinking and tried to get breakfast at two in the afternoon.  So in order to make the waitress agree he gave it a catchy name.  No matter how it came about, I love this honorary meal time because it spawned one of my favorite egg dishes... Eggs Benedict.
      Now there is a long going war concerning the true originator of the first Eggs Benedict.  Delmonico's on Beaver Street and the Waldorf Hotel on Park Avenue both have claimed that there chefs created the dish.  No matter the maker, the dish is a true example of the American melting pot.  An English muffin toasted and topped with a slice of Canadian bacon and with a nice drizzle of French hollandaise sauce; Now that is the true American spirit.
      My version of Eggs Benedict is an omage to my dream of having breakfast at a steakhouse.  I take a piece of tenderloin wrap it in bacon then grill to perfection.  I then placed this and the poached eggs over a toasted sour dough roll.  Then for the topping I switch out the Hollandaise for a Bearnaise sauce which is a signature for any good steak.
      A note to all who are trying to make this dish for a special someone.  Poaching eggs is not easy if you have never attempted this before.  It is a process which many tend to screw up.  If this is your first time then use a measuring cup.  Place the eggs in the cup and gently flip the egg into the boiling water.  Afterwards quickly use a wooden spoon to push the white over the yolk.  After a few minutes you will have a gently poached beautiful egg.

Steak House Eggs Benedict

1/2 pound beef tenderloin

1 pound bacon

8 eggs

4 sourdough rolls

1 large bunch of tarragon

1 shallot finely chopped

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

2 egg yolks

3/4 cup butter, cut into small cubes

Slice the tenderloin into 4 equal pieces.  Using mallet tenderize the meat so that it will cook more evenly.  Wrap each in two slices of bacon and set aside.  Heat a large skillet and drizzle with olive oil.  Cook the tenderloins until the beef is medium, at least 10 minutes. 

Cover and allow to rest while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Place the eggs two at a time and cook for 2-3 minutes until softly poached.  Remove from the water and set aside.

Slice the rolls in half brush with olive oil and toast over a low heat.

To prepare the sauce remove the most tender leaves from the tarragon and finely chop the leaves, set aside. Roughly chop the tougher parts of the tarragon and place in a small sauce pan with the shallots, vinegar and bring to a simmer. Simmer the mixture until it has reduced to about a tablespoonful. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the tough pieces of tarragon.

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, and place a heatproof glass bowl over top to create a double boiler. Whisk the egg yolks with the tarragon reduction, continue to whisk until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the butter a piece at a time and whisk it until the sauce is begins to thicken further. Add in the finely chopped tarragon leaves and mix with the dash of pepper.

To assemble place the bottom of the roll onto a plate, place the tenderloin on top, top with two of the poached eggs drizzle the sauce over top, finish the top of the roll.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4



Fisherman's Pie ( England)

      Also known as 'Fish Pie', this is another dish which is called a pie in the British Isles yet involves no actual pastry.  Like the popular Sheppard's Pie the dish is a mixture of meat cream and vegetables, which is covered with mashed potatoes and baked. 
      Where most prefer this savory pie as a way to chase away the cold winter blues, I actually prefer to serve this as a quick dinner option at any time of the year.  I do use spinach in the mashed potato topping, mostly because it adds a pop of color without overwhelming the other flavors.  But if you are not a fan of cooked spinach.

Anytime Fisherman's Pie

1 pound russet potatoes, cubed

3 tablespoons cream

1 egg lightly beaten

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup baby spinach, ruffly chopped

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 pounds skinless cod or haddock fillets, cubed

1 1/2 cups milk

1 onion, minced

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup sweet peas

1 tablespoon chopped dill.

In a large pot of salted water boil the potatoes until tender.  Drain and then mix in the cream mash well so that no lumps are left.  Allow the mixture to cool slightly before proceeding.  Mix in the egg.  In a small skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter wilt the spinach in the butter.  Add the spinach to the potatoes mixture and mash in.  Add in 1/4 cup of the cheddar cheese to the mixture.  Set aside.

In a large skillet place the fish and cover the milk.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce then cook for 2 minutes or until the fish is opaque and flaky.  Place the fish into a 1.5 liter casserole and reserve the milk. 

In a saucepan melt the remaining butter and saute the onions and garlic for 2 minutes.  Stir in the flour and cook until pale and bubbling.  Remove from heat and mix in the reserved milk.  Return to the heat and stir constantly until it boils and thickens.  reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.  Add the lemon juice, peas and dill.  Pour the mixture over the fish.  Spoon the topping over the fish and top with the remaining cheddar.  Bake in a 350 oven and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown on the top.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4



Chicken Mole (Mexico)

     My grandmother always had a wonderfully racist statement.  "If it is Hispanic and requires the entire contents of your pantry, then it is probably Mexican."  One of the best examples of what she was talking about is in Chicken Mole.
      When going into the pot, the mass list of ingredients seems like a hodge podge.  Raisins, almonds, chicken stock, chocolate, chicken, anise, chili peppers; they all seem like the ingredients to a really weird cake more than a Hispanic entree.  But then when the sauce is at a rolling boil the flavors just meld and the taste is just out of this world. 
      When I make a chicken mole I tend to make enough to feed a crowd, mostly due to fact that once made,the chicken can be shredded and placed in warm tortillas and be served as enchiladas on a later date.

Chicken Mole

10 chicken breast, boneless skinless

4 cloves garlic, finely  chopped

3 medium tomatoes, peeled seeded and finely chopped

3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup ground almonds

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 teaspoon anise seeds

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 square unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons olive oil

In a blender or food processor combine the garlic, tomatoes, peppers, onions, raisins, almonds, chili powder, sesame and anise seeds, salt, cinnamon, cloves, coriander and pepper.  Process until the mixture forms a paste.

In a large saucepan combine the paste and 3 cups of chicken stock and mix well.  Place over high heat until boiling then reduce and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until smooth.  Stir in chocolate until it melts.  Set aside

In a large skillet heat oil, and add the chicken cook for about 10 minutes or until chicken has browned place the cooked chicken in the mole mixture.  Add the remaining stock to the sauce.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes on a low simmer or until the chicken is no longer pink.

Remove the chicken to a large casserole.  Pour the sauce over the chicken and place in a 325* oven and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until heated through.

Serve immediately.



Creme Brulee (France)

      Now lets be honest, there is a hierarchy when it comes to the culinary world.  You know it, I know it, everybody knows.  And this hierarchy is positively overloaded with dishes that are primarily French, and at the top of the top rests what the culinary world has dubbed time and time again as the king of all desserts... Creme Brulee.
      Although intimidating at first, this dessert is actually really simple in nature.  The dish is a mixture of eggs and sugar which has been mixed with heated cream.  The intimidating part is the caramelized sugar bruleed over the cooked custard giving it the signature golden brown color.
     Now when I first started catering I always had clients who would request the dish, but unfortunately the cost was something that I could never get around.  Then it hit me like a five pound bag of sugar to the cranium.  Canape spoons are oven safe and can actually stand up to the heat of a kitchen torch; that and they give you a portion which is small enough that you can give up your guilt for indulging your taste buds.

Creme Brulee Canapes

1 vanilla bean

2 1/4 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for the topping

6 egg yolks

Split the vanilla  bean in half lengthwise scape the seed into a medium sized saucepan.  Chop the been into little pieces and add that to the pan with the cream.  Bring the contents of the pan to boiling, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer on low for five minutes.

In a large bowl combine the sugar and egg yolks (see Note 1*) mix until well blended.  Slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture whisking constantly while doing so. Continue to whisk after all of the cream has been added to the eggs for 2 minutes. Pass the egg mixture through a fine strainer and discard the vanilla bean pieces before continuing. 

At this time you can either divide the mixture between 30 wide mouth canape spoons or 8 ramekins.  Place the intended dishes into a shallow roasting tray.  Pour boiling water into the roasting half way up the sides of the dishes.  Place in a 325* oven and bake for 35-40 minutes just until the custard has set. 

Remove the custard from the oven and top each dish with a just enough reserved sugar so make a light layer.  Using a torch heat the sugar until it turns golden brown (see Note 2*).

Makes 30 canapes or 8 normal sized servings.

**Note 1: be sure to use a heat proof bowl when combing the eggs and cream, otherwise you could possibly end up with scrambled eggs.

**Note 2: If you do not have a torch you can still create the caramelized sugar topping with the broiler of your oven, however be weary as the broiler will turn the topping black very quickly.

     

Asparagus (Multi-National)

      Whether white, green or even purple asparagus is always a great choice for those trying to stay health minded.  The name of this easily grown vegetable comes from the Persian word 'Asporog' which literally means shoot; shoot being the ideal word as they literally shoot up in all manner of soils.
      Of course the down side to this vegetable is that you will notice a certain odor when in a very private part of your home.  But, as your Doctor will support, the eating of asparagus does assist you in passing and preventing kidney stones so it's great trade off.
      Now there is about a thousand ways to cook asparagus; fry them, boil them, stick them in a soup you really can't miss.  My favorite way to cook is to drizzle them with olive oil, give a quick season and broil before serving with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.  It's a great side dish and a real hit with the kids, especially when you let them eat the shoots with their fingers rather than a fork. 

Parmesan Asparagus

2 pounds asparagus

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1/2 cup Parmigiano Regiano

After cleaning the asparagus snap off about the first half inch off of the end of the shoot (usually if you give just a bit of bend on the end it will snap right where it needs).  Drizzle the 1/4 cup of olive oil season with salt and pepper. 

Place the shoots in a single layer into a shallow baking dish.  Place in a 325* oven and bake for 10 minutes of until the the shoots become tender.  Sprinkle the Parmesan on top of the asparagus and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4