Well, at least I don�t have to type the ingredient amounts for this could�ve-been-delicious, flat iron steak.I thought for sure maple syrup, coffee, and bourbon would be great together, but it turns out they weren�t even good together.
Okay, they were bad. It reminded me of some daily special, gone really wrong, at one of those strip mall steakhouses. Luckily, we have several excellent marinades that will work perfectly with this great steak, and I will list a few below.
Like I said in the video, the real point was to share what a great cut of beef flat iron is for the grill. It checks all the boxes, and requires virtually no trimming. Plus, and very ironically, it�s especially good for absorbing marinades.
So, enjoy this with your favorite pre-grill meat soak, or check out one of the following links. Regardless, I really hope you give flat iron steaks a try soon.Enjoy! Here are some marinade recipes that would be perfect for this:
If you�re from Greece, you�re probably pretty confused right now, and wondering why I�m calling this gyros. There, pork and chicken are used, in non-ground form, and as the meat turns slowly over a fire, the cooked, caramelized surface is shaved off into thin slices.
It�s amazing stuff, but believe it or not, I prefer this Americanized �mystery meat� approach, which uses ground lamb and/or beef. The spices are similar, but the texture is totally different, and for me, more interesting. I can eat fresh, identifiable meat anytime, so when I�m in the mood for gyros, I want the stuff you can only get from certain street vendors. Of course, since the meat is ground, you�re taking their word for which specific animals made the ultimate sacrifice, which is why this stuff became affectionately known as �mystery meat.�
This style is perfect for making ahead of time. Once it�s chilled, and sliced, all you need to do is brown it in a pan, and find some flatbread to roll it up in. Preferably, that would be homemade Lebanese mountain bread, which I will attempt to show you in the near future. In the meantime, your favorite pita will do, just as long as you don�t forget to make some tzatziki. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 8 portions:
1 pound ground lamb
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon freshly minced rosemary
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste (you can cook a small piece to test)
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons bread crumb
- Cook at 350 F. for 45 minutes, or until an internal temp of 160 F. -- Note: to make the pickled red onions, simply slice them about 1/8-inch thick, and cover with red wine vinegar for a few hours, or overnight. They will turn into the beautifully colored garnish seen herein.
I don�t post a lot of salad videos, since, other than the dressing recipe, what am I going to teach you? Most people are pretty good when it comes to tossing things in a bowl, but I made an exception for what I�m calling a �Brutus.�
I discovered this salad at a great restaurant in Healdsburg, called Willis�s Seafood, where it was definitely not called a �Brutus,� but simply described as a, �Little Gem Salad, Dijon Vinaigrette, Fuji Apples, Aged White Cheddar, Fresh Herbs, Fried Pecans.� It sounded amazing, and tasted even better.
It was so good, I joked that it could replace the Caesar as America�s favorite tossed salad, and a few beers later, the idea to call it the �Brutus� was born. I�m explaining this not only to give credit, where credit�s due, but also to make clear it has nothing to do with politics. Yes, nothing to do with it. Nothing at all.
Normally, I would tell you to add whatever you want to this salad, but not this time. Please make it exactly as shown. Having said that, you�ll of course have to adjust the dressing to your taste, but you already knew that. I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 portions:
For the dressing:
1/4 cup real French Dijon mustard
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
freshly ground black pepper
cayenne to taste
- the dressing should be sharp and acidic, but please adjust to your taste
For the salad:
4 hearts of romaine, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces
2 ounces extra-sharp aged cheddar
1 apple, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons dill sprigs, chopped
3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted in 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, seasoned with salt and 1 teaspoon of white sugar
This great steak is considered something of a butcher shop �secret,� but not because they�re selfish, and can�t stand the thought of you being happy. It�s just an odd looking cut, which requires a specific trimming technique to remove one of the toughest pieces of connective tissue on the entire animal.
Combine that with the fact that there�s only one per cow, and you have something that�s a little tricky to sell, although that seems to be changing a bit. This steak has become popular on restaurant menus, going by the name, �hanger steak,� and that�s led to it being carried in some of your finer butcher shops.
Even though it takes a little bit of time, the trimming is pretty simple, and probably easier than I made it look. Carefully trim away any of the tough-feeling membranes on the surface, and divide in half lengthwise, along the center connective tissue. Once that�s cut away, you�re pretty much done, other than deciding how to cook it.
Butcher�s steak is great in a pan, under the broiler, and of course, on the grill. It takes to marinades wonderfully, and can sub in for any cut of steak in any recipe. It�s not only tender, and affordable, but also extremely beefy.
This is probably the most strongly flavored steak cut, and some even describe it as having a subtle gaminess, although I think that�s a bit much. There�s only one way to know for sure, so I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 portions:
1 whole butcher�s steak aka hanger steak, about 2 pounds
This muhammara video was inspired by a request we received for a Lebanese recipe. Not knowing any off the top of my head, I asked for suggestions, and this amazing red pepper walnut spread was nominated by several people. The only problem is, it�s actually a Syrian recipe.
Nevertheless, it�s apparently very popular in Lebanon, as well as across the rest of the Mideast, and once you taste it, you�ll understand why. Like I said in the intro, this may be the most delicious thing you�re not currently eating.
All great dips and spreads should be addictive, but there�s something very special about how this beckons you back for more, and more, even after you�re being stared at by the other guests. Let them enjoy their superior will power � we�ll continue to enjoy the muhammara.
You'll find pomegranate molasses at any Middle Eastern grocery store, or online, but if you can�t, you can make it by reducing pomegranate juice (Google for more details). Or, maybe substitute with some honey for the sweetness, and little extra lemon for the tartness. Either way, I really hope you give this amazing muhammara a try soon. Enjoy!
* Bell Pepper Buying Note: Sometimes bell peppers have large seed pods which makes them very heavy, and therefor very expensive. Depending on the season, a jar of roasted peppers will actually be cheaper than two fresh peppers. I usually weigh them at the store, do the math, and then make the fresh/jarred call.
Ingredients for 6 portions:
1 cup roughly chopped fire-roasted red peppers (peeled, seeded)
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 1/4 cup raw walnut halves
1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon Allepo or other red pepper flakes
Italian parsley, chopped walnuts, and pepper flakes to garnish
Just in case you missed our recent Facebook Live, here it is, in all its unscripted glory. Most people seemed to enjoy it, which I certainly appreciated, but for me it was a reminder of why I don't appear on camera. I prefer a few days to gather my thoughts before answering questions, especially when discussing topics of such importance... like, "does peanut butter go with bacon?" Anyway, we'll be back with a new video this evening, for those of you who prefer "prerecorded Chef John." In the meantime, enjoy!
Please Note: Apparently there was a sound glitch at the beginning, and you can't hear anything until a few minutes in. The good news is, you didn't miss anything.
That's right! I'll be doing a Facebook Live on Thursday, June 8! To enjoy what's being described as the second most anticipated public testimony that day, go to Allrecipes.com's Facebook page at 2PM, and as always, enjoy!
There are many unforgettable sights and sounds you experience walking through Chinatown for the first time, but I think it was seeing all those hanging chunks of florescent red meat that made the biggest impression.
Sure, the Peking ducks were cool, but they actually sort of looked like roasted duck, where as the char siu looked looked like nothing I�d ever seen before.
So, it was a little disappointing to eventually find out that it was from copious amounts of red food coloring, which I�m pretty sure was toxic back then, and not from some ancient Chinese secret cooking method. Anyway, enough with the nostalgia; the important thing to remember is that in addition to its impressive, high-gloss appearance, and savory taste, this Chinese barbecue pork is quite easy to make at home, even if you don�t have a fancy ceramic grill.
If you happen to be using your standard, backyard kettle-shaped grill, push all your coals to one side, and place your meat on the other.To add an extra layer of protection, you can also put it in a roasting pan, and place that on the grill. Or, forget the great outdoors, and simply roast it in the oven. The only catch is, you�ll need to place it under the broiler at the end, to simulate the caramelization we get on the barbecue.
As long as you roast it between 275 F. and 300 F., and do so until you reach an internal temperature of between 185-190 F., the cooking method really does not matter, and you should have something that rivals the finest take-out in town. So, I really do hope you give this Chinese-style barbecue pork a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for six portions:
3 pounds boneless pork butt, cut into 4 sections lengthwise
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Chinese rice wine (can sub sake, or dry sherry)
I can�t believe I haven�t posted a recipe for classic American potato salad, especially since it was such a childhood favorite of mine. As I mentioned in the video, this is the first food I can remember eating, and apparently was one of my favorite baby foods.
This is my take on my mother Pauline�s potato salad, but the actual �recipe� isn�t the main point here. This is more about what I think are the best practices for making potato salad. As long as you follow this basic procedure, it really doesn�t matter how you accessorize your spuds.
Speaking of which, onions are always a very controversial addition. If you use too many, or cut them with a dull knife, their sharp taste can overpower the salad. This can be exacerbated even more if you make it way ahead of time. So if you are going to use onions, I suggest a sweet variety like Vidalia, or Maui; and be sure to use a sharp knife.
The other major factors are making sure you use enough salt, and waiting for your potatoes the cool to room temperature before dressing them. If you�ve ever had a bad, greasy looking potato salad, I can almost guarantee it was mixed while still hot.So, don�t be in a hurry.
Other than that, not a lot can go wrong.So, whether you�re making this for your next picnic, or you want to save money on baby food, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 12 portions:
3 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed clean - Boil in 10 cups of water with 1/4 cup of kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely diced sweet onions, optional
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely diced celery
3 large hard boiled eggs
For the dressing:
1 1/4 cup mayonnaise, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus probably much more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
cayenne to taste
- After mixing, chill for 2-3 hours, before tasting and adjusting the salt. You�ll definitely need more, as well as usually another spoonful of mayo.
Your cooking skills might not be the best, but the word on the street is that you�re pretty good at smashing things, sometimes even on purpose. If that�s the case, this refreshing, and very addictive smashed cucumber salad is going to be perfect for you. Above and beyond whisking up an extremely simple dressing, the success of this recipe comes down to you being able to flatten a cucumber with something heavy.
It really is as easy as it sounds, and by crushing our cucumber before we cut it, we produce flavors that un-smashed cucs can�t. When you crush the cells in a vegetable, as opposed to cutting cleanly through them, certain compounds get mixed together, which can result in a significantly different flavor.
This is not always a good thing, and onions are the perfect example. Use a sharp knife, and they�re sweet and mild. Use a dull knife, or that thing you ordered after seeing the infomercial at 2 AM, and you�ll get something much harsher. In fact, it�s no joke that most people who don�t like onions, grew up in a kitchen with dull knives.
However, when it comes to cucumber, these ruptured cells produce a more desirable flavor, and texture. The only decision you�re going to have to make, is how long to let the cucumbers marinate in the dressing, if at all. Many chefs will toss and serve immediately, while others like to let the cucumbers chill in the dressing for a little while in the fridge, which is the method I prefer.
You�ll just have to do some tests to see what you prefer, but either way, this is one of my all-time favorite cold summer side dishes, and one I really hope you try very soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 6 portions: 2 English cucumbers (about 1 1/2 pounds total weight)
1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
2 garlic cloves, finely crushed
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
(or regular rice vinegar with an extra pinch of salt and sugar)
Just a quick programing note that due to the holiday yesterday, today�s video will be posted Wednesday instead. I�m getting a little smarter in my old age, and actually try to take these off-days off, so I didn�t do a film yesterday.
The good news is, we�ll be back tomorrow with a recipe video for one of my all-time favorite cold summer side dishes, quite possibly invloving cucumbers. Stay tuned!
When you make homemade ice cream, you always end up with spare egg whites, which just happen to be one of the main ingredients in homemade ice cream cones � and if you think that�s merely an accident, you don�t fully understand how the food Gods operate.
They obviously want you to make homemade ice cream cones, since there�s no other good explanation. These are surprisingly easy, and as long as you can wad-up some foil into a cone, there isn�t any special equipment, or tools required. Actually, you really do need to use a silpat to line the baking sheet, but you need one of those anyway.
Like I suggest in the video, please test your batter with the first few cones, to make sure they�re tough enough to handle a scoop of ice cream. Even spread thin, this stuff is fairly sturdy, but by adding more flour to the batter, you get a thicker layer on the pan, and that means a stronger, tougher cone.
You can also roll these into cigar-shaped cookies, or press over a ramekin to form an edible bowl. Regardless of the shape, I hope you make some homemade ice cream, and then sacrifice a few egg whites to the heavens, and make these crispy cones soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 8-10 cones:
2 large egg whites
� cup white sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon cold water, or as needed
1/2 packed cup all purpose flour, plus more if needed
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- bake at 400 F. for about 8 minutes, or until browned around the outside few inches
If you�re thinking that I�ve already posted a video recipe for vanilla ice cream, I have, but for what I consider a �real� vanilla ice cream, which means no eggs. That�s called an American-style ice cream, and features a cleaner, more pronounced vanilla flavor.
The French weren�t into that. They froze their famously delicious custard, and the rest is history. While I prefer the later, I have to admit they won, since it is the style that dominates the freezer case.
I like to use pure vanilla extract over the whole bean, mostly because it�s easier, cheaper, and always consistent. Having said that, it�s hard to argue against the whole bean, so feel free to go full foodie. Speaking of which, if you don�t have an ice cream maker, there are plenty of �hacks� online that work fairly well.
I would have called this French vanilla ice cream, but where I grew up, this is called frozen custard. It�s traditionally served soft, in cones, but I prefer to freeze it firm. That way, I get French vanilla ice cream, and as it melts, I also get soft-serve frozen custard. Now that�s a win-win. Anyway, stay tuned for homemade cones, and in the meantime, I really hope you give this a try. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 1 quart of Frozen Vanilla Custard aka French Vanilla Ice Cream
5 large egg yolks
pinch of salt
2/3 cup white sugar
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or one split/scraped whole vanilla bean)
Everyone loves fresh, sweet corn, but there comes a time every summer when you get tired of gnawing it off the cob, which is exactly when these crispy fritters should be made. Sure, you may get splattered with a little hot oil, but I promise, it will be worth it.
Freshly shucked corn is the star of the show here, and we�re going to pack a seemingly impossible amount into our batter. Beyond the amazing taste and texture, I think you�ll be shocked by how a batter this thin, light, and crispy, can hold together so many kernels.
If you don�t know how to remove those kernels from the cob, we welcome you to check out this video to see that very technique. Other than getting your hands on some perfect summer corn, the only other thing you�ll have to decide is how to serve this.
Crab is very nice, but so is grilled shrimp, or even a ceviche, which is how they serve it at the restaurant that inspired this fritter. Regardless of how you top them, or whether you top them, I really do hope you give this great fresh corn recipe a try soon. Enjoy!
Makes about 6 Crispy Corn Fritters:
2 ears white corn (about 1 1/2 cups of kernels)
1 large egg white
1/4 cup ice water
1/4 cup self-rising flour (or 1/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1/4 tsp baking powder and 1/8 tsp fine salt added)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* If need be, add a little more water, or cornstarch/flour, to adjust the batter consistency to what you see in the video.
- Shallow fry at 350�F for about two minutes per side
-- Use a seasoned cast iron skillet, as this will stick in a regular stainless steel pan For the sauce: 1/2 cup mayo 2 teaspoons chipotle juice of one lime
This amazing Calabrian pepper spread is as delicious, as it is unknown. It doesn�t even have a Wikipedia page. Hey, even I have a Wikipedia page. But, despite the fact there�s not a lot of information available, I believe I got relatively close, and really love how this comes out.
As I said in the video, I like this best served simply on sliced bread, but beyond that, this is one of the most versatile condiments I know. You can toss it with pasta; add it to a sandwich; fill an omelet; top a pizza; use it like a salsa on grilled fish; spice up a potato salad; as well as create the world�s best deviled eggs. Actually, I�ve never made deviled eggs with it, but I know it�d be the best.
I was intentionally vague with the cooking times and temperatures. Basically, once the onion, eggplant, and mushroom mixture is saut�ed, you add your peppers, and simply cook until everything is soft and tender, no matter how long it takes. You�ll probably stay between medium and medium high heat, but be prepared to adjust as need be. This is not something we want browning in the pan, before everything is cooked.
Another key is waiting for this to cool down completely, before you finalize the seasonings. We always want to adjust a recipe at the same temperature it�s going to be served at, since that just makes sense. Another thing that makes sense, and a lot of sense, is you giving this bomba Calabrese a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients to make about 4 cups Bomba Calabrese:
3/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 yellow onion
1 small eggplant
4-5 large button mushrooms
2 pounds hot cherry peppers (or about 1 pound after trimming)
1 pound sweet red bell peppers (or about 12 ounces after trimming)
