Thrill of the Grill + Smoked Bacon BurgerThere are few foods as compelling as a piece of meat or fish charred over open flames. The skin contracts and crisps, turning crackling and brown, the juices drip and run; the flesh becomes sweet and intense. Strong, robust, heavy, flavors that, along with the heat and smoke from the grill, give food an unmistakeable sense of high summer. In the latest edition of the duPont Registry, Heather Stalker sat down with three local chefs—Tom Pritchard of Salt Rock Grill, Gary Moran of Datz Tampa and Mark Heimann of Marchand’s Bar & Grill at The Vinoy—share their savvy summer secrets. You can find that story here.
As an added bonus, however, Chef Gary shares this recipe for Datz’s Smoked Bacon Burger.
Smoked Bacon Burger with smoked tomato mayonnaise and jalapeno relish Mix together garlic powder, onion powder and worcestershire and fold into the combined ground chuck and ground bacon. Form into 8-ounce patties and place into the freezer for one hour, to set. While the patties rest, prepare your favorite smoker and bring to 130-140 degrees. You will want to smoke the burger low and slow under the 140 degrees mark until the internal temperature is 110 degrees. This will give you a smoked rare burger which you can either pan fry or grill to desired temperature. Serve with smoked tomato mayonnaise, jalapeno relish and white cheddar cheese. Smoked tomato mayonnaise While the smoker is going, add the peeled tomatoes and smoke for 30 minutes. Remove from the smoker and combine the tomato with the remaining ingredients in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Be sure to while you have the smoker going throw in a few peeled tomatoes. combine with a good quality mayo. Throw into food processor and season with salt, pepper and sherry vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Jalapeno Relish Toss the jalapeños in olive oil and place on a hot grill (or under the broiler) and char till black on all sides. Put in a paper bag until cool, then peel the skins under running water*. Remove stems and chop, seeds and all. *Note: Peeling the skins under running water does dilute the flavor a little bit, but with so much heat in the jalapeno, we’ve found that it works best in this application. |
Midnight Pasta
In big Italian families it’s always smart to have handy something quick that you can put together for a simple supper, or for unexpected guests. (It’s nice to be known as the host who always graciously offers something good to eat). 1# Decarolis Riccia pasta Preheat the oven to 350° F. Drain the San Marzano tomatoes and cut each tomato in half, lengthwise. Place the tomato halves face up on the baking sheet, keeping them close together. Sprinkle Midnight Spice Blend over the tomatoes and roast for about 2 hours. The tomatoes will shrivel and caramelize a bit. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
|
Pecan Porcini PâtéProving that vegetables can be as satisfying as meat, this nutty mushroom pâté adapted from Food + Wine will satisfy even the heartiest of omnivores. 1 C pecans Put the pecans in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let stand for 1 hour. In a small saucepan, combine the soaked porcini and sun-dried tomatoes. Slowly pour in the porcini soaking liquid, stopping before you reach the grit at the bottom. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat until the tomatoes are tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the pecans and transfer them to a food processor. With a slotted spoon, transfer the marinated portobellos, porcini and tomatoes to the processor; puree to a coarse paste, adding about 1/4 cup of the porcini cooking liquid. Add a little more of the porcini liquid if the mixture is too thick. Season lightly with salt. Transfer the pâté to a crock and serve with toasted baguette. |
Drunken Risotto with Spinach + SausageCalming… sensuous… satisfying. This is a dish to be savored, slowly, while you’re winding down with a glass of wine.
3 C dry red wine In a large saucepan, combine the wine and chicken stock; keep warm over a low flame. In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling the meat, until browned, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper. Add the warm wine-stock mixture a couple of ladlefuls at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition and letting the liquid evaporate before adding more, cooking the risotto for 18 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, to wilt. Stir in the nutmeg. In the last minute of cooking, stir in the butter, then the cheese. |
Gingered Trifle with Cranberry + ApplesA trifle is as wontonly extravagent a dessert as you can get, says British Chef/Author Nigel Slater, and we would never attempt to lessen that. No matter what the ingredients, a spoonful of trifle should be a moment of unbridled self-indulgence.. 3 T unsalted butter In a 10-inch straight-sided skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the apples and 1/4 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally at first and then more frequently, until the apples are nicely browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Add three tablespoons of water to the pan, remove it from the heat and stir to incorporate some of the brown bits from the bottom. Add half of the cranberries, the maple syrup, cinnamon, a pinch of salt and two more tablespoons of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, lower the heat to medium low, and simmer until the syrup has thickened a little and most of the cranberries have popped, about 2 minutes. Add the other half of the cranberries and simmer until about half of the new cranberries have popped, 2 to 3 minutes more. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the ginger. Let cool to room temperature. Using a chilled bowl and beaters, whip the heavy cream, vanilla and 1 teaspoon of ginger syrup with a hand-held or stand mixer on medium speed until it begins to thicken. Slowly sprinkle in the sugar and continue whipping until soft peaks form, another 1 to 2 minutes. Refrigerate if not using right away. Drizzle your pound cake with ginger syrup, being careful not to moisten too much. One-half cup should be more than plenty. Using a serrated knife, cut the pound cake into 3/4-inch cubes. Portion about half of the cake among eight 10-ounce glasses. Portion about half of the whipped cream among the glasses, spooning it over and around the cake, and top with about half of the apple mixture. Repeat with another layer of cake, whipped cream, and apples. (You may have some leftover cake.) Ginger Syrup Peel ginger and cut it into 6 roughly equal pieces. Place ginger, sugar, and water in a small nonreactive saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. When mixture boils, reduce heat and simmer until sugar is completely dissolved and syrup is slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and discard ginger pieces. Let cool, then strain syrup into a container with a tight-fitting lid, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. |
Salt Slab Cooking: Shrimp with Citrus Spinach SaladPink Himalayan salt mined in Pakistan is perhaps the oldest spice known to man, but in recent years it’s caught the fancy of foodies who are using the slabs in a whole new way — cooking! The solid salt slab can be placed directly in a cold oven and heated gradually; it will not melt. Lightly brushed with butter or oil, it will fry eggs or saute shrimp with just the gentlest hint of salt. The same goes for fish steaks or fillets, thin slices of beef and portobello mushroom caps. Furthermore, the slab can also be chilled for serving sushi or frozen for serving ice cream! This past holiday season, salt slabs flew off the shelf at Datz and gift recipients gathered ’round the Chef’s Kitchen to learn some great techniques, including this recipe adapted from Michael Chiarello’s Easy Entertaining. Shrimp with Citrus Spinach Salad Peel and cut the citrus fruit into sections over a plate. Drain the juice from the plate into a bowl. Season liberally with salt and black pepper. Whisk in olive oil to form a vinaigrette (it should be in proportion, about 2 parts juice to 1 part olive oil). Drizzle a little of the vinaigrette on the citrus sections to marinate and put them on a platter. Place salt slab into cold oven and preheat to 500˚F. Season the shrimp with the chili powder and pepper. No salt needed here! The salt slab will do that on its own. Remove the salt slab from the oven and place on a heat-proof surface. Place the shrimp on the slab and cook until just pink on each side. Remove, cover to keep warm and set aside. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in saute pan. Add sliced garlic and saute until fragrant, but not brown. Add the chiles and let them get soft. Now, add the basil and stand back—there’s a lot of water in basil and it will pop. Lightly fry the basil, then remove when crisp. To serve: Arrange shrimp over the plattered citrus segments. Add the orange zest to the basil/garlic/chile mixture in the saute pan, then spoon it over the shrimp. Toss the spinach with the citrus vinaigrette, mound on top of the shrimp and serve. |
Wild Rice & Lentil Salad RecipeLunch Box: Summer Salads Ingredients: · 1 C vegetable or chicken stock Method · Combine 1 cup water and the stock in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover and simmer over medium heat until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes. · Meanwhile, place lentils in a saucepan over medium heat and cover with 11/4 cups water. Simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked rice and lentils. · Prepare a vinaigrette by whisking together the walnut oil olive oil, vinegar and garlic in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the lentils and rice. Add the red onion, dried cranberries and slivered almonds. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve warm or at room temperature. * These products are available for purchase at Datz. Have some fun while you eat lunch and learn how to cook something new! Sign up for a Lunch Box lesson this week. You can find registration information on our website at www.datzdeli.com. |
Watermelon, Mint & Feta Salad RecipeFrom Lunch Box Monday July 26: Homage to Jacques Pepin Ingredients
Method
* These products are available at Datz Cook’s Note: For a fun serving suggestion, reserve the scooped out watermelon rind and use as a bowl for the salad. Great for picnics! Be sure to sign up for one of our weekday Lunch Box lessons. You can find more information and register on www.datzdeli.com. |
Crazy for Crepes (Part II)by Chef Nikki Bowen
Basic Crepes Ingredients · 1 cup all-purpose flour · Pinch kosher salt · 2 eggs · 1/2 cup milk · 1/2 cup club soda · 3 tablespoons melted butter, plus 3 tablespoons for cooking the crepes Batter: · In a mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the remaining ingredients, except the melted butter, into the center of the well and whisk together until just combined. The mixture should be like VERY loose pancake batter. If the mixture is a little thick, whisk in a little more milk. Let the batter sit for at least 30 minutes before using. *Tip: Crepe batter can be made up to 2 days in advance, covered and refrigerated. Crepes: · Melt about a 1/2 teaspoon of butter in a small nonstick saute pan. The butter should coat the bottom of the pan. · Put the pan over medium heat. Fill a 2-ounce ladle, almost to the top, with batter and pour it into the preheated pan, tipping and rolling the pan, as you ladle the batter, to evenly cover the bottom. This will take a little practice, even when you are an experienced crepe maker the first couple always get wasted. Accept it and move on. · When the edges of the crepe begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and the bottom begins to brown a little, turn the crepe over and cook it for about 1 minute on the other side. Remove the crepe from the pan to a plate and let cool. Stack the crepes as they are cooked between parchment paper squares. Repeat this process, until all the batter is used, wiping the pan with your paper towel or melting a little more butter to the pan, as needed. Semolina Crepes Ingredients · 3 cups warm water · 2 teaspoons baking powder · 1 3/4 cups fine semolina (sometimes called extra-fancy durum flour) · 1/3 cup AP flour · 2 teaspoons active dry yeast · 1 teaspoon sugar · 1 teaspoon salt · Vegetable oil, for cooking · 1/3 cup honey, warmed · 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Method · In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup warm water with baking powder. In food processor, combine semolina with flour, yeast, sugar, and remaining warm water. Process for 30 seconds, until smooth. Add the salt and baking powder mixture and process for 30 seconds longer. Pour the batter into a large bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. · Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet and coat it with a thin layer of vegetable oil. In a small bowl, blend the honey with the butter. Whisk the batter until creamy. Ladle 1/3 cup of the batter into the skillet, tilting the skillet to distribute it evenly. Cook the crepe over moderate heat until bubbles appear all over the surface and the bottom is pale golden, about 2 minutes. Shake the skillet to loosen the creoe, then slide the crepe onto a plate. · Drizzle with the honey butter and serve right away. Repeat with more oil and remaining batter and honey butter. |
Crazy for Crepes (Part I)by Chef Nikki Bowen
Crepes Suzette (Sweet Crepes) Ingredients · 2 large eggs · 3/4 cup milk · 1/2 cup water · 1 cup flour · 3 tablespoons melted butter · 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar · 1 teaspoon vanilla extract · 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur · Butter, for coating the pan Method · In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours. · Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart. Sauce Ingredients · 1/2 pound butter, softened · 4 tablespoons sugar · 4 ounces of your favorite liquor · 4 scoops of vanilla ice cream Method · Fold your crepes in half twice, so they are in the shape of a triangle. In a non-stick pan over medium heat, melt half of the butter. When it begins to foam remove from heat and add 2 ounces of the liquor and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Always add alcohol off of the heat to avoid a jumping flame. Use tongs to gently lay crepes into the pan. Turn the crepes to coat. Lay the crepes out on a plate and top with ice cream. Pour remaining sauce over the ice cream. Serve immediately. Manicotti Crepes Ingredients · Extra-virgin olive oil · 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice · Kosher salt · Pinch crushed red pepper flakes · 3 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped · 1 pound bulk fennel pork sausage · 1 pound baby spinach, washed and cut into 1-inch lengths · 2 cups ricotta cheese · 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for serving · 2 eggs · Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows · 1/2 recipe Basic Tomato Sauce, recipe follows · 1 recipe Basic Crepes, recipe follows Directions · Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions and put the pan over medium heat. Season the onions with salt, to taste, and add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Saute until the onions are translucent and very aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for 3 to 4 more minutes. Add the pork sausage and cook until nicely browned. Stir in the spinach, season with salt, to taste, and saute until the spinach is wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. In a large bowl, add the ricotta, 1 cup of grated Parmigiano, the eggs and 1 cup of bechamel and stir to incorporate. Mix in the cooled sausage mixture into the ricotta mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. To assemble the manicotti: · Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. · Prepare the baking dish by evenly schmearing 1 cup of bechamel sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. · Put 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling on a crepe just below the halfway mark. Form the filling into an even log and then roll up the crepe to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining filling and crepes. Arrange the crepes in the baking dish, snuggling the crepes together until the dish is filled. Spoon the tomato sauce over the top of the crepes and spread the bechamel in a wide swath down the middle. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmigiano and cover with foil. Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top starts to brown a little, about 5 to 10 minutes. · Remove from the oven and serve topped with a little extra cheese. Bechamel Sauce: Ingredients · 3 tablespoons butter · 1/2 small white onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice · Kosher salt · 3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour · 1 quart milk · Pinch grated nutmeg · 1 bay leaf · 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Method · Add the butter and onion to a large saucepan over medium heat. Season the onions with salt, to taste, and cook until they become translucent and very aromatic. Add the flour and cook until the flour and butter resemble wet sand, about 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually, whisk in the milk until incorporated. Add the bay leaf and nutmeg and season with salt, to taste. Slowly bring the milk/flour mixture to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching on the bottom. Be sure that the milk comes to a boil or the flour will not cook out and you will be left with a very objectionable starchy feeling on your tongue. · Once the sauce has come to a boil and has thickened, remove it from the heat. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the grated Parmigiano, taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. · Use right away or refrigerate, covered, until ready to assemble dish. Marinara Sauce: Ingredients · 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil · 1/4 pound diced pancetta · 2 large Spanish onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice · Kosher salt · 4 large garlic cloves, smashed and chopped · 4 (28-ounce cans) Italian plum San Marzano tomatoes, crushed Method · Coat a large sauce pot with olive oil and add the pancetta. Put the pot over medium-high heat and cook the pancetta for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, season generously with salt, to taste, and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook the onions for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should become very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. · Add tomatoes to pot. Season generously with salt and TASTE IT!!!! Tomatoes take a lot of salt. Season in baby steps and taste every step of the way. Cook the sauce for 1 to 3 hours (to your desired consistency and taste) stirring occasionally and tasting frequently. · Use the sauce right away on pasta or for any other tomato sauce need. This sauce can also be cooled and stored in the refrigerator for a few days or it can be frozen. |
