Spinach and Chicken Waldorf Salad

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Now many of you may not know of my love for the Hillstone Restaurant Group. I have loved them since the 1980's when I almost went to work for them in their Houston's Restauarant location in Atlanta. Sometimes I wonder what would have happen if I had taken that job offer. 

Nonetheless my brother and me have huge crush on all their brands. In fact when mt brother still was working he used to entertain clients at various locations around the country. If there was a Hillstone restaurant in a city he went to. He had tried it. Multiple times. Now since his stroke his goal is to eat at Hillstone with me when he is able to swallow again.

Two years ago Bon Appetit Magazine published 8 of their recipes veiled in secrecy up till that time. I have made several of them and they actually turn out exactly like the restaurant versions. 

This is my 5th time making this salad. I normally don't tell people where the recipe is from I just say I got it somewhere. People rave over it. It really hits every crunchy salty sweet tangy creamy note a salad should hit.  So I thought I would repost the recipe and tell you if you want to try and entree salad this isone to try. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and my dining companions have. 

Spinach and Chicken Waldorf Salad

Ingredients

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons horseradish mustard or 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish plus 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 4½ teaspoons sugar
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup walnut oil or olive oil
• 3 tablespoons crumbled bacon (from about 2 slices)
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Salad and Assembly

• ¼ cup almonds
• ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ cup walnuts
• 4 cups chopped frisée
• 4 cups sliced curly kale
• 4 cups torn rotisserie chicken
• ¼ cup crumbled bacon (from about 3 slices)
• ¼ cup flame raisins
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 large red-skinned apple, shredded on a mandoline or box grater
• 6 ounces sharp white cheddar, grated (about 1½ cups)
• 8 cups mature spinach leaves (from about 1 large bunch)

RECIPE PREPARATION

Dressing

• Whisk vinegar, mustard, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Whisking constantly, gradually add olive oil and then walnut oil; whisk until emulsified. Add bacon; season with salt and pepper.
• Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Salad and Assembly

• Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds, cashews, and walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool, then chop.
• Toss frisée, kale, chicken, bacon, raisins, and nuts with dressing in a very large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add eggs, apple, cheddar, and spinach; taste and season again with salt and pepper. Divide among plates, piling as high as possible.

Chili Cheese Dogs....The 4th of July and how living in Virginia taught me to love them,

So last fall I wrote about how Williamsburg, Virginia is one place that forever will represent Christmas time. But Virginia in general will forever be for me the state where I first lived in four seasons and learned to love them. Before that my family had always lived in warmer climes. Being about 10 when we moved to a wintery place for the first time it was quite a revelation. I attended high school in the suburbs of Washington DC. and when I went away to college it was to James Madison University. A school of about 4000 students at the time, JMU sits in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley in a small hamlet called Harrisonburg. No longer small, the school and the town have grown up quite a bit. But when I was there it was still very rural and very redneck. In fact I was surprised by how conservative the school and the student body was upon arrival there. It was certainly not what I had expected a university to be like. I had thought it would be very Brideshead Revisited but JMU was more like Frat City than Oxford. Frats, Beer, "fraternizing", and of course Football were all high on the agenda. Well that and tailgating, which was sort of one and the same. And tailgating meant tailgating food!

Fall of course also meant the beginning of the school year and so during the first semester I enjoyed the fall leaves changing around me and in the Mountains above us. Signaling natures shift into the colder part of the year. And of course at JMU, that same climate change meant Football Season!! Now tailgating  and eating was big and great for the pre-game, but for those who wanted something after the game there were only a few options.

Back then Harrisonburg was a small town and as such the local eateries were mostly well...local. That was good because that meant that the big chains had not yet moved in yet. But after the game you want something that you can eat that says grilled goodness and comfort ya'll! And I mean what says football season and fall more than a chili cheese dog! Well that and it's also good for soaking up all that beer you had during the game. I had come to college knowing a thing or two about chili cheese dogs from places in Virginia near my home. But my college experience gave me the third establishment in the trinity that shaped my hotdog chili cheese making recipe. Let me tell you about those places.

The one college place that really to this day will not be rivaled for fall football loving, beer soaking up, after frat party Friday night food is Jess' Quick Lunch, a chili dog place. For atmosphere alone it was amazing, formica floors and countertops, bright florescent lights, stainless steel fixtures and the chili dogs which were grilled came unadorned except for the ketchup and onions. They were good and quick and greasy in the best way. But they were the second chili dog I had had in Virginia. The first of my adventures in Chili dogging came from the very famous Vienna Inn in the northern Virginian town of Vienna, Virginia.

                                             Jess's QuicK Lunch

Now the Vienna Inn makes the most amazing chili cheese dogs on the planet, no....really. And it was my brother Chris who turned me onto them. he worked down the street at a very famous camera shop called what else, Vienna Camera. Well the employees would get lunch at the Inn regularly. He called them "Death Dogs", and we called them good!

As it states on the Inn's website:

Opened in 1960, the Vienna Inn is a staple in the heart of Vienna, Virginia. Youthful placemat art on the walls and teeming trophy shelves demonstrate the family-friendly nature of the establishment.

The menu also has something for everyone. Seafood lovers will enjoy the spiced shrimp or the blackened tuna sandwich and those looking for something lighter can find nourishment in the grilled chicken salad.

It is chilli macs and chilli dogs that the Inn is most famous for - and rightly so. Selling over 10,000 chilli dogs every month you would be remiss to pass up a loaded dog, complete with chili, cheese, spicy mustard and diced onion.

The Vienna Inn's unrefined charm has made it a steadfast landmark that may grow older, but has not aged a day.

Yes the Vienna Inn has amazing Chili Dogs. But there is one more American hotdog dining icon that I encountered in Virginia and remains to be discussed and has formulated my way of making hotdogs and that icon is LUMS.

Now LUMS was a chain which grew out of south Florida and expanded all over the country. They were most famous for the Ollie Burger, which many proclaim to this day as one of the best burgers ever made. And they were known for their Hotdogs which were slow cooked and held warm in beer, a nod to the midwestern manner for preparing brats. They were also famous because they were one of the first "family restuarants" to serve alcohol. I can remember getting a "Schooner" of beer at LUMS across the way from the Magic Pan when I was 18 years old. 

So that brings us to making tailgating dogs today the Ole Virginny way! The way I learned to make them based on the techniques of the three establishments that I encountered in the great state of Virginia as a young man. I have merged the preparations to come up with Forrest's Ultimate Chili Cheese Dog. So clearly the chili is what makes a great chili dog and have I got a great recipe for that. Check this one out. Enjoy, Ya'll!

Forrest's Ultimate Chili Cheese Dog (based on three Virginia Hotdog Icons)

Forrest's Hot dog Chili: ( this is no joke ya'll ) 

3 tablespoons Chili Powder
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon allspice powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon Butter
1 large onion finely minced ( food processor minced)
2 gloved minced garlic ( I use the jar )
1 1/2 pounds ground beef ( Chuck )
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can tomato paste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups water

In a bowl combine all the spices
In a pot add the butter and onions and cook over medium heat till translucent add garlic and let bloom
The to this pot add the spices and let cook with the onions and garlic to bring out the flavors but don't burn. Then to this pot add all your wet ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a boil for 2 to 3 mins.
Reduce heat down to a simmer and add the beef with your hands breaking it up into bits
Stir and let cook down for an hour with a lid on. Stir occasionally and then check for seasoning. Then remove the lid and simmer down till most of the liquid is gone but the chili is till nice and moist. 

For the hot dogs

You will need
1 package all beef hotdogs
1 package Hotdog Buns ( nice quality maybe potato rolls )
2 cans of lager beer
2 cups water
1 large white onion
8 oz finely shredded yellow sharp cheddar cheese
Spicy brown mustard
Mayonaise


Take a stock pot and pour water and the 2 cans of lager beer into it. The cheaper the better. Add 1/2 of an onion that has been cut in half, chop the other half for topping the hotdogs. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer. Place 1 package of good quality all beef hotdogs in the pot and let simmer for about an hour while the chili is cooking. When ready to serve  you can grill the dogs in a pan or on the grill again to crisp or serve right out of the beer broth. Your choice.

Serve the dogs as such:

Take a Bun open it up on the bottom give it a squirt of spicy brown mustard and a squirt of Mayo
Add the Hotdog
Top with the chili
Top with chopped onions ( white )
Top with the cheese
Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Divan From Scratch!! Amazing!

Summer, as a young boy, always means going to the beach for me. I grew up the first 12 years of my life on or around the water. Being in the navy my father moved us to some great locations. California, Florida, Hawaii, and or course back and forth to South Carolina.

Summer also meant a week at the beach at church camp. No matter where we lived our church always seemed to have a connection to a Camp right on or near the beach, When we were stationed in Virginia that camp was the Beach Church Camp at Bethany Beach, Delaware. About 4 hours from home it was our chance to go to the beach as well as have fun and fellowship hanging out in a relaxed and comfortable environment.

Now church camp had a rhythm and part of that was communal dining. When you woke in the morning the entire building would smell of the rich brewed aroma of black coffee. Being that it was church camp there was always coffee to be had. But for kids the drink which I will forever associate with church camp was something called Russian Tea. Now this concoction was nothing short of brilliant. It was really a great way to get something hot when there was a chill in the air without resorting to the coffee cup!  Instant iced tea mix was mixed with orange drink mix ( aka. Tang) in equal parts with sugar and spices and BAM! you had a hot cup of loving something that was delish and easy. Of course it always gave he kids crazy sugar rushes but eh...it was vacation.

The other thing that I will forever associate with church camp is Chicken and Broccoli Divan. I mean nothing about church camp food was never really bad. Chili, Sloppy Joe's, Meatloaf, Potato and Sausage Soup, Jello and Big Bowls of iceberg lettuce with Italian Dressing were always around.  As were various casseroles which were made from all kinds of things. Now there are dishes in the archive of American casseroles that I think of and wonder "who ever came up with this stuff", and then there are dishes like Chicken Divan, which is probably my favorite traditional casserole of all time. It's become a household staple and growing up anywhere in the U.S. where a "hot-dish" was a common food, this dish was probably there.

Today people look down their noses at a dish like this but it had it's origin's in the gourmet restaurant's of New York city.

Chicken Divan is a naturally a chicken casserole dish. It was first created at the Divan Parisien restaurant in New York City. It is classically a casserole of sliced chicken breast, spears of broccoli, which was covered with sauce Mornay and baked until the top was golden brown.

The Divan Parisien served Chicken Divan as their signature dish in the 1950's. The chef or chefs who originally created it are unknown. In France the word divan refers to a meeting place or great hall. This name was chosen to attract the attention of the Divan Parisien owners by implying a kind of continental elegance.

Now a  Mornay sauce is a classic French sauce. It is a Bechamel sauce with shredded or grated cheese added. Usually, it is half Gruyere and half Parmesan, though variations use different combinations of Gruyere, Emmental cheese, or white cheddar.

So here's my take on this classic dish. It is a little more work than the open a can variety but it is worth the extra effort. I think it is true to the original but just for some extra flavor I add a few things of my own. And to be fancy without a lot of fuss, you could make this in individual dishes and serve it up at a dinner party just like the picture. 

Forrest's Divine Chicken Divan ( Put this in your church camp and smoke it!)

Ingredients:

2 pounds  chicken breast chopped into bite size pieces

1 tsp each of salt, pepper, paprika

1 16-20 oz. bag broccoli florets

3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided

2 tablespoon olive oil divided

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups low sodium chicken broth divided

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons cup sherry

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp each of onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup grated yellow cheddar cheese

1 cups grated gruyere cheese 

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish or individual baking dishes with nonstick cooking spray.

Toss the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Let marinate while you cook broccoli.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium high heat until very hot. Add the broccoli, season and sauté for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, cover pan, and lower heat to medium.

Steam broccoli until tender but not limp, about 2 minutes.

Transfer broccoli to baking dish in one layer.

In same skillet, melt one tablespoon butter over medium heat. Increase heat to medium high and add chicken in a single layer and sear for one minute then continue to cook and stir chicken until cooked through. Layer the chicken on top of broccoli in the baking dish. Sprinkle with the almonds.

In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.

Whisk in flour then cook stirring for 1 minute. Turn the heat to low then slowly whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup of the milk..

Combine cornstarch with remaining 1 cup milk stir into the sauce and then add the  Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, chicken bouillon and all spices.

Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly then reduce heat to a simmer, whisking often until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in 1/2 cup of Gruyere cheese until melted followed by Parmesan cheese until melted.

Whisk in sour cream  and sherry until blended.

Taste and season well with salt. 

 Pour the sauce over chicken and broccoli and spread into an even layer. Top with the remaining cup of cheddar cheese.

To top:

Melt butter in olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add panko and stir to coat. Continue cooking until crumbs become golden brown. Evenly sprinkle over cheese. Cover Chicken Divan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.

Serve the Chicken Divan over mashed potatoes, buttered noodles or wild rice.

Stilton, Leek and Walnut Risotto

This..... This risotto is so good. It's slap your Britsh Mama good.

Ok my friend Chef Lauren came over and we made this, It's extraordinary the way these flavors come together. She made Veggie broth from the French Laundry. You don't have to do that but if you do the wow factor goes way up, but it's pretty amazing with store bought as well.

Here's what you do

Take 3 leeks white and green lower part only slice thinly and saute in 3 tablespoons of butter.

Add 1 clove garlic very finely diced, salt and pepper and then the 2 cups rice. Then saute for about 5 mins till rice is blooming a bit. Stir constantly. Over medium heat at this point add 1 cup dry white wine. Stir till incorporated into rice.

Using 8 cups of high quality veggie stock slowly add 1 ladle full at a time and cook rice for about between 40 to 60 mins till al dente. Stirring constantly. Al Dente, that means still a little chewy, you may not use all the stock.

Add 2 more tablespoons of butter and 4 ounces of crumbled Stilton cheese and 1/4 cup finely crushed toasted walnuts.

When ready to serve plate and garnish with another 3 ounces of stilton and 1/2 cup crushed toasted walnuts

Garnish with some chopped chives if desired.

Enjoy!

Tastes and Tales from an NYC Underground Restaurant Chef: Buffalo Shrimp and Blue Cheese Grits

Tastes and Tales from an NYC Underground Restaurant Chef: Buffalo Shrimp and Blue Cheese Grits: This just seemed like the perfect thing to serve for Marti Gras! I am telling you these are no joke amazing! Spicy Buffalo Shrimp ...

Buffalo Shrimp and Blue Cheese Grits

This just seemed like the perfect thing to serve for Marti Gras! I am telling you these are no joke amazing!

Spicy Buffalo Shrimp with Blue Cheese Grits

(Makes 6 portions)

Ingredients:

30 large shrimp peeled and deveined, tail on

1/2 tablespoon garlic flavored oil

1/4 cup butter

1 tablespoons of Ketchup

4 tablespoons Franks Hot sauce

6 scallions chopped (quarter cup reserved for garnish)

1 stalk of celery (green part only) chopped into fine dice for garnish

1 1/2 cup Quaker 5 minute grits

6 cups water

3 to 4 ounces Roquefort French blue cheese

3 tablespoons of butter

2 cups half and half

S&P

Method:

For the Shrimp:

In a glass bowl, place the shrimp with 2 tablespoons of the Franks Hot Sauce and combine till well coated. Place in fridge covered for at least 30 mins.

When ready to cook, place a small amount of garlic oil in pan and half the scallions till just done then add the shrimp add the butter and Ketchup and remaining hot sauce and when shrimp is cooked spoon over the grits garnish with the bacon and the remaining scallions and chopped celery serve immediately.

For the Blue-Cheese Grits:

Bring the water to a boil add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Stir in grits with a whisk, making sure there is no clumping.

Cook for 7mins stirring occasionally to make sure grits are not clumping then add 2 cups Half and Half, butter and blue cheese and let simmer for 1 hour. 

Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning

Can be held for up to 2 hours if too thick add water and stir again till creamy.

Serve:

Place grits in the bottom of 4 wide bowls and divide shrimp among the four. Spoon butter and hot sauce mixture over the shrimp. Garnish with the celery and the scallions.

Noodles Romanoff, Side Dish of Hollywood Legend.

Michael Romanoff created himself as much as he created one of old Hollywoods's most popular hotspots. Years before Facebook Twitter and television, Newspaper photographers gathered at hotspots to take pictures of the glamorous life that the movie stars lived. Romanoff's was certainly one of those places.  Sophia Loren, Jane Mansfield, Cary Grant, Bogie, Clark Gable all were photographed here eating drinking dancing and living the glam life that American's have always craved to see.

Romanoff was a cad and con man who created a name for himself and developed an dining environment which became a sought after reservation in Hollywood from 1936 to 1962. Along with the menu of classics like shrimp cocktail and steaks and chops he came up with 2 iconic dishes which were the "Bloomin Onion" of that time. One was Strawberries Romanoff, a simple Brandy infused mix of berries and whipping cream. The other Noodles Romanoff was a side dish served along most anything or ordered on it's own. It was rich and creamy sauce laden egg noodle dish which had simple flavorings, a bit of cheese, and sour cream at it's base. It was a riff on a dish that his mother and grandmother had made in eastern Europe.  And like Romanoff my Austro- Hungarian grandmother also made.

In the 1960's and 1970's Betty Crocker sold a boxed version of this side dish of Hollywood lore that many might remember. It was discontinued but is remembered with fondness my many who grew up on it.

This version is my take on the recipe. It could not be simpler but does involve buying cheese powder which is hard to find anywhere but the internet. Not to worry though I will give you a substitute. This is based on a dish I grew up with, sour cream noodles. But it comes pretty close to the original recipe!


Noodles Romanoff

8 oz of the widest eggs noodles you can find ( Country Style Dumpling Noodles are good)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
3 tablespoon white cheddar cheese powder (or sub 3 tablespoons canned Romano cheese, not parm)
1 tablespoon dried parsley plus extra for garnish
3 tablespoons finely snipped chives (fresh or dried)
1 teaspoon seasoning salt (Lawry's or TJ's onion salt)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
3 tablespoons butter
Extra milk, cream or half and half on hand

Directions:

Boil Noodles per package directions

Meanwhile blend all other ingredients together except butter

Drain noodles return to pot and add butter to coat the noodles stirring gently

Add the sour cream mixture  gently mix and if needed because too dry add more cream milk or butter and serve immediately or hold warm and add more milk if dries out.

Spicy Dijon and Tarragon Shrimp with Goat Cheese Grits

This is a recipe from my upcoming book on personal food heritage. The book will feature a variety of recipes not only from my own life experience but those who others have shared with me part of their personal and family histories. It is a book about what it really means to tell the story of your life and your family's life through food. I hope it will inspire others and that through my story they will find and celebrate that which makes their time here on this planet meaningful and the cherish those relationships and memories which happen around the table and over a good meal.

This recipe is a culmination of my experience with this dish that goes way back to when as a child my mama would make this for breakfast as a special treat. The recipe was from an old Charleston cookbook "Charleston Receipts" and to this day my mama uses that book to prepare this as well as other dishes.

Over time I have done what many chefs have done and played with this recipe. If I am honest it is a riff off a favorite pasta dish my mama also prepared when I was growing up.  One of the few pasta dishes she made, besides spaghetti and lasagna, Creamy Dijon shrimp Alfredo over linguini.

So here is my version of Shrimp and Grits. Hope you enjoy them. Maybe it will inspire you to look for my book when if comes out later this year. More on that later!

Spicy Tarragon and Dijon Shrimp with Bacon-Goat Cheese Grits

(Makes 4 portions with extra grits)

Ingredients:

1 lbs large shrimp peeled and deveined, tail on

1/2 tablespoon garlic flavored oil

2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons of Ketchup

2 teaspoons Hot sauce I like Crystal Hot Sauce or Shiracha

4 to 6 scallions chopped

4 pieces of bacon cooked and crumbled

1/2 of a red or green pepper chopped into fine dice

1 1/2 cup stone ground grits

5 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

6 ounces soft goat cheese or Mascarpone if you are not a fan of goat cheese

2-3 heaping tablespoons bacon grease

1 cup half and half

S&P
3 tablespoons chopped chives for garnish

Method:

For the Shrimp:

In a glass bowl, place the shrimp with the Dijon and the tarragon and combine till well coated. Place in fridge covered for at least 2 hours.

When ready to cook, place a small amount of garlic oil in pan and cook pepper and half the scallions till just done then add the shrimp add the butter and Ketchup and hot sauce and when shrimp is cooked spoon over the grits garnish with the bacon and the remaining scallions and serve immediately.

For the Bacon-Cheese Grits:

Bring the water and half and half to just a boil add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Stir in grits with a whisk, making sure there is no clumping. Add in the bay leaf.

Cook for an hour stirring occasionally to make sure grits are not clumping and adding water if they get too thick. Remove bay leaf.

Before serving, stir in cheese and bacon grease

Taste and adjust seasoning

Can be held for up to 2 hours if too thick add water and stir again till creamy.

Serve:

Place grits in the bottom of 4 wide bowls and divide shrimp among the four. Spoon butter and hot sauce mixture over the shrimp. Garnish with the bacon and the chives.

Chilaquiles for Holiday Morning Breakfasts

It has been a minute since I posted here. I've been busy on Instagram and "Real life" work including finishing my first ever book. It will be published next year and I hope you all grab it up and enjoy it. More on that to come. In the meantime here's my suggestion for making your holiday breakfast something special.

Chilaquiles are part of the American breakfast scene that many people are discovering. Chilaquiles are a cross between scrambled eggs and nachos and are just plain delicious. I mean who doesn't love both those things. And if put together how much more delicious must they be.

The reason I love this dish is it's a representation of what American is all about. If you live in California you probably have known about this Mex mash up for a long time. However , the rest of the nation is now catching on to this yummy breakfast alternative. Proving once again that the old ole USA is still a melting pot. And I don't just mean the cheese.

The other thing about this dish is it's a great party leftover vehicle. If you had chips and dip or queso or even tacos or chili the night before you can use up your left overs in this dish.

What you need to make Chilaquiles for 4 is at least the following:

1 bag of tortilla chips ( or fry fresh )
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese (Monterey Jack is best or Cheddar)
1 jar of any kind of salsa ( I like TJ's red or green restaurant style So Cal style)
chopped scallions and jalepeno slices (optional)
sour cream

Optional items include:

Taco beef or Chorizo
Left over chili
Queso dip reheated
Chopped Cilantro
Chopped white onion
queso fresco

Directions:

Pour about a cup of salsa in a large frying pan
Heat till just bubbles
Mix eggs and about 1/4 cup milk and 3/4 cups shredded cheese
Add to salsa
Cook till smooth and combined
Add and extra items like beef or chorizo
Add in about 6 cups of chips (3/4 of a bag of chips give or take)
Gently Stir till coated

Divide between 4 plates or bowls and garnish with remaining cheese and toppings

Enjoy.

Happy Holidays Everyone and here's to a great 2019!!

Truffle Vegetable Salad

This is a really elegant and delicious salad and it's so easy to make. Try this for a dinner party or just for something nice and different for your daily meal rotation. It's quick and very delicious.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of asparagus chopped into small pieces. 

1 10oz of white mushrooms sliced

1 cup diced french green beans (blanched quickly)

2 cups shredded brussel sprouts

6 scallions green and white parts finely chopped

1/4 of a red onion diced

1 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 cup fried onions

3 oz of blue cheese crumbled

Extra fried onions and some Allepo Chili flakes for garnish

For dressing

1/4 cup champagne vinegar 

1/2 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon Mayonaise

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

1 large shallot finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Truffle oil to taste

Method:

For the dressing place all ingredients in a small jar or food processor and mix till combined.

Mix all salad elements together and toss in a large bowl

Mix with just enough dressing just till lightly dressed

Serve by dividing the mixture in the 4 portions and mound in the middle of the plate. Spoon remaining dressing around the mounded salad. Sprinkle with more fried onion, red pepper flakes and a bit of flaky sea salt.  

Enjoy

Baked Brown Sugar Bacon Crackers

These party crackers were the rage all over the South in the 1950’s and early sixties and bridge and cocktail parties. They are like cracker bacon candy. 

Ingredients: Makes enough for a small gathering

1 sleeve Club crackers

1 package bacon

Brown Sugar

Method:

Cut bacon strips into thirds

Wrap crackers in bacon until all bacon is used

Place on a wire rack on top of a sheet tray seam side down

Spoon a small mound of brown sugar on each cracker

Bake at 270 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours

Mustard and Herb Marinated Pork Chops with Cheesy Grits and Baby Zucchini

Pork Chops are probably one of those things you dread making at home because the main complaint you get is they are dry dry dry when cooked. Overcooking is the enemy of really yummy pork chops and I realize that these days there are still people afraid of under cooking pork but this really is a non problem because the disease trichinosis which was an issue with pork has been eradicated from the meat.

The secret to really great pork chops is simply this. Marinating and not overcooking. There are other ways to cook pork chops but I'll give you my method and hopefully it will help you cook perfect pork chops every time.

Step One Marinate:

Combine
1 cup oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons Herb De Provence spice mix

Place 4 2 to 2/1/2 inch thick cut pork chops in a plastic bag and pour in marinade
Place in the fridge for 3 hours turning 3 times

Heat a large skillet with about 2 tablespoons of oil over med high heat

Remove the chops from the brine and pat dry and sprinkle both sides with a pinch of the Herb De Provence mix again.

Lay chops into pan no need to season as chops were brined.

Sear for 5 minutes then turn over and sear for 5 more minutes.

Reduce heat and turn once more cook for another 3 minutes.

Place chops out of the pan onto a cutting board and cover with foil let rest 6 to eight minutes while you prepare the plates with the grits and the zucchini and make pan sauce

On same pan with pork drippings pour 2 tablespoon cider vinegar. When warm add 2 tablespoons of butter. When melted add a heaping teaspoon of Dijon mustard.

Place chops onto prepared plates and spoon sauce over chops, garnish with flaky sea salt and chopped parsley.

For Grits:

Bring 3 cups to boil with 1 dried bay leaf with 11/2 teaspoons salt.
Add 1 cup hominy stone ground grits in the water whisking in slowly to avoid clumping.
Reduce heat and cook stirring often until the grits are thickened about 5 minutes.
Add one cup cream (or milk) and cook till thick and creamy about 10 minutes
Stir in 3 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese and 1/4 cup cheddar cheese
Serve quickly after cooking add water if it sits on the heat and stir to thin out.

Prepare any green vegetable you want and serve with the chops and grits.

Brunch Madame?

Croque Madame is the ultimate brunch food and one that is hard to pass up when deciding whether there to "benny" or not to benny". It usually wins out over Eggs Benedict although I love those too.

It's the french super sized grilled ham and cheese that is the stuff of dreams. I first had this sandwich in high school at a little French place that was a hang out at Tyson's Corner Mall in the 80's.

It's good and I now I make it home for a crowd for brunch parties. If you have Veggie friends just leave off the Ham. It's still cheesy yummy good.

Give these a try and Madame will treat you right!

Gastropub Style Croque Madame with Mornay and Raclette

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
5 ounces of shredded Gruyere cheese
salt and pepper
nutmeg to taste
12 pieces of thick 3/4 inch white toasting bread, Pullman loaf if you want.
12-16 slices of baked ham super thin slices
8 slices of raclette cheese
6 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
6 eggs
2 Tablespoons chopped chives
2 Tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Method:

For Sauce:

Heat butter in a pot till frothy then add in the flour
Whisk mixture till smooth
Cook for about one minute
Whisk Milk in slowly till all incorporated
Reduce heat and simmer till thickened and slightly reduced
Slowly add in the cheese till melted and smooth
Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg

Sandwiches:

Toast all slices of bread
Place 6 slices of the toasted bread on a baking sheet
Spread the Dijon on the bread
Top with Ham and then with Raclette cheese
Broil the sandwiches till the cheese is melted and bubbling
Top sandwiches with the remaining bread
Slather with cheese sauce until covered even let it roll down the sides
Replace baking sheet under the broiler
Broil till bubbling and a little brown
Turn off broiler and heat oven to 300 leave sandwiches to stay warm till eggs are cooked

Eggs:
Slowly fry the eggs in the oil till sunny side and still runny
Top Sandwiches being held in the oven each with one egg each till all are eggs are fried and all sandwiches are ready to serve.
Garnish with chives and parsley on top to serve.

Serve with a mixed greens salad with a spicy vinaigrette

Beef Bourguignon

The first time I ever had Beef Bourguignon was when I was 19 and living in Switzerland. One family I knew invited us over for dinner and the wife who was french made Beef Bourguignon. There in that dining room in the sparkling candle light I knew why it was an amazing dish. Succulent and rich it was the embodiment of winter comfort food. Incredible.

So when I about 10 years ago decided to make Beef Bourguignon I thought about using Julia  Child's famous and recipe. The problem was two fold. I was visiting a friend's mountain house there was there a braising pot but no cookbook from Julia Child. Just a book with a recipe for burgundy beef from the 1970's. I decided to give it a try. So inspired with this recipe and cooking tool I went to the market got the ingredients and made the dish. It was really good, no really. So I was satisfied that I had made the recipe to a respectable level and made it this way for years. Then it all changed.

My friend's Ken and Rick invited me over to a dinner party one evening and Rick announced that he had made Julia's Beef Bourguignon recipe and we would be having it for dinner. Well it was revelatory. Amazing, incredible. And I felt compelled to try it. So armed with the recipe I too made Julia's recipe and again the results were amazing. But oh my God it was a process.

So I took a few ideas from Julia and kept my own version. It's pretty darn good though. So if you give it a try leave me a comment.


Forrest's Beef Bourguignon Recipe
Serves 6 to 8 really well

3 pounds of chuck stew meat cubed
oil for cooking
Flour for coating the beef heavily seasoned
1 white onion finely chopped
2 carrots finely diced
2 stalks of celery finely chopped
4 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried thyme
3 bay leaves dried
1 small can tomato paste
4 strips of bacon chopped
1 bottle rich red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 bag frozen pearl onions
1 bag mini carrots cut in thirds and boiled until just softened
2 8 oz packs of white mushrooms quartered
1/4 cup brandy
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 325
In a large bowl toss the beef with enough seasoned flour to coat very well
In a heavy enameled baking casserole brown beef in batches till browned
Add oil each time so each batch browns.
Don't overcrowd or the beef will steam and you want some browning and caramelising
Hold browned beef to the side on a plate
Cook the bacon till just done remove from pan leave the drippings
Cook the onions, celery and carrots in the drippings till almost soft add 4 cloves of minced garlic
Add the tomato paste and combine with vegetables
Using some wine deglaze the bits from the bottom of the pan
Add the beef, the bacon, the spices the salt and pepper and stir gently
Then pour in the rest of the wine and then add enough beef broth till just covered
Bring to a boil and then turn off heat
Place in the oven for about 2 hours. At this point add the mushrooms and the pearl onions and brandy
Turn oven to 350 and cook for another 30 minutes
Add in the cooked carrots right before serving
Season to taste with salt and pepper
Place on the stove over low heat until ready to eat.
Serve with well buttered mashed potatoes

Tomato Bruschetta Dinner Al Fresco Italiano

Summer is the best time to eat tomatoes. I love them. I think that during the warm Summer months when things are a little freer and time slides by a little slower it's only fair to say the the produce makes the season. And I think that tomatoes in particular are an amazingly special gift with their sun kissed skins nearly bursting with juicy deliciousness.

So these little beauties are the star of my summer evening table. I love making bruschetta in general. But when faced with the choice of ingredients I go for the gold with these.

The other obvious part of bruschetta is of course the bread. So the choice for a base is important. I am choosing focaccia because I love it's flaky soft juicy texture and when crisped it is tremendously delicious.

So here's a quick recipe for your backyard this summer. Enjoy!


Ingredients:

Fresh Grape or Cherry Tomatoes halved
Ricotta Cheese full fat about 8 oz
basil pesto ( you can make or buy this at your grocer)
Fresh basil about a bunch
Good quality olive oil ( a great olive oil really makes the difference, spend the money)
Sea Salt Flakes and Pepper
1 small loaf of Rosemary or plain focaccia bread

Method:

Cut bread into rectangular segments about 4 inches by 12 inches then slice bread into square slices about 1/2 in thick.
Heat oven to 375
Place bread on a baking sheet and then drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle with some sea salt flakes
Bake until the bread is a little brown and toasty
Remove from the oven and let cool
Mix the ricotta cheese till smooth and creamy and season with salt and pepper to taste
Cut the basil leaves into chiffonade
Mix the tomatoes with just enough olive oil to coat nicely
Top the bread with a good smear of the pesto then a dallop of the ricotta
Top the bread slices with the tomatoes and then the fresh basil mixture
Sprinkle with a drizzle of the oilve oil and a little sea salt and pepper and serve

Beet Salad with Buttermilk Whipped Ricotta, Pistachios, Sherry Vinaigrette and Horseradish

This salad is a cheat. What I mean by that is I hate hate hate cooking beets. Yes I hate the mess and the time involved. So I found a great product and I used it to make this salad and I'm not sorry. Not fuss, no mess, no trying to get red stains out of my kitchen. I'm not sorry.

So how do you make this salad?  And I'm telling you you should make this salad if you like beets because it's so simple and so delicious.

First you take ricotta and you put it in a bowl. You add salt and pepper and 3 tablespoons of buttermilk. Then you take a whisk and you whip it till combined. Then cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for about three hours.

When you are ready to make the salad this is what you do. You take a jar...yes a jar of Trader Joes beets in vinaigrette. This product is amazing. It's not your normal pickled beets (which you could use) but you don't even have to cut up the beets cause they have done it already. You just drain them really well. As you can tell from the picture I did not do that too well on this batch but oh well it was yummy.

Take your serving plate. This will serve 2 to 4 people depending on what else you are serving as a first course or salad. Take you ricotta and mound it in the middle of the plate. Then using a large tablespoon push the ricotta out of the center forming a barrier or wall of cheese in a circle. Then in the empty space carefully pour or spoon in your beets. Pour a little Sherry vinegar and really really good olive oil over the beets and season the top with sea salt flakes and pepper. Top with a few dallops of prepared horseradish and sprinkle with the nuts. If you want to get fancy zest some lemon over the top. Garnish with whatever green herb you have on hand. I used chives.

That's it. It's so easy and such a cheat and so so so good. I love it and you will too!

Ingredients: for a portion serving 2 to 4

1 jar Trader Joe's Beets in Vinaigrette - drained
1 8 Oz container Ricotta, (You'll use about 2/3's of this for the salad but mix the whole container with with the butter milk and use the rest later)
3 tablespoons buttermilk
Pistachios
Prepared Horseradish
Salt and pepper
Sherry Vinegar
Olive oil

Please feel free to comment I'd love to hear from you.

Smoked Salmon and Egg Breakfast Smorebrot

Smoked Salmon is probably one of the best known and most popular smoked fishes there is. I mean you'd almost have to be living under a rock these days in the U.S. not to have had exposure to it. It's good many times of the day but truth be told breakfast is my favorite time of day to enjoy it.

I'm obsessed with opened faced sandwiches and ever since being a kid and growing up with mother and grandmother who had Scandinavian roots I have loved sandwiches like these.  They are called Smorebrot that's the original term and they are normally served at lunch or for a light supper. Not having the top piece of bread just makes the sandwich more about the filling than the bread I feel. Unless you are grilling a sandwich or making a deli classic I just enjoy a good opened faced dish.

To make a great opened face Smorebrot or you have to start with great bread. So here I started with a delicious sourdough 7 grain loaf that I got at the Oakland farmer's market and brought back to NYC with me.

To this I added a layer of scallion cream cheese mixed loaded with scallions and chives. Then I added the Salmon. Now mind you this was no ordinary smoked salmon, no this was Pastrami smoked salmon. It has an unrivaled flavor and is so herbacious it makes one's taste buds spin. Pastrami we normally think of as beef. But here the same spices used to cure pastrami are used to sure the salmon. It's delicious.

But since this is breakfast we topped this off with a fried egg and then some chives for color and taste.

So give these a try you can easily find all the ingredients at the market and frying the egg is the hardest thing.  Enjoy!


Smoked Salmon Smorebrot
Serves 4

4 slices of good bread cut 1/2 inch thick and toasted
12 ounces of pastrami smoked Salmon
Scallion cream cheese ( You can buy this from your favorite bagel place or supermarket or make it yourself by blending room temperature cream cheese with loads of chopped scallions and chives and some salt.
4 eggs cooked sunny side up.

Assemble all ingredients as shown in order and garnish with some parsley or more chives and some sea salt and pepper

Egg Salad

Eggs are probably one of the most versatile foods around and egg salad is definitely one dish that most people first encounter at home. Your Mom probably mashed up eggs, mayo, maybe onion or celery and some salt and pepper and piled it on bread or toast. It's a simple dish and one that can bring back the memory of weekend lunches or Summer picnics.

Egg salad is also a deli case favorite and here in all Deli's all over New York. It's served up traditionally on sandwiches and even for breakfast on bagels toasted and crispy. Often this egg salad is also pretty simple and often the bagels chosen as a favorite is the everything bagel which is a bagel covered with spices and seeds and is in fact just delicious.

So I found myself with some eggs I needed to use up and a bottle of "Everything Spices" from "Trader Joe's" and I thought lets try and make a really cool egg salad that takes the salad and the bagel and brings it all together.

Now let's face it. The base of any great sandwich is the bread. But these days many of us are trying to eat less bread. Having grown up in a family that was half Scandinavian I grew up eating open face sandwiches. As they are traditional in the nordic kitchen. They are also a way to cut down on the bread factor without taking away all the "carby" enjoyment that goes along with eating a sandwich.

I used a sourdough 7 grain loaf from the farmer's market that I sliced the perfect thickness and toasted. Delicious!

So here's my take on Egg Salad. I hope you enjoy!

7 eggs boiled cooled and peeled
2/3 cup mayo plus one Tablespoon
1/4 cup very finely chopped green onion white and green
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 Tablespoon dill or sweet pickle relish (depending on your taste)
1/4 cup chopped dill
2 teaspoons lemon juice
dash of curry powder
2 teaspoons "Everything Seasoning" (Contains salt)
Japanese Style Fried Onions
Dried Parsley for garnish

Method:

In a bowl mash eggs and add all ingredients mash again to combine then stir to make smooth and creamy. Taste for seasoning add salt and pepper as desired.

Top toast generously with the egg salad and sprinkle with more "everything seasoning" and top with the fried onions. Enjoy!