The Inferno Steak

This recipe is a story about how a Chef Bolek Original recipe is created.  In advance of an upcoming steak night, I decided to see if I could find an interesting steak recipe to make.  I start by looking at those chefs and cooks who I admire and trust, like Michael Symon, Bobby Flay and Steven Raichlen.  On this particular occasion, I was looking at Steve Raichlen's recipes when I came across two recipes, one for Hellfire Steaks and another for Steak from Hell.  I am someone who loves spicy food, so these recipes caught my attention.  Both recipes looked great, but, for me, they did not conjure the "fire" that I wanted.

I decided to create my own hellish steak recipe.  I immediately drew inspiration from outside of the culinary world: the first part of the 14th century poem, Divine Comedy.  Also known as Inferno, this part was written by Dante Alighieri to document the descent into hell.  That descent began at the gates of hell, which bore an inscription that ended with the words: "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate", or "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."  That sounded like a fitting beginning for a hellish steak recipe.  After passing through the gates, Dante made his way through nine circles of suffering -- Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud and Treachery -- with each circle representing a gradual increase in wickedness.

The nine circles got me to thinking.  Many people think of eating chiles as a kind of suffering ... with the heat and piquancy causing sweating and discomfort.  I decided to use nine different chiles to represent the nine circles of suffering, with each subsequent chile being more "wicked" (or spicier) than the last.   After a lot of thought, I selected the following chiles or peppers:

1.  Limbo: Paprika.  In Dante's Inferno, the first circle was "Limbo," which had been populated by people who, although not sinful, had not accepted God. This got me to thinking, although paprika is made from ground bell peppers or chiles, it is not "hot" or "spicy."  Indeed, paprika -- a ground spice used in many cuisines around the world -- seems to be the best spice to represent limbo.  There are two versions of paprika: hot and sweet.  I decided to use the sweet version of paprika, because this would serve as one of the bases for the rub.

2.  Lust: Hatch Chile.  The second circle was "Lust," populated by those who had been overcome by lust.  Followers of this blog know that I have often been overcome by my love of the Hatch chile. For that reason, it seemed appropriate to select that chile to for the "Lust" circle.  Hatch chiles are grown in New Mexico and are a key component to Southwestern cuisine.  They are also relatively modest when it comes to heat or spice, with only 3,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units.  (Scoville Heat Units measure the capsaicin, which is the chemical compound in chiles and peppers that provides the heat or spiciness.)   In addition to the heat, the Hatch chile also provides a little earthiness to the spice mix.

3.  Gluttony: Chipotle Chile. The third circle was "Gluttony," populated by individuals who overindulged in food and drink.  For me, the one chile that I would often overindulge in is the chipotle pepper.  Derived from the Nahuatl word, chilpoctli, which means smoked chili pepper, the chipotle is a smoke-dried jalapeno chile principally grown in the northern Mexican State of Chihuahua.  The chipotle chile is similar to the Hatch Chile in that it has anywhere from 3,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units.  Also, like the Hatch Chile, the chipotle pepper serves two purposes in the rub:  to provide some heat and some smoke flavor. 

4.  Greed: Aleppo Pepper.  The fourth circle was "Greed," which is where people would find themselves if their greed for material things that deviated from the norm.  When it came to selecting the fourth pepper, I chose the Aleppo pepper.  The reason is simple: whenever I use Aleppo Pepper, in cooking, I always want more. Also known as the Halaby pepper, the Aleppo pepper is primarily cultivated in Turkey.  The pepper adds a little more smokiness, like an ancho or chipotle pepper, to the rub.  The Aleppo pepper also contributes a certain tartness, which adds a little complexity to the rub.  Finally, this pepper represents a slight increase in heat from the prior chiles, with about 10,000 Scoville Heat Units. 

5.  Anger: Sanaam Chile.  The fifth circle is "Anger."  This is where the rationale for choices become a little more pragmatic.  I chose the Sanaam chile, which is cultivated in India and used in Indian cuisine, for "Anger."  The reason is simple: its piquancy represents a four-fold increase in Scoville Heat Units over the Aleppo pepper.  The Sanaam chiles pack a weighty 40,000 Scoville Heat Units, as compared to the 10,000 units of the Aleppo Pepper.  This increase is also felt in the heat of the rub.

6.  Heresy: Aji Limo Rojo. The sixth circle is "Heresy."  This is one of the most difficult choices for chiles.  I selected the Aji Limo Rojo for this circle, although there is nothing heretical about the chile at all.  The Aji Limo is a chile grown throughout Central and South America, and it figures into cuisines from Panama to Peru.  These chiles come from the same family as the habanero, although they lack the intense heat of a habanero (or a scotch bonnet pepper).  The Aji Limo pepper can have anywhere from 50,000 to 60,000 Scoville Heat Units.

7.  Violence: Dundicut Pepper.  The seventh circle is "Violence."  Once again, I had some difficulty in selecting the pepper.  Many peppers do "violence" to the stomachs of some people.  I ultimately chose the Dundicut chile, which is grown in Pakistan and widely used in Pakistani dishes.  This chile is very similar to a scotch bonnet pepper, but with a little less heat.  Nevertheless, the Dundicut represents a slight increase in Scoville Heat Units over the Aji Limo Rojo chile.  A Dundicut can have anywhere between 55,000 to 65,000 Scoville Heat Units. However, at least for me, both the look and taste of the Dundicut seem hotter and spicier than the Aji Limo Rojo.

8.   Fraud: Chile Pequin.  The eighth circle is "Fraud," where people who engage in conscious treachery or deception are punished.  The selection of the pepper was a little easier this time.  I chose the Chile Pequin.  This chile is very small, which deceptively suggests that it is not very hot or spicy.  However, the Chile Pequin can be anywhere from thirteen to forty times hotter than a jalapeno, with 70,000 Scoville Heat Units.   At this level, the primary purpose of the Chile Pequin is to provide heat to the spice rub. 

9.  Treachery: Piri-Piri.  The ninth and final circle is "Treachery."  As with the sixth and seventh circles, it was hard to rationalize a choice for this chile.  I ultimately decided to use the chile that was the most potent of all the chiles and peppers in our kitchen ... the Piri-Piri pepper.  Also known as the African bird's eye pepper, the Piri Piri pepper is grown and cultivated in many areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. The Piri-Piri pepper can have as much as 100,000 Scoville Heat Units, providing the highest amount of heat and spice of any of the peppers in the mix. 

While I am using nine different peppers and chiles, I still wanted to make a rub that is edible for many people.  For that reason, I steered clear of the extremely hot chiles, like Trinity Moruga Scorpion, Naga Viper and Bhut Jolokia peppers.  I also added some other spices to complement the heat of the peppers.  These spices include allspice, clove, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, and kosher salt.  Finally, I added a teaspoon of sugar.  The sweetness of the sugar helps to tamper the spice of the chiles.

THE INFERNO STEAK

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-4

The Inferno Rub

Ingredients:

2 marrow bones

2 bone-in ribeyes, cowboy style

1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon of onion powder

1/2 tablespoon of paprika powder

1/2 teaspoon of Hatch chile powder

1/2 teaspoon of chipotle powder

1/4 teaspoon of Aleppo powder

1 dried Sanaam chile, ground

1 dried Dundicut chile, ground

1 dried Aji Limo Rojo, ground

1 dried Chile Pequin, ground

1/4 teaspoon of Piri Piri powder

1/4 teaspoon of allspice

1/4 teaspoon of cloves

1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric

1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 teaspoon of sugar

Directions:

1.  Roast the marrow bones.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cover one end of the marrow bones with foil and stand them up foil side down.  Roast the marrow bones for forty-five minutes.  Remove the marrow and the oils into a small bowl.

2.  Prepare the steaks.  Combine all of the chile and peppers in a bowl, along with the allspice, cloves, coriander, turmeric, salt and sugar.  Mix well. Using a brush, baste the steaks with the oil and marrow from the bones.  Season the steaks with the rub, applying the rub to all sides of the steaks.  Set aside for a few minutes.

3.  Grill the steaks.  Heat a grill on medium high heat.  Place the steaks on the grill.  Grill for five minutes and rotate ninety degrees.  Grill for five more minutes.  Flip the steaks and grill for five minutes.  Rotate the steak ninety degrees.  Grill for five minutes more and remove the steak.  Let the steak rest for a few minutes.  Slice the steak and serve immediately. 

ENJOY!

Búsqueda de los Cerdos

A few years back, my beautiful Angel, Clare, and I bought a framed picture at the Bethesda Arts Festival.  We go to the festival every year and, inevitably, we purchase a picture or two of art.  That year, Clare stopped at the stall of Josh Axelrod.  Josh is a great photographer, who believes that "magic is everywhere" and whose goal is to seek out "the poetry of the landscape."

Clare focused on one of Josh's photographs.  The picture, which was shown to the left, is entitled "In Pursuit of Trouble."  The picture depicted three little pigs walking outside of what looks like an old building.  Clare immediately thought of me and my love of cooking with pork (and eating bacon).  Thinking that this would be a picture that I would be interested in buying, Clare went looking for me and brought me to Josh's stall.  

Josh explained that he took the picture during a trip to Peru.  He was walking through a small town when he came across those three little pigs.  The pigs were strutting around like they owned the place, conspiring to stir up some trouble.  Josh stopped, pulled out his camera, and took the picture.  And, we bought that picture.  It currently hangs in our kitchen, where I can look at it whenever I cook.

Recently, I was looking at the picture and its story motivated me motivated me to make a dish inspired by Peru.  I purchased a couple of Duroc pork chops and went to work thinking of a rub that draws from Peruvian flavors.  I decided to use a couple Aji Limo Rojo peppers, which are very hot chiles from Peru, along with adobo, onion, and other spices.  I made a simple rub and then placed the pork chops under the broiler.  Alternatively, the pork chops could be grilled under medium high heat (about 375 to 400 degrees).

BUSQUEDA DE LOS CERDOS

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 boneless pork chops

2 Aji Limo Rojo peppers

1 tablespoon of onion powder

1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of black peppercorns

1 teaspoon of adobo powder

1 teaspoon of sea salt

1 tablespoon of paprika

Directions:

1.  Make the rub. Grind the Aji Limo peppers and the peppercorns.  In a small bowl, add the pepper with the onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, adobo and paprika.  Mix well.  Apply the rub on all sides of the pork chops. 

2.  Cook the pork chops.  Preheat the broiler.  Place the pork chops under the broiler and cook for about fifteen minutes.  Flip and cook for fifteen minutes more or until done.  Remove and let the pork chops sit for about ten minutes.  

3.  Plate the dish.  Slice the pork chops and serve with rice.

PAIRING THIS DISH

The Aji Limo Rojo peppers are very spicy.  The peppers have Scoville Heat Units that range from 50,000 to 60,000.  This is as much as one hundred times hotter than a poblano pepper,  six to seven times hotter than a jalapeno pepper and up to five times hotter than a serrano pepper.  This heat is most likely too much for any wine.  The best pairing for this dish is a beer.  The best beer is perhaps one that is somewhat fruity (like a white wine) and a little heavier in alcohol (to help one forget about the burn of the chiles).  I think the following beer would pair well with this dish:

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company -- Ovila Quadrupel
Belgian Trappist-Style Quadrupel 
California, USA.
Flavors of banana, malt, Belgian yeast.

ENJOY!

The Peruvian Fire Flower

Many of the "Chef Bolek Original" recipes are dishes that I create "on the fly."  Some of those recipes come with caveats; this one comes with a warning.  Do not make it.  This recipe originates from the devil inside me ... the one that loves fire and spice.  I took two Aji Limo Rojo peppers, which are dried, Peruvian chile peppers and ground them down to a fine powder.  I added the powder to some garlic butter and drizzled it over a Vidalia sweet onion.  I then wrapped the onion and foil and threw it on the grill for fifteen minutes.  

The result is a very spicy blooming onion that is much healthier than the deep fried version that is available at certain restaurants that will not be named.  Although I should qualify the word "healthier" in that it will not clog your arteries like the deep fried blooming onion.  As for your stomach lining and intestinal comfort, that is a different matter.  

The reason rests with the Aji Limo Rojo, a small red pepper that comes from the same family as the habanero pepper.  The Aji Limo Rojo is very spicy, with one of the higher ratings on the Scoville scale.  Named after its creator, American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, the Scoville scale measures the piquancy or spicy heat of chiles.  Actually, the scale is a measure of the amount of capsaicin in a chile.  Capsaicin is a chemical compound that stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in skin and mucous membranes.

The scale is measured in units -- Scoville Heat Units (SHU) -- and chiles are usually associated with a range of SHU.  For example, a poblano pepper ranges from 500 to 2,500 Scoville Heat Units.  A jalapeno pepper ranges from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units.  A serrano pepper ranges from 10,000 to 23,000 Scoville Heat Units.  

As for the Aji Limo Rojo, it ranges from 50,000 to 60,000 Scoville Heat Units.  In other words, the Aji Limo Rojo can be as much as one hundred times hotter than a poblano pepper,  six to seven times hotter than a jalapeno pepper and up to five times hotter than a serrano pepper.  While I love this kind of spicy heat, it may be a little to hot for people who do not like spicy foods.  So, do not make it unless you enjoy the "burn" of hot, spicy foods. 

THE PERUVIAN FIRE FLOWER

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 medium sized Vidalia onion
2 dried Aji Limo Rojo chiles
2 tablespoons of butter
1 clove of garlic, diced
1/2 tablespoon of fresh cilantro, chopped finely
Salt, to taste

Directions:
1.  Prepare the onion.  Remove the skin from the onion.  Slice a little from the bottom of the onion (the root side) so that the onion will sit flat.  Slice a little off of the top.  Then slice the onion, top to bottom and left to right.  Do not slice all the way through the onion.  Leave about 1/2 inch at the bottom.  Turn the onion forty-five degrees and repeat, cutting from top to bottom, left to right.  Place the onion on an aluminum foil sheet large enough to wrap the onion.

2.  Prepare the chiles and butter.  Grind the chiles into a fine powder. Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Add the garlic and cilantro.  Add the chile powder and remove from the heat.  Pour the melted butter over the onion and add salt to taste.  Wrap up the onion.

3.  Cook the onion.  Heat the grill or your stove to about 400 degrees.  Grill or cook the onion for about ten to fifteen minutes. 

ENJOY!

For more on the Scoville scale, check out Wikipedia.