Crabcake Sandwich -- Italian Style

A couple of days ago I decided to have an "Iron Chef" night, where I would pick an ingredient and try to come up with two or three dishes featuring that ingredient.  This time, the ingredient was crab and I immediately thought of a crabcake dish.

However, this dish is not a Maryland crab cake or even a Maryland style crab cake (yes, there is a significant difference between the two).  Rather, working with the Iron Chef theme, I decided to make a crab cake sandwich, Italian style.  The recipe does not use mayonnaise or even Worcestershire sauce.  Instead of using prepared mustard, I used cracked mustard and dry mustard., which gave the crabcake a rather distinct taste.  To pay homage to the Free State, I did use Old Bay.  Finally, I  did away with the bun and served the crabcake on fried polenta. It is topped with roasted red and orange peppers.  This is a dish that can be made in a really short time, particularly when you use precooked polenta.

CRAB CAKE SANDWICH -- ITALIAN STYLE

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 3-4

Ingredients (for the Crabcake):

1 pound of jumbo lump crab

1 egg

1 to 2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon of Old Bay

2 tablespoons of coarse ground mustard

1 teaspoon of dry mustard

3/4 cup of panko bread crumbs

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

Ingredients (for the rest of the dish):

Precooked polenta, sliced

Roasted peppers

Directions:
1.  Make the crabcakes.  Beat the egg and add in the crushed red pepper, Old Bay, coarse ground mustard, dry mustard, panko bread crumbs, salt and pepper.  Mix the ingredients and then fold in the crab meat.  Note that the mixture will seem dry, but it will be okay.  After mixing the crab with the ingredients, shape the crab into balls.  You should be able to get four balls out of 16 ounces of crab.  Refrigerate the balls for about fifteen minutes.  Thereafter, take the balls into your hand and gently form the cake.  You can then pan-fry the crab cakes with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about four to five minutes per side.  Be careful when flipping the crab cakes so as to keep them together.

2.  Fry the slices of polenta.  Cut the precooked polenta into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices.  In a separate pan, fry the slices in a couple inches of olive oil for several minutes on each side.  

3.  Plate the dish.  To plate, place the polenta on the plate and place the crab cake on top.  Then add the roasted pepper slices on the crab cake.  

ENJOY!

TIP: You can roast your own peppers if you have a gas stove.  Turn one of the burners and place the pepper over the flame.  The skin of the pepper will blacken.  Rotate the pepper until it is blackened on all sides.  Then, using running water, pull the blackened skin off the pepper. 

It's So Hard to Say Goodbye...

Those who know me well know that I love small businesses, especially when it comes to food and drink.  Screw Anheuser-Busch In-Bev, I rather spend my money on a six-pack of craft beer from a local brewer.  Forget the large corporate vineyards, I rather purchase wine from a local grower, whose vineyards consist of the front and back yards of her home.

And when it comes to food, I always try my best to support the "little guy."  One such little guy was Chef Kris Kreiger, the owner of Chef's Choice Meats in Berea, Ohio.  I used the past tense because, unfortunately, Chef Kreiger closed his store last week. And, I use the word "unfortunately," because I don't think that many people in Berea will realize what they have lost. 

The best way to explain the loss is through a story.  A couple of years ago, I was in the Cleveland area visiting my parents.  I had returned from a culinary trip to Italy, where I rekindled my love of cooking and my interest in Italian cuisine.  I decided that I would cook for my parents and the meal I selected was Bistecca alla Fiorentina or Florentine Steak.  I went to Chef's Choice Meats to purchase three porterhouse steaks, the quintessential cut for the recipe. Chef Kris was there and he personally cut the steaks.  Each steak weighed in at two pounds and came from cows that were locally raised.  Moreover, the steaks were perfectly marbled.  I would later tell my parents that the steaks were "works of art," a compliment which my father relayed to Chef Kris.  To date, those porterhouses stand as the best steaks that I have ever seen, cooked with and ate.

Chef Kris also made his own rub, which stands as one of the best rubs that I have ever used.  Even though I don't live in Berea, I always stopped by his store to buy the rub to ensure that I had an adequate supply in my kitchen.  The rub is supposed to be used for chicken or pork, although I find that it also works well with beef.  With the closing of Chef's Choice Meats, my source for that rub is now gone. 

Butcher shops are few and far between these days.  People buy their meat from grocery chains who deal in such large quantities that they are able to undercut independent shops.  The meat itself is ordinary. Good butcher shops are even more rare.  And, in my humble opinion, Chef's Choice rated as one of the best, if not the best.  Berea has not lost just lost a business, it has lost a culinary treasure.

If you would like to learn more about the closing of Chef's Choice meat, here is a link to an article from Cleveland.com:

http://blog.cleveland.com/newssun/2010/06/bereas_chefs_choice_meats_to_c.html

Lake Erie's Monster

Great Lakes Brewing Company is one of the first original craft breweries in Cleveland.  Great Lakes is known for its regular craft beers, such as its Dortmunder Gold or Burning River Pale Ale;  but it also has a reputation for great seasonals, such as its Nosferatu.

One legendary seasonal is the Lake Erie Monster, the Great Lakes seasonal for the summer.  An Imperial India Pale Ale, it registers at a 9.1% ABV with an IBU of 72.  The high ABV and relatively low IBV make this monster a little unique.  (The Nosferatu and Blackout Stout both have higher IBUs than the Imperial IPA).

The Lake Erie Monster is smooth, with a more rounded hop taste.  The finish is also smooth, with the alcohol following lock step with the hop taste.  Yet, this monster is no wallflower, as that 9.1% ABV provides the teeth for this beer.

I strongly recommend this beer, and, if I were rating it on a 1 to 5 star scale (with 5 being the highest), I would give it 4.5 stars.  The Lake Erie Monster is available at Whole Foods Markets.

Provencal Rack of Lamb with Roasted Tomatoes

It was a long day, starting with the commute, continuing with the load of work that accumulated on my desk as much as the snow accumulated around my office, and ending with an equally long commute.  So, I decided to treat myself.  Clare had a meeting and I would be dining alone, which usually means I make a big steak (to compensate for the fish and vegetables I eat with my pescatarian/vegetarian wife).  I decided to do something different and I came across a recipe from Gourmet magazine for Provencal Rack of Lamb with Roasted Potatoes.  So, I went and bought myself a rack of lamb and the rest is history....

Provencal Rack of Lamb with Roasted Tomatoes

1 frenched rack of lamb (4 to 8 chops, of course, I always lean toward the higher end of the range)

1 spring of fresh rosemary, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, halfed

2 medium boiling potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 shallot (or, if your shallot is bad, like the one I bought, use a sweet onion)

3 tablespoons of olive oil (or more, after all, it is the "good" fat)

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced and then mashed

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Combine the rosemary and the mashed garlic with at least 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to create a paste.  Take about 1/3 of the paste and drizzle it on to the tomatoes.  Place the tomatoes into a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes.  

Meanwhile, brown the rack of lamb on all sides in an oven-proof skillet.  Use about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to brown the lamb.  Once the lamb is browned (after about 6 minutes, although it took a little longer for me), remove the lamb and add the potatoes and onions to the skillet.  Also add about 1/3 of the garlic mixture.  Brown the potatoes and cook the onions.  After about 4 to 6 minutes, add the lamb, placing it on top of the potatoes.  Stick the pan into the oven (remember to use an oven-proof pan) for about 20 to 30 minutes or when the lamb registers 130 degrees.  Remember that the lamb will continue to cook when you take it out of the oven, so pull it out when it registers about 125 to 127 and cover it in foil for a couple of minutes.  

Arrange the potatoes on the plate with one to two of the tomatoes.  Slice the rack and place the lamb cutlets on the potatoes.  I added a herb salad to round out the plate.  Still working on the whole "presentation" thing.  Enjoy.

Carnitas, Cerdo Loco Style

One of the things on my to do list for cooking is to make carnitas.  After all, I really like Chipotle's carnitas soft tacos; and I wanted to make it for myself and more for my tastes.  So, I googled carnitas recipes and did not find one that I liked or wanted to do.  The traditional carnitas recipes call for braising/cooking the pork in lard; however, I have too much "lard" around my waist and I did not want to add to it.  In the end, took a couple of recipes and added my own twists.

One twist was to use a four-pepper rub (native nambe, hatch red, ancho and chipotle) which added a kick to the pork.  The second twist was to braise the pork in not only chicken stock and broth, but also beer.  The combination of spicy peppers and beer turns the pork into something I call a Cerdo Loco, or "crazy pig" style. It is a spicy version of carnitas and you have to be a little crazy to eat it.

And, as always, feel free to modify the herbs and spices to your liking.

CARNITAS, CERDO LOCO STYLE
A Chef Bolek Original

Ingredients (for the pork shoulder):
1 Pork Shoulder, either Boston Butt or Picnic
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup chicken broth
2 12oz bottles of beer (your choice, I think a lager works well)
4 bay leaves

Ingredients (for the rub):
2 Teaspoons of kosher salt.
1 Tablespoon of paprika
1 Teaspoon of native nambe pepper (or any other spicy, hot pepper)
1 Teaspoon of red hatch pepper (or a slightly less spicy pepper)
1 Tablespoon of ancho chili pepper (I used one whole pod, ground using a coffee grinder)
1 Tablespoon of chipotle chilli pepper (I used 4-5 pods, ground using a coffee grinder)
1 Tablespoon of garlic powder

1 Tablespoon of cardamom

1 Tablespoon of dried oregano
2 Teaspoons of dried thyme
1 Teaspoon dried coriander

Directions:

1.  Mix all of the rub ingredients together and apply liberally to the pork.  Wrap up pork with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for at least a couple of hours.

2.  Put the pork in a large pot (I used an 8 quart braiser) and add the stock, broth and beer.

3. Turn the heat to medium until the liquid boils, then reduce to low.

4.  Cook for a really long time as much as six hours or until the meat falls of the bone and shreds easily.

5. Shred meat with two forks.

I usually serve it with soft tacos, garnished with a basic salsa (tomato, onion, cilantro and lemon/lime juice), some greens and a cheese (such as, in this case, Manchego).  

ENJOY!

The New Year

Okay, so I have been really bad at updating this blog.  I mean, really bad.  I looked at the dates on the prior posts and realized that I have not been adding recipes as frequently as I should.  One reason is that I simply upload the photos of what I make to Facebook, along with brief explanations.  Unfortunately, for those who are not on Facebook, you do not get to see the food.

So I am resolving to make an effort to reverse everything, working primarily off this blog and linking it to Facebook.  How I will accomplish that is yet to be determined.  I will also begin putting some of the things I did on Facebook on this page to share it with those of you who have not seen it.

I hope everyone is having a great new year.  Check back soon.

Gambero del Rosmarino con Insalata del Pomodoro

After viewing a couple of recipes for rosemary shrimp, I decided that I would try to make my own version of rosemary shrimp and work a little on my presentation. The recipe is very simple and the dish is very delicious. The key to the recipe is to get the largest shrimp possible, such as 8-10 count. Enjoy.

GAMBERO DEL ROSMARINO CON INSALATA DEL POMODORO
(ROSEMARY SHRIMP WITH A TOMATO SALAD) A Chef Bolek Original
Serves 2-3

Ingredients (for the shrimp):
1/2 lb. Shrimp (largest count available)
12 sprigs of rosemary (approx)
2 cloves garlic
black pepper to taste
salt to taste
olive oil

Directions (for the shrimp):
1.  Take the rosemary sprigs and remove approximately 2/3s of the leaves from the lower part of the sprigs so that there is just a tuft of rosemary at the top. Dice the rosemary and the garlic. Clean the shrimp (de-vein and shell if necessary). Place the shrimp, olive oil, garlic and rosemary into a ziploc bag and season with salt and black pepper. Mix the ingredients in the bag and let it marinate for about a half-hour to an hour.

2.  Take the sprigs and whittle the sprigs to remove some of the woody exterior. Then take one to two shrimp and skewer them onto the rosemary sprigs.

3.  Pour a small amount of olive oil in a grill pan. Heat a grill pan to medium heat. Place the skewers on the grill pan. Grill on each side for a couple of minutes until the shrimp becomes opaque.

4.  For presentation, I took a small loaf of french bread, which was sliced into thirds. The olive oil and the rosemary will drip from the shrimp onto the bread, flavoring it.

Ingredients (for the tomato salad):
1/2 bag of arugula
12 heirloom tomatoes (approx), halved
balsamic vinegar
1/2 red onion, sliced.
Black pepper

Directions (for the tomato salad):
Arrange the arugula and onion around the bread. Season with black pepper and balsamic vinegar.

Our First Herb Garden

Both Clare and I now have our first herb garden, thanks to our friends Michele Martin and Anice Schervish, as well as my cousins Sandy Davis and Corry Hoffeditz. Our little herb garden consists of two basil plants, two rosemary plants, two oregano plants, sage, cilantro, chives, italian parsley, and spearmint. It also includes a tomato plant and a tabasco pepper plant.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

This is a classic Tuscan dish that is very simple to make and very easy to improvise. The most important element of this dish is the steak -- it should be a porterhouse steak, and, preferably, a big one. When I make this dish, I use a porterhouse steak that ranges anywhere from 1.5 to 2 pounds. It is best prepared on the grill; however, you can also use the broiler. Enjoy.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina
(serves 3-4)

1 2lb Porterhouse steak
3 cloves of garlic
4 sprigs of rosemary
sea salt
black pepper
Balsamic vinegar

Dice the cloves of garlic and the rosemary. Put it in a bowl. Add liberal amounts of salt and black pepper (I usually add more pepper than salt). Mix the ingredients. Then rub the ingredients onto the porterhouse steak. Let the steak rest for a few minutes.

Heat the grill to medium heat. Put the steak on the grill and let it cook for a few minutes. Turn the steak 90 degrees. After all, you want to get the grill marks. Let it cook for a few more minutes and then turn the steak over. Repeat to ensure there are grill marks on the other side.

Cooking times vary depending upon the size of the steak. One good way to check if the steak is done is to press on the steak with the tongs. If the steak seems firm, then it is fine and should be removed from the grill. Let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes and then serve.

To properly serve the steak, you should cut around the bone, which will result in two "filets." Slice each of the filets and leave them with the bone.  Drizzle some balsamic vinegar over the steak and serve.

Maccheroni alla Chitarra con Polpettini d'Agnello

Maccheroni alla Chitarra con Polpettini d'Agnello is a classic dish from the region of Abruzzo. The dish has three components: (1) the pasta, (2) the sauce and (3) the lamb meatballs. This recipe takes several hours to make, principally because of the time needed to cook the sauce and really intensify the flavors within that sauce. This recipe also calls for handmade pasta, using the rather unique "chitarra," which is a traditional pasta maker from Abruzzo. I have made this dish several times and, each time, I tweak the sauce and the meatballs to bring out new tastes and give each meal its own personality.

The Tomato Sauce

The recipe begins wtih the tomato sauce, which is slow cooked for at least three to four hours, but I prefer to cook it five or more hours. The sauce cooks down over the long period of time, concentrating the flavors of basil, oregano, crushed red peppers and tomatoes. It is a simple sauce, based on the recipe handed down in my family. To make the sauce, you need:

1 can of tomato paste

1 can of tomato puree

3 cans of water (use one the paste can for one and the puree can for two)

Dried basil, to taste

Dried oregano, to taste

Crushed red pepper, to taste

Salt, to taste

Crushed black pepper, to taste

2 cloves of garlic, diced

Olive oil

In a large pot, heat the garlic in the olive oil. Saute the garlic and, after a couple of minutes, add the paste, puree and water. Mix the ingredients well. Then add the basil, oregano, onion powder, salt and pepper gradually, tasting it as you go along. Let the sauce simmer for about 3 to 4 hours, checking it occasionally for taste and to ensure that it does not cook down too much.

Lamb Meatballs

The meatballs can be made of beef, pork, or veal; however, I really like ground lamb. When the herbs and spices are added to the meat, it really adds several layers of flavors that complement the lamb. These meatballs can convert anyone who is wary of eating lamb because of any preconceived notions about that "lamb" taste. To make the meatballs you need the following:

Approx. 2 lbs of ground lamb

1 cup of bread crumbs

1 egg

Dried basil, to taste

Dried oregano, to taste

Onion powder, to taste

Garlic powder, to taste

Crushed red pepper, to taste

Crushed black pepper, to taste

Salt to taste

Mix all of the ingredients thoroughly. Take the mixture and form a medium-size ball with your hands. After forming the meatballs, brown the meatballs in a frying pan with a couple of teaspoons of oil. After the meatballs are browned, pat them down to remove the excess oil. Then add the meatballs to the tomato sauce.

Chitarra Pasta

This recipe calls for handmade pasta, no boxed pasta, no electric pasta makers. Although the recipe is simple, it can be difficult in execution.

4 cups of flour
3 eggs

Create a volcano with the cups of flour and break the eggs into the the center of the volcano. Make sure that the "walls" of the volcano are thick enough to hold the eggs in the center. Take a fork and begin to beat the eggs gently. As you are beating the eggs, begin to incorporate the flour from the sides of the mountain, starting at the top. Continue to add flour until you have a consistent paste. As the mixture comes together, form it into a ball.

Clean the workspace and then sprinkle flour over the working surface. Gently knead thedough until it becomes smooth and elastic. Make sure that there are no sticky spots in the dough (as a sticky dough will simply clog the pasta machine). Once the dough has been kneaded, begin to run it through a handcrank pasta machine at the widest setting. Repeat this five or six times. Then run the pasta through each of the other settings on the pasta machine, except for the last setting.

Once you have finished with the second-to-last setting, lightly sprinkle it with flour and set aside for a couple of minutes. Then cut the pasta into segments.

If you have a chitarra, place the pasta on top of the strings. Using a small rolling pin, gently run the pin up and down the pasta until it falls through the strings. Repeat for each segment.

To cook the pasta, place it in a pot of boiling water (with salt added). Cook the pasta for a couple of minutes. When the pasta is done, drain the pasta and add it to the sauce.

ENJOY!