name : wesage : 24
location : hoboken, nj
occupation : food
explain yourself:
i love to eat food.
i love the thought of eating food.
i love reading about people who are eating food.
this blog is to document every chew, gulp, sautee, and taste i encounter. there's plenty of food out there, and i want to experience all of it.
[featured photos and video were captured on my iphone 3gs. others will be fairly and rightfully credited to their proper owners.]
who do you like:
midtown lunch
amateur gourmet
serious eats
VendrTV
Robyn Lee
Wine Library TV
what are you up to?:
Theme by nostrich.
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The Minimal Ingredient Chicken and Broccoli Pizza
For random improvised pizza, a little bit of flour, water, and a “grain of salt” mentality go a long way. Trust me, I’m not downplaying this meal: it was great, all things considered.
I’m sure Patsy Grimaldi and Jim Lehey would laugh at my pie if seeing the ingredients on paper. But fellas, let’s give this post a chance, and maybe I can win you over.
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Revisiting the Asian Style Pork Chop
Listen, the thing about cooking is that occasionally, you hit the wall on what to make. Sometimes, you’re left with things that you’ve already tackled, and ingredients that have been repurposed. To that, I say this: so what. Throwing in as little as one variable into the mix turns the whole dish around. Take, for example, this asian style pork chop dish.
If you didn’t notice before, I went through a big leek phase, and had plenty on hand. And without an onion, which the dish normally calls for, what better substitute to use than it’s fancy cousin. Leeks capture the best parts of both regular onions and scallions. It’s not as strong or over powering as its white, red, and yellow brethren, but it’s got a nice mellow, smooth flavor that is reminiscent. It’s got the brightness of scallion, without the lengthy bitter aftertaste. When pan fried, it becomes a little sweet, which mixed well with the saltiness of the soy and oyster sauce chops.
And what dish isn’t complete without potatoes. Red potatoes add in a great layer of extra texture, which sops up the sauce beautifully. I choose brown rice to not overload the starches too much. I find that the red is the creamier of the spuds, and adds tons to sauce-rich dishes like this. I would go as far to say that it can support the meal without rice. But I think there’s some unspoken rule in Chinese cuisine that says that’s sacrilege.
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Stuffed Burgers with Hash Browns
There are few combos in this world that make me happy. A sweet-ass Killer Instinct combo? Yeah, they rule. Combo pretzel snacks? No thanks. But, when the classic combo of beef and potato come together, it’s like Sabrewolfe laying a massive 20-hit smack down on those crappy cheese pizza flavored bites. Enter the stuffed burger, filled with a delicious blend of Mexican cheeses, served on a portugese roll. Sam hand crafted the patties and grilled on the cast-iron skillet to a perfect sear. The cheese melted throughout the center, so rather having a molten lava explosion melting my soft palate, its nicely distributed across each bite.
Sam diced up a few russet potatoes, salt and peppered them, and threw them into a 400 degree oven on a cookie sheet. Honestly, it didn’t matter what form it came in. A burger needs some starch to bring it all together. But these potatoes were cooked perfectly. The heat from the pan gave each spud a nice crust, and finished smoothly upon chew. There was no greasy oily taste to detract from the creamy taste. Otherwise, a great American combo classic that Fulgore would approve of. Now, I’m off to buy a Super Nintendo system to get this Killer Instinct kick out of my system.
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How a Fondess for Rachael Ray Gave Me a Lamb Chops Dinner
We find inspiration and influence in avenues that appeal closely to our own. Both in delivery, and message. There’s no rule in the book that says you have to be Julia Childs to be legitimate source of food knowledge.
Enter Rachael “Yummo” Ray. When Sam is home during the day, she’ll pop over to her television show to watch her whip up some “30 Minute Meals”. I’ve had my reservations about her, but let’s face it: food made quick, easy, and delicious … who can argue with that?
In one episode, Ray served up some broccolini, which I can only describe as the perfect hybrid between Chinese kai-lan and its standard namesake. Sam loved the name, and went out in search of the vegetable. And in her mind, if her ambition took her the grocery story to find sometime she’s never heard of, why not go the full monty and make a main course that she’s never made either: lamb chops.
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Sticky Lemon Chicken a la Gordon Ramsay
OK, the headline for this post is a bit of a stretch. Am I a multi-michelin star winning chef? No. Am I British? Well, if we don’t count my unhealthy love for Chelsea Football Club and Guy Ritchie films, I’m going to have to give a big thumbs down on that. One thing I am: impressionable. I came across this recipe after stumbling upon Gordon Ramsay cooking up sticky lemon chicken on YouTube. Going solely off memory and the ingredients list, this is what I came up with.
One thing that really amazed me is Ramsay’s suggestion to lop off the bottom end of the drumstick. According to him, it cooks quicker, and looks much more presentable. I’m not sure about cooking time, but simply cutting of the bottoms give the drums a much meatier, larger look to them. In a big pan, brown on both sides, then sprinkle thyme and garlic over top. With all the delicious chicken bits stuck to the pan, I used some apple cider vinegar to deglaze (the recipe called for sherry vinegar, which I didn’t have .. this might have been my undoing). I added some soy sauce and honey, and let the liquids bubble up nicely before adding some hot water. Afterwards, adding a few slices of lemon over top, and letting the mixture reduce down, it was supposed to become syrupy: it did not. I removed the chicken, and added a small bit of corn starch and water to thicken. Yes, Gordon, I cheated.
One mistake I think I made was using too many slices of lemon. When cooking, the peels added a slight bitterness to the overall dish. Adding honey and some more water helps, but once the damage had been done, it was a challenge to bring it back. Under prepared, I served the chicken over a ziti. This dish definitely called for rice to sop up the sauce better. Not exactaly Ramsay styled, but a good first try nonetheless.
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Salt and Pepper Chicken with Oven Roasted Vegetables
From the kitchen that brought you such hits as salt and pepper pork comes a tale of leaner poultry proportions: salt and pepper chicken! Thin cuts of chicken, dry dredged in a tangy dusting, and double fried. For those who don’t dig on swine, this may be the answer for you.
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Chicken Fingers a la Food Wishes’ Chef John
Of the many foodies I love to read and watch on a daily basis, Chef John of Food Wishes are posts that I am a particular fan of. With an abundant schedule of sports parties around the corner, he bestowed on his viewers a meticulously detailed video on the craft and art of chicken fingers. His trick, besides an overly blatant ad spot for the Nexus One, is an ingredient that has appeared in many of my own dishes on this blog: panko bread crumbs. I don’t know if you noticed, but I like panko.
So what else does an eager monkey-see-monkey-do’r do? The answer is inside…
One thing to note: these fingers were HUGE. The panko adds more body than regular bread crumbs, and a noticeably deeper crunch and flavor. Cutting the chicken breast long-ways also gives you a something more substantial to hold, dip, and devour. A dry, wet, dry batter of flour, eggs, and panko is all you need. I did add some white pepper for some added heat, but feel free to leave out. Now, when breading, pour out an eye-ball measurement of panko into a bowl, and then pour more. I found that even when I thought there was enough, there wasn’t. You’ll thank yourself latter when your teeth sink into a crispy chicken finger, ringing out a resounding crunch. Deep fry in canola oil for 7 minutes, checking for that golden brown, and flip. Set aside on a paper towel to drain off that excess oil.
With our kitchen being a tad smaller than we’d like, I don’t have room for fancy gadgets like a mandolin, which would have been great for my oven roasted potato chip idea. Instead, like the Macgyver I think I am, I tried slicing paper thin pieces with staggered success. In any case, they were thin enough to absorb a good amount of olive oil, salt, and pepper that fried up nicely in the oven. A subtle crisp, with a smooth finish.
And don’t let people tell you green bean casserole is only for Thanksgiving. They’re perfectly fine for any occasion. Regular and french cut beans, mixed with cream of mushroom soup, and fried onions go into a casserole dish, and into the oven. Be sure to top with more onions for that trademark crispy top.
I didn’t follow Chef John’s honey mustard recipe. Instead, a few equal globs of honey, and (gasp) spicy brown mustard, and a dash of hot sauce will do the trick. The fingers were delicious. Incredibly juicy insides, and a great crust. Thanks Chef John!
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Grilled Chicken Sandwich
What is it about the grilled chicken sandwich as the quintessential “I need to eat healthier” go to food? When I bit into this, it was like “rainforest water fall of cool, clear water hit me in the face” fresh!
A simple salt-pepper chicken breasted, cooked in a non-stick pan with olive oil. I also tossed in a knob of butter to kick up the creamy factor on the ole’ palate. Earlier, I defrosted a pre-cut baguette from a Balthazar loaf I purchased, and toasted it in the oven. While all the hot stuff cooked, I mixed up some Sriracha mayo and cut up some onion and cilantro. I spread the spicy condiment on, put down the veggie bed, and laid my chicken to sleep. Delicious!
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Salsa Colby-Jack Burger on Pita
Every so often, I like to break the normal whole wheat bread routine and pick up some pita. One of my favorite things to eat it with is tuna salad, compact, (semi)spill-free, and delicious. Even unconventional meals like this salsa colby-jack burger can utilize the pouchy starch. Besides, ever eat a burger on regular sliced bread? Depressing!
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Date Night Over Some Italian(esque) Eats
I’m not a bitter chinese fella, but to be fair, we invented the noodle. And for that, I would like: 1) some credit where credit is due (you hear me, Mario Batali?); 2) show my appreciation for the italian cuisine that bears the starchy fruit of my people. This particular evening’s menu for date night with my beautiful Samantha was a simple, filling, and tasty one: linguine with meat sauce, garlic toast, and cesar salad.
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