Ultimate sausage and peppers

Good evening everyone and welcome back to football season.  Whether you are a fan or not this is the time of year where we get together from the busy summer and start to reconvene to end the year.  With football here so is the food.  My sausage and pepper recipe is a combination of old and new with a little twist.  Normally you would use green peppers and onions and fry them in a skillet then grill your sausage and put everything together.

This recipe calls for yellow, green, and red peppers.  In addition we are also going to use vidalia onions and instead of thick sausage links we are going to grill thin links.

Ingredients:
2 green peppers
2 yellow peppers
2 red peppers not the hot ones
one pound of thin sausage links which can be found at your local Italian deli or butcher.
3 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt
paprika
Garlic powder
Black pepper

You are going to cut your peppers in half and clean out the seeds, then you are going to cut them again in 1/4 inch strips.
Clean your onion and cut into strips also.  Put them all together in either a metal or ceramic tray.  Add the olive oil and spices about a 1 tbsp of each spice and preheat your oven or grill at 400 degrees.  Your peppers are going to take about 45 to 60 minutes to cook. Also if you are cooking your peppers in the oven don't forget to put tin foil around the tray so that you create a tent, if you don't they will dry out.  This does have to be used if you are using a grill.  You know when they are done when you can easily stick a fork through them.
Your peppers are also not going to be hot,  red and yellow peppers are very sweet compared to green and when you add the vidalia onion it even becomes sweeter.
Cook your sausage in the oven or grill also at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or until they are golden brown.  Remember that pork sausage you want the internal temperature at over 180 degrees.

After you are done cooking you are going to want to put this together so just get your Italian bread add the links and the peppers and enjoy.

The taste of the sweet peppers mixed with the sausage and onions is amazing.  Have a great time with this dish and the only prep time is cutting your vegetables.  Have a great season don't loose to much money betting on the games.  

Pizza Pizza

Pizza has been around for centuries, and in almost every Mediterranean culture there has been some variation of it.  They all include the basic parts crust, filling, and topping.  One can argue that a great pizza needs to have the perfect crust which can mean that it has to be flaky and thick or thin and crunchy.  Others may argue that the sauce needs to be either super sweet or incredibly spicy to bring out the flavors of the crust and cheese, and lets not forget that the cheese of this magnificent culinary invention so many to choose from, it is really an infinite number of combinations.  The great answer to the argument is that they are all correct.
You need to have all the right ingredients to make the perfect pie for you.  What that means is Pizza is personal, and it is whatever you want it to be.  For this recipe i am going to make a traditional pizza (rectangular not round) and it is going to be rustic in the sense that it is going to have thin crust, crushed plum tomatoes, whole milk mozzarella, and topped with olives (calamata and Greek) and onions.

Like every great artist you have start with a superb canvas and our canvas for this dish is our crust.  Pizza crust is rather simple to make however you are going to have to use some elbow grease to knead the dough because that is the most important part of the process.

Crust ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of water
1/2 cup of milk
1 tbsp of salt
4 tbsp of olive oil
5 cups of unbleached flower
1 packet of bread yeast

Step 1:  Combine salt, water, oil, milk, and yeast into bowl and mix by hand with a spoon, preferably wooden, slowly at first then gradually faster so that you activate the yeast.

Step 2:  Incorporate only 4 of the 5 cups of flour one at a time and mix slowly so that the solution and the flour come together evenly. The fifth cup is going to be used in the kneading process so that the dough becomes dry but not hard. You do not want to feel any dampness when you are kneading dough.

Step 3:  After the 4 cups of flour have been used remove the wooden spoon and get ready to get dirty, in a fun way, start kneading the dough with your hands  you will see it start to form in a ball.  when the flour in the bowl has mixed with the solution the dough will still feel damp and will look like this:

At this point you are going to start adding the 5th cup slowly because you might not need it all until the dough looks glassy:  The finished product should look like this.

Step 4:  The dough needs to rise.  The best way to do this is putting it in the fridge overnight or if you are going to use it that day make it in the morning and leave it out (do not refrigerate) so that by the evening it is ready to be used.

After the the dough has risen you can start making your pizza sauce.  Add all of these ingredients together and mix them.

2 cans of crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp of salt
1 tbsp of black pepper
2 tbsp of garlic powder
2 tbsp of oregano
2 tbsp of basil

Make sure you mix the sauce well and let it sit for about 10 to 15 min so that the spices can meld with the sauce.

So now our dough has risen and our sauce has melded, now it is time lay down our canvas.  I am going to preheat my oven at 500 degrees since I am not using a stone.  This is important to understand also that most conventional kitchens do not have pizza stones unless you are really loaded and in that case you probably aren't even reading this because you have someone making pizza for you anyway. I have used pizza stones in the past and I find them to be bulky, heavy, and not easy to maneuver in the oven.  So i am going to use a baking pan about 1/2 inch in height so that I can lay my dough down.  Before I spread the dough I need to grease the pan with some olive oil so that my pizza will not stick.

After the dough has been spread I will add my sauce and I will also add a little Parmesan cheese to it for added flavor.

The final step is to add the cheese and my toppings you want to make sure that you cover the pizza to the  beginning of the crust so that you get maximum coverage.

After the pizza has been created  place it in the 500 degree oven for about 10 to 12 min or until crust has turned golden brown then remove.

I wish computers had a sniff application so that you can smell this wonderful dish.  It will definitely be "love at first slice".  Thanks for reading and remember "pizza is personal" no matter how crazy the idea it will always taste better when it is made like a pizza.

Pasta Bolognese

"Come on Irene"(I know it's Eileen) I am dating myself with this song but it is appropriate given the circumstances of the weather this weekend.  In times of bad weather or just times of uncertainty we want to have comfort and know that we can retreat to a familiar place, even when there is utter chaos.  That is where this dish comes in for me.
Bologna is a city of Italy where arguably has the most incredible flavors of Italian cooking in the world.  Pasta bolognese is pasta with meat sauce, the greatness comes from the fact that you are only using six ingredients to make the dish; pasta, chopped meat 85% lean is great because you are going to need the fat, crushed tomatoes, 1/4 onion and 2 cloves of garlic. It also is simple and quick to make.  Total prep time is 5 minuets, and cooking time for the sauce is 25 minuets.

So here are the ingredients:

2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 pound of 85% chopped meat
1/4 onion
2 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Pasta ( you can use whatever you like, but in the picture I use Rottini which is a type of pasta)

The next step is to chop the onions and garlic then place them in a sauce pot.  Then add the olive oil and turn on the oven to high heat to start cooking the onions and garlic first.  You are doing this to "soften" the garlic and onions.

After you soften the garlic and onions you are going to incorporate the meat.  You do not want to fully cook the meat at this point because you want the flavors of the tomatoes to meld with the garlic, onion, and meat.

The third step is to add the sauce.  When you add the sauce you are also deglazing your sauce pot at the same time so remember to stir constantly until you get the sauce to a boil.  After it gets to a boil reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 20 to 25 minuets.  Please let the sauce simmer.  Tomatoes do not cook well at high heat the acid from tomatoes make the sauce bitter.

Finally ten minutes before your sauce is done start cooking your pasta make sure that you add salt to your water so that the pasta retains the flavor.  After the pasta is cooked strain and combine enjoy with a simple Chianti and Parmesan cheese and let your worries float away.

Yia Yia's Tsatziki

Tsatziki is a yogurt sauce in Greek tradition and is used in combination with lamb, chicken, or beef. It is an excellent accompaniment with any dish and also can be used as a dip.  This recipe was given to me by a colleague of mine.  It is her grandmother's recipe, yia yia( pronounced ya ya) is grandmother in Greek.  This is a great recipe and a lot of fun to make also it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.  Be aware that when purchasing the yogurt for this dish it needs to be strained there are several out on the market, but i have found that the FAGE brand (pronounced Fa-yee) is the best.  Have a great time making this and invite some friends over for a little plate smashing OPA!!!!!!!

Yia Yia’s Tsatziki

(Serves 3-4 as a salad, 5 or 6 as a dip)

1 medium cucumber

2 cups yogurt, plain

1 clove minced or pressed garlic

I small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh garden mint, chopped

1/8 teaspoon salt

Step 1: Peel cucumber, quarter it lengthwise, remove seeds. Dice cucumber finely. Place diced cucumber on absorbent paper towel to take up extra moisture.

Step 2: Place cucumber and all the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and combine thoroughly

Step 3: Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a plate, place it in the refrigerator to cool for at least 24 hours.

White Clam Sauce

Clam sauce is a fantastic way to spice up any pasta dish.  Traditionally linguine is the pasta of choice when you see this dish mainly because unlike spaghetti linguine is flat whereas spaghetti is round.  Flat past has a larger surface area to absorb the juices of the sauce verses round.  However you wouldn't want to use a super flat pasta like tagliatelle because of its size would overwhelm the dish.  In other words stick with linguine.

So with any shellfish sauce the shellfish must be cleaned thoroughly to get rid of any sand or other ocean particles that might not be edible.  

So what kind of clams do we go with:  there are several varieties to choose from:  In order of size from smallest to largest Little Neck, Top Neck, Steamer, Cherry Stone, and Quahog.  I have found in making this dish that the smaller you go the tastier the sauce.

Ingredients: White Clam sauce
2 pounds little neck clams fresh with shells
4 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of fresh garlic
6 tablespoons of butter
5 stems of fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Clean your clams and place them aside do not remove the shells because they are the main ingredient in creating the sauce.

Get a large and add olive oil and garlic and soften for about one minute then add your your clams with shells in the pot and cover on high heat for about 3 minutes this process is called "sweating"  what you are doing is allowing the heat from the oil and steam from the moisture of the clams to create the sauce.

After the three minuets have passed add the butter this create more liquid to coat your pasta.  Let this simmer out for about 15 minuets and make sure you stir continuously as you do not want the garlic to burn or the clams to get overdone.  2 minutes before you remove the clams chop up the fresh parsley and incorporate in the sauce also add salt and pepper to taste.  When your sauce is in the simmer stage start your linguine so that when your sauce is done you combine them together.

Mussels Marinara

Mussels marinara is a simple dish that consists of marinara sauce and of course mussels.  Mussels are very diverse in cooking because there is so much you can do with them.  They also add diverse flavor in two ways the shell and the mussel itself.
This dish is comprised in two parts the mussels and the marinara sauce that is used.  When buying mussels fresh is always best however frozen is ok.  The cleaning is the most important part.  So either have you fish monger do it or if you do it make sure you take the beard off and rinse thoroughly to get rid of any excess sand or mud that might be in the shellfish.  When rinsing use slow running cold water for about 20 to 30 minuets to get rid of any particles that may still be in the cavity of the mussel.

Simple marinara sauce:

2 cans of crushed tomatoes, rienzi, cento, or pomi are the ones that purchase.

1 small onion

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Clean your onion and chop finely add to you your sauce pot.  Also add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and  saute the onions until they are soft.  Do this on medium to low heat.  When the onions have become soft add the crushed tomatoes and bring it to a boil.  Continually stir the sauce until it gets to a boil so it does not stick to your pot.  When it starts to boil lower heat to medium to low and stir occasionally, you want the sauce to cook for about 20 minuets so the tomatoes and the onions meld together and don't forget to add some salt and pepper to taste.
Once the sauce is done set aside and start prepping your mussels.

To cook the mussels you are going to have to preheat your oven to about 475 degrees.
Place mussels with there shell in a baking tray and make sure that they relatively spread out because you want to evenly spice them up.
At this point you are going to add your spices to 2tsp salt, 2tsp pepper, 3tsp garlic powder, 2tsp oregano, and 2tsp chopped parsley.  After you have spiced your mussels add the marinara sauce and cover completely. Place tray in oven and bake for 25 minuets.  The sauce will absorb all the juices from the mussels and the shells.
When plating add shells and the sauce right on top also grab yourself some hearty Italian bread so you can dip into the sauce as you eat.
As an aside if you want your mussels hotter add red pepper flakes and some chili powder before adding the marinara.  Have fun with this it is a great dish for appetizers or dinner.

Where's the Beef

There is nothing better than a good barbecue in the summertime, especially in 115 degree heat. Hamburgers always seem to be the key meat including steaks and hot dogs when it comes to making a good barbecue.  I have experimented in the past with meat combinations in hamburger concoctions that include lamb, turkey, and even chicken and in my failure with specific sauces and spice combinations I have come to the realization that nothing beats a great beef burger.
So in my vainest attempt I have finally come up with the perfect combination for my beef burger.  If you love the taste of pure beef you are going to love this.  I also recommend using a griddle verses putting this on a barbecue given the juices will stay in the beef instead of dripping out. Enjoy.

The meat combination is as follows 2, 1, 3

2 ounces chuck
1 ounce sirloin
3 ounces brisket

you can also do this in pounds depending how many people you are feeding and save the meat for another time however this combination seems to give the best flavors.
The burger i created has this meat combination and also cheese, caramelized onions and my own relish concoction.
Meat Spices: kosher salt and pepper
Caramelized onions:  chop one vidalia onion add olive oil, kosher salt, pepper and paprika.  Get it on high heat for about 5 minutes constantly stirring then when they soften lower the heat to medium and stir every 5 to 7 minuets so that the onions do not burn.
Relish:  it a fancy term for diced pickles in a sweet or savory brine.  I created one using sandwich pickles  diced finely and added Dijon mustard, walla relish.
Bread:  you can go fancy but the old fashion potato role heated on the griddle has the best flavor.

Cooking time:  Heat the griddle at about 400 degrees and depending on the size and how well you want it it should cook between 7 and 10 minutes.  Just before taking the burger off add the American cheese and get it to melt completely before you put it on the bun.  Add the caramelized onions and relish walla heaven.