Crab Cakes

I'm a big seafood fan. I think if I had to pick any type of food that I would never get tired of, it would be seafood or shellfish of any sort. I'm a sucker for lobster, and crab comes seconds best. And I realized a couple weeks back that I've never made my own crab cakes, so I figured I'd wing it and ended up pretty satisfied!


Ingredients:

1 to 1 & 1/2 lb. king crab legs (realize this is probably going to be just 1 leg, but tons of meat)
1 small onion, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (I use this Bourbon Barrel brand from here in Louisville!)
2 eggs
1 & 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a large stockpot, (Foodbuzz's Daily special today are some great stockpots & other limited items from Chef's Catalog) bring half a pot full of salted water to a boil. Add crab leg(s). Boil for about 5-7 minutes, or until leg(s) is cooked and bright red.

Remove meat from shell and set aside to cool.

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except olive oil and crab meat. Add crab meat and pulse processor a few times, but be careful not to over-process the crab meat.

Form into patties (I made 4 huge ones as a main course, but this could easily be 8-10 appetizer portions). Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and put in fridge for about 20-30 minutes so patties can "solidify".

Heat olive oil in large skillet under medium high heat. In batches of 4 (if doing smaller portions) or 2 (if doing large portions), cook each patty for about 4-7 minutes, depending on size, or until well browned. Serve with tarter sauce and enjoy!

For a first time go-around with the crab cakes, I think these were pretty successful. They were quite flavorful and the they had a nice crunchy outside, with a moist and tasty inside. Enjoy!

Chorizo & Cheddar Phyllo Wraps

I've been a big proponent of phyllo dough lately. I mean, for the price you pay for the delicate pastry sheets, you might as well use them up, because they do give you a lot. So, thinking creatively, I rummaged through my brain to see what I could do with the leftover roll I had. Then I got to thinking, wouldn't it be awesome to have a chorizo and cheddar Hot Pocket. And so I decided to make a wrap of sorts, experimenting with different meat and cheese combinations... in the end, chorizo and cheddar definitely won out.

Ingredients:

1 roll of phyllo dough, separated into several sheets
cooked ground chorizo, drained
thinly sliced salami
sliced provolone cheese
thinly sliced black forest ham
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream (optional)

As you can see... these are more like making a sandwich than a technical recipe. You add in as much as you want and even add extra things not listed if you want also.

Basically though...

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Start with 3 sheets of phyllo dough, maybe a foot long each. Place desired meat (in this case, chorizo, salami, or ham) in the center. Then top with desired cheese. Spread filling in middle section of sheets. Then, roll up into a tight wrap and fold edges underneath. Be sure to seal the wraps with a little bit of warm water also.

Alternatively, instead of rolling up the sheets. You can stack them and put the filling in between (kind of like a layered pizza - it should look like the right portion of the photo above). Make sure you have at least 2 sheets of phyllo for each layer though, this stuff is delicate.

Bake either method in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, where outside is crispy and flaky. Serve with sour cream and extra ground chorizo.

This is pretty simple. Definitely a great way to use up leftovers. You practically make it any way you want and the result is usually tasty. I was afraid this wasn't going to turn out because my first attempted phyllo concoction looked a little burnt. But after tasting it, it was just like a crispier crust and with the addition of the sour cream, perfecto. Enjoy!

Jumbo Baked Shrimp

Can I just vent about something here? I'm a pretty big Top Chef fan. I definitely like the normal, original Top Chef better than Top Chef Masters. I was really into Top Chef Masters this season though. I'm a big pro-Susur Lee person. I think he's funny, creative, and an amazing chef (he's not chef of the millenium for nothing!). So when the finale was on this past week, and the finalists were Susur Lee, Rick Moonen, and Marcus Samuelson... of course I was rooting for Susur. And Rick. But DEFINITELY not Marcus. Not to say that Marcus isn't a great chef, because he can pull out some nice looking dishes... but I think he's very one dimensional. He sticks with what he knows, spice and spice. Susur and Rick however, continuously went out on a limb and did DIFFERENT things all throughout the season. Hell... Susur didn't even comprehend some of the challenges most of the time and still banged out a knockout dish the majority of the time. So in my book, the judges were wrong to pick Marcus. Susur Lee... you ARE my Top Master.

Ingredients:
Adapted from Rocco Dispirito's Now Eat This - 'Jumbo Un-Fried Shrimp'

1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
3 eggs, lightly beaten
12-15 large jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper to taste
tartar sauce (optional)

Preheat your oven to 450 F.

Place flour and panko in separate shallow dishes. Place eggs in medium bowl. Dredge shrimp in flour, then eggs, then panko.

Place shrimp on greased baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.

Bake for about 6-8 minutes or until shrimp are nice and golden brown. Serve with tartar sauce!

I like this recipe because the shrimp I used were absolutely GINORMOUS! They were pleasantly crunchy on the outside, and juicy and tender on the inside. Just like well-cooked shrimp should be. Enjoy!

Mammoth Meat Soup

No, I did not buy an extinct Woolly Mammoth on e-bay and make a soup out of it. But this soup DOES have a crap-ton of meat in it. Probably enough to feed an Ethiopian village for months, so I somewhat felt bad... but in the end... the soup was good, so I didn't feel AS bad as I should have. But I've been told I don't have a soul before, so, I suppose it's natural.

Speaking of natural things... today was the first day that I noticed my garden sprouting vegetables. These "baby" green beans are so cute! Aren't they?

They definitely put a smile on my face... and I definitely needed that because for some reason, I was just having a bad day. I don't know if I'm stressed, over-worked, or just tired. I don't know what I'm stressed or tired about, but it was just one of those days, you know?

My little baby basil's are growing up nicely...


My red chiles, which I think are little overcrowded... okay... a lot overcrowded (I really didn't think they would grow, I just used some leftover seeds from a recipe...)

My cherry tomatoes (which I thought were practically dead up until a few weeks ago...)

Oregano from last year's planting... (which never grew last year, but is seeming to flourish this year)

Corn... which I was sure was not going to grow at all (this is when I had my squirrel problem)... and I'm not sure if it's going to pollinate because the squirrels kind of messed up my rows

And my lettuce, which I'm mucho excited about...

And I guess now you guys want a recipe right? Alright... I'll get on with it.

Ingredients:
Adapted from Bon Appetit's May 2010 issue - "Galician Pork & Vegetable Stew"

1 & 1/2 cups dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 small rack baby back ribs (cut into 2 or 3 rib sections)
1 lb. diced ham
1 lb. smoked ham shank
1 lb. chorizo sausage, sliced
1 lb. skirt steak, sliced thinly
8 oz. pancetta, chopped
8 cups water
8 cups chicken stock
1 leek, (white and pale green parts only), chopped
5 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bunch kale, center ribs removed, and chopped

Soak the garbanzo beans in enough water to cover it by about 2 inches. Soak overnight and drain.

In a large stockpot, add ribs, ham, hamshank, chorizo, skirt steak, and pancetta. Add the water and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and add garbanzo beans and leeks. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 hour or so. Add the potatoes and kale and simmer for another 45 minutes.

Serve in large bowls and dig in!

This made A LOT of soup. You could definitely cut down on the ingredients or omit things. It was definitely hearty, very rustic. It reminded me of a gourmet version of my dad's "Hobo Stew". (Which turns out... after looking up the actual recipe for Hobo Stew, isn't technically Hobo Stew because he uses none of those actual ingredients... but, I won't tell him that).

Oh, by the way, FoodBuzz's Daily Special is a Mandolin (which I aptly have on next years Christmas list... but my birthday comes before then, so you could actually get it for me then too if you wanted =) Also... speaking of FoodBuzz... they announced they're having Project Food Blog (basically like a neat competition for food bloggers), which I am PRETTY amped up about. I don't think I have what it takes just yet to win the ENTIRE thing (or who knows, maybe I do, but there's some pretty talented folks out there), but I'd be stoked if I just went past the first round. Check it out if you're a Featured Publisher, or if you wanna know what it's all about!

Foodie Fights - Battle Dandelion Greens/Parmesan Cheese

Alright, last Foodie Fights battle I ended up with 2nd place. This time I'm going for the win. Battle Dandelion Greens and Parmesan Cheese. Yeah, everybody knows what Parmesan is... but I had no clue (and would have continues to have no clue, if the guys over at Foodie Fights hadn't posted a picture), what in the heck Dandelion Green were or how I would even use them.

So I trekked on over to Whole Foods who aptly stock the lovely greens. I brought them home, and snagged a leave off of the bunch to have a raw taste... NOT what I expected. I had Googled them beforehand and learned that they were a bitter green, but I wasn't expecting the amount of bitterness that I did. Definitely not going a salad route, I thought.

So then I started brainstorming of things to do with the Parm and maybe that would lead me to do something with the greens. and then Eureka! I make a mean alfredo sauce. It may not be your conventional Italian mother's alfredo sauce, but it's pretty darn good.

So the alfredo idea was in place, and then it only seemed fitting that I end up with...

Dandelion Green Alfredo Phyllo Pizza
Ingredients:

1 bunch dandelion greens, stemmed and chopped
1 & 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock
3 sheets Phyllo dough, thawed
2 slices bacon, chopped
4-5 small slices of Provolone cheese
salt and pepper to taste

I needed to try to take the bitterness out of greens, so I first brought the chicken stock to a boil and added the greens to that to wilt them down. Let them simmer in the stock for a few minutes, maybe 3-5 at most. Drain and squeeze out most of the liquid. Set aside.

I figured fat would help cut down on the bitterness too, and it would end up adding a good flavor overall. In a small saucepan, brown the bacon pieces until most of the fat is rendered and bacon is starting to crisp up. Stir in garlic and saute for about 1-2 minutes. Add in dandelion greens and saute for another minute or two. Add heavy cream and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

Slowly add in shredded Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly and not adding more until cheese is melted within sauce. Let simmer for about 8-10 minutes to develop the flavor. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and roll out Phyllo dough sheets, stacking the 3 sheets on top of eachother. You can use more sheets if you'd like, but I found 3 to be a perfect amount for a nice thin crisp crust.

Spoon about a ladle-full of the alfredo on Phyllo dough and make sure you get a good ratio of greens to sauce. Top with a few thin slices of Provolone cheese, if desired.

Bake in oven for about 7-10 minutes, depending on your oven. Cut the pizza into squares and serve!


The result is a crisp, flaky, faux-pizza that has no bitterness from the greens at all. The alfredo is rich and delicious and this is perfect for a summer appetizer! Enjoy... and don't forget to vote on Tuesday at Foodie Fights!

Grilled Tandoori Chicken Skewers & Mocha Dog's First Blog Appearance!

I have 2 dogs. Mocha and Zappa. Mocha was first. She's a sweet girl... a little high maintenance, but what can you expect... I'm her mother. Then came Zappa (whom we also believe to be Mocha's blood brother, but haven't had solid proof), more chilled out... has a bit of a little man syndrome and is kind of a jerk sometimes, but cool nonetheless.

This is the Mocha girl. She definitely wanted some of this chicken!

Growing up, I was never a dog person. I actually feared dogs. Like, they literally had me shaking in my shoes and I would almost wet myself every time I saw one. So how did I ever get to the point of being comfortable enough to have 2 dogs? I don't know. I don't know how I became so passionate about cooking either. I don't know why my hair is one of the most important things I own. I just don't know. You can't explain some of life's mysteries... you just have to go with it, right? Right.

Random story aside... these tandoori chicken skewers were pretty darn delicious! I used to always be under the misconception that tandoori chicken HAD to be cooked in a tandoor oven to truly be tandoori chicken. Turns out, the tandoori part of tandoori chicken is actually the marinade that you let the chicken set it. Am I just dumb for not knowing that? Regardless... this chicken is worth trying out!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain yogurt
juice from 1 lemon
1 onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 boneless & skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips

I love this because it's super easy too. Definitely want to let the chicken marinate over night also!

In a large plastic Ziploc bag, combine all ingredients, except the chicken. When you get a nice orange-pinkish color, you know it's mixed well. I like to close the bag and just mush everything together. Not the most conventional way, but it works and it's rustic.

Add the chicken, release all air from bag, seal up, and roll tight. Rolling the bag up in the end is good because it allows the marinade to penetrate the chicken easier because of less surface area. Set in fridge overnight.

If using bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them for at least 1 hour in warm water so they don't burn easily on the grill.

Heat a charcoal grill under medium high heat.

Skewer the chicken pieces onto the skewers and grill for about 4-5 minutes per side. Remember you're using chicken thighs here, so they'll be pretty tender and juicy.

I grilled up some zucchini and corn also! This was a perfect spring/summer meal! Definitely great for cookouts! Enjoy guys!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Well, back to normal programming. I feel like it's been a while since I've had just a plain old recipe post, with all that's been going on. And after much debate with myself and talking it over with good ol' Andrew... after I'm done with my Biology degree... I'm going to culinary school. I keep trying to convince myself of reasons not to, and honestly... none of them stick. I think I would be quite successful, and I would enjoy myself more. Right? I'm hoping so anyway.

There's nothing better than a great pulled pork sandwich. It's great because it's easy (you just leave the pork shoulder in a crockpot for the day and come back after work or school and BAM! nice, tender pork). And this is a different riff on your normal pork barbecue because it's not really barbecue at all, but something different... something good.

Ingredients:

4 lb. pork shoulder
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon cumin
1 cup brown sugar
1 bottle of hot taco sauce
1 can of Coke or plain cola
salt and pepper to taste
Buns
Sliced tomatoes, optional

Place crockpot under high setting and add pork shoulder, garlic, onion, jalapeno, and enough chicken stock to come up half way on the pork. Let sit in crockpot at high for about 1 hour.

Place crockpot at low setting and let cook for about 6-8 hours. (Perfect for a workday).

Drain the chicken stock and add pork back into crockpot. Shred pork and add cumin, brown sugar, taco sauce, and cola. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Serve on toasted buns with a slice of tomato.

The one thing I wish I would have added to this sandwich was sour cream. It would have been a perfect trifecta of flavors! This was more on the sweet side, but not too sweet. The cola adds a depth of flavor to the pork like no other and it was just a darn good sandwich! Enjoy!