A couple of our favorite sammies...

Grilled Corned Beef and Fontina Sandwiches

8 slices Jewish-style rye bread

Dijon or German brown mustard

1 ½  pounds thinly sliced corned beef 

12 ounces grated Fontina cheese

6 tablespoons butter

Spread mustard on one side of each of four slices of the bread. Divide corned beef among the four sandwiches. Top with the grated Fontina cheese. Cover the sandwiches with the remaining four slices of bread.

Over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in each of two large skillets. Place two sandwiches in each skillet, cover loosely with foil, and toast the sandwiches until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 - 4 minutes. Turn the sandwiches over and toast until golden on the second side and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. With a sharp knife, cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

Note: Becky sometimes likes this sandwich jazzed up a bit with very thinly sliced raw red onion or red onion slices that have been sautéed in butter and olive oil. 

While some folks stick to their preference for boiled corned beef and cabbage, you might want to try this recipe for baked corned beef. Used by a number of restaurants, the secret is long, slow cooking so allow plenty of time to produce a tender, moist corned beef that will delight family and friends. This is about as close to New York deli corned beef as you're going to get in a home kitchen!

Baked Corned Beef

1  3 to 4 pound corned beef brisket

1/4 cup water

1 Tablespoon pickling spice

1 onion, sliced

1 celery stalk, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

2-3 cloves garlic, sliced

Cover corned beef with cold water and soak it for 30 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 300o. Place a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil in a shallow baking pan large enough to hold the brisket and bring the foil up along the sides of the pan. Remove beef from water and pat dry to remove any salt from the surface. Place the brisket in the center of the foil. Pour the 1/4 cup water over the meat, sprinkle with pickling spice and arrange vegetables over and around the beef. Bring long sides of foil up and over the beef, sealing with a tight double fold. Seal ends and turn up to seal in liquid. Bake 4 - 5 hours or until tender, depending upon weight. Remove from foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serves 6 - 8.

Open-faced Steak Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and Cheese

Those venturing south of Buffalo, via Route 400 and Route 16, into Cattaraugus County are advised not to expect to find any temples of haute cuisine. Chain restaurants and mom and pop establishments “in a country-like setting” dominate the landscape. Help…. Fortunately, Chanderson's Steak & Seafood, located on Rt. 16 in Yorkshire, NY, is a casual oasis in a culinary desert where the kitchen delivers quality versions of a number of reliable, albeit dated, Western New York classics. The restaurant is decorated in that overly adorned, Kitschy country-style that usually produces shivers of apprehension. The day we arrived, ravenous for lunch and nearly willing to eat cardboard, the special was a sirloin steak sandwich that we didn’t hesitate to adapt as a tasty weeknight repast.

Open-faced Steak Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and Cheese

1 flank or sirloin steak (1 ½ - 2 pounds)

Italian dressing (Good Seasons is recommended)

Caramelized onions:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 medium onions, medium sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 large cloves garlic, chopped fine

8 slices quality Italian bread with sesame seeds or 1 Ciabatta baguette, buttered and lightly toasted

Sliced Provolone cheese

Sliced Swiss cheese or grated Fontina cheese

Horseradish (optional)

If using flank steak, marinate it in Italian dressing for about 4 hours, covered, in the refrigerator.

About 1 hour before serving, heat butter and oil over low heat in a deep, medium skillet. Add the onions, season well with salt and pepper, and cook very slowly over low heat for an hour. Add the garlic the last half hour of cooking, maintaining very low heat.

Wrap the Italian bread in foil and heat it in a 375-degree oven. If using Ciabatta baguette, cut it into four pieces, slice in half crosswise, lightly butter it, and toast under the broiler. 

Meanwhile, grill the steak to desired degree of doneness. We prepared ours very rare because it will cook a bit more under the broiler. Let steak rest, tented, for 5 minutes, then slice very thinly.

Preheat the broiler. If using Italian bread, slice it thinly. Place bread on a baking sheet. Top each piece with steak, onions, and slices of Provolone and Swiss cheese (or grated Fontina) to taste. Place under broiler until cheeses are melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Remove and serve immediately with horseradish if desired. Serves 4.

A taste of the Far East

Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai) with Chicken and Shrimp

1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth plus 1 26-ounce container of chicken stock to make it more rich

1 stalk lemon grass, white part only, slit open and cut into 3-inch long pieces

Grated zest of 2 limes 

1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 

2 small Thai chilies, halved lengthwise (or ½ of a long hot green chili, seeded and cut into long lengths) *

2 garlic cloves, sliced 

1 13- or 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk 

1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

1 ½ teaspoons sugar 

1 15-ounce can straw mushrooms, drained, rinsed and larger pieces medium chopped 

Juice of 2 limes (about ¼ cup)

1 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken 

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce, optional

½ pound large uncooked shrimp, shelled, deveined and each cut into 2 or 3 pieces

For serving:

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

6 cups cooked Jasmine rice (prepared according to package directions)

Additional Sriracha hot sauce (optional – only for those who crave heat)

Bring the stock to the boil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the lemon grass, lime zest, ginger, chilies, and garlic. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and gently simmer for 20 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth. Turn off the heat and let the broth steep another 20 minutes for added flavor. With a slotted spoon, remove the pieces of lemon grass, ginger, chilies, and garlic and discard.

Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, mushrooms, limejuice, and chicken. Simmer for 15 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Taste – if the long hot chili hasn’t created enough heat, add 1teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce. Add the shrimp and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, just until shrimp has turned pink. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls over a big spoonful or two of cooked jasmine rice. Garnish with the cilantro and – if you dare – a dab of Sriracha. Yield: 8 servings.

* For descriptions and photos of Thai and long hot (green) chilies, go to  HYPERLINK "http://www.melissas.com" http://www.melissas.com.

Chinese Egg Rolls

There is nothing exotic about these old fashioned egg rolls. They are just plain good, and the recipe can easily be halved. Becky sometimes makes them as an hors d’ouevre for outdoor summer cocktail parties where ten people have been known to demolish thirty of these fat egg rolls within twenty minutes. They are referred to as Chinese egg rolls because of their similarity to the fried version served over the years in American Chinese restaurants serving Cantonese style food. It is not known if this is truly a Chinese, let alone a Cantonese, invention. Becky’s good friend Barry Popik, who has made an enormous contribution to culinary history with his research into food and food terminolgy, makes reference to restauranteur Lum Fong who operated a number of Chinese restaurants in New York ( HYPERLINK "http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/egg_roll_won_ton_cantonese_cuisine/" http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/egg_roll_won_ton_cantonese_cuisine/). Prior to his arrival in New York in 1915, Mr. Fong operated a restaurant in Canton and has been credited with introducing won-ton soup and shrimp and egg rolls to American diners. For more information on this and many other fascinating topics, a visit to Barry Popik’s web site is highly recommended ( HYPERLINK "http://www.barrypopik.com" http://www.barrypopik.com. 

Chinese Egg Rolls

30 egg roll wrappers

½ medium green cabbage, sliced very thinly and then chopped

2 cups fresh bean sprouts, washed in cold water and drained (canned bean sprouts, washed in cold water and drained, may be substituted)

1½ bunches green onion, chopped

1 pound uncooked large shrimp, cleaned and chopped into 3 or 4 pieces each

4 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

6 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Huy Fong brand Sriracha hot sauce

1/4 cup peanut oil

Additional peanut oil for frying egg rolls

For serving:

Sweet and sour sauce

Plum sauce

In a large bowl, mix together the cabbage, bean sprouts, green onion, shrimp, and chicken. In a large skillet, fry the mixture in the 1/4 cup of peanut oil just until the shrimp are cooked through and have turned pink. Season the mixture with the soy sauce, mix well, and then drain the mixture in a colander. Season the mixture with ½ to 1 teaspoon Huy Fong brand Sriracha hot sauce. Cool the filling in the refrigerator.

Fill each wrapper with about one quarter cup of the cooled filling and roll. Heat peanut oil to just below smoking and fry the egg rolls until crisp and golden brown on each side. Drain well on paper towels and serve hot with sweet and sour sauce. Yield: 30 egg rolls.

A little something from the South...

Beef Roulades with Black Beans and Pico de Gallo

Becky is known to be a bit of a food pack rat. Living sixty-five miles from what she considers a suitable supermarket, stockpiling has become an obsession. Three refrigerators, a huge freezer, and yards of dry and canned goods shelving offer proof of the paranoia of running out of crucial supplies. It’s not surprising, then, that when visiting, Chef Rob feels duty-bound to rummage around and indulge his creative abilities, utilizing that which needs to be consumed in a timely manner. The result is always innovative and tasty, as illustrated by this dish.

Beef Roulades with Black Beans and Pico de Gallo

Note that this recipe needs to be started a day or two prior to serving. Although it may appear to be intimidating, it’s more time-sensitive than labor-intensive. 

Black beans:

4 ounces dried black beans, rinsed, picked over, and soaked overnight

¼  cup diced onions

¼  cup diced carrots

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ½ cups chicken stock

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ teaspoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sour cream

Cilantro oil:

1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (reserve 4 sprigs for garnish)

1 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Juice of 1 lemon

½ teaspoon ground coriander

Beef roulades:

2 canned chipotle chilies, seeds removed

1½ teaspoons cilantro oil

8 ounces ground pork

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 egg yolk

4 very thin 5-ounce top round steaks

2 tablespoons chopped scallions

1 tablespoon olive oil

Pico de gallo:

1 ½ cups chopped fresh tomato

1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic

1 ½ teaspoons red onion

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon cilantro, minced

½ tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

Sour cream

Reserved cilantro sprigs

Black beans: Drain and rinse the black beans that have soaked over night. In a medium pot, combine beans, onions, carrots, garlic, and stock. Cook over low heat, covered, for two hours or until beans ate tender, adding water if necessary.

Place hot, cooked beans in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add ground cumin, salt, pepper, cider vinegar, and sour cream and puree to mix well. Place the mixture in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cilantro oil: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Beef roulades: In a small mixing bowl, combine chipotle chilies, cilantro oil, pork, salt, pepper, and egg yolk, mixing well. Lay the steaks out flat and top with the filling, leaving about 1 inch uncovered at one narrow end. Roll up the steaks, ending with the end not covered with filling. Wrap each cylinder tightly in plastic wrap and chill overnight in the refrigerator.

Pico de gallo: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and let stand at room temperature for two hours to allow flavors to meld.

When ready to prepare the beef roulades, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Remove plastic wrap and sear the beef roulades on all sides just to brown them. Wrap each roulade individually in foil that has been sprayed lightly with non-stick spray and place on a baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in a roulade registers a temperature of 150 degrees.

Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Before removing the foil, cut each roulade in half diagonally.

Meanwhile, place the black beans in a small saucepan and reheat.

Plating: Divide the heated black beans evenly among 4 plates. Place the roulades on top of the beans, laying one horizontally and stacking the other crosswise against it. Top with pico de gallo and a dollop of sour cream. Garnish with reserved fresh cilantro sprigs on top. Lightly drizzle cilantro oil on each plate. Serve immediately with any extra pico de gallo, sour cream, and additional cilantro oil. Serves 4.

Another Buffalo staple

Buffalo’s Stuffed Hot Peppers

In a city where spicy chicken wings and Italian food rule, stuffed hot peppers are high on the list of favorites. They are served as appetizers, snacks, and entrees in restaurants, pubs, pizzerias, bistros, bars, and taverns as well as Buffalo's Annual Italian Heritage Festival. They are even featured in submarine sandwiches and as toppings on pizzas.

Buffalo Chef Andy DiVincenzo was famous for his award winning stuffed hot peppers, and indeed, he may be responsible for creating the dish as it’s known and loved in Western New York. DiVincenzo, who died unexpectedly in 2004, served the peppers at his restaurant Billy Ogden’s, so named because the restaurant was located at the corner of William and Ogden Streets in the Lovejoy neighborhood, at one time a bastion of wonderful mom and pop eateries featuring locally renowned Italian fare. Chef DiVincenzo even represented the Buffalo Bills at the Annual Taste of the NFL in 2000, cooking and serving his stuffed hot peppers alongside such culinary stars as Todd English (representing Boston), Rick Bayless (Chicago), Nancy Silverton and Mark Peel (San Francisco), Vincent Guerithault (Phoenix), Bobby Flay (New York), and Susan Spicer (New Orleans).

Not all Buffalo stuffed hot peppers are created equally so of course, some are better than others. They are usually based on the banana pepper, also known as the yellow wax pepper or banana chili that ranges from mild to moderately hot. Stuffed hot peppers are also made with Hungarian wax peppers, similar to the banana pepper. For a definitive explanation of the differences between the two peppers, we recommend a visit to  HYPERLINK "http://www.melissas.com" http://www.melissas.com maintained by Melissa's/World Variety Produce, the largest distributor of quality specialty produce in the United States. The peppers are served cored and whole, allowing for the stuffing to be inserted from the top, or they are slit down one side and served open faced with the filling mounded on top. Hot stuffed peppers are also stuffed with a variety of different cheese fillings, and sauces range from plain old spaghetti sauce to creative meat-based toppings.

After much experimenting, Chef Rob settled on the following formula for hot stuffed peppers that deliver moderate heat enhanced by the deep, lusty flavor of the Italian cheese filling and meat sauce.

Buffalo’s Stuffed Hot Peppers

Meat sauce:

Filling:

1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese

2 ounces grated Romano cheese

2 ounces grated Asiago cheese

8 ounces ground pork, sautéed and drained well of all fat

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

10 -12 banana peppers or Hungarian wax peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

1½ cups grated provolone cheese

Meat sauce:  

Filling: In a bowl, combine all ingredients, mixing well.

Peppers: Leaving the top intact, slit one side of each pepper lengthwise nearly to the bottom. Starting at the top about ¾ inch away from the beginning of the first slit, make another lengthwise slit that meets at the lowest point of the first, creating a triangle. Remove and discard the triangular piece of pepper that has been cut away. This creates an opening through which the peppers are stuffed. Evenly divide the stuffing mixture among the peppers. Place peppers on a platter, cover and refrigerate until stuffing is firm, about one hour.

In a wide 12- to 14-inch skillet over medium low heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add 5 or six peppers, stuffing slit side up, and brown the bottoms, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place peppers on a baking sheet. Adding one additional tablespoon olive oil to the pan and repeat with remaining peppers.

Top each pepper with grated provolone, evenly dividing it among the peppers, and place them under the broiler until hot and golden brown. 

Meanwhile, reheat the sauce. Serve the peppers with a generous dollop of sauce for each one. Plan on 1 or 2 peppers per person as an appetizer or side dish.

Holiday favorites...

“Hometown Ham”

“Hometown ham” is high on our list of priorities for holiday dinners – or any other excuse we can come up with. Fortunately, Western New York doesn’t have to accept second-rate hams, as is the case in so many other areas of the country. These are hams with no water added, delivering excellent taste, quality, and value. One of our very favorites is the award-winning Smith ham from the Smith Provision Company in Erie, PA ( HYPERLINK "http://www.smithhotdogs.com" http://www.smithhotdogs.com), located just a quick 90 mile ride west of Buffalo on the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90). And because these hams are available from Tops, a local supermarket chain, we don’t even have to schlep to Erie to buy them. Another favorite is Redlinksi ham, available from Redlinski Meats ( HYPERLINK "https://www.buffalofoods.com" https://www.buffalofoods.com), a Buffalo based, family-owned producer and sold through their retail outlets. Both companies offer online ordering for their hams and multiple other products. For anyone not in our area, it’s worth taking the time to locate a regional brand of ham that doesn’t have water added to it – the difference is a ham with character, not one with insipid flavor and a mushy texture.

Tony Green, our friend and sometime neighbor here on the lake, came up with this delicious orange ham glaze. It’s a tasty, super-easy change from the usual glazes and delivers one beautiful ham. Decorate your serving platter with orange segments and plenty of bright green parsley. We recommend that you also serve a bowl of lovely warm Asian pear relish with your ham (recipe follows).

Baked Hometown Ham with Tony Green's Orange Glaze

1  12- to 14-pound Smith or Redlinski ham or comparable quality ham with no water added

Whole cloves

1 cup light brown sugar

Grated rind of 1 orange

The juice of 1/2 to 1 orange, depending on how juicy the orange is

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Stud the ham with whole cloves. Line a shallow roasting pan with heavy-duty foil - this is required as the glaze running off the ham makes a terrible mess. Place a rack on top of the foil and place the ham on the rack.

Mix the brown sugar with the grated orange rind and then add enough of the juice to form a thick paste. Lightly drizzle about one third of the glaze over the top of the ham. Bake the ham for about 3 hours, adding more glaze after the first and second hours. It will roast to a dark brown crunchy topping. Remove the ham from the oven and let it set for 15 to 20 minutes before removing the cloves and slicing it for serving.

Wonderful Asian pears are now frequently available in season from quality supermarkets and even some warehouse clubs. The first time we spotted them, they went into the shopping cart in a flash. Rob created this recipe for a relish that is the perfect accompaniment for roast pork or baked ham.

* For a description and photo of Asian pears, go to  HYPERLINK "http://www.melissas.com" http://www.melissas.com.

Warm Asian Pear Relish

1 Asian pear

Extra virgin olive oil

1 small shallot, chopped fine

3 ounces simple syrup *

½ teaspoon Asian Five Spice Powder

Dash of salt and pepper

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Peel and cut the pear into ¼-inch chunks; set aside. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium pan and sauté the shallot for a few minutes. Add pear chunks and sauté slowly until they have a bit of color. Add remaining ingredients and cook slowly over very low heat until a small amount of liquid remains. Serve warm with pork or ham. Serves 4.

* To make a small amount of simple syrup, bring ½ cup water and ½ cup sugar to a boil, and simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour into a covered container and chill in refrigerator before using. 

Pan Roasted Chicken with Jerusalem Artichokes and Roasted Grapes

It’s easy to bypass Jerusalem artichokes, also known as sunchokes, in the produce section of your local supermarket. The gnarly looking brown tuber, resembling ginger root and tasting somewhat like water chestnuts, doesn’t appear to offer much possibility. A further deterrent is the fact that, at around $4.00 per pound at the time of this post, they aren’t cheap. Marketed in limited quantities as a gourmet vegetable throughout the U.S., Jerusalem artichokes are often featured on the menus of upscale restaurants. They are typically cooked like potatoes or serve as a popular ingredient in soup. Properly prepared, they offer a delicious variation to the mid-winter table.

The plant itself resembles a sunflower, and it’s a member of the aster family. European explorers discovered its cultivation by North American Indians, and Samuel de Champlain introduced the Jerusalem artichoke to France in 1605. According to the Purdue University Center for New Crops and Plant Products, there are various explanations for the name Jerusalem artichoke: “The artichoke became a staple food for North American pilgrims and was thought of as a new feed in a "new Jerusalem." A second theory is that the word Jerusalem is a twisting of the Italian word for sunflower - girasol. One additional explanation involves a 17th century gardener named Petrus Hondins of Ter-Heusen, Holland who was known to distribute his artichoke apples throughout Europe. Ter-Heusen was modified to Jerusalem in the United States.” 

Chef Rob combined Jerusalem artichokes with luscious oven-roasted red grapes to accompany pan-roasted chicken, a perfect dish to serve on a cold winter evening. To borrow a descriptive phrase from Food Network Chef Anne Burrell, the result provided definitive proof that “brown food is good food.” 

The Friday Night Fish Fry

The Friday night fish fry is an institution in Buffalo and Western New York; indeed, it’s popular throughout Upstate New York, which also includes Syracuse and Rochester. During Lent, the Friday fish fry crowd, always large, balloons in size, creating extensive waiting times and the quest for coveted reservations at the most popular fish fry establishments. Nearly every self-respecting bar, tavern, and restaurant menu offers it as the Friday daily special – not just for dinner but for lunch as well.

The fish is usually haddock or perch but sometimes, it’s cod. Large fish fillets are breaded or beer-battered prior to being immersed in hot oil and quickly fried to a golden brown, creating lovely moist fish in a crispy coating. A typical fish fry is served up with French fries, cole slaw, tartar sauce, lemon wedges, and a hefty slice of bread. For those with more modest appetites, an alternative is usually offered in the form of a fish sandwich, consisting of a golden, deep-fried half filet on a soft Kaiser roll topped with tartar sauce and, optionally, a slice of melted American cheese (yes, it’s reminiscent of a McDonald’s fish sandwich but we had it first!).

Of course, fish fries are equally popular throughout the Great Lakes Region of the U.S. Wisconsinites are especially passionate about their Friday fish fries where native walleye is a standard option. In the American South, where fish fries are often a social event, diners enjoy bass, bream, catfish, and flounder in a cornmeal-based batter and served up with hushpuppies. 

In each of these regions, the fish fry has been indicative of a large Roman Catholic population where, for many years, it was common to abstain from eating meat on Fridays and even today, during Lent. In Buffalo and Western New York, especially, a large blue-collar working class along with the enormously popular local corner tavern culture and a location on Lake Erie, also contributed to the popularity of the fish fry.

The fish fry is the American version of the dish known as fish and chips in the U.K. where fried fish dates back to street and alleyway vendors who sold it in the early 1600s pursuant to the introduction of fried fish by Sephardic Jewish refugees who emigrated from Spain and Portugal at that time. Baked potatoes were originally served with the fish but were replaced by chips (thinly sliced potatoes fried in oil) by the early 1870s. Americans elected to go with french fries, which had been known and prepared in the U.S. since the 1800s and which became known by their present name in the early 1900s.

On Thursdays and Fridays, our area fish mongers and supermarkets offer an abundance of beautiful fish for those who want to prepare fish fries at home. During inclement winter weather, we often elect this option rather than head back out into the cold for the local pub. Our favorite preparation is haddock with a beer batter, which results in a tender moist fish encased in golden crispiness. Serve fish fries with French fries, homemade tartar sauce and cole slaw.

Beer Battered Fish Fry

4 large haddock fillets (about 2 ½ pounds), cut in half if desired for easier handling

Batter:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Approximately 9 ounces of beer

Salt and pepper

Additional flour (about ½ cup) for dredging

Crisco for frying

Tartar sauce for serving (see recipe below)

Rinse the fish under cold water and drain well on paper towels. Trim the filets of any thin tail ends or side flaps and cut them in half if desired. Place the filets on a platter and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, mix the ingredients for the batter, whisking in enough beer to make a medium thick batter and eliminate any lumps. Let it rest for 30 minutes or so.

Melt enough Crisco in two large, deep frying pans to yield a depth of about 1 inch; make sure the pans are large enough to hold the fish without crowding. Heat the oil to 360 degrees.

Meanwhile, remove fish from refrigerator and salt and pepper it on both sides. Place the ½ cup of flour on a very large piece of waxed paper. Dredge each piece of fish in the flour, shaking to remove any excess; it can all be floured and set aside on waxed paper. Dip each piece of the fish in the beer batter, letting any excess run off, and add it to the hot oil. Fry until brown and crispy on both sides over medium high heat. Drain the fish on racks placed on trays lined with paper towels. If necessary, keep the fried filets warm in a 300-degree oven while preparing all fish. Serve immediately. Serves 4 – 6.

This tartar sauce recipe is typical of that served in better taverns where it’s freshly made in-house. Take the time to mix up your own – it’s easy as pie, and there’s nothing worse than the commercially prepared stuff.

Tartar Sauce

1 cup quality mayonnaise (Hellman’s is recommended)

1/3 cup sweet pickle relish

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons finely chopped onion

3 teaspoons commercially prepared horseradish

Combine all ingredients, mix well, and refrigerate, covered, for at least one hour to allow flavors to blend.

“Real” French Fries

Statistics report that Americans eat two million tons of French fries each year. And yet, too many restaurants these days have the audacity to serve frozen French fries, one of the most disgusting food products on the market. One could feel some kind of empathy for these sometimes budget-constrained restaurateurs if they had the good grace to be even slightly embarrassed but they do not. Likely, many of them don’t know the difference, having never eaten and enjoyed real fries. On the rare occasion where we actually encounter freshly made fries, most of them are badly prepared as well, appearing as a gray limp lump on the plate.

Making French fries from scratch is not rocket science. It involves fresh Russet potatoes, oil, and salt. Use a cooking thermometer – it’s worth the investment of a few bucks and it’s a kitchen tool that you will use over and over again. Taylor Precision Products produces several different thermometers at reasonable prices, many of which we’ve found to be durable and accurate. The potatoes are fried in two stages and served up with pride. Cookbooks abound with instructions, as does the Internet (where videos can be watched repeatedly in the event that the viewer just doesn’t get it the first few times), a multitude of TV cooking shows, and promotional ads and instructions provided by potato growers. 

We recommend that you give homemade fries a shot. You’ll find they are not difficult, they really don’t require that much more time, and your friends and family will thank you. Then take a bow and give yourself a big pat on the back.

Note: If you like vinegar on your fries, be sure and try them with malt vinegar. It’s the classic finishing touch to fish and chips in the U.K. for good reason. When writing her book Food Festival U.S.A., Becky had the pleasure of interviewing Lawrence Diggs a.k.a. “The Vinegar Man”, who serves as an international consultant to the vinegar industry in addition to founding Vinegar Connoisseurs International. He is also the founder and curator of the International Vinegar Museum in Roslyn, SD, sponsor of the annual International Vinegar Festival. On his web site ( HYPERLINK "http://www.vinegarman.com" http://www.vinegarman.com), Lawrence comments on malt vinegar as follows: “Malt vinegar can be made a number of ways. One way is by malting the grain, which causes the starch in the grain to turn to sugar. This sugar is then turned into a beer, or more accurately ale. This alcohol is then turned into vinegar. It is then aged.” We buy Original London Pub Olde English Malt Vinegar. The distributor, World Finer Foods, has a web site with products and a store locator ( HYPERLINK "http://www.worldfiner.com" http://www.worldfiner.com).    

French Fries from Scratch

Vegetable, peanut or canola oil

6 medium-sized unpeeled baking potatoes (Russets), scrubbed well and dried

Kosher salt

In a wide, deep heavy frying pan, add oil to a depth of one inch and heat to 325 degrees.

Slice each potato in half lengthwise and then cut each half into 4 lengthwise strips.

Add half the potatoes and cook until soft but not mushy, about 3 to 4 minutes. The fries will not be brown. Remove the fries from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining fries.

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees. Over high heat, bring the oil to 360 degrees. Add half the fries to the hot oil and fry until crispy and golden brown. Remove the fries from the oil with a slotted spoon, salt them immediately, and drain on paper towels. Keep the fries warm in the oven while you repeat with remaining fries. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Buffalo Chicken Wing Pizza

A popular meal for Buffalonians and Western New Yorkers consists of pizza and wings, two favorite regional foods. Sunday football games and Super Bowl Sunday find local pizzerias flooded with take-out orders for this popular combination. Several years ago, some savvy individual came up with the concept of combining the two into a single masterpiece – the Buffalo wing pizza. Since that time, nearly as many variations have been created as there are aficionados of the dish. Although it’s not your mama’s pizza, it’s a delicious, rich treat and delivers a unique combination of flavors.

Chef Rob’s Buffalo Chicken Wing Pizza

1 16-inch pizza crust (see Basic Pizza Dough recipe below)

Chicken:

3 large chicken thighs with skin and bones intact

Salt & pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup chicken stock or broth

1 large garlic clove, smashed

4 whole black peppercorns

Sauce:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large garlic cloves, chopped fine

2 tablespoons Frank’s Louisiana Red Hot Sauce

¼ teaspoon salt

Topping:

Extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon dried celery seed

¼ cup peeled celery, finely chopped

4 ounces Bleu cheese, crumbled

12 ounces whole milk Mozzarella cheese, grated

Garnish:

Leaves from 1 stalk of celery, chopped

Additional Frank’s Louisiana Red Hot Sauce

Chicken: Pat dry and generously season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In a medium skillet, heat the canola oil. Add the thighs and brown well on both sides over medium-high heat. Add the chicken stock or broth, the smashed garlic clove, and the whole black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and braise the thighs, partially covered, for about 30 minutes or until golden brown, tender, and cooked throughout. Remove the thighs to a platter and set them aside until cool enough to handle. Skin, de-bone, and shred the chicken.

Sauce: In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the chopped garlic. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes to infuse the garlic into the butter. Remove from heat and stir in the Frank’s Louisiana Red Hot Sauce and the salt.

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Assembly: Brush the outside edges of the pizza crust with extra virgin olive oil. Evenly spread the sauce over the pizza and sprinkle with the celery seed. Top with shredded chicken, chopped celery, crumbled bleu cheese, and the grated Mozzarella cheese.

Bake the pizza until bubbly and golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let set for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped celery leaves. Slice as desired into 6 or 8 pieces and serve immediately. Diners with a yen for heat may sprinkle the slices with additional Louisiana Red Hot Sauce if desired. Yield: 1 pizza.

Basic Pizza Dough

2/3 cup warm water

1 package dry yeast

½ teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 tablespoon olive oil plus additional olive oil for greasing the bowl and pizza pan

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and set the mixture in a warm place to proof. Mix the salt and flour together in a food processor and, with the processor running, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, then slowly pour the yeast mixture down the feed tube. Process the dough until it is thoroughly mixed. Knead the dough in the processor for 30 seconds. The dough should feel smooth and not sticky; some hand kneading may be necessary.  Place the dough in a large bowl that has been lightly oiled with live oil and cover with a clean towel. Place the bowl in a warm place and allow dough to rise until doubled in bulk.

When fully risen, punch the dough down and knead it slightly. Allow the dough to rest for ten minutes before rolling out for a pizza. Roll the dough out to fit a 16-inch perforated pizza pan and transfer it to the lightly oiled pizza pan. Allow the crust to rise in a warm place, about 30 minutes or until puffy. Yield: 1 pizza crust.

Chef’s Note: After the first rising, the pizza dough can be placed, still covered with a towel, in the refrigerator for a few hours before continuing with preparation.

Folks in Buffalo and the Western New York region are no strangers to corned beef sandwiches. Although we like our Reubens as much as the next guy, a more modest version of the corned beef sandwich frequently makes its appearance on local pub menus. On St. Patrick’s Day, especially, when the beer flows and kitchens are struggling to keep up with food orders, one often encounters a stripped down version of hot corned beef on excellent Al Cohen’s seeded New York rye bread (the bakery was established in Buffalo in 1888) served up with nice brown German mustard. For sure, it’s an excellent sandwich, but we also really like the gentrified version of the corned beef sandwich below, which comes replete with the delicious nutty and buttery flavor of melted Fontina, a semi-soft cheese made from cow’s milk. Fontina originated in the Valle d’Aosta in Italy in the 12^th Century, and it’s now also made in Denmark, Sweden, and the United States. We buy Swedish Fontina at Sam’s Club where, at the time of this writing, it’s reasonably priced at $6.87 per pound.

This sandwich is especially good when prepared with corned beef baked in accordance with the recipe below. It’s one that has been popular with Western New York locals for many years and produces a sandwich darned near as good as the hot corned beef cut to order in the great delicatessens of Manhattan.