Spicy Mediterranean Chicken with Sausage Stuffed Cherry Peppers

A culinary tour of the Mediterranean! Succulent Chicken thighs, artichoke hearts, olive, pepperoncini, and sausage stuffed cherry peppers! WARNING: This is an intense food experience, not for the bland palettes of the world.

As I mention in the clip, if you want this dish to be less spicy and intense, drain the pepperoncini before adding. This is great on top of rice or pasta. By the way, I got the inspiration for this dish from my Uncle Bill, who stuffs the �Peppadews� (a great brand of jarred cherry peppers from South Africa) with sausage and grills them as an appetizer.

Ingredients:
6 Chicken Thighs
1 Onion
1 Cup Sliced Pepperoncini
18 Cherry Peppers (Pepperdew if possible)
6-8 Oz. Italian Sausage
Herb De Provence
Salt And Pepper
Cumin
14 Oz Can Artichoke Hearts
1/2 Cup Greek Olives, Pitted
Olive Oil
Chicken Stock
Fresh Herbs to Garnish

Read More

Portuguese Kale and Sausage Soup

This is a wonderful and easy soup that will really hit the spot on a chilly fall night. You can use any spicy sausage in this, but the Portuguese Linguisa is traditional. Here I used a Spanish Chorizo, which was very nice.

As I mention in the clip, be careful not to add too much potato. This is mainly a Kale soup flavored with the spicy sausage. The potato is only there to slightly thicken, and give the soup its silky texture.

I stole this recipe from an after-hours diner in San Francisco called Grubstake. It is traditionally enjoyed at 3AM, while gazing at a wild assortment late night characters. Hey, is that a dude? By the way, its hangover preventing goodness is legendary!

Read More

Thai-style Beef Stew �Snow Flurries and Red Curries

Well, it�s not quite snowing here in San Francisco, but it�s COLD!! It's winter and that means it's stew season. Chucks of meats, slowly simmered in a flavorful broth for hours, enjoyed while gazing out a frosty window. This version of a classic Thai red curry will certainly do the trick.

This is what I always order when I can�t decide what to get at my local Thai restaurant. I love the way the potatoes soak up the spicy broth, and the slight crunch of the roasted peanuts make for a very happy ending.


Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast (cut in 2 in. cubes)
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 onion
3 inch piece of ginger
2 tbl tomato paste
3 cloves garlic
1-2 tsp red curry paste
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp coriander
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
1/4 fish sauce
1 pint beef broth
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
3 green onions
1/2 bunch basil and/or cilantro

Note: As you�ll see in the clip, I simmer the beef for about 45 minutes covered, and then add the sugar, potatoes, and peanuts. I cover it again and simmer for about 15 minutes more, then UNCOVER until the potatoes are tender as well as the beef. I like the last 20 minutes, or so, of cooking to be done uncovered so the stew reduces slightly and becomes a bit thicker.
Also, remember to taste and adjust for salt and heat!!

Read More

Garlic Ginger Bok Choy � Cheap, Easy and Fun to Say!

Bok Choy is becoming very easy to find in grocery stores these days as the trend to eat green veggies continues to grow (for good reason). This is great vegetable for many reasons; it�s cheap, it takes about 3 minutes to cook, it has a beautiful subtle sweet flavor, and of course it�s packed with nutritional goodness. As you�ll see, the best tip for great Bok Choy is how to trim the tops and bottoms separately so they both can cook perfectly.

One quick anecdote before you watch the clip. I was taking roll call on Day 1 in one of my first classes as an instructor at the Culinary Academy, and was going down the list calling out the names and listening for the traditional call back, �here Chef,� when I saw on my roster �Bok Choy.� Well, that�s an interesting name, so I called out the name and heard in a very deep voice, �here Chef.� I looked up to make eye contact, as I did with all the students as I called roll for the first time, and sitting there was this very tall, Scandinavian-looking gentleman with blond curly hair. I asked him if that was his nickname and he said no, that was his real name. Now, the classes at the school were 3 weeks long, and as much as I wanted to, I resisted the temptation to go up and ask this man how he came to get the name Bok Choy. So, Bok Choy, if you are reading this post, please email or comment and tell me how you got the name! It�s been 5 years and I�m still wondering.




Ingredients:
3-4 Heads Of Baby Bok Choy
1/2 Cup Sliced Red Peppers
2 Clove Garlic
1 Tbl Ginger
1/2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tbl Vegetable Oil
1 Tbl Soy Sauce
8 Drops Sesame Oil

Read More

Spicy Chicken Thai Soup � Exploring the boundaries between culinary pleasure and pain

I almost called this �Cream of Endorphin-releasing� soup, but it didn�t quite have the same ring to it. Endorphins are those mysterious pain-relieving, pleasure-giving chemicals released by your brain when the body comes under some type of trauma. While intended as a support mechanism when the body is seriously injured, two groups of people have figured out how to intentionally induce the release of these precious substances; athletes and spicy-food aficionados (actually there is a third group that we really can�t discuss here). The �natural high� that you hear athletes talk about is a result of these endorphins. Today�s clip is in honor of the second group.

Most fans of spicy foods know exactly what I�m talking about, that post-meal euphoria that makes it worth every tear and bead of sweat. If you�ve never experienced these feelings, today�s recipe is a great one for you to try. By controlling the amount of red curry paste you add, you can tailor this to your own threshold of pain. I used 2 full teaspoons of this explosive paste. But, you can start slow, and add a bit more each time you make it until you reach that perfect, beautiful, burning bliss.

The only exotic ingredient would be the fresh lemongrass. I�ve found most large grocery stores do carry it, but if not, you can substitute a few tablespoons of lemon zest, or even some lemon verbena.

IIngredients:
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 10)
12 oz white mushrooms
1 red onion
3 tbl fish sauce
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 limes
2 14-oz cans coconut milk
2 tsp red curry paste (you�ve been warned)
4 clove garlic
4 inch piece ginger
3 stalks lemongrass (or lemon zest)
1 tbl vegetable oil

1 quart chicken stock

note: traditionally this soup is served with a side plate of sliced jalapenos, cilantro leaves, and lime wedges

Read More

Wild Salmon with Fresh Mango and Pepper Jam Relish - a.k.a. Salmon Mango Bango

What�s the best thing about being a chef? It�s being able to name your dishes anything you want! That�s right. If you invent it, you get to name it. So when I came up with this recipe I thought I would completely abuse that privilege and think of something really ridiculous. All kidding aside, mango and salmon are a great pairing. The exotic, tropical tang of the fruit and the richness of the wild salmon work wonderfully together. The �bango� comes from the spicy, sweet pepper jam I use to bind the fresh mango relish. This dish is also a great example of how just a few ingredients can produce big flavors.

Pepper jams are a wonderfully versatile products and every good cook�s pantry should stock several of them. Check your local market and I�ll bet you find a few varieties next to the regular fruit jams and jellies. Any specialty foods store will have many to choose from.

Also, wild salmon is really the only way to go for many, many reasons. I won�t give you a lecture here, but if you do a bit of research, you may never eat farmed again. Hopefully you have access to fresh wild salmon near you. If not, the frozen choices are actually quite good these days, and far superior to fresh farmed salmon in my opinion.

Read More