Chef's Corner June 2008 Eddie Papa's American Hangout

This month we feature Eddie Papa's American Hangout's Executive Chef & Partner, Neil Marquis. The new restaurant features a regional American menu. Made with locally grown and sourced ingredients, Neil's menu has re-created American classics like Chicken & Alphabet Noodle Soup and Regional dishes like Memphis Pulled Pork. Reading the menu is like a history lesson in American culinary innovations! For example, did you know that Chicken and Waffles was a traditional breakfast from the late 1800's, first served in a restaurant at Wells Supper Club in Harlem New York in 1938?? Each month they feature a different region. For June month they are featuring the islands of Hawaii, so Neil made the seasonal dish, Lomi Lomi Salmon Salad. He also showed us how to make Louisiana Shrimp Jambalaya Creole style with tomatoes, chicken, Aidell's andouille sausage, shrimp, tasso ham, pepper and garlic. Finally owner Ed Westmoreland made a signature cocktail, the Apple Crusta, featuring Laird's Bottled in Bond Apple Brandy,Leopold Brothers New York Sour Apple Liqueur, fresh nutmeg, maple syrup, unfiltered apple juice, lemon juice, Fee Brother's Bitters and St. Elizabeth All Spice Dram. Delicious!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6ktqD3iHQA&hl=en

Food (2)

fried rice, fried noodle, soup, pan fried egg, ham, spaghetti, vegetagle, luncheon meat



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkQtrnY0BIE&hl=en

Best of the Bay Recipes - Crab Cakes

Capture the Flavors and Culinary Traditions of the Chesapeake Bay

Crab Cake Recipe

The culinary traditions of the Bay area have been influenced by history dating back hundreds of years. It was 1607 when Captain John Smith first saw the Chesapeake Bay at what was to become Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English Settlement. From the writings in his journal it is clear that these early settlers quickly recognized that they had landed in a paradise of riches. Smith quipped in his journal that the fish were so plentiful that they would simply catch them "with our frying pans." The Bay was abundant with crabs, clams, oysters and fish -- and the surrounding areas alive with wildlife.

But these early settlers were not the first to revel in its bounty. The Powhatans had long inhabited its shores, naming it "Tschiswapeki" or the "Great Shellfish Bay." The Native American women produced plentiful crops of corn, squash and beans and archeological digs of native villages discovered large quantities of shells revealing the Powhatan's love of oysters, clams and other shellfish. From this history the Chesapeake Bay area's cuisine has evolved.

Today, the Chesapeake Bay Cuisine is famous for its wealth of seafood: Crab Cakes, Oyster Stew, Steamed Crabs, She Crab Soup, Crab Chowder, Baked Stuffed Rockfish, Oyster Fritters and much more. These are the culinary favorites steeped in tradition and prepared with intense pride. The "locals' are perhaps the best known for their culinary love affair with the famous Blue Crab, so lets begin our exploration of the time-honored cooking traditions of the Chesapeake Bay with the ubiquitous Blue Crab.

Crab Cakes Recipe

There are dozens, perhaps hundreds of recipes for crab cakes - every crab-loving family has their favorite. What we present here is a basic, traditional and delicious recipe made with the finest grade crab meat.

1 egg,
½ cup of finely broken cracker crumbs (use a high quality cracker with a delicate flavor for the best results),
3 tablespoons mayonnaise,
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice,
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper,
2 teaspoons Chesapeake Bay Seasoning (such as Old Bay),
1 pound Jumbo Lump Crabmeat,
1 dash of Tabasco (optional)

Jumbo Lump Crabmeat should have very few pieces of shell, however you should pick through it carefully and remove any pieces you see (or feel). Handle the crabmeat gently as you do this. Place the crabmeat in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the fine cracker crumbs over it tossing very gently until the crabmeat is covered evenly.

In a second bowl, beat the egg and add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, bay seasoning and ground pepper. Wisk these ingredients together until the mix is a bit frothy. Pour the mix over the crab meat and gently toss until well mixed. Form the crab cakes by hand taking care not to over handle or pack too tightly - the cakes should be as loose as possible while still holding their shape. (If the cakes are not holding their shape, you can add additional cracker crumbs, but try to add as little as possible). This mix will yield 4 large crab cakes or 6 slightly smaller ones (8 appetizer size).

Sauté the crab cakes in Extra Virgin Olive Oil until golden brown on both sides (8 to 10 minutes). You can also broil the crab cakes if you prefer, 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Serve with lemon slices or tartar sauce and enjoy!

Christmas Appetizers!

Are you looking for some easy and delicious appetizers for your coming Christmas Party? How about creating your own new and easy soup, punch and cocktail drink? How about creating something amazing for your guests?

Let's begin...

Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
Carrot (diced)
Cabbage (Cut small)
Onion (diced)
Mini meat balls
Macaroni (with mini alphabets)
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley (cut fine)

Action
a. Wash and drain all the vegetables.
b. Put them in the boiling water and cook them until tender.
c. Add meat balls and boil till cooked.
d. Add macaroni and cook till tender.
e. Add salt and pepper to taste.
f. Sprinkle parsley.
g. Serve with bread.

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Split Pea Soup

Ingredients
1000g split peas (washed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 onions (fine cut)
200g celery
2000 ml water
1 clove garlic
2 carrots (cut fine)
2 slices raw ham (diced)
Salt and pepper

Action
a. Boil slowly 3 hours.
b. Add more water as needed.
c. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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Orange Sherbert

Ingredients
12 oranges (juiced)
1 orange rinds (grated)
4 lemons (juiced)
1 lemon rinds (grated)
2 tablespoons milk
250g sugar
750 ml water

Action
a. Boil sugar and water together with the orange and lemon rinds.
b. Boil until thick.
c. When cold put in orange and lemon juice.
d. Just before freezing add the milk.
e. Serve in orange skins.

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Milk Sherbert

Ingredients
750 ml milk
500g sugar
1 egg whites (whipped)
1 lemon rinds (grated)
2 lemons (juiced)

Action
a. Scald milk with lemon rinds and sugar, then freeze.
b. When nearly frozen add the egg whites and lemon juice.

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Peach Water Ice

Ingredients
750g soft peaches
1 lemon (juiced)
1000 ml water
110g sugar
3 kernels of peaches (Pounded)

Action
a. Boil the sugar in water with peach kernels.
b. When cold add peaches and press through a sieve.
c. Add lemon juice and freeze.

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Tomato Cucumber Salad

Ingredients
6 tomatoes (peel)
2 cucumbers (pare and fine chopped)
Little water Cress (chopped)
A few drops of onion juice
French dressing
Lettuce leaves

Action
a. Combine cucumbers and water cress and add onion juice.
b. Cut the tomatoes a slice from the stem end.
c. Remove the seeds and fill vacancies with the cucumbers.
d. Arrange the tomatoes and lettuce leaves, and pour over them French dressing.

Christmas Appetizers are ready!

New Years Peas: Hurst Ham Beans (Old Commercial)

TV spot featuring Hurst hambeens "New Year's Peas."



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpmU3A1iHAY&hl=en

Borscht, an Easter tradition

A tradition with my wife's family, a white borscht of Polish origin. I've yet to try it...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvf70HH3vUQ&hl=en

Korean Recipes

In recent years, many people in the West have become interested in Korean foods and recipes. You can try Korean food in a restaurant, or if you prefer you could try to prepare it at home in your own kitchen.

Korean meals are usually based around noodles, rice, meat, vegetables and tofu (which is known as "dubu" in Korea). Most meals are served with a variety of side dishes ("banchane"), as well as soup, steam rice, and kimchi (fermented vegetables). Flavor is added using a range of seasonings and spices including garlic, ginger, red chili paste ("gochujang"), salt, soy sauce, and fermented soybean paste ("doenjang").

Some popular Korean dishes include:

* Kongnamul-guk - Soybean sprout soup.

* Gamjatang - A soup based on pork spine and potatoes. It usually also contains other vegetables, green onions, hot peppers and sesame seeds.

* Maeuntang - A hot and spicy fish soup.

* Jeongol - A seafood and vegetable stew.

* Hoe - Thinly slice rawfish, somewhat similar to Japanese sashimi. Usually dipped in wasabi or red chili paste ("gochujang"), and served on cellophane noodles ("dangmyeon").

* Sannakji - A raw, very fresh small octopus, seasoned and cut into pieces and served - it may still be moving on your plate!

* Ramyeon - Noodles with meat and vegetables, similar to Japanese ramen noodles.

* Kongnamul-bap - Rice with soybean sprouts.

* Japchae - Potato noodles with beef, carrots, onions and spinach.

* Kalguksu - Flat noodles in a broth.

* Yukhoe - Raw beef topped with egg yolk, and seasonedwith garlic, green onions and a variety of spices.

* Bulgogi - Meat or seafood cooked on a grill. Common varieties include chicken ("dak bulgogi"), pork ("dweji bulgogi"), and squid ("ojingeo bulgogi").

* Galbi - Grilled pork ribs.

* Dakgalbi - Grilled chicken.

* Makchang - Grilled pork intestines (similar to chitterlings).

* Samgyeopsal - Grilled pork belly. Slices of meat are placed inside lettuce with cooked rice and a spicy paste ("ssamjang"). Various accompaniments such as chillies, spring onion salad, or raw garlic dipped in ssamjang may be eaten with the dish.