Lechon Recipe Video Update

Lechon Is one of my favorite things to make and eat. I came up with a nice alternative to sour oranges in this video revision. See the original Lechon Recipe

Thai Chili Balls AKA “Crack Balls”; Recipe

The legend of “Crack Balls” goes back 11 years when Hurricane Ike came north as a windstorm and knocked out power to most of the Cincinnati area. I had acquired a large amount of food from the Party Source where I work that was in danger of spoiling. A week or so later I threw a party for friends and coworkers with some of that food. The base recipe was modeled after Steven Raichlen’s recipe in the Barbecue Bible. I made a few changes to make it more practical and in my opinion better.

The day I was prepping for my party  I was drinking bourbon… As I was mixing the ingredients into the beef I read 5 tablespoons of fish sauce instead of 5 teaspoons of fish sauce. When i discovered the mistake it was too late. Once you put fish sauce in, you can’t take it out. I had to go buy more ground meat and basil to make up for the mistake. As you might guess I had a lot of freakin meatballs. My first guest to arrive was James Erb. James ate one meatball then another and another. James looked at me and said “these things are like crack”; and that is when the legend of Crack Balls was born! Thank you James Erb!

Thai Chili Balls AKA Crack Balls

8 ounces ground sirloin or lean ground beef

2 cloves minced garlic or to taste

5 teaspoons Asian fish sauce (Three Crabs)

1 tablespoon sugar or more to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 or 2 large bunches basil finely chopped

4 or more Thai Bird chiles to taste (optional)

Short bamboo skewers

Combine the beef, garlic, basil, fish sauce, sugar and black pepper in a small bowl and mix well with hands. Sauté a small piece and taste for seasoning. Place the meat mixture in the refrigerator to help firm it up before making the skewers.

Mound up 2 teaspoons of the beef mixture and thread them on to the skewers.

Preheat the grill to Medium/Low. The sugar makes it very easy for them to burn. Don’t walk away.

Oil the grate and grill the Skewers turning them a 1/4 turn after 2-3 minutes. 

Serve by themselves or wrapped in lettuce with Julienne cucumber, chopped cilantro, fresh squeeze of lime juice and chopped peanuts.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Jerk Marinade

1 Large Package of chicken thighs, wing or legs
4-15 Habanero Peppers (I have found 8 to be the perfect amount for me.)
1 Medium Onion
1 Bunch Green Onions
1 Shallot (Optional)
4 or more cloves of Garlic
2 Tablespoons grated or chopped Ginger
2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice usually about 1 ½ limes
3 Tablespoons Quality Dark Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons canola oil
2 or more tablespoons fresh chopped Thyme
2 Tablespoons salt or to taste
2 Teaspoons ground Jamaican Allspice
1 Cup or less of water. (Add water as needed after blending preceding ingredients.)

Place all ingredients except water into a food processor and mix until smooth being careful to avoid being splashed in the eyes. This would more than ruin your evening. I recommend wearing rubber gloves when handling the mixture and tongs when placing them on the grill. I used six habaneros in this recipe and I think it is the perfect amount. A great deal of the heat from the habanero is cooked out when grilled.
Marinate chicken for 3 hours.
Marinate pork for 2 hours.
Marinate Rib Eye steaks for 2 hours
Marinate shrimp or seafood for 1 hour.

Grill over direct or indirect heat being careful not to let them burn as the brown sugar will allow this to happen quite easily. I prefer to grill over indirect coals pushing them to the side and putting the chicken on the middle of the grill. If you are using a gas grill preheat the grill to high and then turn it down when the chicken goes on the grill. I use chicken thighs because they just taste the best.

Goetta, it’s a Cincinnati Thing!

Goetta

I started eating goetta as child when I would visit Cincinnati for two weeks during the summer. I immediately fell in love with goetta! We didn’t have this in Chicago, or my favorite fast food Skyline Chili. Oh how I looked forward to my visits to Aunt Boo and Uncle Bob’s for the summer. The moment we stepped off the bus Uncle Bob would take us straight to Skyline or United Dairy Farmers (another Cincinnati original). Now Cincinnati has Graeters Ice Cream which I am particularly fond of. I don’t think I would have stayed here if weren’t for these four things! So what is Goetta? Goetta is a German breakfast sausage made from ground meat, oats and spices.

To cook goetta, you just treat it like sausage. I fry my goetta in a cast iron skillet with a very small amount of oil. I like my goetta cooked about medium crispy with over medium fried eggs.

Tips for preparing goetta

Slice goetta thin, about a 1\4 inch using a very sharp knife.

Do not let the slices touch each other in the pan… They will stick together and become one!

Once in the pan, don’t mess with it. Leave it alone until it gets golden brown.

And lastly. Never, ever, ever cook goetta without a shirt on! Goetta has a tendency to pop and explode while cooking. It only takes one pop of hot goetta on your chest to learn your lesson.

Spaghetti and Meatballs (Baseballs); Recipe

Spaghetti and Baseballs!

Spaghetti and Baseballs!

Simply one of the most satisfying meals I’ve ever made. The over-sized meatballs with the addition of ground lamb make this even heartier. I received some great feedback from some tough critics.

Ingredients for the meatballs (Baseballs)

1 pound ground sirloin

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground lamb

2 large eggs

4 sprigs basil chopped

3 tbsp chopped parsley

1 large onion finely chopped

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

5-6 thick slices firm white bread crust removed

1 cup whole milk

4-5 cloves minced garlic

3/4 pound fresh mozzarella cheese

6 cups Eric’s “Awesome Sauce”

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

1 pound spaghetti

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Let ground meats come to room temperature. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add onion, garlic, basil, parsley and black pepper. Saute for about ten minutes or until onions become translucent. Don’t let the pan get too hot. Remove from heat and let cool for about 20 minutes.

Break bread into small chunks and place in a bowl and add milk. Use your hands to squeeze out the excess milk. Combine meats, eggs, Parmesan cheese, bread, cooled onion mixture and salt. Mix with your hands and form into baseball sized meatballs. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add olive oil. Brown meatballs turning once. Remove browned meatballs and place into Dutch oven containing sauce. You may need to do this in two batches. There may be more meatballs than can fit in your dutch oven. If this happens, simply use a large baking dish and cover with sauce. Cover Dutch oven or place foil over baking dish and cook in oven for 45-60 minutes. When the meatballs are almost done place chunks of fresh mozzarella on each meatball and return to oven uncovered until cheese is melted.

Prepare spaghetti as directed adding plenty of kosher salt to cooking water. The water should be as salty as sea water.

Cover spaghetti with sauce and one meatball on your plate. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and more Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Meatball Sandwiches

For meatball sandwiches prepare smaller meatballs and cook the same way. Just buy some Italian bread and cut into sandwich length. Top with thinly sliced fresh mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Ingredients for Eric’s “Awesome Sauce”

25 ounces chopped tomatoes

25 ounces tomato sauce

1 white onion

4-5 cloves minced garlic

3 tbsp chopped parsley

3 tbsp chopped basil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tbsp olive oil

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add onion, garlic, parsley, basil and black pepper. Saute until onions become translucent adjusting heat so they don’t brown. Add chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Adjust heat to allow a mild simmer. Cook with the lid almost covering for approximately 2 hours stirring every 15 minutes. don’t let this burn!

Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin; Recipe

Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

I wanted to cook something special for some friends at work. I was going to bake brownies or cookies but one of my friends has some food allergies… What better way to get around that than pork wrapped in pork. This was absolutely delicious; we devoured these tenderloins in a matter of minutes. I promised them the recipe so here it is.

Ingredients

Two pork tenderloins

1/2 pound good smoked bacon

1 bunch fresh sage leaves

Fresh ground black pepper

 

 

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Pepper tenderloins on all sides. place sage leave on all sides of tenderloins. No need to completely cover with sage; a little goes a long way. Wrap bacon around tenderloin. Place on a rack on a flat foil covered baking sheet or shallow roaster pan. Place uncovered in oven and cook until internal temperature reaches 145-150 degrees. Let tenderloins rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

Tip: Place wrapped tenderloins with the bacon seams on the bottom so they don’t unwrap while cooking.

This recipe couldn’t be easier. Enjoy!

Crown Pork Roast with Mashed Potatoes; Recipe

Heaven on a plate!

The other day I was shopping for groceries when I saw this magnificent Crown Pork Roast at the meat counter of Fresh Market in Cincinnati. I was supposed to cook Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin but when I saw this I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I’ve been wanting to do this for quite some time and I have an abundance of fresh herbs to use from my garden. About 19 years ago while camping in Mercer, Wisconsin My son’s mother (while pregnant with Chris) and I went for dinner at The Club 51 on Highway 51 that runs straight up the middle of the state. I’ve had many epic meals at Club 51 (one of many famed supper clubs in norther Wisconsin) but this one was truly amazing! Crown Pork Roast with Rosemary Crust. I can’t believe it has taken me so long to replicate this.

Ingredients

Ingredients

5-7 pound Crown Pork Roast bones Frenched

2 Large sprigs rosemary

2 Large handfuls fresh sage

6-7 cloves garlic

1/4 stick butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cracked black pepper or more to taste

Preheat Oven to 225 degrees

Let Crown Pork Roast come to room temperature for 1-2 hours on your counter.

Tip: letting your roast come to room temperature allows it to cook more evenly without the center being under cooked.

Cut butter into small chunks and place into a food processor; add remaining ingredients except olive oil. Pulse until well chopped. Add olive oil by drizzling into the top until a loose paste forms. carefully spread the paste over the entire roast. The paste will stick to roast quite well.

Going in the oven.

Roast uncovered until internal temperature reaches 150-155 degrees. Insert meat thermometer into the round end of the thickest part of the roast. My roast took about 5 hours but I caution; we are cooking to internal temperature not time. When your roast reaches the desired temperature; place on a cutting board and cover with a large bowl or foil. Let rest 15-20 minutes before carving. I normally start my mashed potatoes when the roast is almost done.

The Gravy & Stock

After the roast went in, I started the stock for the gravy. The butcher gave me the bone trimmings after cutting my roast to order. You can use bouillon but I prefer homemade and I had five hours to let my gravy stock come together.

Ingredients

2 pounds pork trimmings with bones

2-3 carrots with skin cut up

1 large onion cut up

2-3 ribs celery cut in half

5-7 cloves smashed garlic

handful black peppercorns

handful fresh sage

1 large sprig rosemary

1 cup white wine (not too sweet)

Corn starch slurry with water. Follow directions on corn starch package for amounts based on how much liquid the stock yields.

Place all ingredients except wine and corn starch in a large pot or dutch oven. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for the entire time the roast cooks. Add more hot water as needed to cover. When the roast is resting; drain the stock add wine salt and pepper as needed. Bring to a boil. Thicken with corn starch water mixture whisking as you add slowly. Make sure to keep mixing the corn starch and water so it doesn’t settle.

Mashed Potatoes

This recipe is based on my friend Jon Stiles’s recipe from his cookbook Cooking for Friends Vol. 2. I loved Jon’s recipe and tried it a little different. The ingredients are pretty much the same but the technique is a little different. I add more salt, garlic and pepper to mine but I add them to the cooking water and adjust for flavor after the potatoes are mashed. Jon uses fresh garlic and I used powdered. Jon told me once “don’t get too attached to fresh ingredients, powdered and dried spices are perfectly fine and have their place in the kitchen”.

Ingredients

5 pounds pealed Yukon Gold Potatoes. Do not substitute! Cut into chunks about 1/4 inch thick

Handful kosher salt

1 tbsp ground black pepper

3/4 -1 cup whole milk

2 sticks salted butter brought to room temperature and cut up

1 tbsp powdered garlic

Cover potatoes with cold water and add salt, pepper and powdered garlic. bring to a boil. Cook until tender but not mushy. Drain water and transfer to a mixing bowl. add butter and half of the milk. Mix on low speed until ingredients are incorporated then speed up. Taste; add more milk, salt, pepper and garlic as needed.

Carve roast one rib at a time. Plate and side with mashed potatoes and gravy.

I really wish Jon could have tasted this one… It was magnificent!

Orzo with Shrimp and Feta; Recipe

I absolutely love this recipe. Fresh oregano is a must in this Mediterranean masterpiece of simplicity. Serve cold as a summer side or main attraction. Omit shrimp for a spectacular vegetarian meal.

Orzo with Shrimp and Feta

 

Ingredients:

1 Pound shelled shrimp

1 Pound Orzo Pasta

1/2 Pound feta cheese

Juice of 1-2 lemons

Extra virgin olive oil

3 Green onions slivered

3-4 Cloves finely chopped garlic

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

2-3 Tbsp fresh finely chopped oregano

Handful of kosher salt for pasta water

Heat a skillet over medium heat; drizzle with olive oil and saute shrimp and garlic until cooked. About 5-6 minutes turning once. Remove immediately to a cool dish scrapping all oil and garlic out. Cool in refrigerator until ready to add to orzo.

In a large stock pot boil 4 quarts of water. Cook orzo per packaging instructions, should be between 9-11 minutes.

Tip: Heavily salt the water for cooking the orzo; this should be all the salt this dish needs!

Drain orzo into a colander; rinse for 30 seconds with cold water. Let drain for a few minutes.

In a large bowl drizzle enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add orzo, drizzle a little more olive oil and add all ingredients except feta. Mix well. Cover bowl and chill in refrigerator for an hour before adding feta cheese.

This recipe can easily be manipulated to make many variations. I look forward to trying this with fresh mint and parsley.

Arros con Pollo; Recipe

Perfect!

I was very lucky to grow up with Cuban and Puerto Rican friends in Chicago. Arros con Pollo and Arros con Gandules (Pigeon Peas) were two of my favorite dishes of all time. I would like to recognize a few people that shared some great Arroz with me over the years. Jenni Keas, Nellie Paddilla and mi Suegra (Gloria Rico). My all time favorite was when I visited my friend George Lamond in Queens NY. We walked over to George’s mom’s house and she had some Arros con Gandules for us. “Hands Down” my favorite and I’m still waiting for her recipe from George. Arros is by far the most difficult for me to master… I think you have to be Boricua to truly get it right. I could eat Puerto Rican food for the rest of my life and be perfectly happy! 

Well, I think I finally got it right due to some advice from a random Puerto Rican woman that visited The Party Source… “Let the water completely absorb into the rice before stirring and covering!!!!”

Ingredients

Whole Chicken cut up

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Canola or Olive oil

2 Cups Medium Grain Rice (Goya Brand)

4 Cups Boiling water

1 Can Gandules (Pigeon Peas)

8 Oz can tomato sauce

8 Oz jar Goya Sofrito

1/4 Cup Spanish Olives

1 Tbsp Alcaparras (small capers)

1 Tsp Garlic powder

1 Tsp Black pepper

2 Packets Sazon Goya

Handful chopped cilantro

Stock Pot

Caldero (Imusa Brand)

Tongs

 

Bring 4 cups of water to a simmer and have it ready to boil when adding it to the caldero.

Heat your caldero over medium high heat and add oil. Brown chicken pieces in batches for 5 minutes on each side and remove to dish.

 

Add all ingredients except rice and water to your hot caldero. Stir continuously for 5 minutes. Add chicken and rice to the pot and stir only once. Add boiling water to just cover the rice. You may not need all 4 cups of water; just enough to cover. Boil uncovered over medium high heat until water is absorbed. When the water is absorbed gently stir the pot a few times and cover. Cook for 30-40 minutes covered or until the rice is tender. There should be a bottom layer of crispy rice “Pegao” at the bottom of the pan… This is delicious!

Cooking Tip: Do not over stir the rice. Resist the urge or your rice will become sticky  or “Amogollao”

Cooking the rice over too high heat will burn the rice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chitown Sliders. A tribute to all night grills; Recipe

Sliders with Duck Fat Fried Potatoes

This recipe is dedicated to Julian “Jumpin” Perez, Tim “Spinnin” Schommer, Juan “The Electric E”, Edwin “Bear” Rios and Bo. I will never forget our late night adventures. Love you brothers!

As a young man growing up in Chicago there were two little neighborhood grills that made the best grill top food in the city. Don’s Grill at the corner of Cicero and Belmont and Gossage Grill at Harlem and North Ave. Simply the best greasy cheeseburgers to be had at 4AM or any other part of the day!

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

8 slider buns

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Worcestershire sauce to taste

Onion powder to taste

2 onions sliced thin

1 stick butter

8 slices American cheese cut in half

sliced pickles

Mustard

Ketchup

Combine Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and onion powder with ground beef. Form mixture into eight 2 Oz patties and place on foil or baking sheet.

In a saute pan melt a quarter stick of butter and brown the inner sides of the slider buns. That’s both the top and bottoms of the bun but not both sides. I hope that makes sense! Remove buns to a platter or dish.

Using the same saute pan melt half stick of butter and add onions salt and pepper. Cook until soft about 7 minutes. Remove onions to a bowl.

Melt remaining butter and add beef Sliders. Cook for about 3 minutes until browned over medium high heat. Flip sliders and top with a generous amount of onions. By the time you have put onions on all the patties you will need to carefully flip the patties over with onions now being under the sliders. Top with American cheese crossing the halves over the patties as if making an X. Remover sliders using a spatula sliding under the onions and sliders to the buns. Top with a pickle and a small amount of ketchup and mustard. Serve immediately!

Find a comfortable place to pass out because you will be transported to a wonderful happy place. These sliders are one of the tastiest things I’ve ever cooked!

Enjoy!