On Labor Day earlier this week, I smoked a big pork butt in my Big Green Egg for pulled pork sandwiches. But, after watching the smoker on and off for some 10 hours, I wasn’t in the mood for complicated side dishes. So I just grill some corn and made thin-sliced matchstick French fries. Matchstick fries are simpler to make than standard French fries because … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table: Cacio e Pepe
My son, Hank, works at a really great Italian restaurant in Medford, New Jersey called ITA101. Chef-Owner Kevin Maher, after attending the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, went to Italy for a restaurant internship and wound up staying in the country for 14 years. At ITA101 my favorite dish (and there are so many favorites!) is Chef Maher’s cacio e … [Read more...]
Grilled Flat Iron Steak
Flat iron steak is a cut of beef that is very tender, nicely marbled, and is great for grilling. It’s especially good with a simple marinade made with olive oil, Worcestershire, red wine vinegar, onions, garlic, spices and a few other ingredients. Ingredients: 1 lb. flat iron steak 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1/8 teaspoon onion … [Read more...]
How to Make a Fab Fresh Pasta Dough
Through the years, I’ve tried dozens if different recipes for making fresh pasta dough. And after many, many trials and experiments, I’ve found this one to be the most dependable, resulting in homemade pasta that is worthy of the best restaurants Italy has to offer. The key to success with this recipe and technique is to let the pasta dough rest, allowing the gluten to … [Read more...]
Chinatown-worthy Kung Pao Shrimp Recipe
In the past couple of decades, kung pao chicken and kung pao shrimp have become among Americans' favorite Chinese dishes, second probably only to fried rice and cream cheese-filled wontons. In this country, kung pao is often loaded up with veggies: carrots, celery, onions, zucchini and such. In Szechuan, China, however, it's traditionally a much more basic dish. And, that's … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table: Seafood Fideuà
During the Christmas holiday season, my wife and I enjoyed an excellent dinner at Café Madrid restaurant. One of the dishes we especially liked was called fideuà. It’s a Spanish dish that uses fideo – vermicelli-style pasta cut into short pieces. This is my take on the seafood fideuà, which is sort of like Spanish paella, but made with fideo pasta rather than … [Read more...]
Scheff’s Table: Chorizo-spiked Steamed Mussels
Up at beautiful Log Haven restaurant in Millcreek Canyon, chef Dave Jones makes an appetizer that I love. It’s a hearty dish of clams in a spicy broth with chorizo slices and grilled rustic bread to soak up the delicious broth. This recipe is my attempt to replicate Dave’s delicious dish using mussels instead of clams. Give it a try! Ingredients: 2 Tbs. olive oil 1 1/2 … [Read more...]