Barbecued Santa Maria Tri-Tip - Black is the New Golden-Brown

The town of Santa Maria, California, is home to one of America's most delicious barbecue specialties - the black-on-the-outside, pink-on-the-inside, grilled beef tri-tip steak. The tri-tip is cut from the bottom sirloin, and if cooked properly produces a very flavorful, extremely juicy piece of beef.

My version isn’t exactly authentic, since I didn't grill it over hot coals made from Central Californian red oak. They say it's the red oak that gives this style of barbecue such a great flavor. One day I'll travel down to Santa Maria and taste this for myself, but until then regular hard wood charcoal will do just fine.

One of the signature characteristics of this barbecued beef is the spicy, charred crust outside, and the juicy, medium-rare meat inside. To achieve this we use a very hot grill, along with a continual turning and basting with a garlic and red wine vinaigrette. This basting sauce is another modern addition, as the original relied on just the dry rub and red oak for its flavor - again with the red oak.

Tri-tip a very common cut of meat around these parts, but any butcher worth his or her mustache will be able to cut one of these triangular roasts from the bottom sirloin. If they're confused, just bring in your iPod and play the video for them so they can see what you want.

In Santa Maria this tri-tip is traditionally served with beans, salsa and tortillas, but in the video you'll see the succulent slices sitting next to some unbelievably delicious eggplant Parmesan, which I also filmed and will edit soon. Yes, another tease. Enjoy!



Ingredeints:
2 to 2 1/2 lb beef tri-tip roast
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 cloves crushed garlic

Here are some more delicious video recipes I've filmed on the grill:
Asian-Marinated Skirt Steak
Grilled Paprika Chicken
Grilled Lamb Chops with Fresh Mint Sauce
Grilled Lemon Yogurt Chicken
Fennel-rubbed Flank Steak with Grilled Oranges

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¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Here's a collection of video recipes featuring fantastic food inspired by the cuisines of Central and South America. You never forget your first love, and when it comes to ethnic food it was the foods of Mexico and points south that first captured my heart and imagination some 28 years ago, as I began eating my way across San Francisco. I realize Cinco de Mayo is a bigger deal out here in California, but no matter where you live, I hope you give some of these festive recipes a try. Enjoy!



Salvadorian Chicken Stewed in Cream







Chicken Chili (or Chile) Verde









Pineapple Pork Al Pastor








Mexican (Spanish) Rice








Chili-Rubbed Pork Chops









Chicken Chimichanga








Scallop and Mango Ceviche

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Shortcut Green Chicken Enchiladas - Perfect for Your Americanized, Unauthentic Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!

This recipe doesn't pretend to be anything it's not - this is simply a super-fast casserole that shares a few similarities to chicken enchiladas. If you are Mexican, and were/are lucky enough to enjoy authentic enchiladas, this will not remind you of Mom's - or even Dad's.

But having issued the standard ethnic recipe disclaimer, I'll say, these aren't bad. As long as you choose a high-quality green sauce and a decently cooked rotisserie chicken, you should end up with a nice, easy, fast dinner.

Please buy some good cheeses and grate them yourself. You'll see me using a pre-grated Mexican cheese blend, which was me not wanting to waste a product sample I had received for a review (the verdict? Grate your own cheese!)

This low-quality video was posted on YouTube a long time ago, but for whatever reason was never posted here. In fact, I don't even have a decent photo of the final dish, which is why you see this crappy screen shot here. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 rotisserie chicken
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese
8 oz cheddar cheese
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
3 cups green enchilada sauce
10 corn tortillas
2 tbsp hot sauce

Photo (c) Flickr user Sung Sook

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Chilaquiles - The Best Thing to Happen to Hangovers Since Menudo (the spicy soup, not the band)

As promised, here is my basic version of chilaquiles, a classic Mexican mixture of fried tortillas, cheese, and salsa verde, often made with eggs to produce one of the world's great breakfasts. Like all the great breakfasts of the world, it has been long touted as a superior hangover cure.

It's ability to revive the body, mind, and soul from the ravages of alcohol poisoning is reportedly second only to the famous Mexican soup, menudo. Since mendo takes much longer to make, and traditionally contains, among other things, brains, cheeks, tails, hooves, and other organs, I tend to prefer the chilaquiles as my remedy.

According to the extensive research I did regarding the name, and by that I mean the three minutes I spent on Wikipedia, the word "chilaquiles" is derived from the Nahuatl word chil-a-quilitl, which means "herbs or greens in chile broth."

I can't say how that particular recipe eventually became what you'll see here, but thankfully it did - I can't imagine a bowl of stewed greens in a chili broth would work as well after a late night out at Senor Diablo's Casa de Las Margaritas Grandes. Enjoy!



Ingredients for curing 2 hangovers:
5 eggs
3 corn tortillas
1/2 cup cheese
1/2 cup salsa verde
vegetable oil
salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Check Out These Other Great South-of-the-Border Video Recipes:

Aunt Mary's Pollo en Crema

Pineapple Pork Al Pastor

Spicy Tomato Rice

Chicken Chili Verde


Margarita photo (c) House Of Sims' Flickr photostream

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Pineapple Pork Al Pastor - A Very Americanized Version of a Mexican Recipe Invented by the Lebanese

My all-time favorite fast food in the whole world is a Taco al Pastor. I live right next to the "Mission," which is San Francisco's Mexican neighborhood, and there are literally three or four taquerías per block selling this amazing treat.

It's a huge stack of thinly sliced pork, marinated in chili, pineapple juice, and other secret ingredients, piled up on a vertical spit and cooked rotisserie-style. The tender, aromatic meat is then sliced off and served on tortillas, usually with onions, cilantro, and a little hot sauce. It's too good to describe.This pork recipe is NOT a true al pastor (fyi: shepherd-style), but simply a nice, easy marinade using some of the same ingredients to fairly delicious results. The main ingredient is the pineapple juice, which not only gives the meat a great flavor, but also has enzymes that makes it very tender.Of course, I decided to use some pork tenderloin I had, which sort of defeats the purpose, but this marinade really pays dividends when using the much cheaper, and more traditional pork shoulder.One of the key spices is cinnamon, which is no surprise since the origins of this recipe trace back to Lebanese immigrants living in Mexico City, where they were clearly showing off their shawarma-rich heritage. Lamb shawarma is a similar preparation, and you can watch me do a faux-version of that here.This is one of those recipe that I just happened to have the camera on as I cooked. I didn't measure things, I forgot to film the cinnamon addition, and never even added cumin, another traditional spice. Nevertheless, it was wonderfully tender and tasty, and I'm happy to share it with you, flaws and all. Enjoy!

Note: Vimeo is still having sound issues, sorry.



Ingredients:
2 pork tenderloin
6 oz pineapple juice
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp chipotle
2 dried chiles Pasilla, seeds discarded
3 dried chiles Guajillo, seeds discarded
cayenne to taste
cumin, optional
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp white vinegar
salt to taste
vegetable oil for grilling

View the complete recipe

Al Pastor Photo (c) Flickr user Alaskan Dude

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Faux Pho - Rhymes with D'oh - Spicy Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

This video recipe is my fairly weak attempt at the famous Vietnamese spicy beef noodle soup, Pho. As I shopped for the ingredients, I had a nice package of beef oxtail in my hand, but since I was just making a small batch, and I already had two beautiful beef shanks in the basket, I decided to not get them. That was a mistake.

While this beef noodle soup wasn't bad, it wasn't spectacularly great which is what Pho should be. The signature of this soup is a very rich, deeply flavored, collagen-infused beef broth. I overestimated the beef shanks, and it was lacking exactly what the oxtails would have added.

Also, to add to this Pho's fauxness, I went pretty light on the spices. Real Pho has more of the aromatic spices you'll see in the video. I also didn’t add the extra sliced beef that is traditional, like brisket, flank, and thinly sliced, rare filet mignon. I also didn’t char the ginger, which is recommended. I also didn't pronouce Pho correctly - I say, "Pho," when it's actually more like, "Fuh." Despite all this, I still had a pretty nice beef soup, but it really made me crave a real Pho.

Don’t get me wrong, I encourage you to make this recipe - the technique you'll see is fairly accurate, but I advise you to add a couple pounds of oxtails, and maybe twice the spices. Also, for homework, find the nearest Vietnamese restaurant and order a bowl of Pho so you can see what we are trying to do here. Enjoy!



Ingredients: (these are not what I used in the video, but what I wish I did):
2 beef shanks, and 2 lbs oxtails
1 tbsp oil
1 onion
2 whole cloves
6 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp whole coriander
1 cardamom pod
6 whole star anise
6-inch piece ginger sliced, (browned with the beef)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
3 quarts water (some will evaporate, you'll have about 2 quarts strained)

In the bowl:
rice noodles, prepped
bean sprouts
sliced jalapenos
sambal chili sauce
fresh lime wedges
fresh herbs - basil, mint and/or cilantro
optional: thinly sliced raw beef tenderloin

Some of my favorite soup video recipes:
Wonton Soup
Bumblebee Soup - A Hearty Bacon, Black Bean and Corn Chowder
French Onion Soup
Spicy Sausage and Kale Soup
Brodo di Manzo with Tortellini and Greens


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Green Curry Chicken - That's Hot

For many years hearing the word, "curry" was like fingernails on my culinary chalkboard. Where I'm from, "curry" meant a thick, greasy, bright yellow sauce made with copious amount of turmeric, covering chunks of mystery meat. I know, as good as that sounds, I still didn’t like it.

All through culinary school, and on into my early career in California, even the smell of turmeric made me cringe. It was my Kryptonite.

As the years went by, and my culinary horizons expanded, so did my understanding and appreciation of curries. I learned that the horrible yellow curry from my youth wasn't even really a true curry, and that curries came in almost every color, from countries all over Asia.

My favorite curries today are definitely the Thai red and green curries. Even though it's one of my older, and cruder productions, the Red Curry Beef Stew is still one of my favorite video recipes on the blog.

This green curry chicken recipe was filmed for About.com's Thai site and I was very happy with the results. As usual I take a few shortcuts to make this amazing dish accessible to the average American home cook, but the soul of the dish remains intact.

Traditionally, green curries are considered the "hottest" of all the Thai curries, and as you'll see in the video, the green curry paste, which is the base of the dish, is quite an intense formula.

Having said that, there's plenty of flexibility with how hot you decide to make it, although it should, at the very least, produce a little sweat (along with the accompanying endorphin rush). Enjoy!

Video Player Note: About.com no longer allows videos to be embedded off their site. So, to watch these clips just click on the graphic below and off you go. Just, don't forget to come back!

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Side Dish Stagnation? Spicy Tomato Rice to the Rescue!

This short and fascinating video recipe for spicy tomato rice will hopefully add a very nice, all-purpose side dish to your repertoire. Believe it or not, Chefs have a much tougher time coming up with starchy side dishes for meals than they do with the main items. Is this an issue for you as well?

This is probably due to the fact that new recipes for main courses seem almost infinite. At last count there were 2,769,241 ways to cook a chicken. By the way, while I typed that last sentence, 793 new ways to cook chicken were just invented.

Side dishes are another story. I do about five or six variations on mashed potatoes and that's it. Seems you can only do so many things to make it interesting before you run out of ideas. Kind of like Survivor. So, don't underestimate the importance of adding a new side dish to your arsenal.

This Spanish rice-inspired spicy tomato rice recipe is super easy to make, and is always a crowd-pleaser. When was the last time you had Spanish rice? The last time you went to Spain? That time you went to that Mexican place for that thing with those guys? If you can't recall, then it's time to watch this video and get busy. Enjoy!




Ingredients:
1 tbsp of butter
2 cups of white, long-grain rice
1/3 cup diced jalapenos
1/3 cup diced green onions
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp chili powder or paprika
1/2 tsp chipotle and/or cayenne
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup of tomato sauce


Do you have a rice cooking phobia? You're not alone! You may want to watch my How to Make Perfect White Rice video recipe.




* Please help support free video recipes, and visit my new sponsor, MOZO Shoes. Find out why chefs (like me) are buzzing about their great shoes!

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Spicy White Bean and Chicken Chili - A White Chili to Battle the Winter Blues

This white chili video recipe was inspired by a cup of spicy chicken and white bean soup I had during my recent trip back east.

I love chilis (yes, that's how you spell it) of all shades and spices. While beef is most familiar to my chili kettle, pork, turkey, and even lamb do make the occasional appearance. But, what about chicken?

I rarely think of using chicken, so I was glad that cup of soup came along to remind me how great a chili, chicken can make - if you stay away from the horrible ground stuff. For me, chicken makes for a very poor ground meat. It's too lean, too dry, too chalky, and too "I wish this was ground chuck."
The key here is chicken thighs - moist, shapely, boneless-skinless chicken thighs. The difference they make in taste and texture is significant.

By the way, don't substitute chicken breasts. In my opinion, the small amount of fat savings are not worth the step-down in flavor. Enjoy!


 
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
cayenne pepper to taste
1 red bell pepper, seeded, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, diced
1 can (10-ounce) diced tomato with green chilies
4 cups chicken broth
2 (15 ounce) great northern, or navy beans, drained
chopped fresh cilantro to garnish, optional


Other Super Cool Chili Recipes:
Spicy Three-Bean Chili
Chicken Chili Verde
Turkey Chili

* Please help support free video recipes, and visit my new sponsor, MOZO Shoes. Find out why chefs (like me) are buzzing about their great shoes!

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Some Sweet and Hot Mustard-Glazed Chicken Wings for a Buffalo-Free Super Bowl

We know the game will be Buffalo-free, but if your as burned-out on the basic Buffalo-style chicken wing recipe as I am, then this video recipe's for you.

The simple technique is the same as any oven-fried chicken wings, but the hot, sweet, mustardy glaze is a very welcomed change of pace from Frank, and his ubiquitous hot sauce.

Not that you should be thinking of your waistline at a super bowl party, but this recipe also avoids the stick of melted butter found in the Anchor Bar's classic recipe. The secret here is not one, but two kinds of mustard.

That's right, I hope you're sitting down - I use Dijon and yellow mustard in the same recipe - now that's a true culinary rebel. I can't think of a more unusual combination since, um…Buffalo chicken wings and blue cheese dressing. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
2 pounds wings, separated into 2 pieces each
2 tbsp Dijon
2 tbsp yellow mustard
3 tbsp honey
2 tsp cider vinegar
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp hot sauce, or to taste

* Please help support free video recipes, and visit my new sponsor, MOZO Shoes. Find out why chefs (like me) are buzzing about their great shoes!

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Spicy Three-Bean Chili - Meatless and Possibly Vegetarian

As I prepare myself mentally and physically for the rest of the upcoming holiday feasts, I'm trying to stay away from rich, meaty dishes since they'll soon be eaten in abundance. This spicy three-bean vegetable chili recipe video shows a meat-free, but still very satisfying meal.

Eating a little leaner before the big holiday meals is a great idea for several reasons. You'll save money, get extra nutrients to protect your body from excessive partying (and gout), and you'll appreciate those rich foods even more.

I'm going to have a bowl of this chili right now, and then practice my King Henry VIII imitation - you know, drunk, belt loosened, shirt stained with gravy, pointing menacingly at relatives with a roast goose leg, or dripping beef rib. Ah, the holidays. Enjoy!

* Please help support free video recipes, and visit my new sponsor, MOZO Shoes. Find out why chefs (like me) are buzzing about their great shoes!



Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded, diced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 to 1 tsp chipotle chili powder (more for spicier chili)
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tbsp Ancho chili powder (or other chili powder)
1 cup tomato sauce
3 cups water (more if needed)
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained
1 (15-oz) can red kidney beans, drained
1 pound package frozen sweet corn, thawed, drained well
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
6 oz pepper Jack cheese, shredded

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Aunt Mary's Pollo en Crema - Sorta Salvadorian Chicken Stewed in Cream

Aunt Mary's was a popular brunch restaurant here in San Francisco that served a wonderfully homey array of Mexican and Salvadorian dishes. Michele and I used to go every Sunday for a late breakfast (that's what brunch used to be called). She would always get the Huevos Rancheros, and my usual was the Pollo en Crema, which is the subject of today's video recipe.

Sometimes it's fun to cook a recipe that ignores the standard techniques that usually rule the production of my food. This recipe is a simple boiled chicken - no browning, no deglazing, no reducing, and no layering of flavors. As you'll see, you just toss all the ingredients into a pot and simmer it until tender and delicious.

My standard ethic recipe disclaimer applies; I'm not, nor have I ever been, Salvadorian. This is what I used to get at a restaurant that claimed to serve Salvadorian food, and they called it Pollo en Crema. I'm sure those of you in the know will point out if, and how, this varies from the "real" authentic recipe, but what I can tell everyone is that this simple pot of chicken is great food. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 big chicken
1 onion
2 red bell pepper
2 jalapeno
2 Roma tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
cayenne
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup sour cream, or Mexican crema
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
fresh chopped cilantro

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Turning Barbecued Shrimp Outside In

One thing that took some getting used to after moving to San Francisco was the summer rain. There isn't any. From June to late fall, besides the very occasional light drizzle, it just doesn't rain…at all. We get dew, fog, wind, mist, and dark clouds, but never any of those thundering downpours that the rest of the country gets on a regular basis.

Where I grew up, in western New York, whether you were planning a game of golf, or getting friends together to grill some shrimp, dodging the rain was always part of the deal. I'm sure most of you can relate - the shrimp are thawed, the potato salad is made, and it begins raining so hard the neighborhood pets start to pair up. Next time that happens try this unbelievably easy, and fast, indoor barbecue shrimp recipe.

This recipe will work with peeled shrimp, but the "ready to peel" raw shrimp called for in the recipe will allow you to really get that char-grilled look without worrying about dry shrimp. The other thing I love about this recipe, besides the simulated barbecue effect, is the fact a batch only takes about 6-7 minutes to cook, so you can do multiple batches in between complaining about the weather. Wet enough for 'ya? Enjoy!



1 pound (16-20 per lb.) jumbo shrimp, shell-on, deveined (sold as "raw, ready to peel")
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp chili powder (or sub 1/2 chipotle pepper and omit cayenne)
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
lemon wedges

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Jazzy Watercolor Mussels - Painting by Numbers; Ones and Zeros

Come with me on a jazzy journey into colors, shapes, and sounds. Old broken footage has been filtered and folded, softened and slurped. The unusable made useable, and now playing. Watch tapping, bobbing, swaying to swimming spoon, and fresh fills.

Close your eyes and watch the magic. Smell the notes, smell the teen spirit, and smell the garlic. Come with me on a jazzy journey into open shells and closed fists. Go ahead, brush your shoulders off.



Ingredients:
2 pounds mussels
1 cup of wine
1/2 stick butter
lots of minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
pepper flakes
1/2 cup Italian parsley
bread and lemons

Eddie Harris "Compared to What" Part 1

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El Paso Pizza - Alliteration and Geographical Convenience Never Tasted So Good

I did something today that has always bothered me when done by large food corporations; I named a recipe based solely on geography and alliteration. This video recipe for a Tex-Mex style pizza was called "El Paso Pizza" because Paso and Pizza both start with P's, and El Paso is in Texas. I've never been to El Paso, nor do I have any knowledge about their pizza - if they even eat pizza.

Not many people realize that there are absolutely no laws or guidelines on the authenticity of food packaging names, claims, and histories. Those cute little stories that you always see on the back of labels about how Aunt Tillie invented her "Bakersfield Brownies" during the Depression, using chocolate smuggled into to the country by trained hawks. It's all made up. The name, the location, the part about the hawks - all invented in some marketing meeting.
I realize that none of you really care why this is called El Paso pizza, but I wanted to call your attention to the whole "amazing but true story behind the name" scam at the supermarket. Just another reason not to buy prepared foods! Anyway, this video recipe is quite tasty and a great idea when you can't decide whether to have pizza or tacos.

In the video I mention to try and use grass-fed beef, which is now available, ground in one-pound packages, at most major supermarkets. Here is a link that explains the many health benefits of this, over the conventional corn-fed beef. I'm also linking to the Pizza Dough video, in case you want to make your own. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp chipotle pepper - more if you likes it spicy
1 tbsp ancho chile powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup sliced Poblano pepper, or Anaheim, or other green peppers
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 1/2 cup tomato sauce
4 oz pepper Jack cheese
one crust or pizza dough for a large pizza

View the complete recipe
El Paso sign photo (c) Adriano Agulló

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Homemade Dry Rubs and the Dry Rub Paradox

If you've done any serious channel surfing lately, especially the foodie channels,you've probably noticed the same thing I have…it's all barbecue, all the time.

There are two common themes in all these shows; whichever town they're in, has "the best barbecue in the country," and if your dry rub is good, "you don't even need a sauce."
This video recipe for a basic barbecue dry rub, features my favorite all-purpose formula.

I really like this recipe because it works nicely on chicken, pork, beef, vegetables, and even salmon or tuna steaks. Of course, half the fun of making your own rubs is playing around with different spice blends, so I hope you'll use this video recipe as a just a starting point.

There are countless commercial rubs out there, but I can't see paying twice the price, and using something that is most likely made using the least expensive ingredients available, when blending you own is so fast and fun. Once you have your homemade rub in a tub, you may be surprised to learn that, paradoxically, it should be sprinkled on, and not rubbed. Why? Clumpification! Enjoy.

Click here for ingredients and transcript

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How to Make the Spicy, Sexy, and Seductive Spanish Romesco Sauce

I adore aioli, I secretly love ketchup, and I've had a thing for tzadziki for a long time, but if I had to choose my favorite all-purpose cold sauce, it would have to be romesco. "Sexy" is an overused adjective that chefs toss out to describe food when they can’t think of anything else to say. But, in this case, it is spot-on. Romesco sauce is a classic, very popular, and yes, sexy, Spanish condiment. There are many versions and recipes, but it's basically a spicy almond and red pepper pesto-like mixture.

The reason I love it so much is that romesco sauce is great on everything…literally. From the lightest grilled fish, to the reddest of red meats, to any and all vegetables. I always have a jar in the fridge, and when a dish I'm cooking has that "something is missing" taste - I throw in a spoon of romesco, and usually, things suddenly get more exciting.

This video recipe I filmed for About a while ago just aired, and when I listened to it, I noticed my usual infectious enthusiasm seemed muted. I'm not sure if I was ill, or suffering from lack of sleep, or depressed from checking my donations, but I seemed a bit flat. Ironically, a great thing to make and eat when you are feeling that way is…romesco! Enjoy.

Click here for ingredients and transcript

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I'll Have the Sausage and Chicken Gumbo…Hold the Gumbo

My "Big Easy" cooking kick continues with this delicious sausage and chicken gumbo video recipe. Now, I must admit to serious okra aversion issues. I don’t like the taste, the texture, or the appearance - other than that I think it's a great vegetable. So, you can imagine what I felt like when I learned that the word "gumbo" actually means "okra."

Many people believe that okra is the primary thickening agent in gumbo, but in actuality it's the roux. Sure, the okra does help thicken the stew with its slimy goodness, but it's the brown roux that is the main player. Some recipes call for file powder, which is made from ground sassafras leaves. It's added at the end of the cooking, and not only helps thicken, but adds a interestingly sweet flavor. I'm not using that either.

As a special treat, you'll also hear from famous New Orleans chef, Emeril Lagasse. Apparently, he is a big fan of the site, and his people called my people, and begged me to let him provide some color commentary on a video. Aw, yeah babe. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup flour
1 onion, diced
2 ribs celery diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
8 oz Andouille sausage, or other spicy, smoked sausage
3 cloves garlic, crushed fine
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 cups chicken broth, or as needed
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup minced green onions
Okra photo (c) Flickr user Kanko

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Spicy Shrimp Etouffee - If You're Texting the Recipe Just Enter "A2FEY"

For whatever reason, I've recently been on a Cajun/Creole cooking kick. Here's the finished shrimp etouffee video recipe I promised last week, and man, was it good! Etouffee is one of New Orleans' most famous dishes - it's spicy (or can be), aromatic, brightly flavored, and very comforting, all at the same time.

Etouffee comes from the French word for "smothered," and I would describe the dish as a rich, shrimp gravy served with rice. In general, Creole cooking is not that common for the average home cook. I think, from a distance, it may look like Creole cooking is fairly complicated. While some recipes do have lots of steps, most of the classics, like this shrimp etouffee, are quite simple to make.

Speaking of famous New Orleans recipes, folks in my age group may remember with some amusement, the blackened redfish craze from the early eighties. Chef Paul Prudhomme, of K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen, introduced America to that old Cajun favorite, blackened fish. It was later discovered it wasn't even a Cajun recipe, but that's a chef for you - we never let the facts get in the way of a great story.

This was a smoke alarm's dream recipe. Blackened redfish is basically a fillet covered in spicy dry rub, and seared on a red-hot cast iron pan. This is a great recipe when made under a massive restaurant exhaust fan. At home, it produced copious amount of smoke, which forced many a chef outdoors. Anyway, enjoy the video and be sure to give this easy, and smoke-free, recipe a try!
Click here for ingredients and transcript

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Creole Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya with a Side of Newman

As you long time viewers know, I'm a huge Seinfeld fan, and being a chef, one of my favorite episodes is The Soup Nazi. Today's video recipe features Newman's personal favorite, jambalaya. While true jambalaya is really more of a thicker rice stew, than a soup, it's one of those dishes that more stock can be added to easily make it into a soup recipe (and feed more people, of course). I'm not sure where the myth arose that Creole and Cajun food was complicated to make. Much like French, Chinese, and Italian cuisine, the best, and most popular dishes are actually the easiest to make.

This recipe is a perfect example. There's really not much chopping, there's only a couple steps, and it's a very easy recipe to alter and adjust to your tastes. This is a perfect dinner party dish, since once it's simmering, you can enjoy the party, and not have to fuss around in the kitchen.

Speaking of dinner parties, one interesting tidbit regarding jambalaya you can fascinate your guests with has to do with the name. No one really knows the true origins of the term "jambalaya," which means I always repeat the most entertaining version.

This is from the Dictionary of American Food and Drink:
Late one evening a traveling gentleman stopped by a New Orleans inn which had little food remaining from the evening meal. The traveler instructed the cook, "Jean, balayez!" or "Jean, sweep something together!" in the local dialect. The guest pronounced the resulting hodge-podge dish as "Jean balayez."

Hey, it could of happened. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
8 oz Andouille sausage, or other spicy smoked sausage, sliced 1/4" thick
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup diced tomato, fresh or canned
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 ribs celery, sliced 1/4" thick
4 green onions, sliced thin
1 cup brown rice
3 cups chicken broth
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

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