England is not generally known as a hot bed for innovative gourmet cuisine (although it has improved greatly in the last 20 years), but one thing they do extraordinarily well is this dish. The fish normally used in England is cod, but the tilapia we have on sale this week also works very well. What the English call “chips” is actually French fries. I have talked before about the “two step” cooking method for French fries (click to see) and it is incredibly important to follow for the integrity of this dish.

The recipe below is true to the original English recipe; the fish comes out crispy on the outside and flaky white in the middle, the fries are crispy on the exterior and creamy in the center. The combination is outstanding. If you are trying to find a way to get your kids to eat fish, this one works!

INGREDIENTS

For the Fries:

• 1 gallon safflower oil
• 4 large Russet potatoes
• Kosher salt

For the Batter:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Dash Old Bay seasoning
• 1 bottle brown beer, cold
• 1½ pounds tilapia, cut into 2-ounce strips
• Cornstarch, for dredging

METHOD

Heat oven to 200° F.

Heat the safflower oil in a large saucepan over high heat until it reaches 320°.

Peel potatoes then cut into ¼” sticks and place in cold water.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and Old Bay seasoning. Whisk in the beer until the batter is completely smooth and free of any lumps. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. (Note: The batter can be made up to 1 hour ahead of time.)

Drain potatoes thoroughly, removing any excess water. When oil reaches 320°, submerge the potatoes in the oil. Working in small batches, fry for 2 to 3 minutes until they are pale and floppy. Remove from oil, drain, and cool to room temperature.

Increase the temperature of the oil to 375°. Reimmerse fries and cook until crisp and golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on roasting rack. Season with Kosher salt while hot and hold in the oven.

Allow oil to return to 350°. Lightly dredge fish strips in cornstarch. Working in small batches, dip the fish into batter and immerse into hot oil. When the batter is set, turn the pieces of fish over and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain the fish on the roasting rack. Serve with malt vinegar.

In This Menu:

• Warm Spinach Salad
• T-Bone Steaks with Chimichurri
• Blueberry Crumble

To continue our culinary journey this week, I thought we would visit the Pampas of Argentina. Argentina is a place that produces some of the best beef cattle in the world and is renowned for their steaks. The Chimichurri sauce for the steaks is a very common and popular condiment for meat. The sauce really gets its flavor from the parsley. To that end, it is important to use the flat leaf or Italian parsley as it has a much better and more pronounced flavor than the curly parsley. Since I have personally been trying to eat healthier and avoid processed foods, I will try to give those of you also trying to eat better some healthful hints within these blog posts. Fortunately, we have just hired a registered nutritionist to be part of our team and she is assisting me in my effort to eat better as well as passing along good information to you, our customers.

In looking at this menu I realized that the salad, corn, and steak go right along with my plan. No changes. Instead of frying the fries, you could bake them, remove the skin, and mash them with some salt, pepper, and creamy goat cheese; these are wonderful and the goat cheese is very good for you as are the potatoes. As far as the dessert goes, try using unbleached flour instead of all purpose and substituting Stevia (a natural sweetener) and/or honey for the white sugar since fat is not the enemy, processed foods are (at least in my program). Use regular sour cream, not the “light brand”.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. baby spinach
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1 small red onion
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper

PREPARATION

Cut Romas in half vertically and run your paring knife round the seeds inside the tomato. Now remove the seeds and run under cold water to remove any seeds that remain. Peel the onion, cut in quarters, then into thin slices. Cut mozzarella into ¼” cubes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and spinach. Stir spinach constantly until it just begins to wilt. Remove spinach from pan, season with salt and pepper, and place in a large salad bowl. Put pan back on stove, turn heat to high and add other tablespoon of oil. When pan is hot, add the tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms to the pan along with a light dusting of salt and pepper. Sauté quickly, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. You don’t want the vegetables to overcook. Pour vegetables over spinach and top with mozzarella. Drizzle vinegar over salad and toss to combine.

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 6 garlic cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1½ tablespoons of salt
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian (sometimes called flat leaf) parsley
• ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

For Sweet Potato Fries and Steaks:

• 3 large sweet potatoes
• 2 to 3 cups canola oil

For Steaks:

• 3 T-bone steaks, 1 inch thick or as desired

PREPARATION

For Chimichurri:

Place the vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, jalapeños, and salt in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the parsley and oregano, and pulse until well blended. Keep machine running and slowly drizzle in oil. Remove from food processor, cover tightly and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400° F and prepare the grill (or, alternatively, the steaks can be broiled).

For Fries:

Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, bake in the oven for 20 minutes, and let cool. Neatly cut the potatoes, still with their skins on, into thin sticks. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 350° F and fry the potatoes for about 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and keep warm. This is the traditional Argentina way of cooking these fries, but I prefer the French two step method that we have discussed before.
(http://www.pricecutteronline.com/blog/?p=1666)

For Steaks:

Lay steaks out on baking sheet and rub each side with a generous amount of olive oil, salt, and pepper and place on the hot grill. Grill the steaks for about 5 minutes per side for medium or to the desired doneness. Top with a liberal dose of the Chimichurri sauce and put some sauce in a bowl for dipping.

For Corn:

Remove husks from corn and rinse in cold water to remove any stringy material left on cob. Take out a one foot length of foil and lay cob on top of it. Brush all sides of corn cob with olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roll in foil and seal the ends. Place corn on grill or in oven about 5 minutes before steaks go on. Turn corn frequently to avoid burning any side. Corn takes about 15 minutes to completely cook.

INGREDIENTS

For the Streusel:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the Cake:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (¾ stick)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the Streusel:

Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the Cake:

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar.

This week I wanted to do a fun “on the grill” menu in anticipation of the warmer weather soon to come. Several items on this menu are on sale and the complete menu can be prepared without breaking the bank. So, what can make a great hamburger even better? World-class french fries, of course!

The history of french fries is a bit unclear, but almost certainly these wonderful creations were first cooked in Europe, more specifically, in France and Belgium. Recipes for fried potatoes in French cookbooks date to Menon’s Les soupers de la cour (1755). Some think that fried potatoes were being served in Belgium as early as 1680! Regardless of where they were invented, it is almost certain that they became popular in America after the first World War. The American soldiers in France discovered the coveted treasure and when they came home after the war, it is only natural that their appetite for the fried potato followed. I credit the Belgium chefs with first creating the “two step” process which is critical for cooking the perfect french fry. Enough history, let’s get cooking!

In This Menu:

• Mississippi Burger with French Fries & Cole Slaw
• Cucumber and Tomato Salad
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats

Serves 4

To make slaw:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon each Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 package Dole Cole Slaw mix

Place mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl and whisk until completely smooth. Add Dole slaw mix and toss until slaw mix is evenly coated with the dressing. Refrigerate.

For the burger:

• 1½ lb. ground round
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Buns

Place meat, salt, and pepper in small mixing bowl and gently incorporate the seasonings into the meat. Try not to over mix.* Divide meat by four and form patties. Grill, pan fry, or bake to desired doneness. Place burger on bottom bun. Top with a generous portion of the slaw then add top bun. Enjoy!

*For more tips on burgers, see my previous blog on the World’s Best Burger.

For the french fries:

• 3 russet potatoes
• 10 cups peanut oil
• Salt and pepper

Peel potatoes, placing them in cold water as you finish each one. Remove potatoes one at a time and cut potato vertically into ½ inch slice. Rotate potato and cut again to make ½ inch fries. Place fries in cold water until ready to cook. Place oil in a very large saucepan and heat oil to 325°. If you have an electric fryer, that would work even better. Check temperature with a thermometer, the temperature when cooking french fries is VERY important! While oil is heating remove fries from water and drain very well in colander. Shake colander for several minutes to remove any residual water from fries*. When oil is at the proper temperature, drop fries in oil and fry for about 7 minutes or until they are a very light brown. Do not crowd the pan. You may have to do the fries in a couple of batches. Set fries aside and leave out at room temperature until you are ready to eat. To finish fries, raise the temperature of the oil to 375° and drop fries in hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Pour into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, toss and serve immediately. The two step process described above is how you get crispy fries. If you fry the potatoes all the way to the finish in one step, you fries will be limp and soggy. There is some very complicated science behind the process that I won?t pretend to understand. Just know that this process works and will give you an incredible fry!

*Before frying, I want to warn you that improper deep frying causes many house fires. Here are some things that will ensure you have a safe experience. First of all, make sure that your pan is large enough that the oil only fills the pan to about half way. Oil tends to bubble up when the fries are added and if the pan is too full, it will boil over onto the burner, potentially causing a fire. Next, make sure you remove as much water from the fries as possible. Water and hot oil do not mix very well and the more water, the more likelihood that the pan will boil over. If, for some reason you start a fire, DO NOT pour water or use a water based fire extinguisher. This will only spread the fire and make it worse. If the fire is not bad, the best thing to do is cover pan wearing gloves to smother fire. Obviously for any fire that even seems a bit out of control, it is always prudent to call the Fire Department. My point here is not to scare you from deep frying. I just want to make sure that your experience is a safe one. If you follow my rules outlined above, you should never have a problem!

Serves 4

• 2 cucumbers
• 2 Hot House tomatoes
• 1 small red onion
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup vinaigrette (your choice of brand)

Peel cucumber then cut in half lengthwise. With a spoon scrape seeds out of cucumber. Slice in ½ inch slices and place in a large bowl. Cut tomatoes into ½ inch thick wedges and add to bowl. Cut red onion in half lengthwise then into ½ inch slices; add to bowl. Add salt, pepper, and dressing to bowl and toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate or serve.

Seriously, who doesn’t like Rice Krispy treats? So what can make them better? Chocolate and peanut butter of course!

• 3 tablespoons butter
• One, 10 oz. package regular marshmallows
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• 8 cups Rice Krispys
• 8 oz. semi sweet baking chocolate

Place Rice Krispys in a large bowl. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add marshmallows and peanut butter. When completely melted and smooth, pour over cereal and toss until evenly coated. With a buttered rubber spatula, press into an oiled pan, 13″x9″x2″.

Melt chocolate in double boiler or in microwave. If using microwave, melt in short bursts (no more than 15 seconds), removing and stirring between each heating. When chocolate is completely smooth and melted, pour onto Rice Krispy Treats and spread evenly over entire surface with a spatula. When chocolate is firm, cut into squares and serve.