Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki Sauce
A Greek sauce/dip made from yogurt and cucumber.  So easy to make and a must for Gyros, it is also a great snack served with Pita Chips!

Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients:

Simple Ingredients!

Yogurt

Peeled and Seeded Cucumber

Garlic

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

(Optional)

Lemon
Dill
Salt/Pepper

Procedure:

Begin by placing the Yogurt in a cotton tea towel and suspend over a vessel in the refrigerator for 2 hours.  During this time, peel and seed your Cucumber.

Strain Your Yogurt To Thicken!

Place the thickened Yogurt, Cucumber, Garlic and a splash of EVOO in to your food processor and give it a few spins!  I love mine with Lemon Zest/Juice, Fresh Dill and Salt & Pepper!

Enjoy with your Homemade Gyros from JW8!!!

HomeMade Lamb Gyros

Gyros
These fabulous Greek Sandwiches can be made at home

I'll Show You How To Get Around This...

Gyros are those fantastic Greek Pita Sandwiches that we watch as they cut our Lamb from a spool of rotating yummy-ness…..  I have had this recipe in my collection for years and love them just as much as I do the Restaurant version of this classic…

Best when made on an outdoor rotisserie, the option to make them in your indoor oven will not disappoint….   Let’s get started!

Ingredients:

1  Medium     Onion

1  Tbsp           Garlic

1  Tbsp           Rosemary

1  Tbsp           Thyme

1  Tbsp          Marjoram

2  Pounds     Ground Lamb

Prepare at least 2 hours in advance:

Chop the Onion in a Food Processor and then place in a cotton towel and squeeze all of the moisture out of it.  In the food processor, puree the Onion with all of the Spices and Lamb.

Transfer this mixture to a large sheet of plastic and roll it up tight and rewrap.  Place this ‘log’ in the refrigerator and chill at least 2 hours.

Choose a Cooking Method:

Rotisserie:

Set all gas grill zones on medium.  Double-Thick your aluminum foil and shape as a tray large enough to catch all of the drippings from the ‘log’.  This also serves to block the direct heat.

Cook 15 minutes on High Heat to begin to sear the exterior of the ‘log’.  Continue cooking over medium heat for 20 – 35 minutes, until you reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees (F).  Turn off the heat and continue cooking until you reach a final temperature of 175 degrees (F).

Oven:

Using a standard ‘Loaf Pan’, place the meat mixture in to the pan and press flat.  This pan should sit in a water bath by using a larger pan with at least an inch of water.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees (F).  Cook the meat for 30 minutes with a brick wrapped in foil on top of it to press it and add pressure.  After 30 minutes, pour off any fat while hot and continue cooking for an additional 30 – 45 minutes until completely cooked.

Serve:

The meat is to be thinly sliced and served in a warm pita with Tzatziki Sauce (which I will post next) and typically sliced onion and tomatoes!

Enjoy these terrific Gyros from JW8!

Gorditas

Gorditas
‘Fat Boys’

If you live in the South, then you might have had a real Gordita, not that flatbread taco that you get at Taco Bell!  Gorditas are grilled flatcakes that are puffed in oil and filled with delicious ingredients…  I am not going to post any fillings here, because they are just too unlimited….  A stewy beef filling seems to be the favorite around here, but you can just as easily fill them with bacon and eggs….

Gorditas aka 'Fat Boys'

Ingredients:
all are aproximate

1  Cup              Maseca

1/2  Cup          Flour

1 1/2  Cups     Water

1/2  Cup           Margarine

1/2  Cup          Cheddar Cheese

Dough will be WET and should be covered with a tea towel at all times when you are not working with it…

Form a small ball on a hot, oiled griddle and flatten while cooking.  Cook until golden brown on both sides.  Set aside and cool.

Prepare your fillings!

Gorditas after removing from the Hot Griddle

Heat a skillet with oil until hot.  You will be deep frying the cooked Gorditas until they PUFF!

Gorditas will PUFF in hot oil!

Remove the Puffed Gorditas and slice down one side with a sharp knife.  Seperate enough to add your fillings and serve immediately!

That’s my Gordita recipe that works everytime from JW8…..

Grilled Kentucky Pork Chops

Grilled Kentucky Pork Chops
Apple Cider Marinaded Grilled Chops

Kentuck Pork Chop

Quite frankly, this may be the easiest Recipe that you will ever encounter!  I love food to taste complex, not necessarily take hours of preparation and clean up to achieve…  A quick trip to the market and a few steps to throw it in a bag to marinate will free up your time and allow you to have a leisurely evening at home.

I like to make Kentucky Pork Chops and Blue Cheese Macaroni Salad together as a complete meal.  It satisfies your heavy eaters, your healthy eaters and usually your picky eaters too!  Not to mention that both dishes taste great cold later that evening or for the next day’s lunch!  The Blue Cheese Macaroni Salad recipe will be posted next.  It is a BASE recipe, so you can complete it out any way that you please..

Now for the KPC recipe. . .

Apple Cider Marinated Chops

Ingredients:

4  Butterfly or Pork Loin Chops, boneless or bone-in, 3/4-inch thick

   1/2  Cup     Apple Cider

1 1/2  tsp      Garlic Powder

   1/2  Cup     Soy Sauce

1  Tbsp          Honey

Procedure:

Place the Chops in a One Gallon sized self-sealing plastic bag.  I typically use ‘store brand’ slide-lock freezer bags, the plastic is a little thicker and there is no mess!

For the Marinade:  Combine Apple Cider, Garlic Powder, Soy Sauce and Honey in a small bowl.  Pour the Marinade over the Chops and seal the bag as close to ‘air-free’ as you can manage.  This ensures that the Marinade will be in total contact with the Chops and that the flavors will quickly penetrate.  Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour.

Heat broiler or grill.

Drain the Chops and discard the Marinade.

For the Broiler:

Place the Chops on the unheated rack of a broiler pan.  Broil 4 inches from the heat source for 8 – 10 minutes, turning once.  Chops are done when they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees (F).

For the Grill: 

Place the Chops on the hot grill and sear on each side.  Continue grilling over a medium fire until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees (F).

I hope that you will love these Chops!  The Soy/Cider mixture with Garlic/Honey couldn’t be simpler, but it does magic on the grill!  The Cider seems to tenderize and flavor the Chops and they turn out perfect every time.

Kentucky Pork Chops from JW8…

A Word About Grills:

No one seems to have just a grill anymore, but rather an entire Outdoor Kitchen of the finest appliances.  Some of my friends even have dishwashers installed outdoors!  Amazing.

I have cooked on all grills and Will Cook on any grill, but I have recently splurged a little and wanted to share that with you here…  I prefer natural gas (propane) grills for their ease of use, but tend to go through them pretty quickly (one every few years).  On my last trip to the Home Store, I came across the new Infrared Grills and decided to buy in to that technology.

I purchased a Char-Broil Quantum Commercial Series Infrared Grill, which as it turns out is Grilling’s Juicy Little Secret!  It’s all stainless steel and pretty, which I’m a big fan of, but it’s the way that it cooks that is just fantastic!  Homeowners equip their homes with the very best, but when you lease your home often you are provided with Landlord-Grade Appliances…  I am only mentioning this as a way that you can have a Fantastic Way To Cook no matter where you reside…  A grill is something that you will use often and can take with you anywhere, so why not get a Really Good One???

Infrared Energy is comprised of those frequencies just beyond the visible light spectrum.  Simply put, it is light that we cannot see, but our food detect as heat.  Infrared is the perfect choice for cooking!  Traditional convection grills heat with hot air and can dry out your food.  With Infrared Grills, frequencies strike the food and cause the molecules to vibrate, thereby creating the heat that cooks your food.  This is why a hamburger will shrink more on a traditional grill than on an Infrared Grill.  High End Restaurants have known this for years, producing the best Steaks, Chops and Chef Inspired Creations…  I now have this technology in my back yard and so can you!  They have been out long enough and have enough models that this does not have to be expensive…  What good is buying a new grill if you can’t afford any food to put on it…..

Infrared Gives You That Restaurant Result

No matter how you choose to cook, this recipe Rocks and I hope that you enjoy it!

Bulgogi

‘KICK ASS KOREAN’ Sweet & Hot Ribeye Steaks

Ribeyes Served Up Sweet and Hot!!!

As you will see when you are barbecuing these marinated Ribeyes, its smell will make your mouth water. Once you try Korean Barbecue, it will become something you crave even if you’re not usually a beef eater. As a Food Blogger, I have to admit that this is my very favorite food! I eat Bulgogi as often as I can (Notice that I didn’t say cook? That’s because ever since I prepared this for the first time, my partner also craves Bulgogi and prepares it as often as me). A Rockstar Of A Recipe…. BULGOGI Korean Barbecue Beef

Bulgogi Korean Barbecue Beef

Bulgogi is traditionally eaten with white rice (I prefer Calrose) and a variety of usually Spicy Sides! Most Important, serve it with Fresh Red Leaf Lettuce, thinly sliced Raw Garlic and some fresh Spicy Peppers to make a ssam:

ssam: Holding the Fresh Red Leaf Lettuce in your palm, make a wrap that envelops the barbecued ribeye, some rice, the dipping sauce and if desired some vegetables or sometimes I prepare some glass noodles for this. Feel free to experiment!

What can I say about thinly sliced ribeye??? The first time I thought, “what a sacrilege” to ruin a perfectly excellent ribeye steak! Actually, go ahead and spend money here and get some Great Steaks! Ribeyes have that wonderful marbling of fat that make them ‘fork tender’ and delicious in any preparation, but when marinated in a Korean Barbecue Recipe that has been Americanized by a Gay Texan ‘Well, My Friends’ that’s just f*ckng amazing!!!!!

It's Not A Sacrilege Folks . . .

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 Pounds Rib Eye Beef, thinly sliced

(My marinade varies greatly from traditional Bulgogi that you could find online, but this is a time tested and taste adjusted greatness)

Make a Marinade/Sauce of the following:

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce (I prefer Tamari Sauce)

4 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil

4 Cloves Minced Fresh Garlic

4 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1 Cup Red Wine (full bodied Cabernet or Syrah works great here)

2 Tbsp Sambal Red Chile Sauce

Pinch White & Black Pepper (White, only white if you have it on hand)

Shake Red Pepper Flakes

This is what I like to call a ‘Loose’ sauce, meaning that none of the measurements need to be exact. Make it hotter, sweeter or deeper depending on your taste that go-around…..

Dipping Sauce
(optional)

1 Tbsp Soybean Paste

2 tsp Garlic, crushed

2 tsp Sambal

1 tsp Salad Oil

2 Tbsp Water

Bulgogi Procedure:

Thinly slice your Ribeye Steaks in to strips that are approximately 1/8″ thick. Traditional Bulgogi tells you to trim off all of the fat from your meat, but with Ribeyes I leave quite a bit of it on because it cooks tender and tastes delicious. Your call.

Lightly sprinkle the beef with some brown sugar and massage it in for a couple of minutes and then put aside to ‘Dry Marinate’ for ten minutes.

Add some Tamari or Soy Sauce to the beef and continue to marinate for another ten minutes. (Because the beef is thin, it doesn’t require a long marinating time}

In a medium bowl or a Pyrex Glass Measuring Pitcher, mix together the Marinade. Put aside.

Now, You’re Ready To Be Barbecued!

Ideal if cooked over a smoky grill, but just as good in a frying pan or Teflon skillet. Cook until browned over high heat, be careful not to overcook. The sugars will give the Bulgogi a nice crisp and sticky texture.

Last, to prepare the dipping sauce (we actually just heat up some of the marinade for this, but the dipping sauce is really good) combine all of the ingredients and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Prepare before cooking the beef so that you can serve it hot on the side.

Oh God, I wish that I was at Your House Right Now!!! Enjoy my Favorite Dish from Jesse Wait of JW8!

From Korea, through a Gay Texan, With Love...

I have made some Various Notes on Korean Cooking, most notably from Restauranteur, Jenny Kwak, that I will share here. Korean Barbecue is sure to become your favorite dish as well as mine, and like all ‘down home’ cooking things get switched out, combined with other favorites, etc. . . until the TV TRAY just can’t hold no more…….

~ Bulgogi and its sister dish, Kalbi, are the staple barbecued beef dishes of Korean cuisine and use similar marinades; Bulgogi is made from thin (1/8-inch) slices of rib eye that are eaten with rice and sauce in a lettuce-leaf package, while Kalbi uses thicker slices of bone-in short rib.

~ To make Red Pepper Sauce as an additional dipping sauce: Combine 2 Cups Red Pepper Paste (also called “hot pepper” or “chile pepper” paste, available jarred in Asian Markets), 1/2 Cup Water, 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil and 2 tablespoons crushed garlic, and saute’ over a medium flame for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Seeds and store in the refrigerator. Extra sauce can also be used to spice up vegetables or fish.

~ For the most authentic flavors, use pure toasted (Asian) Sesame Oil for the marinade and medium-grain, glutinous rice (like my favorite, Calrose) for the ssam. These ingredients, as well as the soybean paste (similar to miso, but more strongly flavored), are available online at http://www.kgrocer.com . For the ssam, I suggest using the long, green chile peppers found at most Asian Markets (jalapenos can be substituted in a pinch).

~ If you choose to grill the beef over a wood fire, check out Steven Raichlen’s guide to grilling, for essential tips and techniques.
Serves 3 to 4, or just myself and a small portion for you….
From: Dok Suni: Recipes from My Mother’s Korean Kitchen
Copyright 1998 by the Author by Jenny Kwak and Liz Fried
Reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Press, LLC
shared with Epicurious.com, copyrighted CondeNet, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Recipe severely altered by Jesse Neal Wait to make it even more smoking fantastic, date unknown…..
It’s now yours, 2012!

Enjoy Bulgogi from JW8!