Q&A X-Mas style

"Okay, so like I was saying on facebook, I have NO idea what to make for a Christmas Brunch, especially for my Puerto Rican family expecting rice and beans (I'm sooo not making rice and beans at 11am!). Any ideas? Love your stuff!!!"

Hey Thanks for the question.... and what's wrong with rice and beans at 11 am??? LOL ok maybe its a little early.

How about doing a cool frittair? kinda like a quiche without the crust!!! and you can add some interesting things to it!!

ummm im thinking a cumin, tomato and cheddar frittair with a cold black bean and cilantro salad!!! yumm i know what i'm having for breakfast!!!! the bean salad can be as simple as lime, cilantro, beans, tomato and olive oil!!! and the frittair can be eggs, cream, cumin, red onions, cheddar, parsley and some garlic!!! now thats simple and easy!!! If your looking for some meat you can grill off some chorizo or other sausage and serve it on the side! also a nice green salad would go great!! get yourself some mimosas and bloody mary mix and your done!!! xoxoxoxox hope this helps

Tiz the SEASON for Q&A

Hello folks!!! with the holidays here and the smell of burning food in the air... i feel the need to lend a helping hand!!! SO if you have any holiday QUESTIONS (or some tips for me) please post them below in the comment box and i will reply to them here on MVPCHEF.COM
What too cook? how too cook it? little tips! any thing!! so let the fun begin!! please include ur first name and location!!!
OHHH this is going to be fun XOXOXOXO
MVP

Too close for comfort

So as the holidays quickly approach i find myself looking for some new and fun things to do this holiday but always keeping the old favorites in mind. The first thing that came to mind was my Christmas Tree.... i always like to keep it kinda simple and elegant and this year will be no different. I am going to do a vintage style free with all whit light lace garland and real babies breath. I am going to keep it kinda simple. I think the fresh babies breath adds a nice lights (almost snow like) feel to the tree. Im going to do just white light and deep red Christmas balls. Ok so the cool thing about this is that it great looking and very inexpensive. The babies breath is about 4 or 5 dollars a bunch and the ribbon is about 4 dollars a roll you can find very simple christmas balls at a local craft store for around 6-8 dollars for 10....!!!! so thats kinda nice. In this case.. less is more. I will also finish off the tree with white iridescent glitter (one can never have enough glitter) and the trick to hold it all together and keep the glitter in place is (insert drum roll here) aqua-net hair spray (omg i am from the bronx!!) yup!! the hair spray holds everything in place and keeps from all the glitter from falling off.

another idea i was thinking was to do fresh white Easter lilies (have the florist put water caps on the end of the stems) with red roses and iridescent christmas balls. hmmm maybe a little to gay for even me!!!

Ok so food!!! ummmm i'm still working on it!!! but i see lots of honey, pomegranates, got to have lots of roasted nuts (chestnuts are my fave) and eggnog!!!! ohhhhhhh i can give you guys the NOG recipe i just put together!!!!!! yum!!!

ok

u need

12 eggs separated

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon real vanilla extract

1 whole nutmeg

2 cups milk

get your eggs to room temp

In a mixer beat egg yolks and one cup sugar until light yellow and very fluffy. now set that aside

Beat the whites with one cup of sugar until stiff peaks.

now fold in the egg whites to the yolks. Then mix in the milk, van extract and grate you nutmeg into this mix. Let this sit in your fridge for an hours or so.

This is a very light and foamy version of egg nog and omg is it good!! yea you can add rum if you like!!!!

check back for more holiday recipes!!!

you say potato...... i say boniato

We all know how good a piping hot bowl of mash potatoes can be on a cold winter day. Or the taste of a orange fleshed sweet potato right out of the over or drenched in marshmallows and maple syrup. I think allot of us are always searching for the middle ground. Sweet potatoes can be way to sweet, and str8 up mash can be just plain old dull. Yea i know we can dress them up with truffles, parmesan cheese. Well for you folks that need some thing new in way of a starch i introduce my friend the boniato (sometimes called cuban sweet potato or batata) This is not the sweet potato we know of here in the states.....ohhh no!!! this potato has more of a underlay of sweetness and does not have a punch of sugar like our American SP. Its the perfect balance of sweet and rich. When mashed it has a thick velvet texture that cannot be matched by the watery American SP. Ohhh no our latino potato holds its own.

For your first romp with the Boniato i suggest you take it easy!! just boil it and mash it with some cream and a touch of butter... i promise once you go boniato you will never go potato!!

Boniatos can be found in most latino markets and look for ones that are firm and not soft. They have deep red skin and can range in size from a american potato to a small melon.

A tree burn in Brooklyn and smoke the lands at home

So as many of you may know i have this new obsession with bbq, not just bbq but smoked foods. So i have set out to find some good old BBQ right here in NY. I have been to alot of bbq joints but most of them smother there ribs in a sweat BBQ sauce and lack any real smoke flavor. I did some research and heard of a place in Brooklyn... not just Brooklyn but in the heart of hipster land Williamsburg. Well needless to say i was very skeptical of any kind of "real deal bbq" coming out of this place. So i hopped in the truck and took the ride over to BK (i picked up a friend along the way) we soon arrived at Fette Sau (fat Pig in German). So i was expecting a full service restaurant but soon noticed we had to wait on line to get our grub then find a seat at a picnic table. Ok i can handle this. So my friend grabbed a seat an i waited on line. When i arrived at the counter i orders a bit of everything.... Burkshire pork belly, Ribs, Brisket, sausage and some beans.
The food was placed on butcher paper and on a metal tray... (this better be good, the metal tray thing kinda freaked me out and i was in the mood to be served) so i made my way through the sea of hungry hipsters to my pal sitting at a table. We started in on the ribs. They had a thick and rich smoke flavor and NO bbq sauce!!! this was "real deal BBQ" the ribs just melted in your mouth OMG heaven. The brisket and sausage where just as good. The pork belly was good but just a little too fatty.. (i know i know.. its pork belly.. I still ate it!!!!) So here in the heart of a land where on would think BBq was old news and not "hip" lives a place where the swine is fine.
I woke up this morning with the smell of smoke still in my nose and headed off to work. I need more smoke!! and driving to BK at 11:00 on a Wednesday was out of the question. So like any junkie i found a way to cop some more. I found a deep hotel pan and place it on top of 2 burners then put some wood chunks we use for our pizza oven in the bottom of the pan and put the burners on medium. I then searched my inventory and found some fresh chicken that came in for a party later today. I cut the chicken in 1/2 and patted then dry. I made a rub of smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder and black pepper. I rubbed the birds down with the magic rub. So i then placed a shallow hotel pan with holes in it (we use it for steaming things) ontop of the now lightly smoking wood. I arranged my chickens and covered the top with tin foil and another hotel pan to hold in all that fab smoke flavor. (Don't be too impressed i have done this before!!!) I let the birds smoke on low for about 1 and 1/2 hours. I then took them off and placed them on my gas grill just to get a little char and color. The end results where killer!!! well maybe not as good as i had in Sayville LI but they where hell-au good. So whats the point... IDk i guess its... yea i don't know!!!! i'm off to Vermont on Sunday and look forward to what they have to offer me on my search of culinary treasures.
MVP

The Under belly of BBQ

The names of all the people involved have been changed to protect there identity.

I was invited to be a judge at the Sayville Fall Festival in LI NY. I was contacted but Jim who said he was a member of an organization called the bbq-brethren . (wait maybe i don't need to change there names!!! the guys name was Eric) So Jim (or Eric) told me i would be a judge for part of a BBQ compation. So being the nice guy that i am (also a bit of a publicity whore) i was happy to help out. Little did i know this would lead me to the under belly of a secret world... the dark, smokey depths of the world of competitive BBQ!!!!

On the morning of October 25th at 10 am i got into my truck and started my hour and ten minute trek to a little water front community named Sayville. I have been in this town before. Well maybe not in the town but i have cruised through it on my way to Fire Island. The ferry to FI is located on the coast of Sayville. So with the vision of gay sandy beaches in my mind i arrived at my destination. There was a smell in the air that i have never smelled before and this was nothing like my gay oasis across the bay. So with hesitation i went in search of Jim (or Eric). I found him in a corner of this very large field that was coved in tents and overhead lay a large cloud of very aromatic smoke. So we discussed the days events and he informed me that i was in the realm of Competitive BBQ. When i look more closely at the tent i realized they where more of a community of tents each one labeled with its own logo and insignia.

So as any fat kid with the smell of bbq in this nose would do, i went to inspect the tent town for some grub. I first came across a tent labeled bbq-brethren with all the curiosity of a young child i peered in. Little did i know this would be the beginning of a very interesting day that may change the course of my life forever (or the way i look at BBQ) In this tent was a weird looking bald dude who said hello then took a double take... He then approached me and said something along the lines of "hey your the guy who shit the bed on that food network show" ummmmm "yea thats me" lets see what he has to say about what's going on here. He went on to explain that this was a competition bbq event and he was one of the very proud members of the BBQ Brethren.

Lets discuss this BBQ Brethren for a moment. Its this group of people who label them selves BBQ enthusiasts and spread the word and teachings of REAL DEAL BBQ... This is not the bull shit BBQ you see in your back yard as a kid. This is a whole new game, a world of slow smoking and custom grills. A world where pork is king and propane is not heard of. This my friends is the under belly of americas favorite pastime (no not base ball ass hole) BBQ. Well bbq may be a favorite of most people but we the common man no nothing of the secret art that is being preserved by the Brethren!!! check out this link for a little more about them

Ok back to the bald freak!!! this guy chewed off my ear about BBQ for a good 20 min.... and i hung on his every word. He was truly a wealth of information (and of weirdness) and for the first time i realized i am missing out on a subculture i was made for. This is the tailgaters of tailgating. These people spend weeks preparing recipes and trying them out so they can join there fellow bbq enthusiasts here in the middle of a fucking corn field to see who is the true master of the grill. WOW at this point i'm totally blown away!! so weird bald guy finally lets me go and check out what's going down in BBQ land. He let me go after we took a picture together

So i wander around the tents peaking in to see what's going on. The first thing that catches my eye is the variety of grilles. Wow you got huge grilles custom made and pulled in by trucks, you got webber smokers, you got home-made smokers and grills, you got Kamados this is just to name a few. I then meet some guys who invite me into there weird tent world to try there ribs and pulled pork... so like any gay fat dude would do... i followed them into this dark tent hut. This guy then went into a corner and pulled out the most flavorful tend succulent pulled pork to ever grace my lips!!! OMG this shit was good and like nothing i have ever tasted. I realized all my life has been a lie!! i have never had true BBQ.. NEVER!!!!

i then felt like i needed more of this... my brain filled up with questions... what makes it so good, is there a rub on the meat, why have i never had this before, are you married?? so i set off to the next tent to try to get answers.

I passed a tend named "smoking Aces" and not only where the aces smoking but so where the boys so like any guy ... i stopped to say hi!! and it then became clear that not only was this a weird bald guys game but it was any man's game.. young and old, fat and thin this was a world open to any person with the love of smoked meat in there heart!!! this was a world i needed to be part of!!! so Smoking Aces gave me some of there tender ribs and agin i was in heaven.

I sit here remembering that day like it was yesterday, a day that will change my life forever. I wish that i could give you some more information but at this time i cannot. I need to keep my identify and my next move into this world as hush hush as i can. I will be purchasing a smoker/grill in the near future and will spend this winter honing my BBQ skill and learning the secrets that make this bbq-brethren true leaders in a world so unfamiliar to so may of us mere mortals.

MVP

Octopiggy !!!! Land sea and some Farfalle!!!!

You're probably thinking, “this is one weird recipe”. No - calamari and sausage go great together. This recipe is actually one of the most requested dishes at my restaurant, especially in winter. It is very filling and tends to be a whole meal. Me, you, this pasta, some crusty bread ….. Hello! Can you say heaven??

Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil and cook 1 pound farfalle. Drain from water and run under cold water to stop cooking. Hold the pasta on the side.

Farfalle, Sausage and Calamari

Cooked farfalle – 1 pound

Sweet Italian sausage – 6 links

Calamari cleaned and cut

into ½ inch rings – 1 pound

Extra virgin olive oil – 1 ½ cup

Garlic cloves – 20

Crushed red pepper flakes – ½ teaspoon

Parmigiano cheese – 1 cup

Heavy cream – 1 cup

Cut the garlic into thin slices. Remove the sausage meat from its casing. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil then the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute then add the sausage. With a wooden spoon, break up the sausage while you cook it. When the sausage is cooked turn the heat up to high. Add the calamari and quickly sauté until cooked. Toss in the pasta. Sauté for one minute, then add the heavy cream and cook for 2 more minutes. Season with the red pepper flakes. Serve with warm Italian bread, your favorite wine and love.

Simple things for simple people

There is nothing better then some home style cooking. One of my favorite dishes (and the food i crave most) is a simple roast chicken. There is one requirements to being a great roast bird... first.. the skin has got to be crispy!!!!! this is so very important. The way to get a good crisp skin is to first wash your bird then dry it off very well (ohh i cut my bird in 1/2.. it cuts the cooking time down) I then let the bird sit in the fridge for an hour or 2 uncovered to dry a little more. I then make a mixture of olive oil and herbs. I mix about 1/2 a cup of olive oil, garlic, parsley, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper together and rub the bird down with it. OK heres the best part. I then cut up potatoes, carrots, parsnips, sweet potato and onions and whole cloves of garlic. Now i season the vegetables then lay the vegetables on the bottom of the pan and place my 1/2 chicken (skin side up) on top of them. The fat and flavor from the chicken helps to flavor and marinade the vegetables. OMG just thinking about this makes me hungry... There is nothing on this earth that says Fall better then the smell of roasted chicken. Well i hope i have inspired you to do some cooking TTY

MVP

:)

Snow White's Poison Apple

Hey just wanted to put up some pictures of the carmel apples made. I came up with some fun packaging for them!!! I put them in plastic party bags and label them"snow White's poison apple" i also burn the card to give it a vintage look.... hope u like them its easy and it a great party idea!!

I also made some other cool little thing... I mad a jar of "DIRT" its ground oreo cookies that i grind in a foodroses and mix with gummy worms... i then put it in a jar and top it off with coconut that i color with green food coloring... IT LOOKS LIKE THE REAL THING!!! and the kids (big and small... love it) i attache a pic of that too. Well i hope i gave you some fun Halloween ideas ......XOXOX

M V P

Carmel Apples

So i spend my evening making carmel apples and i cant believe how easy it is. Well at first it took me some time to find a recipe that gave a recipe for carmel... most of the recipes out there tell you to buy carmel squares and melt them (lame) So after i located the recipe i set off to make these sinful delights. I grew up on carmel apples (with nuts.... HELLO!!!!) i have made them before but always out of a package never from scratch...

This is the recipe i found and LOVE!!!!!! here is the link....

I did change it around a little bit!!!!!! I added almond extract and only added 2/3 cup butter

i make 3 batches one had pepper and cinnamon added to the recipe (they where so good) the second had kosher salt on the outside of the carmel (just a sprinkle... yum sweet and salty) and the third was plain.

This is not my recipe but i will post a new one (i think this recipe could use a tweak or two)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (no substitutes)
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 8-10 wooden sticks
• 8-10 medium tart apples

Directions

1. 1

   Insert 1 wooden stick into each apple.

2. 2

   In a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and milk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

3. 3

   Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm ball stage) about 30-40 minutes and for a softer caramel cook just to a few less degrees.

4. 4

   Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

5. 5

   Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture; turn to coat.

6. 6

   Holding by the stick, sprinkle with nuts or whatever you desire while the caramel is still warm.

7. 7

   Set on generously buttered wax paper to cool (make certain to generously butter the paper).

8. 8

   Note: if making a double recipe make two recipes in two separate pots.

Feast on This!!!!!

So on Monday afternoon i got in my car with one of my friends and we started our venture into the city. Our destination was Mulberry street in the center of NYC little Italy. If your a New Yorker you know September in little Italy is the Feast Of San Gennaro!!!!! Ohhhh how i love the feast. ( pssss only go early in the day, evenings are way to crazy)Ok so i go with one thing in mind... ummm FOOD!!!!!! Thats what feasts are about, forget the games and the music its all about the food!!!!! Some people go for the sausage and peppers and some for the zeppole but not me.... no no no i got for the torrone candy!! Oh god, i love this stuff. Torrone is a candy made of egg whites and sugar and its filled with roasted almonds. They make this candy in large bricks. The bricks are then taken to festivals ad sold off in smaller pieces. The way they brake it is with a hammer. Not only is the candy great but i love the "show" or "drama" involved in the whole thing. Some crazy ZIP swinging around a hammer to give you some weird looking candy. FUN. So now that i went to the feast i am still craving more torrone and i am to crazy this week to head back to the city to get some more. So i find myself looking for recipes online. I'm going to make it!!!! i found some cool recipes and will give you updates on it.. any thoughts from you guys?? and have you gone to the feast??? NO??? GO!!!! The Feast Of San Gennaro

Carrot cake like no other!!!!

This is one of the recipes i submitted to The Food Network when i was auditioning for the NFNSS5. I like to pull this recipe out because as it gets cooler and september rolls in there is no other dessert like carrot cake. Ok so maybe apple pie screams fall but so does this great carrot cake. I added my own twis to this recipe and i hope you enjoy it

East Meets West Five Spice Carrot Cake

This is putting an Asian twist on an American classic. Five spice is made up of equal parts cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns. Most carrot cakes have cinnamon as the main flavoring ingredient. The five spice gives this recipe a new crisp and almost spicy twist that you will love. The frosting on this recipe is also a little lighter in sugar then most cheese cake frostings. This helps to complement the fresh flavor of the cake and not mask it with unneeded sweetness.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cake Batter

Whole eggs– 4

Vegetable oil – 1 ¼ cup

White sugar – 2 cups

Vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons

All purpose flour – 2 cups

Baking soda – 2 teaspoons

Baking powder – 2 teaspoons

Five spice powder – 2 teaspoons

Ground cinnamon – ½ teaspoon

Carrots grated – 4 cups

Walnuts chopped – 1 cup

In a bowl beat the eggs, oil, white sugar and vanilla extract. Slowly mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and five spice. Fold in the carrots and nuts until evenly incorporated. Grease and flour a 9 inch round pan. Pour the batter in the pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes and then turn out onto a rack. Let cool for 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Butter softened – 1 cup

Cream cheese – 16 ounces

Confectioner's sugar – 4 cups

Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon

Combine all the ingredients and beat until creamy. Frost the cake and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

And the end of summer

So summer is at over and i must say i'm happy to be coming upon my favorite time of yea.... FALL Halloween, thanksgiving, my b-day, and the cold crisp air of October. OHHH i can t wait and i have some great recipes to share with you folks. So hang out and check out some new recipes to come your way

MVP

Its almost that TIME

With September creeping in on us and it starting to feel a little cooler this week.... i think of fall. OK OK maybe I'm jumping the gun!! but i don't care. I spent the last two days baking apple pie and blubbery crisp... YUM. I spend my nights dreaming of pumpkins and roast foul. Ohhh the good days of fall. I think working on my new winter/fall menu also gets me in the mode. Don't get me wrong, i'm not pushing summer out the door i would also like a little more summer. If i cant have more summer falls a great place to be. I just wanted to put that out there for you folks. SO HAPPY FALL!!!!!

Who u calling a shortrib!?!?!

Hey guys. So if you read my tweets or any of my face book post you would know that i am working on a a new menu!!!! I have blogged in the past about how important it is to change the restaurant menu and how complicated it can get. Well i find my self (at last) in a good place. I have been working on the new menu for some time and finally feel good about where its going. The star of the menu is most definitely the SHORT RIBS!!!! Nothing can warm you soul like a slow braised short rib on a cold day. I think short ribs tend to be a little under appreciated, i wanted to do them justice. When i work on a new menu i first take into acount the season (thats obvious... right?) i next think about my custome, what do they want>? who are they and why are a here? (besides how great the food is) well alot of the customers are from the local area and they just want to get out and have some great food. But there is a lot of hotel guest who dine in the restaurant and they need to be addressed to. I think the short rib brings a feeling of comfort, warmth and love. To be hones the main ingredient in this dish is time and time ='s love!!!! I braise my short ribs for 4 hours at 350. They fall right off the bone. ok so i know you wan the recipe soooooo i'll give it to you!!!

You need

2 sets of full bone short ribs. (apx a 6 inch bone)

3 carrots

1 red onion

10 cloves garlic

1/2 can tomato paste

4 stalks of celery

2 48oz cans of beef stock (equal parts water)

8 stems thyme

2 cups red wine

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup olive oil

so in a medium size pot heat the oil over high heat

season your short ribs with lots of fresh ground black pepper and a little kosher salt (dont go crazy on the salt, the beef stock is full of salt)

ok so now sear the ribs in the pan one at a time. The ribs should be dark brown and crisp on all side. Remove from the pot and set aside. Rough dice the onions, celery and carrots (no need to peel the carrots just give them a good washing) Discard 1/2 of the oil in the pan and keep the remaining oil in the pan. Place it back over a low flame. Throw in all the vegetables including the garlic and thyme. Cook vegetables until they are canalized. Now add the tomato paste and cook for 3 more minutes. Now its time to add the red wine. Get a wooden spoon and get all that flavor off the bottom of the pan. Now add the beef stock and equal parts water. Place the ribs back in the pot. Bring to a simmer. Now cover and place in a 350 over for 4 hours or until the ribs are fork tender.

Remove the ribs from the pot BE CAREFUL!!! they are soooo tender. Place them on a rack and refrigerate. Strain the braising liquid and reduce by 1/2 over medium heat. (you can toss those old vegetables) You need to skim the fat off the top.

So now the ribs are still a little worm but they are cool enough to handle and a little more firm. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 1/2 cup olive oil. Place the short ribs (bone up) in the pan and cook until they get a crisp brown exterior... do this on all sides. Now place them back in the over for 5 min. Remove the pan from the oven and without dropping the short ribs, drain the oil. Now slowly add the reduced braising liquid to the pan and let cook until the liquid looks thick..APX 5 min.

OK that's it!!!

Place them on top of mash potatoes and roast vegetables and serve. I also like to sprinkle fresh oregano onto of them!!! yummmmmmers beotch

Just some tips. If you don't want to sever the whole rack... after they come out of the fridge cut into individual portions.

Party

Hey Just wanted to drop a quick post! I have alot of stuff going on at the hotel this week. We have a wedding party, 2 baby showers, 3 brunches a full restaurant and one crazy queen (me)

so the topic of parties is on my brain. We get people at the hotel who request that i make a favorite dish for them to celebrate with. Well my question is...... What's you favorite celebratory dish??? i'll post some of my favs (with recipes) for you

Foodie

I don't know what to say... ummmm.. yea i do "I LOVE FOOD" there i said it. Im a food junky.

I dream in food! I work in food! I socialize in food! i love to shop for food. I am so attracted to everything involving food. So my question to you is.. WHY?? Where did this foodie lifestyle come from? why did i get the food bug? Some people just got it and some (very unfortunate) people don't! I spent my younger years thinking i was going to be a painter or some kind of artist. So i was kinda right. I am an artist of sorts, maybe my canvas is not a linen one. My canvas is the plate. Ya know, sometimes i think how nice it would have been to be a painter. Making art as a full time job (i paint in my free time, check out some pics on my web page) but i do make art as a full time job. I make edible art, the art i make is so much more involved with the human experience (you need it to live). I think there are some people who look at it my way in that "Foodie mentality". But again there are some that do not!! So back to my question... Why am i a foodie and are you?

Back in the GRIND!!!!!

SO on the second episode of NFNS i made Coffee Rubbed Pork Chops with Cognac and Brown Sugar Sauce. I have made this recipe again and again at the restaurant and i have perfected it for you!!!! When i lifted the lid that was covering my items, I was happy to see coffee and pork!! It beat the hell out of having beer and beef or lamb and raisin bran (don't get me wrong..i would have mastered any of these items ) To be honest with you, coffee rubs have become very popular over the years and i had an idea of how i could use the bitter coffee to make my pork fab! I think alot of people forget how great a rub can be. Dry rubs incorporate so much flavor into the item it is being used on. Just think.... doesn't a steak taste so much better when its sprinkled with salt and pepper?? These spices bring out the great flavor of the meat, so why not bring out the flavor and add a new flavor profile into the mix!?!? The funny thing about coffee is that it has lots of flavors.. wait let me explain that. Coffee has a great dry roasted flavor when brewed but when u eat the grind it tends to be a bit bitter so when i came up with this recipe i needed something to throw off the bitterness but wanted you to also get some of the deep flavor that you get when you brew (you still with me>?>) So thats where the brown sugar and cognac sauce came into play. So know i got cognac and sugar... wait why does that sound like it goes together...hmmmm think, think think !!! I got it!!! if i add butter to this, its just the same as butterscotch!!! oh Michael your a smart fucking kid!!!

So there you have it the way my brain works and the way i came up with this very fabulous and tasty dish. Ok so here is the recipe

• 6 pork chops

for the spice rub

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 5 TS fresh grind dry roast coffee
• 3 TS kosher salt
• 1 ts cayenne pepper
• 1 ts cumin

Mix all the ingredients together.

Turn you grill on high and let heat for 10 min then lower to medium. Coat the pork chops in the rub. The pork chops should have a heavy even coating over them. Place pork chops on the grill. Grill for about 3 min on each side. Lower the heat if needed (because there is allot of sugar in the rub. the sugars will burn quickly if your not watching ..so pay attention!!!)

For the sauce

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brandy
• 1 ts coffee grind
• 1 stick butter
• 1 ts kosher salt

in the sauce pan add the sugar and the brandy. OK THIS IS IMPORTANT!! use a pot with high sides you don't want the liquor to set fire. If it does your going to freak out and burn your house down!!! don't come crying to me.. if it does go on fire... just cover it. Ok so place the pot over medium heat and reduce by 1/2 now add the coffee and salt. Remove from the heat. Cut the butter into small pats. Add the butter to the sauce and stir until all the butter is melted.

Place your pork chop on a plate and spoon on some of the sauce.. then post a comment and tell me how firkin good my pork chop is!!!!

Kimchi ME !!!!

I have a bit of am obsession with pickling things. It started off with pickling cucumbers and have now moved on to other items. Last week i salted two heads of nappa cabbage and let them sit over night. The salt pulls out the excess liquid from the vegetable and starts that first step in the preservation process. I have always heard about the long, pain staking preparation of kimchi. The large clay pots siting in some sacred field in a secluded part of Korea. These pots look like tombs filled with the little heads of stink. I got together some kimchi recipes from book i had and the internet. Most of the recipes call the same staple ingredients... chili paste, fish sauce, shrimp paste and vinegar. I did not have shrimp paste and the fish sauce was a no show. So i improvised. Vinegar, soy, anchovy paste and chili paste. I mixed the ingredients together and threw in some chopped ginger and garlic. I then rubbed my fishy concoction all over the cabbage. I placed the cabbage in a 1/6 pan and weighed it down with another 1/6 pan on top. I then wrapped it tight in plastic wrap so the cabbage was weighed down. I placed it in the back of the fridge in a dark spot. I forgot all about it. Today i found it and with a very scared nose i opened it. HMMM no stink, ok thats a good sign!!! I then took it out of the pan and sliced off a leaf. I am happy to report that i have made kimchi!!!! It taste just like the stuff i get in the jar... if not better. I am sooo proud of my kimchi skills, its killing me!!!!!! I do need to do a little work on the recipe (i forgot to write the recipe down, so i need to make it again) but i'll post it here and on my website in the next few days. Hmmmm maybe i'll start a pickling company!!! "Princess Michael's Pretty pickles" or "Pickled Pleasantries from Pickling Princesses" LOL

MVP

A bun above the rest !!!!!

Burgers are so much fun. Burgers are ALL AMERICAN, all man and all summer!!!! I happen to love all 3!!!! As most of you know i won the burger challenge on last weeks episode of NFNS. WOW what a frikin thrill!!!!! I mad a Mulberry Street Burger, inspired by the main strip in NYC's little Italy. We had 30 minutes to create the perfect burger, so i went with flavors i know.. and techniques i have used. If you have ever had lunch at the restaurant i Chef at, you most likely had the "Bleu Cave Burger" its a burger stuffed with bleu cheese and topped with bacon, shrooms and onions. SO thats where the stuffing the burger thing came from. An the pancetta just seemed like a right fit, well its the exact same size as a burger... i just put the pieces together. Bellow is the recipe for the burger that is posted on the Food Network Page and featured at Bobby's Burger Palace

MVP :)

Mulberry Street Burger

Ingredients

• 2 (8-ounce) portions ground beef
• 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
• 4 slices pancetta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for salad
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 or 4 basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 burger buns, your choice
• Baby arugula
• 4 slices tomato
• Basil Ketchup, recipe follows

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a large skillet.

Divide each beef portion into 2 equal amounts and shape them into patties (you should have 4 patties altogether). Place 2 mozzarella slices on 1 patty, then top with another patty. Close the edges of the patties to enclose the cheese, basically stuffing the burger with the mozzarella. Wrap each burger with 2 slices of pancetta.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium oven-proof skillet over medium heat and brown each burger on both sides. Place the burgers in the oven to finish cooking.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and remove from heat. Meanwhile, chop the garlic and basil and add to butter with 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Brush this on the burger buns and toast under the broiler or in a toaster oven.

In a bowl, toss together the arugula, olive oil, to taste, and the remaining 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

Place the burgers on the bun bottoms, top with tomato slices, arugula salad and Basil Ketchup.

Basil Ketchup:

• 1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a small blender or processor, blend all the ingredients. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

AND THE SHRIMP IS..................

So on my last post i told you folks about my quest for the best fried shrimp. I spent an afternoon with my friends (Seth and Mair) I am going to list all the facts then go into my breakdown of each restaurant.

Tony's Pier

Amount of shrimp - 13

Price - $13

Comes with - Steak Fries, Salad w/ french, coleslaw, pickle and all the sauces

NOTE: the shrimp are tail on and they look like u-12 (about 12 per Pound)

Johnny's Reef

Amount of shrimp - 16

Price - $12

Comes with - hand cut thin Fries, coleslaw, pickle and all the sauces

NOTE: the shrimp are tail off and they look like u-16(about 16 per Pound)

Seafood City

Amount of shrimp - 9

Price - $14

Comes with - thin Fries, coleslaw, pickle and all the sauces

NOTE: the shrimp are tail on and they look like u-10(about 10 per Pound)

Lets start with Tony's . The shrimp here where great, they are the only place that does a crisp SEASONED corn meal crust. I liked the flavor and loved the fact that they are sooo crisp.

I grew up eating at this fine establishment and have grown fond of these shrimp. My lovely assistants happen to like these shrimp too.

Johnny's was all about "more for the money" you get 16 shrimp for $12 NOW THATS A GREAT PRICE!!!! and if your looking to feed the FAM and not break the bank.... this is the place. These shrimp are small. The first time i went the crust was coming off the shrimp. I went back and the crust was in place, so maybe that was a one time issue. These shrimp are moist and have nice flavor.(Just a side note, they have the BEST FRENCH FRIES and i love there fried chicken livers YUM!!!)

Seafood City had the largest and most expensive shrimp on the Island. 9 for $14. BUT ITS WORTH EVERY PENNY!!! These shrimp are moist, plump and have such great flavor. They have a light corn meal crust that have no seasoning and lets the flavor of this jumbo shrimp do all the work.... and it works!!!!

I think each of these shrimp are great in there own right!!!! from small and economic, seasoned and crisp to jumbo and moist. they all have a home in my heart!!! I set out on this quest to find the BEST!!! I don't know if i can put one of these shrimp above the other. I think they all are equally great in there own right. I know this may seem like a bull shit answer... but i think they are all winners

Tony's Wins for Flavor and Seasoning

Johnny's Wins for economics

Seafood City Wins for juicy large and naturally yum yum shrimp!!!!!!

Who u calling a SHRIMP?????!!!!!

Growing up on City Island is great. You spend most of the summer barefoot and on the beach. City Islanders also get to eat some great seafood. The question i have for you folks is.... WHO HAS THE BEST FRIED SHRIMP???? There are like 20 something restaurants and all of them have fried shrimp. So to narrow down our search, lets start with the "fast" food style joints. Johnny's Reef, Tony's and Seafood City!!!! I grew up going to Tony's and have had some good time at Johnny's. But being a man of progress and all about the NEW.... I find myself at Seafood City more and more.(its across the street from casa de homo!!!) I am going to spend this afternoon binge out on fried shrimp with my girl Mair. So wish me luck!!!!! Ill report back all my findings!!!!

MVP

I'm Back and i'v missed you

Sooo your asking your self... Where the F@#K is Michael... no blog, no lame emails telling us his location or videos of him lip sinking some lame ass song!! WELL PEOPLE... I'M BACK. The last week has been a bit of a freak show. With the airing of the first episode, life got a little out of hand. You want to know what i think about the show so far, right?. I'll tell you!! I thinks its good. I have nothing bad to say. I think being in the top 3 is a good place!!!

The restaurant is becoming a lot to handle these days (this is not a complaint, just a fact) the people are coming in and i have the need to personally cook for everyone of them. I try to do as much of the cooking for the restaurant as possible. It does get a little difficult, but i some how get it done.

The point of this blog is to tell you guys that i am back on track!!!! yes yes yes!!!! i am going to blog each and every day for now on... Maybe not every day but every other day... at least!!!

Hope you all check out the fun new pics, recipes and layouts on www.mvpchef.com