Email: Dave@q97country.com
Dave Tappan 10a-3p Mon-Fri
I’m Dave Tappan. I’ve been on the radio for 40+ years starting right out of high school. I’m currently the midday guy on Today’s Country, Q97. I play really good music and talk about the passions in my life, like fishing, golf, working and puttering around the house and food. I love boating and fishing on Lake Shasta (trolling for trout is my favorite), teeing it up at Gold Hills and preparing and cooking great food at home for my wife, two boys and friends. Barbecue, Italian and Mexican food are my favorites. I never met a taco, pizza or a rack of ribs I didn’t love! I am in constant search of the perfect cheeseburger and chicken wings too. I often post my recipes on my blog. I also love watching Giants baseball and the Food Network on one of my 7 tv’s in my house. A game on in the garage is my favorite. My happy place! I enjoy my monthly Friday night poker games and occasional Reno trips with the guys. There I am in a nutshell. Oh, I love peanuts too! I always have a big bucket of them sitting on my desk. Tune in some day. Would it kill ya?
Dave's Blog
Chicken Adobo and Mexican Rice
Cinco de Mayo is this Sunday. Chicken Adobo is actually a Filipino dish. Just tell your friends and family you got the recipe from an old, weathered senora in Chihuahua. I added a couple of ingredients to make it more Cinco de Mayo-ish.
Chicken Adobo and Mexican Rice
8 chicken thighs bone-in, skin on
½ cup white vinegar
3/4 cup soy sauce
4 garlic cloves crushed
2 tbsp brown sugar
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 tbsp of Mexican seasoning. I like Tajin
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
4 bay leaves
Green onions, sliced and fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish.
Mexican Rice, for serving
Season chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
Brown chicken well in a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or deep-frying pan. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, pepper, bay leaves and chilies and pour into the pan. Bring to a simmer.
Add the chicken, skin-side up, and simmer with the lid ajar for 20-30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked (165 degrees) and tender.
Remove the lid and turn up the heat. Allow the sauce to reduce, while glazing the chicken. Cook until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is glossy.
Serve the chicken with Mexican Rice. Garnish with green onions and cilantro.
Mexican Rice
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 c. long-grain rice, rinsed, drained
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add carrots, bell pepper, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add rice and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until grains are toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour in broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce; season with cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice is cooked through and liquid is absorbed, about 17 minutes.
Fluff rice with a fork. Top with cilantro.
Enchiladas Suiza (Swiss)
Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is this Sunday, a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Also known as Battle of Puebla Day.
Enchiladas Suiza (Swiss)
9 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 white onion
1 serrano Chile
1 yellow Chile
2 cloves garlic
Fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
Vegetable oil, for frying
Corn tortillas
2 cups shredded chicken
1 cup shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Put the tomatillos, onion and both chiles in a medium heavy saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the tomatillos turn an olive-green color, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer the tomatillos, onions and chiles to a blender. Add the garlic and cilantro and blend until smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Mix the Mexican crema and heavy cream together in a small bowl and season with salt. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tortillas until golden but still pliable, about 10 seconds per side, using more oil if needed. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Place the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the shredded chicken evenly among the tortillas and roll up each like a cigar. Spread 1/3 cup of the sauce in a 13 X 9 baking dish. Arrange the enchiladas in 1 layer, seam-side down, snugly inside the dish. Pour the rest of the sauce over the enchiladas. Drizzle the cream mixture on top and sprinkle the cheese all over.
Bake until the cheese is melted and starting to brown in spots, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Mexican Shrimp Scampi with Chipotle Butter
Today is National Shrimp Scampi Day and Sunday is Cinco de Mayo. Remember, nobody parties like a Gringo!
Mexican Shrimp Scampi with Chipotle Butter
1 stick Butter
4 Chipotles in adobo sauce, pureed
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp minced garlic (I use Christopher Ranch in the jar)
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp Tajin Mexican seasoning
2 pounds medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 1/2 cups white wine
Juice from one lime, plus wedges for squeezing.
Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish
1 tbsp Olive oil
For the Chipotle Butter:
Soften butter at room temperature.
Place in a mixer or in a mixing bowl and whip butter until it is smooth and creamy.
Add pureed chipotle peppers, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper, paprika, Tajin and mix well.
Refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
For the Scampi:
Rinse shrimp under cold water and remove tails, if any, from shrimp. Dry on paper towels.
Sauté the garlic in chipotle butter and oil for 1 to 2 minutes. DO NOT let the garlic turn brown.
Add the white wine, then the shrimp. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Add the lime juice during the last minute of cooking. Remove from the heat.
Serve immediately over pasta. Serve with lime wedges, for squeezing and garnish with roughly chopped fresh cilantro.
Chicken Piccata
Our engineer, Barry, brought in some baby chicks that hatched last night (4/22) Aren’t hey cute? Let’s make dinner.
Chicken Piccata
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Flour, for dredging
Olive oil
Dry white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons caper
Fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
1 ½ cups chicken stock
⅓ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Angel hair pasta, cooked, for serving
Cut each breast in half lengthwise so you have 4 pieces of chicken. Lay a piece of parchment paper on top and pound to about ¼ inch thick. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
Dredge each piece of chicken in flour, shaking off the excess.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the chicken until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Pour the wine into the pan and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute.
Add the butter, garlic, and capers and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and chicken stock and cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce has slightly thickened.
Stir in the cream, then return the chicken to the pan.
Sprinkle with the parsley and turn the chicken to coat in the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly, then remove from the heat.
Serve the chicken and sauce over the pasta.
Classic & Delicious Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip
Happy Monday! Here we go, on that workweek treadmill again. I hope you have a terrific and productive workweek. Remember, the first five days after the weekend, are the hardest.
Classic & Delicious Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip
For the dip:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon buttermilk
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper
For the wings:
Vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon paprika
3 pounds chicken wings, split at the joints, tips removed
1 1/2 cups Frank’s Red-Hot sauce
1 stick unsalted butter
2 tablespoons honey
1. Make the dip: Pulse the sour cream, blue cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, milk and lemon juice in a food processor until combined but still chunky. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Make the wings: Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large deep skillet over high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F. Set a rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Mix the flour and paprika in a shallow dish. Dredge the wings in the flour mixture to coat, tapping off the excess. Fry the wings in batches, turning as needed, until cooked through and deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. (Return the oil to 375 degrees F between batches.) Remove with tongs and transfer to the rack to drain.
4. Meanwhile, combine the hot sauce, butter and honey in a medium pot over medium heat until the butter melts. Continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Reserve one-quarter of the sauce for serving. Add the cooked wings to the pot and toss with the remaining sauce. Serve with the blue cheese dip and reserved sauce.
Tex-Mex Enchiladas with Chili Gravy
The weather in Redding this weekend is gonna be kinda crappy. Might as well stay in and cook.
Tex-Mex Enchiladas with Chili Gravy
Chili Gravy
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Mexican or regular oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth. More, if needed
Tex-Mex Enchiladas
1 twelve-ounce block cheddar cheese, shredded
12 corn tortillas
1 twenty-eight-ounce can red enchilada sauce.
1 white onion, chopped
Handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Make the Chili Gravy
Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. When browned add chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add chili powder, cumin, cayenne, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir until mixed evenly.
Add the flour and stir in with the seasoned ground beef.
Pour in the broth and bring it up to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. It smells really good at this point. When it thickens up, then it is ready to pour over the cheese enchiladas. If the gravy is too thick for your liking, add a little more broth.
Heat The Tortillas
In a skillet, heat the enchilada sauce to barely boiling, then turn down to a slight simmer.
Submerge each tortilla in the hot enchilada sauce to make it soft and pliable before adding the cheese and rolling it.
Tex-Mex Enchiladas
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Ladle about a half cup of the chili gravy into the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
Add about 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese on the lower third of the sauced tortilla. Then tightly roll the tortilla around the cheese and place seam side down in the 9×13 baking dish. Repeat until you have rolled all enchiladas.
Pour the remaining chili gravy over the enchiladas, and sprinkle about 1 cup of shredded cheese evenly over the top of the enchiladas.
Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Serve the enchiladas hot, and top with chopped onions and chopped cilantro just before serving.
Pan Fried Oysters with Tartar Sauce
Beth is out of town this weekend, so I’m gonna stink up the kitchen a bit.
Pan Fried Oysters with Tartar Sauce
For the Fried Oysters:
2 cups oysters, drained
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups cornmeal
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Malt vinegar, for serving
Lemon wedges, for squeezing
For the Tartar Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup dill relish, or finely chopped dill pickle
2 teaspoons capers, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 green onions, chopped
Fry the Oysters
Pat the drained oysters dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs.
Add the oysters to the egg bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, sugar, pepper, salt, Old Bay and flour.
Lift each oyster out of the egg mixture and allow the excess moisture to drip off before rolling them in the cornmeal mixture to evenly coat. Repeat the process with all oysters.
Pour about 3 inches of vegetable oil in a large, cast iron skillet, or whatever skillet you have. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring it to a temperature of 370.
Carefully add the oysters to the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Fry each batch of 6 to 8 oysters for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
Use a metal slotted spoon to remove the oysters to paper towels to drain. Reserve.
Make the Tartar Sauce
Gather the ingredients.
In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the dill relish, capers, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and black pepper. Mix well.
Add the green onions to the sauce and stir it into the mixture, or reserve the onion to garnish the finished oysters. Stir to blend thoroughly.
Serve the sauce alongside the fried oysters with the lemon wedges and malt vinegar, for dashing and enjoy.
Chipotle-Chicken Soft Tacos
Happy Taco Tuesday! Enjoy Giants baseball tonight with some damn fine tacos!
Chipotle-Chicken Soft Tacos
Ingredients for 6 tacos
2tablespoons vegetable oil
2Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2medium onion, finely chopped
1clove garlic, finely chopped
2lb chicken breasts, or boneless, skinless thighs, chopped into 1-inch cubes
2or 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1can (8 oz.) tomato puree
1/2teaspoon ground cumin
Flour tortillas, warmed or charred
Garnishes
Romaine lettuce, chopped or slaw
Tomato, finely chopped
Onion, finely chopped
Cilantro, finely chopped
Lime wedges, for squeezing
Monterey Jack cheese, grated
Crema or sour cream
Siracha or Tapatio
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over high heat. Sauté the tomatoes, onions and chopped garlic for one minute before adding the chicken breast. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper to taste. Cover the pot and let cook, stir from time to time, until the chicken is completely cooked, 8 to 10 minutes.
Set the heat to low and add the chipotle pepper in adobo and the tomato sauce. Season with ground cumin. Let cook for another 10 minutes.
To serve the tacos, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken to warm flour tortillas and add your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Wet Burritos
I got this recipe from an old Mexican farmer named Eugenio Valdez Encarnacion Ramirez Gonzales Huertas who lost his tongue in an unfortunate bass fishing accident. It was impossible to have a conversation with him without laughing hysterically but he made great Wet Burritos!
Wet Burritos
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, in sauce divided
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (or you can use a Mexican blend)
4 large flour tortillas
2 cups re-fried beans, with
1/4 teaspoon cumin, added
1 (10 ounce) cans enchilada sauce
1 (18 ounce) jars home-style beef gravy
FOR SERVING
sour cream
chopped onion
salsa
jalapeno
chopped lettuce
chopped tomato
1. Brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic, making sure to chop ground beef into very fine pieces while cooking.
2. Drain off any fat from browning.
3. Add Worcestershire sauce, paprika, oregano, chili powder, cumin, pepper, and half of the can of tomatoes with sauce, and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. While meat is simmering, heat beans with 1/4 tsp.
5. cumin, and make gravy.
6. For gravy, combine enchilada sauce, beef gravy, and the other half of tomatoes, and heat until almost boiling.
7. Soften tortillas according to package directions.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
9. Assemble burritos.
10. On each tortilla, layer 1/4 of the meat mixture, 1/4 of the bean mixture, and 1/4 cup of cheese.
11. Fold sides of burrito in, then roll from the other sides until you have a “package”.
12. Place seam side down in a 13×9 baking dish.
13. When all burritos are assembled and in the baking dish, pour sauce mixture over all and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
14. Bake 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and burritos are heated through.
15. Serve each burrito with extra sauce from pan spooned over the top.
16. Have sour cream, chopped onions, salsa, jalapenos, chopped lettuce and chopped tomatoes available to sprinkle on as desired.
Garlic Fries
If you’re going to the Giants home opener on Friday, I strongly suggest the Gilroy Garlic Fries and a cold beer. If not, make your own.
Garlic Fries
1 bag frozen French fries
¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced or 4 teaspoons jarred, minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried or fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
¼ cup grated Parmesan
Garlic salt, to taste
Pre-heat your oven according to package directions.
Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.
Make sure the fries are nice and dry. I dump them out on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry them to remove any freezer ice.
Cook the fries according to package directions. Cook a bit longer than suggested time to get a nice golden color.
While the fries are cooking, mix the oil, garlic, parsley, rosemary, Parmesan and garlic salt in a bowl. Set aside.
When the fries are done, dump them in a large bowl and mix in your oil mixture.
Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Dill Dressing
The first Giants-Dodgers series of the season begins tonight. Whaddaya cookin’?
Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Dill Dressing
BUTTERMILK MARINADE
2 cups buttermilk
A few dashes of Crystal hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
DILL DRESSING
1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
SEASONED FLOUR
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
vegetable oil, for frying
FOR SERVING
softened butter, for buns
8 Kaiser burger buns
1 head butter lettuce
2 tomatoes, sliced
Bread & Butter pickles
Make the buttermilk marinade: In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Toss in the chicken thighs in the marinade to coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator, or overnight.
Make the dill dressing: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, dill, garlic powder, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Cover and let sit for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator to chill.
Make the seasoned flour: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, and garlic powder. Dip the marinated chicken in the flour mixture until the chicken is completely covered.
Heat the oil in a deep pot or deep fryer until it reaches 350˚. Do not fill more than halfway with oil. Carefully fry the chicken for 7 minutes, or until cooked through.
The internal temperature should reach 165˚ and the chicken should be golden brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel–lined plate or wire rack.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Butter the cut sides of the burger buns, then toast on the hot skillet until browned and crisp. Build the sandwiches with the toasted buns, lettuce, fried chicken, tomato slices, pickles and dill dressing. Serve with fries and a pile of more pickles.
Chipotle Ground Beef Tacos
Happy Taco Tuesday! Giants and Dodgers tonight on the big screen and the wafting of homemade tacos in my kitchen. Somebody pinch me!
Chipotle Ground Beef Tacos
For the taco seasoning:
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
For the tacos:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
8 to 12 soft corn tortillas
1 large red onion, medium dice
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 chipotles in adobo, minced
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup water
Toppings:
Shredded lettuce
Diced yellow onion
Chopped cilantro
Diced tomato
Lime wedges, for squeezing
Shredded Monterey Jack or crumbled Cotija cheese
Hot sauce
Make the taco seasoning by combining the spices, cornstarch, and salt. Mix well to make sure the cornstarch is fully incorporated and there are no lumps.
Fry the taco shells: Heat your oven to 250°. Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels and place it in the warm oven. Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet until it registers 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Fry 1 tortilla at a time, using tongs so you don’t get burned: Carefully lay a tortilla in the hot oil—try not to submerge it. Fry flat for about 15 seconds, then use your tongs to fold it in half. Fry an additional 30 seconds, flip over, and fry for a final 30 seconds.
At this point the tortilla should be browned lightly in spots but still flexible. Remove it from the oil and drain on your towel-lined baking sheet (try to stand the shells up on the rounded edges if you can—it doesn’t always work).
Return the baking sheet to the oven to keep the shells warm. Continue until all the shells are fried. When finished, pour off most of the frying oil, but leave about 1 tablespoon behind in the skillet.
Set the skillet back over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
Add the ground beef and chipotle with the adobo sauce to the skillet. Break up the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the taco seasoning and stir it into the beef until combined.
Add the water and cook, uncovered, for a few minutes until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened. Let the mixture simmer on low until ready to eat.
Steak Toppers
Happy Easter! Beth and I are not planning a big Easter brunch or dinner. So, we’ll treat ourselves to a nice steak and asparagus topped with one of my steak toppers and I don’t care if the boys are grown and out of the house…I’m still coloring eggs! Hope you have a nice day!
Dave’s Famous Cream Sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
1/2 cup prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons chives
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
In a medium bowl, whisk heavy cream until thickened, but not yet at soft peaks.
Fold in crème fraiche, horseradish, chives, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes before using, or transfer to airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
Blue Cheese & Onion Cream Sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stick softened butter
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 cup heavy cream
3 to 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Melt a 1/2 stick of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and then sauté the onions until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Pour in the cream, a dash of salt and pepper and the Worcestershire sauce. Let it bubble up, then add the blue cheese and stir together to melt, adding more pepper or Worcestershire sauce as you wish.
Roquefort Chive Sauce
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 ounces French Roquefort cheese, crumbled and rind removed.
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has become thick and creamy, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cheese, salt, pepper and chives and whisk rapidly until the cheese melts.
Whiskey Butter
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 shallots, minced soaked in whiskey
3 teaspoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons whiskey
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
Combine butter, shallot, parsley, mustard, Worcestershire, Jack Daniel’s, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Drop butter onto waxed paper. Roll in plastic and smooth out to form a round log. Refrigerate until hard and easy to cut, at least 3 hours. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tri-Tip Nachos
Happy Opening Day! Giants vs. Padres. Dodgers vs. Cardinals. A’s vs. Guardians. Let the journey begin.
Tri-Tip Nachos
2 lbs. Smoked Tri-Tip, seasoned with your favorite Mexican seasoning
15 oz can black beans
1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
3 jalapeños, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 sliced black olives
1 cup homemade or prepared guacamole
1 cup sour cream or crema
1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
Lime wedges
Smoke or barbecue a whole Tri-Tip seasoned with your favorite Mexican seasoning.
Line a cookie sheet with foil.
Layer the cookie sheet with tortilla chips.
Cover tortilla chips with a can of black beans.
Slice and cut into cubes about 2 pounds of Tr-Tip. Place on top of black beans.
Cover chips, beans, and Tri-Tip with about 1 and 3/4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.
Pre-heat smoker or oven to 350 degrees.
Place cookie sheet in smoker or oven for ten minutes.
Remove and add Roma tomatoes, red onions, jalapeño, and black olives. Cover with the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
Place back in smoker or oven for about three minutes.
Remove and top with guacamole, sour cream or crema, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Midwestern-Style Beer Brats
The Giants open their season at Petco Park tomorrow. Go Giants!
Midwestern-Style Beer Brats
6 bratwurst sausages
6 cups lager beer
2 large onions, sliced, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 red or green bell peppers, cored and sliced
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
6 bratwurst buns or hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
Mustard
Sauerkraut
Prick the bratwurst all over with a fork. In a medium pot, combine the bratwurst, beer, and half the onions. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until bratwurst are firm and cooked through. Transfer the bratwurst to a plate. Reserve some of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining onions and the bell peppers. Cook about 15 minutes or until very soft, tossing occasionally. Add the bratwurst to the skillet in the last 5 minutes of cooking to lightly brown. If the vegetables begin to get too dark, add a few tablespoons of the bratwurst cooking liquid. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.
You can also pour everything into a disposable aluminum pan and finish on your smoker for a half hour, or so.
To serve, spread each bun with mustard. Fill each bun with a brat. Top with sauteed peppers and onions, or sauerkraut.
Opening Day Beer Brats
Opening Day is tomorrow! The Giants open their season at Petco Park. Go Giants!
Opening Day Beer Brats
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
2 pounds of bratwurst
1 medium onion (halved and sliced lengthwise)
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 bottle or can of beer (Any good lager will work. I used Summer Shandy once and it was great)
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
¼ cup Stone Ground mustard
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1. In a large skillet on medium high heat brown the brats on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Add the other 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the skilled and cook the onions on medium heat until soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic and caraway seeds and cook until fragrant, and then add the beer, and mix in the mustard, vinegar and honey. Add the brats back into the skillet and cook for 8-10 minutes or until brats are done.
3. Remove the brats to a serving platter and then bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Boil until onion mixture is thickened – stirring frequently.
4. Serve on brat buns or hoagie rolls topped with the onion mixture.
Smothered Pork Chops with Garlic-Mushroom Sauce
Well, one more nice day in Redding before the wet weather sets in again. Hey, Mother Nature…would it kill ya to stop already? I’ll check in again with ya in July, when I’ll be bitchin’ about the heat.
Smothered Pork Chops with Garlic-Mushroom Sauce
4 boneless pork chops
Paprika, to taste
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons all-purpose Flour
2 cups chicken broth
Minced parsley or chives, for garnish
Season both sides of pork chops with paprika, salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and half of the olive oil. Sear both sides of the pork chops until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes per side. Remove pork chops from pan and set aside.
In same skillet over medium-high head add remaining the butter and olive oil. Add onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they are golden and browned, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and mustard and cook for about 1 minute until garlic becomes fragrant.
Stir in the flour, cooking stirring to remove lumps. Slowly add the broth, whisking until blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste
Return pork chops to pan and cook for a couple of minutes or until they are heated through. Serve hot. Garnish with parsley or chives.
Honey-Garlic Ribs
I wrote this literally, as I was playing a long set of Today’s Country on Q97…Pretty Little Poison, Knockin’ Boots, Wild As Her, Texas Hold ‘Em, How Country Feels, Half Of Me. Happy Friday!
Honey-Garlic Ribs
2 racks of pork ribs
½ cup honey
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Preheat the oven to 375.
Slice ribs into individual pieces. Combine honey, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic in a large bowl; stir until honey and sugar are completely dissolved, then stir in baking soda. The mixture will begin to foam. Transfer ribs to the bowl and turn to coat.
Cover a cookie sheet with foil; arrange ribs meat-side up on the prepared sheet. Pour excess sauce over ribs and sprinkle with garlic salt.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
Chicken Tinga Tacos
What is today? Thursday? Screw it. Happy Taco Thursday!
Chicken Tinga Tacos
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 white onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon taco seasoning or Tajin
2 cups chicken stock
One 14-ounce can tomato puree
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
2 bay leaves
1 rotisserie chicken
Flour tortillas
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
Cilantro, lime wedges and diced onion, for serving
In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, cumin and coriander. Cook over moderately high heat until the onion is softened. Add the stock, tomato puree, oregano and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Add the chicken, cover partially and simmer until warmed, about 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred the meat and remove the skin. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
Heat your tortillas to a slight char over a gas flame or on a grill.
Discard the bay leaves and oregano sprig. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve with cilantro, lime and onion.
Shepherd’s Pie
Happy Pi Day! (3/14) The number π is a mathematical constant, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, commonly approximated as 3.14159. What?! With St. Patrick’s Day coming up and this being Pi Day, I thought this would be appropriate.
Shepherd’s Pie
2 pounds russet potatoes
2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup cream
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4 pounds ground beef or ground lamb
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.
While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb, spoon away some of the fat. Add chopped carrot, mushrooms and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes to make a roux. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.
Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.