Author: Dave Tappan

Sausage, Peppers and Onions on Italian Roll with Garlic Aioli

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1-pound sweet Italian sausage links

2 red bell peppers, sliced

2 yellow onions, sliced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup Marsala wine

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls

Roasted Garlic Aioli…recipe follows

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain.

Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage mixture. Top and serve sandwiches immediately.

Roasted Garlic Aioli

2 to 3 whole heads garlic

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Take the whole heads of garlic and cut the tops off to expose the garlic cloves. Place on a large piece of aluminum foil and drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap up the foil into a tight pouch, and then place in the oven and roast for 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Squeeze the pulp from the skins (you’ll need 1/3 cup).

In a food processor, combine the roasted garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Parmesan, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce and some salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined. Refrigerate to allow the flavors to meld together. Garnish with parsley.

Baked Italian Sausage Ziti

1 lb. dry Ziti pasta

2 lbs. sweet or spicy Italian sausage (casings removed)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes

Kosher salt, to taste

1-1/2 teaspoons sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano, or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1/3 cup torn fresh basil, plus more for serving

8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions to al dente, about 7 minutes. Under cook it a bit, as it will continue to cook in the oven. Drain, but don’t rinse and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425 and set the oven rack in the middle position.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don’t have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute.

Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half of the remaining Pecorino Romano.

Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.

Ruthie’s Sunday Salisbury Steak

THE GRAVY

2 tablespoons oil ( more as needed)

2 onions, halved and thinly sliced into half moons

12 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

6-7 tablespoons all-purpose flour

A pinch of cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

3 cups beef broth

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon beef bouillon powder

THE PATTIES

2 lbs ground beef

2 tablespoon Christopher Ranch jarred minced garlic

2 eggs

2 packages Lipton soup mix

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

In a bowl, combine the patty mixture until combined. Shape into 6 oval patties.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Use a cast iron skillet, if you have one.

Add the patties, cook until browned on each side (about 3-4 minutes per side, the patties do not have to be cooked all the way through as they will finish cooking in the gravy) remove to a plate.

To the same skillet, add sliced onion and mushrooms; cook stirring and scraping up any browned bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the skillet; cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the onions are softened. Add flour and cayenne pepper or pepper flakes; stir for 2 minutes.

Add in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper; bring to a simmer stirring continuously until bubbly and thickened (at this point, add the beef bouillon powder).

Add the patties back to the skillet. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes turning the patties over once halfway through cooking. Serve right away.

Fried Oyster Po-Boy with Remoulade Sauce

For the remoulade sauce

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 cup Creole mustard

3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or Old Bay

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Crystal hot sauce

1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish

For the oysters

1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning or Old Bay

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

2 to 3 quarts canola or vegetable oil, for frying

40 fresh-shucked or jarred oysters, in liquid

For serving

French bread

Shredded lettuce

Bread & Butter pickles

Sliced tomatoes

Red onions, halved and sliced into half-moons

I’ve got shrimp. I’ve got rolls. So let the games begin.

Louisiana Shrimp Po Boy with Rémoulade

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Vegetable oil for frying

2 pounds medium shrimp (16/20), peeled, tails removed and deveined

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

4 8”-long French rolls, split horizontally

Rémoulade (recipe follows)

Shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, dill pickles, sliced red onion, Crystal hot sauce or Pick A Peppa

Whisk first 7 ingredients in a small bowl to blend.

Attach a deep-fry thermometer to side of a heavy wide pot. Add enough oil to measure 2” or use a deep fryer. Heat oil to 350°. You can also air fry the shrimp.

Meanwhile, place shrimp and 2 Tbsp. spice mix in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Pour buttermilk into another medium bowl. Whisk flour and cornmeal in another medium bowl.

Dip seasoned shrimp briefly in buttermilk, then coat with flour mixture. Working in batches, fry shrimp, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Open rolls and spread cut sides with rémoulade. Top with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and shrimp. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

Rémoulade

1 1/4 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup mustard (Creole mustard if possible)

1 Tbsp sweet paprika

1-2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon pickle juice (dill or sweet)

1 teaspoon Crystal hot sauce

1 large clove garlic, minced and smashed

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. The remoulade is better if left for a few hours to let the flavors meld. Keep refrigerated.

Beer Battered Fish Tacos with Quick Pickled Onions & Cucumber

& Chipotle Crema

Vegetable oil, for frying

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons ground cumin

3 teaspoons cayenne pepper

3 teaspoons garlic salt

A few dashes of Tapatia hot sauce

12 ounces beer.

3 (8-ounce) cod fillets, cut into chunks

8 (8-inch) corn tortillas, lightly charred over a gas flame or on a grill

Lime wedges for squeezing

Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber, recipe follows

Fill a large pot with oil halfway up the pot. Heat oil to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup flour, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Slowly whisk in beer until thick, but not runny. Add a few dashes of Tapatia to the batter. Dredge fish in remaining flour first, then dunk in the batter. Fry in batches until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper-toweled lined plate.

Serve fish in tortillas topped with Chipotle Crema and Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber

Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber:

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon salt

1 large red onion, medium dice

1 large Vidalia onion, medium dice

1 English cucumber, medium dice

1 habanero chile, seeds removed, minced

1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves

In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil the vinegar, sugar, water, and salt. Add onions and cucumber and continue to cook a few minutes more. Remove from heat, add chile, and transfer to a bowl. Let cool slightly then chill covered, for at least 1 hour.

Toss in the tomato and cilantro, 5 minutes before serving.

For the Chipotle Crema:

1 cup mayonnaise

2 chipotles in adobo

1 tablespoon adobo sauce

2 garlic cloves

pinch of salt

squeeze of lime

Plastic squeeze bottle, for dispensing the crema

For the Chipotle Crema, add the following ingredients to a blender or food processor and combine well: 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 chipotles in adobo, 2 garlic cloves, pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lime. You might need to add a splash of water to get it to combine. If you want more heat, you can add more chipotles or some of the adobo sauce. You can substitute some of the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt. Use a plastic squeeze bottle to dispense the crema. It looks really nice on the tacos.

Steak Marsala

1cup chicken broth

Dried porcini mushrooms

Olive oil

12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced thin

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Two 6 to 8-ounce of your favorite steaks.

1 shallot, minced

1 tablespoon flour

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced

¾ cup sweet marsala, plus one tablespoon

4 tablespoons butter, chilled and cubed

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Fresh lemon juice

Add ½ cup of broth to dried porcini mushrooms in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 1 minute until steaming. Let sit for about 5 minutes until softened. Drain and reserve liquid. Chop mushrooms until fine.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to a nonstick skillet over medium-high. When hot, add fresh mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper and cover. Cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with tinfoil to keep warm.

Pat steaks dry and season with salt and pepper. Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. When hot, add steaks and cook until brown on one side. Turnover and cook until meat thermometer registers 125º for medium rare, 130º for medium. Time will vary depending on how thick the steaks are, but about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with tinfoil.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat and add shallots, flour, garlic, rosemary, dried mushrooms, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until the shallots have softened. Stir in ¾ cup of Marsala, reserved mushroom liquid and ½ cup of broth. Cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat and whisk in butter a piece at a time. Next add parsley, lemon juice, the browned fresh mushrooms and 1 tablespoon Marsala. Season with salt and pepper. Slice steak and spoon sauce over steak.

Garlic Shrimp Scampi Tacos

1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined, tail off

2 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. butter

Fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Your favorite hot sauce

Cooking oil

Corn Tortillas

Guacamole, prepared or homemade

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Heat a large skillet on the stove and add enough oil and butter to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.

Sauté the shrimp and garlic together until the shrimp is cooked.

Add a little more butter to the shrimp and garlic with a squeeze of lemon juice from half of a lemon. No seeds!

Add the shredded cabbage to a large bowl along with the mayonnaise, shredded Parmesan cheese and a few dashes of hot sauce, mix everything together. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

To assemble, warm or char the corn tortillas, top with a spoonful of guacamole a few shrimp and the cabbage slaw. Serve and enjoy.

Huli Huli Chicken Wings

Wings:

4 lbs. Chicken Wings

Marinade:

4 cups Soy Sauce low sodium

4 tbsp Brown Sugar

2 tbsp Black Garlic Sauce or garlic paste

2 tbsp Ginger Paste

4 tsp Garlic Powder

4 tsp Smoked Paprika

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Sweet Pineapple BBQ Sauce:

2 cup Ketchup

1/4 cup Pineapple Juice

4 tbsp Sriracha

4 tbsp Honey

3 tbsp Dijon Mustard

3 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

4 tsp Black Garlic Sauce

Garnishes:

Chopped Parsley

Sriracha

Sesame Seeds

1. Begin by adding your chicken wings to a food safe bowl/container along with all the ingredients for the marinade. Mix thoroughly then cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

2. Preheat a grill for medium high heat (around 350) for direct cooking.

3. Pull the wings out of the fridge and discard any excess marinade. Place the wings over the flames about 6-8” away from the heat and cook until they reach 175 internal temp (about 20-25 minutes). Once they are done, pull them off and let them cool for 2-3 minutes.

4. While the wings are cooking, heat up a basting skillet over the fire. Add all your ingredients for the Sweet Pineapple BBQ Sauce. Let simmer over the flames until it thickens and is well incorporated (about 20 minutes). Pull off the heat and set to the side. When the wings are done, pull them off and toss them in the BBQ Sauce. You can also garnish them with sesame seeds, more sriracha and chopped parsley.

5. After the wings are ready, serve ‘em up and enjoy!