Author: Dave Tappan

Davey’s Triple Play Grilled Cheese

4 Tbs. apple butter

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tsp. honey

Kosher salt

4 thick slices of bread

8 oz. aged white Cheddar, grated

1 lb. thinly sliced pastrami

6 to 10 very thin slices of apple (use a mandolin, if you have one)

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Combine the apple butter, mustard, honey, and a good pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl. Spread evenly on two slices of bread and top with half of the cheese and the pastrami. Top that with a layer of sliced apple, overlapping the slices slightly, and the remaining cheese. Top with the other slices of bread to make two sandwiches.

Melt 2 Tbs. of the butter in a heavy-duty 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat until lightly browned. Add the sandwiches and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary, until golden brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, add the remaining 1 Tbs. butter, and cook, lifting the edges of the bread to allow the butter to run under and adjusting the heat as necessary, until the cheese has melted and the other side is golden brown, another 3 to 4 minutes. Slice in half and serve.

Cabbage and Sausage Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1-pound Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 medium yellow onion diced

2 medium carrots peeled and diced

1 stalk celery diced

1 small head green cabbage core removed and diced, about

4 cloves garlic minced

6 cups chicken stock

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Parsley, chopped for garnish

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and brown the sausage.

Season the sausage with Italian seasoning as you brown it. Then add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is tender.

Add the diced cabbage and continue to cook for 3 more minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the chicken stock/broth, diced tomatoes, and a bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer cover, and cook for 30 minutes. The soup is ready when the cabbage is tender.

Discard the bay leaf, and taste the soup to adjust the seasonings to your preference.

Garnish with chopped parsley for some color, and serve with crusty bread.

Grilled Tri-Tip and Rib-Eye Chili

4 pounds steak (I use a combination of tri-tip and rib-eye)
2 pounds hot Italian sausage, casings removed
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 large onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
2 tablespoons hot sauce (I like Crystal)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 package of Shelby’s
1 carton of beef stock, as needed
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles

Optional toppings: avocado slices, sliced jalapenos, sliced radishes, shredded cheese, diced scallions, sour cream, Siracha or hot sauce, chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges for squeezing.

Heat your grill to high. Season beef with salt and pepper. Sear the steak on both sides, about 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. You’re not cooking the meat at this point, just getting some good color on the steak.
Remove the steak and let rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes.
Cut the steak, across the grain, into ½ inch chunks and transfer to your slow cooker or large stock pot, cover and let rest.
To a large skillet, add sausage (break up the links into crumbles) and cook for 5 minutes. Add onions, garlic and jalapeños. Cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Cook until softened. Transfer to your slow cooker or large pot with the meat. Add half of the beef stock and then more as needed. Stir in chili powder, sugar, Worcestershire, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, tomatoes, beans (optional) and canned green chiles.
Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours in a large stock pot (stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn on the bottom) or 6-8 hours on low in a slow cooker.
Serve and garnish with optional toppings.

Marinated Flank Steak With Blue Cheese Schmear

Marinade

1 1/2-2 lbs flank steak

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

Fresh-ground pepper, to taste

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

Schmear

1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled from a wedge

1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temp

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dry

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dry

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Trim steak of any excess fat or silver skin.

Place steak in large zip lock bag.

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over steak.

Close bag and move steak around in the bag to marinate. Press out any air. Use a vacuum sealer, if you have one.

Refrigerate over night, or at least six hours.

Mix schmear ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.

Refrigerate schmear.

Bring schmear to room temperature one hour before serving.

Prior to cooking, remove steak from marinade and pat dry.

Grill steak over a HOT fire, about 6 minutes a side for medium rare.

Place steak on a cutting board and IMMEDIATELY spread the top of the steak with the schmear.

Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Thinly slice on the bias across the grain.

Spoon sauce and juices back over the meat when serving.

Dave’s Asian Wings

1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. chili garlic sauce

Juice of 1 lime

4 green onions, finely minced, plus more for garnish

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced

2 lb. chicken wings

If you buy whole wings, separate the drum and the flat at the joint. Remove the wing tips and discard.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, soy sauce, honey, chili garlic sauce, lime juice, garlic, green onions and ginger. Set aside ½ cup of mixture. Add chicken wings to remaining marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400° and place a wire rack on a baking sheet.

Remove wings from marinade and place on wire rack. Bake until golden and crispy, 45 to 60 minutes, turning wings halfway through.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add reserved marinade. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Turn oven to broil. Brush sauce over wings and broil until caramelized, about 2 minutes.

Plate the wings and garnish with green onions.

Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Crema

2 pounds large peeled tails removed and deveined shrimp

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

Kosher salt and fresh ground-pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest, or to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 lime, zested and juiced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pinch salt and ground black pepper

20 (6 inch) corn tortillas, charred or warmed

Avocados, thinly sliced

Red onion, diced

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Jalapeno, diced

Lime wedges, for squeezing

Rinse shrimp under cold water, drain, and pat dry.

Combine shrimp, chili powder, garlic, paprika, cumin, onion powder, salt, pepper and orange zest in a bowl. Mix well.

Heat olive oil in nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until bright pink on the outside and the meat is opaque, 4 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the shrimp.

While shrimp cooks, prepare crema by whisking together sour cream, zest and juice of 1 lime, cilantro, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.

Heat tortillas on a grill pan or char over gas flame.

Build the tacos by spreading crema across each tortilla, 3 or 4 shrimp, slices of avocado, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno. Serve with sliced limes to squeeze on top and extra crema on the side.

Beef Chow Fun

1 pound wide rice noodles

8 ounces beef flank steak, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup bean sprouts

1 cup sliced bell peppers (any color)

1 cup sliced green onions

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak the wide rice noodles in hot water for about 30 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine the sliced beef, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and cornstarch. Mix well and let it marinate for 15 minutes.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry for about 3-4 minutes until browned. Remove the beef from the skillet and set aside.

4. In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the minced garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

5. Add the bell peppers and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender.

6. Add the drained rice noodles and cooked beef back into the skillet. Toss everything together gently.

7. Add the bean sprouts, green onions, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes until everything is heated through and well combined.

8. Serve hot and enjoy your Beef Chow Fun!

Bang Bang Salmon

2 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each, skin on or off)

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp smoked paprika

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 tsp lemon juice

For the Bang Bang Sauce:

3 tbsp mayonnaise, or Greek yougurt

2 tbsp sweet chili sauce

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp sriracha

1 tsp rice vinegar or lime juice

Optional Garnishes:

Sliced green onions

Toasted sesame seeds

Fresh cilantro or parsley

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1. Prep the Salmon:

Pat salmon fillets dry. Rub with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

2. Cook the Salmon:

Oven: Preheat to 400°. Place salmon on a parchment-lined sheet and roast for 12–15 minutes, until cooked through and flaky.

Air Fryer: Place salmon in basket at 390°F for 10–12 minutes.

Pan-sear: Heat a skillet with a little olive oil, sear salmon skin-side down for 3–4 minutes, flip, and cook another 2–3 minutes.

3. Make the Sauce:

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, honey, sriracha and vinegar/lime juice until smooth.

4. Assemble:

Drizzle or spoon the bang bang sauce generously over cooked salmon.

Eggs in Purgatory

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. Italian sausage, hot or mild, casings removed and crumbled.

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

Two 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste

Pinch of sugar, to taste

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

6 eggs

Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Rustic, crusty bread, for sopping

Avocado, sliced, for serving

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cast iron works best. Add the sausage and cook through.

Add chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and continue to sauté till mixture is fragrant.

Add the bell pepper, sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened.

Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir till blended.

Add chili powder, cumin and paprika. Add cayenne and sugar and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until sauce starts to reduce and thicken.

Taste to see if you want to add more sugar or cayenne pepper for your taste.

Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, making sure to space them evenly over the sauce. I usually place 5 eggs around the outer edge and 1 in the center. The eggs will cook “over easy” on top of the tomato sauce.

Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has slightly reduced. Keep an eye on the skillet to make sure that the sauce doesn’t reduce too much, which can lead to burning.

Some people prefer their eggs runnier. If this is your preference, let the sauce reduce for a few minutes before cracking the eggs on top– then, cover the pan and cook the eggs to taste.

Garnish with the chopped parsley.

Serve with avocado and the bread for sopping up all the goodness.

Pork Scallopini

4 (6 ounce) boneless pork loin chops

1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1⁄2 lb portobello mushroom, thinly sliced

1⁄4 cup Marsala

¼ cup capers, drained

1 1⁄2 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh chives, snipped

Sprinkle a small amount of water on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Place 2 of the steaks on top of the plastic and sprinkle again with water. Cover with another sheet of plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin or meat pounder until about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining 2 steaks.

Mix the flour with the salt and pepper in a shallow pie plate. Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Working in 2 batches, place half the pork in the flour mixture and turn to coat on all sides. Shake off the excess flour and add to the skillet. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate or platter and cover loosely with foil. Repeat with the remaining oil and pork.

Add the butter to the skillet and heat until melted and foamy. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until almost all the liquid that the mushrooms give off has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Pour in the Marsala, increase the heat to high, and cook, stirring, until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add the capers. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 3 minutes. Return the pork to the skillet and simmer, turning often, until the pork is warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Transfer the scaloppini to warm serving plates. Stir the sour cream and chives into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and spoon over the pork.