Greek Style Gyros Sliders

Gyros with tzatziki sauce to go

I have to admit that I became a big fan of the Greek-style Gyros way back in the 60's. The problem is that not many fast food restaurants sell them where I live. One day while watching Alton Brown (I'm a big fan) on his Food Network show "Good Eats" making gyros on the barbecue rotisserie, I tried to make them on the grill but my cheap rotisserie couldn't support the weight of the meat and my first attempt at making gyros was a disaster. I called my daughter to help me perfect this recipe.  

Gyros slider ingredients

A couple of years later, when going through my slider phase, I bought a slider press and decided to try my hand at Gyros sliders. I knew that they wouldn't be the same texture as the meat from a vertical spit, but it was the taste that I was after. The recipe went through some changes to get to the end result. Dried spices verses fresh is always a challenge for me. 

Dried spices, fresh minced garlic, fresh chopped onions

On my first attempt I forgot that I had the slider press and made them into round, 2-1/4 ounce slider portions. I decided that I would serve two sliders per person.

2-1/4 ounce portions

Placing them on a grill or griddle is up to you. I think the griddle is a better choice to duplicate the crusty exterior of a true gyro. 

You're going to use some of the grease

To assemble mu gyros sliders I decided on finding mini pita bread rounds, which my wife found at Trader Joe's. I decided that heating the pita bread rounds in some of the gyros meat grease would replicate the way they make a fast food gyros.   

Pita bread rounds

For the toppings I decided to stick with the traditional tzatziki sauce, thin sliced onions and tomatoes. 

Toppings

INGREDIENTS

2        lbs.             Lamb, ground
1        med.           Onion, finely grated
1        tsp.             Garlic powder
1        tsp.             Marjoram, fresh
1        tsp.             Rosemary, dried
2        tsp.             Kosher salt
1/2     tsp.             Black pepper, fresh ground
as needed   Tzatziki sauce

Note: you can use the dried marjoram and rosemary if you prefer but let it sit mixed in with the meat for one hour before grilling. 

Test your seasonings

Always test your meat mixture for the proper taste. This is where you make your final seasoning adjustments. Fry one slider and adjust to your own taste.  

For the cooks. Last chance to adjust seasonings

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl break up the ground lamb. Using a grater, grate the onion very fine. Drain the onions into a fine strainer, pressing out the excess liquid. Add the garlic powder and onion to the ground lamb. Add the marjoram, rosemary, salt and pepper. Using your hand mix the ingredients together until well blended. 

Ready to make gyros sliders

Using a small scoop, measure your meat into 2-1/4 ounce portions and form into a ball. You should get about 16 portions. Form the portions into slider size patties. If you have a slider press this is much easier. 

My slider press

Sliders ready for the griddle

If not just make round ones and fry on the griddle. As you fry them, press down with a spatula to get more meat in contact with the griddle. Some of the grease will be needed to heat up your pita rounds. You can also use slider buns.

Enjoy

To check out Alton Brown's recipe for gyros or Tzatziki sauce go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/gyro-meat-with-tzatziki-sauce-recipe/index.html

© TMelle 2013

MOTHER'S DAY CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

I know that when I grew up the times were much more laid back. My mother didn't have a regular job because she was a housewife raising five children. I believe that most women during that time period didn't mind not having an outside job and probably preferred it.

Breakfast in bed. She's worth it!

If mom had a job title it would have been one as a "majordomo" a.k.a. master of the house. She held that position from 8 am until 6 pm when my father came home. She had a household budget and had to stick to it. Most of the time we were angelic little children and not much trouble. What she did best was cook honest home cooked meals.

It's the little things she'll remember

Every year on Mother's Day we would make mom breakfast. Breakfast in bed if we didn't make too much noise. If we woke her up early we served her in the kitchen. Most of us were adept at making breakfast so it really wasn't a big deal. Mom appreciated the fact that we made breakfast for her. I think. More often than not breakfast consisted of omelets, scrambled eggs, or eggs-in-the nest, bacon, or sausage, orange juice and coffee. 

Cut grapefruit half into segments

For gifts of appreciation, it was a Mother's Day card, a flower, or flowers, and in the early years a bottle of cheap ($1.00 a pint) lavender toilet water. 

Add pat's of butter. Hey it's once a year!

Anybody can make a reservation. Eating out on any holiday is great, if you don't mind long lines, unruly children, crowded and noisy restaurants. Let's not forget the possibility of questionable food quality.

Sprinkle top with brown sugar and place into the broiler

If your egg making skills aren't up to Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise, why not consider a Continental breakfast. In a hotel a Continental breakfast buffet usually consists of an assortment of hot and cold dry cereals, sweet rolls, croissants, jams and jellies, assorted juices, milk, cream, coffee and tea. You might even have scrambled eggs and toast, or pancakes.

Out of broiler with maraschino cherry garnish

My mother introduced me to broiled grapefruit halves one year. Broiled grapefruit takes the fruit offering's of a Continental breakfast to a new level.

or a Blackberry, if you prefer

INGREDIENTS
2 whole Grapefruit (pink, ruby red, or plain)
4 teaspoons Brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon (divided)
2 teaspoons Butter (cut into 4 pieces) optional
4 whole Maraschino cherries* (drained)
*You may use any fruit to cover the center of the grapefruit.
DIRECTIONS
With your ovens broiler pan on the center position, turn on the broiler. Cut each grapefruits in half. Using a small serrated knife, cut the individual sections so that they can be removed easily with a spoon. Place each grapefruit half into an oven proof deep ramekin.
Once you have sectioned the halves, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the cut tops of each grapefruit half. Place a small pat of butter in the center of each grapefruit half. Place the ramekins in the broiler, leaving the door open enough so that you can watch the grapefruit so that the tops don’t burn. Broil for until the butter is melted and sugar is starting to  brown and caramelize.

Lobster Benedict

Remove the ramekins from the broiler and place a drained Maraschino cherry or other fruit in the center of each grapefruit half. 

It's the thought that counts

© TMelle 2013

National Shrimp Scampi Day

Monday, April 29th is "National Shrimp Scampi Day". Go figure! It seems like we're always celebrating something. Like the famous line in the Forrest Gump movie, Bubba would say, "like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it."  (source http://www.imdb.com/).

Shrimp Scampi ingredients

But that's not it. There's more! One of my personal favorites is Shrimp Scampi. According to Wikipedia, In the USA, the term "scampi", by itself, is also the name of a dish of shrimp served in garlic butter and dry white wine, served either with bread, or over pasta or rice, although sometimes just the shrimp alone. The word "scampi" is often construed as that style of preparation rather than an ingredient, with that preparation being called "shrimp scampi", (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scampi).

Can you smell that?

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted 

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon, scallions, chopped (optional) 

to taste salt

to taste pepper

to taste paprika

1 pound fresh shrimp, uncooked, shelled and deveined without tails

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced 

2 tablespoons white wine

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

as needed Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated 

Cottage fries, squash, broccoli, starring Shrimp Scampi

Directions

Heat olive oil and butter in a large saute pan. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add shrimp and saute 2-3 minutes. Season shrimp with the salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. 

Deglaze the pan with the white wine and lemon juice. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Sprinkle with scallions and parsley. Finish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.Serve with rice, your favorite pasta, or all by itself. 

To watch Bubba talking to Forrest about shrimp go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09KL2HUXE6Q   
© TMelle 2013

Red Lobster "Lobsterfest"

Red Lobster Gurnee, Illonois

Okay I will admit that I am a sucker for a good TV ad campaign. So I went online to Red Lobsters website www.redlobster.com and downloaded a coupon to purchase one Lobsterfest entree at the regular price and get the second one at 1/2 price. I had no idea what either price was but I was going. It didn't matter that I would have to travel 20 miles each way in the rain and the fog, I needed lobster!

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

I went online and read many reviews for the Gurnee, Illinois location, most of which were not favorable. You just can't believe everything that you read on the Internet. Two of my children decided that they wanted to go as well. Why not? I'm sure that they thought that I was buying. I had my son print up a coupon as well. Could we use both coupons? I did not know.

Lobster Lover's Dream

Did I mention the rain and the fog? Well it was not a "fit night out for man nor beast." When we arrived I surprised to see that it was not very busy and we were able to be seated right away. The hostess showed us to a table and said that our server would be right with us. We were almost immediately approached by Amanda, our server. As she took our drink order I asked about the coupons and she explained that as long as we ordered from the Lobsterfest menu we could use both coupons. Two entrees at full price and two at half price. 

The Ultimate Feast

Amanda served our beverages and a basket of their famous "Cheddar Bay Biscuits." Watch out this biscuits are not only delicious, they're also very filling. She offered choices of sides and salads. I just had to have the mashed potatoes. Within fifteen minutes Amanda served our meal. She said that they were baking fresh biscuits and she would bring more in a moment.  

My wife ordered the "Lobster Lover's Dream," which was a Maine lobster and a rock lobster, lobster and shrimp linguine Alfredo and broccoli.  We all ordered the "Ultimate Feast" which consisted of a split Maine lobster tail, snow crab legs, garlic shrimp scampi, and fried breaded shrimp.

What can I say? The service was great, the restaurant was clean, the meal, on this night was amazing, and the server was attentive, friendly, and great. 

The fun part of the night was here. Time for the bill. With the coupon the dinner was not only good, it was affordable. By signing up for the coupon I apparently joined the "Fresh Catch Club," and will be receiving future promotions and coupons via email. Would we go back again? You betcha!

There are many recipes on the Red lobster website, but you won't find the Cheddar Bay Biscuits. There are many recipes for the biscuits on the Internet. 

© TMelle 2013

St. Patrick's Day - Irish Soda Bread

In case you're wondering, St. Patrick's Day is Sunday March 17th this year. I thought about what to post this year to help "get my Irish on." Like the American corned beef & cabbage, soda bread's origin is debatable. The raisins could be eliminated for a more authentic soda bread.

Ingredients

I had a conversation with Lin, a good friend of ours about Irish soda bread. She told me that the recipe that she has used for over 20 years is the best. I asked for it and she delivered. The recipe was simple enough, even for a non-baker like myself. But how would it taste? I wondered. 

INGREDIENTS
5 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar (optional)
4 Tbsp. butter-softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2-1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1-1/2 cups raisins
1 cup golden raisins

NOTE: The original recipe called for 2-1/2 cups raisins. That was a lot of raisins for my taste. I substituted half of the regular raisins with golden raisins. 

Cold butter

Dry ingredients and cubed butter

Add buttermilk and beaten egg

Mixed dry and wet ingredients

Add raisins

Add golden raisins

Divide dough in half 

DIRECTIONS: Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, butter, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix ingredients together by hand. Add the buttermilk, egg and raisins. Mix again a few times. Divide the dough in 1/2 to make 2 loaves. Shape each into a ball and place on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle tops of breads with flour.

Make cross and dust with flour

Bake in pre-heated, 350°F oven for 45 to 60 minutes. This recipe makes 2 loaves.

NOTE: The dough was too sticky to knead so we just divided it in half, made crosses on top of each mound and lightly dusted with flour. If the bread or raisins begin to brown too much, lightly cover the bread with a sheet of aluminum foil and continue baking. You can test for the bread by using a toothpick or tap lightly on the top and it will sound slightly hollow. I would cut the raisins in half next time (1-1/2 cups).

Would you like a slice?

If you missed last year's post about corned beef and cabbage go to

http://dumplingproject.blogspot.com/2012/02/st-patricks-day.html
© TMelle 2013

Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday Jambalaya

Jambalaya

I have only visited the French Quarter of New Orleans twice, I quickly developed a taste for creole style food, bananas foster, hurricanes (the drink) and beignet’s. My sister went there in the 1970's and brought my mom a cookbook. After reading the cookbook and watching Justin Wilson on TV, I was hooked on the Louisiana style of cooking. In my family jambalaya quickly became a winter treat and an economical use of shrimp, chicken and sausage. 

Poach the shrimp

There are the traditionalists who insist that you must use Andouille sausage to make jambalaya. For me it's a little to spicy. I prefer the taste and texture of skinless smoked sausages (Ekrich brand). 

Smoked sausage

The ingredients, spices, seasonings, and quantities are up to you. This is a one pot meal, unless you cook the shrimp separately. Make it a big pot. A couple of tips before we begin. We prefer to slice the sausages about a 1/4” thick and then in half. The chicken (white or dark meat) should be skinless, and cut into cubes. 

Cut up chicken

The shrimp should be raw tail on shrimp for the best and freshest flavor. Before cooking the Jambalaya, have all of your ingredients measured, weighed out, and ready to go (Mise-en-place). 

Pancetta

Recipes are general guidelines of how to make things. They are subject to your taste and tastes do change. I recently started adding crispy pancetta (Italian bacon) to my jambalaya. What doesn't taste better with bacon in it?  

Pancetta cooking

When the shrimp start to turn color, remove them from the liquid with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking water. This is where much of the shrimp flavor is. Use this liquid to deglaze the pan after caramelizing the onions, green peppers celery and garlic. 

Chicken

In the same pan start to saute your onions and peppers. Once they are tender remove them to the side and deglaze the pan using some chicken stock. 

Green peppers, onions, celery, garlic

Keep adding the liquid a little at a time until it almost disappears. By this time the aroma should be filling your kitchen. This would be an appropriate time for a hurricane.  Non-alcoholic of course.

Peeled and chopped

When the liquid has reduced down and you add the tomatoes, spices, seasonings, rice and chicken stock, you might be tempted to peak into the pot. This is the time when the rice is cooking. To open the lid might leave you with a crunchy rice texture. So don’t be tempted to look. 

Add rice and chicken stock

Have another hurricane because you have at least another 15-20 minutes before adding the chicken and shrimp into the pot. Okay now a word on hot sauce. I have left this up to you. The amount of hot sauce or none at all is really up to you. I find that it is easier for your guests to add hot sauce to the dish later if needed. You can’t take it out later. For dessert may I suggest an ample serving of Bananas Foster crepes. 

This dessert has a cooling effect on the heat of the jambalaya. Can you say N’awlins? Sure you can!

INGREDIENTS
1/3 lb. Pancetta
1 lb. Smoked Sausage (skinless)
1 lb. Shrimp* (uncooked, tail on)
1 lb. Chicken (skinless, cubed)
1 Cup Onion (chopped)
1 Cup Green Pepper (seeded, chopped)
1/2 Cup Celery (chopped)
3 cloves Garlic
1 28 oz. can Tomatoes (peeled, crushed)
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
1/2 Cup Green onions (chopped)
2-1/2 Cups Chicken stock
1-1/2 Cups Long Grain Rice (uncooked)
1 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
SPICES
1 whole Bay Leaf
1 tsp. Basil
1 tsp. Creole seasoning (Tony Chachere's brand)
 1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Cloves
1/8 tsp. Allspice
1/2 tsp. Chili powder
DIRECTIONS

In my opinion you should always use raw shrimp in the shell rather than buying precooked peeled and deveined shrimp. Steam the shrimp in about a 1/2 cup of water until the shrimp are cooked about half way (slightly pink). Reserve the shrimp steaming liquid for later use. Dip the shrimp in a ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Peel and devein the shrimp and set them to the side.  

Cut the chicken into cubes. In a hot pan drizzle the olive oil and add the butter on medium low heat. Add the chicken and saute for about 5 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set to the side with the shrimp. Cooked the sausages until caramelized. Remove those from the pan and set to the side.  Now add the onions, green peppers, celery and garlic and saute until tender. As the mixture begins to caramelize, pour a 1/4 cup of the shrimp cooking liquid into the pan and stir to loosen the bits from the bottom. Once the liquid evaporates stir in the remaining shrimp liquid and cook down again. Stir in the tomatoes, spices, seasonings, chicken, pancetta, sausages, rice, and chicken stock. Cover and cook on low temperature for 15-20 minutes (don’t peak). In the last 10 minutes add the shrimp, cover and cook 5-10 more minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

© TMelle 2013