=Mark

Chipotle Chicken & Veggie Soup Got the idea for this after sampling a couple bowls of a regional style soup during a trip to the Firey Foods Festival in New Mexico, just substituted Chipotles for the green chiles: 1 6 lb. roasting chicken 1 32 oz can chicken stock 1 c coarsley chopped celery (Save all veggie trimmings for stock) 1 c diced red bell pepper 1 c sliced carrots 2 medium onions coarsely chopped 1 c corn kernels 1 16 oz can diced tomato 1 c chipotles in adobo sauce 1/2 tsp thyme cracked black pepper to taste salt to taste (I use heavy chinese soy sauce) Roast chicken in oven till done, cool overnight. Debone chicken and save all the bones & scraps. Cut meat into bite size bits removing fat & gristle. Refrigerate. In a large stock pot add bones and carcass as well as veggie peelings, carrot butts and onion skins etc and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 to 3 hours, skimming and stirring occasionally. Strain through a collander and add stock back to pot. Add celery, bell pepper, corn, onions and carrots as well as the canned stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until veggies begin to turn tender. Add chicken and canned tomato. While soup is coming back to a simmer, take about a cup of it and put in a food processor with the chipotles & adobo. Whirr it up for about 30 seconds or untill the peppers are well pureed. Add salt, pepper and thyme to the soup, then start adding the chipotle puree about a quarter cup at a time, stirring and tasting for the desired pungency. Using all of it makes for a chileheads delite, but may be too much for some gringos to handle! This makes a big old pot full which would probably serve 20 or 25 people. Good for freezing and serving at a later time. You could use all canned stock and one of those rotisserie chickens from the store, but my life is dull and I got nothin' better to do... Keywords: Soup, Chicken, Tex-Mex, American, Hot and Spicy, eGCI ( RG261 )

Shrimp & Pesto Ravioli with Sherry Cream Sauce & Shitakes 1 lb 31 to 40 count shrimp, peeled, deveined and boiled for 4 minutes. Drain and cool. 2 c durum semolina flour 2 eggs water pesto pitted calamata olives 1/2 lb. shitake mushrooms 1/4 c diced shallots 1/4 c dry sherry 1 pt heavy cream 1/4 tsp nutmeg olive oil 1/4 stick butter at room temperature 1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning Pasta: Combine eggs and flour thoroughly. If necessary, add water until proper consistency is attained. Knead for 5 minutes, then let rest on counter under a bowl for 20 minutes. Roll out dough with machine into a thin sheet suitable for making the raviolis. Lay pasta on wax paper sprinkled with semolina to prevent sticking. Raviolis: take a shrimp and smear one side with a dab of pesto and place pesto side down on pasta sheet. Place half of an olive on top of the shrimp. Repeat until there is a double row of 10 or 12 shrimp. Using your finger or a pastry brush, moisten around each shrimp with water. Roll out another sheet of pasta, and carefully lay over shrimp. Using your fingers, press the air out from around the shrimp and press pasta together around the shrimp. Use a pasta/pastry crimper/cutter to cut the individual raviolis. if making a large quantity, separate single layers with wax paper sprinkled with semolina (raviolis touching each other tend to stick and tear) and stack in a baking dish or tray. Raviolis may be prepared and frozen for later use. (Cook frozen raviolis for 2 extra minutes) To cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add raviolis and cook for 4 or 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from pot and drain in a colander. If not serving immediately, drizzle with a little olive oil and gently toss to prevent sticking. Cream sauce: Heat cream in saucepan until it is boiling vigorously. Reduce to 1/3 of its original volume and add nutmeg and Old Bay. In a sauté pan, sauté shallots and shitakes in a little olive oil until tender. While over high heat, add the sherry to the pan and flame off the alcohol. reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated. remove both the mushrooms from the heat, combine with cream in the saucepan and simmer for a few minutes. Add butter and whisk until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle sauce over the raviolis and serve immediately. Keywords: Pasta, Seafood, Shrimp ( RG260 )

Chinese Dumplings (Potstickers) Dough: 1/2 tsp salt 2-1/2 c unsifted flour 1 T lard, chopped fine (OK, I use margarine!) 1 c boiling water Filling: 1 lb ground pork 2 T dry sherry 2 T soy sauce 1 tsp grated ginger 1/2 tsp groud white pepper 1 T toasted sesame oil 1 T chopped green onion 1/2 tsp sugar 1 egg white 1 tsp salt 1 T corn starch 2 cloves garlic, finely minced > 2 T finely chopped water chestnuts 2 T finely chopped bamboo shoots 1 T (or more) garlic & red chile paste 1 c finely chopped cabbage with moisture squeezed out Mix all the Dough ingredients and knead thoroughly. Let rest on the counter under a bowl for 20 Min. Combine all filling ingredients and mix into a bowl. 1. Break off about a teaspoon of the dough, and roll into a 3 inch circle. 2. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the middle of the circle, and wet the edges of the circle with a little water. Seal into a half-moon shape, avoiding trapped air. 3. Heat a saute pan with 2 tbsp peanut oil, and place the dumplings upright in the pan and cook on medium /high heat until bottoms become nicely browned (3-5 min.) 4. Pour 1 cup chicken stock into the hot pan and immediately cover. Cook another 3 or 4 minutes, until most of the broth is absorbed. 5. serve immediately with a sauce made with 1/2 cup soy with a dash of ginger, scallion and a few drops of sesame oil for dipping. Keywords: Appetizer, Pork, Chinese, Hot and Spicy ( RG259 )

Winter Vegetable Soup Serves 6 as Soup. 4 oz bacon strips, sliced to 1/2 inch 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped 2 leeks, cleaned and sliced into 1" julienne strips 4 ribs celery, sliced 5 c chicken stock 2 c carrot, 1/4 inch slices 1 small rutabaga, peeled and diced to 1/2 inch 3 medium potatoes, 1/2 inch dice 1 pkg frozen chopped spinach 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1-1/2 tsp dried tarragon 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1/2 c dry sherry 1/2 c heavy cream salt to taste in a large soup pot, heat chopped bacon until it begins to brown. Add chopped onion, leeks and celery, and cook until they begin to wilt, about 15 min. Add stock and carrots, and heat until it comes to a simmer. Add potatoes and rutabaga and bring back to a boil. Add frozen spinach. When soup begins to boil again, add tarragon, thyme and black pepper, followed by the sherry. Simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften, but are still firm. Remove about half of the vegetables with a slotted spoon and place in food processor with about a cup of stock. Puree till smooth and return to pot. Add cream and simmer for another 10 minutes, being careful not to let soup come to a full boil. Salt to taste. Serve with chopped parsely or chives for garnish. Keywords: Soup, Vegetables, Lunch, Dinner ( RG258 )

Rich's Chicken Salad Sunrise (Stolen from my Brother) Thanks Bro! Ingredients: 2-3 Lb. Boneless Chicken Breast. 1 Cup Celery, cut diagonally. 1/2 Cup Red Onion, small dice. 8 oz Raisins, black, golden, or a mixture. 8 oz Cashews or other nuts. 1/3 to 1 gram fresh Saffron 1 tbs. olive oil 1 tbs. balsamic vinegar 1 Cup Chicken Stock or Water Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste 1/2 lb pasta, cooked al dente' (I use bow ties) 1 Large red or green Bell Pepper, fine julienne. 1 Tbs. Fresh Thyme or Mint (or about 1tsp of dried leaves) 3 Cups mayonnaise, either homemade or a quality brand like Hellmann's or Kraft Chopped Chives or Green Onions for Garnish 1 Cup Brandy or Bourbon (optional) Preparation: 1. Pound the chicken breasts lightly so that they are of an even thickness (~1/2 ") and then grill over a hot flame, marking well, but being careful not to overcook. Refrigerate to cool. When the chicken is cool, cut into 1/2" cubes. 2. As an option, soak the raisins in the brandy or bourbon for an hour. Drain, reserving the liquid. 3. Combine chicken stock or water, olive oil, and vinegar. If you used brandy or bourbon for the raisins, add about 1 tbs. of the reserved liquid as well. The amount of saffron that you will need will vary greatly with the purity and freshness. With this method, having too weak a mixture will be more of a problem than too strong a mixture. Chop the saffron threads very finely. Add the saffron to the stock mixture and simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup in volume, and then cool. Mix this liquid into the mayo. The color should be a fairly bright, but not a totally alarming yellow (more than a legal pad, but less than a taxi). If the color and flavor seem too strong, just add more mayo. 4. Gently mix the diced chicken, drained raisins, celery, onion, bell pepper, and thyme or mint in a large bowl. 5. Fold the saffron mayo into the salad, whatever amount looks good to you. Add salt and pepper to taste. It's best if you can let the flavors meld overnight The nuts are best added about 1 hr. before serving so that they don't become too soggy. The left over bourbon or brandy can be used for deglazing sautéed foods. It's especially good when used for pork, game, or poultry. Of course you can also guzzle it as an after dinner drink!

I'm still not sure it's fair at this time to demonize them with an illustration portraying them as miniature Saddam Husseins...

Big time lie. Conspiracy time...

Piquant Salmon Rolls 8 oz cream cheese 1/4 c walnuts or pecans, chopped 1/4 c green onion, chopped 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp cayenne (or more, to taste. For Chilehead events I’ve used dried habanero powder) 1 stalk celery chopped 2 tsp lemon juice 8 oz (3/4" by 2") thin slices smoked salmon thin sliced cucumber freshly ground pepper your favorite crackers (I use Wheatsworth) fresh dill sprigs hot sauce * 1.In a bowl, soften cream cheese and stir in chives, green onion walnuts and celery. 2. Add lemon juice and spices and mix well. 3. Spread mixture on salmon slices and season with pepper, roll up to form neat rolls 4. Place a cucumber slice on each cracker and place a sprig of dill and a salmon roll on each cucumber. 5. Drizzle with remaining lemon juice and garnish with chives if desired. * To add some more heat you can add a couple drops of habanero sauce to the top of the cucumber during assembly. The sauce I use has cloves and honey which seem to compliment the flavor of the salmon. You might want to play around with the seasonings. salmon rolls may be prepared several hours in advance, and assembled just before serving to prevent the cracker from getting soggy. Keywords: Fish, American, Appetizer, Hors d'oeuvre, Seafood, Hot and Spicy, eGCI ( RG256 )

Rich's Chicken Salad Sunrise 3 lb Boneless Chicken Breast. 1 c Celery, cut diagonally. 1/2 c Red Onion, small dice. 8 oz Raisins, black, golden, or a mixture. 8 oz Cashews or other nuts. 1 g fresh Saffron 1 T olive oil 1 T balsamic vinegar 1 c Chicken Stock or Water Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste 1/2 lb pasta, cooked al dente' (I use bow ties) 1 Large red or green Bell Pepper, fine julienne. 1 T Fresh Thyme or Mint (or about 1tsp of dried leaves) 3 c mayonnaise, either homemade or a quality brand like Hellmann's or Kraft Chopped Chives or Green Onions for Garnish 1 c Brandy or Bourbon (optional) 1. Pound the chicken breasts lightly so that they are of an even thickness (~1/2 ") and then grill over a hot flame, marking well, but being careful not to overcook. Refrigerate to cool. When the chicken is cool, cut into 1/2" cubes. 2. As an option, soak the raisins in the brandy or bourbon for an hour. Drain, reserving the liquid. 3. Combine chicken stock or water, olive oil, and vinegar. If you used brandy or bourbon for the raisins, add about 1 tbs. of the reserved liquid as well. The amount of saffron that you will need will vary greatly with the purity and freshness. With this method, having too weak a mixture will be more of a problem than too strong a mixture. Chop the saffron threads very finely. Add the saffron to the stock mixture and simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup in volume, and then cool. Mix this liquid into the mayo. The color should be a fairly bright, but not a totally alarming yellow (more than a legal pad, but less than a taxi). If the color and flavor seem too strong, just add more mayo. 4. Gently mix the diced chicken, drained raisins, celery, onion, bell pepper, and thyme or mint in a large bowl. 5. Fold the saffron mayo into the salad, whatever amount looks good to you. Add salt and pepper to taste. It's best if you can let the flavors meld overnight The nuts are best added about 1 hr. before serving so that they don't become too soggy. The left over bourbon or brandy can be used for deglazing sautéed foods. It's especially good when used for pork, game, or poultry. Of course you can also guzzle it as an after dinner drink! Keywords: Pasta, Side, Chicken, American, Salad, Main Dish ( RG255 )

Nathalie Dupree?

Cubed eggs can be stored much more efficiently...

Navesink Cafe at the Marina in Red Bank has great burgers and soft shells when on special. They also have the best battered onion rings in the area. Only downside is that the place is seasonal and only open May thru September.

I've attended close to 10 eGullet events (Drove an hour and a half for Rutts Hotdogs). Travelled to Mass. and Virginia for BBQ and Chilehead events. Flew to New Mexico for the Fiery Foods Festival. Maybe pedestrian and domestic, not overly dangerous, but I'll travel for food...

I like lettuce on my tuna sandwiches.

I suppose you could ask where they were made...

My method for using leftover pulled pork is best accomplished using a Pie Iron, but could also be done on one of those indoor grilling machines or just grilled in a skillet. Place bread butter side down on half of iron. Add shredded pork, sliced red onions, cheese (I like pepper jack) and a bloop of Hoboken Eddies Mean Green hotsauce. Place another slice of bread butter side up on top. Close and latch the pie iron and cook over fire/stove turning occasionally until medium browned. A taste sensation!

Cold is not as big a factor as wind, and adding the two together compounds the problem. Try as much as possible to minimize wind effects. Some folks have used water heater insulation to help regulate the temps. The main problem with wind is that in the ECB it is easier for drafts to push their way up into the intake and force heated air out of the smoker. From a purely asthetic POV, wind at any temp can stir up ash and cause it to settle on the meat.

Canned corn better than fresh? Shudder...

Bottled "French" salad dressing (Not anti French. Am anti Florescent orange goo) Bottled "Russian" salad dressing. Minute rice (Yeah I know, it removes all those complex technical issues one comes across when cooking rice... ) Instant mashed potatoes (Same as rice comment) Anything with "Lite" on the label.

Actually high temperature spikes are more of a problem than low temps. As you state making the smoker hotter is easier than cooling it down. In some situations there is no choice but to remove the lid until the fire calms down. In general one slowly builds up the fire by adding fuel bit by bit and monitoring the temp. Keep in mind that a fire has a degree of momentum, and the resulting temperature from added fuel has a time lag as it catches fire and begins to add heat. Likewise when the fire is starting to cool there is a delay in heating it up by adding fuel. You need to anticipate the need for more fuel or to let it burn down a bit. What you hope to achieve is a balance with as little variation as possible. Of course the WSM with it's vented air intake negates most of this niggling around with the fire so one can concentrate on drinking beer and telling lies...

Those synthetic "spreads" that come in a tub, and when added to a hot skillet separate into a waxy blob and a bubbly puddle of mystery moisture.

When I decided to start smoking I was discussing it with a guy who had just taken delivery of a $4500 trailer mounted Klose log burner. He also had 2 Weber Smokey Mountains (WSMs) and a Brinkmann Stainless bullet. I had mentioned the thought of buying a WSM, at which point he interrupted. He said that he never used the stainless Brinkmann anymore, but that it retailed for close to the same price as a WSM. He offered to sell it to me for $25. He then said he was perfectly aware that I could go straight to the WSM and immediately start turning out excellent BBQ easily. But... If I instead really wanted to immerse oneself in the art of BBQ then to begin on a Brinkmann style bullet smoker would require that I learn the very basic details of fire control. Since the Brinkmann (Known on the BBQ lists as the ECB or "El Cheapo Brinkmann") does not have any air intake vents one controls the heat and smoke by constant attention to the addition of fuel, degree of seasonedness of the wood chunks (You find out soon that if all smoke ceases that one of the wood chunks has flared up and you better get moving before you have a major temp spike on your hands). All in all you have to poke and prod like every 15 minutes for the whole session, a daunting task for a pork butt or dare one contemplate a 12 hour brisket? After playing with an ECB and honing ones skills at playing with fire and learning to master it, the transition to a WSM is even more of a pleasure. Having gained a thorough knowledge of fire control the WSM frees you up to experiment with the other aspects of BBQ not related to simply maintaining temp and smoke. Rubs, sauces, brining. Differences in cuts of meat as well as the suprisingly inscrutable means for determining doneness. Of course this is all within the narrow realm of H2O bullet smokers. Moving on to log burners and open pits fired with hardwood coals is a whole other country...

If you are using MS Internet Explorer it has a default that shrinks all images to fit within the window. If you place your cursor over the image an icon will appear in the lower right corner of the image (A square with four arrows pointing from the corners). If you click on that icon the image will expand to full size so you can scroll up and down and read it.

Might it be likely that as patrons of high end establishments that as we become more experienced as to what defines "fine dining" that expectations are raised? As the palate is refined and we become aware of more of the details of the dining experience we become more critical. This being the case, it would be possible that memories of those first "wonderful" meals at particular restaurants remain unchallenged, and we return to the same establishments with unrealistic expectations as to the level of the overall experience? In this case we could almost guarantee a disappointment .

Hoboken Eddies Mean Green Hotsauce. Roasted Jalapeno, lime and spices!