Mario's Kitchen

Post Superbowl Ribs

2012-02-13T22:32:00.000-05:00

The butcher at Whole Foods said to "rub 'em with the"rub," wrap 'em in foil and cook 'em for 90 minutes between 325 and 350, then take 'em out and let 'em sit for 5 minutes before taking them to the grill. Take 'em out of the foil and grill 'em on medium-high heat for about 10-15 minutes while brushing on the "sauce" and they should be good!" He was SO totally right!

In short: The Rub.

...and the Ribs.

This is just the skinny... More to come on how they came to be.

Further Adventures in Griddling: ¡Viva La Quesadilla!

2011-02-02T19:37:00.000-05:00

After our hamburger experiment with the Griddler earlier this month, we deemed the appliance worthy of further testing. Or, perhaps I should say I deemed the appliance worthy. For some reason, Mario seems inexplicably wary of it, although he is fully supportive of my experimentation. At any rate, I was looking for something quick and easy and, knowing Mario’s fondness for Mexican food, decided quesadillas would be perfect. The labor on these is heavy on the prep work, but once you have everything ready to go, they come together quickly.

8 8-inch flour tortillas
4 teaspoons butter, melted
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
½ cup green onion, sliced
½ cup tomatoes, chopped
shredded cheese of your choice
guacamole
sour cream
salsa

Our first step was to cook the chicken, which we did by simply sautéing in a bit of butter with a pinch of kosher salt over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes a side.

While the chicken cooks, chop your tomato and onion and hold in prep bowls until you’re ready for assembly.

Pre-heat the Griddler to 350 in the closed griddle position.

Let the chicken cool until it’s comfortable to handle. Chop or shred and hold in a prep bowl along with your other ingredients.

To assemble:

Brush one side of the tortilla with a bit of melted butter.

Place buttered side down on your work surface and build your filling, placing it all to one side of the tortilla.

You will be cooking two tortillas at a time. Fold each tortilla in half and place on the bottom griddle plate.

Close the griddle and bake until cheese is melted and tortillas are light golden brown and crispy. For me, it was about 4 minutes, although I admit that I may not have fully mastered the temperature controls on the Griddler at this point, so just keep a close eye on things.

One way to tell when you’re getting close is that you might hear the sizzle of the melted cheese hitting the griddle plate. This is also a good place to note that you should try not to overfill your tortillas. I found that I was surprised by how little filling half of an 8-inch tortilla could take. Not that a little overflow is a terrible thing, but if you want your quesadillas to stay perfectly neat, err on the side of less filling.

I admit I did try an alternate method, where instead of filling one side and folding the tortilla in half, I filled the whole tortilla and laid another one directly on top. I’m not exactly sure why, but this method did not work as well.

You can hold your completed quesadillas in a warm oven (175-200) until you are finished making the whole batch.

Slice and serve with your choice of condiments. We only had sour cream and guacamole on hand for this first batch, and although Mario gave them very high praise, they’d probably be even yummier with a kick of spicy salsa.

Chicken Chicken Soup!

2011-01-16T23:44:00.000-05:00

“With the winter chill upon us,
And snow upon your stoop,
We think you will find comfort
In our chicken chicken soup!”

Mario hardly ever gets sick. I don’t know how he does it, but then again, I’m the one who works in a big office building and takes public transportation, so maybe it makes some sense that it seems to be me who always catches the cold, or the flu, or whatever happens to be going around. So I know for a fact that Mario first made this soup for me because I was sick. (Yeah, he’s a big ol’ softie!) And because Mario has music in his soul and likes to make me laugh, he usually sings silly little songs while he cooks. Hence the short verse quoted above to open this post.

1 ½ to 2 lbs chicken thighs, skin removed
1 small bunch celery, trimmed and chopped
1 bag carrots, chopped
1 onions, chopped
1 head of garlic, chopped
3-4 cubes chicken bouillon or chicken broth
2 potatoes, chopped (optional)
1/2 lb pasta or 1 cup rice
Kosher salt

There is some disagreement on what type of meat to use for chicken soup. Skinless, boneless thighs; skinless, boneless breasts; thighs with skin and bone; all have their proponents. We’ve made this soup many different ways in our quest for perfection, and we’ve come to the conclusion that skinless but on the bone thighs yield the best results.
Although the boneless, skinless thighs make for an easier-to-eat meal, the bones do provide a nice boost of flavor.

Cover chicken with 2 inches of water in large stockpot.

Add garlic, onions and pinch of Kosher salt. Bring to a gentle boil; lower heat and simmer for 45-50 minutes.

We know this may be blasphemy to a hard-core chicken soup loyalist; however, along with the usual celery and carrots, we like to add potatoes for a heartier soup.

Add celery, carrots, potatoes, and bouillon. Simmer for another 45 minutes.

We haven’t mastered (ok, we haven’t even attempted) homemade stock yet, but if you prefer to use homemade or canned chicken broth or stock, just start with that instead of water. Add pasta or rice (we’ve made it both ways) and simmer for 20 minutes. If using rice, we suggest cooking the rice separately before adding it to the soup. This will make the finished product a little less starchy.

Even better if served with a loaf of crusty bread!

Adventures in Griddling

2011-01-09T03:00:00.001-05:00

It’s 10:00 on a Thursday night.
We’re about to do up a round of our soon-to-be-famous hamburgers on rye. They’re quick, and we’re hungry. But first, Mario has been excited all day, and he can’t wait to tell me about his idea to link certain products that we write about to a website where people can read reviews, comparison shop, and even make a purchase if they’re so inclined. This website, of course, is Amazon. I poke around a little bit on the Amazon site, doing some quick test searching for various tools of our trade, and I remember that we actually own a Cuisinart GR-4 Cuisinart Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press.

We received it as a gift a couple of years ago and just didn’t really have the counter space in our old apartment for it. And then we moved, and it found its way into the back of our pantry, and I realize sadly that that we’ve never used it. But the product shot on the box actually depicts it being used to cook hamburgers! Perfect, right?

It’s now 10:15 on Thursday night and I am about to take the Griddler on its maiden voyage. Mario has gone from excited to nervous and has the fire extinguisher at the ready.

We have enough ground beef in the fridge for 3 perfectly-sized burgers.

Mario suggests cooking two of the burgers using our traditional stovetop method (more on that in a future post), saying that since this is a test run with the Griddler, we should only cook one on it. That way, if it’s a disaster, we’ll still have something to eat. I reluctantly agree.

So here we go.
Step 1. Read the manual. Here is where I come to the deflating realization that we might have to postpone our Griddler test drive. The grilling plates on the appliance are nonstick, which means NO METAL UTENSILS. In a fit of culinary frustration a few weeks back, Mario got a little angry and took it out on our sole non-metal spatula. (He still owes me a new one!) However, tonight he is determined that since we’ve unpacked this appliance, washed all the parts, and set it up, we’re going to try it! It comes with a little plastic tool that’s supposed to be used for cleaning the grill plates, but it’ll suffice as a makeshift hamburger turner in a pinch.

Step 2. Turn on the Griddler. The manual warns that there might be a slight odor and smoke when using it for the first time. It says this is normal and common for nonstick appliances. Thankfully, there’s no smoke, although we did notice a distinct odor and opened a kitchen window because of it.

There are several ways you can use the Griddler: with either the grill plates (ridged) or griddle plates (smooth); and in completely open, half open, or closed positions. For its first run, I opt to use it in the half-open position with the grill plates. Mario’s nervousness is contagious, and I’m a little anxious about using it closed. Plus, I want to see how the burger is cooking.

Step 3. Cook the burger. I carefully place my one lonely hamburger patty in the middle of the grill plate and wait.

For a few minutes, it appears nothing happens. But then I hear a slight sizzle and I can see that the bottom is cooking!

I’m unsure about the cooking time, though, so I end up flipping it several times and erring on the side of caution. Finally, we both agree that it’s probably done.

Step 4. Eat. As this is just a trial run, and Mario is concurrently cooking our “real” dinner in a pan on the stove, we don’t even dress the Griddler burger with anything, not even a bun! We simply put it on a plate between us and each cut a bite-sized piece.

Step 5. Verdict. It’s not terrible. It’s a bit dry, probably because I overcooked it a bit, but we also realize that because the Griddler is a non-stick surface, there’s no added lubrication like the butter we use for the stovetop burgers. The Griddler method probably makes a healthier burger, but it does take some of the flavor and the juiciness away. One note is that the grill plates are made with a corner spout for drippage, and it comes with two drip cups that you place underneath the spouts to catch what drains off.

The cups, however, don't attach to the Griddler at all; they just sit on the counter positioned under the spouts. Seems a slightly odd design choice, but the good thing was that this burger didn't even require the use of them at all. The grease that it did generate just ended up in tiny spatters all over the front of the appliance and on the counter around it.

Overall, this was a worthwhile experiment. There will be more to come from the Griddler, it just won’t be burgers. But that’s ok. The cats enjoyed it.

Whole Roast Chicken

2011-01-05T09:54:00.005-05:00

This past Thanksgiving in Mario’s Kitchen was different. Sadly, our traditional Thanksgiving chef (not Mario) was feeling under the weather and was not up to the task. So, it fell to us to cook our first turkey ever. Exciting! And a little bit intimidating. While not an epic failure, that particular bird was not quite a resounding success either. But it did inspire us to pick up a couple of whole chickens to practice on.

They’re smaller than a turkey and practically a steal at about $9 for a package of two chickens at our local membership-only wholesale club (ok, it’s BJ’s). I admit I was still intimidated by a 5-pound chicken, but the process is actually very easy, and a great way to stretch your food dollars if you worry about that sort of thing.

1 whole chicken
½ cup butter, melted
1 small onion, quartered
5 or 6 cloves garlic, whole
½ lemon, quartered
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp rosemary
1 Tbsp sage
1 Tbsp thyme
Kosher salt
Black pepper, freshly ground

Pre-heat oven to 335.

Next, we throw on our Playtex Disposables CleanCuisine Gloves - Medium:
30 Count (Mario is a freak about handling raw chicken!)

Start by removing giblet package from cavity; trim neck if needed. Rinse chicken well with cold water; Pat dry with paper towels.

Place chicken in your Pyrex Grip-Rite 3-Quart Oblong Baking Dish Clear coated with non-stick cooking spray.

Sprinkle cavity with ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, and spices (bay leaves, rosemary, sage, and thyme). Stuff cavity with onion, garlic and lemon. Fold wings back and tie legs together with kitchen twine. Brush outside of chicken with melted butter; season generously with more kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Roast at 335 for about 2 hours (for about a 5 lb. bird). After the first hour, about when the jucies start collecting on the bottom of your cooking vessel, you may baste every 10 to 15 minutes until done.

And here is the bird after just under 2 hours.

Note: Our chicken packaging says to cook it at 375 for an hour and 10 minutes, until juices run clear when pierced with a fork and a meat thermometer registers 180 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh. However, we found that with our oven at 375, it was burning the outside of the chicken, so we experimented a bit and cook ours at a slightly lower temperature for a longer amount of time. You should never cook chicken at a temperature lower than 325 degrees and a bird like this will take at least 2 hours at that temperature.

You could serve this with rice, potatoes, a nice green salad… but for us it’s just a challenge getting it onto plates and sitting down at the table with knives and forks! So you may be tempted to just eat it standing up at the counter, pulling it apart with your fingers!

Our Beautiful Disaster - Tacos!

2011-01-02T19:55:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone! Wow, time sure flies when you're having fun, but six whole months? I suppose "fun" might be stretching it a bit considering all that has transpired in our lives since my last post on July 4th. The summer was long and lazy. It came and went without a hitch, but as fall approached, so did numerous domestic necessities and challenges. There was the refinishing the stairs project; the giant hole in our living room wall I needed to mend because of a cracked pipe (not to be confused with a “crack pipe”!); a total exterior renovation of our home; and then the holidays.

The good thing is that these liaisons with fate haven’t stopped us. We’ve continued to remain hard at work here in the Kitchen, perfecting and destroying all kinds of dishes, documenting the good and touching up the bad. Despite all that has been going on, we’ve continued to keep things cooking, remembering always that the most important ingredient is fun.

We’ve decided to mix things up a bit here in the Kitchen for 2011. For one, I will be introducing meals that give more bang-for-the-buck. Everyone knows what it’s like to want to stay within a budget. Most of the meals we create can be made for little money and will easily feed a family of 4 to 6.

Next, my wife Carolyn will be doing a lot more writing. Trust me, you will appreciate that. Considering she reads more books in one week than I have read in the past several years, I'm sure you will find her literary prowess enjoyable. Besides, my superiority lies behind the camera and in front of the stove.

So without further ado, I now introduce you to my lovely wife, Carolyn!

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My life is pretty good. I have an adoring husband who makes me dinner every night. I’m not entirely sure how it worked out that way, since it isn’t as if I hate to cook. Sometimes I think it’s because he’s a somewhat picky eater and can be stubborn. And sometimes I get sentimental and remember that in the very early days of our relationship, he wooed me by coming to my apartment laden with shopping bags, taking over my tiny kitchen, and whipping up an impressive dinner for two, so maybe it was just meant to be. This is not to say, however, that the kitchen is entirely his domain. It may be “Mario’s Kitchen,” but even Mario can use the help of a prep chef and dishwasher!

Here in the Kitchen, we try to make an effort to cook seasonally-appropriate food. This means a lot of outdoor grilling in the summer; chicken soup when someone is sick; and hearty, warming, comfort foods when the New England winter starts to set in. So, as we wandered the aisles of our local supermarket one day in late fall, wondering what to make for dinner, I mentioned that it was getting to be chili time again.

It should have been easy. We’ve made many, many pots of chili before. It was almost foolproof. But then, the unthinkable. Mario got distracted - took a phone call, went upstairs, or just walked away from the stove for a minute - and burned the chili. But with a full pot of the stuff, we didn’t want to just toss it. Knowing that chili is usually better the day after it’s cooked anyway, and saved by the fact that only the bottom had burned and hadn’t been loosened up and stirred back into the pot, we carefully put it away and hoped it would be palatable the next day. But as Mario walked somewhat sadly out of the kitchen that night, inspiration struck. “I think this would make much better tacos,” he said. And he was right.

3 lbs. ground beef
1 onion
kosher salt
black pepper, freshly ground
2 Tbsp butter
1 can Pastene or Goya black beans
1 can Pastene or Goya kidney beans
1 can Pastene Kitchen-Ready canned tomatoes
1 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder

Start by melting 2 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Saute onions until translucent (5-7 minutes) being very careful not to burn them. Add ground beef and mix in 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Brown the beef completely (9-12 minutes). Add canned tomatoes, beans and spices. Bring to a gentle boil for about a minute, then bring down to simmer on low for about an hour, stirring occasionally to make sure that nothing sticks to the bottom. If you can, let it sit for a day. It’ll be even tastier.

Serve on your choice of hard taco shells or soft tortillas with diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole!

Grilled Wings with Vodka Sauce

2010-07-04T15:22:00.000-04:00

I can't really take any credit for this next recipe. I learned how to grill the wings online and my good friend, Alan Moorhouse, showed me how to make the vodka sauce, but it's just too good not to share, especially now with grilling season in full swing.

I must make mention here again of BJ's Wholesale Club. This place is just, well, pretty darn awesome! The amount of savings is well worth the membership fee. If you are the type of household that enjoys entertaining guests, this is the place to shop. I got a bag of 30 whole wings for just $14.00 and bag of 30 chicken thighs for around $10.50. I'm not a huge advocate of freezing meats, but at these prices, I make an exception.

The wings.

Unless we are cooking for guests, I only use 15 of the 30 wings, and if I'm not going have them again for a couple of nights, the rest go in the freezer. Start by washing the wings in cold water and place on a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Dry the excess water from the wings by patting them with more paper towels. Once dried of excess water, coat the wings with a light layer of extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle on a light dusting of kosher salt and then add on some fresh ground black pepper. You don't need a picture, right? Good because I didn't take one. I figured you've all seen enough pictures of raw chicken laying on trays at this point! Next, pre-heat your grill and set for low heat. You want to make sure you don't get any flare-ups as chicken grease is highly flammable (I've already had 3 grill fires this year!) Once your grill is up to temp, around 300, place the wings skin-side down. Turn the wings every five minutes for a total of 25 to 35 minutes. Start brushing on the sauce during the last 5 to 10 minutes of that time.

If you are uncertain how to tell when wings are done, there are many indicators. I go by look and feel, as you can feel a distinct firmness to them as they start to approach readiness. You will also see less smoke rising from your grill, an indicator that your starting to burn off meat as opposed to grease. As with the steaks, it took me several tries to get them just right, and as you learn your grill and your own technique, you will perfect wing cooking as well. I found that cooking when I am hungry produces the best results because I don't want to screw up my food, therefore I pay extra close attention to it! Also, there are countless websites out there that can tell you different ways of grilling wings. It's totally up to you how you want to go about it. Just remember the basic philosophy; it's better to over cook chicken, than to under cook it.

The Sauce.

Prepare the sauce well before you begin the wings as it takes about 30-40 minutes in itself.

In a medium sauce pan add:
1 cup plain vodka
1 quart ketchup
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tbs ground cumin
1/2 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs chili powder
1 tbs cayenne pepper
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup salt
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice

Mix and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes. This recipe makes about 3 cups of sauce so make sure you've got some Tupperware handy to store it in your fridge for later use.

This sauce is great for all kinds of chicken parts and goes great on ribs as well.

Everybody say, thanks Al!

To Build a Better Lime Press

2010-07-04T14:59:00.005-04:00

You know, I learned something today: Baby limes make a better margarita! I also learned that a stainless steel press is the way to go. So forget that bright yellow one pictured in my earlier posts. It fails, and the reason being that the paint begins to peel off, flecking your fruity drinks with shards of what just can't be that good to ingest - flakes of paint. Hence, I show unto thee the stainless steel lime press! You can order your own at the following link: Norpro Stainless-Steel Citrus Juice Press It's easy to use and is large enough to accomodate any size lime and even lemon halves.

Of course if you want to go all out, you can buy one of these bad babies.

It's just like the one you see them using at lemonade stands, and although there are a few different models to choose from, I personally like the stainless steel model.

Next up, the baby limes I mentioned. I had been paying $2.00 for 3 measly limes at my local supermarket before getting our much-anticipated BJ's membership (totally worth it btw) when I discovered this lovely little bargain.

Yup, it's exactly what it looks like: a giant bag of baby limes! The price: $3.79! The best thing about the baby limes is that they juice much better than the larger ones, and the juice is slightly sweeter, making for a much better margarita. Speaking of which, I do believe I prefer the Cointreau version over all else; however, I do suggest that you try all 3 of the posted versions I have written about. Just be sure to try them with the baby limes. I use 2 per drink.

Enjoy!

Simple, Cheap and Tasty Pasta Salad!

2010-06-03T23:20:00.001-04:00

Summer is just around the corner, and what could make barbecuing your favorite foods under the stars even better? Why, pasta salad of course! Pasta salads are simple, tasty and cost effective. Depending on the ingredients, they can also be quite healthy. They are hearty and can keep for several days. They also make a great addition to meals or serve as a great snack when you're on-the-go. Here at Mario's Kitchen, we thought we would take a night off from the margaritas to bring you this delicious mix of carbohydrates, vitamins and protein (cheese and egg) to help you cool off when the temperature goes up. I call it my chicken-or-not pasta salad, meaning, you can add chicken, or not!

You are going to need:
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 dry pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 lb dry pasta of your choice (we like tri-colored rotini)
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, cubed

After chopping and dicing the veggies, keep them together in a separate bowl until you are ready to add them to the cooked pasta. We prefer to add the cubed cheese at the end.

Next, fill your 8-quart pot just below 3/4 full with cold water and bring to a boil.

While you wait for the water to boil, prepare the dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Italian-style salad dressing (we use the "make-it-fresh" Good Seasons Italian Style)
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl or vessel of your choice; we use our handy Pyrex Prepware 2-Cup Measuring Cup, Clear with Red Measurements
measuring cup.

Cooking Your Pasta

When the water comes to a hard boil, add the pound of pasta and just a pinch of kosher salt. If you are not sure how long to cook your pasta, use the directions on the package.

Once your pasta is fully cooked, pour into a strainer and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain it well and in a large bowl, mix with the veggies and dressing. At this point you may also add the cheese.

I should note: you can also add diced chicken if you desire. This can be store-bought or cooked fresh; however, with chicken as an ingredient it will not keep as long. If you do decide to add chicken, I recommend buying a small package of breast tenderloins and sautéing them in butter or olive oil with a bit of garlic.

It's a good idea to let it cool off a bit before dicing.

In conclusion, this recipe is not set in stone. It is totally up to you to try things and see for yourself what you can come up with. My recipes serve as a base for you to build on. So go ahead and experiment; be a scientist. Whatever you decide, just remember to have some fun!

New Margarita Recipe!

2010-05-22T15:08:00.000-04:00

In an earlier post, I brought you one of my favorite margarita recipes using Patron, fresh lime juice and Cointreau. However, upon dining out at a great Mexican restaurant in Boston's Back Bay last week, I made a new discovery: Patron Citronge, an orange flavored liqueur, which they used in place of the Cointreau, making this a true Patron Margarita!

Here's the mix:

Place a lowball glass worth of filtered or spring water ice in a cocktail shaker
Squeeze in juice from 1 fresh lime
1 ½ oz Patron Silver
1 ½ oz Patron Citronge
Shake well

But it gets even better. For an even tastier adult beverage, mix the same way as above but for the alcoholic content try using:
1 ½ oz Patron Silver
3/4 oz Patron Citronge
3/4 oz Cointreau

I can't even describe the taste. You just have to try it, and I can safely say that I have found my official drink of the summer!

Honey BBQ Chicken Wings

2010-05-20T21:13:00.004-04:00

When I first started making my own chicken wings about 6 or 7 years ago, the recipe was nothing special. I’d buy one of those big economy packages of whole chicken wings and a bottle of Kikkoman’s Roasted Garlic Teriyaki sauce, line a pan with aluminum foil, not even using a non-stick spray, lay out the wings, pour on the bottle of sauce, and throw them in the oven for an hour at 350. They were pretty good, and I think I may have even impressed a few dates. I knew, however, that there was something I was missing. I mean, the wings place down the street from my apartment had like 22 flavors of wings! How did they do that? The difference was all in the sauce. Certainly, I had a lot to learn.

Things have changed over the years. Without going into too much detail, because I could really go on with this one and I don’t want to bore you with stories of unsuccessful chicken wing experiments, I am going to share with you my favorite recipe to date. Though it is a little more complicated than throwing a bottle of your favorite sauce on them, it really is worth the little bit of effort you are going to add.

Nowadays, I will only buy the whole-wing economy package if they are sold out of the smaller packages of halved whole-wing pieces called “drummettes and wing portions.” These are pretty convenient, as in the earlier years, I would halve the whole-wing pieces myself, which not only takes time, but unless you have a dangerously sharp knife to halve them with, it can be a big pain in the you-know-what. I had the knife, but I didn’t have the patience!

Perdue packages them, and most supermarkets will generally stock both Perdue and a generic brand. Our generic brand is White Gem, and they are just a little bit smaller and a more traditional “chicken wing” size than the Perdue. Personally, we are Perdue loyalists. We even started a Perdue Facebook Fan Page!

For this recipe I decided to use 2 packages of the White Gem brand drummettes and wing portions, just to see how they compare.

Pre-heat your oven to 350. Next, line a 12 x 18” pan with aluminum foil and give a good spray with Pam or non-stick spray of your choice.

Lay the wings out evenly in the pan, avoiding contact with the sides of the pan and other wings as much as possible. There will be some contact and that’s fine. You just want to give them ample room to cook all around and brown evenly.

When the oven hits 350, place them on the middle rack and set your timer for one hour. Now we can get to work on the sauce.

I have tried making so many different sauces over the years. I even remember getting so discouraged at one point that I was convinced I was doomed to using bottled sauces for eternity! After all, it’s tricky science, getting all those flavors to come together. Sometimes I would use too much garlic powder, other times not enough, or I would use so much spice in general that I would have an upset stomach for two days. Fortunately for you, my failed experiments are going to be your pleasure. So here we go. This is my very own honey BBQ sauce recipe and you are more than welcome to tweak it any way you want to suit your own tastes, or if you try it and decide that you can do it better. I encourage you. All I ask is that you post your thoughts on the blog so that maybe we can all learn a thing or two.

Get yourself a small mixing bowl, or like I do, get a large Pyrex measuring cup so you can measure out as you go and mix it all up in that.

1/2 C. honey
1/2 C. ketchup
1 tsp kosher salt
2 TBLSP tomato paste
1/2 tsp Old Bay
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
2 TBLSP fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice

If you are in the mood for a spicier version, you can also try this recipe:

1/2 C. honey
1/2 C. ketchup
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 TBLSP Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
2 TBLSP fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice

The secret ingredient in this version is the Sriracha sauce. You've probably seen big bottles of the stuff in your favorite Asian restaurant. Here is a picture so you know what I am talking about.

Ah yes, you remember now.

Mix all ingredients and cover your mixing cup with aluminum foil. When the wings have about 10 minutes left, start heating the sauce in a small sauce pan.

While it heats, make sure to continually stir it as there are a lot of natural sugars in there due to the honey and you do not want this to burn. Let the sauce come just to a simmer, or what I like to call the “blop” stage. As it begins to gently boil, you will get thick, globby bubbles that actually make the sound “blop!” as they rise and fall. After you start getting those bubbles, turn it off and cover until the wings timer sounds.

Take out the wings and place them on your stove top. They should be a nice crispy, golden brown.

Time to apply the sauce.

Using a good brush or spoon, (we use the Amco Stainless Steel 2-in-1 Rotating Brush) you are going to want to get the sauce on them as quickly and as neatly as possible (as it is horribly sticky) and you don’t want them to cool down too much. Once the wings are completely covered, place them back in your oven for a good 7 to 10 minutes. When you take them out after the allotted time, they should have a nice "glazed" look, with some browning in spots.

I served these up with blue cheese dressing and I was in heaven. I added an extra burst of fresh squeezed lemon juice, which really brought out the flavors.

In conclusion, however you decide to make these, remember: there are a lot of combinations, so try something different if you like. No two recipes are the same and personal preference varies wildly. The key factor is to experiment to find the tastes that suit you best. Bon Appétit!

Italian-style Pasta Sauce

2010-05-12T22:29:00.000-04:00

If you’re of Italian descent, you’ve probably grown up eating good Italian food, and if not, you’ve most likely gone searching high and low for what every non-Italian’s taste buds crave. Well, search no more, my friends, because I am about to show you how to make a great Italian-style pasta sauce without having to travel any farther than your local supermarket. But before I start, I would like to give a short history of the origins of this sauce and how it came to be such a staple for me.

I am 100% Italian blooded. My father immigrated to the USA from Italy with his family in the mid-195o’s. My mother, although born in the USA, was also of 100% Italian descent. Her father and grandparents had immigrated a generation earlier. If there was one talent both sides brought from the homeland (aside from skilled labor such as masonry and stonework), it was their ability to make great Italian food. Each side of the family had its own way of making pasta sauce, and each was handed down from generation to generation. Each had subtle differences in flavoring as well, with the meats or vegetables in them prepared differently and added at different times. All were very good, and in time I was able to make them on my own, but the original recipes that were taught to me are family secrets - what, you thought I was going to give them away? Sorry, not in this kitchen! So, what I present to now you is my own sauce that follows tradition enough to give you just what you are looking for when you take your taste buds out to that Italian restaurant, but of course, mine is much better!

You are going to need at least 30 minutes to dedicate to prep work. This will include chopping and adding your ingredients, cooking the onions and garlic, and browning the meats of your choice. Oh, you’re a vegetarian, you say? No problem! The meat can be left out to make this a great vegetarian sauce, which we actually use for another dish: eggplant parmesan, which I will get to as we move farther along in Mario’s Kitchen.

Just make sure that you are not going to be too distracted after you start. You don’t want things to burn in the beginning phase because this is where you set the tone of the entire sauce. Burnt vegetables will ruin the overall flavor. If you do accidentally burn onions or garlic in the beginning, it’s better to throw it away and start again, and I should mention before I discourage you any further, that this really isn’t that hard to make. My grandparents were able to do it while taking care of up to 8 kids at a time! So it can be done. Just pay attention. If you have kids and they are old enough to help in the kitchen, have them give you a hand, and pass along your tradition.

Once the prep work is done and the sauce is simmering, it can be left for up to two hours or more with just an occasional stir every 15-20 minutes. This recipe will make enough sauce to serve 4 to 6 people.

Now, let’s get cooking.

You will need:
One 8-quart sauce pan
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped
4 to 5 large cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1 can of Pastene kitchen-ready tomatoes
1.5lbs sweet Italian sausages (optional)
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Make sure to do all of your chopping and mincing before you heat the oil as you don’t want it to burn while you prepare any of the vegetables. I like to chop my onions in half and then make about 8 thinner cuts going with the grain of the onion. I do not break them apart because they do so once they start to cook.

For the garlic, however you want to chop it is fine. Some like to slice the cloves thinly (think the jail scene in Goodfellas) so that they dissolve into the sauce. I like to keep the garlic a little chunky, so I dice it up until it is almost minced, but not quite.

Next, add the ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil to the sauce pan. Place it over medium high heat and as soon as it gets hot, add the onions and garlic, and cover. This is the most crucial part of the whole sauce. You don’t want them to get too hot, yet you want them to cook down to a good caramelized state. I generally turn the heat down to medium and stir them frequently, until they turn nice and translucent. Again, if you burn them – throw it away and start over!

After about 10-15 minutes, add the sausage, then the teaspoon of kosher salt.

You will want to turn the heat back up to medium-high in order to get the sausage cooking nicely. Stir this mixture about every 3 to 5 minutes or until you see the sausages starting to cook. They will turn a light grey color all around. Once they have done so, add the can of Pastene kitchen-ready tomatoes and bring the whole thing to a slight boil.

As soon as the boil happens, turn the heat down to simmer, stir and cover. If you are not adding the meat, about 45 minutes will get you a nice flavorful sauce. However, if you do use it, you will want this to cook for at least one solid hour. When your sauce is ready, it will have turned from the deep reddish color in the picture above to a nice reddish-orange.

In my opinion, the longer you cook it the better. The key is not to let it come to an actual boil. You want it to simmer on low heat. I usually let mine simmer lightly for about two hours. In the meantime, you can decide how you want to utilize it!

Most kinds of pasta noodles will go great with this. If you’re feeling really brave, you can make your own, but that is for another day here in Mario’s Kitchen!

Now, as us Italians say, mangiare!

Mario's Patron Margarita

2010-04-27T00:40:00.000-04:00

Well, with warmer weather approaching there’s nothing I enjoy more on weekends than sitting out on my deck with a “freshly squeezed” margarita. No matter what the day had thrown my way, it always brings an island vibe over me and I am whisked away by imagination to some tropical destination, if only for a short time, and all my stress melts away. Of course, that peace is usually shattered by our deaf little orange cat Rishi, who can meow louder than a 747, and I am instantly zapped back to reality. I’m not complaining though, my reality is pretty awesome.

Anyway, here is the reason I bring you this post.

I have just photographed two great meals for Mario’s Kitchen and I am incredibly excited about the pictures. They came out better than expected, the food was phenomenal and I can’t wait to post, but in all honesty I have just been too exhausted to write about them. Please understand; I’m getting married this Saturday! So basically it’s crunch time. Anyway, I wanted to give all of you at Mario’s Kitchen something to ponder while I was away and I figured that this was probably the most amusing.

So before I move on to my next meal I bring to you, Mario's Patron Margarita.

I came upon this recipe quite by accident. I was experimenting with different liquors, and really liking The Sauza Plata Hornito and Triple Sec, but soon found that it was so much better with the Cointreau. Eventually, I moved on the Patron and Mario's Patron Margarita was born. Here is my recipe.

Fill one low ball glass to the top with ice.

Note: Using spring or filtered water really makes all the difference. So make sure to use one of them.

Pour the ice into a medium size cocktail shaker

Squeeze the Juice from one whole fresh lime over the ice.
Add 1 ½ oz Patron Tequila
Add 1 ½ oz Cointreau
Shake well

At this point you may salt your glass, but I prefer not to.

Next, pour it all back into your low ball glass, throw in a little straw and enjoy! You should feel the buzz in about 3… 2… 1… *

I should not even have to say this but - always drink responsibly!

Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs

2010-04-24T15:39:00.000-04:00

OK, this next one is incredibly easy, and it’s a great way to feed a whole family; and, depending on the size of your family, you may even have leftovers.

I bought this chicken on sale for .99 cents a pound. The package is 5.36lbs and cost a total of just $5.31

Start by arranging your oven racks just enough to fit both comfortably in the middle, then preheat to 350 degrees. I should mention here that some people like to rinse the chicken in cold water before cooking, which is always a good idea, especially if it’s close to its “sell-by” date. If you do, it’s also a good idea to lay them out on paper towels and then pat the excess water from the top.

Next, take two 12 x 16 cookie sheets and cover them in aluminum foil. Spray with non-stick spray and place the thighs, approx. 5 per sheet. Brush on a light layer of olive oil and season with a light touch of kosher salt and Adobo.

You can even add a touch of freshly ground black pepper as I did here.

Once the oven reaches 350, place both sheets in the oven for full one hour. That's it, you’re DONE! The result should be meat falling off-the-bone goodness. I usually serve these with rice, baked or mashed potatoes, and a salad.

One final note, as chicken is often referred to as a "dangerous" food, to avoid cross-contamination, once the chicken goes in the oven the first thing you should do is to wash every object that has come into contact with it in warm, soapy water.

Enjoy!

Oven Baked Cod

2010-04-21T17:10:00.000-04:00

Unlike red meat, which should rest at room temp for at least a half hour before you cook it, you don’t really want fish to warm up, so keep it cool in the fridge until you’re ready to start. The following steps are for cooking up about 1.20lbs of fresh Cod.

Step one: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Step two: Gather all ingredients and utensils. I will be using a 3QT Pyrex pan for this. (I would avoid using aluminum as it transfers heat quickly and we don’t want the bottom of the fish to burn.)

3 small vine ripe tomatoes cut into wedges
Fresh garlic (as much or as little as you like) - I use 4 big cloves, diced.
Butter (about 3 tablespoons)
Kosher salt (Just a small pinch; about 1/8 teaspoon)
Old Bay Seasoning
Adobo
1 fresh lemon

Note: The lemon can be used before or after cooking. I prefer to squeeze fresh lemon juice on my fish after, but if you do not like the taste of lemon (and honestly, the dish has enough flavors without it), the lemon may be omitted.

Step three: Spray the inside of the Pyrex pan (you are going to see a lot of this pan over the next several months) with a non-stick cooking spray such as PAM.

I should mention that I like fish with the skin on it. I think it really adds to the flavor and I love eating it, but again, depending on your personal preference, you may remove it or have it removed at the store. I tend to buy most of my fish from Whole Foods as I have found it to be the best you can find in a retail grocer. They usually ask about the skin, but I always tell them in a proud tone, “Leave it on!”

Step four: Place the fish in your pan SKIN SIDE DOWN and add the rest of the ingredients. I start with the pinch of kosher salt and then apply the garlic.

Next, add the butter. Just slice it up and lay it on.

When adding the tomatoes, I like to place them all around the fish, slightly tucking them under the edges. Doing this not only keeps the edges from burning, but I think helps it cook more evenly. (I could be wrong on the “cooking more evenly” part, so I am open to criticism.) Once you get all your tomatoes organized, add your Old Bay, Adobo and lemon if you prefer. It should look a little like this:

Step five: Place the pan in your 350 degree oven for about 25-27 minutes, or until flaky. Whatever you do, don’t overcook it! I went 32 minutes once and ended up with a rubber cat toy, which our cats LOVED, by the way! Anyway, here is a great close up of the finished product.

Step six: Plate with fries or rice and extra lemon wedges if you have any left and (I hate to keep using this cliché, but) enjoy!

Stay tuned: Up next are my oven-baked chicken thighs! And don't you worry my little vegetarian friends; I have something up my sleeve for you as well!

Cheese and Death Sauce?

2010-04-18T19:28:00.001-04:00

I had to write this before my next post on oven-baked cod seeing as how I mentioned cheese and crackers in the grilled steak post, so here it is!

Blair’s death sauce has a tag line which states, “Feel Alive!” and it makes perfect sense. For you haven’t truly felt alive until you’ve put a drop of this crazy hot sauce onto a piece of your favorite cheese and bitten into it. The first sensation you notice as it hits your palate is the amazing flavor. A few seconds later, your head is on fire. Oh, it’s painful at first, but then the endorphins kick in and you go for another piece.

Made with habanero chili peppers, some of the hottest peppers known to man, Blair’s Death Sauce is not for the weak. A single drop can transform the average chili into an inferno, and although it can be used in many different applications, I prefer to put it directly on slices of seriously sharp cheddar cheese. Here is my story:

Many moons ago, I shared an apartment with a roommate who often ate things I had never heard of before. I remember walking into our kitchen one fateful evening, and there he was, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, as he sat there eating pieces of freshly cut cheddar drenched in Tabasco sauce, one after the other.

“What the hell are you eating, man?” I asked him.

“Tabasco and cheddar, have you ever tried it?”

“Um, no, how can you even do that?”

“Oh, Mario, you don’t know what you’re missing out on.”

Hands shaking and clammy from his exploits, he cut a piece from the hunk, poured on the Tabasco and handed it to me.

“Go ahead, try it.”

Getting past the fact that what I was about to swallow could quite possibly disrupt my digestive tract for the next 24 hours, and not wanting to seem like any less of a man, I let out a breath, opened my mouth and ate the entire piece in one single bite. All I can say is that it was a flavor explosion of heat and creamy goodness that to this day, I live to experience again and again. I was completely addicted, and from there went on to try hotter and hotter sauces, with seriously sharp cheddar being the delivery device of choice.

It was not long after that first taste, and through the same roommate, that I discovered Blair’s “Mega” Death Sauce, one of the company’s hottest. Just how hot is Blair’s Mega Death sauce? Well, the label states that it contains ingredients 500 times hotter than a jalapeno pepper. That is about 3 to 5 times hotter than Tabasco sauce which is made from Tabasco peppers. (For a better comparison of hot peppers to one another see the Scoville Scale.) I was advised to taste it on the point of a toothpick at first, and I advise you to do the same.

Blair’s makes a variety of Death Sauces which all vary in flavor and intensity. The closest to Tabasco, but far more flavorful, is the “Original” Death Sauce. If you made it past the Tabasco test, you can literally pour this stuff on anything, and I must mention it’s AMAZING on eggs. The three Death Sauces I prefer and use regularly are the After Death, Sudden Death (with Ginseng) and Mega Death. They are all pretty close to being of the same intensity, but the Mega is the hottest of the three. As a matter of fact, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. I may need to go have some right now! But before I do, let me tell you that hot sauces are a great way to spice up many different meals and are also excellent in helping to ease the symptoms of colds, stomach viruses and allergy-induced ailments. If you have the guts (and the stomach) to try such a snack, I advise you to do so with caution. Start with Tabasco, and then work your way up from there. Keep some Ritz Crackers handy as they will help absorb the hotness and as always, Enjoy!

For more info on Blair’s Death Sauce visit: Extremefood.com

The Perfect Grilled Steak Every Time

2010-04-16T22:51:00.000-04:00

I have a confession to make. A short time ago I didn’t know how to grill a steak …well, grill one correctly that is.
It’s true! Though many of my past attempts had failed due to a few major mistakes, the good news was they were easy to correct. After all, this is red meat we're talking about. Protein humankind has consumed ever since we learned how to pick up a stick and carve it into something sharp. Steak is a staple. Yet it amazes me how many of us simply lack the ability to grill it correctly. The bottom line is meat + improper grilling = leather, my friends. We all know that meat is a basic food group. It is one of the quickest sources of protein the human body can ingest. It is something everyone tries to grill at one time or another, to impress a significant other, to show our manliness, or womanly-ness, and it’s being destroyed in countless backyards across the planet all summer long. This is why I have chosen grilled steak to be the first thing I prepare for you here in Mario's Kitchen.

Mistake number one - My first mistake was that I would throw it on the grill fresh out of the fridge. That’s right; I didn’t even try to hold its hand first! A steak should sit out at room temperature before going over an open flame, because meat is a muscle. Meat right out of the fridge is in a contracted state. As it rests at room temp, it begins to relax and all those juices that were unable to move are now able to flow again.

Mistake number two - I was cooking it too low and too long. Slow cooking is fine for stew meat in a crock pot, but low-and-slow heating over an open flame can be one of a steak's worst enemies. You always want to cook a steak quickly on high heat in order for it to get that nice sear on the outside, but stay tender and pink on the inside.

My third and biggest mistake was that I would cut, poke and prod my meat to death before, during, and immediately after cooking. This is unacceptable! I cannot stress this point enough. There should be only one moment you put any kind of holes in your meat and that is after it has come off the grill and had the chance to rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Otherwise all the juices are going to drain right out, leaving you with a dry, meaty jawbreaker. Cutting into a steak too soon is a travesty. It doesn’t just make your steak less than desirable, it totally ruins it. Never, I repeat NEVER do this! This includes making even small holes with forks or knife tips before, during or immediately after cooking! So if you don’t have a decent pair of tongs, get one.

Let’s talk for a moment about cut and grade.

What you generally find in your supermarket is “choice” grade meat. (see more on the grading system here) Of all the beef produced in the US, less than 2% is certified as USDA Prime. If you want prime grade, you’re going to have to look a lot harder as it is usually bought up by finer restaurants straight from the meat packers. If and when you do find it, you're going to be spending a lot of money. While it is true that with steak you get what you pay for, most of us are going to be more than satisfied with the offerings at our local supermarket. I should mention here that "chuck" is a lower grade beef best used in stews. I would avoid grilling it. (for even more understanding of cut and grade, also check out this link)

Lately, my supermarket has been stocking a good assortment of the CAB (Certified Angus Beef) sirloin, which is what you see in the main picture at the top of this post, but my personal favorite and preferred selection is ribeye steak pictured below.

My next choice (pictured below) would be the Porterhouse or "T-bone" as they are more commonly called. The T-bone contains two cuts, the strip steak, which is usually the larger of the two, and the tenderloin, which is the smaller.

Whatever cut you decide on, as I mentioned earlier, it is crucial to let it rest outside of your fridge at room temperature for about a half hour. When I say "room" temperature, I mean the average indoor temperature of about 67-71 degrees. It is probably best to keep it in the package for this. If you are preparing it outdoors, avoid letting it sit out in the hot sun, and if you have any carnivorous pets, put it somewhere it will not be prematurely devoured. Again, always do this resting step before even thinking about putting it near fire. If you’re too hungry to wait, have some cheese and crackers!

Once you’ve let the steak come to room temperature, season it. If you do this right, you will not be needing steak sauce. I use a pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) of kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and some olive oil on both sides of the steak.

Timing and The Grill

Cooking times will vary from grill to grill and, depending on your choice of cut, from steak to steak as well. The key is high heat. I use propane, so intense heat is at my fingertips. If you are going to be using charcoal, make sure the coals are fully white and hot before moving on to the next step. You should not be able to hold your hand more than a few inches from the grill surface for more than a few seconds. My grill gets up to about 6oo degrees in about 10 minutes on high heat when kept closed. On windy nights, I alternate between having the grill open and closed every few minutes while the meat is on.

Chances are you are going to have to try grilling a few steaks before you really nail it, but once you get the idea and can judge thickness and heat, you will get it right every time. I tried a few different lengths of time when I was going through my trial and error process. On my first few attempts I was cooking thick pieces. I tried 4 minutes a side, then 5, and finally 6. Each time the “rareness” became less obvious and 6 became the magic number for my first success. So, depending on your grill temp, thickness of meat, and your own personal taste, your cooking times will vary slightly. In all honesty, it is better to undercook a steak than to overcook it. You want it to have a nice, pink center and not be dripping too much blood. Unlike burger meat, which is ground and can contain a host of bacteria, cuts of fresh meat are virtually sterile on the inside. This isn't to say you shouldn't use caution when handling raw meat and if it comes out too raw or is too bloody when you finally cut into it, you can always refrigerate it and fry it up the next day with some eggs.

Now, let's get that steak on! Get yourself a timing device and set it (or watch it) for the length of time you have decided on. Say you're going six minutes a side as I did with the 1 1/4" thick pieces of CAB sirloin pictured below.

When you first put the meat on the grill, it is going make some noise. That’s ok. Revel in the sizzle.

In about three minutes (or half of whatever time you have chosen to cook each side) rotate - NOT FLIP - the steak about 90 degrees. The turning you are now doing is specifically to get those nice “crisscross” grill marks and to help the side cook more evenly. At 6 minutes you should now FLIP your steak. You only want to flip it ONCE. Repeat the same for side two: 6 minutes with a “rotation” at the half way point.

I like to have a clean Pyrex pan handy when I take the steaks off, which I then immediately cover with aluminum foil. The Pyrex pan really helps hold the heat and keeps your steak nice and warm as it finishes its cooking process. Once in the pan and covered, you need to just walk away from it. That’s right. Just walk away, no matter how badly you may want to cut into it to see if it's done. Don’t even LOOK at it anymore! Just forget about it! Ok?

In about 10 minutes what transpires under that aluminum foil is something of a great mystery…

Well, not really. It’s just simple science. While the steak is resting in that dish, all those juices re-distribute perfectly throughout the cut, and because you were patient and didn’t make any test cuts to make sure it was done, (you didn’t… right?) you will be rewarded, trust me. Note the reddish brown color of the juice in the photo above.

In conclusion, no matter what your cut, always remember these basic things. Let it rest at room temperature before you grill it for no less than one half hour. Season it well. Grill it quickly over high heat. Don't ever cut into it or poke into it. And MOST important, let it rest for at least ten minutes after taking it off the grill. No exceptions!

Now get out there and impress your friends and family and perhaps even some strangers with your new grilling talent. Just remember to serve it up with some steak fries!