great review of the latest TV culinary oriented programs

I regularly watch Iron Chef America and other culinary shows to watch for interesting recipes, cooking ideas, using ingredients, restaurant ideas and more. Here is a great review of the latest TV culinary oriented programs for my and your review.

http://www.zagat.com/Blog/Detail.aspx?SNP=NBOB&SCID=42&BLGID=24004&zagatbuzzid=oct09week1

Diners, Drive-In and Dives : Restaurant Finds

More gems like jalapeno mac and cheese and texas red chili

http://phoenix.about.com/od/restreview/gr/lapiazzaalforno.htm


This one has velvety chicken pesto lasagna an d


claxton’s chicken fries where noted in in gourmet magazine

Restaurant Find : I visited Santa Fe but pizza was not on my mind

When I went to Santa Fe and we spend a few days. Eating was on my mind after visiting the museums, going rafting and exploring the town. However when we wanted to eat, pizza was not the cuisine I was "shooting for". But this place looked good . After seeing this show, I wanted to find a recipe for Special meatball. Here were too.

Stuffed Meatball Hoagies

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2006

Show: Emeril LiveEpisode: Play Ball


Ingredients

* 8 cups Basic Red Sauce, recipe follows
* 1 large egg
* 1 pound lean ground beef
* 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon minced parsley leaves
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 1 teaspoon ketchup
* 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 to 6 (6-inch) hoagie buns
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 pound coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
* 4 to 6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan

Directions

Pour the Basic Red Sauce into a large, heavy pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Place all the remaining meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir well to combine.

Using your hands, divide the meatball mixture into 12 even portions and roll into smooth meatballs. Place meatballs on a plate as they are formed. When all the meatballs are shaped, gently place the balls into the simmering sauce 1 at a time. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes before stirring. The meatballs should begin to float to the top when they are able to be stirred. Stir gently and continue to simmer for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the sauce from the heat and cover to keep warm. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Using a sharp knife, slice a thin layer off the top of each hoagie bun and, using your hands, remove some of the bready interior to form a hollowed-out submarine shape. Brush the inside of the hollowed out buns with the olive oil. Divide half of the grated mozzarella evenly between the hoagie buns and bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and buns are lightly golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and ladle some of the hot tomato sauce into the buns. Place 2 or 3 meatballs inside each bun and top with more sauce. Divide the remaining mozzarella cheese among the tops of the buns and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Return to the oven and bake until bubbly and hot throughout and the cheeses are golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch

Published by William Morrow, 1993.
Basic Red Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes

2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups water

1 teaspoon sugar

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt, basil, oregano, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and sugar to the pot with the onion and stir well. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally with a long-handled wooden spoon.

Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the pot from the heat and use the sauce as needed. You can store this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Yield: 10 cups (2 1/2 quarts)

**

Mini "lion's head" meatballs and snow cabbage
Min Tsai
Serves 4

3/4 pound ground pork, naturally fed
3/4 pound ground beef
1 large onion, 1/4-inch dice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 heaping tablespoons kochu jang
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 head snow (Napa) cabbage, julienned

Prepare a steamer over a wok of boiling water. In a large bowl, combine pork, beef, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, kochu jang, panko and egg. Season with salt and pepper and mix until just combined. Check flavor by microwaving or sautéing a small portion. Form into small meatballs and place on bed of julienne cabbage inside steamer. Steam for about 8-10 minutes, until cooked through. To serve, scoop cabbage (the lion's mane) and meatballs together.

Restaurant Jerk rules here in this Jamaican restaurant in Texas

I love Caribbean food, jerk food, the flavors and more .So my ears " perked up" when this place was featured on DDD on the Food Network. Maybe someday I will be able to go to this place, But for now all I can do is write more about what they had on the show, and put some more information and related recipes that I find on my blog.

The specialty here is a national treasure marinates curry goat. A little habaneros, sweetness of curry and with rice was real nice. Rice and beans, fried plantains, a soup with intestines. A unique Red Snapper . The fish is fried and goes in the (garlic, onions, red pepper etc) after being fried (OMG I have to find a recipe for that one). But until I find that recipes here is a jerk recipe that Guy makes for one of his shows and that you can try. Jerkl rules!!


Jerked Chicken Kabobs
Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri
Show: Guy's Big Bite Episode: Jerk Chicken Kabobs
•
RECIPE

•
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(43)

Cook Time
10 min
Level
Easy
Yield
4 servings

Recipe Tools:
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Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon stick
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 lime, juiced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• Mango Salsa, recipe follows
Directions
In a food processor, combine all ingredients except chicken; puree until smooth. Add all but 1/4 cup of the mixture in a 1 gallon plastic sealable bag. Add the chicken to the bag and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
Heat grill to medium-high. Skewer chicken pieces and grill on 1 side for about 5 minutes. Flip and grill the other side until cooked through and grill marks appear.
Top with the Mango Salsa and serve with 1/4 cup reserved (unused) marinade as a dipping sauce.
Mango Salsa:
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 mango, diced
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 2 green onions, diced
In a medium bowl, combine sugar, lime juice, hot sauce, and ginger. Mix thoroughly and add the remaining ingredients. Toss and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Restaurant TV Finds : Man vs Food Brick Lane Curry House curry challenge

I grew up in Providence and get back to New England usually every year. I was in New York recently but missed these places. When I go back I will hit these places that were recently featured in Man vs Food (Travel Channel).

It’s Kosher style not kosher (I need to try Nathan’s truly Kosher restaurant someday too) but for most people that is not a big deal. The 1 lb hoagie sounds great. Here they sell corned beef and pastrami (10,000 lbs in one week). I love knishes ( almost like Jewish empanadas) so the ones here sound good.



I love fried chicken and this place does it right. I find it interesting that at Sylvia’s fried chicken
is marinated wit h spices 24 hours ahead, marinate then floured and fried.


But then on the show BRICK LANE CURRY HOUSE where the host took on the reputed hottest curry in the world. As the host Adam Richie said himself, Indian Vindaloo is “child’s play” compared to this curry. 10 ingredients, Thai chili, habanero and the “terror” . They wore gas masks as it was cooked. He used milk and mango lassi but does not look like much. He defeated the Phaal (Curry) Challenge by taking down the rest of the curry sauce with rice after finishing the curried chicken within the sauce. Not many have done this. One day I Will try the place but not this challenge. I prefer a variety here curry not so hot though.

Restaurant TV Finds : Cuvee in New Orleans

I have been to the New Orleans area several times for some NASA, science activities and conferences. I love the city. I love the ambiance in this city. I love the concept and ideas about cajun cuisine , a medley and integrated flavors of the Cajun and creole cuisine (Spanish, Caribbean, French, and more). While I have eaten at some establishments in New Orleans (Cafe De Monde and others), this one escaped me. . However this restaurant and the Chef did find Food Network's Bobby Flay when he encountered Cuvee’s venerable executive chef during a recent Food Network Iron chef battle “ Battle Langonstine”. This “battle” was difficult to decipher because the judges' commented how Flay’s meals did not work well enough with the mock lobsters while having little to say about the Cuvee’s Chef Bob Iacovone creations except for a few minor points. Usually I am on the right side of the battle and within 1 or 2 points either way of the decision 8 to 9 times out of 10 on the right side. However I judged Flay would LOSE by +2. However he won by going away (+9 a swing of +11 from my total) outpointing the Cuvee chef mostly because taste. It turned out to be a mismatch. Someday when I go back, I might try this place but until that time, at least I know a little more about the style of the meals as created by the chef.

http://www.restaurantcuvee.com/cuvee_rest.html