Thanks to everyone that joined us, we had a great time of food, wine and fun! As promised here are the recipes from class:

Grilled steak fries

Ingredients
6 russett potatoes
olive oil
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 350. coat each potato in a few drops of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and wrap firmly in aluminum foil. Bake potatoes for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and unwrap. While the potatoes are still hot, carefully cut them into wedges, drizzle with a bit more olive oil, and then place directly on grill over high heat. Cook until crispy and golden, about 5-10 more minutes, rotating as necessary. Serve immediately.

Roasted vegetable salad

Ingredients
6-8 ears of corn, shucked and cleaned
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 large tomato, cut into thick slices
1 small  red onion, cut into 2-3 thick slices
1 tablespoon butter, softened
olive oil
salt
pepper

coat the corn and peppers with olive oil, and place directly on the grill over medium-high heat. Roast the peppers until blackened, then remove. Roast the corn until golden and slightly charred on all sides, rotating as necessary. Place the onion and tomato slices directly on the grill, cook just until they have deep grill marks, turning once to char both sides.

Cut the corn from the ear into a large bowl. Dice the peppers, discarding the seeds and stem. Dice the tomato and onion. Toss with the corn, adding a pinch of salt and pepper to taste, and the softened butter. Serve warm.

Salmon with garlic and lime butter sauce

Ingredients
4 salmon filets
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2-3 cloves garlic
1 stick butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle the filets with salt and pepper, and place skin-side down on a medium to hot grill. While the salmon is grilling, place garlic and lime juice into a blender. Blend on high, while slowly drizzling in the butter. Blend just until emulsified, add salt and pepper to taste.

Turn the salmon when cooked about 2/3 the way through. Once salmon flesh is firm but tender to the touch, remove from grill, top with sauce and serve immediately.

Grilled roasted chicken leg

Ingredients
4 chicken legs, bone in, skin on
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

preheat oven to 400. Mix all spices together, and sprinkle generously on both sides of chicken leg. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Place on grill over high heat, cooking 5 minutes each side. Remove from grill and place in an oven-safe pan. Place in the oven for another 10 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160. Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve.

Seared flat iron steaks

4 flat iron steaks
salt and pepper to taste

remove steaks from refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking. Salt and pepper both sides of meat and leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Place steaks on grill over high heat, cooking 2-3 minutes each side, and turning once.

Remove the steaks from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut the steak into thin strips across the grain and serve immediately.
Grilled d’Anjou pear with bourbon whipped cream

Ingredients
2 d’Anjou pears (red or yellow) sliced in half lengthwise
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup bourbon
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
salt

Sprinkle pear halves with salt and lime juice, and set aside.

Place bourbon in a shallow pan over medium heat and reduce by 1/2. Remove from heat and let cool.

Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Do not over-whip! Gently fold in sugar and reduced bourbon.

Place pear halves, cut-side down, onto grill over high heat. Grill until well-caramelized, then turn over. grill skin side for 1-2 minutes and remove from heat. top with a generous portion of whipped cream and serve hot.

Food Network

Sure, this app will give you show times, bios, photos, behind-the-scenes, and a whole bunch of other entertaining stuff. Me? I use it for the recipes. I mean, I figure if I can search a database of recipes from some of the finest celebrity chefs on the planet, I’ll end up with something good, right?

FREE
DL: iPhone

Omaha Steaks

Have you always wanted steakhouse-quality steaks off your own backyard grill? Here’s the way to get that done. Omaha Steaks has been a purveyor of fine meats for several decades, and believe me, it’s good meat. Also a little pricey. But this free app would be worthwhile even if it wasn’t free. I use it for timing my steaks, especially when I’ve got guests over that like their steaks at different temps. If you’ve got a probe thermometer, you can cook to a specific temperature, or if you’re like me, you cook to a particular degree of doneness. You can but steaks directly through the app, or just learn a lot about steak, and maybe try out some of their recipes.

FREE
DL: iPhone | Android

Ratio

This app is ridiculously useful for even the amateur kitchen warrior. Sauces, doughs, stocks, batters – it’s all based on ratios and science. Free yourself from recipes. When you know a ratio, you don’t know a recipe, you know 1,000. And this application does all the calculating for you.

“Cooking, like so many other creative endeavors is defined by relationships. For instance, knowing exactly how much flour to put into a loaf of bread isn’t nearly as useful as understanding the relationship between the flour and the water, or fat, or salt. That relationship is defined by a ‘ratio’ and having a ratio in hand is like having a secret decoder ring that frees you from the tyranny of recipes. ….Michael Ruhlman, in handing us mortals a power better suited to the gods, has changed the balance of kitchen power forever.” —Good Eats host Alton Brown

$4.99
DL: iPhone | Android

Matchbook

Ever have a friend tell you about an amazing restaurant, but you couldn’t remember iut the next time you wanted to go out? Or how about just plain forgetting about all the amazing places you’ve been to eat when you’re hungry and just need food now? Matchbook is the app for you!

If you’re at a great restaurant, Matchbook it. If your friend tells you about a fantastic meal they enjoyed, Matchbook it. Matchbook stores all the restaurants (as well as plenty of information about each one, including cuisine, price, etc.) in a handy searchable list. The next time you want a fantastic meal, open Matchbook and get busy!

FREE
DL: iPhone

Grocery I.Q.

This is one of the best free apps out there and the one from this list that I use the most. I’ve got a shopping list synced with my wife and son, so anytime one of us goes to the store, they know everything that’s needed. I can scan the barcode from anything I’m running out of and Grocery I.Q. automatically adds it to my shopping list. It’s a great app that saves me time and effort at the grocery store.

FREE
DL: iPhone | Android

For the dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 dash salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup water

combine all dry ingredients. Incorporate the shortening until the mixture has the consistency and appearance of soft bread crumbs. Add the water slowly and mix thoroughly. Let the dough rest while you prepare the filling.

Beef filling:
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 400. Add the butter or oil to a pan over medium-high heat. add the onion, and cook until translucent. Add the beef and spices, and cook until completely browned. Add the stock and breadcrumbs, and continue to cook over medium heat until all liquid is absorbed. Add the egg, and stir just until incorporated. Remove from heat.

To assemble:
Roll out the dough into 6″ circles roughly 1/8″ thick. Place filling in center of disc, wet the edges of the circle with water, then fold over and seal with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 min, or until golden brown.

The recipe below is for the most authentic (and certainly very basic) Irish stew.  Feel free to add different vegetables, herbs, seasonings, etc. Me? I’d add a pint of Guinness and some thyme. Make it your own, or enjoy it as the simple palate-pleasing creation that it is.

Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb mutton or lamb cutlets (bone removed) cut into 2″ chunks
2lb potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
1 cup leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, roughly chopped
3 cups dark beef stock
Salt and Pepper

Method
In a large (6-8 qt) sauce pan heat half oil to almost smoking. Add the lamb pieces and brown all over. Add the stock, and simmer over medium low for 1-1½ hours.  Add the potatoes, leeks and carrots, and simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally. Check from time to time to make sure the stock isn’t reducing too much, if it is add a little hot water. The meat and vegetables should always be covered by liquid.  Season with salt and pepper.

Doro Wot

Ingredients
5-8 pounds of chicken drumsticks and thighs skinned and cleaned
8 large onions fine chopped
2 tablepsoons of olive oil
5 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons fine minced ginger
1/2 cup of Ethiopian Berbere (recipe follows)
1/4 cup of Paprika
2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoon Wot Kimem (recipe follows)
2 teaspoon salt
1-3 cup of water

Berbere
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
½ teaspoon ground coriander
8 -10 small dried red chilies
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
1?8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1?8 teaspoon ground cloves

Wot Kimem
3 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tbsp ground cardamom

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for an hour or so, stirring frequently and adding liquid as necessary until onions are caramelized and brown. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the chicken, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for another hour or so, or until chicken is very tender. Serve without utensils on injera (recipe below).

Injera

1 cup Teff Flour
1 cup All-Purpose flour
3 cups water

Mix all ingredients well, cover with a damp towel and let stand at room temperature overnight or up to three days, until surface begins to foam and bubble.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup of the batter, which should resemble a very thin pancake batter. Cook until bubbles form and the top is dry. Do not flip, injera is cooked on only one side. Serve with doro wot.

Naan bread

Ingredients:
2 cups of AP flour
1 packet (.25 oz) active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
3/4 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 500° with a pizza stone inside. Let the oven stand at 500° for at least 30 minutes to give the stone a chance to heat through.

Melt the butter over low heat and set aside.

Mix the sugar, water and yeast in a small bowl that has been warmed. The goal is to keep the liquid at around 100°, as this is the point at which the yeast will begin to feed on the sugar. Let sit for 15 minutes, or until the surface starts to get frothy. mix remaining dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the remaining wet ingredients to the yeast mixture and stir until completely incorporated. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, and knead until it becomes a soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 6-8 equal portions. Roll each portion on a floured surface until roughly 8″ in diameter. Switch the oven to broil, and add the naan, one or two pieces at a time, to the baking stone. Let bake for 2-3 minutes, or until golden on top. Let the oven stand for a few minutes between batches to allow the stone to heat back up.

Brush with melted butter, and serve hot or cold.

Peshwari Naan filling

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pistachios, shelled
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch of salt

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until it becomes a pulp. After rolling out the naan bread, spread a thin layer of the pulp on half of the circle, leaving about 1/2″ around the edge. Wet the edge with a bit of cold water, fold the nann in half, and seal the edges by pressing lightly. Gently roll the naan a bit more until it’s about 14″ thick. Bake as instructed above.

Lamb Souvlaki

Ingredients:
1 lb lamb meat, preferably leg, cut into bite-sized pieces
½ cup of olive oil
¼ c Freshly squeezed lemon juice
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
Salt and pepper

Place all ingredients except the lamb into a bowl and whisk to combine. place lamb in a large ziploc bag, add the marinade, and let set for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Skewer the meat, then grill over an open flame, on a skillet on the stove top, or roast in the oven at 450° for 10-12 minutes.

Tzatziki

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. white pepper
2 cups greek yogurt
½ cup sour cream
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1 tsp. chopped fresh dill

Place the cucumbers in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl, toss with a generous amount of kosher salt, and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Once the liquid has drained from the cucumbers, rinse thoroughly in cold water, and let drain for another 5-10 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix all remaining ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Add the cucumber, mix gently, and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:
1 cup converted rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 roma tomatoes, diced
½ yellow onion, julienned
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Ad onions and sautee until clarified. Add tomatoes and garlic, and simmer until tomatoes begin to soften. Add remaining ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occassionaly. Fluff with a fork and serve.

So, here’s what I typically keep on hand:

Spices
Bay Leaves
Black Peppercorns
White pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Chili Powder
Cinnamon (stick)
Cloves (whole)
Cream of Tartar
Cumin
Coriander
Curry Powder
Garlic Powder
Ginger
Kosher Salt
Mustard Seed
Ground mustard
Nutmeg
Onion Powder
Paprika
Crushed Red Pepper
Sage
Sesame Seeds

Fresh Herbs
Oregano
Thyme
NOTE: fresh herbs only keep for a week or so, and these are the ones I use most commonly. I prefer fresh herbs to dried, so I’ll usually pick up fresh dill, rosemary, tarragon or basil if the dish I’m planning calls for it)

Sauces/condiments/etc.
Garlic (lots of it, both fresh and roasted)
Ketchup
Dijon mustard
Yellow mustard
Worcestershire sauce
Mayonaise
Molasses
Soy Sauce
Hot sauce
Red wine vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar
White Vinegar
Rice wine vinegar
Balsamic vinegar (A really good one and a basic one)
Red wine (Cabernet)
White wine (Chablis)
Beef stock
Chicken stock
Vegetable stock
Beef boullion
Chicken boullion
Vegetable boullion
Dark brown sugar
White sugar
AP Flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
EVOO
Canola oil
Sesame oil

That about covers my basics. Hope this is helpful.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb chicken, diced
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, julienned
1 green bell pepper, diced
3-4 stalks celery, cut on the bias
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 small tomatoes, diced
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce
2 cups rice
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb Andouille sausage, sliced
Salt and pepper

A few notes before we get started: I use chicken breast, but leg and thigh meat is also quite tasty. Use whatever kind of chicken meat you like. Creole seasoning comes in a wide variety of flavors and colors. Find one you like, or mix your own. You can find some excellent creole seasoning recipes online without much effort. I strongly recommend using Louisiana hot sauce over any other. Sure, Tabasco sauce is fine, but there’s a very different flavor to a real Louisiana hot sauce, and you’ll notice the difference in the finished dish. Also, this recipe makes a very large pot of Jambalaya, which is pretty much the way Cajun cooking should be done, with friends and family in mind.

In a small bowl, toss the chicken and creole seasoning together. In a VERY large skillet or 6 qt sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until rippling. Add the pepper, celery and onion, and sautee just until the onions begin to clarify. Add the garlic and stir to prevent burning. After about 2 minutes, add the tomatoes and chicken. Cook until the chicken is tender, but not cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Add the shrimp and sausage, and stir until combined. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce, along with the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Add the rice, and simmer until the rice is cooked through. Add the shrimp, and stir until well mixed. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the shrimp to cook through, serve immediately.

Ingredients
1 lb Sirloin, sliced paper thin
1/2 yellow onion, julienned
8 slices American cheese
4 hoagie rolls
seasoned salt

First, slice the sirloin. The easiest way I know how to do this is to put it in the freezer for about an hour. When you pull it out, it’ll be firm but not rock-hard. Use a very sharp knife and you should be able to get some pretty thing cuts without too much effort. Now, heat a large skillet or flat griddle over medium-high heat. Drizzle with a little olive oil, then sautee the onions. Once the onions just start to clarify, add the sirloin, and sprinkle fairly generously with the seasoned salt. Using a large spatula, move the meat around until evenly cooked and brown, about 2-3 minutes. Form the meat and onions into a long pile roughly the same size as the hoagie rolls you’ll be using. Place two slices of American cheese on top of the pile, and immediately place the hoagie roll on top of the pile, split-side down. Give it just a minute or two to warm. Once the bun is warm all the way through, carefully slide the spatula under the pile of meat, pick the whole thing up, and flip it over onto the serving plate. Tada.

Now, I’m aware that some purists will argue that cheez whiz is the true and authentic cheesesteak way, and onions are always optional. However, cheez whiz hadn’t been invented in 1930, and in reality, no cheese was added to the sandwich until much later, and it was actually provolone that graced the first cheesesteaks. Be that as it may, the top two Philly Cheesesteak proprietor’s in all the world, Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks offer all three options. That said, this is still what I consider to be the most authentic recipe. Enjoy!