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Bay Area Bites

Culinary Rants & Raves from Bay Area Foodies and Professionals

• Happy 4th: From My Village to Yours.

  Posted by Michael Procopio

  on Jul 03, 2009

  Where I work, there are a small handful of men who occasionally begin their sentences with the phrase "In my village..."

  "In my village, we have a festival." "In my village, we would never treat an octopus in such a way."

  These men can get away with saying such things as easily as they can get away with calling women "baby" because they are Greek. They have the accent, they have an old world charm about them that clings like the smell of clove and stale cigarette smoke.

  And I have always been a little bit jealous. If I were to ever pepper my sentences with the words "In my village..." People would most likely assume it was Greenwich Village. And I can just forget about using the word "baby." Ever.

  Well, I can get away with things they can't, too, like speaking only in Sondheim lyrics. And giving Greeks a hard time about, well, being so damned Greek. But it's only because I love them, I really do.

  We clearly have our differences, but that is something I cherish. For example, in my childhood village of Anaheim, summer outings often included salads made from fresh Jell-o and organic, vine-ripened mini-marshmallows from my neighbors' gardens.

  In the villages of my Greek co-workers, however, one will find strange, unnatural combinations. Things like tomatoes and cucumbers or, ripe watermelon and feta cheese.

  They are crazy people, these Greeks.

  Crazy good, I mean.

  If you haven't tried this flavor combination, then you have not tasted summer. I know, that sounds like bad advertising copy, which is why I remain poor, but it's true, nevertheless.

  Give it a go this weekend. I mean it. You'll thank me for it later, baby.

  Karpouzi me Feta (Watermelon Salad)

  Serves whoever, wherever and as many as you need.

  

  I've brought this dish to a few picnics in my day. The initial reaction to it is usually one of strange curiosity. Watermelon and, what? Feta? How interesting. I would never have thought to pair watermelon with cheese.

  Well, I'm glad somebody did.

  This is such a pleasantly simple dish to make. And it takes about five minutes to create a big bowl or platterful. The watermelon, which smacks of summertime, offers a bit of sweet refreshment and hydration, while the cheese lends a bit of salty protein. And the olive oil, of course, gives you a shiny, healthy-looking coat. It is the perfect antidote to drinking alcohol in the hot sun and, therefore, the perfect Fourth of July picnic salad-- all Red, White, and Green, just like the American flag is to the marginally colorblind.

  Ingredients:

  One of the best things about this recipe is that there really is no recipe, just a list of ingredients. You want a lot of cheese? Go for it. Lots of olive oil? Absolutely. And let it dribble down your chest a little and rub it in for a deep, dark, Bain de Soleil-like golden tan. Delicious.

  1 small, ripe seedless (or not) watermelon, rind removed and cut into reasonably-sized cubes

  Feta cheese. Good feta. Greek Feta. From Epiros, if possible. Cubed or crumbled.

  Good olive oil. Extra virgin. No, it does not have to be Greek.

  Fresh basil, torn into small pieces. Or even oregano.

  Toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds. I thought pumpkin seeds were an inspired choice given the pumpkin's shape and vine-grown status. That, and the fact that the pine nut bin at the store had been ravaged by the time I got there.

  Preparation:

  1. On a picnic platter or other, preferred serving dish, place cubed watermelon.

  2. Crumble the feta over the watermelon, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle the mass with herb-of-choice and nut/seed-of-choice.

  3. Serve immediately.

  4. Watch the he-men crow and sweat over their grills while you kick back, have a drink, and accept compliments about your brilliant salad.

  
  

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• Hot Dogs 101

  Posted by Denise Santoro Lincoln

  on Jul 02, 2009

  

  "On Independence Day, Americans will enjoy 150 million hot dogs, enough to stretch from D.C. to L.A. over five times."
  --National Hot Dog and Sausage Council

  My first reaction to this quote was "is there really a national hot dog and sausage council?"; while my second reaction was mild nausea mixed with a hankering for my own dog slathered in mustard and relish.

  The all-beef American hot dog should not be confused with its namesake the frankfurter, which is a German regional sausage made from pork. Nor should you think it tastes much like an Austrian wiener, which is a pork and beef delicacy. Sure, frankfurters, wieners and hot dogs are all sausages, but there's very little that is European about a hot dog. Mass produced, precooked, and stuck in a bun it's as American as a food can get. Dirty Harry even eats one right before famously saying his "Do you feel lucky" line. So here's Clint, eating his dog, for you to enjoy.

  Unlike Harry, my family and I don't eat a lot of hot dogs. Nothing against them; we just tend to eat more sausage when we want some sort of meat product in a tube, probably due to my Italian upbringing. I'm also not a big fan of processed foods. But there are certain occasions when a hot dog is the perfect meal, especially if you have a couple of hungry kids with you. Baseball games and the 4th of July top that list.

  

  So in celebration of National Hot Dog Month, and also to better educate myself about American hot dogs, I have created an unscientific comparison of the major brands. Included in the list are organic, nitrate-free, and standard hot dogs that you can find locally. I am not recommending one frank over another as I did not try every brand, and, honestly, I've only tasted a few. Rather, I wanted to share the nutritional information and ingredients lists provided by the manufacturers so people can make their own educated decisions.

  The following list is also limited to beef hot dogs as these are the traditional choice at block parties, backyard barbecues, and baseball games. Plus including chicken, turkey and tofu dogs would make the list ridiculously long. Please note that my inventory is in no way complete. I am not attempting to compare all the brands; just the ones I see most often. If I have missed something obvious, or something you really like, feel free to add the information in the comments section. Finally, I should say that I don't distinguish between kosher and non-kosher brands.

  When comparing the hot dogs on the list, you should note that each brand's hot dogs vary in size. So while the Nathan's Famous beef franks look at first to have the most sodium, they are also twice the size of many of the other hot dogs, so be sure to look at the size column when comparing products.

  Here are the lists. I have grouped the brands by type for easier viewing and listed the size, calories, calories from fat, saturated fat grams and sodium levels, along with ingredients lists. I was very interested by what I found. I hope you will be too.

  Organic and Grass Fed Hot Dogs
  These hot dogs are all made from organic, and often grass-fed, beef. No nitrates are used for organic hot dogs.

  
  view larger version of table

  Nitrate-Free but not Organic Hot Dogs
  Non-organic beef but no nitrates are used.

  
  view larger version of table

  Standard Hot Dogs
  The hot dogs are all beef and the meat has been preserved with nitrates and other preservatives.

  
  view larger version of table

  
  

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• Hearty Man Meal

  Posted by Stephanie Im

  on Jul 01, 2009

  
  Makings of a Man Meal

  Credit must be given where it's due -- the Hearty Man Meal originated with my older brother who I must admit, is pretty self-sufficient in the kitchen. Unfortunately, I'm not able to divulge the inspiration and story of creation behind this recipe, because he won?t answer my call right now. (Sorry bro, you just missed your chance at blogger famedom).

  Like all great recipes, the Man Meal has evolved over time, lovingly tweaked and revised until it resurfaced as the hearty, manly goodness it is today. Terence started out with peppers, onions, and Jimmy Dean. Hua added eggplant, chicken, and oyster sauce.

  Delicious, nutritious, and easy to prepare, this fortifying meal was the perfect bachelor-friendly dish to feature in a cooking class (Dude's Night: Cooking 101) we hosted last weekend.

  The guys all agreed, this Man Meal has everything you need -- veggies, meats, and an awesome sauce.

  Start with your vitamin-rich vegetables.

  Carrots and bell peppers for sweetness?

  
  Knife skills: how to not cut your fingers off

  Eggplant for a great binding texture?

  
  Respect the vegetable

  And of course, onions for that aromatic base.

  
  Saute away

  
  Happy veggies

  Now for the meat. I discovered Jimmy Dean for the first time. I think I was always scared of it, and must have bypassed it at the supermarket dozens of times, sitting so unassumingly on the meat shelf. Food snobs don't turn your nose up. Jimmy Dean is tasty.

  As your happy veggies saute away, crumble some JD sausage into a separate pan and let it brown. For an extra protein boost, add some chunks of skinless chicken meat, and let that brown as well.

  
  Get primitive on that bird.

  Once the meat is browned, you can add it to the vegetable mixture.

  
  Vegetable/meat comingling.

  And then it's sauce time.

  
  BBQ sauce and Oyster sauce

  A smoky hickory BBQ sauce and salty Oyster sauce create the base of the Man Meal sauce. A touch of Sriracha adds heat, Worcestershire sauce gives it a little tang, brown sugar brings sweetness, and sesame oil adds a toasty, nutty, dimension to the mix.

  
  Always taste taste taste as you cook

  If you taste the sauce at this point, it will be not so good. The bold, salty flavors are aggressive when tasted alone, but once the sauce melds in with the other ingredients, it works.

  
  Dig in!

  This dish is great because once you combine everything, you can let it simmer on the stove and just leave it for 30-40 minutes with no fuss -- go for a run, pump some iron, whatever. When you return, you'll have a hearty meal fit for a lumberjack ready to eat.

  
  Man Meal done-zo

  Hearty Man Meal

  Makes: 5 Man-servings

  Ingredients:
  2 red bell peppers
  2 eggplant
  1 large onion
  1 ½ cup peeled baby carrots
  1 Jimmy Dean sausage roll
  5 skinless chicken thighs
  Olive oil (for sauteing)
  Cooked Rice

  Sauce:
  ¼ cup barbecue sauce (Hickory brown sugar flavor)
  ½ cup oyster sauce
  2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  1 teaspoon brown sugar
  1 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce
  1 teaspoon sesame oil

  Preparation:
  1. Chop all the veggies into similar sized pieces.
  2. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and sauté onions and peppers until caramelized and softened. Add carrots and eggplant.
  3. In a separate pan, brown the sausage by heating a drizzle of oil, and crumbling pieces of the meat into the pan.
  4. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the sausage. Cook until the meat is browned and has a nice sear.
  5. Mix together all the sauce ingredients and add to the veggie mixture. Add the meat and combine.
  6. Let simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes.
  7. If the sauce needs thickening, add a mixture of 1 teaspoon cornstarch/2 tablespoons cool water into the sauce and let simmer for a few more minutes.

  Serve over rice. Eat and Fortify.

  
  

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