Hey, guys, this one's for you. You know who you are. You know what you like. And when you're in the kitchen, you don't dabble or mess around -- you cook.
You have heroes the likes of Emeril LaGasse, Mario Batali, Thomas Keller, Mark Bittman, Steven Raichlen and other food dudes.
They're all terrific role models. But for me, it's advantage Raichlen. Best known for his Barbecue! Bible cookbook series and for his workshops and weekends as the dean of Barbecue University, Raichlen has written 30 cookbooks, all of them practical and full of big-flavored dishes.
Most recently, he has stepped away from the outdoor grill and into the kitchen. He is the author of Man Made Meals: The Essential Cookbook for Guys. Yes, he's one terrific cook, but first and foremost, he's a teacher. And that's what you want and need when you turn off the Food Network on the telly and get down to business.
It's a swell book, for new and accomplished cooks, and for men and women, too. Raichlen has style, and he writes in a breezy, entertaining way, but his voice is authoritative. Besides the tips, photos, techniques and insights, the hefty paperback has more than 300 unfussy, clearly written recipes that don't scream trendy, cool or fashionable. They just work.
For instance:
• A new shrimp cocktail. Boiling is a terrible fate for shrimp, and ketchup-horseradish dip is hardly exciting. Ergo, bench the old-fashioned shrimp cocktail. Raichlen re-tools the classic by searing spice-crusted shrimp in a skillet and serving them with a kicked-up chipotle dipping sauce. The best part is, the shrimp and sauce can be, and should be, prepared up to 24 hours ahead, allowing the cook time to concentrate on the rest of dinner preparation.
• All-purpose rub: Make a jar of this spicy mixture and use it for the aforementioned shrimp cocktail as well as for beef, pork, lamb, poultry, seafood and vegetables. Slap some masking tape on the jar, noting this rule of thumb: 1 tablespoon rub per pound of meat. Great to have on hand.
• Finger-burner lamb chops: These chops taste best when eaten with your bare hands, "scottadito" style. That's Italian for "finger-burner," because you serve the chops so hot they scorch your fingers when you dig in. To round out a menu, I'd serve these with oven-fried potato planks and, if in season, maybe quick-roasted asparagus. Garlic-rubbed Texas toast would be good, too. Do you sense a theme here -- a finger-food dinner?
• Drowned gelato. There's a reason there is a separation of territory between chefs and pastry chefs. They are apples and oranges in the kitchen, with little to no crossover. Still, the home cook needs to arrange for the sweet ending to a meal. One of the easiest desserts to make is affogato, gelato or ice cream doused with a hot shot of espresso. No secrets here, just very good ice cream, preferably vanilla. The dish is bitter, sweet, hot and cold.
And, easy and impressive. Just the way a man-made-meal should be.
This shrimp dish offers two options for seasoning: For Maryland-style shrimp, use commercial Old Bay seasoning, and for Kansas City-style shrimp, use Raichlen's Rub No. 2 (recipe below).
Spice-Crusted Shrimp Cocktail With Chipotle Dip Sauce
For the shrimp:
1 1/2 pounds shell-on jumbo shrimp
2 to 3 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning OR Raichlen's Rub No. 2 (recipe follows)
3 tablespoons olive oil OR butter, divided use
For the sauce:
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup drained prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 canned chipotles in adobo sauce, minced PLUS 1 to 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
Peel and devein the shrimp. Place shrimp in a bowl with the spice mixture of your choice; toss to coat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss again.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until browned on both sides and barely cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the cooked shrimp to a serving platter and let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. The shrimp can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead at this stage.
For the cocktail sauce, combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve; can be made in advance, too.
Makes 4 servings.
Raichlen's Rub No. 2
1/4 cup coarse salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika (sweet, hot, smoked or a combination)
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder
2 teaspoons granulated onion powder
1 teaspoon celery seed
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Transfer to a jar, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Makes about 1 cup.
Some people call these "lollipop" chops. Have the butcher cut the rib chops fresh, and ask him to "french" the bones (scrape the meat clean off the last 2 or 3 inches of bone. That will be your handle.)
I used just a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes, not the walloping amount below.
Finger-Burner Lamb Chops
2 1/2 pounds small lamb rib chops, cut 1/2 inch thick
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
Extra-virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges, for serving
Arrange the lamb chops in a single layer on a baking sheet. Generously season the chops on one side with salt and pepper and half the hot pepper flakes, garlic and rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil and pat the ingredients onto the meat with your fingertips. Turn the chops and repeat on the second side. Let the chops marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the lamb chops in a single layer (work in batches) and cook until well browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the chops over and cook the other side until the meat is cooked through to taste.
Place the chops on a platter and encourage diners to pick them up and eat the meat straight from the bone. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing and plenty of napkins. Makes enough for 2 or 4, depending on the menu.
Recipes from Man Made Meals by Steven Raichlen (Workman, $25)
Food on 06/17/2015