How you doin’? These grilled Buffalo wings are a little bit of NFL (or MLB)  heaven. They’re saucy, savory, salty, spicy—everything required of a good chicken wing. Better yet, they’re a little smoky ‘cause we cook ‘em on the grill.  You’ll get that satisfying, finger-licking goodness of eating wings without any of the messy (or smelly) deep-fried stuff. And they’re coated in the perfect amount of jazzed-up Buffalo sauce.
 
The sauce is a piquant combination of margarine, garlic, cayenne pepper, balsamic vinegar and Frank’s RedHot Sauce. It’s spicy, but not too spicy and you’ll love the punch of the vinegar and garlic. To balance out all that bold flavor, we toss the sauced-up wings in nutty Parmesan—which melts into creamy little crumbles on the hot wings—as well as fresh parsley for a pop of green, herbaceous flavor.
 
These Buffalo wings are a great appetizer for everything from backyard ‘cues to game day spreads. Our favorite way to eat them is with a cold, frothy golden ale in one hand and a home-team foam finger on the other… though it does make holding the wings a bit tricky! Also, more than acceptable: serving them for dinner any night with a side of creamy coleslaw, green salad or corn on the cob.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20 to 24 minutes
Yield:  2 to 4 servings
 
Ingredients 
2 pounds fresh chicken wings
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 stick margarine (not butter—see ChefSecret below)
2-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot Original Sauce (not wing sauce)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced parsley
 
Directions

1. Bring an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
2. While the grill is heating, pat the chicken wings dry, transfer them to a bowl, and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Add the olive oil and toss to coat.
3. Grill the wings for 10 to 12 minutes per side, or until they are evenly charred and have reached an internal temperature of 165° F on an instant-read thermometer.
4. While the wings are grilling, prepare the sauce.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the margarine.
5. Add the garlic and cook until tender and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
6. Stir in the cayenne pepper, vinegar and Frank’s RedHot Sauce and cook for 3 minutes more. Set aside to cool a bit.
7. Once the chicken wings are cooked, transfer them to a clean bowl and toss with the hot garlic Buffalo sauce.
8. Add in the Parmesan cheese and parsley and toss to coat.
9. Serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  When grilling the wings, I like to add an extra step by brushing them with a little bit of sauce to add some color and depth of flavor. I prefer the taste of margarine when paired with Frank’s Hot Sauce. You can use butter if that’s all you have available.

Quip of the Day:  Only in math problems can you buy 60 cantaloupes, and no one asks, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.
 
#Entree #Chicken #GrilledBuffaloChickenWings #ChickenWings #NFL #MLB #BuffaloChickenWings #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross  #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                     ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? 你好嗎 (Nǐ hǎo ma). Last week Madame Wu, a legend of American-style Chinese food passed away at the age of 106.  She reinvented the original Chinese Chicken Salad. The late Merv Griffin once said of her, aside from being a successful restaurateur, "Everybody in this town knows and loves Madame Wu. One of the dearest, sweetest, most elegant women I've ever known."

Sylvia Cheng, aka Madame Wu, was born into a wealthy, cultured family in Jiujiang, China in 1915. She was raised by her grandfather, who owned a bank and a department store—showering her with gifts and special treats, but he was also wise enough to teach her discipline. She was brought up in the traditional fashion, learning respect and good manners. She did not have a deprived childhood. When not away at boarding school, mooning over photos of Cary Grant, she would spend many hours covertly watching her grandfather's servants preparing delicious delicacies in the off-limits kitchen. As she wrote in her book Cooking with Madame Wu, she learned that "eating well-balanced meals containing selected herbs and spices would improve health, beauty, sexual vitality and longevity."

After her beloved grandfather's death and the outbreak of World War II, Sylvia’s life changed. Her extended family moved to Shanghai and then to Hong Kong. A free flight to Calcutta resulted in an offer that would change Sylvia's life. A friend in India was about to join his wife in the U.S. He said she could come along if she agreed to go to college there. While pursuing an education degree at Columbia University, she became acquainted with King Yan Wu, a successful engineer from a distinguished Chinese family (both his father and grandfather served as China's ambassador to the U.S.). They were soon married and had three children.

Sylvia settled into the role of sophisticated stay-at-home spouse and hostess. A personal chef, provided by her mother-in-law, assisted her. Eventually, Sylvia began to cook more herself and claimed she could prepare a full Chinese dinner for her family in under an hour. This was preferable to the Chinese restaurants in New York, which often left her disappointed. She was appalled by the manners of the waiters and the heavy faux-Cantonese dishes.

By 1959, the Wu’s were living in Los Angeles. When her children were in their teens and didn't need her much, she began to think about getting a job. One day she told King she wanted to open a Chinese restaurant. Thinking she wasn't serious he made no objections, so she drove around and found a location in West Los Angeles. When King realized she wasn’t kidding and it wasn’t a whim, he tried to talk her out of it. In those days, most people who opened a Chinese restaurant were former waiters or cooks with no business sense. Sylvia had good sense.

In 1959, Madame Wu's Garden opened on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica. The intimate space seated fewer than 50 people. They had just two cooks, two waiters and a dishwasher. Coming from a wealthy family Madame Wu had friends in high places. One such friend was the president of NBC who helped her write a letter promoting the opening of the restaurant, which she sent to the membership of her church and her daughter's exclusive school. That letter really brought the customers. Later Sylvia recalled, "We sold out the first night and people were lined up outside for six months." My parents were in the opening crowd which became an instant hit with the Hollywood in-crowd who were, charmed by Sylvia's impeccable manners and discreet, reverential treatment of them.

Sylvia knew what her customers wanted and reinvented a brand of Cantonese signature dishes suited to the less sophisticated and informed American palate. Her Chinese friends would criticize the food, saying it wasn't authentic. But she was laughing all the way to the bank and telling them, “Look around, honey. Do you see any Chinese [people] dining here?'"

Her spareribs, Peking duck, crab puffs, and shrimp toast were legendary. Her teen-age crush, Cary Grant (who would become a close friend), told her about a shredded chicken salad he had enjoyed at another restaurant, so she developed her own Shredded Chinese Chicken Salad, which is now imitated at restaurants around the globe.

Here is my version (from China Rose) of Madame Wu’s famous Chinese Chicken Salad.

Prep time:  45 minutes
Cook time:  12 minutes
Put together time:  5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
 
Ingredients 
Peanut oil for deep frying
8 won ton wrappers, refrigerated cut in 1/8-inch strips (store bought)
1/3 (6-ounce) package white fine rice noodles
2 chicken thighs or breasts, skin on—bone in
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons toasted almonds, slivered
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, white parts only
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded (or greens)
 
Directions

1. Heat the oil for deep-frying to 360°F in a wok. The oil is hot enough when a few noodle strands dropped into the oil expand rapidly and rise to the surface.
2. Drop the won ton strips into the hot oil and fry until light golden, about 1 minute. Remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
3. Divide the noodles into four piles and deep-fry separately. Remove from the hot oil with tongs as soon as the noodles pop to the surface. Drain the noodles on paper towels. Set aside.
4. Deep-fry chicken pieces for 8 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Cool. Remove meat from bones and cut into strips with or without skin. Set aside.
5. Place cooked chicken strips in a large salad bowl. Add mustard, five-spice powder, sesame oil, soy sauce, almonds, green onions and salt. Mix well.
6. Add crisp-fried won ton strips and noodles. Mix thoroughly. Noodles will break into small bits when mixed. Pile salad mixture over a bed of shredded lettuce. Do not toss before serving or salad will become soggy.

ChefSecret: Are you feeling really lazy or just don’t want to fry today? Here is an easy option—substitute leftover turkey or store-bought rotisserie or barbecued chicken for the cooked chicken. Substitute 2 cups of canned shoestring potatoes and one cup of canned fried onions instead of the fried won ton strips and rice noodles. It’s not the same, but it is passable.

Quip of the Day:  “It is a little thing to starve to death; it is a serious matter to lose one's virtue.”                                                                                                                                                 ~ Chinese Proverb
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America or American Red Cross.

#Entree #Salad #Chicken #TheChinaRoseCollection #ChineseChickenSalad #AsianChickenSalad #ChineseCuisine #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross  #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                 ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? If you’re a fan of Seinfeld, then you’re undoubtedly familiar with the Soup Nazi. He was famous for his Mulligatawny Soup which, if you didn’t know how to order properly, his response would be “No Soup For You!” The funny thing about the Soup Nazi is he is a relatively small character in the overall timeline of the show. There are 180 episodes of Seinfeld over its 9-year run, and the Soup Nazi only appears in 2 episodes. Nevertheless, his name is forever linked with the show.
 
I first came to taste Mulligatawny Soup in an Irish pub in Dublin. It had a taste of curry which you wouldn’t have found in Ireland at the time. With a name like Mulligatawny, I thought it was Irish… doh! Mulligatawny is the Anglicized version of the Tamil (a southern Indian dialect) which means "pepper water" or "pepper broth." It became popular with the British stationed in India who were employees of the East India Company during the British colonial period, during the late 18th century.
 
My Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup is a rich, warm, soup with a nice light curry spice flavor.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  35 minutes
Yield:  4 to 6 servings  
 
Ingredients 
For the soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-pound boneless/skinless chicken breasts cut into 2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced green pepper
4 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons fresh ginger (grated) or 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1-1/2 tablespoons sweet curry powder
1-1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
6 cups chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup white rice (rinsed well)
1 apple, diced
3 whole cloves
 
To finish the soup
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
 
Directions

1. Measure all ingredients and have at your side before you start.
2. Prepare all the vegetables and fruit, and then portion your spices.

To cook the soup

1. Turn on the Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ. When the display reads "HOT" add the oil.
2. Add the cut chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cubes turn white, but are not fully cooked. Remove from the pot to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the butter, onions, celery, carrots, and green pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
4. Stir in the garlic and ginger, cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Sprinkle in the curry powder, garam masala, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, pepper and thyme. Stir well to prevent burning.
6. Add the chicken broth, stirring well.
7. Add the reserved chicken, tomatoes, rice, apple, and cloves. Stir well.
8. Cancel the SAUTÉ function.
9. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and lock in place. Seal the steam release knob.
10. Press the PRESSURE and then the + or - to set for 7 minutes.
11. When the cooking cycle ends, just let the pot sit and NATURALLY RELEASE the pressure for 20 MINUTES or more. Then turn the steam release knob to release any remaining pressure.
12. When the pin in the lid drops, open the Instant Pot and stir the soup.

To finish the soup

1. Turn on the SAUTÉ setting.
2. Mix the flour and the heavy cream together and whisk them into the simmering soup. Let simmer until soup starts to thicken, then turn off the SAUTÉ setting on the Instant Pot.
3. Serve hot with some Naan (Indian bread) or a grilled and buttered flour tortilla if you don’t keep Naan on hand.

​ChefSecret:  Always remember that tasting the spice level a teaspoon at a time is different from eating an entire portion.  This recipe results in a mild, sweet curry flavor; if you like a spicier version add more curry powder.

Quip of the Day: “I bought a warehouse full of soup stock… now I’m a bouillonaire!
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are also being posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

#Entrees #Lunch #Dinner #Soup #Mulligatawny #InstantPot #SoupNazi #Seinfeld #2022Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup
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                                                                          ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? For some parts of the country, grilling season will be winding down soon so I wanted to include this recipe in before the grill is covered and tucked away.
 
This salad was on the opening menu I created for Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Las Vegas. I thought it was a simple enough entrée salad but as it turned out so many people ordered it that it turned out to be a real bottleneck in the kitchen. Last week I found it on a menu in Green Valley… and it still is one delicious salad.
 
It's easy enough to make at home. You can use leftover rotisserie chicken and store-bought bottled Caesar dressing like Paul Newman’s or Cardini’s brand, or you can you make my simple dressing recipe below.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Grill time:  1 minute
Yield:  2 servings
 
Ingredients 
1/2 head split romaine head
1/2 ounce olive oil
3-1/2 ounces grilled, chilled and chopped chicken breast
2 ounces Caesar dressing (see recipe)
1/2 coarsely chopped hard-cooked egg
3 each split mini tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly shredded carrots
2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan cheese
7 to 8 toasted croutons
 
Directions

1. Remove any wilted or damaged leaves from a head of romaine lettuce.
2. Split the head in half lengthwise.
3. Lightly brush the cut side of the romaine with olive oil.
4. Place the cut side down on a hot grill for 1 minute or until grill marks appear.
5. Place the grilled romaine on a large plate, grilled side up.
6. Top the romaine with grilled chicken.
7. Drizzle with Caesar dressing.
8. Artistically scatter the egg, tomato and carrot shreds on top.
9. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese and croutons.

                                              My Best Caesar Salad Dressing
I have been serving Caesar Salads in my restaurants for years using this made-on-premises dressing. It’s really quite easy and I think it’s the best Caesar Dressing ever. Of course, you don’t have to limit the use of this dressing to just a traditional Caesar Salad—it’s great on any green salad and even makes a nifty chicken marinade as well. Due to food safety concerns, I always suggest using pasteurized egg yolks which can be purchased in your local supermarket. However, it is easy to pasteurize eggs in your own kitchen—check out the ChefSecret at the end of this recipe.
Some people are a bit squeamish about using anchovies. They don’t like to open the tin and touch those slimy little things. Anchovies add that earthy, sweet, salty and umami flavor that cannot be found anywhere else. I keep of tube of anchovy paste in the refrigerator so I always have it on hand. I also add a couple of anchovy filets on top of the Caesar Salad, but that’s a personal option. If you are serving a Chicken Caesar Salad leave off the anchovies.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Chill time:  4 to 8 hours
Yield:  10 servings
 
Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup pasteurized egg yolks (see procedure for pasteurized eggs or egg substitute)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons cold water
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon anchovy paste (from a tube)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Blend mayonnaise, pasteurized egg, Parmesan cheese, water, garlic, lemon juice, anchovy paste, sugar, parsley, salt and pepper in a blender jar until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. Transfer the dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

ChefSecret:  Avoid using raw or uncooked eggs in any of your recipes. It’s really easy and very important to pasteurize eggs correctly. Here’s how:

1. Bring the eggs to room temperature (20 to 30 minutes before pasteurizing).
2. Place the eggs in a saucepan filled with cold water, fitted with a digital thermometer. 
3. Turn on the heat and bring the water up to 140°F.
4. Keep the water temperature at 140°F for 3 minutes (and no more than 142°F), reducing the heat on the burner if necessary. Set a timer.
5. Remove the eggs from hot water and rinse thoroughly with cold ice water.
6. Use right away or store in the refrigerator until needed.

​Special Note:  Jumbo sized eggs require 5 minutes in 140°F water. 

Quip of the Day:  “How do you make any salad into a Caesar salad?  Stab it twenty-three times.
(Julius Caesar -- et tu Brutus?) Got it now?
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

#Entree #Lunch #Dinner #GrilledRomaine #GrilledCaesarSalad #PaulNewman #Cardinis #Chicken #PasteurizedEgg #Anchovy #Covid19SurvivalBlog #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? I like to make one Instant Pot or Slow Cooker meal every week from which I can get 2 (or more) meals for two and chili is one of my favorites! I have shared other chili recipes in the past including a fantastic roast beef chili (Lesson #194), but this recipe—Mighty Meaty Chili—is a fan favorite as well. That’s a good thing since football season is upon us! What makes it so mighty and meaty? It starts with 4-pounds of meat.
 
The modern dish we know as chili, also known as chili con carne (chili with meat), appears to have roots in the American West, particularly the State of Texas. Legend holds that immigrants from the Canary Islands brought a recipe for chili with them when they settled San Antonio in the early 1700s.
 
Another 17th century legend attributes the first chili recipe to a Spanish nun, Sister Mary of Agreda, who never left the convent but whose spirit was said to have visited the Jumano (native people who lived in west Texas) while her body remained in Spain, in a trance. Now that’s one of the wilder origins of food I’ve ever heard.
 
Regardless of what story you believe and as time advanced, chili became more commonly prepared in northern Mexico and southern Texas. Unlike some other Texas foods, such as barbecued brisket, chili is largely consumed by the working-class Tejanos and Mexican women.
 
Ingredients 
4 pounds ground meat (can be a combination or 80/20 beef only or beef and pork)
2 cups of diced white onion
1 cup sliced green onion, tops and bottoms
4 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons ground chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 cans (10-ounce) Ro-Tel with juice
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed
12 ounces lager beer
3 (15.5-ounce) cans of chili beans with sauce
1 cup corn chips (I prefer Frito brand)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste
 
Directions

1. Sauté the meat over medium heat until it starts to brown; 5 to 7 minutes. No need to add additional oil.
2. When the meat is lightly cooked add the onions and garlic and sauté for another five to seven minutes.
3. Add the chili, cumin and Ro-tel and continue to sauté until the spices are fragrant.
4. Transfer the sautéed mixture over to the slow cooker and add the cilantro leaves and beer. Mix well.
5. Cook on low heat for 6 hours.
6. After 4 hours add the chili beans and continue to cook.
7. After 5 hours check the thickness of the chili. If it’s too watery or thin add the corn chips and continue to cook covered.
8. When done adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and add hot sauce, if desired.
9. Serve topped with shredded cheese, salsa and a couple of sprigs of cilantro.

ChefSecret:  This is one of those recipes that you can easily add or delete any of the ingredients. You can make it your own. You can even make it vegan by using one of the meat analog products that are currently available.

Quip of the Day: “So this bell pepper spots a jalapeño walking on the streets and he wants to know why he's all wrapped up in layers of clothes. “Hey,” he says, “aren't you a bit hot? "No," says the jalapeño, "I'm a little chili."
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America.

#Entree #SlowCookerMightyMeatyChili #FootballChili Ro-Tel #NFL #SlowCooker #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022