February 13, 2015
File Art /for PhillyVoice
You don't have to spend a fortune to eat like a king. Just ask some of these top Philly chefs.
Being single on Valentine's Day can be a bummer. A whole day dedicated to remind someone that they are alone while over-the-top PDA is around every corner. There are enough fake hearts, roses and chocolates to make a sane single see red.
This year, instead of wallowing in loneliness, celebrate it by making these deliciously potent recipes. Some will give your breath a delicious funk while others will turn your whole house into a curry cloud of liberation from this over-hyped "holiday." Rent “The Breakup” and share these treats with other single friends at an Anti-V Day party. Or, eat them alone in the dark of your parents' basement.
Tzatziki was originally a yogurt based sauce served with meats or fish. This version is more of a party dip and a variation of a Middle Eastern style of Tzatziki with a little Feta added to pay homage to it's Greek origins and to punch up the flavor factor. This can be made up to two days ahead of time. Just be warned, the flavor of the garlic will grow. If this dish will not be served for a day or two add half of recommended garlic. Prior to serving, check taste and add more garlic if necessary.
Tzatziki
Serves 4
You will need:
1 cucumber, seeded and small diced
8 oz. sour cream
4 TBS crumbled feta cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 TBS kosher salt
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 mint leaves, minced
1 tsp fresh parsley, minced
Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Cover with saran wrap and place in refrigerator for minimum of 1 hour or maximum of 2 days. Garnish with fresh mint leaves, minced parsley and/or lemon zest. Serve with pita chips or crudité.
Italian hoagies are a Philly staple. They have all four food groups (if that's even still a thing). That makes them the perfect food. But everyone knows that if you want to make perfect even better, deep fry it.
Italian Hoagie Spring Rolls with a Spicy Horseradish Sauce
Makes 6
You will need:
Spicy Horseradish Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
5 TBS horseradish
2 TBS spicy whole grain dijon mustard
Pinch of chili flake
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Wrap in saran wrap and set in refrigerator to chill.
Italian Spring Rolls
You will need:
6 O'Tasty Spring Roll Shells
3 thick slices sharp provolone cheese
3 TBS red onion, fine diced
4 slices soprassotta
4 slices capacolla ham
4 slices genoa salami
2 roasted red peppers, julienned
1/2 cup corn starch
Peanut oil
Lay spring roll wrapper on a cool, dry surface. The O'Tasty brand does not require to pre-cook before wrapping. Make a small pile with the cheese, meats, onion and pepper at the bottom third of the wrappers, closest to you. Fold the wrapper closest to you over the pile, pulling back firmly but not enough to tear the wrapper. Fold left and right side in tightly like you would a burrito creating a packet. Roll the packet up tightly. Coat the spring roll in corn starch and set aside.
Fill a sauté pan or small pot with about 3/4 inch of oil and get to approximately 350 degrees. Place spring roll in for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the spring roll over for 1-2 minutes until other side is golden brown. Remove from oil and place on paper towel to remove excess oil.
Cut on a bias or serve whole. Garnish with sliced green onion or whole or sliced hot peppers. They can also be wrapped in a leaf of lettuce with a tomato for some fresh crisp. Serve horseradish sauce on side in a bowl or dolloped on plate.
Curry will leave a pungent aroma in your house for hours, if not a day depending on your ventilation, but it is worth it. This South East Asian sauce can be done "wet" or "dry" and each has a multitude of variations. The "wet" curry recipe below can be done over any kind of rice or even Ramen noodles if you're on a budget.
Coconut Curry Shrimp over Basmati Rice
Serves 2
You will need:
1 cup basmati rice
1 1/2 cup water
2 1/2 TBS chicken base
1 TBS brown sugar
4 tsp chili-garlic sauce
1 tsp minced ginger
lime juice (1/4 of a lime juiced)
4 tsp fish sauce
16 large shrimp (31/35 count)
1 cup button or shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup coconut milk
Rinse rice in a fine strainer or large strainer lined with cheese cloth for a few minutes in cold water. The water does not have to run clear but you want to remove most of the excess starch. Place rice in a pot. In separate pot bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Pour boiling water into rice pot. Once the water reaches a boil again, pull the heat down to a very lowest setting. Cover pot with lid and let the rice cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and use a fork to fluff the rice.
In a large sauce pan, heat roughly 2 TBS of oil. Place shrimp in pan for 2-3 minutes until the under side is white and red. Flip shrimp and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until completely cooked. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside. Drain excess oil from pan and return to heat source. Add a small amount of fresh oil. Sautee off mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Add ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken base, lime juice, brown sugar, chili-garlic sauce and fish sauce. Cook and stir together for 1-2 minutes. Pour coconut milk into pan and reduce liquid. Stir for 3-5 minutes or until desired consistency, roughly the thickness of a loose tomato sauce. Return shrimp to pan and toss.
Place large scoop of rice on plate or in bowl. Pour shrimp and curry mix over rice. Garnish with fresh sliced scallions.
