Philadelphia's first Secret Supper

A few weeks ago, I had the great pleasure and opportunity to attend Philadelphia’s first Secret Supper with Chef Barbie Marshall which was hosted by the ever-entertaining Dish CrawlPhiladelphia organization and Tap Room on 19^th in South Philly.
If you haven’t had a chance to stop by and check out the place, please do as soon as you can! Their simple-pickup-style cocktail selection is sure to please any cocktail lover, or someone just looking to get into the scene (I suggest their cider and whiskey!); they also have a phenomenal beer selection, of which I sampled the aged pale ale (which was the most perfect balance of sour I have ever had).
I was able to spend a lot of time talking to the Mixologist (Ross Maloof) and the General Manager (Craig Steel) about the drink selection and both were very excited about their pairing for the night.The first three courses were paired with cocktails, followed by a Yards IPA and a 2010 Merlot from Ostancia. Dessert was paired with “Lucky 7” from Evolution Craft Brewing Co.
First up was an Amuse of chicken and waffles. This first course was meant to wow all the guests, and Chef Barbie nailed it. This little two-bite wonder left everyone chanting for more – I think if she had just served chicken and waffles all night everyone would have been happy! The juicy deep fried chicken paired perfectly with the cast iron cornmeal waffles. I will have to confess there were a few extras left over…. And I ate them all.Course one came out as a cold dish. The fennel and citrus wintergreen salad was quite a surprise. Chef explained that this particular variety of wintergreen was more sweet than bitter; and paired with a citrus fennel dressing, it just got sweeter. This dish was paired with a cocktail composed of Bison Grass vodka, Crème de Violette, and tarragon. With all these dainty green notes floating around the semi-bitter radicchio, you could really explore the finer points of the local wintergreen.Course two was one of my favorites. A light puree of Padanna squash soup which was garnished with Pickled Neck Pumpkin and black pepper cream. There were also some pepitas thrown on top for a further enhancement. This dish was paired with a house-made cider and whiskey in a mug. Personally, I love the combination of squash and apple so having both items be locally sourced was just a far out experience.Course three presented itself as a trio risotto balls with Arancini and Tallegio. Displayed on a bed of basil flower tomato sauce these little bundles of joy were accented with local saffron (yes, local saffron!). Chef Barbie explained that the local variety isn’t as potent as the imported ones, but that just means you can use more! This was paired with a white whiskey ginger accented with a burnt orange garnish – which was my favorite course by far.The cocktail with orange and ginger was able to cut through the fattiness of the risotto and cheese perfectly. The result was experiencing the dish for the first time, every time. Simply put “fantastic.”Course four  was a real authentic Pennsylvania dish paired with one of the most popular local brews. This was really PA to the core. If you’ve never had the opportunity to have a Lancaster “Pot Pie” you have missed a treat! Unlike your traditional pot pies, the Lancaster variety contains no roux or any actual pie for that matter. It’s a fresh pasta-based dish with poached chicken, served with braised greens and without a pie crust. This was a totally different experience for me, but a profound one to say the least. The combination was so light and joyful and the Yards IPA that it was paired with added the weight it needed to feel satisfactory. If anything, this was more like a chicken noodle soup with some amazing local greens than a pot pie – but I could eat it ALL day.Course five  wound up being a seasonal meatloaf paired with a Merlot. HOWEVER, this isn’t your ordinary beef loaf, no my friends, this was nothing less than the great American turkey! That’s right; Chef Barbie took some local turkey and turned it into this incredible delicatessen. The loaf was served with a simple cranberry chutney, glazed carrots, and mashed root veg.
What really brought this dish together was the root vegetable blend, which contained something I’ve never experienced – Parsley Root. So, imagine the aromatics of a parsley stem and a parsnip together with the starchiness of a carrot. This was local comfort food to a tee! As I looked around the room, I was hard pressed to find a face that wasn’t smiling with satisfaction.



Course six, the last course, was of course dessert! Chef Barbie flexed her culinary muscles a bit and explored the world of cheesecake. The thick slice of cake came out with a hickory nut brittle covering the top, set on a basic caramel sauce. Chef Barbie also went on to explain that hickory nuts represent fertility. She explained that the Pennsylvania Dutch chose to settle in this area based on the healthy abundance of hickory trees. This fact really spoke to her as she was building her dishes. I will have to say that pairing that with a smoked porter was fantas-tic-al! Sweet and Smokey are one of my favorite combinations in the food world and it was a good end to the menu progression. 





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Pumpkin Puree

This is a great recipe to add to anything and make it “Thanksgiving” themed. I’ve been using this in a lot of my recipes, and will be used in my next 4 installments. It's a really great thing to have around in the house as well, think of it almost like canned tomatoes and you'll be surprised of where your creativity takes you. 

Pumpkins are a really awesome flavoring agent because it’s kind of sweet and savory, combined with the spices in the puree, it adds a great complexity to any dish.

You can also use this as a soup easily by adding a few quarts of stock and 1 cup rice and 1 cup black beans to the base recipe. Finish it with some cheese, drizzle of sour cream, herb, and toasted squash nuts. You will need to season this to taste. I’d suggest using some orange juice or apple cider as well.

Add eggs, cream cheese/mascarpone cheese, and sugar; and turn it into a pie. Put it on a cookie crust and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of ginger powder and cinnamon. 

You’re possibilities are endless with this great flavor base. Use it for an equal substitute with canned pumpkin in any recipe to make it your own.

Pumpkin Puree

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

2 quarts diced pumpkin

¼ stick butter

1 bay leaf

1 stick cinnamon (or 1 Tablespoon ground)

1 clove (or 1/4 tsp ground)

½ tsp nutmeg (ground or fresh grated)

¼ tsp coriander

1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger (or 1 1/2 T ground)

Directions:

1. Put a medium pot over the fire on medium heat
2. Melt the butter down with the spices
3. Once the butter starts to brown and the spices infuse, add the pumpkin.
4. Switch the temperature to medium-low
5. Stir mixture occasionally until squash breaks down like this
   
   
   
   
   
6. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth
7. Pass through a fine mesh strainer to make sure product is smooth
8. Return to the pot and allow reducing until it starts caramelizing (turning brown)

Apple-maple Granola aka “The Crunch Attack”

I’m nicknaming this granola “Crunch attack” because it is the crunchiest, most gnarliest granola EVER! It’s super easy to make and packed full of nutrients and protein.

I chose to us a wide variety of seeds and nuts based on their nutritional value; however you can substitute with your favorite variety as well. You can also substitute the dried fruit for whatever dried fruit you want. 

Just keep in mind that it comes down to a ratio of fat/sugar to the remaining product. I would suggest that no matter what you try and move around, that you keep the quinoa in it as it is one of the main crunch components.

As far as chopped nuts go, I did a pretty rough chop. The idea is that most of the large items besides the main garnish (apple) are the same size. This will allow for an easier cluster formation. You can also cheat and throw the nuts/seeds you want to use in a blender or food processer and buzz it up a few times (way faster and cleaner than doing it with a knife on the board).

Please enjoy with yogurt and apple butter/apple sauce. Store in a cool, dry place.

Ingredients:

2 cups oats

½ cup quinoa

¼ cup peanuts (chopped)

¼ cup almonds (chopped)

¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

¼ cup soy nuts (chopped)

2 Tablespoons flax seed

3 Tablespoons hemp seeds

1 cup apples (dehydrated)

½ cup cranberries (dehydrated)

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 Tablespoons apple butter

2/3 cup maple syrup  or honey

Pinch dark chili powder

Pinch pink Himalayan salt

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil, apple butter, and maple syrup in small sauce pot until coconut oil is melted.
2. Take remaining ingredients and combine in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add liquid and mix until incorporated.
4. Place the mixture on a sheet  tray line with parchment paper or foil.
5. Bake in the oven at 225 for 2 hours.

Curried Apple Jasmine Rice

Continuing on with my apple extravaganza, I decided to make a curry spice soup and add jasmine rice to it. 

However, I used too much rice, or too little liquid (depending on what side of the line you’re on) and it really turned out to be more of a rice dish than a soup. Anyway, my loss is your gain because I turned it into this savory dish with a sweet note guaranteed to accent any protein quite nicely.

This dish is not particularly spicy, however, it does have some spices in it to heighten the flavor and allow the sweetness to cut through it. Combined with the fragrance of jasmine rice, this dish is a total plunder of your senses.

I would say that if you want this to be more of a soup that you cut the portion of rice down to 2/3 cup or double the recipe and maintain the same amount of rice. You can even throw some chicken/beans in there as well if you want to make a complete meal out of it.

Keep in mind that this recipe will be blended, so uniform cuts won’t really matter here. You are just looking to make it as easy as possible to break down the vegetables.

I highly suggest enjoying this rice with my veganchili  on top. Take it a step further and a piece of grilled meat, or two fried eggs with a healthy sprinkle of a mild cheese on top. Maybe even shaved fennel salad?

Anyway, enough jibber-jabber, TO THE INGREDIENT LIST!

Curried Apple Jasmine Rice

Ingredients:

1 green chili (chopped)

1 carrot (chopped)

2 medium onions (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (sliced)

½ pickled Anaheim pepper

1 dried chili (chopped)

2 apples (grated)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3 ½ tsp curry

1 cup milk (whole)

4 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)

1 ½ cup jasmine rice

Zest and juice 1 lime

¼ cup cilantro or parsley (chiffonade)

Season to taste

Directions:

1. Put a medium pot on the fire on medium-low
2. Once pot is hot, pour in your oil 
3. Add chili, carrot, onion, garlic, pickled pepper, and dried chili. Continue cooking until onions are translucent. 
4. Add curry spice and allow to dissolve in remaining liquid for a few minutes, then add your apples.  
5. Allow to cook more until apples become tender and start to fall apart. 
6. Pour in your milk and stock and allow to come to a simmer. 
7. Using a blender or immersion blender, puree contents until smooth. 
8. Add Jasmine rice and continue to cook until rice is tender. 
9. Finish with lime juice and herb and incorporate into the rice. 

Sweet-Pickled Jalapenos

One of my favorite flavor combinations is sweet and hot; so what better thing to do than sweet-pickle some hot peppers? I chose to use Jalapeno peppers here because I know a lot of people grow them and around this time they are super abundant.

If you’re into jarring/canning things, this is something I would suggest highly. They also make great gifts when transferred to mason jars. Keep in mind though that the shelf life probably won’t be more than a few months – if that.

I haven’t really experimenting into how long these pickles last before they spoil. I can tell you from the restaurant industry that refrigerated pickled vegetables can last up to four or five months if kept properly. The key is to keep the pickled whatever under the liquid so it doesn’t get a chance to grow mold on it.

One industry tip for doing this is putting a plate on top of the product to keep it submerged. However, the normal person doesn’t have a large enough container for something like that. So, fill a plastic Ziploc bag with dried beans or salt to create a weight. Important: remove as much air from the bag as possible by submerging it in water while holding the top of the bag. Once you get as much air out of there as possible, seal the bag. Do this once more, creating a double bag (so you can use it again). This creates the closest you’re going to get to a vacuum seal without a vacuum sealer. Anyway, place the bag on top of your pickled veg so the product is forced down and cover the container your pickle is in with the appropriate lid.

That being said, pickling peppers does take some of the heat out of them, so they aren’t as spicy as when they are raw. If you want to remove even more heat (like if you were pickling a habanero), remove the pith and seeds before you pickle it. This will result in the full pepper taste, but dial the heat down quite a bit. You can also add more sweetness to the liquid, or add fruit into your combination.

Sweet-pickled jalapenos

Ingredients:

8 Jalapenos (sliced)

3 cups apple cider vinegar

4 Tablespoons pickling spice

2 Tablespoons salt

4 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons honey

Sauce pot (medium sized)

Mandolin or knife

Container large enough to hold four cups (a quart)

Directions: 

1. Sanitize your peppers 
2. In a sauce pot over medium heat, slowly toast the pickling spice until you begin to smell it (you may hear some popping too)
3. Add your vinegar, salt, sugar, and honey; and bring to a boil
4. While you are waiting on this, slice down your peppers and place into container
5. Once boiled, either strain the spice mixture out or leave it in
6. Pour into container with peppers
7. Let sit uncovered until it begins to cool down a bit
8. Place your weighted bag on top of the peppers and make sure they are submerged fully
9. Cover the container and store in the refrigerator for 48 hours before transferring 

An American Pub/Bar Menu - what I'd love to see somewhere.

If I opened my own place, here's the menu! Coming soon, flat breads and pizza! 

Let me know if I'm missing anything

Soups:

Clam Chowder (Manhattan, New York) – Tomato based. Fresh clams. Finished with lemon oil and micro basil and parsley.

Chicken Booyah! – Chicken thighs, beef, pork. Served with garlic bread.

Corn Chowder – Wild  corn stewed with cream. Pico de gallo, tri-colored chips

Navy bean -  smoked ham; Navy, Cannellini, and Kidney beans. Shaved asparagus salad.

Vegan Du Jour - Chef's hand-selected vegetables. "Parmesan" croutons 

Seasonal - Chef selection of seasonal ingredients. 

Sandwiches:

Classic Cuban (Tampa, Florida)– House cured ham, slow roasted pork, Swiss cheese, house-made pickles, mustard. Pressed in a plancha.

Brisket (Texas) – open faced on a jalapeno cheddar biscuit.  Pico de gallo.

Lobster roll (New England) – Lemon aole, poached lobster, toasted brioche bun. Side creamy cabbage slaw. Lemon wedges.

Cheese steak (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) – Dry aged Rib eye, toasted hoagie roll, provolone cheese, fried onions. Fresh-cut French fries.

Po’ Boy (New Orleans, Louisana) – Lightly fried shrimp and oysters. Chorizo aole. Bibb lettuce. Yellow tomato. Seafood spiced kale chips.

Rueben (Ann Arbor, Michigan)  - Corned beef brisket, house Russian dressing and  sauerkraut, thick cut pumpernickel, garlic butter, and Swiss cheese).

Open faced hot-pastrami Sandwich

House-made Pastrami. Pickled red onions. Smoked Gouda cheese. Fermented mustard seed mayonnaise. Fried duck egg.

Grilled Cheese - Pan seared brioche. Cheddar cheese. Served with tomato-chipotle purée 

Salads:

Chicken Ceasar Salad – Tableside Caesar dressing, crisp romaine, crunchy croutons, and grilled chicken breast. Topped with shaved parmesan cheese and micro-basil.

Crab Louis Salad – Butter poached Dungeness crab, heirloom tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, coddled egg, lemon wedges.

Turkey Cobb – Baby greens tossed in red wine-Dijon vinaigrette. Smoked turkey, local blue cheese, avocado, heirloom cherry tomatoes, rendered pork belly, and sourdough crostini’s. Red wine gastrique

Poached Pear - Arugala dressed in a raspberry preserve dressing. Red wine poached pears. Smithfield ham. Goat cheese. Spicy candied walnuts. Pickled red onions. 

Raw bar:

Regional oyster selection (market price)

                East Coast

                West Coast

Sushi al la carte

Appetizers:   

Corn on the Cob – Grilled with a secret blend of American spices, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. Served lollipop style.   

Fried Zukes – Zucchini marinated with lemons and lightly fried. Raw yellow tomato-thyme dipping sauce.

Guac and Chips – Tableside guacamole with fresh masa chips

Lemon Scented Fries – Fresh cut potatoes brined with lemons. Parmesan cheese. Lemon oil.

Mashed Potato Spoons – Choose 3: Roasted garlic, lumpy, Lemon-chive, American spiced, hot sauce.

Pretzels (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) – Philly style. Served with smoked gouda-fennel, fermented mustard, cinnamon-caramel sauce, chili relish.

Clams Casino – House-made clam stuffing. Topped with smoked bacon. Served over aromatic rock salt. Hot sauce.  Lemon wedges. 

Jerky - Beef, turkey, bison. Tangy Asian dipping sauce, mustard sauce, chimmichurri sauce. 

Trail Mix - 

Grill:

Baby Back Ribs Three Ways - Baked beans. Braised and grilled ribs. Served with Louisiana, Texas, and Carolina style BBQ sauce.

Shrimp Kabobs (Hawaii)- Molokai shrimp, sweet Maui onions, heirloom cherry tomatoes, pineapple. Topped with Mango salsa and finished with orange oil.

Fish tacos (San Diego, California) – Grilled Mahi, Mexican green goddess dressing, chiffonade of green leaf lettuce

Grilled Peaches – stuffed with spicy sausage and ricotta cheese. Spiced Cream reduction. Candied walnuts.

Fajitas – Chicken, Pork, Beef, or Shrimp – you choose! Grilled peppers and onions. Salsa Verde. Pico de gallo. Cumin-dill sauce.

Popcorn bowl – choose your flavor:  Cajun, seafood spice, butter, garlic butter, cinnamon sugar, parmesan or cheddar cheese. Cheese fondue served on the side.  

Pasta:

Lobster Mac and Cheese (Maine) – Vermont cheddar-lobster fondue, orichette pasta, lobster chunks, buttered breadcrumbs.   

Toasted Ravs (St. Louis) – Freshly breaded ricotta raviolis. Marinara sauce. Parmesan cheese. Micro parsley.

Clams and Linguini – Fresh Linguini, little necks, lemon-butter-white wine sauce. Lemon wedges. Basil oil. Micro Parsley.

Beast:

Mini Hot Dog Flights – Pick three: California (bacon wrapped, grilled onion and peper jam, baked beans, fermented mustard seed bun), Chicago (all beef, steamed sesame bun, fermented mustard, Chicago salsa [pickled red onions, celery salt, atomic relish, heirloom tomato, and sport peppers] ), Corn dog (fried in corn batter, cheddar cheese sauce), New York (white hot casing, spicy mustard), Carolina (chili, creamy slaw, and onions), Rhode Island (veal, steamed bun, chili, Dijon mustard, celery salt, chopped onion)

Steak Sliders (3) – Grilled steak. Burnt butter Aole. Green leaf lettuce, heirloom tomato, and cave-aged cheddar. White pepper dusted slow-roasted potatoes.

Chili Dou – Cincinnati style (Mediterranean spices,  chopped onions, shredded cheddar cheese), served over spaghetti. 

Texas style (short rib, tomatoes, and dried chiles) topped with chips.

Bison Meatloaf – BBQ glazed. Garlic mashed potatoes. Grilled Asparagus. Chipotle-tomato puree.

Pork chop - Sautéed green beans. Pan seared Duroc pork. Garlic whipped mashed potatoes. House made apple sauce. 

Fowl:

Chicken Wings – Marinated in buttermilk. Double floured for extra crispyness.  Your choice of  house sauces: Mild, Medium, Hot, Super hot, BBQ (Louisiana, Texas, or Carolina style), Honey mustard. Celery sticks.

Chicken Quesadilla – Refried beans, queso fresco, and shredded chicken. Topped with fresh pico de gallo. Micro cilantro.

Fried chicken – Marinated it buttermilk. Double floured for extra crispiness and tossed in American spice. Chicken gravy. Creamy cabbage slaw.

Seafood:

Jambalaya (Louisiana) – Tasso ham and bacon slow cooked with aromatic vegetables, herbs, spices, and rice. Prawns poached in lemon olive oil.

Oysters Rockefeller (New Orleans, Louisiana) – Spinach, buttered breadcrumb, parmesan cheese. Served over spiced rock salt.

Crabcakes (Baltimore, Maryland) – Scented rice. Remulade sauce. Crudité Salad.

Cioppino – (San Fransisco, California) – Mussels, squid, clams, red snapper, shrimp, and Dungeness crab. Saffron-white wine broth. Sourdough crostini. Red Pepper compote.  Micro basil and cilantro.

Fish:

Tuna Tar-Tar Nachos – Fresh fried chips. Peanut cheese sauce. Avocado-lime puree. Five spiced Ahi tuna.  

Salmon Burgers (California) – Brioche bun, lettuce, heirloom tomato, avocado. Grilled asparagus. Lemon-caper aole. Kale chips.

Red Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon (Alaska) - Aromatic wild rice pilaf, grilled vegetables. Lemon-herb vinaigrette. 

Veggie:

Antipasti – House selection of local raw and marinated cheeses, grilled veggies, assorted pickled vegetables, cured olives, Preserved lemon hummus. Black garlic crostini. Pesto sauce.

Southeastern Pita platter – pepita hummus, Pimento cheese spread, guacamole, peanut nut cheese. American spiced pita bread.

Hummus Spread – Seasonal selection of Hummus’s. Pita bread, Masa chips, Pretzels.

Stuffed Squash – wild mushrooms, curry aoile, pistachios. Tomato-chili puree. Goat cheese.