Monday, June 30, 2008

All American Hamburger

Nothing says 4th of July more than the all American Hamburger. Sure, the history of the burger goes back to 12th century Genghis Khan and the 19th century Germans played a hand in it’s history too, but us Americans tasted and liked it so much that we climbed up that sesame bun and - like the moon - placed our Red, White & Blue Old Glory on it and called it our own! Even before Raymond Albert Kroc brought us McDonalds, the Hamburger has became the American past time (don’t tell that to the Hotdog lovers).

The Burger has seen many variations. Some are great and some …not so great. Take the meatball looking thing on white bread I was fed as a child…

Years of cooking I have come across a ton of recipes, all claiming to be the best recipe ever; Canadian Bacon & Pineapple to Gorgonzola and Vidalia Onion all focusing on the toppings rather that the meat. Some topped so high with lettuce, tomato and other items that I have even found myself asking “where’s the beef?”

My favorite recipe is simple. I figure the more simple the recipe the more time we have outside enjoying the short summers in Minnesota.


INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 splash Tabasco sauce
1 splash Worcestershire sauce
1 splash A1 sauce
Little salt & pepper

Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Shape your burgers
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat and Grill to desired doneness.

Now the question always is; what Crofut wine do you pair with burgers? So we go back to the toppings again. Bottom line... Base your wine on the toppings. Examples (Again I am not a wine expert, just a wine lover)

Grilled Pineapple: Frontenac Gris
Onions, Mushrooms: St. Croix (Yum!)
Pickles & Mustard: Defiantly the Frontenac Rose’
Basic Lettuce, Tomato & Onion: Crows Nest or Prairie Red
No Toppings at All: That’s just un-American!

Have a great and Safe Holiday!
\m/
Richard

Monday, June 23, 2008

Chipotle & Crofut St. Croix Red Barbecue Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/3 cup Crofut St. Croix
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon Crushed Fresh Garlic
1/4 Teaspoon Cumin
2 Chipotle Chilies w/ Adobo Sauce

PREPARATION:
In a medium saucepan, add olive oil, garlic, chipotle powder, and cumin. Allow to heat through, while stirring, for 1 minute. Add red wine and brown sugar. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add in soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce and let simmer for another two minutes.

Richard “Dickie” Dollarhide

Simplified Grilled Copper River Salmon

Why the hype about Copper River Salmon?

The Copper River in Alaska is about 300 miles in length... Rushing waters, strong currents and natural diet make for some pretty tasty fish. Unlike Atlantic farmed raised salmon, Copper River Salmon are strong fish full of natural oils and body fat due to the climate in which they live. The good thing about our strong fat fish friends is not only do they taste awesome; they are good for you as they are bursting with Omega-3 oils, which are recommended by the American Heart Association. Your ticker is not the only part that benefits from these fish: studies have also found that fish oil can help combat such ailments as psoriasis, arthritis, breast cancer, migraines and taste buds that have been yearning for something fresh!

One word comes to mind when I think about hot summers and Copper River salmon. …Simplify

I never understood why a chef would take such a great ingredient and mask it with a thick sauce. Thick sauces on salmon should be left to those species of fish which need it (take our mushy farm raised salmon from the east coast for example). Again, Copper River salmon feed naturally, live naturally and most importantly they are recommended as sustainable seafood by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch! (http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch.asp)

My favorite recipe for Copper River is simply grilled and paired with a great wine; it simply can not be beat.

Simplified Grilled Copper River Salmon

2 6-8oz Fillets of Copper River salmon (Coho, Sockeye or King)
Pinch of Old Bay Seasoning
1T Olive oil
½ cup Crofut River Valley White

Mix together Oldbay, Oil and River Valley White. Pour over fish and let sit for about 5 minutes. Then on a hot grill, place each fillet ands cook on each side for about 6 minutes per inch of thickness of the filet.


Nothing gets better in the first part of summer then Great Fish, Great Wine and Great Friends!

Relax and enjoy the summer,

The Dollarhides

Thick Cut Gorgonzola Pork Chops with Fennel and Vidalia Onions

4 thick cut pork chops
Pinch of Rosemary, basil and salt
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese1
bulb fennel
1 vidalia onion
1 Tbs olive oil
4 toothpicks
fresh parley garnish

Chop vidalia onion, slice fennel and saute in olive oil. Cut pocket in chops, insert gorgonzola and squeeze lemon over chops and seal with toothpick.Cook chops with herbs, cover with fennel and onion and garnish.

- From Chef Richard Dollarhide