Chef Tyler Florence's "crazy good" meal

The other day I was watching "The Best Thing I Ever Ate - Crazy Good" on the Food Network. I came across Chef Tyler Florence's favorite dish at Marin Joe's in Corte Madera, California called the "Marin Joe's Special." The dish consists of caramelized onions, hamburger, spinach, and egg. I decided to make it for my family tonight and it was awesome! I altered the recipe just a little bit...

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1.5 lbs ground beef

2 (9oz) bags fresh spinach, cooked and chopped

2 large eggs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 stick butter

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat 1 T olive oil in non-stick skillet. Add onions, cook until translucent. Add hamburger meat and garlic, saute until cooked through. While meat is browning, salt a pot of boiling water, add spinach. (After spinach is cooked, shock in cold water then drain and squeeze off the excess moisture)

2. Add spinach to hamburger mixture, combine ingredients. Then crack two eggs into mixture and scramble quickly with a pair of tongs.

3. Add Parmesan cheese, onion powder, and butter to mixture. Stir until combined.

*Tips/Comments - Don't be afraid of the eggs in this dish. They act more as a binder and add a depth of flavor... They won't turn out like your regular breakfast scrambled eggs. Don't forget to salt every step of the way; salt the onions, then salt the hamburger. I also used unsalted butter just for the butter flavor but it is really up to you how much salt you want to add. Or you can just omit the butter all together if you want to keep it a little healthy. Also, depending on the fat content of your ground beef, you may need to drain off excess grease.

Too Many Potatoes?

Did you buy too many pounds of potatoes this Thanksgiving? Mashed potatoes (besides pumpkin pie) have become the most important dish to have on the table during this holiday. Just last week, I catered a corporate Thanksgiving lunch and made over 20 pounds of mashed potatoes! Ten pounds remained, but employees took home care packages for their husbands.

I still managed to have a half bag of potatoes in my refridgerator. I had bought some individual russet potatoes at the store today because I need bigger ones for my Stand-up Double Baked Potatoes. After making my applesauce recipe, I thought to make something different for tonight's dinner...

Crispy Green-Onion Potato Pancakes

Yields 4 to 6 servings (about 12-14 pancakes)

Ingredients:

4 russet potatoes, peeled, shredded

3 eggs

1 bunch green onion

2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour

salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Blend eggs and green onions in food processor until smooth.

2. Add egg mixture to shredded potatoes, combine.

3. Then add flour, stir until well incorporated.

4. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Blend half of the batter in food processor.

6. Add blended mixture to non-blended mixture. Stir until well combined.

7. Cover batter and let sit for 15 minutes.

8. Heat vegetable oil in non stick skillet, add a small spoonful of batter to pan to test the oil. Batter will sizzle and brown if the oil is hot enough.

9. Use a ladle to spoon batter into oil. When the edges brown, flip using a spatula. (Only takes a couple minutes to brown!)

Served with a dollup of sour cream

*Tips: Maple-Cinnamon Asian Pear Applesauce goes great with this recipe! For you non-onion lovers out there, the green onions can be eliminated.

Early Start

I decided to start a few dishes early because I want to have as much time as possible to make everything perfect. I added a few more starters to my menu so starting early is a smart choice!

Thanksgiving Menu at Chef Lulu's house:

Starters:

Bacon Wrapped Sesame Bread Sticks
rolled in Parmesan Cheese

Traditional Deviled Eggs

Crimini Mushrooms stuffed with Herbs,
Parmesan Cheese, and Breadcrumbs

Main Course:

Bone-in Pork Loin Roast with Sparkling Cider Gravy

Honey Dijon Brined Turkey Breast with Onion Gravy

Side Dishes:

Sausage Dressing infused with Thyme and Sage

Maple-Cinnamon Asian Pear Applesauce

Cranberry-Orange Relish

Stand-up Double Baked Potatoes with fresh Parsley

Roasted Brusselsprouts with Shallots and Bacon

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

Green Bean Casserole

Dessert:

Pumpkin-Chocolate Bread Pudding

Maple-Cinnamon Asian Pear Applesauce
Yields 4 cups

Ingredients:

4 Asian pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 Grannysmith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 2-inch pieces



1 cinnamon stick



1/4 cup sugar

2 T maple syrup

1 T fresh lemon juice

1. In a heavy saucepot, combine all ingredients and set over medium heat. Stir for the first two minutes. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the apples are slightly softened.



2. Remove the lid and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.

3. Remove cinnamon stick. Mash slightly with potato masher, making sure to leave a little texture.



4. Adjust the seasoning with maple syrup or lemon juice if needed. Let cool, cover, and refridgerate.

*Tips: The Asian pears must be cut smaller because they are firmer than apples, and take longer to cook. A teaspoon of ground cinnamon may be substituted for cinnamon sticks if you find them too expensive at the market. This recipe can be prepared up to 1 week ahead, covered and refridgerated.

Next recipe coming soon!

November 22, 2010

On Thanksgiving, I will be starting a food blog. I will post photos, recipes, and reflections. I will be cooking from cookbooks and my own imagination. Food blogs are very popular in the culinary industry; I wish that I hadn't started so late.

Get ready because I planned the best Thanksgiving meal ever!