Dude Food

Tonight [Saturday] is all about UFC 100.  Only thing that can make a fight better, is some serious dude food.  I can't let the TV showcase the all of the  best knockouts of the night-- I need to lay some out on the table.  Since the best sports party food I can think of is Mexican, I'm going to do another tribute to Rick Bayless to get the job done right.

Most of the inspiration comes from whichever episode of Everyday Mexican was on TV Friday morning.  I spyed nose of the dog salsa, featuring tomatoes, habaneros, and radishes.  Habaneros are definitely knock out material.  He also made a really good looking braised pork, but this recipe is too much to remember, so I use the concept as inspiration.  A beef dish should accompany as well-- we all need our daily dose of iron.

Gucamole is going to be another necessity, but it can't be another boring guacamole.  Long ago I made an avocado salad to top skirt steak.  I'm confident that I can refine these flavors to make a great guacamole.  In case the habanero salsa isn't enough for everyone, I'm going to make a salsa verde as well.  I've been craving salsa verde since my neighbors make some of the best, so this better work out.

This isn't as masochistic of a menu as some may think.  I'm going to have a lot of inactive cooking time with the meats.  While they're braising, I can prep the salsas or even clean my home.

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Dude, There Are Rules

7b, 25, 85, 295.  "7b, 25, 85, AND 295?  All for here?"  It's all for here- better leave the menu in case I need more too.  My order is written slowly, my waitress looks up between numbers trying to figure out where it's all going to go.  She doesn't take too long- there's a full house of starving customers.  After all, I've never been in, or walked past Tank Noodle at less than 80% capacity.

My first visit was an eye opener for myself and the wait staff.  Theirs was seeing a white kid off the street eat an appetizer, 2 entrees and boba.  Mine was going through the 300 item menu.  When in such situations, I use my most stomach-pleasing approach- no repeat animals.  Fresh shrimp spring rolls, Banh Mi Bo Nuong, and Bun Heo Nuong (Bun Kho) satisfy my pyramid.  I considered their signature dish, Pho, but 50 other people were eating that.

Banh Mi is my absolute new favorite sandwich.  The foundation is the Banh Mi, a baguette.  The baguette is then stuffed with a grilled [marinated] meat, egg, or sardines.  Cucumber, jalapeno, cilantro, radish, sour carrot, and soy sauce fill in the rest of the space.  The Banh Mi [Bo Nuong] I had was filled with grilled beef.  The meat is warm, baguette toasty, cucumber chilled, jalapeno crisp and spicey, and the bite ends with the refreshment of cilantro on the back of the palate.  These 8" babies also run under $4.  Super Sub Route Mart, you lose.

Bun Kho, is a steamed rice noodle dish [without broth] that I first fell for in Los Angeles.  There was a small Vietnamese noodle shop by the client that I would frequent at least once a day.  In a very dry, hot climate, the dish is substantial but light, and very refreshing.  Bun Kho is served with lettuce, cucumber, carrot, bean sprouts, mint, and lemon fish sauce.  My Bun Kho from this visit featured grilled pork, but it can also be served with grilled beef, prawns, shrimp patty, pork skin- tons of goodies.  

Some of you are thinking, "The dish sounded great until you dropped the 'F' bomb on us Stash."  Please, allow me first to move you, to sway you.  Americans love Worcestershire Sauce.  Said sauce is made with anchovies.  Americans love Ceasar salad.  Ceasar dressing is made with anchovies.  If you go to a restaurant, and request Ceasar dressing without anchovies because you think you don't like it, they make the dressing with Worcestershire sauce.  A lot of people also adore Pad Thai, the most common entry dish into Thai cuisine.  The sauce in Pad Thai is made with Nam pla.  Nam pla is fish sauce.  Nam pla, fish sauce, is made with anchovy.  You should now realize, that all along, your love, anchovy, has always been there with you- in the shadows of your stomach.  Remember, the sauce for Bun Kho isn't pure anchovy either- it's lemon fish sauce.  The first time I had it in LA I could not decipher how to make it or what it was at all.  It comes on sweet, then has a vinegary after taste.  This small topping makes the dish.  Try it once.  If you hate it, I'll finish it for you.

I'm not going to review the Pho because every time I walk in there are 30+ people eating it, which is enough of a review in itself.  When the weather declines, I'll be sure to load up.  Besides, I'm happy with my choices.  Like most restaurants I frequent, I'm greeted with a smile and often by name.  The food is also extremely fast.  No one waits more than five minutes for their food, or per course in my case.  Tank noodle is another wonderful destination at the Argyle stop off the Red Line.  However if you're not in the area, I have a back up plan.  I've created my very own Banh Mi.  It is not nearly as traditional, but arguably as tasty, and as convenient as your kitchen.  For now I will call the dish Stash Mi, but due to poor reception, please comment on a potential new name.

Stash Mi

• 4-5 French Baguettes
• 1 English Cucumber, Peeled
• 2 Jalapenos, matchsticks
• Escabeche de Cebolla (Pickled Red Onions)
• 1/2 lb Thinly Sliced Boneless Ribeye
• 1/4 Cup Sweet Soy Sauce
• 2 TBL Olive Oil
• Nam Pla for garnish
• Cilantro for garnish

You should be able to buy the onions.  If not, here is a recipe courtesy of Rick Bayless:

Escabeche de Cebolla (Picked Red Onions)

• 1 Small (6-ounce) Red Onion, sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 1/4 TSP Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 TSP Dried Oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 1/4 TSP Salt
• 1/3 Cup Cider Vinegar

1. Parboiling the onion.  Place the thinly sliced red onion in a saucepan with salted water to cover, bring to a boil, time 1 minutes, then removed from the heat and drain.
2. The pickling.  Coarsely grind the peppercorns and cumin in a mortar or spice grinder, then add to the saucepan, along with the remaining ingredients.  Pour in just enough water to barely cover the onions, bring to a boil over medium heat, time 3 minutes, then removed from the heat and pour into a small, noncorrosive bowl.  Let stand several hours before using.

Back to Stash Mi:

1. Marinate the ribeye with the sweet soy sauce in a zip-lock bag for 1-4 hours. 
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. When done marinating, heat a pan to high with 2 TBL olive oil and pat dry the beef- the key to this dish is getting a great sear.  Using a grill would be ideal.
4. While the beef is cooking, slice the baguette in half.  Hollow out the halves.  Lightly season with salt and pepper.  Give it very very light brush of olive oil.  Put in the oven and keep an eye on it.  The goal is to have the baguette thoroughly warmed, crusty, but not brown and crunchy.
5. Next, prepare the cucumber.  Slice the cucumber in half, hot dog style, then use a spoon to remove all the seeds.  Slice the cucumber hot dog style again, so the length of the cucumber is the same length of the baguette.  The goal is to have one continuous piece of cucumber throughout the sandwich.  It should be about half an inch thick.
6. Construct the sandwich.  Start by placing a slice of cucumber inside the bread.  Next, make a train of jalapeno across the sandwich.  Slather on the ribeye.  Lightly sprinkle with Nam pla.  Top with the Escabeche de Cebolla.  Garnish with 2-3 whole sprigs of cilantro.
7. Devour.

This isn't as traditional, but follows the same concepts of mixing sweet, sour, heat, temperature, and soul-satisfying goodness.  Try not to overload the dish with meat, the flavors will not be as well balanced.  Leave the cilantro whole, it looks nice for presentation, plus the stem is full of flavor.  If you're a veggie-saurus, replace the protein with fried [runny] eggs, and omit the Nam pla garnish.  If you choose to use sardines, don't marinate them in the sweet soy- consider it as a replacement garnish for the Nam pla.

The Escabeche de Cebolla is one of my favorite dishes from Rick's Authentic Mexican cookbook.  The key to the dish is having them stand several hours before use.  Remember, all those flavors are new to each other.  They need time and an icebreaker, like intercourse, to get to know each other.  I intentionally make over-sized batches so I have them on hand for sandwiches, eggs- snacks.  They will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Chicago News

Straight from Food Arts Magazine to your browsing window:

Marcus Samuelsson and Townhouse Restaurant Group made their first venture into the Windy City in June with the launch of C-House, a classic American seafood and chop house in the Affina Chicago hotel. At the helm find exec chef Seth Siegel-Gardner, who worked with both Scott Conant and Gordon Ramsay in NYC, and exec pastry chef Toni Roberts, late of Custom House. • The team behind BOKA and Landmark Bar & Grill, Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, introduced Perennial in June at 1800 N. Lincoln Ave., which touts a market driven menu by exec chef Giuseppe Tentori (who also heads up BOKA) and chef de cuisine Ryan Poli (recently of Butter). • Rick Bayless is throwing his hat into the quick-service ring, with a yet-to-be-named Mexican sandwich spot (tortería), scheduled to open in spring 2009 around the corner from Frontera Grill and Topolobampo. • In June Sepia recruited Cindy Schuman, last seen at the recently shuttered Kevin Restaurant, to replace Kim Schwenke as pastry chef.

Frontera Grill and Topolobampo

Frontera Grill and Topolobampo (break it down into syllables, you can do it) are Rick Bayless' flagship restaurants in Chicago.  It may be confusing at first as they share the front door, they are two independent beasts with upscale Mexican offerings.  Thankfully, they both supply the bar section as well.

The restaurant(s) close after lunch and reopen at 5 for dinner service.  I went after seeing Wicked and got in line 60 (names, not raw people) deep at 4:40.  Thankfully, as we all know, Chicago has the best weather in the country.  Reservations are accepted but if you didn't plan your trip last week like everyone else- get in line and sprint to the bar.  Don't bother with putting your name in just get to the bar area.  The bar offers great drinks plus FULL menus.  Where else can you enjoy over 30 tequilas and ceviche or duck tacos this far north?

The bartenders are very knowledgeable in the menu and make excellent recommendations.  They rightfully deserve the biggest tip I've left at a bar in my life.  If you're not seated at the actual bar there is a waitstaff for surrounding tables.

The menu has a great number of offerings- unfortunately most mortals can't try everything they want in a single visit.  This is a great opportunity to try things you may not ordinarily.  For example, I hate sour cream.  I'll mix 1 part sour cream to 5 parts horseradish on the side at times, but I really loathe the stuff.  Full of calories and mutes other flavors.  Rick and crew make their own sour cream.  When God decided that 'There will be sour cream,' this is what He intended.  It is nothing like that dairy aisle junk.    The details in such small things make the dishes great.

Blue marlin ceviche- the best single bite of food in my life.  I was actually able to tell Rick that at the 2008 NRA show and he smiled.  I'm not going to even try to describe something like that in words.  Go and try it, or stop by my place and I'll try to do it via interpretive dance.  Needless to say the raw bar is outstanding.

Some people don't like Mexican food because it upsets their stomach or is too spicey.  The dishes are a far cry from the bastard child cuisine most Americans are familiar with (Chipotle is NOT Mexican).  Mexican isn't about heat.  Like other genres it's about availability of resources and preservation.  Tortilla chips were born so people could consume stale tortillas- because that would be the only thing available!  This meant less food would go to waste etc et cetera.  Most dishes are born out of necessity.  Rick makes an excellent homage with upscale dishes.   Wherever you end up sitting at 445 North Clark Street, you will be transported to a place far away from home.