Food for Pleasure or Food for Fuel

There comes a time when a person asks him or herself whether they are eating for the pleasure of the act of eating, or they are eating the food as fuel so that they do not die from starvation. I understand both arguments. Food is fuel for us I understand this, but there comes a point when pleasure must come into play. For me, eating is as much about pleasure as it is about having enough energy to go about your day. If you don't like the taste of what you are eating, then you should be asking yourself why eat it then. I have come to this conclusion that there is pleasure in eating for many years, but living in Tel Aviv and Israel has reinforced the idea. Everything here looks amazing and for the most part it is delicious. I have had some of the best food in this country on the street. Falafel, Shwarma, Sabich( a sandwich of hummus, fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, and amba which is a pickled mango sauce), shakshuka( a dish which is eggs cooked in a picante tomato sauce), schnitzel, or even western items such as pizza and sushi can be food on the street. There is a sushi bar in the middle of Rothschild St called Japanika and you will find it packed with people stumbling from the bars and clubs around Rothschild St and the city center. The idea has also been reinforced by some of the observations I have made on some of eating habits of the people I share an apartment with. I cannot understand why someone would think a full bag of plain boiled pasta would be better than pasta with some sort of sauce. I don't understand it. Food is something to be enjoyed by all humanity. When I ask someone what their favorite food is they will probably talk on end about it because they find it pleasurable to eat it. This is how we should consume our food. We should eat not to starve, but to find pleasure. There is a difference between eating to live, and living to eat. I think I live to eat.

Marathon Market and Deli

In my opinion, every town should have a place that does sandwiches the right way. Making them fresh to order and I am not talking about having a Subway or Quiznos in your town is acceptable. I am speaking of a deli or sub shop that is not a chain. It is a place where they remember you. In my hometown of Ashland, Marathon Market and Deli serves as a bastion of the sandwich making arts. Their sandwiches are made fresh and to order. Marathon Deli though makes its claim as the wrap kings. Their specialty wraps are fantastic. I recommend most of them. The Hickory, Mayflower, Raging Bull, and Buffalo Chicken Wrap are some of my favorites. When I am home I usually have to have  wrap from Marathon to make the trip complete. So if you are in the Metrowest Area and have a sandwich craving, try Marathon Market and Deli. Enjoy!

sauteed shrimp with mushrooms.

This is a great meal that is easy to prepare. Serve with pasta, rice, couscous, or with a vegetable of your choice.

Ingredients:
shrimps
sliced button mushrooms
sliced white or yellow onion
soy sauce
lemon juice
toasted sesame seeds
paprika
chili powder
garlic powder
dried basil
sesame oil
salt and black pepper


Method:
In a saute pan, cook the sliced onions until they turn translucent. Then add some salt, pepper, and dried basil. Cook this for a minute and add the sliced mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until they are sauteed which would be four minutes. Then add the shrimp, chili powder, more dried basil, toasted sesame seeds, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cook until the shrimp curl up into a C. When this happens, add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and lemon juice. Cook for another 30 seconds and the dish is ready to serve. Enjoy!

roasted eggplant puree

This is an easy dish to make using all of the delicious eggplant that the season has to offer. It is very simple to make and it makes for a great side dish to any summer meal.

Ingredients:
Eggplant
olive oil
garlic powder
dried basil
cardamom
cumin
chili powder
chopped scallion
salt
black pepper

Method:

Coat the eggplant or eggplants with olive oil and place on a baking sheet with aluminium foil. Set your broiler to high. Place the eggplant under the broiler for 4 minutes per side. The eggplant will be down when a toothpick comes out clean and does not stick. Once removed from the broiler, make an incision and remove the flesh. In a bowl combine the spices and herbs with the roasted eggplant. With a potato masher, combine the ingredients with olive oil. Mix until everything is combined. You can serve it hot or cold it does not matter. Enjoy!

Dah Mee

I am always looking for something different. A cuisine that i have not had a lot of is Korean. If you are in the Metrowest area, check out Dah Mee in Natick, MA. They specialize in Korean, Japanese, and Thai cuisine. I would stick with one when you go. I decided on the Korean menu and it was the right choice. The miso soup was good, but the appetizer and main dish were really special. The appetizer was a Korean vegetable pancake called Bin Dai Duk. It was served on a hot cast iron plate. It was crispy on the outside and still warm and gooey in the center. Then for dinner was the Ok Dol Bi Bim Bap, which is rice served with Korean beef, sesame oil, chili paste, assorted vegetables, fried egg, and served in a hot stone pot. It come to table sizzling just like the pancake. I highly suggest this when you go. It simple, but its delicious. For something different try Dah Mee for some Korean delights. ENJOY!

Cabbyshack: the best chowdah evah

New England is known for its bounty of the sea. The seafood is considered some of the best in the country. So its no wonder that New England has some of the best seafood restaurants. One of my favorites is the Cabbyshack in Plymouth, MA. Right on the water, the Cabbyshack is a great place for seafood. Its known locally for having the best Clam Chowdah, which is a bold statement. The chowdah is the best I have had ever, and I have had a lot of chowdah in my life. It is so thick that you can stick your spoon in the middle of the bowl and the spoon will stand up on its own. Besides having the best chowdah in the country, there is a wide variety of seafood delicacies such as fried clams, massive lobster rolls, fish and chips, and boiled lobsters. If you are ever near Plymouth, MA, definitely stop by and have a bowl or cup of chowdah by the sea. I guarantee you will love it. Enjoy!

stuffed peppers

This report is part of my investigation of making stuffed vegetables. I have shown how to stuff zucchini, now its time to stuff some bell peppers.

Recipe:

green bell peppers, with the top cut off and the seeds removed

diced green bell peppers( use the tops of the pepper)

precooked rice

diced tomatoes

diced onions

granulated garlic 

black pepper

salt

dried oregano

diced summer squash

tomato sauce

Method:

Take green bell peppers and cut the top off so you can stuff the pepper. After cutting the top off take out the white part and the seeds. With the tops dice them into small pieces. 

In a saute pan with olive oil cook the onions first for about 3 minutes. Then add the salt pepper, granulated garlic, and dried oregano. Then add the diced bell peppers, and diced summer squash. Cook that for about 4 minutes. Then after 4 minutes, add the tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes. 

When the veggie mixture is ready, take off the heat and add the rice. Mix the precooked rice with the veggies. Then stuff into the peppers. Place in a baking dish or hotel pan with tomato sauce and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

After 30 to 40 minutes, the peppers will be ready. This is a great dish for vegetarians. Enjoy!

John Harvard's Brewery and Ale House

For any beer and food lover, there is a seat for you at John Harvard's Brewery and Ale House. The name of this establishment should send signals that they specialize in brewing their own craft beer. They do this excellently, but excellent beer is even better with good food. The food John Harvard's serves is awesome. They have all of the classic bar food appetizers, pizzas, and burgers that you would expect to find.  Yet, John Harvard's offers great daily specials, entrees, and salads as well so every palate will be pleased. I had the seafood pasta special with penne, mussels, calamari, shrimp, and cod. For beer, I suggest the Minuteman IPA for beer. It is very floral and has a bitter bite which is unique to the IPA. IF you like good food try John Harvard's in Harvard Square or in Framingham, MA. Enjoy!

wild rice stuffed zucchini

There are many vegetable preparations that involve stuffing the vegetable with something delicious that adds a burst of flavor. One such dish is stuffed zucchini. To make stuffed zucchini here is an ingredient list.

Zucchinis

precooked wild rice

diced onions

diced tomatoes

dried basil 

dried oregano

granulated garlic

olive oil 

tomato sauce 

salt 

black pepper

Method

Cut the ends off of the zucchinis. Then with a paring knife or an apple corer, take out the center of the zucchinis. In this process you will also de-seed the zucchinis. 

For the filling, saute the diced onions until they begin to caramelize. Then some salt and pepper along with the dried basil and dried oregano. Cook for a minute and then add the diced tomatoes. Cook for two minutes. Then take off the heat and add the wild rice. Combine the ingredients. 

Then take the filling and stuff the zucchinis. When the zucchinis are filled, place in a baking dish with tomato sauce halfway from the top. Cover with aluminium foil and bake in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 to 40 minutes. 

This recipe is completely vegetarian. If you are not a vegetarian, try them first with out meat. They are just as delicious. If you insist having meat in them, try any ground meat or sausage. After adding the tomatoes you would add the ground meat until it is cooked through. Enjoy!

Drinktime: Mayflower IPA

I love to drink IPAs. They are known for being a more bitter than most other ales and lagers due to the amount of hops used in the brewing process. I love the bitter complexities that an IPA brings. One of the better American IPAs that I have had is the Mayflower IPA. Mayflower Brewing Company is out of historic Plymouth, Massachusetts (Hence the name Mayflower). The Mayflower IPA is not as bitter as other IPAs, but it has just the right amount of bitterness that makes this beer very pleasing to the palate. The Mayflower IPA has 7.0% ABV so it is stronger than a typical beer. Mayflower IPA is a great choice, but it may be harder to find outside of New England. Cheers and Enjoy!

daikon radish salad

This is a very easy salad to make and is great for a hot summer day.

1 peeled daikon radish

1 peeled carrot

1 red delicious apple 

soy sauce 

ground ginger

a pinch of wasabi powder 

sliced sticks cucumber

Method:

Grate the daikon radish, carrot, and apple. Cut the cucumber into sticks. Make sure to remove the excess liquid from the grated carrot and grate daikon radish. Combine the ingredients with the dressing which is the soy sauce, ground ginger, and a pinch of wasabi powder. Enjoy with as a nice side with grilled teriyaki chicken or fish. You can also add toasted sesame seeds and toasted sesame oil to add another layer of flavor. Enjoy!

bourekas

It seems that many cultures have similarities when it comes to there food. One of these similarities is that many cuisines around the world have a filled pastry. In Spanish and Latino cultures the empanada is king. Yet in the eastern Mediterranean the borek, or boureka is very common. Bourekas can be found in Israel, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and other Middle Eastern countries that were once part of the Ottoman Empire. A boureka is puff pastry or phyllo dough that is stuffed with fillings of meat, vegetables or  cheese. The bourekas I made are filled with mashed sweet potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and sauteed onions. Take squares of puff pastry and put the mashed sweet potato mixture onto the puff pastry sheet. Then fold the pastry over so you get a triangle. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until good brown and delicious. Enjoy!

Gyros

When the bartender at your local watering hole makes his last call for alcohol, there are many delicious and greasy foods that drinkers across the world will claim is the cure for what ails you. The best food for some people who have drank too much might be a huge slice of pizza. Others would say it would be a hot dog, or cheeseburger. Then there are those in England, Germany, and Turkey for example that say the doner kebab is the best thing to eat after a night of drinking. For many Americans, the doner kebab is known better by its Greek name, Gyros. In the Middle East, it is known as Shwarma. All of these delights are similar in that it is usually marinated meat layered with onions and spices onto a vertical skewer and cooked by rotating the vertical skewer. The Gyros is meat such as lamb, veal,chicken, pork, beef, turkey, or a combination of lamb and beef sometimes. Gyros can be is served on a thick pita bread with lettuce, onion, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce. Tzatziki sauce is a yogurt based sauce with dill, parsley, lemon, garlic, cucumbers, salt, pepper, and olive oil. The fat and protein from the meat and the carbohydrates from the bread help to soak up all of the bad hooch you have been drinking. Even though, the Gyros is great for when you have too many, it is also delicious to eat. So it doesn;t matter whether you have had too many or none at all. The Gyros is just a delicious sandwich. Enjoy!

Mike's Pastry

If you ever find yourself wandering around the North End of Boston, you will stumble upon a plethora of Italian dining options. From pizza to pasta, the North End has all of the Italian culinary delights one can desire. There is however a debate about which pastry shop is the best and both can be found on Hanover St. Mike's Pastry and Modern Pastry are the two establishments in question. Both bakeries clientele are set in their ways. If your parents go to Mike's that is where you go for the best cannoli in the city. If your parents go to Modern, you go to Modern. I have been going to Mike's because that's where I think the best cannoli are in Boston. If you are ever in Boston you can indentify a customer of Mike's by the iconic white box with blue lettering. It is the way Mike's packages their sweet delights. Everywhere you go you will be stopped by tourists or people who are not in the know of where they can find the deliciousness that is a cannoli from Mike's Pastry.

To understand the greatness of the cannoli, one will have to know what a cannoli actually is. Hailing from Sicily, a cannoli is a fried tubular pastry dough filled with a sweet filling typically made with ricotta cheese, sugar, and other goodies such as fruit or chocolate. Marscapone cheese has been used as a substitute for the ricotta but for the most part ricotta cheese is used most often. The selection of cannoli at Mike's is wide. The variety is so immense that you can have a traditional cannoli or you can have one dipped in chocolate. There is a limoncello flavored cannoli, or you can have a cannoli that has chocolate chips in the filling just to name a few. The lines are staggering when you arrive. Sometimes on a nice weekend, you can barely make your way into the entrance. Everyone comes from the cannoli, but they are also famous for their rum cake, and their other italian favorites such as the lobstertails or sfogliatelle. If you are a tourist in Boston and have little time to see the sights, go to Mike's and eat your way through Boston. There is nothing better than eating a cannoli and knowing everything is in its right place.

Infinium by Sam Adams

Miller High Life maybe the champagne of beers, but it is not even a champagne style beer. Infinium by Sam Adams can be the actually called the champagne of beers because it actually is a champagne style beer. Infinium uses the same malted barley, hops, water, and yeast that all beers need. The taste is beer through and through, but the mouth feel of the beer is of champagne. It is resembles a champagne also in that it has an alcohol content of 10.3%. It is expensive for a beer, but it is a very special brew that it deserves the price. It is a beer experience that is unique and makes Sam Adams one of my favorite breweries. They have such a wide variety of brews that are delicious and are worth the money you have to pay for it. Cheers and Enjoy!

Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage

The great debate about which restaurant has the best hamburger in the country will bring you across this  great country. The hamburger could be the most American of foods, so it is hard to find the best place for them. There is one such restaurant that specializes in the art of making the hamburger. Across from Harvard University you can find Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage. On any beautiful weekend day, you will find a line out the door for lunch and dinner. Really the line never stops. You will find here burger nirvana. They have a list of burger combinations with crazy names or named after celebrities. There is the Viagra burger which has blue cheese dressing and bacon. The Jersey Shore Burger with bacon, cheese, and grilled onions and mushrooms. The Democrat burger with swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing. The Tom Brady burger with guacamole, and cheese. Besides the funky names, the burgers here are special in that they are all beef and are cooked on a flattop grill. Cooking them on the flattop in my opinion makes the best burgers. The burgers have a crispy crust to them that you will not achieve on a charcoal grill or propane grill. The burger cooks better also on the flattop because the juices do not escape beneath the grill. The juices  stay in the burger and you will have a very juicy and delicious burger that way.  To accompany your burger you will have the best french fries and onion rings. You can also try their lime rickey's, and frappes to drink. A frappe is a milkshake made with ice cream.  The ambiance is wicked. The walls are covered with funny posters and other nicknacks. I always like to bring friends here because it is one place that you  can not replicate anywhere. This is not only in my opinion the best burger in the Boston Area, but in the USA. I know that you can find great burgers made of prime beef and wagyu(Kobe) beef. The Bartley's Burger though is not over 50 dollars and quite frankly if you pay $50 for a hamburger than I think you are crazy. If you are ever in the Boston area, make your way to Harvard Square and follow Mass Ave until you reach Bartley's. I guarantee you will have a great experience. Enjoy!

Zaftigs

The definition of comfort food can contain a wide variety of cuisines. As an American, comfort food can vary from chicken parm to cheeseburgers. Comfort food though still has a distinct ethnic and regional characteristic. For any southern, collard greens, fried chicken, and sweet tea. For any Italian-American, pasta accompanies most meals. For American Jews, the deli is comfort food Valhalla. In no other place can one sample the delights of pastrami, corned beef, knishes, chopped chicken liver,and a variety of smoked and cured fish products that can be put on a bagel. One of these delis that I speak of is Zaftigs. Zaftigs serves the its delicious Jewish deli delights in Brookline, Ma on Harvard St. and now in Natick, Ma, in Sherwood Plaza where Joan and Ed's Deli use to be. When I crave a good deli sandwich, I know where I find one. I highly suggest the Joan & Ed, which is a pastrami and chopped liver sandwich served on pumpernickel, and the Jack & Marion's, which is a hot corned beef,  beef tongue, and pastrami on cissel bread. If you are grossed out by beef tongue you should not be. When prepared the way it is done at Zaftigs, it tastes like the best pot roast ever. To complete your meal you will have to have the pickles, and a Dr Brown's cream soda. Give Zaftigs a try if you are craving a great sandwich, or looking for good Jewish comfort food. Enjoy!

Homemade Sushi

Making sushi is a very difficult task. It is much more about the rice than it is the fish. My friend Adam wanted to make it for his family and also wanted to share the experience with me. This is how we made our sushi. To make sushi, the rice must be soaked for about 10-15 minutes before cooking. Then if you have a rice cooker, use that to cook the rice. If you don't have a rice cooker you can use a regular sized pot for rice. Bring a pot of water to a boil and then once it boils, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook at a simmer for 15 minutes. Then after 15 minutes, bring off the heat and steam the rice for 10 minutes. The important part of the sushi rice making process is the vinegar solution. We used rice vinegar combined with sugar and salt. We then heated the mixture in the microwave to dissolve the sugar and salt. Then you have to fan the rice and carefully pour the vinegar mixture over the rice. It is important to not make the rice that wet. The drier the rice the better. We made many different makimono. We made cucumber maki, spicy tuna maki, yellowtail(which is also called hamachi), marinated baby octopus( these were cooked and marinated in a teriyaki type sauce which was irresistable) , regular tuna with cucumber and avocado, and salmon. We served surumi, and sashimi of tuna, yellowtail, and salmon. Sashimi and Sushi are two different things though. Sushi is fish with vinegared rice, while sashimi is just thin sliced raw fish. We ended the meal with amazing rambutan. Rambutan is a fruit in the same family as lychee, but it is much sweeter. When shopping for the fish, make sure you buy fish that is of sushi quality. You don't want to eat fish that is not for sushi. The fresher the fish, the better. My friend Adam and I went to H Mart, which is an amazing Asian supermarket. They cater to many Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese. They sell many Asian products that you would not find in your typical American supermarket. Enjoy!

Ballpark Cuisine

Nothing is more American than going to a baseball game. The fans supporting their team, the smells coming from the food, and the history of the game of Baseball is all part of the experience. If someone from abroad asked me where should I go to see a baseball game in America, I would say Fenway Park or Wrigley Field. They are the last relics of a by-gone era of baseball. Nowadays, a stadium is old when it is 10 years old. Wrigley and Fenway are diamonds in the rough. Fenway Park was built in 1912 and is celebrating its 100 year anniversary this year. Wrigley was built in 1914. The next oldest baseball stadium is Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and that was built in 1962. For me, going to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox is not just to root for the home team, its about tradition. My grandfather took my mom to see games, and now she takes me to games. It is about continuing the tradition. I know people say Fenway Park sucks as a ballpark because there are some seats with obstructed views, but that is the charm of the place. No other professional sports club in America plays in a stadium that is 100 years old. Its unheard of. To know that at least three generations of my family have been going to Fenway Park to watch the Red Sox is something no other fan base can brag about. For me, Fenway should never be replaced. It is a historical site that should never be torn down. Too much history has happened there. Modern ballparks are about how much stuff you can do at the ballpark. Fenway on the other hand is solely about baseball. You go to cheer for the Red Sox and that's it. You don't sit in a luxury box finishing a business deal. Fenway simply put is baseball.

There are a few things to know if you go to any ballpark across America. The food is going to be pricey. Concession prices have skyrocketed in the past couple of years. A beer at Fenway costs 8 bucks, which is insane in my opinion. A hot dog costs 6 dollars when in reality you can buy the same hot dog on the street for 2 bucks. The variety of food options has changed too. Now you can get Dunkin Donuts coffee and Legal Seafood Clam Chowdah(Chowder) at Fenway. The old standby however is the Italian sausage  with peppers and onions. You can smell it walking around Fenway. Vendors seduce you with the intoxicating smells of the grilling meat. It is a smell that is undeniable and will probably never leave the ballpark. An Italian sausage with peppers and onions is Fenway and will always be a Fenway favorite. It would be a travesty if they stopped serving them. Fenway Park, is the ballpark to go to. It should be on every baseball fans bucket list. If you are a Red Sox fan and have never been, you need to get your life priorities in check because Fenway is a temple to baseball. So drop whatever you are doing and buy tickets if you have never been, it will be the best baseball experience you will have. Enjoy and GO SOX!

teriyaki chicken kabobs

I had the inspiration to make yakitori, which are chicken skewers from Japan that are marinated or seasoned with a special teriyaki sauce. I combined the yakitori idea with regular kabobs with onions and peppers.

Marinade:
soy sauce
sesame oil
lemon juice
cinnamon
cumin
honey
maple syrup
ground ginger
black pepper
sriracha
garlic powder

Chicken:
Two chicken breasts
skewers
a small onion
half a red pepper

Method:
Combine the marinade ingredients into a ziploc bag and make sure all of the ingredients are combined.
Then cut the chicken into chunks. Place the chicken chunks in the marinade and marinate for about an hour or however long you would like.  At this time I like to soak the wooden skewers for the kabobs. Soak at least for an hour so they do not ignite on the grill. Cut the onions and the peppers into chunks. Place onion and pepper and then chicken onto the skewers. Then on a medium heat cook the skewers for 3 and a half minutes on each of the four sides. The whole cooking process should take 14 minutes. If you do not have a grill, you may use a grill pan or a broiler. Serve with a side of rice or rice pilaf and a vegetable of your choice. This is delicious anytime of the year, but especially during the summer when its nice outside. Enjoy!

Sam Adams Alpine Spring

Now that the nice weather is back, summer beers are back. The Summer Ale by Sam Adams is great, but there is another offering by Sam Adams that is perfect for the beautiful summer weather. Sam Adams Alpine Spring is that offering. Alpine Spring is a citrusy unfiltered lager. So if you want to try something new for the summer, give Sam Adams Alpine Spring a try. It is refreshing for a lager which suits the season. Cheers!

brownies

This brownie recipe might be the best. It makes the best brownies. If its the brownie recipe my mom uses then it has to be good. Here it is to indulge your sweet tooth.

Ingredients:
1 cup of butter
4 eggs
1 cup flour
4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate
2 cups of sugar
1.6 ounce package of semisweet chocolate chips ( do not add any more than 6 ounces because the brownies will turn out too wet.

Method:
preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9" by 13" baking pan. Line the bottom and sides with foil and grease the foil as well. melt the butter and leave it to cool. Melt the chocolate over a saucepan of hot water(not boiling). Use a double-boiler for this. Once the chocolate has melted, make sure there is no water on the bottom of the bowl and set aside. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar untl they are thickened. Then beat in the melted butter and chocolate until the mixture is smooth. With the mixer on the lowest setting, beat in the flour until it is incorporated. Then with a spatula, stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan. shake the pan so the batter is distributed evenly. Bake the brownies for 25 minutes or until the top has set. Transfer to a cooling rack and let it cool for a half a day and as long as overnight. Slide a knife all around the edge of the foil to release it. Tip the pan upside down on a board so the brownies fall out of the pan. Peel the foil and cut the brownies. It is an easy recipe and it makes some of the best brownies. Happy Baking and Enjoy!

Tzimmes

Tzimmes is a traditional Eastern European Jewish vegetable side dish made from carrots, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. It is a perfect accompaniment to brisket.

ingredients:
2 regular potatoes  peeled and sliced
2 sweet potatoes peeled and sliced
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
handful of white raisins
1/4 cup maple syrup
6 peeled and sliced carrots

Method:
Boil the vegetables for 20 minutes while making sure they keep their shape. After they boil for 20 minutes. Grease a baking pan and set the oven to 350 degrees. combine all of the ingredients and place in the baking pan. Cook for an hour and 25 minutes. Every 15-20 minutes bast the vegetables with the orange juice. Serve with beef brisket or roast chicken and you have a delicious side dish. Enjoy!

brisket sandwich

I love using leftovers to make something delicious. I had leftover brisket and i thought it would be perfect as a sandwich. I heated up some of the leftover brisket and toasted two pieces of bread. When the brisket was reheated, I add some English cheddar with caramelized onions in it to the sandwich. It sure is a sloppy sandwich but worth it. The brisket gets better the second day so for leftover brisket, make a sandwich out of it. You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

More Brisket for your health

I know I have said this before, but brisket is one of my favorite foods ever. Smoked, or braised, Brisket is king. This brisket recipe uses red wine and some special spices.

Ingredients
a brisket
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
a bottle of chili sauce
3/4 cup of red wine ( I used Zinfandel)
salt
pepper
2 sliced onions
2 cloves of garlic minced

Method:

In a frying pan with some oil, brown the brisket on both sides. When both sides of the brisket are browned, put the brisket into a roasting pan.In the frying pan saute the onions and be sure to scrap up all of the stuck on bits. After the onions have cooked for about 4 minutes add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Then add the wine, dijon, cinnamon,brown sugar, and chili sauce to deglaze. Once the pan has deglazed, add the liquid to the roasting pan. Set your oven to about 325-350 degrees. Cook the brisket for about 4 hours with the roasting pan tightly covered. The meat should rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with the roasting liquid and tzimmes, an Eastern European Jewish potato dish. Enjoy!