The Perfect Summer BBQ Side Dish

Roasted Potatoes w/ Rosemary

This was a summer party “must have” growing up. So simple to do, yet flavorful and always a huge hit. I have taken this family recipe and put my own twist on it. Rather than leaving a potato salad out in the summer heat, add this side to any back yard BBQ. This will be the talk of any 4th of July celebration.

What you need:

Baking pan/cookie sheet with edges, large bowl, tin foil, mortar and pestle (optional)

Ingredients (Makes 10-15 servings):

5 lb bag of red potatoes (if you can find purple, use a combination of red, yellow and purple for a great presentation), chives, EVOO, 1 container cherry tomatoes, 2 yellow or red onions, 1 ear of corn, fresh rosemary, salt and pepper, sour cream (optional).

Directions:

 The corn needs to be cooked first. You can use frozen corn, but corn on the cob usually keeps small chucks of kernels together, and is easier to eat with a fork. Boil the corn until it is tender, then remove it and let cool. At this point you can preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Slice the potatoes into bit size pieces. Halve the cherry tomatoes and chop your 2 onions into large pieces. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, and onion to your large bowl. Next, you want to add a 1/2 cup of olive oil. Spread it over the mixture evenly and toss it all together, lightly seasoning with salt and pepper. Add a healthy amount of fresh rosemary. Chop the small rosemary leaves into smaller pieces, or grind them in a mortar and pestle if you have one. Add about 1/4 cup of ground rosemary to the large bowl. Toss again until the chunks of veggies are evenly coated. Cover your baking sheet or cookie sheet with tin foil. Try to have the tinfoil bend up on all 4 sides like a bowl (you do not want a lot of oil leaking onto your pan). Pour the mixture in your bowl onto your cookie sheet. Spread the contents evenly. I find that if you have the contents piled too high, the mixture cooks inconsistently. If needed, use 2 pans rather than just 1. Let the mixture cook for 40-45 minutes. Around the 20-minute mark, use a spatula and shuffle the potatoes around so they don’t start to stick to the tinfoil. To be safe, you can do this again after cooking for 30-35 minutes. While cooking, slice the corn off the ear from top to bottom. After 40-45 minutes, the potatoes should be a fully cooked and just starting to turn golden brown. The onions and tomatoes should be soft and tender. Using a spatula, scoop the contents into a bowl. Add your sliced corn over the top and lightly toss once or twice. Finely chop 4 strands of chive and add them to the bowl as a garnish. If you would like to add a little extra flavor, add a tablespoon of sour cream and carefully toss until consistent. Let the dish stand to allow the tomatoes to cool slightly, then serve warm. Cheers!

The Magical Broth that Cooks Your Dinner

Pho

Pho (pronounced like Fah) is an amazing Japanese dish that takes hours to make, but the rewords are well worth the wait. The best pho is made up of a meticulously crafted broth that simmers for hours on end, then strained and poured over a variety of veggies, meats and noodles. There are many combinations including veggie, seafood, pork, beef and chicken, or a combination of these mixed into one. I set out to make a pho that was flavorful, authentic, and didn't require most of my day to make. With that said, I give you my personal crafted pho recipe. It makes 4 servings and takes about 4 hours to make, but 3 of those hours are simmering, so you can tend to the other million things going on in your life. Because who has time to spend the entire day in the kitchen, right?

Beef Pho with greens, tripe, hoisin sauceand sriracha.

Broth:
6 qts water
2 lbs ox/beef tail
3 lbs beef neck bone
1.5 lbs beef marrow bones
1 large yellow onion, quartered
6 star anise
4 whole cloves
4" ginger root, halved
1 cinnamon stick
4 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp coriander
1 Tbsp fennel
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar

Bowl options:
1 lb thin sliced beef
1 lb sliced tripe
1 lb fresh (or dried) pho rice noodles
Thinly sliced onion
Bean sprouts, soaked in water
Lime wedges
1 finely sliced Thai chili
Scallions, soaked in water
Cilantro
Thai basil
Hoisin sauce
Sriracha

Directions:
Parboil 3 sets of bones for 10 min. Remove bones, flash chill in cold water. In a clean pot add 6 qts water. Add bones back to water. Broil ginger and onion so slightly toasted and add to water. In a skillet, lightly toast anise, cinnamon, coriander, fennel and cloves for 5 min. Place in cheese cloth and add to water. Add fish sauce, salt and sugar. Bring to boil and reduce to a simmer for 3 hours. Remove any oils or residue floating on top. Remove contents and strain broth with a fine metal strainer into another pot. Remove any remaining oils floating with a spoon or baster. Bring back to a simmer and the broth is ready to serve over selected contents in your bowl. Soak dried noodles in hot water for 15-18 min or cook fresh noodles in boiling water for 20 seconds. Fill a pho bowl 1/3 full of noodles. Add remaining desired ingredient options. Pour the broth over all ingredients until almost fully submerged. Add additional sauces (Hoisin/Sriracha) to meet your desired flavor. Cheers!