Morel Mushroom Challenge



Me in my Derby Outfit.
 I love any excuse to cook
something amazing in a
oversized fancy hat!



Okay, first and foremost, allow me to apologize for my lack of posting over the past couple months.  It has been absolute craziness (about to be starting new career-teaching, quitting my old job, and am actually working a second partime job as a server at new, and awesome, Leader Bar in Irving Park area).  No worries though, this is the start of me posting at least a couple times of month.  So look forward to deliciously simple and tasty recipes.

The real point of said post is to try my hand at winning 2lbs of morel mushrooms from Marx Foods.  In order to do so, I was sent a sampler pack of dried Morel mushrooms for which I was supposed to come up with an original hors d' oevre recipe.  So I wracked my brain for culinary genius and came up with Morel Mushroom and Goat Cheese Fried Raviolis.  I decided to cook for my wonderful boyfriend (and cooking muse) Joe, and our two best friends Danielle and Adam sort of in celebration of the Kentucky Derby.  Though really I just love any excuse to wear an oversized, fancy hat!  I am happy to report that their response to my, hopefully award winning, appetizer was a resounding "mmm, mmm, good".  In fact the quote of the evening was from Joe who said that "this appetizer is so good that I have to make up a word to describe it-----SCRUMPTULESCENT".  Oh Joe, thankfully he makes me laugh so hard, that I burn off all those extra calories from the delish foods we make and eat together! For the entree for the evening I accompanied the dish of the night, with Herb and Lemon Roasted Chicken Quarters and Rosemary Olive Oil Broasted Red Potatoes.  But now without further ado:

Morel Mushroom and Goat Cheese Fried Raviolis

with Arugala, Truffle Oil, and Fresh Lemon Juice

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz goat cheese
• 1/3 cup whole milk Ricotta cheese
• 8-16 oz of Morel Mushrooms (roughly chopped), depends on how mushroomy you want it
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 4 medium cloves of garlic minced
• 24 Won Ton Wrappers
• 2-3 handfulls of Baby Arugala
• 2-3oz Shaved Asiago Cheese or Pecarino
• Half a Lemon
• White Truffle Oil
• cracked pepper
• sea salt or Truffle Salt
• Canola Oil or Peanut Oil for frying
• small bowl of water (for wonton wrappers)

1. Bring goat cheese to room temperature in order for easy mixing.
2. Combine goat cheese, ricotta, mushrooms, lemon zest, garlic, dash of salt, and dash of pepper.  Mix thoroughly.
3. Take a wonton wrapper, and place about a teaspoon full in middle of wonton.
4. Using your finger, dip in water and trace the inner edge of the wonton with the water in order to more securely seal shut.
5. Fold wonton in half in order to form a triangle.  You should have a little bit extra wrapper around the edge, fold in on itself, and seal using a fork.
6. Place to the side, and continue until all of your filling is gone.  This should make approximately 24 raviolis.
7. In the mean time, bring oil up to frying temperature.  Once this is achieved start frying up the raviolis in batches.  Using a metal slotted spoon make sure there is even browning on both sides.
8. Once browned, place on paper towel lined platter.
9. After all raviolis are fried place on platter.  Take baby arugala and spread a handful or two over top of raviolis.
10. Drizzle truffle oil evenly over the top, and squeeze the half of lemon over arugala.
11. Sprinkle shaved asiago over the top, and salt and pepper to taste.
12. ENJOY!!!!!



Herb Roasted Chicken Quarters
Rosemary and Olive Oil Broasted Potatoes



"Oh sweet gods of coney, to whom should I pledge thy loyal taste buds to?".

Really this meal should be drank with a Vernors!

So those of you out there that THINK you know what a real coney dog tastes like, you are soooo sadly mistaken.  This however is not where your conundrum truly lies. It stems from what has been plaguing Detroiters for nearly 100 YEARS: American or Lafayette?  Now that, Mr. Shakespear, is the real question.

I know many of you who read this blog know nothing about D-town, and anything you think you know usually involves snide comments and looking down your nose.  Well let me tell you something,  Detroit might not be any Chicago in terms of its mass transit, or overall aesthetically pleasing exteriors, but hell if we don't know how to have a good time, and cook some of the best genre's of food you'll have been fortunate enough to devour, but I digress.

A little history behind why the American and Lafayette Coney of choice is so intriguing:  Back in 1917,  American Coney Island in downtown Detroit, was established by Greek immigrant Gust Keros. Keros and his brother got into an argument soon after opening and split their restaurant into two parts--the present day Lafayette and American Coney Islands, which as you can see from above, are literally right next door to each other. Both restaurants are still owned by the descendants of the two Keros brothers, and each has a very loyal following of fans.  These infamous Detroit establishments have become more nationally renowned recently being featured on both The Travel Channel's FOOD WARS and Man Vs. Food.

Over the Christmas holiday Joe came to visit me and the fam in D-town, and although I had a lovely afternoon planned of walking through the Belle Isle Conservatory, and drinking coffee from Caribou, he informed me that his activity of choice was replicating Adam Richman's Detroit Man vs Food experience.  Included on the food docket was: an American vs Lafayette Coney dog challenge, and eating the Triple Threat Sandwich (Applewood bacon, pulled pork and ham stacked high served on Texas Toast or Poppy Seed Roll) from Slow's BBQ in Corktown.  Which honestly is some of the best BBQ I've had, and this is coming from someone who lived down south. 

We were off and running early, without eating breakfast (or else we surely would have NEVER gotten through the trip).  We started at Lafayette, and I SWEAR it isn't because my family is a tried and true supporter.  I admit, I was a little afraid that my Dad would make good on his threat, and force Joe to sleep in the garage if he came back and told him that American was his coney of choice, (ha, and you think I'm kidding!) but never would I allow that fear to  bias Joe's viewpoint, this was a serious scientific study!

From Joe's first mouthwatering bite, his eyes lit up, and he mowed through the entirety of his first coney with everything (chili, onion, mustard).  Of course we ordered Vernors to wash it all down with, anything else would have been uncivilized. After paying, we walked out the front door, and snuck over to American (which didn't take much sneaking considering the proximity).  Again we ordered another Coney with everything, and a Vernors.  The twinkle was still in Joe's eye while eating it, I mean it was a delish chili dog, but I could already tell there was something not quite right.  Now before I told him my take on the difference, I asked him his honest opinion.  He definitely loved the snap of American's hot dog, BUT when it came down to it the flavor of the chili from Lafayette finally won him over.  Oh joyous day! 

Now my opinion, in case anyone cares, was exactly the same.  Both overall are great chili dogs, however the flavors of Lafayette simply shined through.  Not to mention the Vernors from American tasted more like Canada Dry than that glorious gingery sensation that Vernors should be. (Us Michiganders love our Vernors!).  Plus you can't beat the greasy spoon atmosphere of Lafayette.  Where as American looks like a Johnny Rockets threw up in there....okay now I am being a little bias ;0)  But hey thats what we are all about in Dtown, loyalty to our Coney's, through and through!

So after the rigorous Coney Island Challenge of 2010, it was off to Slow's BBQ.  The place was PACKED.  Thankfully we ended up finding two seats up at the bar, sitting next to two very hilarious and friendly african american gentleman.  Who informed us that whoever they sit next to at Slow's they have to buy a shot of Bison Grass Vodka.  Of course we couldn't turn it down, that would have just been rude.  Needless to say, if you ever have the chance, GET the Bison Grass Vodka.  It tastes of honey and lemon, just delicious.  Add a couple of pints that the best of Michigan Breweries has to offer, and you are talking about a highly enjoyable afternoon.


 Unfortunately, the day was a little too much for Joe, because after a hearty dinner that my mother prepared and a couple glasses of delish red wine, he was definitely on beyond food coma.  Though he did open his eyes, and his mouth, for a single bite of Rum Pie.