Chef On A Shoestring
Chef Mike Fennelly
Mecca restaurant
San Francisco, CA
Sept. 2, 2000
To find out more about Mecca Restaurant, click here.
Menu:
Summer Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Cayenne Fried Chicken with Creole Rice and Baked Tomatoes
Peach Cobbler
*Note: Recipes serve eight.*
Summer Salad
2 Heads of Romaine Lettuce (washed and dried)
1 Bunch of Arugula (washed and dried)
2 Ears of White Corn
1 Small French Baguette
2 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
Method: Steam ears of corn for approximately 4 minutes and cool. After the corn has cooled, remove the kernels from the cob. Throw away the cob. Tear romaine lettuce into pieces; cut off ends of arugula. Then toss greens to combine and set aside.
For the croutons: Split baguette lengthwise and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the bread with minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Bake at 375-degrees until golden brown for approximately 8 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
Mustard Vinaigrette:
1/4 Cup Dijon Mustard
2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method: Combine Dijon mustard, garlic, and vinegar in a medium-sized bow. Slowly whisk in olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
To Serve: Gently toss romaine, arugula with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Sprinkle corn and garlic croutons on top. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.
Cayenne Fried Chicken:
2 3-4 lbs. Chicken (Cut into chunks rather than slices)
Salt to taste
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
2 Tablespoons Cayenne Pepper
3 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Cups Buttermilk
Vegetable Oil for Deep Frying
Method: Combine salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Rub chicken with a generous amount of this mixture. Let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Combine the rest of the mixture with flour in a plastic bag and shake with chicken. Then dip the chicken in buttermilk and shake again in flour. Fry until golden brown about 10 minutes in a well-heated pan which contains vegetable oil.
Creole Rice:
2 Cups of Instant Rice (an Uncle Ben's will do fine)
2 1/2 Cups Water
1 1/2 Tablespoons Very Finely Chopped Onion
2 Teaspoons Very Finely Chopped Red Jalapeno Pepper
1 1/2 Tablespoons Very Finely Chopped Green Bell Pepper
1 1/2 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter (melted)
2 Teaspoons Salt
1/8 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder
A Pinch of Cayenne Pepper and Black Pepper to taste
Method: In a pan, combine all ingredients and mix well. Seal pan snugly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350-degrees until rice is tender for about one hour.
Baked Tomatoes:
4 Large Tomatoes (cut in half crosswise)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Chopped Basil (optional)
Method:
Place tomatoes on cookie sheet. Rub tomatoes gently with olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of chopped basil. (Optional)
Bake at 350-degrees for approximately 15 minutes.
Peach Cobbler:
1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
6 oz. Unsalted butter (diced and chilled)
1/4 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup of Whipping Cream
6 Ripe Peaches (peeled, pitted, and chopped)
Method: In a bowl of an electric mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment), combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter. Mix on medium speed to form a mealy dough. Gradually add the buttermilk and mix to combine. Then transfer the mixture to a separate bowl and reserve. In a baking dish, spoon some of the dough, place peaches on top and cover with the remaining dough. Bake at 350-degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. In the bowl of an electric mixer (fitted with a whisk) beat the cream until stiff.
Serve cobbler with a dollop of whipped cream.