New York State; a place that many of us know for the most populous city in the US, New York (aka the Big Apple). Home of Broadway, Wall Street, Carnegie Hall, 5th Avenue, Central Park, Edgar Allen Poe’s house or interpretative reconstruction thereof , the New York Public Library, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and many other famous venues that are universally known.
As you may have guessed, though, today’s diary focuses more on the cuisine of New York, including some regional delicacies you might not have known about! Follow me over the fold for more…
We begin with a classic Italian dish, a bake. Mmmmm!
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the sausage until browned. Transfer the cooked sausage to a large baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into the skillet, and cook the potatoes, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Place the potatoes into the baking dish, leaving some oil. Cook and stir the green and red peppers and onions in the hot skillet until they are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the baking dish. Pour wine and chicken stock over the vegetables and sausage, and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Gently stir the sausage, potatoes, and vegetables together.
- Bake in the preheated oven until hot and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot.
Many other cities in New York State have their own regional or local delicacies that they are proud of. One such dish is the Syracuse Salt Potatoes. Syracuse was known as the salt capital of the US for quite a while.
- Wash the potatoes and set aside. Fill a large pot with water; stir in salt until it no longer dissolves and settles on the bottom. Place potatoes in the pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain; cover to keep hot.
- While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a small pan over medium high heat, or in microwave. Serve immediately poured over potatoes.
Not to be outdone, Buffalo has its own contribution to NY cuisine: buffalo wings!
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with cooking spray. Place the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt into a resealable plastic bag, and shake to mix. Add the chicken wings, seal, and toss until well coated with the flour mixture. Place the wings onto the prepared baking sheet, and place into the refrigerator. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Whisk together the melted butter and hot sauce in a small bowl. Dip the wings into the butter mixture, and place back on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and crispy on the outside, about 45 minutes. Turn the wings over halfway during cooking so they cook evenly.
If you’re looking for something more hearty, despair not. More is still to come!
This sandwich is described as “the most delicious unknown sandwich in the country” and this recipe’s author even claims that it surpasses buffalo wings in deliciousness. Now that’s not a claim to be made lightly!
- Season beef with salt and black pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef roast in hot oil until browned on all sides on each side, 4 to 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 125 degrees F (52 degrees C). Transfer beef to a plate to rest.
- Remove skillet from heat and whisk flour into skillet until flour taste cooks off, about 1 minute. Pour cold beef broth into skillet; place skillet over medium-high heat. Stir balsamic vinegar, black pepper, and any accumulated juices from the roast beef plate into beef broth mixture; cook until jus reduces slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.
- Slice sirloin as thinly as possible against the grain. Pile meat onto the base of each roll. Spread a thick layer of horseradish on the top bun and place top bun over meat. Serve with jus for dipping.
When I first heard of the term “garbage plate”, I honestly didn’t know what to think. I thought it was a dish that was made of meats and vegetables that were about to go bad, and then people ate it (willingly?!). Little did I know how wrong I was…
A good garbage plate needs a good gravy. This particular recipe sounds very authentic and I have no doubt it would go well!
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease.
- Transfer the cooked beef to a blender and blend until the meat is finely minced. Bring the minced beef, water, vinegar, paprika, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, allspice, cloves, cumin, thyme, and cinnamon to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat; cook for at least 30 minutes, adding water as needed to keep the mixture moist and gravy-like.
Garbage Plate Sauce
To round off today’s menu, two desserts. The first one looks rather scary but can be made with different frosting. Alternately, it may be perfect for Halloween (yes, it’s June, but who says you can’t get a headstart on the scary?)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter 2 baking sheets.
- In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the milk, vanilla, and lemon extract. Combine cake flour and all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually blend into the creamed mixture. Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake until edges begin to brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Cool completely.
- Place confectioners sugar in large bowl. Mix in boiling water one tablespoon at a time until mixture is thick and spreadable. (Add more than the indicated amount if you need to).
- Transfer half of the frosting to the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Stir in the chocolate. Warm mixture, stirring frequently, until the chocolate melts. Remove from heat.
- With a brush, coat half the cookie with chocolate frosting and the other half with the white frosting. Set on waxed paper until frosting hardens.
Black and White Cookies
Probably the most famous dessert associated with New York is cheesecake. I confess, I have a weakness for good cheesecake (particularly if it involves tiramisu).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Mix together the cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl until evenly moistened. Press into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in the eggs, 1 tablespoon of vanilla, and cream of tartar. Pour over the pie crust.
- Bake in preheated oven until the center is set, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool on counter for 5 minutes.
- Mix together the sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl until smooth; carefully pour over cheesecake starting from the sides of the pan and working your way to the center.
- Return to oven for another 5 minutes. Allow to cool in pan to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.
New York Cheesecake Recipe
That’s all for now; happy cooking!