Super Bowl Munchies cooking demo held at library
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE -- The Cape May County Library is
onto something with its new in-house cooking demonstrations. Held on the
bottom floor of the main branch of the library here on Mechanic Street
(oh how I felt sorry for those on the two floors above, as the aromas
coming from the cooking of Chili Con Carne, Buffalo Wings, Sweet and
Sour Meatballs, among other items, must have been so distracting) this
past Saturday, a full house of pre-registered guests learned how to
prepare classic Super Bowl Munchies from Chef Mark Kalla.
Kalla, of Cape May Court House, was responsible for developing the
Avalon Anchorage Marina restaurant and operated and owned The Barrier
Island Inn restaurant. Kalla was also the head chef at The Backyard and
Fishtails, both in Stone Harbor. Currently, he is the food service
director of the Avalon Elementary School cafeteria and teaches culinary
instruction to children during the summer.
This was the second of four planned cooking demonstrations at the
library and was the first on the brand new portable cooking station that
is the proud new baby of library Adult Program Coordinator Karen
Johnson.
The station, which was shipped across the country and arrived just this
past month, is equipped with running water, two cooking stations and an
overhead mirror, so that the audience can watch what is being cooked,
how the food is prepared and the finished product before sampling at the
end of the two-hour class.
“It really makes the demonstration so much better,” said Johnson, who
had many more people on a waiting list for the Super Bowl show in
addition to the approximately 36 in attendance.
Kalla, who is also a piano teacher, taught the class how to prepare six
appetizers under the auspices of making up a classic Super Bowl spread,
but many of the dishes could be served to an individual family, taken to
a dinner party or any other social occasion.
He prepared Chili Con Queso, Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Buffalo Wings,
Artichoke and Swiss Cheese Dip in a Rye Bread Bowl, Queso Cheese Dip,
Homemade Salsa, and Pigs in a Blanket.
But he also answered questions, made the crowd laugh with funny
anecdotes, and taught them culinary skills like how to correctly hold a
knife, how to sharpen a knife, where to buy certain ingredients and how
to adjust a recipe to one’s taste.
“Recipes are just a collection of ratios,” he explained at one point.
“They are there to adjust, to insert what you like, or to remove what
you don’t like.”
For example, in the Chili Con Carne recipe, he said if you don’t like
green bell peppers, use a red one; if you want a mild chili, use a
jalapeno, but you want a real three-alarm chili, try a Scotch bonnet or
habanero pepper; and if you don’t like kidney beans, use white beans or
black beans, and add vegetables like corn for another twist.
He added unusual twists to traditional recipes like his homemade Buffalo
Wing sauce by adding liquid smoke that really took the flavor to a new
level. And he made a sweet and sour sauce less intimidating by revealing
that he just uses equal parts of grape jelly and chili sauce. Some in
the audience were skeptical, asking about using more expensive or
unusual ingredients than your typical concord grape jelly, but they
quickly believed during the sampling portion, as the Sweat and Sour
Meatballs was the first dish to disappear.
On a personal note, I took my son to the class, and after he sampled the
food, he looked at me and said, “Dad, we have to make these at home.”
I asked him, “Which ones?”
He answered, “All of them.”
The Valentine’s Day Food class will be Saturday, Feb. 6, starting at 1
p.m. There is no charge to attend but space is limited; therefore,
registration and a valid library card are required. Registration can be
done by calling 463-6350 or online at
www.cmclibrary.org.
Rob Seitzinger can be e-mailed at
gazette@catamaranmedia.com or you can
comment on this story by calling 624-8900, ext. 250. Visit his Cape
Cuisine food blog online at
http://cuisineblog.shorenewsnow.com.
Chile Con Carne
1 pound ground beef (chef recommends 85/15 percent fat)
1 pound chorizo sausage, cooked
½ green bell pepper, medium dice (can substitute red bell)
1 Vidalia onion, medium dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 hot chilies, whole
2T olive oil
1 can kidney or white beans, drained but not rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes (some come with chilies)
2T ground cumin
4T dark chili powder
1T oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1t liquid smoke
Set aside grated cheddar, chopped onions and sour cream
1. Chop chorizo into small cubes.
2. In a large heavy pot, heat olive oil
3. Add the beef, chorizo, garlic, onion, whole chilies and bell pepper
to pot and cook on medium high heat until the meat browns and the
vegetables wilt
4. Add spices, stir and fry with meat for a couple minutes until well
blended
5. Add the beans, tomatoes and about a cup of water.
6. Simmer until the chili reduces to the consistency you want.
7. Serve with raw diced onion,
Buffalo Wings
1 pound chicken wings cut at the joints (discard tips)
Seasoned salt to coat
½ cup Frank’s hot sauce
½T Worcestershire sauce
1/2t liquid smoke
4T butter
Set aside celery sticks and blue cheese dressing
1. Place wings on baking sheet and sprinkle liberally with seasoned salt
2. Cook at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until internal temperature
is 180 degrees and juices run clear.
3. In a sauce pot, combine the next three ingredients and stir, then
whisk the butter into the mixture as it melts, bringing to a simmer.
4. Toss the wings with the sauce and serve with celery and blue cheese
dressing.
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Meatballs:
1 pound meatloaf mix
2 shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2T heavy cream
1 egg
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1T thyme
Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste (chef warns this does not need
much salt)
Sauce:
½ cup grape jelly
½ cup chili sauce
1. Combine all meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl
2. Mix with your hands until combined (chef warns do not over mix)
3. Roll into ¾-inch balls and place on baking sheet
4. Bake at 350 degrees until meatballs are slightly undercooked (they
will finish cooking in sauce)
5. In a heavy saucepan, heat the jelly and chili sauce until simmering,
stirring occasionally
6. Add meatballs and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes
Artichoke and Swiss Cheese Dip
1 large can artichoke hearts cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups grated Swiss cheese
1 small onion, small dice
1 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces cream cheese (light can be substituted but do not use fat free)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large round rye bread
1. Mix first six ingredients in a microwavable bowl, cover and heat at
one-minute bursts until cheese is melted.
2. Stir and microwave for another 90 seconds.
3. Cut the top off the rye and hollow out the center to create a bowl.
4. Cut the removed bread into cubes for dipping.
5. Pour the dip into the bowl.
6. Serve with rye cubes and crackers for dipping.
Related articles:
Super Bowl buffet makes for
interesting eating
Cape Cuisine Dining: Arizona
wins trophy when it comes to ‘Super’ food
Rob Seitzinger can be e-mailed
at gazette@catamaranmedia.comor you can comment on this story by
calling 624-8900, ext. 250.
Check out his Cape Cuisine food blog
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