Vote For Your Favorite - Who Makes The Best Philly Cheese Steak?

On an unassuming Sunday and in the spirit of some friendly kitchen competition, two unnamed chefs went head-to-head to determine who can make the best Philly Cheese steak. To the soundtrack of sizzling pans, clanking prep bowls and the murmur of football playing quietly in the background, each chef was given 30 minutes, the use of identical ingredients and free reign of the kitchen to create their best take on the Philly Cheese steak. Here's how it all went down..

First up - the ingredients. The chefs were given the opportunity to use (or not use): Shaved Steak, Onions, Poblano Peppers, Scotch Bonnet Peppers, Mushrooms, Serrano Peppers, Tomatillos, American Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Goat Cheese, Provolone, Sub Rolls

Next, the creations:

Chef #1: At the end Chef #1's 30 minutes, a hot steak and cheese came out of the oven with layer after layer of shaved steak, honey-caramelized onions and a roasted poblano-tomatillo cheese sauce that was packed with smooth cheddar, monterey jack and tangy goat cheese and then punched up with flavor from mustard seeds and smoked paprika. The finished product was a show stopper; with a toasted bun, a smear of poblano-tomatillo cheese sauce, a generous serving of steak, slices of provolone cheese and pile of the honey caramelized onions. The entire sub was finished with another layer of sauce and then dusted with fresh parsley before serving.

Chef 2: In 30 minutes time, Chef 2 created a cheese steak that was packed with ribbons of sweet caramelized onions, sliced mushrooms and doused with a four cheese roasted poblano sauce - made with a combination of cheddar, American, provolone and monterey jack cheese. The sauce was hit with a touch of hickory smoked salt before diced roasted poblano pepper were added. For the final presentation, a layer of four cheese poblano sauce started things off, followed by a heaping portion of seared shaved steak, mushrooms and caramelized onions. Another heavy-handed drizzle of the cheese sauce and finely diced roasted poblano peppers were sprinkled on top to finish things up.

Now, dear reader, these two unnamed chefs are asking for your help in determining the winner of this challenge. Who do you think made the better Philly Cheese steak, Chef #1 or Chef #2? Leave a comment to vote for your favorite!

Additionally, I have it on good record that both chefs thoroughly enjoyed themselves throughout this challenge and I wouldn't be surprised if similar events happen in the very near future. That being said, what would you suggest the challenge be? Tacos? Pizza? Lobster Thermidor? What else?

Was the Perfect Burger Found at Post 390?

Walking into to Post 390, I was greeted by atmosphere of swankily dark and modern furniture, walls of exposed brick and a slew of tables packed tightly and going on seemingly forever throughout this spacious two-floor restaurant.  The dining room offered dramatically large windows that welcomed in some natural light and at only about a year old, this restaurant was filled to the brim and bustling with business folks, Back Bay residents and visitors.  Somewhere in the mix of all of this sat me and my dining companion, the Burger expert himself, Richard, from Boston Burger Blog.  Richard's blog is about his quest for the "Perfect Burger" and when he invited me to tag along to try out one of the contenders, I was psyched and already getting hunger pangs for a big, juicy cheesy burger.

So there we sat, talking shop ("shop" in this case of course being food) when we were presented with our cheeseburgers.  They looked like your average good old fashioned cheeseburger.  Dressed up slightly by a spear skewering pickles and a little sliver of jalepeno pepper, they looked your average run of the mill cheeseburger.  I bit into mine and was instantly satisfied by the familiar taste of cheeseburger.  I did however think the sesame flecked bun was a little lacking as the top was sort of oddly peeling off (and not because it was toasted) and for $15, I thought the bread holding together my sweet juicy burger could have been a little better.  Accompanying my burger was a side of hot salty French fries.  There wasn't anything terribly outrageous with these, but they still hit the spot.

Post 390 Cheeseburger

In sum, I liked the burger, really I did.  It was good but I don't think it was $15 good.  There wasn't much special about it as I would have expected for that amount of money.  While by nature I tend to be a little money-conscious, I don't mind paying top-dollar for something at a restaurant that I think will knock my socks off.  This really didn't and I probably wouldn't cough up another $15 for it again.  Although it appears that Post 390 is not the home of the perfect burger, I'd give it another go to see what the rest of their menu is like.

(You can check out Richard's recap on the Post 390 Burger HERE)

The Accidental Homemade Hot Pocket

Stuck somewhere between "I still haven't unpacked from Seattle and really haven't gone grocery shopping" and "I'm still clinging to the last bits of summer flavors", I wanted to create a simple spicy spin-off of a cheeseburger, but in a wrap form (actually it was in Lavash form, but I'll get to that in a minute).  I started my recipe like I start most, not really having any idea what I'm going to do and just going with my instinct.  Of course I had somewhat of a general idea on the direction my dinner was headed, but in terms of what the end result would be?  I didn't have the foggiest.  But isn't that the beauty of creating in kitchen?  You just don't know what you'll end up with, and for that, I love it.

Cheeeeese

Cumin, Chives, Tomato Paste and Diced Jalepeno Peppers

So there I was, in a mess of excited creativity, hunting for the components of my dish, clapping cupboards open and shut and swinging the refrigerator door open repeatedly, hearing gentle little puffs of air trying the escape with each close.  The I hovered around my little hunk of beef and shook a little of this into it, tossed a little bit of that into it and then I used my hands to blend it all together, allowing the cool meat to slide through my fingers until everything was mixed together.  Then, I cooked up the beef in a pan until it was nice and browned.  I tasted, I salted to adjust.  I laid out my Lavash (if you're not familiar with Lavash, it's a type of flat bread that crisps up, yet still remains flaky when you bake it). Then I dusted shredded cheese onto the top.  Running some of the beef down the center of the rectangular piece of bread, I topped it off with some diced heirloom tomatoes and folded everything up, burrito style.  Once this was accomplished, I leaned back to admire my work and I discovered one very important detail: my wrap had a striking resemblance to a Hot Pocket.  Like a serious resemblance.

Accidental Homemade Hot Pocket

 "A Hot Pocket?!" I accusingly yelled at my creation that sat in front of me.  Then, I broke out into giggles, laughing at myself for having these grandly glorified idea of dining on an amazing cheeseburger when in reality, unbeknownst to me, I ended up with a recreation of a popular frozen food item.  Who knew?  But you want to know what?  My little hot pocket seemed to totally hit the spot.  The Lavash yielded a nice flaky crust that gave way to seasoned beef, fiery jalapeño peppers, melted cheese and fresh heirloom tomatoes.  It was exactly what I was looking for and didn't even know it.  Don't you just love it when that happens?

Quite The Delicious Jer-Ne

Last night was the type of night I love; four courses eaten oh so slowly over a three and a half hour time frame, diners being passed around so everyone can try, loud laughter, the exchange of hilarious stories and a visit from the Reverend Al Sharpton.

I think that sentence pretty much sums up my evening last night and you know what?  I think every night should be like that (a visit from the Reverend optional, of course.  He just happened to be sitting a couple tables over from us).  Just stop for a moment to think about what this country would be like if we regularly took the time out of our hectic lives to really enjoy a good meal and eat it at snail's pace.  I feel that we are all constantly on the go and almost programed to keep moving at lightening pace, we don't stop to truly savor a meal over an extended period of time.  And that is a shame.  It is so relaxing to fully savor a meal, thoughtfully chewing each bite and appreciating every ounce of it all.  

I had received an invitation for an evening at Jer-Ne, located at the Ritz Carlton, right in the center of town.  Jer-Ne is swanky.  It's sleek and chic but friendly and inviting, all at the same time.  With dark wood trim, comfortable seating, low lights and soft, yet upbeat music playing in the background, Jer-Ne is the perfect place to go if you'd like to feel like royalty for an evening.  From the moment you walk in, it is made quite clear that you are the guest and your job is to enjoy the evening and the friendly staff is there to ensure that happens.

The menu itself is an interesting one.  Playing off of several regions and influences (Italian, German, Brazilian, Moroccan, French, et...) it provides quite the variety.  At the very start of our meal, we were introduced to Luis, who would be taking care of us for the night and that he did.  He started by giving us a complete run down of the menu, describing in detail how each item tastes and pointing out his personal favorites.  He was very knowledgeable of the menu.  On his suggestion, we started with a course of ceviche and within a couple of minutes, we were presented with three little rectangular plates piled high with white fish, shrimp and octopus.  Surprisingly enough, I really enjoyed the octopus (it had a light coating of chili oil on it) and the white fish (so light with the fresh taste of citrus and a hint of coconut).  

After the first course, we all enjoyed a course of salads.  My friend Oona, her cousin Alan and I enjoyed the watermelon feta salad.  It was beautiful a presentation, a bed of bright watermelon topped by fresh arugula and dollops of salty feta and sweet fig jam.  Oona's husband, Andy, opted for the asparagus and shitake mushroom salad.  It was a beautiful little haystack of fresh vegetables.  He graciously offered me a taste.  It was a delicious little salad with an Asian flair.

After the salad course, the main meal arrived.  Oona and Alan enjoyed the rib eye steak that was paired with a baked potato.  The steak was so tender, both declined the offer for a steak knife and simply used a butter knife to easily slice through the meat.  Andy selected the roasted halibut that was a beautiful presentation of corn with a fresh piece of halibut resting on top.  The dish was finished with by streak of chimichurri.  I enjoyed one of their tasty little flatbreads, which was a thin crust topped by tender pulled chicken meat, apricots and a mint yogurt sauce.  The flavors were fantastic and I loved how well the sweetness of the apricots contrasted against the tangyness of the yogurt sauce.  It was very flavorful.  

Last, but certainly not least, we were presented with a sampling of their dessert menu.  Everything was dangerously good with just a little flare of something unique.  We enjoyed bites of German cheesecake, warm molten lava cake, panna cotta, banana cream pie, deep chocolate pudding, a lemon caramel parfait and  wedges of cherry kuchen.  While they all were fantastic in their own way, my favorite was the panna cotta.  It was cool and creamy, laced with vanilla beans and garnished with mandarin orange slices.  Yum, yum yum.  

    

At the conclusion of the meal, I was given an exclusive tour of kitchen and pastry room.  What surprised me most was how small the kitchen actually is.  (I guess I'm not the only one with a Small Boston Kitchen!)  The other thing that surprised me was that the kitchen staff actually took the time to stop what they were doing to smile and say hello.  And man, were they busy!  They were hustling back and forth preparing dishes for not only the restaurant, but for a wedding as well and they still made the effort to make me feel welcome.  

Thanks to the staff at the Jer-Ne and the Ritz Carlton.  Especially Luis, our server (be sure to ask for him when you go!).  He was awesome.  And very special thanks to Andy, Oona and Alan for such a wonderful, fun and fantastic evening!

Is B. Good Really Good?

I like the concept of B. Good, really I do; healthier versions of fast food favorites (think the classic cheeseburger, fries and a soda combination) dressed up a bit by varying toppings.   To start, you chose your meat (ground beef, turkey, chicken, or veggie).  Then you get to chose from 5 ways that you can have it prepared, plus a bonus seasonal special.  Then you can have baked french fries or sweet potato fries and a fountain soda beverage.  If you wanted to forgo the burger options entirely, you could also opt for a salad and they also have a milkshake menu.

They have a clean, bare bones approach to them, wooden and steel tables give it a natural yet modern look and similar to fast food restaurants, you order at the counter, grab a seat and wait for your name to be called so you can go up and grab your meal.  During the lunch hour rush, this place can get pretty packed too but the line does move quickly.

While I am a huge supporter of healthier fast food options, I feel like B. Good misses the mark a little.  I ordered the seasonal special, which was a burger of my choice (I went with turkey) made with Vermont Cheddar Cheese, tomatoes and homemade pickles on a whole wheat bun.  I also opted for the baked sweet potato fries and requested a side of BBQ sauce (It's my weird thing.  I don't care for ketchup so I use BBQ sauce for my fries).  The fries were soggy (I suspected they were in a rush and hadn't baked them long enough?) and the turkey burger didn't have a hand packed taste or look to it as advertised.  Instead, it looked like a frozen pre-made patty.  I did enjoy the house made pickles, they were crunchy and had the slightest hint of vinegar, which wasn't overpowering but just enough to add an extra layer of flavor and texture.  The tomatoes were fresh and I liked the BBQ sauce (it was good and peppery).

Overall, B.Good is okay.  I guess I just don't understand all the hype.  I know I'll be back back but it isn't my first choice for a quick on-the-go meal.

Quick and Easy Bolognese (No really, I swear!)

Earlier this year, when one of my very good friends, Sara and her husband Anil, gave birth one of the cutest little girls ever (I'm a very proud "Aunt"), I told her to pick a night and I'd come over, groceries in hand, and make a giant dinner with plenty of leftovers to freeze.  Last night was the night Sarah took me up on my offer and with my groceries in tow, I left my Small Boston Kitchen and headed the 2 miles down the road to their place where I whipped up my own version of a quick Spaghetti Bolognese.

I'll stop right there because I know what you're thinking because I'd be thinking the same thing too if I had read that last line, "a quick Bolognese".  Although I will agree that the flavor of a good Bolognese takes time, I've found that if you slow cook the sum of all parts, you'll still end up with great results.  I also cheated a little by purchasing some fresh spinach pasta from Whole Foods but  from start to delicious finish, this took me about an hour and a half to make.  And that includes about a half hour of just letting the Bolognese simmer on the stove.  To help explain how to create your own Bolognese, I'm going to take you through this process step by step:

Ingredients:
* One of the best parts of a Bolognese is the fact that you can change it up and add different ingredients based on your liking and what you have leftover.  With this version, I would have loved to put in some chopped up mushrooms but Sara isn't a fan of the 'shrooms.  For a more traditional approach to this sauce, you could add in bits of carrots and add a touch of cream or even some Mascarpone cheese to give it a creamier texture.  Really, sky's the limit here folks.  Get creative!

Also, I should note that this made a giant pot of sauce which I would recommend.  It's perfect for freezing, making weeknight dinners even easier.

- 1/2 of lean ground beef
- 1/2 ground pork
- 2 large cans of good quality whole tomatoes in sauce
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 2 red peppers, roasted and finely chopped
- A couple splashes of beef/chicken/vegetable stock
- 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
- A couple of splashes extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- A couple of very generous handfuls of fresh basil, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pasta (I recommend using fresh pasta if possible but of course, any type would work)
- Side salad to serve alongside

Check out the instructions by clicking the link below:

Deliciously Easy Guinness Stew

I remember the first time I had Guinness Stew.  I was at an Irish bar in Northern Virginia with my cousin and I immediately fell in love with it.  I took every opportunity I could get to go back to this bar to get it.  The Guinness tenderized the meat so much that it was falling apart while bursting with flavor, all at the same time.  And the best part of it all was that this thick and rich stew was then served atop of creamy mashed potatoes.  It was unreal.  When I moved back to Massachusetts and into Boston, I assumed that Guinness Stew would be available on every street corner and was saddened to learn that it was relatively hard to find.  I hadn't tackled my own creation because I just didn't think that my creation could compare to that very first bowl I had.

And then today happened.

After yesterday's kitchen calamity,  I found my self staring down that giant bottle of Guinness with one eyebrow raised, ready to accept the challenge.   In response, that tough bottle was just glaring back at me, mocking me and daring me to attempt another creation.  There was one of those Western showdown songs dramatically playing in the background (or at least that's how I remember it).  Letting my pride get the better of me, I wanted to show that bottle of Guinness a thing or two and pledged to spend the afternoon creating the perfect Guinness Stew.  And I can confidently say, as I sit here with a delicious steaming bowl of tender beef in a gravy-like pool of caramely Stout, I have whipped that bottle into submission and came up with some killer results.  And the best part of it all?  It was so easy to make.  To simplify it even more you can do some prep work the night before, throw it all into a crock pot and come home to a delicious diner that's just waiting for you.  Fair warning, if you do make your own batch of Guinness Stew, you will never forget it.  You might even say that its good enough to make your "Irish eyes smile" or something like that.  Not necessarily Irish?  That's okay.  I'm not really either.

Soup's on!

I am a huge fan of soup, especially on cold winter days.  To me, a huge pot of soup on the stove, a movie and maybe a DIY pedicure is a great way to pass a lazy, cold Sunday afternoon.  The best part about soup?  When you make a big pot of it, you can easily package it up to take to work for a satisfying and inexpensive lunch.  I love making soup and make it pretty frequently, but I always have trouble deciding which kind to make...

Today I settled on a beef barley soup.  A perfect combination of tender steak pieces and hearty barley swimming in a sea of carrots, mushrooms, onions, corn, sweet roasted red pepper and fresh herbs, this soup is comfort in a bowl.  Typically, I never like to include any sort of grain or starch into my soup until just before serving (there is nothing I hate more than bloated mushy pasta swirling around in my bowl) but barley is the exception.  Because it is a heartier grain, it will hold its own in the dish, maintaining its chewy texture but still soaking up the broth to create a thicker and richer soup.  Another added bonus of cooking with barley, it's crazy healthy for you.  Providing several essential minerals and vitamins and high in fiber, it is a nice break from rices and pastas.    

For this recipe, I used a top round steak which I cut into small bits.  Top round works well in here because it tends to be a tougher piece of meat.  By browning it first on the outside in a little extra virgin olive oil, you help to prevent the meat's juices from running, thus locking in the flavor.  Then, by cooking this soup for a couple of hours on low heat, the meat gets super tender as it absorbs all of the flavors of the soup.  This soup tends to be even better on the second day because the flavors have more time to concentrate and the barley has more time to thicken up the soup. 

Cheeseburger in Paradise

I can't really say that I'm a huge fan of Jimmy Buffet but I have to appreciate a man who wrote a song about his love for the all-American cheeseburger. And I agree with him wholeheartedly. Sometimes all you need at the end of the day is a big juicy cheeseburger. Nothing else will do and tonight that is just what happened.

I created this recipe this past summer (when my cheeseburger cravings were really at peak) and tonight was the perfect night to take a break from typical winter fare and cook up one of my summer faves. I should warn you, however, that I tend to be a purist with is comes to burgers. No greens. No tomatoes. No onions and hold the pickles, please. I like my taste buds to focus on what's really important: well seasoned beef, ooey gooey melty cheese and a nicely toasted bun. Tonight I used a grass-fed 90% lean ground beef, which is the percentage that I usually buy. It won't make the burger greasy but it will still have a great flavor. I like this recipe because the chipotle seasoning that I use (pictured, and available in the dry spice section of most grocery stores) gives the meat a little smokiness and just a hint of heat. I also top my cheeseburger with BBQ sauce because I think the sweetness of the sauce pairs so well with the spicyness of the chipotle.

Pizza Parr-taaay!

When faced with an unseasonably warm January evening and three people with very different tastes, what's a girl to make? Why, grilled pizzas of course! Now, this isn't your average pie. No, no, no! This is a crispy pizza kissed by a grill, sauced up by a homemade simple tomato sauce (recipe at the bottom) and topped off by such a myriad of toppings, it is guaranteed to keep everyone smiling. Now, I must warn you, I went a little overboard this evening. Meats of all sorts, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, various cheeses all piled high, creating endless number of combinations. Sooo delicious! When making this for a crowd, it's fun to make a bunch of small pizzas of varying toppings so that everyone could try a little of each. I just love pizza for its versatility. It can be a simple Margarita style (fresh tomato, mozzarella and basil) or something a little different (BBQ sauce, grilled chicken, caramelized onions and cheddar cheese). Really, sky's the limit when it comes to pizza and don't be afraid to get creative and have a lot of fun with it!

The real key to making this pizza great was the use of a grill. I was fortunate enough to be able to use my Dad's grill as my Small Boston Kitchen isn't equipped with one. But fear not my fellow non-grill owning city-dwellers, you can still make a similarly delicious pie in the comforts of your own kitchen by investing in a Pizza Stone. You can get one relatively inexpensively (under $20) at any kitchen store. It really makes for a crispier crust, which is essential for a great thin crust pizza.