See Dick Cook: A Culinary Voyage for the Average Man (11 page)

Servings: 4

Yield: 4 - 6 Chicken Breasts

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Moderately difficult

Dicks Tips

You will have to head for the liquor store and likely ask the staff to point you in the direction of the Marsala wine Dick. This will be the only time I tell you to choose the sweet variety over the dry. The sweet Marsala wine is what really makes this dish, but of course it's all about personal preference

Carb-a-Palooza Potato Casserole is good side for this dish along with a simple veggie like green beans.

Marg Or Rita Chicken

Can't seem to make up your mind Dick? Throw together this chicken dish, marinated in tequila and have them both over. To the victor go the spoils!

Procedure

Preheat your oven to 425° F.

In an extra-large Ziploc bag or glass bowl, combine all liquid ingredients.

With your meat tenderizer, lightly pound the chicken. Add to the mixture, cover and marinade over night, or for at least 3 hours.

Transfer marinade to a small sauce pan to use later.

Wrap each of your chicken breasts in aluminum foil and place on a cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to sit for an additional 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, over medium high heat, bring your marinade to a boil. Unwrap chicken then drizzle a small amount of marinade over top and serve.

Servings: 4

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Oven Temperature: 425°F

Preparation Time: 3 hours

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes

Dicks Tips

Tenderizing the chicken slightly will produce super tender, moist meat and it's a manly Dick tool that lets you whack something while cooking. Just don't pulverize it
Dick…a few good whacks per side ought to do it. To keep the mess down, place the chicken into a plastic grocery bag and then pound. As for the Grand Marnier, this orange flavored liqueur is great to keep on hand for after dinner drinks and recipes.

Mojo-Mojito Shrimp

Harness your inner Mojo with this perfect summer recipe and strut your stuff. You got this Dick.

Procedure

Coarsely chop your mint leaves and place in a large glass bowl. Take a spoon and crush some of the leaves to release the juices.

Add rum, lime juice, sugar and salt. Stir thoroughly to ensure the salt dissolves.

Add the shrimp, toss to coat and let sit in the marinade for no longer than 20 minutes.

Remove shrimp and reserve the marinade for basting.

Thread the shrimp onto your skewers with a large pineapple chunk between each one.

Heat the barbecue up to medium-high heat. Grill the skewers directly on the grill, basting with the reserved marinade and turning occasionally until pink in colour and no longer opaque. This should take between 5 and 10 minutes depending on the size of your shrimp.

Remove from heat, drizzle a little more marinade on them and serve immediately.

Servings: 4

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes

Dicks Tips

As with all seafood and fish, fresh ingredients are a must here Dick. Gently peel the shells off and rinse shrimp thoroughly with cold water before marinating. Make sure you grab yourself some decent sized shrimp as there is no room for the little guys in this recipe.

Rice Peel Off will go well with this meal.

On Tap Guinness Stew

No beer was harmed in the making of this recipe. Guinness not only adds a distinct flavor but it helps tenderize the beef as well.

Procedure

Preheat oven to 300° F.

In a large oven proof pot (Dutch oven), heat oil and butter on medium high heat. Add beef and brown on all sides. Add the onions and garlic, then sauté for approximately five minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Mix the tomato paste with the water to dilute and add to the pot along with the Herbs de Provence and flour, blending well.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add the beef stock and Guinness, cooking for about 15 minutes or until mixture slightly thickens.

Add the remaining ingredients, cover and bake in the oven at 300° for two hours.

Servings: 6

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Moderately difficult

Oven Temperature: 300°F

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Total Time:

Dicks Tips

As with all beef I recommend you warm your cubes up to room temperature Dick to promote tenderness. Leave on the counter for a good hour before throwing them in the pot.

Whip up some Wine & Cheese Biscuits to serve with this stew.

Seducer Sambuca Shrimp and Scallops

Okay Dick, time for the big leagues. This one you actually get to set on fire...really. Don't be scared off, just follow the instructions carefully and you'll look like a pro in the kitchen!

Procedure

In a container mix melted butter, cream and garlic together. Refrigerate for an hour or more to allow the garlic to flavor the cream.

Cook linguine according to package directions, then drain, cover and set aside to keep warm.

In a large skillet, melt additional butter over medium heat. Add shallots and scallops then sauté for five minutes. Next add shrimp and sauté for an additional five minutes.

Now for the fun part. Turn the heat up to medium high for one minute. Now using a shot glass (not the bottle Dick) add your Sambuca to the pan and shake the pan to coat shrimp and scallops. Using a barbecue lighter, ignite the Sambuca near the outside edge of the pan. (Think Flaming Sambuca shots.) Once food ignites, allow Sambuca to burn off. Be careful for the love of God and don't set the kitchen on fire.

Reduce heat to medium low, and add cream mixture. Stir constantly, simmering for five minutes until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to suit taste.

Rinse and strain pasta with hot water to reheat noodles, then arrange on your plates. Pour the cream mixture from the skillet over noodles and serve immediately.

Servings: 6

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Moderately difficult

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Inactive Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours and 5 minutes

Dicks Tips

To cook up the right amount of pasta, try to measure about 3/4 of an inch dry per person. So for four people Dick, you’re looking at a 3 inch bundle of linguine. As for flambéing Dick, please be careful. Don't stand over the pan when you ignite, and don't pour directly from the bottle. Also, if you're using a gas stove, remove pan from heat prior to setting your Sambuca ablaze. We don't want to burn the place down.

The Dick Factor: For presentation Dick, get yourself some fresh parsley or rosemary to garnish the tops of the plates. Accompany with some Dicks Garlic Bread.

Slow Cooker Beef au Beer Sandwiches

You don't need a fancy roast here Dick as the slow cooker (crock-pot) will make tender almost any cut of beef. This will serve a lot of people and would be a good choice for a house-full of buddies over for poker or the game. Or just because they found out you're cooking tonight.

Procedure

Place the roast into a crock-pot and sprinkle the soup mix over top. Pour beer over roast, cover and cook on low for seven hours, or until roast easily falls apart. Baste occasionally with the juices.

Just before serving, melt butter over medium heat in a large sauce pan, and add onions. Cook for about ten minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional ten minutes, or until soft.

Cut or pull the meat apart to use for sandwiches. Stack the Kaisers with meat, onions and mushrooms, and cheese of choice.

Using small bowls, ladle some of the drippings (au jus) into single serving bowls and serve as a dip for the sandwiches.

Servings: 10

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours

Dicks Tips

Serve with a side of Wicked Wedges for a complete meal. Be sure to save any leftover meat and au jus as this reheats quite easily.

That's the Spirit Pork Tenderloin

Bourbon whiskey is a barrel-aged distilled spirit made from corn Dick, but sadly doesn't count toward your daily dose of vegetables. The use of both bourbon and red wine in this recipe will certainly give you a new appreciation for that fine Kentucky spirit.