See Dick Cook: A Culinary Voyage for the Average Man (12 page)

Procedure

In a large skillet on medium heat sauté shallots, garlic, and mushrooms in the butter and olive oil for about 10 minutes, browning just slightly.

Add the wine and Herbes de Provence seasoning and increase the heat to high. Softly boil on medium low for five minutes to reduce the wine.

Next throw in the chicken broth and bourbon, continuing to softly boil for another 10 minutes.

Finally add the cream and simmer 5 - 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Simmer on low to keep warm stirring occasionally.

In another large frying pan, add the butter and heat over medium-high. Take the tenderloin and brown all over - about 1 -2 minutes per side.

Remove the pork from the pan and after cooling for a few minutes slice the tenderloin into medallions - about 1½" thick.

Return the medallions to the pan and cook over medium heat for 3 - 4 minutes per side.

Arrange medallions on your plates and pour a generous portion of the sauce over top.

Servings: 4

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Moderately difficult

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Dicks Tips

You'll find the fresh cremini mushrooms with the rest of their peeps in the mushroom section Dick. You can also substitute regular or button mushrooms if need be.

Thighs of Rum & Coconut

Not sure if you're ready to spend a week on an island? Serve up some coconut chicken along with enough rum to make you both think you're already there.

Procedure

If you didn't buy the skinless thighs at the grocery store Dick, remove the skins and discard. Take a fork and pierce the chicken thighs with a few pokes each to allow for better absorption of the marinade.

In a large glass bowl or extra-large zip-lock bag, combine the rum, soy, lime juice and honey making sure the ingredients are well blended.

Place the chicken in the marinade and soak in the refrigerator for 1 - 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Remove chicken and place the marinade in a small sauce pot.

Place the coconut flakes in a shallow dish and coat each piece of chicken thoroughly with the coconut.

Arrange chicken on a cookie sheet that you've liberally sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake for 45 minutes.

About 20 minutes before the chicken is done, heat up your reserved marinade on medium high and boil gently for 10 minutes, reducing to a simmer to keep warm.

Remove the chicken from the oven and lightly drizzle the chicken with the cooked marinade.

Servings: 4

Yield: 12 pieces

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Oven Temperature: 375°F

Dicks Tips

You can always grill these on the barbecue instead Dick and they will taste just as great. Just be careful not to handle the thighs too much - you're coconut will take a beating.

Jacked Meat

This is about as easy as it gets Dick. Three ingredients and some meat...done.

Procedure

Dump all three ingredients for sauce into a large Ziploc bag.

Place your choice of meat (chicken, pork, beef or salmon) into the Ziploc bag with marinade and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Cook meat as desired, although this is a great marinade for the barbecue. Serve with your favorite sides.

Servings: 4

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Very easy

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Inactive Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour and 25 minutes

Dicks Tips

If you choose steaks for this recipe, allow them to warm to room temperature either during or after marinating before you cook them. This will really increase tenderness.

BACK OF THE LINE BOYS…SHE’S ALL MINE

"Cooking is like love:
It should be entered into with abandon or not at all."
~ Harriet van Horne

Big Balls Spaghetti

You gotta have balls to admit when you're wrong Dick, but sometimes it's worth it. Here's a recipe for some home-made meatballs that you can whip-up and then add to the Six Month Mari-Me-Nara Sauce for some man-sized spaghetti.

Procedure

Preheat oven to 325° F.

In a small frying pan on medium heat, sauté the chopped onions in the butter for about ten minutes, or until soft.

In a large bowl mix together all ingredients, including cooked onions and work the mixture through with your hands until well blended.

Roll meat mixture into large, good sized meatballs, about 3 inches in diameter. You should have about 18 meatballs or so. Place on a broiler pan (which helps catch dripping's) and bake for 40 minutes.

Once cooked, simmer the meatballs in a pot of Six Month Marinara Sauce for about an hour. Serve over your favorite spaghetti.

Servings: 8

Yield: 18 Meatballs

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Oven Temperature: 325°F

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Dicks Tips

If you don't have a broiler pan Dick, or you want to display some REALLY big balls, you can use a muffin tin instead. As for the pasta, the effect here is really pulled off with a big plate of good old fashioned spaghetti. Serve with Dicks Bread n’ Butter and some wine, and hopefully you'll be out of the dog house before desert.

Bombshell Burrito's

While this isn't your classic burrito recipe Dick, it's pretty damn good.

Procedure

In a large skillet brown the lean ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain off the fat and return to the stove.

Add the water and Burrito Seasoning mix to the ground beef, and stir until well blended.

Next throw in the salsa and cook over medium heat until most of the moisture in the meat mixture is cooked off, about 10 minutes.

Next pull the cream cheese apart into smaller sections and add to the pan, followed by one cup of the shredded cheese. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring regularly to melt and combine all the cheese.

Once your mixture has reached a thick porridge like consistency, remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Spray a 13" x 9" baking pan with cooking spray.

Taking your soft tortilla shells, carefully spoon a couple of scoops of the meat mixture into the center of the shell. Wrap it up and place in the baking sheet. Repeat until all of your shells are full.

Take any remaining meat sauce and pour over the arranged burritos.

Sprinkle the remaining cup of shredded cheese on top, followed by the chopped tomato and green onion.

Place baking pan into the center of the oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes,

Remove from oven, allow to sit for 5 minutes and serve. This will be hot Dick so careful.

Servings: 5

Yield: 10 Burrito's

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Moderately difficult

Oven Temperature: 350°F

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Dicks Tips

Make sure to have some sour cream and salsa to serve on the side with these Dick. Sticking to lean ground beef and whole wheat tortilla shells makes this a wee bit better for you and won't compromise on taste. That being said, no-one eats burritos for the health of it.

You can also substitute regular shredded marble cheese in the recipe if you like it on the milder side. Whatever floats your boat Dick.

Crazy Chick Salad

Chicks love their salads Dick so you may as well make one you'll both enjoy. This one's loaded with protein and veggies, still lets you work the barbecue and will work just fine as a standalone meal.

Procedure

Spark up the barbee Dick - medium heat oughta do it.

Season your chicken breasts with some garlic powder and Cajun seasoning. Place the chicken and the Oktoberfest sausage on the barbecue and cook until done, turning occasionally - about 15 minutes.

Wash and dry your romaine lettuce. (This would be a good time to try out that salad spinner I suggested you buy for Dick's Tool Box.)

Combine romaine, cucumber, tomato and onion to make yourself an old school chef salad. Spread out on two plates.

Top each of the salads with half of the shredded old cheddar.

Slice the chicken and the sausage and spread evenly (or not) on top of the salad and cheese.

That's it Dick. You're done. Serve supersized with your dressing of choice and you've got yourself a man-salad.

Servings: 2

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Dicks Tips

You can substitute any meat here pal. Grilled steak, ham, salmon - you name it. You can even get a little crazy with the cheese. Just make sure you have fresh ingredients and big plates.

Cooking for one? Just halve the recipe Dick.

Crème de la Femmes Salmon

If she is in fact the crème-de-la-crème, then serve her this dish to show her you know how good you've got it. You go Dick.