Ottoman's Sherbet

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

Let's face it. It's hot. And it won't cool down for another couple of months. This hot, muggy weather reminds of when I had the fortunate opportunity to visit Istanbul. It was love at first sight. The town had it all. Amazing food, nice people, a fascinating history and a mystery ready to be explored at every corner. But it was hot. And humid. And dusty. And there was no relief in my tiny hotel room which had an air conditioning unit the size of my cell phone.

One particularly hot, humid and dusty afternoon, I discovered a small stand that was selling something called "sherbets." Though there were a half dozen varieties, I pointed to one that had a deep ruby color. One sip and like the town itself I was once again in love. Like jumping into a pool for the first time, I was immersed in this cool, refreshing sensation. I didn't know it at the time but I was drinking history.

It turns out that around 1600, sherbets were all the rage. Since the rulers of the Ottoman Empire were Muslim, they were forbidden from drinking alcohol. As a result, the cooks of the palace were challenged to come up with drinks that would refresh without the kick of booze. The result were sherbets.

But I digress...back to the drink. It tasted like pomegranate, raspberries, blueberries, cherries and a hint of spice, but I could not figure out what else was in it. When I asked the vendor about the ingredients, he just smiled and shook his head. The recipe had been closely guarded for over 300 years and he certainly was not going to give it out to anyone, especially a very white, chubby tourist from Iowa.

I went back to that stand every day and while I tried all the different drinks, nothing compared to that glass of ruby nectar which I much later found was called Ottoman’s Sherbet. After lots of tinkering at home, I figured out a recipe that I will reluctantly share with you. While you may not be able to visit Istanbul, you can make this drink, get refreshed and have a small taste of Istanbul, a town that holds a very close place in my heart.

Ottoman's Sherbet

All you need:

1 64 ounce container cranberry pomegranate juice

2 cups of water

1 12 ounce bag Hy-Vee frozen cherry berry blend

3 cinnamon sticks

4 cloves

4 allspice berries

1 1-inch knob of ginger, roughly chopped

1/2 cup sugar

All you do:

1. Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and simmer for one hour.

2. Run the liquid through a strainer making sure to crush the berries.

3. Place in refrigerator until cool.

4. Enjoy! 

Drink up and as always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex

Bahn Mi Sandwich

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

It was a steamy summer night in Hanoi circa 1998. I was hungry and I knew that in a few hours I would be boarding an overnight train for a long, uncomfortable ride through the Vietnamese countryside. I was also aware that this would be my only opportunity to try a delicacy that had been on my radar for quite awhile.

With some in trepidation, I arrived at the restaurant and took a seat packed with Chinese businessmen. Within minutes, three bowls were placed in front of me. The dog had been prepared grilled, roasted and stewed. I tried them all and it was not a pleasant experience. Whether it was the taste or idea of eating a dog that upset me, I am no longer sure. I pushed the food aside, paid and quickly left.

Walking to the train station, I was hungrier than ever. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a little bakery and decided to pop in. A woman behind the counter smiled and handed me a sandwich. I dug in and it was love at first bite. It was my first of many, many bahn mi sandwiches.

Bahn Mi Sandwich

All you need:
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup shredded daikon radish
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sriracha sauce
1 pound roast pork, turkey or ham, thinly sliced
8 tablespoons liverwurst (delicious and authentic but optional)
4 six inch baguette split in half or 4 hoagie rolls
1 fresh jalapeno, thinly sliced
Cilantro leaves

All you do:
1. In a bowl, toss together the carrots, daikon, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar and salt and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
2. Whisk together the mayonnaise and sriracha.
3. Divide the liverwurst and spread on the bottom of the sandwich (optional).
4. Divide the pork, turkey or ham between the four sandwiches.
5. Top with the pickled vegetables.
6. Add a few slices of jalapenos and a few sprigs of cilantro.
7. Spread the top slice of the sandwich with the mayo and place on the sandwich.
8. Enjoy!

As always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex

Jerk Marinade

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

I hope you have your grills ready because this weather is beautiful and I'm thinking jerk! And no, I didn't just call you a jerk! I'm talking about the style of cooking native to Jamaica in which meat is wet marinated with a hot spice mixture. Unfortunately, the marinade has 15 ingredients and let's face it, who has time for that?

The good news is that Tones has a jerk seasoning that with a little tweaking makes a tasty, quick marinade. You can jerk pork, lamb, goat or beef but the classic is chicken. Skip the breast and use the recipe below to marinate legs and boneless skinless chicken thighs. Serve with coconut rice and ice cold ginger beer and you have an authentic, delicious Jamaican meal.

Jerk Marinade

All you need:
2 tablespoons Tones jerk seasoning (1 ounce container)
Juice of one lime
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 habanero chile, finely chopped

All you do:
1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Marinate chicken for 2 or up to 8 hours and grill to perfection.
3. Enjoy!

As always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex