Friends of Ergo Chef Recipes Tips and Tools

Summer, Tony Luke & Frankenfood?

May 29, 2014
1:50 pm

Hello folks and welcome to another edition of Chop Talk. Memorial Day is behind us, Father’s Day is coming and it looks like Summer is right around the bend. In this installment of Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips we will be covering Searing, that great technique chefs use to add that great caramelized crust to proteins such a steak, fish or poultry. The new Chef’s Spotlight highlights a great friend of Ergo, Chef Tony Luke, who has given us an interesting recipe from his new Spike TV Show, Frankenfood and last but not least we have Costco Road Show updates and locations with Chef Randy and Chef Tom.
Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips
In today’s installment, Searing , we will start to explore the actual cooking procesess and techniques. Learning the fundamentals of cooking can impact a chef’s ability to drive levels of flavor, texture, color and presentation to the plate. Most cooking fundamentals are based on classical French techniques. Below are some definitions of important terms when referring to searing and sauteing.
Searing (or pan searing): is a technique used to cook the surface of food at a high temperature so that a caramelized crust forms. Searing is a process of cooking that creates the crusty surface texture most people find appealing and the caramelized sugars that gives us that steak flavor we want. It’s also important to not cut or poke into the meat while cooking & searing keeping the juices inside. The best way to do that and easily flip your meat is with a good pair of Tongs.
Dry Heat Cooking Method: Dry heat refers to cooking a food item uncovered without adding moisture and provides high retention of vitamins and minerals. It is normally done in a small amount of fat at a high temperature.
Caramelization: To heat sugar to its melting point, at which time it liquefies into a clear caramel syrup. Fruits and vegetables can be grilled or roasted, roasted bell peppers for example, until the natural sugars turn to caramel and infuse a sweet flavor.
Maillard Reaction: This is a chemical reaction between the amino acid and a reacting sugar, usually requiring heat. Like caramelization, it is a form of non-enzymatic browning. Many food scientists depend on this reaction to extract flavors that are imparted during the process, for use in fragrances or imitation flavorings.
Browning: The term browning may refer to several different processes. The most common type of browning, Maillard reaction, refers to a series of chemical reactions that makes foods from cookies to fried chicken and grilled steak taste and look more appealing. As the sugars in any food are heated, they change color from clear to dark brown and produce new flavor compounds. Browning is also an effective way to destroy surface bacteria on meats. A similar type of browning is known as caramelization. This is what happens to white sugar at high temperatures. Another, less desirable browning is what happens to certain fruits and vegetables when phenolic compounds in their flesh react with oxygen in the air to discolor the food. EX: Apples, bananas etc.
Color, Flavor and Crust: During the searing process, we are achieving many things. Color is an important part of flavor development. The levels of flavors that are developed during searing and the caramelization process are not easily recreated. The texture of a crust is an important part of the finished products’ mouth feel. To obtain the desired brown crust on meat, the surface must exceed 300 degrees, so searing requires the meat surface be free of water, which boils around 212 degrees.
Sealing in the Juices: The belief that searing meat ‘seals in the juices’ is widespread and still often repeated. This theory was first put forth by Justus von Liebig, a German chemist and food scientist, around 1850. The notion was embraced by contemporary cooks and authors, including Auguste Escoffier. Simple experiments have been performed to test this theory and the results are surprising. Take 2 pieces of meat and bring them to the same internal temperature, searing one of them and not the other. Weigh the end results of both to see which loses more moisture. Most of the time, the seared meat loses the same or more of its ‘juices,’ which proves the theory wrong. None the less, the purpose of searing is not to ‘seal in the juices,’ and if the product is cooked to the proper internal temperature and handled with care, it will be full of moisture and flavor.
Cooking Mediums: In order to sear something properly, some type of cooking medium is needed. A cooking medium includes oils and fats that are used to begin the searing process. Cooking oil is purified fat of plant or animal origin, which is liquid at room temperature. Other fats that are often used to sear and saute with include: clarified and whole butter, coconut oil, duck fat, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, margarine, lard and all other vegetable oils. Each oil has a different smoking point and must be used accordingly.
Smoke Point: Refers to the temperature at which a cooking fat or oil begins to break down. The substance smokes or burns, and gives food an unpleasant taste. Beyond the smoke point is the flash point, the point at which combustion occurs. Peanut oil has a much higher smoke point than vegetable oil. Vegetable oil has a higher smoke point than whole butter. Butter contains milk solids that tend to burn fairly quick, so butter must be added at the right time.
Fond/deglazing: A fond is created in the bottom of a pan during the searing/browning process. It is all the residual sugars that have caramelized to the pan. The untrained cook may look at that as a dirty pan and simply wash it and put it away. But to the aspiring chef, that leftover goodness is VERY flavorful, and can be used as the base for a delicious sauce. In order to lift those flavors back up off the pan, the art of ‘deglazing’ is needed. Choose your favorite alcohol or stock and add it to the pan then put it back on the flame. This requires some agitation, but the fond will loosen up and all of those well developed flavors are ready to use! Season with aromatics and possibly butter, reduce to desired consistency, and your wonderful pan sauce is complete.
Preparing Meat, Fish and Poultry for Searing: Portion size is important when deciding what type of pan to sear in. Next step is to dry the product of any excess moisture. The more moisture present, the more difficult it will be to achieve that perfect sear, so pat it dry with a paper towel. Even seasoning should be done next. I tend to season the top, bottom and sides of each protein, depending on its size. Bon Appetit!
Chefs Spotlight: Tony Luke, Jr
More than just your typical Philadelphia cheesesteak joint, Tony Luke’s redefined the Philly sandwich experience with specialty favorites like the roast pork Italian and chicken cutlet. The cheesesteak was not on the menu originally; the cities love for cheese steak prompted the Luke’s to make their own version which has stayed a best seller since the addition to the menu in mid 1992. Tony Luke’s now serves up chicken cheesesteaks, seasoned french fries, hamburgers and Tony Luke’s own creation, South Philly Bites.
Tony Luke’s works directly with cattle farms in the Midwest which supplies the stores with top quality ribeye steak. All meat products are all-natural, antibiotic and hormone free. The vegetables used in toppings are grown in Southern New Jersey and prepared in the Luke family’s commissary in Philadelphia. Sandwiches are served on Liscio’s rolls, which are baked in store every day. Each sandwich and food item is cooked to order. Tony Luke’s is no longer just a sandwich shop in South Philadelphia. Tony Luke’s has turned into an international brand with 22 stores currently open in Bahrain, the Mid-Atlantic region and Florida. Tony Luke’s brings the real taste of South Philly to sports arenas, casinos, stand alone stores and in-line retail stores.
Tony Luke’s has twice been hailed by Gourmet Magazine for quality and innovation, renowned by GQ Magazine, The New York Times and is a member of Philly Mag’s Hall of Fame. The sandwich shop is featured on episodes of Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, Dinner: Impossible, Man v. Food and Food Wars. Always working to please the masses, Tony Luke’s made itself available in grocery stores through Tony Luke’s Pronto. Tony Luke’s Pronto are frozen and microwaveable authentic Tony Luke’s sandwiches. Three varieties are available: chicken cheesesteak, cheesesteak and roast pork. Two sandwiches come in a box; each sandwich goes from freezer to table in under four minutes. With fans across the country, Tony Luke’s saw a need to share South Philly favorites with those who cannot make it to a store. Tony Luke’s At Home (www.tonylukesphillycheesesteaks.com) offers a solution – cheesesteaks and roast pork Italians shipped frozen to your door. Each package comes with everything you need to make 8 Tony Luke’s sandwiches.
A Father’s Day Gift Idea for the Sandwich Lover from Tony Luke:
After Tony Luke used Ergo Chef products and loved the quality so much, we worked together to design a Sandwich/Everything knife at a great value just for use in his kitchens. Crafted with a Japanese Steel, the blade is serrated that allows slicing through all sandwiches, meats and fruit with ease. The offset handle provides hand clearance and a non-slip grip keeps you in control. The Tony Luke Knife is available here: www.ergochef.com/EC-TonyLukeKnives.asp
A Gift Idea for the Steak Lover:
When serving a great pieces of steak you want your presentation to be just as excellent. So why not serve your steaks with beautiful quality steak knives. A few options are available from Ergo Chef. 3 different sets to choose from $31.99 – $179.99 here: Steak knives

Tony Luke Jr. – How a Passion for Customers & Never Giving Up Led to His & His Families Success!

A true son of South Philly, Tony “Luke” Lucidonio Jr. is a man of many talents and enormous energy. Luke is an entrepreneur, restaurateur, actor and musician. Tony’s artistic gifts bloomed early as a student at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where he began his performance career. Tony has appeared in many feature films including Invincible, 10th & Wolf and The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone”, which he co-wrote and co-produced. Tony has written and produced songs for Billy Paul, A&M Records and even topped the CD Baby charts with his song, “Right Here”. Tony and his restaurants have appeared on TV shows including “Man vs. Food”, “Throwdown with Bobby Flay”, “Not My Mama’s Meals”, “Dinner: Impossible” and more.
Tony is a series judge on SpikeTV’s first culinary based reality show, “Frankenfood“. Each episode of “Frankenfood” features local amateur food innovators competing head-to-head in order to get their unexpected food concoctions onto the menu of a popular local restaurant, win a $10,000 cash grand prize and possibly create the next big food craze. Viewers will be taken back into the kitchen with these budding culinary artists to see how they whip up their inventive food combinations and find out the inspiration behind these dishes. It’s up to host Josh Capon, series judge Tony Luke Jr. along with a rotating panel of culinary experts serving as judges to decide which creative and often outlandish dish earns a spot on the menu. Frankenfood is slated to air Spring 2014. View Tony’s reels, listen to his music and learn more at www.tonylukes.com/entertainment/.
Recipe
The Wacky Surf & Turf Brunch Sandwich
Ingredients
Waffles
Onions
6 oz Ground lamb
Sriracha
3 med Shrimp
Mayo
Pound cake
Brie Cheese
Butter
Honey
All Purpose Flour
Club soda
Salt
Pepper
Brown sugar
Method
Make Scratch waffles or toast store bought egg waffles and set aside. Slice about a quarter of onion thin and Fry onions in canola oil till soft and lightly browned and set aside. Cook 4 strips of bacon in pan till semi crisp sprinkle with a little brown sugar and set aside. Boil shrimp in a small pot with 1cups of water a tablespoon of sugar and 2 mint leaves and half teaspoon of vanilla extract until done and cool when cooled dice into small pieces and set aside.
Cut pound cake into half inch thick piece put 2 tbl of butter in frying pan and fry till golden brown on both sides then top with a couple pieces brie and let melt. Remove from pan and put aside. Season ground lamb with salt and pepper, mix in cooked shrimp, form into a burger and fry in pan to medium and put aside. Mix 1 tsp of sriracha with 2 tbls of mayo.
Assembly of Sandwich
Lay toasted waffle on bottom spread a layer of Sriracha mayo on it
Then top that with fried onions
Then top with burger
Then top with pound cake
Top with bacon and pour a teaspoon of honey on top of bacon
Then top that with the other waffle with sriracha mayo spread on inside
Enjoy!
The Costco/Ergo Road Show
We are proud to announce a new Ergo Chef Sales consultant to you all. Don’t worry, Chef Randy will still be visiting your local Costco’s, but we have added to the Costco Road Show, Chef Tom Anderson. Tom will be covering the Northeast and you can find his first appearance info below. Come out and see our Chefs Randy and Tom and try out the best knives on the market.
From Thursday May 29th – Sunday June 1st, 2014