Barbeque Leftovers

You’ve celebrated all weekend, now, what do you do with the leftovers from the weekend barbeque? If you hosted a party or were lucky enough to take leftovers from mom and dad’s house, here are some ideas to reinvent those leftovers so you can enjoy them all week long

Leftover: Grilled Corn on the Cob

New Recipe: Grilled corn salad

This recipe is simple because the corn is already cooked for you. It can be a healthy main course for lunch or a simple side dish with dinner. The smoky flavor from the grilled corn will add depth to the dish and its versatility will allow you to serve it many different ways. It can be served hot or cold, used a salsa, or eaten simply as a refreshing addition to any meal.

Step 1: Start with five grilled corn stalks. On a flat, stable surface, hold stalk vertically and use a kitchen knife to cut the kernels from the husk.

Step 2: Collect corn and place into a medium sized bowl. Dice three tomatoes and one small onion. Add to the corn and mix ingredients with a spoon

Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Combine with corn, tomatoes and onion. This can be served immediately after recipe is completed. If you wish to serve cold, refrigerate for one hour before serving. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Leftover: Mashed Potatoes

New Recipe: Potato Pancakes

This recipe is found in traditional Jewish cooking and is still very popular in Jewish-American Delis today. If you already have mashed potatoes in the fridge, almost all of the work is done for you. Potato pancakes be eaten at breakfast alongside eggs and bacon or at dinner as a complement to steak or chicken. To serve traditionally, eat as an appetizer with either sour cream or applesauce.

Step 1: For every 2 cups of mashed potatoes, add 1 lightly beaten egg. Mix well.

Step 2: Heat skillet and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Allow butter to melt and coat bottom of the pan.

Step 3: For each pancake, drop 1 tablespoon of potato batter into the hot skillet. Turn when golden brown and firm. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Leftover: Baked Beans and Hot Dogs

New Recipe: Baked Bean and Hot Dog Casserole

Almost every barbeque will have baked beans and hot dogs. The second time around, combine the two barbeque favorites for a quick and flavorful meal. This recipe is simple and doesn’t require anything you don’t already have in the fridge or the pantry. Enjoy this as a satisfying lunch or dinner.

Step 1: In a skillet, sauté 1 onion, 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of mustard, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Cook until onions are soft. Add 10 sliced (cooked) hot dogs to skillet. Mix and set aside.

Step 2: Add 2 ½ cups of baked beans to a casserole dish with ½ cup of ketchup and ¼ cup of brown sugar. Mix well. Layer hot dog and onion mixture on top of the baked beans.

Step 3: Top casserole dish with sliced provolone cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

* This recipe may be cut in half to make a smaller casserole dish. Reduce cooking time to 20 minutes.

Leftover: Marinade

New Recipe: Flavorful Sauce

If you used a marinade to flavor your chicken or beef, think twice before you throw away all of that flavor. Since the marinade has come in contact with raw meat, many would assume that it can’t be used for anything else. As long as the marinade is cooked to eliminate any risk of food borne illness, it can be used as a dipping sauce, a spread for a sandwich, or an easy way to flavor other foods like rice or vegetables.

Step 1: Bring the marinade to a boil.

Step 2: Simmer for at least 10 minutes to ensure any bacteria from the chicken or beef is eliminated.

Step 3: Serve with your food of choice for extra favor.

These recipes will reinvent your leftovers and make you feel like you’re eating completely different meals. This food will not sit in the refrigerator like other leftovers. With a little preparation and planning you’ll be able to have flavorful meals all week long.

City Food Tours

Interested in an inexpensive way to explore center city through your taste buds? The Center City Food Lovers Tour makes that possible. For only 29 dollars, you can sample the best of Philadelphia’s artisanal cafés and shops.

The Center City Food Lovers Tour was created by City Food Tours, a New York based company that made its way into Philadelphia in October of 2007.

City Food Tours is the brainchild of author and food expert, Joyce Weinberg. Robert Weinberg, her brother, is the director of the Philadelphia division.

“Everything we do here is completely different from New York,” he said.

In New York, eight shops are visited during the tour, which allows for 10 minutes at each shop. In Philadelphia, three or four shops are visited, allowing for 45 minutes at each shop. The extra time is used to meet with the owners and chefs and experience the food.

The Food Lovers tour is just one of 10 that are offered in Philadelphia.

“We’re constantly adding and choosing shops,” Weinberg said.

In order to be featured on a food tour the owners of the establishment must be on the premises, the food must be hand made, and the business must be socially conscious. Weinberg stresses the importance of visiting these small, artisanal shops.

“If you don’t support local business, we’ll be left with mega marts, and we will all be eating Velveeta,” he said.

Some of the shops featured on the Food Lovers tour include Naked Chocolate Café, Capogiro Gelato Artisans and DiBruno Brothers.

In addition to the shops featured on the tour, Weinberg also recommends Old City Cheese on 160 N. 3rd street for an under the radar brunch, Sahara Grill on 13th and Walnut for middle eastern cuisine, and Zocalo on 36th and Lancaster for authentic Mexican food.

Weinberg is passionate about food and the way it can speak for a city.

“I don’t want cheesesteaks, pretzels, and scrapple speaking for Philadelphia, Weinberg said.

“The right foods aren’t always speaking for the city; it’s usually the lowest common denominator.”

The food tours are a way to open up the food of Philadelphia to a wide array of people while avoiding the tourist traps.

“It’s a great idea for a college student and any local. We bring people to places that they’ve never been or heard of. These are not $100 a head restaurants that you’ll never see again until your parents come to town,” he said.

While ramen noodles, pizza, and even Velveeta will remain staples of college life in any city. City Food Tours can offer some new tastes to your palate and get you off of your campus and into center city.

The Center City Food Lovers tour begins on Wednesdays and run through Sunday. Tickets for this and other City Food tours are available by visiting zerve.com. Visit cityfoodtours.com for information on tours in both New York and Philadelphia.

The Market at Comcast

The Comcast Center at 1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd is bringing more than office space to Philadelphia. This 975 foot, 58 story building provides office space for its main occupant, Comcast, but also provides a wealth of culinary adventures.

The Market at Comcast center is more than just a food court; it is a gourmet food hall. Located on the concourse level, the Market features Philadelphia staples like Di Bruno Brothers, Bucks County Coffee Co., La Scala’s, Mexican Post, Termini Brothers, Tokyo Sushi and Catering, and Frank’s Old Philly Style Sandwiches.

The Comcast Center also holds more gourmet food selections including two restaurants by renowned chef Georges Perrier, Table 31 and The Plaza Café. Table 31 is an upscale steakhouse while The Plaza Café features creative plates and outdoor seating.

Susanna Foo, known for its chic fusion of Chinese and French cuisine has created a less expensive alternative to its Walnut Street restaurant. Sanxi (pronounced san-shee), is a new dumpling kitchen owned and operated by Susanna Foo that will soon open on the concourse level of the Market.

Sookhee’s Produce offers reasonably priced and locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables while Under the “C” presents fresh seafood. If you don’t feel confident preparing your meal yourself, Under the “C” also offers expertly seasoned shrimp, crab, or any fish of your choice. One stop at the Market and you could pick up groceries for the week, lunch, or just a mid-day snack.

Aside from the culinary creations a few specialty shops have made their way into the Comcast Center. Godiva Chocolatier, L’UOMO (Italian clothier), Details High Speed Cleaners, and Govberg Jewelers are among some of the retailers.

While the Market at Comcast may be the most pedestrian friendly skyscraper in the city, there are still a few perks exclusively for the employees of Comcast. Located on the 48th floor is the company café. Ralph’s Café trumps the traditional idea of cafeteria food. The menu ranges from macaroni salad to crispy pizza topped with goat cheese; there is even a sushi chef on staff.

The Comcast Center has brought design and both new and familiar culinary adventures to Center City. It provides some of the best of Philadelphia on a smaller scale and all in one place.

Distrito: Modern Mexican

University City has just been infused with a bit of Latin spice and culture. The influx of Tapas restaurants to Philadelphia has been palpable over the last five years. The latest restaurant, Distrito, the brain child of restaurateur and executive chef Jose Garces, opened on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 3945 Chestnut Street.

Tapas, the Spanish word for a variety of appetizers, have made an incredibly successful basis for restaurants. Small plates generally equate to lower prices and allow for a range of dishes to be enjoyed by a group of friends. This fun yet tasteful experience seems to be a perfect match for University City.

The decor inside Distrito is bright and energetic. The ground floor of the two story restaurant features a tequila and juice bar. The ample dining room with small round tables beams with colors of pink, blue, orange and white. Bored by traditional seating? You can enjoy a few appetizers in the VW Beetle table toward the front of the restaurant. The doors to the beetle open and can accommodate up to four people.

On the second floor, there is an open kitchen and expansive dining area with more creative seating. White swinging benches hang from the ceiling and rattan, semi-circle booths encompass larger parties of four or six. Seating along the outer edges of the room allows for excellent views of Market Street through large picture windows.

Distrito’s modern Mexican cuisine ranges in price from 4 dollars to 13 dollars. A tasting menu is also available for $40 with perfectly balanced selections by Garces himself.

You will not find many traditional dishes on this menu. Garces marries Mexican cuisine with influences from Spain, where he once worked, and Ecuador, the native country of his parents.
His non-traditional Mexican fare includes rich and creamy coconut lobster chowder, seared tuna and black bean tacos, and Serrano ham and prosciutto flat breads.

The traditional items on the menu are made more decadent by Garces’ creativity. The guacamole is served with lump crab meat and nachos are topped with skirt steak and refried beans. The signature enchilada dish is served with duck, poblano chilies, and four types of beans.

Distrito’s dessert menu is no less decadent; the two favorites, Tres Leches and Pastel de Chocolate are both tributes to Mexican chocolate. Tres Leches boasts a moist chocolate cake, with three types of chocolate ganache in the center. It is topped with meringue and tropical fruit. The Pastel de Chocolate features chocolate ice cream topped with spicy melted chocolate and citrus foam.

Distrito is the first restaurant of its kind to venture past the usual setting of center city or old city. Distrito is fun, vibrant, and deliciously overdone. For a moderate price students and residents of University City can experience Garces’ unique view of Mexico City and open their palates to something new.