Kerry Simon Iron Chef Slider Recipes

Steps:

• Saute the DICED Canadian bacon in a non-stick pan with two cloves of minced garlic and one diced red onion (about 1/2) cup.
• Add the fresh spinach and cook until the spinach wilts.
• Drain well.
• In a Pam sprayed glass pie plate, arrange the spinach mixture in one layer.
• Blend one cup of ricotta cheese with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and two tablespoons water.
• Stir in 1 Tbsp each of basil and dill.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Spread this over the spinach layer.
• Drain the chopped tomatoes and spread over the cheese layer.
• Garnish with a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
• Bake until the cheese melts and begins to brown, about 30 minutes at 350 F.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a heavy bottomed sauté pan on over medium heat render bacon until crispy. Add onions, celery and mushrooms and sauté until golden brown.
• Deglaze with dark beer and reduce until dry. Put ingredients aside to cool. In the meantime ,place brioche slices on a baking sheet and using a pastry brush, brush lightly with soft butter.
• When cooked ingredients have cooled, mix thoroughly with ground beef. With the ground beef mixture, form 8 square patties approximately two ounces each.
• Heat a large sauté pan to medium high. When pan is hot, add vegetable oil and place patties in one at a time being sure not to overcrowd. Cook each patty until well browned on each side (about two minutes) then flip each one and repeat the cooking process on the other side.
• When patties are cooked, place on a baking sheet and top each one with a slice of tomato and one slice of cheese. Place the tray of brioche and the tray of burgers in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the bread is lightly golden brown.
• Assemble Iron Chef burgers by placing one patty on top of one slice of brioche and then topping with a pickle and another brioche slice.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients, and set aside (may be prepared in advance).
• Heat Oil in frying pan on medium.
• Take skewers and form 2-3 Tablespoons of mixture on one end, leaving room for griping.
• Place in hot oil, use fork to flatten for even and quick cooking.
• Flip at about one minute.
• Drain and serve warm with favorite dipping sauce.

Steps:

• Place ground beef onto a work surface; divide into 8 equal-size pieces using a knife or pastry cutter. Line 8 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Sprinkle bottoms of paper liners with salt and black pepper. Form each piece of burger into a rough ball and place into a muffin cup. Season tops with salt and pepper.
• Place a second paper liner on top of each piece of meat and gently press it down to shape the mini burger into a round, flat shape. Pull off the paper tops and remove burgers from the muffin cups; remove bottom paper liners from burgers.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook burgers in the hot skillet until they have a browned crust and are slightly pink in the middle, about 3 minutes per side. Flip burgers and cook 3 minutes on other side. Remove burgers to a plate to rest for 2 minutes.
• Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and pickle relish in a bowl; spoon a dollop onto each bun. Place burgers onto buns, season with more black pepper, and top with a tomato slice. Close buns and serve.

Steps:

• Remove excess fat from chicken.
• Remove hard end tips of mushrooms, and cut into halves or fourths depending on size.
• Destem and remove seeds from peppers; cut into 4-6 pieces if bell peppers are used.
• Heat a non-stick fry pan over medium-high heat until hot; add chicken skin side down, and cook until skin crisps and turns golden.
• Turn chicken and cook other side until brown.
• Add mushrooms and peppers to pan.
• When meat is cooked done, add the mirin and the soy sauce; turn chicken and vegetables frequently.
• Remove chicken when sauce thickens; cut into bite-size pieces.
• Arrange all on a platter.
• Serve sansho pepper and shichimi togarashi as table condiments.

Steps:

• Make the rice. Combine the rice and 3 1/4 cups water in a rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. A rice cooker is the best way to get perfect sticky-firm rice, but if you don't have one, just use a saucepan.
• Fold in the vinegar. Combine the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Transfer the cooked rice to a large wooden bowl (traditionally, a wooden tub). Drizzle a quarter of the vinegar mixture over a wooden spoon or spatula onto the rice. Fold the rice gently with the spoon to cool it and break up any clumps; be careful not to smash the grains. Fold in the remaining vinegar mixture and let the rice sit 5 minutes.
• Spread the rice. Cover a bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. Place a half nori sheet rough-side up on the mat. Moisten your hands and scoop a handful of rice, slightly larger than a lemon, onto the nori. Press the rice to spread it evenly up to the edges of the nori, moistening your fingers as you go. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Prepare the vegetables. Peel the cucumber and slice into matchsticks. (Morimoto cuts the entire cucumber into a paper-thin sheet, then quickly slices it into strips-but he's had some practice.) Thinly slice the avocado, tomato and red onion; peel the tough ends of the asparagus.
• Add the filling. Carefully flip over the nori so it's rice-side down on the mat with the short end facing you. Spread a bit of wasabi paste in a line about one-third of the way up the nori-it's spicy, so use it sparingly. Arrange a few pieces each of lettuce, cucumber, avocado, tomato and onion in a tight pile in the lower third of the sheet. It's OK if the vegetables hang over the edges of the nori.
• Roll the sushi. Roll the sushi away from you with your hands, tucking in the vegetables as you go. Remove the mat from under the roll and place it on top. Press the roll into a compact rectangular log, using the mat to help you.
• Slice the roll. Cut the sushi roll into 4 to 6 pieces. Repeat with the remaining nori, rice and vegetables. Serve with pickled ginger and more wasabi.

Steps:

• Combine shallots and wine in a medium sauce pan over high heat. Bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Let mixture cool completely. Add vinegar, sugar, garlic and mustard. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate dressing until ready to serve.
• In a large bowl, mix baby lettuce, cheese, walnuts and bacon. Add pears and toss with Merlot Shallot Dressing just before serving.

Steps:

• In small bowl stir together salad dressing mix, pepper flakes and garlic powder, set aside.
• Place crackers in a gallon-sized covered container.
• Drizzle with oil.
• Add dry ingredients.
• Seal container.
• Gently roll to coat crackers.
• Let stand for 4 hours, rolling every 30 minutes to coat.