Chef Gary Curry Anyone that has tried my Signature Sandwich, Grilled Marinated Portabello with Roma tomato's, Brie, Texas Sweet Onions, All on Rustic Freshly Baked (GRILLED WITH OLIVE OIL, ROSEMARY, GARLIC, KOSHER SALT) FOCACCIA BREAD, will tell you that the BREAD makes this sandwich a WINNER!

Here is the Knave of Hearts EASY, POPULAR, FOCACCIA BREAD RECIPE !
Soon to be in our Videos & Cook Book!

INGREDIENTS:
Fast Rise Yeast - 1 packet
Warm Water - 1 2/3 cups
Flour - 5 cups
Sugar - 1 Teaspoon
Salt - 2 1/2 Teaspoon
Olive Oil - 1/4 cups + 4 Tbspns for coating pan
Rosemary - 3 Teaspoon
Red Onion - 1 Thinly Sliced
Kosher Salt - To Taste

You can use a Food Processor for Speed or you can get some exercise by kneading. I prefer the Processor. In the Processor, mix the WARM WATER, SUGAR, & YEAST, Cover & wait 10 mins until FOAMY.

ADD 4 1/2 CUPS OF FLOUR, SALT, & OLIVE OIL.

PULSE The FOOD PROCESSOR UNTIL THE DOUGH BALLS UP. ADDING THE FLOUR AS NEEDED 1/2 CUP AT A TIME.

FLOUR YOUR TABLE AND KNEAD DOUGH INTO A SMOOTH BALL.

COAT A BAKING PAN ( 10 x 15 ) WITH OLIVE OIL

PLACE DOUGH BALL IN THE PAN AND FLATTEN, START FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE DOUGH AND PUNCH OUT TO FIT THE PAN. WORK THE DOUGH STARTING FROM THE MIDDLE WORKING OUT.

COVER WITH A TOWEL AND LET RISE IN A WARM (NOT HOT) OVEN OR WARM PLACE FOR 1 to 1 1/2 HOURS.

PRE HEAT OVEN TO 425

UNCOVER DOUGH AND USING YOUR FINGER POKE DOUGH ONE INCH APART THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PAN.

COAT THE TOP WITH OLIVE OIL, ROSEMARY & ONIONS, I ALSO USE CRACKED BLACK PEPPER, & KOSHER SALT.

BAKE FOR 20 MINUTES UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN.

This makes an EXCELLENT PLATFORM FOR A SICILLIAN PIZZA, OR GRILLED with SANDWICHES!

If you try this recipe, let us know how you liked it. Also, if you have any comments on this or any other recipes, we welcome your comments. ENJOY!

CHEF GARY CURRY
EXEC. CHEF / OWNER
THE KNAVE OF HEARTS, LLC. "Your Personal Chef!"

Chef Gary Curry The latest trend in USA Taverns & Pubs happens to be DARK BEERS. More and More you'll see taps including Darker beers both Micro Brewed & Imported. People are getting pickier when it comes to a beers taste, and alot of beer drinkers are now looking for more complex tastes. Brewing techniques and ingredients are as wide as the world of Wine Making.
There are basically two types of beers, Ales & Lagers. Basically the only difference between the two are the yeasts used to ferment them. There are also DARK Ales & Lagers. On the lighter side of the Dark Beers is the IPA which are LOADED with HOPS.
Hops are Huge flowers that grow on a vine and are High in Acids, and are Bitter to counter the Sweetness of the Malts used in the Brewing process.
On the Darker side you have Stouts and Porters. A Porter is a Darker Beer that's a mix of left over Beer to make a Darker Ale.
Splintered off of Porters are the family of Stouts. There are various types of Stouts which include Chocolate & Oatmeal Stouts. The latest USA FAD among Beer Drinkers are the Dark Beers. Being of Scotts/Irish & German Descent, One thing that ALWAYS aggravates me is when we're talking beers, Some one will always say "I don't like those Stouts because they're HEAVY BEERS" or "I can't DRINK STOUT, Because of the high alcohol content". My comments to these people are to DO YOUR HOMEWORK! The Alcohol content in Guiness Draught iis 4.27% with 126 calories and 9.9 grams of Carbs.
Let's take the Popular Coors Light which comes in with an Alcohol content of 4.14% , 104 calories & 5.3 grams of Carbs. Bud Light, 5.5% Alcohol content, 115 Calories & 6.6 grams of Carbs. Not much of a difference at all.
More Women in the US that appreciate the flavors of good Coffees & Espresso's are appreciating the complex flavors of the various Ales & Stouts. Many especially enjoy Stouts that are brewed with Chocolate.
If you're the person that loves freshly Roasted Coffee & Dark Roasts, Try a STOUT or Ale & check out the complex tastes.
If you're the person that prefers a half a pound of sugar and a 1/4 of a cup of Half & Half in your daily cup of COFFEE, take my advice and stick to your can of LIGHT BEER. In my opinion, Light beer is the biggest marketing scam & con Ever! But thats just my OPINION. Please give me yours, it's your right! Enjoy a Stout today!
Chef Gary Curry, Exec. Chef, The Knave of Hearts, LLC. Pilesgrove, N.J.

Chef Gary Curry In my opinion, Wine should be enjoyed by anybody and everyone that can appreciate the "Nectar of the Gods". Of course chilling certain wines may either ENHANCE or TAKE AWAY the goodness hidden away in the grapes, Who is to tell YOU how you should drink a certain wine. There are pointers you can take to enhance the experience of wine drinking, however, the way you enjoy your wine should be YOUR experience! Snobbery among Wine Lovers Tend to run wild Especially at Wine Auctions. Take for example Billionaire Bill Koch who sued German Wine collector Hardy Roddenstock for seeding the market with allegedly bogus bottles of Thomas Jefferson Wine. In 1985, Roddenstock went to Christies with several bottles of wine he claimed to have found in a Paris Cellar. Each mould blown bottle was etched with the Bordeaux chateau and Th.J. initials! Christies was convinced by Roddenstock that these were Jeffersons while he was ambassador to France. They were auctioned off. Koch acquired four bottles in 1988 for $500k. A few years later Koch hired an expert who determined that the etchings on the bottles were made using a 20th Century tool. Koch was Furious and Christies was EMBARRASSED. There is a significant amount of Fraud at these Auctions. The Auction Houses do not intentionally intend on defrauding the public, however, they DO NOT do enough to verify or authenticate some of the wines they Auction off.
Wine is a PERISHABLE PRODUCT. It is NOT a Piece of Artwork even though it was Artfully Created. Spare yourself the grief in this economy and save yourself some embarrassment & money. Try & By from your local Wineries! You'll be surprised that SOME of them have Excellent Award Winning Wines. You may even find a favorite. Also remember that a wine DOESN'T have to be expensive to suit your particular Taste.
JUST MY OPINION! Chef Gary Curry / Owner "The Knave of Hearts"

Chef Gary Curry One of our Popular Appetizers is Oysters Curry. Part of Oysters Curry is the Home Made Creme Fraiche (Gourmet Sour Cream). This is easy to make at home.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup of Heavy Cream
1 Tblspn of Lemon Juice or Buttermilk

In an Airtight container, mix Heavy Cream, Buttermilk (or Lemon juice), seal and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Use or refrigerate. Enjoy! This is excellent when added to scrambled eggs, or any dish requiring sour cream.

The Knave of Hearts Chef Gary Curry This is a Fast, Easy & Excellent Crab Cake Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 Egg
1 Tblspn Dijon Mustard
2 Tblspn Mayonaise
1 Tspn Worchestershire Sauce
1 Tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 Tsp. Smoked or Hungarian Paprika
1 Pinch Kosher Salt
1 Pinch Cracked Black Pepper
1/2 Cup Crushed Saltine Crackers
1 Pound JUMBO LUMP CRAB MEAT (NOT CLAW MEAT)
1 Small Bowl of Panko Bread Crumbs or Regular Bread Crumbs
1/2 Stick Butter
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

In a Small Bowl Mix:

All ingredients but the Bread Crumbs, Butter, Olive Oil & Crab Meat into a Slurry mixture. Add Crab Meat and Mix with a fork. Break up the larger Clumps of Crab. When Mixed, Cover for about an hour. After 1 hour, mold into cakes and dip in the bread crumbs LIGHTLY!
In a HOT PAN, Add Butter, & Olive Oil. When the butter starts to turn brown *THIS IS CALLED BROWN BUTTER*, CAREFULLY ADD Crab Cakes Being careful not to break them up. Due to lack of filling material, Until these Cakes are cooked in the Brown Butter, They can Fall apart. Cook Appx. 4 Minutes each side on Medium Heat.

ENJOY! Suggested Pairings: Heritage Vineyards "NO OAK" Chardonnay.

The Knave of Hearts
According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Guide:
You should AVOID purchasing FARMED SALMON:
There are many environmental problems related to farming salmon, which means most are ranked "AVOID". However, efforts to reduce some of these environmental impacts by raising fish in inland tanks have been successful. Salmon from these farms are a "BEST CHOICE"

Market Names:
Farmed Salmon Atlantic Salmon, Sake

Consumer Notes:
The majority of salmon farmed today are Atlantic salmon. A small quantity of Pacific salmon - Chinook and Coho - is also farmed. It's important to ask whether the salmon you're buying is wild or farmed.
Salmon is known as sake when prepared for sushi.

Health Alert:
Environmental Defense Fund has issued a health advisory for farmed salmon due to high levels of PCB'S.

Summary:
One of the biggest concerns is the amount of food required to raise farmed salmon. It generally takes three pounds of wild fish to grow one pound of farmed salmon. The environmental mpact of salmon farming is still increasing as global production continues to rise.

Most salmon are farmed in open pens and cages in coastal waters. Waste from these farms is released directly into the ocean. Parasites and diseases from farmed salmon can spread to wild fish swimming near the farms and escaping farmed salmon can harm wild populations. As a result, all salmon farmed in ocean net pens get an "AVOID" ranking.

However, some salmon farmers are making changes to improve their practices. So far, one change has proven successful-raising U.S. freshwater coho using inland tank-based, closed systems.
Closed systems reduce environmental risks by containing pollution, disease, parasites and reducing fish escapes and result in a "BEST CHOICE" rankng.

Look for WILD-CAUGHT salmon or clearly labled U.S. FARMED FRESHWATER COHO SALMON. For now, "AVOID" all other farmed salmon.

Chef Gary Curry There are debates going on among Chefs world wide on which Garlic is the best. Generally speaking, most of the White Garlic you see in stores is from China. Usually, Larger, Cheaper and more plentiful, The Chinese Garlic, some say, ISN'T more aromatic or flavorful than our own USA GROWN GARLIC, usually from California. There are hundreds of varieties of Garlic grown around the world in Russia, Mexico, India and China just to mention a few. However, The difference is that Most of the Garlic that comes from Californiahas been descended from Heirloom seeds that was originally brought over from Italy fifty years ago.

Keep your Eyes opened for a New Kid on the Block. It's BLACK GARLIC. New to the US market and quickly gaining popularity among TV CHEFS, The Black Garlic is simply regular Garlic that has been fermented in high heat for up to a month, causing the Amino Acids and Sugars to produce Melanoidin, which turns it black.
The Black Garlic, because of its chemical transformation during the Fermantation process, is said to have a Molasses like flavor to it. It's has been, and continues to be widely used in Korea and Thailand.

ROASTED GREEN GARLIC BISCOTTI

Thank you to Michael Giletto, Executive Chef, Cherry Valley Country Club, Skillman N.J. and Alina Eisenhauer, Executive Pastry Chef, Eat Dessert First Inc., DBA Sweet, Worcester, Mass.

Yield 12 Biscotti

1 small head of Green Garlic
Canola or Veg. Oil as needed
1 1/4 cups & 1 Tblspn Sugar
4 oz. unsalted Butter
3 Large Eggs
3 Tspns Vanilla
3 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tspn Baking Powder
1 Cup Chopped Almonds
1 Cup Chocolate Chips

1) Heat oven to 350 Degrees. Place Garlic (BULB ONLY), cut in quarters, on a sheet of foil, drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with 1 Tblspn of Sugar; Close around Garlic Bulb to make a packet. Bake 40 mins. to 1 hrs until Garlic is soft and squeezable.
2) Cream Butter, remaining Sugar and Garlic until light and fluffy. Add Eggs slowly, one at a time; add Vanilla. Scrape bowl well after each addition.
3) Add Flour and Baking Powder; mix until combined. Add Almonds and Chocolate Chips. mix until combined.
4) Shape into 2 logs approximately 1 1/2 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide. Place on a lightly sprayed baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool to room temp.
5) Slice into appx. 1 inch slices; put back onto baking sheet. Bake 15 mins. longer until they just begin to turn Brown.

ENJOY! Please give us your feed back if you try this recipe on Chef Gary Curry or The Knave of Hearts (DISCUSSION BOX) on FACEBOOK.

Chef Gary Curry  Of the Thousands of species of Shrimp out there, the most popular on our dining tables are the Brown, Pink & White Shrimp from the Atlantic. Tiger and Rock Shrimp (Named because of it's Rock Hard Shell), Are increasing in Popularity. Jumbo Shrimp AKA Prawns (Depending on what part of the world you live in) are Really members of the Lobster family. Shrimp are graded by size and count. Usually, the higher the number, the smaller the Shrimp!
Shrimp are HIGHLY PERISHABLE! They should have a mild Sea Scent to them and NOT an AMMONIA scent!
When shopping for Shrimp, FRESH should not be confused with Never Frozen! The meat on a Fresh Shrimp will be almost clear While a previously frozen Shrimp will have a slight milky look to them.
ALWAYS insist to your local grocer that they carry Shrimp from the USA. In my opinion, The best tasting Shrimp in the World Comes from OUR SOUTHEAST!
If you've never had Fresh Shrimp From South Carolina / Georgia, I REALLY FEEL SORRY FOR YOU. They TRULY are the Tastiest in the World! Insist on USA SHRIMP!

Chef Gary Curry
Did you ever go to a restaurant and order Fried Fish, Shrimp, Oysters, Veal, Etc., and they were light and crispy?

Then you tried Mom's way of Breading with the Egg wash with Milk, Italian bread crumbs, and Maybe it came out crispy, but the next day it lost it's crispness?

The true test of perfectly fried food is when you take it out of the fridge the next day and bite it, and it's still crunchy and light.

There are 3 Key indgredients to perfectly fried foods:

1) Heavy Pan (Preferrably Cast Iron) or Fryer

2) Oil Temp. Usually 360 Degrees ( Really depends on what your frying )

3) Type of Oil. NEVER USE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL TO FRY WITH! It has a lower smoking/burning point and will fill your home full of smoke! I like to Fry with Canola, Peanut or just good, Old Fashioned Vegetable Oil.

Here's a great Breading Recipe!

FORGET THE ITALIAN BREAD CRUMBS IN A TUBE! Use Panko and Season them with whatever spices you like.

For the wash:
1 Egg
1 Liter Seltzer ( NON FLAVORED ) Water
1/2 Cup of RICE FLOUR ( Can be bought anywhere but is discounted in Asian Mkts.)

For the Dipping:
1 Tray of Rice Flour
1 Tray of Panko Bread Crumbs
Bowl of Egg Wash

Thoroughly mix the Egg, Seltzer or Club Soda, & Rice Flour in Bowl with hand whisk. This may have to be repeated several times since the Flour tends to settle.

Take Food ( Chicken, Shrimp, Fish, Whatever ) and Dip Dry in the Rice Flour
Then in the Egg Wash
Then in the Rice Flour again
TIP: USE ONE HAND ONLY TO AVOID CLUB HAND
Then Egg Wash
Then into the Panko Bread Crumbs.
TIP: For a THICKER CRUST, Back To the EGG WASH & THEN THE PANKO AGAIN
Set Breaded Food on a Wire Rack until Ready for Frying.

MAKE SURE OIL TEMP. IS CORRECT for the Food your Frying. Usually abot 360 Degrees for most foods. Fry foods but DON'T OVER COOK. Items such as Shrimp and Calimari can easily be OVERCOOKED losing precious Favor and making them Rubbery.

Please send me your comments on your outcome of this technique. Enjoy!

An Excerpt form The National Culinary Review.  An American Culinary Federation publication. 
Founded in 1821,  Casa Vinicola Zonin is the largest privately held Italian wine producer in regard to vineyard holdings.  Zonin has produced Prosecco since 1975.  Zonin is now run by the seventh and eigth generations.  Francesco Zonin,  vice president,  suggests the following pairings with Prosecco.
*Grilled bruschetta with shaved Proscuitto
*Balsamic Grilled bistecca (beef Tenderloin) with Rosemary roasted Potatoes
*Fried Bow Ties with spicy red sauce
*Grilled Herb Polenta with Sausage/Gorgonzola cream sauce
*Grilled Pork tenderloins with Carbonara and Pancetta
*Procuitto, Asparagus and Fontina filled Turn overs
*Seafood stuffed Manicotti with Prosecco and Parmesan sauce
*Phyllo pastry wraps filled with Mascarpone and Nutella.

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Courtesy of Don Schoenburg, Chef/Owner
The Lido Deck
Newport Beach, California

Yield:  4 (8-oz) servings

6 whole garlic bulbs
2 T.olive oil
Salt, as needed
4 oz. unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, diced
2 tsp. fresh tyme
3 1/2 cups fresh chicken stock
1/2 cup whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat Garlic with Olive Oil,  sprinkle with salt.  Roast in oven until golden-brown and soft,  about 45 minutes.  Cool.  Squeeze garlic into small mixing bowl.  Melt butter in large saucepan.
Add onions and tyme.  Cook about 10 minutes.  Add roasted garlic;  Cook 3 minutes.  Add stock;  Simmer 15 minutes.  Puree in blender,  working in small batches.  Return to saucepan;  Add cream.  Bring back to a simmer.  Season with salt and pepper,  to taste!

Be Sure to watch Good Day on Fox 29 to see the Knave at the Philadelphia Candy Show! It will air Thursday Jan. 14.  You can also watch the video tomorrow on http://www.myfoxphilly.com.  We will also be updating our picture gallery and recipe pages this week.  Be sure to see our competition pictures from the candy show.  Congratulations to our friends from Ceasar's.  These Chefs are Top Notch!