TWO MASTER CHEFS AT WORK

 Hi folks!  Of course, the world's greatest celebrity chef needs no introduction, but I'll introduce myself anyway.  I'm Chef G., the star of the Chef G. Cooking Channel, your favorite cooking blog and the #1 source of foodie entertainment in the entire world of Southeastern Minnesota.

I have a very special episode in store for you today.  For the first time ever, I am going to share center stage with another chef.  My co-chef is a rising star in the culinary world, and I believe she might be the only chef in the world who is worthy of working in a kitchen with me.

Together, we are going to prepare Chicken & Wild Rice Soup, which is one of my signature dishes.  My long-term fans will remember when I featured that delicious concoction in the first season of The Chef G. Cooking Channel.  Those of you who have become fans more recently can check it out by clicking on the link below.  

THE CHEF G. COOKING CHANNEL: CHICKEN SOUP WITH BUGS: The Quintessential Minnesota Meal

That episode was recipe-driven.  Today's episode will be personality-driven, and let me tell you, today's guest chef has plenty of personality.  With that in mind, please greet my five-year-old niece, Chef G-ette, with a rousing round of applause.  (I think she'll want you to know that she turned SIX years old two days after filming.)

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Throughout my introductions, Chef G-ette has been hard at work, prepping and stirring while on a foot stand about 10" off the floor. Let's join her with a series of videos as she slaves over a hot stove.

  

I think it was just before the next video that Chef G-ette said something that made me think she's been watching too many cooking shows.  It went something like this:  "Now I'm going to work some Gracie magic."  I was impressed.  

As you can see, Chef G-ette is precocious, precious, and pretty peculiar.  She's fearless, fiendish and funny.  I guess you could say she's also mischievous to the max.  Nevertheless, we had a blast cooking together, just as I used to have a blast cooking with my own Chef G. offspring back in the day.

This is what Chef G.'s Chicken & Wild Rice Soup looks like.

Thank you to Chef G-ette for co-hosting today, and thank you to all you folks who keep tuning in.  And a special thank you to Mrs. Chef G. who served as my camera crew and who came up with the crazy idea to post the videos on The Chef G. Cooking Channel.

Glad to do it, Loudmouth Chef G.

CHOPS WITH SALSA: Chef G. Cooks Iowa Pork

 

Hi folks, world famous cooking specialist Chef G. here.  Once again, I'm interrupting your day with another irresistible recipe.  It is officially autumn now and I feel a little bad that you've chosen my humble little blog over going to your son's high school football game, or seeing him being coronated as Homecoming King, or watching your daughter's la crosse championship game, or harvesting your crops, or raking your lawn, or keeping your reservation for an all-expenses-paid leaf-viewing trip to Vermont.

I don't claim The Chef G. Cooking Channel is more important than those autumn life events, but I'm not denying it either.  I'm pretty sure this post will be bigger than the Super Bowl, The World Cup, and the final episodes of M*A*S*H*, Seinfeld, and The Bachelorette combined.

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Today's episode is basically an homage to Iowa, the state where I grew up from a shrimpy 4th grader to an immature high school graduate.  It will feature Iowa grown fruits and vegetables, and pig meat raised and marketed in that great state.

Most importantly, this episode was conjured up while on one of my monthly visits to Iowa, where I visit my dad and take him to medical appointments.  It began when my brother's girlfriend (let's call her "Beckster") delivered some fresh tomatoes and banana peppers.  She grew them herself in her garden and was kind enough to share them with me.  My amazing culinary mind immediately began thinking about ways to incorporate those things into a signature Chef G. dish. 

My mind isn't as sharp as it used to be--so it took a couple of days--but I eventually came up with something that sounded too good to be true.  Check it out! 

     

Fresh, garden-grown tomatoes and banana peppers.

I used the tomatoes and banana peppers as the main ingredients in a pico de gallo type salsa.

You might be wondering, "How did you do that, Chef G?"

My answer would be, "Have a little patience.  I'm about to show you by way of a video produced by the professional team at Chef G. Studios.

When the salsa task was completed, I moved on to the meat portion of my recipe.  With the possible exception of corn on the cob, pork chops are the quintessential Iowa dish.  In my opinion, thick cut Iowa Pork Chops are every bit as delicious as a filet mignon, a rack of lamb, or a salmon steak.  (By the way, I received no payments from the Iowa Pork Producers Association for that endorsement.)

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The pork portion of this production will proceed with a properly placed video of the pork chop preparation:

Proceed to put the professionally seasoned pork onto your grill grate directly above the hot charcoals.  Cook them for about six to eight minutes on each side.  When they achieve the Chef G. perfection shown in the next picture, it will be time to remove them from the grill, run them up to the kitchen, and let them rest for a few minutes.

Then the fun part begins.  Slather those pork chops with the salsa you prepared earlier.  Let the juices sink in.  Then, chow down like there was no tomorrow.

All I can say is OMFG!  It is so good!

Indeed, the pork chops were excellent.  I was even able to enjoy most of the second one the next day.  Better than that, I enjoyed the rest of the salsa the next day by scooping tortilla chips into it and stuffing all of it into my mouth.

Seriously good chips & salsa.  Thanks, Beckster.

Overall, Chef G. gives this post a huge "Iowa thumbs up."