Shelling out the Clams for a delicious fall dish. Comfort Food Central!

 Iingredients you will need for Jim's Simple Clam Chowder:

64 oz chopped sea clams, drained - reserve juice

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup shredded carrot

1 cup chopped bacon

1T celery seed

1/8 t salt

1/8 t pepper

5 lbs red potatoes, cut into chunks

2 qts half and half at room temperature

Sweat onions in large stock pot. Then Add carrots, bacon, salt, pepper and celery seed.  Add clam juice and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and add potatoes- cook until just done.  Add clams.  Slowly add half and half and bring back to temperature.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes before serving. 

Serve fresh as an awesome clam chowder. My suggestion for leftovers would be to make some al dente Linguine noodles, add the seafood chowder, some fresh parsley, and top off with Parmesan cheese, then bake at 350 for 15 minutes. It’s all good!!!

Bon Appetit ,

Jim Baugh

Jim Baugh Outdoors TV

http://www.jimbaughoutdoors.com/ 

  

Jim's Sunday Gravy El Grande with Grinder Balls

 

This is by far one of the best recipes you will come across and it is a combination of Sunday Gravy, Goodfellas Meatballs, Granny’s Spaghetti sauce and my own ingredients that I have thought would make for the perfect Sunday Italian Dinner. Once you make this, there is a lot you can do with it other than spaghetti. We will make Calzones, Ziti, stuffed shells, even use it for pizza sauce and of course a AWESOME meatball sandwich. I have been making this dish for years!

Here is what you will need

For the sauce**
4 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 pound of veal shoulder and lamb shanks
6 Italian- sausages
6 garlic cloves
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 (28ounce) cans Italian peeled tomatoes (San Marzano)
2 cups water

2 cups red wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper
10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

1 onion

teaspoon of crushed red pepper

**For the Meatballs**
1 pound  beef –GROUND FRESH

1 pound of veal-GROUND FRESH

1\2 pound pork-GROUND FRESH
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs,

4 whole wheat pieces of bread wetted
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon very finely minced garlic
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano mix Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

one half onion

10 chives

whole oregano leaves

For the sauce, start off braising some veal, and the sausages along with some onions in olive oil and fresh garlic. Once done, pour all of it into a LARGE non stick pot. Then add all four cans of tomato's and hand crush them, also add the tomato paste and wine as well as water.

 

Pretty much add everything to the pot and cook until it boils a little, then reduce and simmer on low to medium for four hours. If the sauce gets to think, just thin it out with some water and wine.

PREPARING THE  GRINDER MEATBALLS.

This is fun. However you MUST have a grinder. I use the meat grinder attachment on my Kitchen Aide mixer and it works fantastic. I do pre trim all the meat so it does run threw the grinder very fast.

Put the herbs, fresh garlic, onion, and the mix of meats in a large bowel, then grind away. This fuses all the flavors together. Even run the wet bread slices threw the grinder.

Then add the eggs and remaining ingredients to your meatball mixture. Make into balls and you are ready to go!!

 

I usually use olive oil to lightly brown the meatballs and then put them into the pot of sauce. I also wet the meatballs a little to get a nice browning to them.

 

After all cooked, let the entire sauce simmer for at least an hour and you are ready to go.

This is one dish you wont soon forget, it really is awesome and the leftovers are da BOMB!!

 

TIPS:

• I use my own home made infused olive oil. FANTASTIC, has chives, fresh parsley, garlic, red peppers in the oil canister. Really helps make the dish, use it to cook the olive oil and add flavor to the sauce.
• Be sure to use the mixer to mix the ground meat, really does a great job. You will never mix by hand again!
• Take out any bones in the sauce from the veal and lanb shanks.
• Try using store bought or home made whole wheat pasta, taste beeter and MUCH better for you. We use whole wheat in all of our pasta or a 50\50 blend and make it homemade. Store bought is still really good. Never over cook your pasta and after drain and cooled, coat wilth a little of the seasoned olive oil to keep it from sticking and it adds flavor.

Chow!!

Jim Baugh

Jim's Marathon Key BBQ Shrimp and Mango Shrimp

By Jim Baugh

(First printed in Virginia Lifestyle Magazinee)

Welcome everybody to our first column here in the Virginia Lifestyles Magazine! What we are going to be doing here is expanding a bit on what we already do on our nationally televised program, Jim Baugh Outdoors. For 19 years we have been producing outdoor programming highlighting most of the state of Virginia. For the past seven years, we have been fortunate to base our television program out of, one of if not the best harbor in the Chesapeake Bay.  On the Hampton River, we just have fantastic access to fishing the Chesapeake Bay, the James, and even offshore. Everything is accessible and on the river we have all the amenities a boater could ever want.

Now, since we began close to 20 years ago, we have always produced cooking segments on our program. To this day, the response from our cooking features continues to be fantastic. We have produced a cooking video, (soon to be re released on DVD) and we have a project in the works that includes recipes from the Chesapeake to the Mediterranean. This one I am very excited about.

Typically we will head out and shoot an episode of Jim Baugh Outdoors TV, then come back and cook up our catch, what ever we cook we produce a program feature that will air in our broadcast. For years,, we have also been featuring many of the finest restaurants in the greater mid Atlantic, including some of the fantastic hot spots to travel to by water in Hampton. One of our favorites is Surfriders located just across the river at Bluewater Marina, great place, and they make a crabcake that will make Maryland scared!!

Since our show features other things such as surf fishing, pier fishing, and believe it or not, Corvette Shows! Yes that is right. Jim Baugh Outdoors has it’s own award winning fully restored show Vette that we use for promotional appearances, car shows, etc. We also will cook up something special for those road trips, and let the folks sample our creations at the car event. We also annually do cooking and fishing seminars at the Hampton in water Boat Show. This is where our fans can see our Suzuki\Hampton Show Boat, and see what we are cookin up dockside! This is always a fun Boat show, one you don’t want to miss.

So for this column, we will not only be highlighting what we catch on our TV show, but we will include other recipes that we create while we are on the road. For this issue we are going to kick off one of my favorites that I came up with while I was on the old Trojan Tri Cabin in Hampton. I liked it so much that when I went to Key West and Marathon Key this winter, I fixed it up for my fishing buddy Barry Buchanon. Barry was down there for a month and wanted me to come down to do a little fishing and cookin. After my kids left to go back to college after the holidays, well, all I can say, I made it first down to the Miami International Boat Show to do some shooting for Suzuki, then it was off to Marathon Key and Key West. The Yellowtail bite was on, and I had some Shrimp to cook!

Here Is what you do- First off get some shrimp, go on and get the largest you can find, fresh is always best. For this dish I made in the Keys, I used jumbo Tiger shrimp, they were excellent!! Once you get your shrimp, peel and devain them. Sprinkle just a little Old Bay and garlic powder on all the shrimp. Then take some thick country bacon and pre grill (or in a pan) cook the bacon about 3\4 way done. You don’t want them so crispy that you can not wrap the shrimp.

Next take the shrimp and wrap the bacon totally around the shrimp, use a toothpick to secure the bacon. Now what you need to make is a aluminum foil boat to put the shrimp in, just make sure that the boat is water tight, this is very important!!!

Place all the shrimp into the foil boat and add one bottle of Barbecue sauce and several dashes of Jerk seasoning, some fresh cracked pepper, and some garlic. Then add at least one cup of white wine.

Preheat your grill to 350 degrees, and place the foil boat onto the grill and cook for about 20 minutes. Then for an additional 10 minutes, open up the top of the foil boat and let some of the sauce thicken a bit, this will not take long.

To serve, place in a dish and garnish with fresh Parsley. Now this recipe is so good, I have them talking about this one from Hampton to Marathon Key!!! It is fantastic!.

Mango Shrimp

Now some variations on this dish. I have also topped this shrimp dish off with a fresh mango salsa. I got this idea from Barry’s wife while in Marathon Key. She had made this fantastic Mango salsa that was to die for, so I figured, heck some of that baked on top would be good, and it WAS!!!! Betcie Thrift gave me a great suggestion while I was making this dish for the Hampton Boat show, which was also the same day as the Kentucky Derby.  She said to add two shots of Bourbon and some mint leaves. We tried it and it was just fantastic. We called this version, Kentucky Bourbon Shrimp. Let me tell ya, it was just awesome! It sure did not last long either at the show. The dish was almost devoured before we could even take a picture for the TV Show!

Some good tips to remember while preparing this dish. For one, we are using toothpicks here, so don’t puncture the side of the foil boat. Double line the boat with foil would be a good idea. (yes, that was speaking from experience). Also, don’t use a cheap cooking wine, if it is not good enough to drink, then don’t cook with it. I have also at times added a small amount of liquid hickory to add a bit of a smoke flavor to this dish. For you salt lovers out there, forget it, this dish with the Barbecue sauce has plenty of Sodium, extra salt is not needed. Like a lot of seafood dishes, I dont like heavy salt because it can hide the true flavor of what usually is a rather delicate tasting food to begin with.

If you really want to blow away your guest and serve up something that they will talk about for eons, this is the dish to do. Try it, you will love it.

For more recipes from the deep, just log onto www.jimbaugoutdoors.com

Bon Appetit and Bon Vioge!

Tight Lines,

Jim Baugh

Jim Baugh Outdoors TV

http://www.jimbaughoutdoors.com/

   

Asian Mahi!

Grillin and Outdoor Livin with Jim Baugh
Reporting dockside

By Jim Baugh

Mahi Mahi also referred to as Dolphin, has long been one of my favorite all time fish to cook and catch. I had the pleasure of catching some out of Hampton this August offshore off of some Lobster pots. Made for a great catch and a great show. The Norfolk Canyon area is always a good place to hunt for Dolphin as well as Yellowfins.

Now, there are many ways to cook Dolphin, and I am not sure if there is a “Wrong” way. Weather it is grilled, blackened, fried, or even baked, it is always good. I had vacuum sealed some of the filets and froze them for some special occasions. Last month I went down to the Miami Boat Show and stayed with Wayne and Susan Baker for several days. Wayne has been shooting video with me on the show for about 15 years. I always enjoy heading down to West Palm to visit the Bakers. I have seen them so much, I think their cats are even now starting to like me! So, I wanted to bring down some of our fresh fish and loaded up the cooler with some fresh Sea Bass we had just caught, as well as these excellent Dolphin filets that I had packaged and frozen.

Once down in West Palm Beach, we hooked up with Wayne and Susan and started preparing our famous Three Pepper Shrimp sauce for the lightly fried Sea Bass, this was for the main course. But FIRST!!!! I hooked everyone up with my new Dolphin recipe- Sesame Asian fried Dolphin fingers! YUUUM! Great appetizer. Everyone loved it. This is a simple dish to prepare, and truly is fantastic. Here is how to make it.

First off, cut your Dolphin filets into finger sized filets. If the fish is to thick, cut it in half. Then LIGHTLY season the filets with some brown sugar and some light breader mix. Toss, and let stand in a bowl.
Buy one bottle of Asian Sesame salad dressing and pour about a cup of it into a sauce pan and melt one pad of butter into the sauce. Add several dashes of teriyaki and a dash of Worchester sauce. Keep the sauce warm on the stove until the Dolphin fingers are fried. Use a light vegetable oil for frying this dish, not Peanut oil.

Once the fish is cooked\fried, drain the filets on paper towels and place on a serving tray. Garnish the filets with fresh chopped tomatoes and parsley. Lastly dribble with a teaspoon the Sesame Asian sauce over the fish. Do not coat the fish with the sauce, just a light dribble over the fish.
This we served as an appetizer and it really was a smash! Try it, your gonna love this one!!
We will see ya on the water in Hampton VA, come catch some Dolphin with us this summer!

Bon Appetit ,
Jim Baugh
Jim Baugh Outdoors TV
www.jimbaughoutdoors.cm

Mahi Mahi and JB

Asian Sesame Dolphin

A Little Taste Of Argentina

Travel Virginia Jan\Feb 08 Column

Grllin and Outdoor Livin with Jim Baugh
Reporting dockside

By Jim Baugh

Hello everyone! Yes it is true, we have just been caching a ton of MONSTER rockfish during Jan and Feb of 08. This has been one of the best years yet fishing for Rockfish out of Hampton Virginia and we have been keeping the Suzuki’s purrin all fall. The fishing has just been fantastic. Now, we do so many Rockfish recipe’s, today I thought I would share a new and different dish that we cooked up right here on the boat Dockside downtown in Hampton.

Now this is not a seafood dish, but the Argentine relish that is used in this dish can go on just about anything, steak, chicken, or any meaty seafood like Rockfish, Sea Bass, etc. I must give credit to this dish to a good friend and family member, Uncle Bill from Roanoke Virginia. Uncle Bill is a master of the grill and has even built one of those custom tow behind trailer type grills. Bill also is a real champ when it comes to sauces for his barbecue. Well, this dish is a basic flank steak that can be grilled with or without seasoning the streak. The real key here is this relish that Bill made that is based on an old Argentinean Chimichurri recipe, where he got it form, I have no idea, but it is the best thing you will ever try.

First thing to do is get the grill ready and prepare your flank steak. A good marinade is a little ginger, honey, soy, garlic, and jalapeno seasoning. Some fresh cracked pepper to taste and some sea salt. However for this dish, seasoning the Flank is not really necessary because the relish has so much flavor, it is quite unreal. A very tasty dish!!

Here are the ingredients:
One bunch of Parsley
Five cloves of garlic
Two shallots
One fresh jalapeno
Three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
One fresh line, squeezed
Dash of crushed red pepper, and a dash of cumin
Sea Salt to taste.

Now, take ALL the ingredients and blend in a Blender or Food processor. Chill, then stand at room temp. The finished product will look like a green thick relish. Simply serve tableside and put on your grilled flank steak, and you will have one of the best dishes you will ever have.
I cooked this on the boat, and also used it to marinade Rockfish and I did a chicken in the crock-pot with this relish. It all was just fantastic.

Some great tips to try?? Also make up a nice summer tomato salsa fresh with a bit of Cilantro. Also make up a sour cream and Horseradish sauce, serve them all as toppings for your fresh grilled Flank steak, or whatever main dish you happen to be serving.

Now, this may not seem like a hard recipe to do, and it is not. Fast and easy, but I will tell you for sure, it is one of the best things you will ever taste!!

See everyone in Hampton on the water, or Dockside for a bite of waterfront living!!
For more recipes from the deep, just log onto www.jimbaugoutdoors.com

Bon Appetit and Bon Vioge!
Jim Baugh
Jim Baugh Outdoors TV

JB's Atlantic City Clams Casino

 

Travel Virginia Magazine HOLIDAY ISSUE

Grillin and Outdoor Livin with Jim Baugh
Reporting dockside

By: Jim Baugh
TITLE: Breakin out the “Clams” for the Holidays!

Hello everyone! We all have to reach into our pockets and dig out the clams for the Holidays, nothing gets “one” in the holiday spirit like spending “Clams \ Bukoo Denero \ or just plain CASH to help exhilarate the Christmas cheer.

Well I, too am guilty of emptying the bank out during the holidays, with family, friends, and two kids in college, you don’t have to look far in order to spend “clammage” on something! So, I suggest you give yourself a true treat this holiday season. Get some clams for yourself! The ones I am talking about I catch, or rake up over on the northern shores of Hampton. I try to find the smallest ones I can. Our Suzuki Show Boat is not only an awesome offshore fishing boat, but it’s one of the best clamming boats around. When I fill our offshore cooler full of clams, you know it’s going to be a long barbecue!

Now, if you are a bit short on time and want to buy some fresh Cherrystones from your local seafood market, that’s fine. This recipe today is my very own version of Clams Casino. A dish that I will always make up for my family and friends during the holidays. You can bet, I will be making several batches up this season.

This version is similar to the one I ordered all the time while I was performing close up magic in Atlantic City some 28 years ago. I learned the recipe then, and have improved upon it since. OK!!

The Clams
I like to use small Cherrystone clams, you can usually purchase them at any decent seafood retailer, or you should be able to order up a batch. I like to purchase 50 at a time. That’s a good number for an appetizer for about four people. Now, this dish is not hard to make, but does require some prep time. First up, you want to put the clams in a steamer and steam them in beer, only until the clams just begin to open, then remove them from the heat and let cool. Once the clams are cool, just break off the top part of the shell so you have a half shell with a clam inside. Very simple. Once done, just sprinkle a little bit of garlic powder and Old Bay over the clams, not alot-just a touch.

The Baugh Toppings
You will want to chop one onion very fine. One bunch of fresh parsley. Cook, drain, then chop about 10 pieces of Bacon. Shred at least one cup of extra sharp cheddar cheese. Cut and chop about 10 basil leaves. Chop up about a quarter cup fresh smoked pork barbecue. Three fresh lemons cut and ready to squeeze!

How to prepare
Place all the clams in a baking pan and then take a spoon and place equal amounts of the chopped onion, bacon, parsley, and pork onto each clam. The cheddar cheese is then used to top off each clam. Sprinkle the chopped basil over top of the entire dish and lastly squeeze the juice of the three lemons over all the clams. Preheat the oven to 350 and bake for 25 minutes. Once done, broil off the top of the clams for about a minute. One other thing that I do is to put some white wine in the bottom of the pan before putting the clams into the oven. This adds moisture and a great flavor!
This dish is truly a crowd pleaser for sure. It also goes very well with Champagne. The two combined make for an extremely tasty and festive holiday treat.

Try it and let me know what you think!!
See everyone on the water, or dockside for a bite of waterfront living!!
For more recipes from the deep, just log onto www.jimbaughoutdoors.com

Bon Appetit, Bon Voyage, and Happy Holidays!

Jim Baugh
Jim Baugh Outdoors TV

Jim's Rockfish Tacos-DA BEST!

Hello everyone. When my son Ben Baugh returned from San Francisco he called me on the tele and said, “Pop’s you better find out how to make these fish taco’s they have out here, these are the best things in the world!!!” Well, Ben was not aware that on our Hampton Rockfish overnight trips we sometimes cook up fish Taco’s on the shore, always a favorite. However I did look into the California style fish Taco and learned that they do take it a step further. They use a variety of seasoned slaw and dressings to make for a real special dish. So, after my research on the famous fish Taco, I packed up some of my fresh frozen Hampton Rockfish and headed to Miami Florida to appear at the Suzuki Booth for the Miami International Boat Show. I would also be staying with my buddy Joe for a while and also hitting Key Largo, so I had ample time to cook up this fish Taco masterpiece while I was there. All I can tell you is that this is one of the best dishes we have ever done, and is a fantastic recipe for any occasion or celebration. It is a “Must Try” dish. When you look at the pictures, you can see why.

The Fish for Taco Meat
First, start off with some fresh Rockfish. If you don’t have any, I highly suggest you come down to Hampton and catch some! That is the best way. However if they are out of season, a good meaty fish will do, Redfish would be a good substitute. Take your fish and cube them up and simply season them with some jerk or blackenoning seasoning and one fresh lemon. Lightly grill or pan fry the fish until tender, then keep warm.

Jim’s Fish Taco Salsa
This is simple and a must for a dressing for your taco. Just take some fresh tomatoes and dice them up, place in a mixing bowl. Add one fresh chopped onion and one bunch of fresh chopped parsley. Stir in about one teaspoon of crushed red pepper and black pepper and two dashes of red wine vinegar. Lastly add some vegetable oil, maybe a teaspoon or so, and about one cup of water. Mix all together and chill for about 30 min, then let stand at room temperature. That is it.

JB’s Cucumber Dressing
This dressing is a must for this dish. Simply take one cup of sour cream and one cup of yogurt. Chop up one Cucumber finely as well as three cloves of garlic. Mix all together in a mixing bowl and add the juice of two limes into the mix. Stir well, and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

The Baugh Slaw
Slaw is an important part of this overall dish. Start with packaged ready to serve finely shredded slaw and put into a large mixing bowl. Put in about two tablespoons of slaw dressing, fresh cracked pepper, the juice of one lime, and three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Stir well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Other must haves
I like to use corn tortillas, lightly fried or just plain, warmed up in a fry pan. The San Francisco Fish Taco usually does not have cheese, however I am an Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese fanatic, so I have some fresh shredded on the side along with some Texas Pete and a Jalapeno sauce as well. Cilantro is also a nice touch to finish off your Rockfish Taco.

To make, simply place the fish in the shell first, then as much as you want of everything else. The slaw, Salsa, and Cucumber dressing all help to make this one unreal tasty dish. This meal is extremely festive and great for any occasion, celebration or party. This is also great dock food, something everyone can get into and serve themselves.

Try this one for sure and let me know how you like it!
See everyone in Hampton on the water, or Dockside for a bite of waterfront living!!
Hey everybody--don’t forget to log on to www.jimbaughoutdoors.com to receive your FREE Hampton Roads Fishing Guide and Hampton Virginia Travel Guide. Just click the link on our first page, and they will be shipped to you free of charge. All the info you need to fish and travel in Jim Baugh Outdoors Home Waters!!! You can also request both guides toll free by dialing 800 800 2202. Everything you need is right there!

Jim Baugh

JBO TV
First published
Virginia Travels March \June 08 Column

Click Here

 

 

 

Go Green Scallops with Blackened Tuna

 

You will need:

Tuna filets, large Sea Scallops, Jerk Seasoning, fresh Parsley, Jalapeno Pepper Sauce, Cracked Pepper Corns, Blackened Seasoning, One stick of Butter.

Start by preparing the Tuna with traditional Blackened Seasoning, melt the butter, coat the Tuna with butter, and apply Blackening Seasoning lightly. Cook in a white ash hot cast iron pan, about three minuets on each side. This is best to do outside on a hot grill.

Lay the Scallops out in a pan, coat the Scallops lightly with some melted butter, and the Green Jalapino Sauce. Add some parsley and Jerk Seasoning on top of the Scallops. The Scallops will look Green as they marinate, once grilled, they turn a brownish white.

Grill the Scallops and be SURE NOT TO OVER COOK. Serve the grilled Tuna and Scallops over a bed of your favorite rice or light linguini and Clam sauce.

Blackening Seasoning:
Our fav is simply to use McCormic brand and add about a third carribean Jerk seasoning to the mix. DO not over do on the spice on the filets.

Blackened Tuna and Bluefish

 

Jim Baugh

Jim's Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza! AWESOME!!!!!!! (dough recipe)

Made in a spring form pan

(published in Travel Virginia Magazine) 

When it is late January, early February and the Rockfish have moved some 15 miles off our coast and we are stuck with a three mile limit, AND the last of the fresh vacuum sealed frozen Rockfish was served up to your lady friend for New Years, What do you do?? What,- do you do??

My first thought since it has been cold and rainy lately was to jump in an airplane, fly to Chicago and pig out on the worlds most famous Deep Dish Pizza. Now THAT would be FUN!!! Great idea! But, -wait a minute. Gazing at my checkbook, looks like I need to pull out my MVP card and start pedaling my Go Green Bicycle to Food Lion!

It may be hard to believe, but you can make authentic Chicago style deep dish pizza right at home, and it is just as good, if not even better than what you would get in Chicago. Here today, we are celebrating the deep dish pizza and giving out to all our wonderful viewers and readers my own very special deep-dish pizza recipe. It is about as good as it gets.

There is the debate as to which is better, Chicago style or New York Style pizza. I never understood this at all. Both pies are such different beasts, they should not even be considered in the same category. Both are fantastic, and both are called, “Pizza”- and it should stop there. It is about the same as comparing a Rockfish Filet with a Tuna Filet or a Swordfish Filet. They are all fish, and all fantastic, but all very separate in just about every way. Which one is best?? They ALL are the best, that is, as long as you know how to prepare the filet. Fish is a lot like pizza, one of the biggest keys to preparing each is that everything is fresh. Everything, including the herbs.

First a little background on where I got my deep-dish recipe. There are several famous deep-dish pizza restaurants in Chicago. My recipe takes a little bit from several of the better known restaurants, combined what I liked best while keeping the recipe as authentic as possible. I also made the recipe a bit healthier than some of the other pies that are popular. Both the dough and sauce recipe can be varied somewhat depending on your individual liking. We just love Basil (lots of it) parsley, garlic, and oregano, so my pie probably has more of these ingredients than the original. Some die hards will even say that if oregano is in the pie, it is not authentic. That may be, but I still love oregano, so I use it. Now, here is from start to finish how to make Jim’s Chicago style DEEP DISH PIZZA! AT HOME!

The Pans

Serves Eight Slices

Use what we use, stoneware by Pampered Chef. This clay stoneware dish is a 9-inch square that is well over 3 inches deep. The key to stoneware is that it gets VERY hot and cooks evenly. This stoneware does need to be seasoned, similar to a cast iron skillet. Once seasoned, food will never stick to the cooking surface. This dish may cost you 30 bucks or so new, but it will last a lifetime and it has many multiple uses for baking, and the dish can be microwaved or even put in the freezer.

Once I seasoned our stoneware pan, never have I had any issue with anything sticking to it. Truth be told, it is the most non-stick cooking surface I own. This Clay stoneware is truly amazing and worth every penny! (Ok, it was a gift, but I love it!)

I have also used spring form pans and it works VERY well! My FAV!! Also seasoned cast iron pans are very good and can add flavor.

NOTE: We have also cooked our deep dish on the grill as well and has turned out very good. Typically I will use the grill over the oven in most cases.

BELOW: These are two of our deep dish pies using two spring form pans and cooked on the grill. Spring form pans do work very well!

Second pic is the finished pies using spring form pans.

NOTE: When I grill the pies, I use Apple and Cherry wood in one smoker box. We do the same with NY style Pizza.

 

The Dough

Work in light flour

There are many variations on pizza dough and you can surf the Internet to find what you like best, however when it came to the dough I wanted it to be as authentic as possible. Problem is, these Chicago pizzerias don’t exactly give out their recipes. Here I did a LOT of research and found what I believe to be the closest to the original as I could find, it is fantastic and is supposed to be similar dough from Pizzeria Uno. So, this is the recipe I use, it is simple, but really good. I did make some minor changes to his recipe. This dough is great for deep dish as well as thin crust.

* 2 1\2 packages instant rise dry yeast
* 2 cups warm spring water
* 1/2 cup olive oil (My preference)
* 1/2 cup cornmeal, ground fine (My preference)
* 5 1/2 cups bread flour Note- Chicago Dep Dish uses AP, my prefferance is Bread Flour, both   work. AP will be a bit more flaky
* two tbls of salt (add salt last after kneading)
*2 tbls corn oil (My Preference)

Dough NOTE 1:  WHOLE WHEAT -Since this article was published, I have sinced changed the flour recipe by adding whole wheat flour. This makes a light multi grain crust that taste better and is better on the diet. It really is a better crust. Try this:
3 cups bread flour, 2  1\2 cups of whole wheat, and 1\2 cup finley ground cornmeal. GREAT dough!

Dough Note 2: Some restaurants in Chicago do use lard \ Crisco instead of or with corn or olive oil. While this will make for a rich great crust, us health conscience folks prefer good old olive oil. If you don't have a weight problem and the doc says you are healthy as a horse, try the lard. Both are actually fantastic. If you are going to be using this dough for a high temp pie on a grill like 600+ degrees, stick with the olive oil and skip the lard, and do NOT use butter in your dough. It will burn.

Dough Note 3: My recipe calls for the dough to raise three+ hours. Some Chicago restaurants will let their dough raise all day, and also put in the fridge overnight. This does work fine however a four hour raise to me works well. Try both and see which you like best.

Dough Note 4: SOURDOUGH STARTER! A great tip for making some excellent pie crust. Make your own wild starter or purchase on line. I use two, one wild and one that is the KAF 250 yr old starter. If you use a starter, use less yeast and do a cold overnight rise for sure. Much more about starters on our Neo-Ny Pizza recipe and Baugh's Baguette recipe. Check them out here on the Galley Blog.

Kneading and preping the dough:
Dissolve the yeast in the water until it foams (proof). Or you can just put the yeast straight into the mix. Add the vegetable oil, olive oil, cornmeal, and half of the flour. Beat for 3 minutes. The dough will be very wet like a pancake batter. Then let sit covered for 20 minutes.Then mix in the remaining flour. Knead for about 10 minutes in mixer on low then increase after 7 minutes. Then place dough on granite countertop mixing in flour lightly. Kneading by hand only a few minutes. The dough should not really be sticky at all.

Remove dough and place on a clean countertop or bowl. Cover and allow to rise in warm place until double in bulk. Bout three \ four hours. Be sure to coat the dough with olive oil prior to raise. OR, at this time you can put it in the fridge overnight and take out the next morning. Some people like to let the dough stand in the fridge from 2 to even 5 or six days. Overnight should provide you will a dough that will be wonderfull. I have let dough stand for two days in the fridge. Results were good. There is also nothing wrong with just a four hour raise.

If you have left over dough, vacuum seal it and freeze for later use.

NOTE: This dough recipe is enough to make two 9 inch square pan pizzas, and have enough left over for a 10 inch snack pizza.

Filling

Cheese goes first, not the sauce

When we go to the trouble to make home made deep-dish pizza, a simple cheese pie is not going to cut it. Ours is this combination: Italian sausage, hamburger, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, hickory smoked bacon, mushroom, onion, Spinach, sliced tomato and green pepper.

Pre cook meats and veggies

Take your hamburger and sausage and cook them together in a cast iron skillet then drain off the fat. Next, lightly cook the Canadian bacon until it is golden brown then set aside. Next cook your bacon, drain the fat, and set the bacon aside. Wipe the skillet and lightly sauté the veggies until they are tender, then set aside.

Layer veggies on top of meats

This is probably the biggest difference between Jims Deep Dish, and authentic Chicago deep dish Pizza. Some of the Chicago pizzerias use raw sausage right in the pie and all the grease stays in the pie. I find it a much better pie to precook the meats and drain the fat. It is healthier, and the pie is saucy enough as it is, it does not need the extra grease.

Sauce

Sauce goes last

Sauce is a matter of preference. There are some restaurants that actually just pour the tomatoes right from the can with little seasoning and away you go.  Here is what you will need for a cooked sauce.

Cooked Sauce
One large can tomato sauce
Olive oil
Fresh chopped Garlic
One Caned tomatoes cut (San Marzanos)
Crushed red peppers
Sugar- teaspoon
Some onion salt
Dash Oregano
Dash Parsley
Chopped Basil
Dash of thyme
salt 1\2 teaspoon
Parm Cheese 1\4 cup

* Use fresh ingredients if possible.

First heat olive oil is saucepan then sauté the garlic. Next, just add everything and simmer with a closed lid for at least 35 minutes. Let cool to room temperature with the lid on. Lastly, store in a GLASS jar and keep in the fridge 24 hours before serving. NOTE: The red wine vinegar helps give the sauce a bit of zing or tang which works very well, but optional.

UNCOOKED SAUCE,
best with fresh herbs, mix all together, let sit overnight.
28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
2 oz.  tomato paste
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
3 Tbls. minced garlic
1 Tbls. black pepper
1 Tbls. granulated sugar
3 tsp. fresh basil
1 tsp. fresh oregano
crushed red pepper to taste
Teaspoon Sea Salt

Assembling the Pie

Ready for oven at 455, lower rack

Grease your stoneware dish with olive oil up to and around the sides. Place your dough in the center of the dish and push \ work outwards towards the side of the pan. Pull the dough up the sides of the dish. The crust on the bottom should be fairly thin. The crust on the sides should be also. Make sure that the inside bottom corners of the pan do not stack up with dough. Keep pushing the excess dough out of the corners and up and over the sides of the pan. Deep Dish should NOT be an extremely thick crust, actually quite thin everywhere. You don’t want to end up with a loaf of bread with sauce on it!

Next, place your cheese on top of the dough, and then add all of your pre-cooked meats on top of the cheese. Next up, add your veggies.

Finally, pour your sauce on top and garnish with Parnassian Cheese. I like to also put some fresh basil on top of the sauce just because I love basil! Never get enough. You should see the size of my basil bush, huge!

Cooking

Preheat to 455 and cook for 40-50 minutes. Place pie on the bottom of the rack. If the crust is getting to brown on top just use some aluminum foil at the end to cover. (Usually not necessary) When done, let stand for five minutes or longer then serve.

This recipe is based on the authentic Chicago style Deep Dish Pizza, with some variation. Basically, we just drain the fat off the precooked meats and also like to use a lot of basil, oregano, and parsley. As far as the sauce, we like it either pre cooked, or not. Our preference is to precook and let the sauce sit over night in a glass jar in the fridge.

Making a deep dish pizza is a little bit like making a Lasagna, you can pretty much make it anyway you want, and as many layers as you want. Stuffed pizzas are popular however a deep-dish pizza has enough dough already. To protect my six-pac abs, one layer of dough is enough for me!!!

Other Tips

What a slice! (Pic was taken when pie was cold out of fridge.)

***I cook plenty of all the fillings because I know I will have enough left over dough to make one, or even two more pies. We take several vacuum seal bags and pack the dough separately, then the meats and veggies, even vacuum seal the sauce. Wrap tape around all the packages and through them in the freezer. Then we have awesome home made pizza ready to go, just thaw and assemble. All ingredients hold up great in the freezer properly sealed.

***When working the dough up the sides of the pan, keep pulling the dough until it goes over the side. Then after all the fillings are in, cut with a knife about one inch down the outside of the pan. Then turn the edges upward in a swirl pattern. Makes a great presentation

***Brush the top of the crust with a mix of olive oil, garlic, and your fav Italian seasonings.

***A small amount of Ricotta Cheese on top of the Motz layer is good as well. Other GREAT fillers are spinach and a few anchovies. Again, what ever you like, put it in. Just pre cook and drain your meats so the pie is less fat, less filling, taste better, and will maintain a crunchier crust. Pre cooking the filling also will make your pie less watery and firmer. If you use fresh tomatoes for a filling under the sauce, be sure to take out all the seeds and slices should be very thin.


That’s It!! One more thing, leftovers are da bomb!

So, when the Rockfish are to far offshore to fish during January, and you want the deep-dish pizza experience without the cost of flying to Chicago, try my recipe. You will love it!!

Jim Baugh JBO TV
www.jimbaughoutdoors.com

CREDITS: Ginos East, Lou Malnati’s, Uno pizzeria, Ruth Gurganus for the Pampered Chef Deep Dish, and Even Guia.
PHOTO CREDIT: J. Baugh

Awesome Crust! One that Tina Turner Baugh can really sink her teeth into. What a Pizza Bone!

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Jim's Whole Weat and Honey Bread Recipe!

 

Making your own bread products is very inexpensive, fun, and mighty tasty. Most bread products will freeze very well. I use a vacuum sealer even for bread and dough. Just be careful to shut the vacuum off before it cruses the bread, then seal.

1 1\8 cup very warm water
1 Tablespoon veg. oil
1 Tablespoon olive oil
5 1\2 Tablespoon of Honey
3 Teaspoons Sea Salt finely ground
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 pacs of yeast
1 Tablespoon melted honey butter

*Use King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour

First, proof the yeast in the warm water, then add to the bread machine.
Mix the flour together and place in the machine, then add the remaining ingredients.

Turn on the bread machine and choose a light crust setting.

Once finished, let cool, and store in dark place in a tight plastic bag. (Double bagged)
FANTSTIC Bread! Try it.



TEX MEX TOAST VERSION!! AWESOME!
Do the same, except:

* Add a tabelspoon of texas pete to the dough mix, and use 1\8 less water in the mix. Also add tabelspoon of jalapeno juice.

*When it is time to add more ingredients (cycle on bread machine) do this-
Add chopped jalapenos and fresh chopped cheddar cheese. About four tabelspoon of both. Also add one tablespoon of salsa.

Best bread you will ever have! Everything is good on it!

 

Jim Baugh

Jim's Chile Pot Pasta Pie, Cheap and Easy

 

Now, everyone wants a simple, easy, quick, inexpensive recipe that is fantastic and can feed a bunch of folks. Well this is one dish that as simple as it is, taste much more complicated and is very, very fun to serve. This is all you need.Spaghetti Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese Chili  Parmesan Cheese.Beer. (to drink)First cook your spaghetti al denta and set aside. Next in a pot, cook up some chili, it does not even have to be home made. Just buy some cheap can chili at the store and add a little cooked fresh ground hamburger and spices to season it up. Next, in a cast Iron skillet, bed the skillet with noodles then pour the chili on top, liberally. Finish off by grating a fair amount of fresh extra sharp cheddar cheese all over top of the skillet.Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until everything is bubbly. Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top with a tall glass of beer on the side. One AWESOME dish that is great especially during the winter months. Great company dish, and kids love it, dogs to! Try it!

Jim Baugh

Texas Wisconson Border Cafe Tribute!! Richmond Viriginia.

Without a doupt one of my all time favorite restaurants, one that I dined in about three times a week for twenty years, was the now gone Texas Wisconsin Border Café that was located in Downtown Richmond, The Fan.

This place had the best food and atmosphere I have ever seen, tacky??
Oh yes, license plates stuck all over the place, a Spam Clock,
cow heads with Christmas lights on year round, and the list goes on.

My kids grew up with the Border being one of there all time fav places to go. On Saturdays we would pack the family car, head down to the Border,

start pigging out on chips, salsa, legend beer, enchiladas, and of course, their chalupas, the BEST! All the while listening to Page Wilson play live all afternoon. What a HOOT!!! Those were the days.

Gretchen’s famous Green Chile Enchiladas were something that had to be tasted to be believed. The menu was diverse, and anything that was Tex Mex, was 10 stars!!!

Here is the deal, the homemade salsa I tried to figure out even since I first stared eating at the Border. For years, the bartender would NEVER even hint as to what was in it, and boy I tried many times. Turns out, I was never close.

When the Border closed, they gave out their most famous recipes, the Chili (Widomaker) and the salsa. Both, just unreal. The salsa has been a weekly staple in my house ever since they closed. I make it almost weekly.

Believe it or not, I still have that piece of paper they handed out in my family recipe book, maybe I will scan in and post it here in the future.

Ok all you Tex Wis fans, here it is, good luck, and may the Border live on in your homes for years to come!!

Chili

Black Pepper
Red Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Chopped Onion
Water
Canned Whole Tomatoes
Canned Crushed Tomatoes
Celery Salt
Cinnamon Sticks
Jalapeno’s
Cumin
Ground Chuck
Pinto Beans
Chili Powder
Fresh Bay Leaves.

NOTE: Cook for several hours, the key to the heat was the Jalapeno and Cayenne pepper, the Widowmaker would contain a LOT of minced Jalapenos, and that is why the hottest Chili was more expensive.

I have my own Bay Leaf bush here at JBO Central and it really helps to have those fresh Bay Leaves.

Best Chili in the world, none better. Have fixed this countless time for company, and they can never believe that it taste as good as it does. Back in the day, I think this recipe won every Chili award there was.

Jim's BBQat Victorian Station!!

Just to let folks know, I make the chile recipe listed here but use my 30 hour smoked brisket instead of gound beef. Very good, stop by and try.

SALSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This one was tough, and I NEVER would of figured it out, the three secret ingredients for the unique flavor and heat were, Red Wine Vinegar, Soy Oil, and Crushed Red Peppers.

Crushed Red Peppers- over a cup
One bunch of finely chopped (Food Processor) Parsley
1\2 cup of oregano
Three tablespoons of soy oil
Crushed garlic
Three larges cans crushed tomatoes
One large finely chopped onion
1\3 cup red wine vinegar.
Water
Salt to taste
NOTE: There is a lot of dried seasonings, the oregano and crushed red peppers. After mixing and letting the salsa stand, add more water to thin out. You may have to do this several times to get the right consistancy.

This salsa should be served at room temp.

The history of where this recipe came from????? I did ask, and believe it or not, the recipe came from a Taco stand in California. True story, that was the origin.

I live for this salsa, and everyone I have turned on to it, gives me Christmas cards with money in it every year. LOL, I wish.

I had a long history at the Border, and started going there back when I was in radio, before the GM job Blab TV, and even beofre JBO TV. It may be the only restaurant I can say that even after 11 years, I still miss that place. Always will.Those that frequented the Border, much feel the same I am sure.

For those that did not get to try the experiance of the Border, try these two recipes, it WILL change your life, at least as far as Chili and Salsa goes!

Have fun, and below is a story about the Border Café that yall might enjoy. Now, I have to go, I am hanging a moose head with Christmass lights on it in my living room. Right next to the license plate from the bottom of the James River. "Ode to Border"

Chow
Jim Baugh
JBO TV

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CLOSING THE BORDER VIDEO CLICK HERE

A Toast to Tex-Wis
F. T. Rea

Published: March 30, 1999
In 1982 three friends trusted their instincts and put together The Texas-Wisconsin Border Café, a quirky Fan District watering hole known affectionately as "The Border." Owners Jim Bradford, Donna Van Winkle and Joe Seipel were rewarded with an immediate following and in its 17 years, The Border evolved into a bar known near and far for its wacky interior and its diverse crowd.

When word got out in early March that The Border had been sold and would be changing hands soon, its Baby Boomer customers and ex-staffers began making pilgrimages to the place for one last drink, one last connection to a piece of their youth.

The Border was the last of a certain breed of long-gone Fan District saloons that occasionally featured live music as a part of their fare: The Back Door, J. W. Rayles, and The Jade Elephant among them. When one considers that none of the aforementioned establishments lasted even 10 years, The Border's 17 years seems all the more praiseworthy.

It had been rumored that The Border was for sale for years, but what isn't these days? When Bradford, a painter and VCU professor, died in the summer of 1997, the future of the place became much more complicated. Of the three, Bradford was the one who probably spent the most time bellied up to the bar. Or, if you prefer, "overseeing operations." I doubt anyone (owner, staff, or patron) enjoyed The Border's ability to provide sanctuary from the sometimes daunting reality of the '90s more than Bradford.

After managing the restaurant in it's early years, Van Winkle has gone to law school, become an attorney, and moved to Fredericksburg. Fifty miles is a tough commute for a quick beer.

That left Seipel, chairman of VCU's sculpture department, to hold down the happy hour fort in the section of the restaurant known as the Power Corner. Although Seipel's talent for convivial conversation is considerable, he too has taken on time-consuming responsibilities over the years. Fatherhood not the least of them.

So with the graying of the original customer base for The Border becoming more of a factor on the bottom line, it was time to turn the page.

The last call scene at The Border was a remarkable event. On March 14, the last night of the original owners' stewardship, a bagpiper played "Amazing Grace" to close The Border down. It reminded me of something filmmaker Luis Bunuel wrote about a good bar being like a chapel. I expect most who were on hand for the piper's last mournful note took with them a strong sense of that sentiment.

But then there was a second coming. The new owners (Johnny Giavos, et al.) decided to honor a date old management had made with Burnt Taters for a March 26 CD release party. The decision to stay open under the old flag had the effect of putting off the new regime's renovations a few days. The sacrifice only speaks well for the new owners and probably bodes well for the nervous cadre of concerned Power Corner regulars.

Then came last Saturday's auction on the last night of operation as The Texas-Wisconsin Border Café. At six o'clock Page Wilson and Reckless Abandon's musical stylings gave way to the selling off of most of the bar's dusty collection of accouterments. They pulled down the framed pictures, the stuffed animal heads (and sometimes other parts), the signs, the fine art -- you name it.

What went on that night was part wake, part decadent debacle, part celebration, part yuppie one-upmanship, and all party.

For those who did much of the bidding, there must have been a big-time post-auction hangover when they looked at their checkbook the next day. The bidding at times resembled a feeding frenzy, as people climbed over one another to throw hundreds of dollars at stuff, some of which wouldn't go for five bucks at a yard sale. But since the money raised (more than $10,000) all goes to the Bradford Scholarship Fund at VCU, where was the harm in any of it? The auction was a unique night in Richmond's pop culture history. And the proud owners of The Border's back bar folderol have their souvenirs of what really was a unique bar in an age of conformity.

The Border, as it was, will be missed. It won't happen again.