Saturday Beefcake: But Can He Cook?

Ok, there are some downright ridiculous people on the Food Network posing as culinary experts. Some of them are downright over exposed. There are also those who are not pretentious, but excellent practitioners. Lately, the powers that be there have made a couple of good decisions in regard to programming.

Without really knowing too much about him and watching the promos for him, some research was done and voila! here’s the new guy on The Food Network. So, we’ll bite--OK, maybe it’s a bit superficial--it is, after all, Saturday Beefcake. AND, although he is not precisely Canadian, he’s hanging out up there and there is an affinity in these parts for all things Canuck, given our resident moose technician.

Here’s the link to the network’s official bio for this guy



He has a very interesting background and a couple of things stand out:

"Dynamic young chef Danny Boome brings his passion for food and culinary exploration to America with fresh perspectives and unique quick-fix ideas. In his new Food Network series, Rescue Chef, everyday cooks experiencing personal culinary obstacles welcome Boome into their homes to save the day. This energetic "Rescue Chef" offers viewers creative culinary solutions and a true understanding of the basics necessary to guarantee continued success in the kitchen. From semi-professional hockey to au pair, this "Rescue Chef" has explored many trades but always had a passion for cooking ...

Boome launched his television career in 2004 on UKTV Food's co-production Wild and Fresh where he travelled across Canada seeking out the best home-grown delights each province had to offer. He would then return his host's hospitality by taking inspiration from traditional dishes and cooking up a delicious meal with a contemporary twist! ...

An advocate for educating children, parents, and teachers on healthy eating, Boome promotes the importance of understanding the production chain that delivers to the kitchen table. He runs a cooking school featuring courses for novice cooks as well as experienced chefs. In 2006, Boome also held classes for Peterborough Prison inmates in England and advised the kitchen staff on menu and produce selection"




Danny Boome website.

And in keeping with our what’s hot theme, here’s one of the young man’s recipes:

Jambalaya


Olive oil, 50 ml
Yellow pepper, one, deseeded and sliced
Green pepper, one, deseeded and sliced
White Onion, one, finely sliced
Red Onions, two, finely sliced
Celery, four sticks, finely sliced
Red chiles, two, deseeded and finely chopped
Green chiles, two, deseeded and finely chopped
Paprika, two teaspoons
Garlic cloves, three, crushed
Turkey breasts, 450 grams, about one pound, diced
Thyme leaves, one tablespoon
Bay leaves, three
Long Grain Rice, 250 grams, about a half pound
Vegetable Stock, 600 ml, about 17 ounces
Chorizo Sausage, diced, about 150 grams, about a quarter pound
Cooked prawns, 175 grams, a bit more than a quarter pound
Spring Onions, finely sliced, one bunch




1. Heat a large frying pan or paella pan, and add the peppers, onions and celery. Cook for about five minutes, until softened.
2. Next, add the chillies, followed by the paprika and garlic. Cook for a few minutes and then stir in the turkey.
3. Lightly bruise the thyme and bay leaves to release the flavour and scatter over the ingredients in the pan. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes.
4. Stir in the rice and pour the stock over. Bubble up the mixture and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes, until the rice has fluffed up, stirring frequently to prevent it sticking.
5. Add the diced chorizo, followed by the crevettes and heat through.
6. Scatter the spring onions over the top and serve immediately.

N.B.: In America, what we term as the Spring onion has a slightly more rounded and defined bulb and is typically larger than the slender and more delicate green onion. The flavor has more bite and is somewhat hotter.
They can be used much like green onions, except you just need to remember that they are slightly stronger. They are wonderful sliced very thin and sautéed with fresh spring and summer vegetables and stir- fries Info from this site.