See Dick Cook: A Culinary Voyage for the Average Man (15 page)

Tap That Sea Bass

Ready to tap that? Set the mood first with this fantastic seafood dish that's simple and guaranteed to impress. Barring any aversion to fish that is.

Procedure

Spray a generous amount of non-stick cooking spray on the barbecue grill prior to lighting. Try to find the spray designed specifically for grilling and higher heat.

Fire up the barbecue to medium heat.

Rinse the sea bass fillets with cold water then pat dry with some paper towel.

Using a pastry brush, apply a generous amount of Dick Likes It Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing to the fillets.

With a pepper mill, coat both sides of the fish with crushed black pepper.

Grill for 6 to 8 minutes per side depending on how thick your fillets are. The center of the fish should be opaque and flaky.

Remove from grill and serve immediately.

Servings: 4

Yield: 4

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Very easy

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Dicks Tips

Sea bass is a little pricey Dick but well worth the investment. Three words will ensure a successful choice - fresh, fresh and fresh. Go straight to the seafood counter for this. Serve with Back in Black Bean Rice and Baked Tomato Tata's for a full meal.

Dick Factor: For presentation throw a sprig of dill on each fillet right before you serve it. For vino try a nice dry Riesling or a Chablis.

Throw Me a Bone Bake 'n Barbecue Ribs

These will be fall-off-the-bones delicious Dick and a great reason to brag about your meat. A great dish for any agenda and a perfect summer meal.

Procedure

Preheat your oven to 200° F.

Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray evenly with cooking spray.

Cut your ribs into serving sized portions, or 3 - 4 rib pieces.

Place all pieces onto your baking sheet then brush both sides with the garlic flavoured olive oil.

Season both sides with garlic powder and steak spice.

Cover the top of the ribs with another sheet of tinfoil, tucking the sides in all around.

Bake in the oven at 200° F for about five hours.

When you're ready to eat, fire up the barbecue to a medium high heat.

Remove the ribs from the oven and brush with your favourite barbecue sauce before throwing on the barbecue. (If you prefer dry rub ribs just throw them directly on the barbecue minus the sauce.)

Grill for about 10 minutes, flipping once or twice and serve.

Servings: 6

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 hours and 15 minutes

Total Time: 5 hours and 45 minutes

Dicks Tips

Some Manly Macaroni Salad and some fresh cut veggies would go well with these ribs Dick. Have a small dish of warm water and lemon wedges for guests to clean their fingers. An empty dish on the table for the carcasses comes in handy as well.

MEET THE PARENTS

“I like a cook who smiles out loud when he tastes his own work. Let God worry about your modesty; I want to see your enthusiasm.”
~ Robert Farrar Capon

A Bow Tie Event

Can't afford a bow tie and tux, but still want to make a big impression? This dish looks awesome, tastes awesome and well, it's just awesome. So throw on some jeans, a comfy shirt and get ready to impress.

Procedure

Grill chicken breasts over the barbeque. Slice and set aside.

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain well then cover and set aside to keep warm.

In a small frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for five minutes, stirring frequently to avoid browning. Next add pine nuts, continuing to stir until nuts begin to tender, 5-7 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss pasta with olive oil mixture. Next add the basil and stir until all of the pasta is lightly coated.

Add remaining ingredients and stir together. Spread on a plate, and top with grilled chicken breast strips. Serve immediately.

Servings: 4

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Dicks Tips

Pine nuts add a great, distinct flavour Dick and can be found at the grocery store in the baking section. This would serve well with Dick's Garlic Bread and some nice wine.

Penniless Beef Tenderloin

Be prepared to empty your wallet for a good cut of beef tenderloin Dick, but rest assured it will be money well spent. Cooked properly, this dish will be so tender it will melt in your mouth. Really, how could they not love you?

Procedure

In a glass pan large enough to hold the roast, mix all ingredients for the marinade together. Place the tenderloin in the dish and turn to coat. Cover with saran wrap and marinade overnight in the fridge, turning to coat every few hours.

Remove from fridge and warm to room temperature for about 4 hours prior to cooking.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Transfer tenderloin to a shallow baking pan, pouring marinade over top.

Cook for ten minutes at 400° F, and then reduce heat to 325° F for 40 more minutes for a medium rare roast. Baste with juices as roast cooks.

Remove from oven, cover or 'tent' with aluminum foil, and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Servings: 8

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Oven Temperature: 325°F

Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Inactive Time: 12 hours

Total Time: 12 hours and 50 minutes

Dicks Tips

Make sure not to add any salt to your beef prior to cooking Dick, as this will toughen the meat. You'll find chopped ginger in small little jars in the produce department, along with the jarred garlic. Both are handy to have in the fridge. Serve with Nearly Naked Garlic mashed potatoes and Asparadick and Hollandaise sauce for a truly elegant meal.

Bagger Steak with Béarnaise Sauce

A version of carpetbagger steak, this is sure to wow the pants of the parents, and oysters will help wow the pants off of her when they leave. Everybody feel the love.

Procedure

Leave steaks out to warm at room temperature for two hours before you plan to cook them.

In a fry pan over medium heat, melt butter and sauté oysters, mushrooms, shallots and parsley for about ten minutes, or until mushrooms are soft.

Drain off the excess butter and stir in the bacon, cheese, and wine. Continue cooking over medium-low heat for another ten minutes to slightly reduce the wine. Remove from heat and let cool for five minutes.

Meanwhile, make Béarnaise sauce according to package directions and simmer to keep warm.

Cut a pocket into the side of each steak then stuff pockets with the oyster mixture. Close the pocket as best you can, and secure with a wooden toothpick or two.

Grill steaks on the barbeque for about 6 minutes per side over high heat for medium doneness. If you are without barbecue Dick, you can broil the steaks about 6 inches from heat for about 8-10 minutes on each side.

Place steaks on serving plates and spoon any leftover mixture on top. Spoon Béarnaise sauce over steak and topping and serve.

Servings: 4

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Moderately difficult

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Inactive Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours and 42 minutes

Dicks Tips

You can pick up some fresh oysters at the fish counter Dick. These little pearls are said to be aphrodisiacs and should put everyone in the mood. Using the packaged Béarnaise sauce is time saving, simple and tastes just as good as stuff you'd make from scratch.

Crazy About Her Clam and Linguine

This simple delicious dish will let everyone know just how crazy you are about her... on the inside.

Procedure

Cook your linguine as directed on the package, then drain and set aside. Cover to keep warm.

Heat up your oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat, then add onion and sauté for 3 minutes or until they begin to soften. Stir frequently while they cook.

Now throw your garlic, anchovy paste and dried red pepper flakes into the mix, cooking for an additional 3 minutes.

Next you want to add your diced tomatoes. I want you to drain one can of all the liquids and add to the pot, then add the entire second can, liquids and all to the pot.

Now take the juice from your clams (the stuff I told you to keep Dick) and add to the pot. Don't add the actual clams just yet. Follow this with the red wine and tomato paste. Bring entire mixture to a soft boil for five minutes.