Hello internet people,
Thomas Mates here. I’m back again, but just barely.
Recommended Videos
I got to tell you, I am all out of sorts — more so than usual.
[ADD YOUR BUSINESS TO THE FLORIDA FOODIE DIRECTORY]
Remember how I told you a few weeks back that I’ve been house hunting? Well, the hunt is over and now the endless toil of homeownership has begun.
It has been a nonstop stream of waking up early, meeting contractors, getting quotes, talking to this salesperson, that insurance agent and the list goes on and on into an endless spiral of sadness.
Needless to say, any semblance of a regular or balanced diet has gone far out of the window. I should be able to get back on track soon-ish, maybe, I hope.
But, I got to tell you, my new kitchen is pretty sweet and I cannot wait to organize it and start cooking. Oh, the excitement that is my life.
More on that once I’m all settled in.
In the meantime, I still want to hear from all of you about what you want to see out of Florida Foodie. Email me your thoughts, suggestions or even a complaint to tmates@wkmg.com.
OK, let’s get into it.
Restaurant Help 👨🍳👩🍳
Restaurants and the whole service industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. One of the biggest ongoing issues is staffing shortages.
On this week’s Florida Foodie podcast, Candace Campos and Lisa Bell got the chance to sit down with Ben Ellsworth, the CEO of GigPro.
GigPro allows restaurants to fill shifts with temporary workers and it guarantees the workers at least $15 per hour. Ellsworth spent 25 years in the restaurant industry as a cook and chef and he brings a really interesting perspective to the changing landscape of the industry.
>You can listen to the episode by clicking here.<
Small bites 🥕
Together at last 🍩🌭: Have you ever wanted a fancy doughnut and an elaborate corndog at the same time? Me neither, but you can now.
It’s in the bag(el) 🥯: A bagel spot in Orlando recently closed, but now a new bagel spot is taking its place. Click here to find out where to get your carbohydrate fix.
Gone, but not for long 🍩: DG Doughnuts just closed their shop in Oakland, but it will soon make a comeback in a new spot. Click here to find out where.
Easter brunch 🐰: Need a spot to grab Easter brunch? I don’t but you might. Click here to find out where to go.
Plant burgers 🌱🍔: There’s a new burger joint opening in Orlando. Find out when and where here.
Something to try at home 🍽️
OK guys, gals and non-binary pals, I got a humdinger for you today.
We are making green chili. What is green chili? It is chili that is green. It is tasty and delicious and a little zestier than its red counterpart.
Ingredients:
- 6 tomatillos, halved
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2-4 jalapenos with the stems removed (depending on spice preference)
- 2 limes
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 2 poblano peppers
- 2 cans white beans (you can use dry white beans, whichever you prefer)
- 2 cups of chicken stock
- a protein of your choosing (I recommend chicken thighs, pork shoulder or chuck roast)
- canola oil
- cilantro for serving (optional)
Step 1: To start, turn your broiler to high and set a rack high in your oven. Then arrange your tomatillos, onion and jalapenos on a baking sheet and coat them all generously in oil. Place inside your oven and let them cook and blister for about 5-10 minutes. It is OK and even recommended to get a light char on everything.
Step 2: Once everything gets blistered and the tomatillos are nice and soft, remove the tomatillos, onion and jalapenos from the oven and place it all into a blender with your garlic and the zest and juice of one lime. Be careful when you are blending this. When you try to blend hot things, a lot of steam is released, which can blow the lid off your blender and make a huge mess. I am saying this from experience. Place a towel over the lid of your blender and hold onto it as you pulse your blender until the contents are smooth. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. You could actually serve this mixture as a nice salsa verde, but that’s for another day.
Step 3: Take your poblano peppers and coat them in oil. Then place them on a baking sheet and put them under the broiler. You want them to get completely blackened on all sides. If you have a kitchen torch, you can use that as well. Once they are blackened, take them out of the oven and cover them tightly in tin foil. You want to let them steam for about 5-10 minutes.
Step 4: Now, put a stockpot over medium-high heat and coat the bottom with oil. Now, sear your meat on all sides. If you are using the pork shoulder or chuck roast, make sure that it is cut into bite-sized chunks. You want all your meat to have a good crust on it and, more importantly, you want to build up a nice fond (that brown stuff on the bottom of the pan). Don’t crowd your pot. Sear the meat in batches, then set it aside.
Step 5: Now, pour your tomatillo mixture into the stockpot, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the pan to lift up all that fond. Your mixture might brown a little. That is fine. You want that to happen to help it develop flavor.
Step 6: Take your poblanos out of the tin foil, then wipe off all the skin with paper towel, it should lift right off. Then remove the stem and seeds from your peppers, give them a rough dice and add them to the stockpot. Then heat your oven to 300 degrees. You may have to readjust your racks so there is one in the lower third of your oven.
Step 7: Add your chicken stock, meat and beans to the stockpot. Now, cover it partially with a lid and place the whole thing into the oven for two to three hours. Stirring periodically and scraping down the sides of the pan. Once your meat is fork-tender, it is ready to serve. Be sure to taste it first and add salt and pepper as needed.
Step 8: Serve your chili in a bowl with a lime wedge and some fresh chopped cilantro on top. You could also crumble some queso fresco over the top as well.
This recipe takes a little time, but it is well worth it. I think it is a perfect summer stew, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Well, that’s all for me today. We’ll talk again soon. Remember to email me, tmates@wkmg.com, if you have any questions, recipes or anything else you want to share.
Until next time, you can stay up to date on Central Florida’s foodie community by checking out the Florida Foodie page of our website. We also have a Florida Foodie business directory there. If you have a restaurant or food-related business that you want to add to it, just click here.
Please take the time to rate and review the Florida Foodie podcast, I would appreciate it. The reviews help new people find our podcast and we work really hard to make it fun and interesting.
- Tom