The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is known for innovative carnival food. Fried food king Chicken Charlie (Charlie Boghosian) invented fried items like: pickles, s’mores, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Oreo cookies, Twinkies, frog legs, White Castle cheeseburgers and more.
www.Cleverley.com
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show on Saturdays at Noon on KIKK-CNN 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out free restaurant gift certificates on every radio show!)
The World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest was three days of cooking, competition, eating and dancing in late February. 221,229 guests joined the 2010 feast. While the camaraderie is fun and festive, the judging is all business as teams vie for the coveted title of World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest Grand Champion. Trophies are awarded to teams preparing the best dish in each category (brisket, chicken and spare ribs) as well as an overall winner. Awards also are presented to the most colorful team, the team with the cleanest area, the most unique pit and the team with the best skit. Go Texan teams are honored for best barbecue and most colorful team. Recycling awards and the new Dutch Oven dessert award also are presented.
The Drillin’ N Grillin’ cooking team took double honors in 2010: Grand Champion Overall and Champion Ribs.
Team member Ernest Ramirez shows the diva of dish and radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to cook ribs like a champion. And you might be surprised to hear what kind of barbecue sauce he uses on his award-winning ribs!
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show on Saturdays at Noon on KIKK-CNN 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out free restaurant gift certificates on every radio show!)
Recipe
Ernest Ramirez’s Ribs
2 slabs of pork spareribs
Dry Rib Rub:
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1tsp Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Salt (or to taste)
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 cup apple juice
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup BBQ Sauce
Wash the ribs and remove the membrane.
Season the ribs with the dry rub, heavy on the meat side, and wrap in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate 4 – 5 hours or overnight.
Set grill for indirect grilling at 375 degrees or medium heat, using hickory wood chips for flavor.
Take plastic wrap off of ribs and place on grill, meat side up.
When ribs start to caramelize (approximately 45 minutes to an hour), remove from grill and brush both sides of ribs with honey and BBQ sauce.
Place ribs in aluminum foil pan with apple juice (you can also add 1/4 cup of Dr. Pepper).
Cover the entire pan with aluminum foil and place back on the grill.
Check on periodically and baste the ribs with the honey and BBQ sauce.
Replenish apple juice as needed, don’t let it dry out.
Cook until ribs are tender.
Times vary according to the equipment.
Drillin’ N Grillin’ are run by the law firm of Cotham, Harwell & Evans, P.C.
Guests will enjoy visiting with many vendors, gourmet food, Texas wine concessions, cooking demonstrations, health and nutrition seminars, entertainment and an olive buffet featuring olives from around the world to sample and compare. Tickets cost $10 per person.
Proceeds benefit scholarships and community outreach programs. For complete event activity listing visit: http://www.ldeisanantonio.org.
Debbie Wheeler of Mahatma Rice, shows the diva of dish and radio talk show host, Cleverley Stone, how to make a cool and crisp paella salad using olives and olive oil. Debbie also demonstrates how to make a brown rice olive bread and fresh herbed brown rice Texas ‘caviar.’
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show on Saturdays at Noon on KIKK-CNN 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out free restaurant gift certificates on every radio show!)
Cool and Crisp Paella Salad
Serves 6
Submitted by Debbie Wheeler
Mahatma Rice
Ingredients
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
1 pkg Mahatma® Saffron Yellow Rice or Spicy Yellow Rice mix
1 cup cooked, cubed chicken
1 cup cooked shrimp
1 tomato, diced
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup green peas
1/3 cup black olives, sliced
lettuce leaves
Directions
1. Combine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Prepare rice mix according to package directions.
3. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except lettuce). Add cooked rice and reserved dressing and toss to coat.
4. Serve on lettuce leaves.
Brown Rice Olive Bread
Serves About 12 Slices
Submitted by Debbie Wheeler
Mahatma Rice
Ingredients
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup Mahatma® Whole Grain Brown Rice
2 tbsps olive oil, divided
2 tbsps olive leaf jelly. Or substitute with your favorite jelly.**
1 1/2 tsps active dry yeast
warm water (105-115° F)
3 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup olives, pitted
**We used olive leaf jelly from Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard. www.SandyOaks.com
Directions
To bake bread in an oven:
1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Place rice, 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, jelly and yeast in a two-cup glass measuring cup. Add enough warm
water to measure 1 ½ cups.
3. In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Combine rice and flour mixture; stir to incorporate. When dough comes together, turn out onto a floured surface and knead dough about 2 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
4. Place dough back into bowl and rub with a little of the remaining olive oil. Cover bowl and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour. Turn dough onto floured surface and sprinkle with olives. Knead dough again for 2 minutes, incorporating olives.
5. Place dough in loaf pan and rub top with remaining olive oil. Allow to rise again until doubled in size (about 30 minutes).
6. Preheat oven to 350° F.
7. Place loaf pan in oven and bake 20-25 minutes, until top is golden brown and crusty. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Remove bread from pan and cool on a wire rack.
To make in a bread machine:
1. In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Place cooked rice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, jelly and yeast in a two-cup glass measuring cup. Add enough warm water to measure 1 ½ cups.
3. Place cooked rice mixture and all remaining ingredients except olives into bread machine. Select regular cycle; press Start. Add olives after first kneading, or when machine signals to add extras. Turn out of pan on cooling rack when done.
Fresh Herbed Brown Rice “Caviar”
Serves 6 to 8
Submitted by Debbie Wheeler
Mahatma Rice
Ingredients
2 cups Mahatma® Whole Grain Brown Rice, cooked
2 fresh garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 tbsps black olives, chopped
2 tbsps fresh basil leaves
2 tbsps fresh mint leaves
2 tbsps fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp dry Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Directions
1. In a large bowl combine cooked rice, garlic, onion, olives, basil, mint, parsley, and red bell pepper.
2. In a small bowl combine lemon juice, Italian seasoning, yogurt and salt.
3. Fold dressing into rice mixture, blending gently but well. Serve room temperature or chilled with
toasted brown rice bread slices, endive spears, or radicchio leaves.
Helpful Hints: For a creamier texture, stir in additional yogurt. For a smoother dip, pulse briefly in a
food processor to desired consistency.