Somewhere tucked away in your subconscious there might be a blast-from-the-past tune that could be simmering in your slow cooker.
Think about it. Food and song are the perfect match.Stirring, whirring, chopping and bopping all possess a distinct rhythm of their own - like rock 'n' roll.
Garlic is powerful, but when added to a pound of poultry and a Sting-ful song by a band named The Police, you get a culinary combo called "Every Breath You Take" Garlic Chicken.
Odd, you say? Yes! And there's an entire collection of similar pun-ridden rock 'n' roll/food concoctions from chef Rex Havick.
He's produced a crazy cookbook packed with trivia and tastes called "Rock 'n' Roll Recipes."
In a nutshell, the cookbook contains instructions for whipping up goodies from the oldies.
Havick, an Emmy-award winning television writer-rock-star-wannabe, dives into the glory days of the music that started a generation cookin' - so to speak.
"There isn't a memory or event in my life that doesn't have a rock 'n' roll song attached to it," he says.
" `Acquarius/Let The Sunshine In' blared on the car radio the day I received by first driver's license. `In The Year 2525' had me rethinking the future as Neil Armstrong took man's first steps on the moon. And `Fly Robin, Fly' and I were flying high the week I graduated from college," he recalls.
Havick confesses that in high school he formed a rock band that was less-than-groovy. Seems that whenever the group rehearsed, dogs barked and neighbors complained.
Eventually . . . thankfully . . . his electric guitar shorted out.
He took this as an omen and quit, trading the electric guitar for an electric blender. He sensed that his future was in the kitchen, not a recording studio.
So he became a chef. A chef who always worked with blaring rock 'n' roll tunes playing as he sliced and diced.
He says that he was like a computer - "What goes in must come out."
Eventually, after years of listening to rock music while doing the cuisine thing, the book "spewed forth."
"Rock 'n' Roll Recipes" spans the rock era from 1955 to 1995. As we stroll through the chef's kitchen, we're spoon-fed recipes laced with background bits about singers like Dion (and the Belmonts), Billie Joel (the amateur boxer from Hicksville, N.Y.) and Lulu (the Scottish Brenda Lee).
By twisting (move over Chubby Checker) song titles and popular dishes, Lulu's hit "To Sir With Love" becomes a more gastronomically correct "To Sirloin With Love."
From "Johnny Angel food cake" to "Hootie and the Grilled Fish," chef Rex pushes the pun beyond belief. But despite truly awful stretches of original song titles, each recipe is valid, tested and depending on one's tastes - tasty.
We selected several of the most palatable entries - by title and taste.
Initially, we were leaning toward a certain Beatles selection to be included in this week's round of recipes. However, clever as it sounded, we just couldn't bring ourselves to print a recipe for "I Wanna Mold Your Ham."
Not that the rest of 'em are much better. But the thought of packing all that ham and bread chunks into a bundt pan . . .
More to our liking were these tasty tidbits:
- "You Don't Bring Me Flour" (Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond)
- "Another One Bites The Crust" (Queen)
- "Love Me Tenderloin" (Elvis Presley)
- "Mashed Potato Time" (with Dee Dee Sharp Cheddar Cheese)
- "Rock Around the Crock" (Bill Haley & His Comets)
- "That'll Be The Daise" (Buddy Holly-daise Sauce)
Turn a page. Groan. "Rock 'n' Roll Recipes" is a playful trip back in thyme.
"This project was a labor of love . . . and calories," says chef Rex.
"With my CD player blaring, I substituted ingredients for lyrics, pots for guitars and drumsticks for drum sets."
The result is a cookbook that's fun, packed with nostalgia and noshing. Chef Havick's "inspiration" just might cause the reader to shake, rattle and roll into the kitchen to try a few of these newly-hatched hits.
Imagine serving dinner guests a meal beginning with "An Hors (d'oeuvre) With No Name" and ending with "American Pie."
With recipes like this, you'll have fun, fun, fun 'til your daddy takes the T-bone away!
*****
RECIPES
HIT THE ROAD, FLAPJACK
(Ray Charles)
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 pound tart apples, peeled, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, milk, flour and salt until smooth. Melt 11/2 tablespoons of the butter in a large ovenproof skillet on medium heat. Pour in the batter and place the skillet in the hot oven. Bake at 450 degrees F. for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperture to 350 degrees F. and continue baking for 10 minutes.
The flapjack should be light brown and crisp. If it puffs up in large bubbles during the first 15 minutes, pierce it with a fork to deflate. Meanwhile, in a saute pan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and cook the apple slices along with the sugar and cinnamon, stirring often. Cook until apple slices are tender.
When the flapjack is done, slide it onto a serving platter and pour the apples over the top. Cut into wedges, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve immediately. Then hit the road, Jack! Serves 2-4.
- Each serving contains 481 calories, 21g fat, 63g carb, 510mg sodium, 204mg cholesterol, 39% calories from fat
- From "Rock 'n Roll Recipes" by Chef Rex Havick
LIPSTICK ON YOUR CAULIFLOWER
(Connie Francis)
2 medium heads cauliflower, trimmed, cut into florets
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Steam cauliflower florets in steamer pot with boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Drain well. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over low heat. Add flour and stir 5 minutes.
Gradually whisk in milk. Add bay leaf and nutmeg and bring to simmer, stirring often. Cook until thick, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in mustard and Worcestershire. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.
Transfer sauce to large bowl. Add cauliflower to sauce and stir until well coated. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cauliflower in baking dish. In small bowl combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and herbs de Provence. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over cauliflower mixture. Drizzle with butter. Bake until cauliflower is heated through and sauce bubbles at edges, about 45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and serve. Serves 6.
- Each serving contains 477 calories, 15g fat, 58g carb, 1251mg sodium, 37mg cholesterol, 30% calories from fat.
- From "Rock 'n Roll Recipes" by Chef Rex Havick
WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TAMALE?
(The Shirelles)
3 large ears corn, shucked
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups Masa Harina (corn tortilla mix)
1/2 cup corn oil
1/3 cup warm water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cheese and Bell Pepper Filling:
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1 large green chili
2/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese
10 tamale husks
For tamale dough:
Cut kernels from corn cobs and transfer kernels to large bowl. Blend 1 cup kernels and sugar in food processor until it is a chunky puree. Return puree to bowl with remaining corn. Add Masa Harina, oil, 1/3 cup water, herbs, baking powder and salt. Mix until soft moist dough forms, adding more water by tablespoons if dry. Set aside.
For filling:
Char bell peppers and green chili over gas flame or in broiler until skin is blackened. Transfer to paper bag and let stand 10 minutes to steam. Peel, seed and coarsely chop peppers and chili. Transfer pepper mixture to bowl. Mix in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Assembly:
Cook husks in large pot of boiling water until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain. Flatten and overlap 2 husks on work surface, forming rectangle. Divide tamale dough into 8 equal pieces. Press 1 dough piece into 4-inch square in center of husks. Spoon 1/8 of cheese/pepper mixture onto center of dough. Place hands under husks and, using husks as aid, press tamale dough over to enclose filling. Next, fold 1 long side of husks over dough. Roll husks up, enclosing tamale dough completely.
Twist ends of husks and tie with string or small strips of husk to secure. Repeat with remaining husks, dough and filling. Place tamales in bamboo or metal steamer. Steam until cooked through, adding water to steaming pan if necessary as it evaporates, about 35 minutes. Transfer tamales to plates. Cut husks open. Top with dollops of sour cream. Serves 4.
- Each serving contains 703 calories, 43g fat, 66g carb, 610mg sodium, 38mg cholesterol, 53% calories from fat
- From "Rock 'n Roll Recipes" by Chef Rex Havick
ITSY BITSY TEENIE WEENIE YELLOW POLKA DOT ZUCCHINI
(Brian Hyland)
2 cups diced zucchini (about 3 medium)
2 ears corn on the cob (or 1 10-ounce package of frozen corn kernels)
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound smoked lite Polska Kielbasa sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup diced red pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 jalapeno chili, seeded, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Dice zucchini and place in colander; sprinkle with salt. Allow to drain for 30 minutes; dab dry with paper towel. Blanch fresh corn in parboiling water (not quite boiling) for 3 minutes, then remove kernels from cob. Set kernels aside.
Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Dice Kielbasa sausage and onion and saute 5 minutes. Add corn kernels, red bell pepper, zucchini, green onion and jalapeno. Saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Add chopped tomato, stir until heated through. Add cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6.
- Each serving contains 254 calories, 18g fat, 19g carb, 430mg sodium, 15mg cholesterol, 60% calories from fat.
- From "Rock 'n Roll Recipes" by Chef Rex Havick
BROWN SUGAR
(Rolling Stones)
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sugar
Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in bowl until fluffy. Mix in egg. Add flour, nutmeg, baking soda and salt; beat until well blended. Chill 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 3 large baking sheets with vegetable spray. Roll dough into 1-inch "Rolling Stones." Roll "stones" in sugar, coating completely. Arrange on prepared sheets, spacing "stones" 2 inches apart. Bake until "stones" are golden, about 13 minutes. Cool on baking sheets. Makes 2 dozen.
- Each cookie contains 118 calories, 4g fat, 20g carb, 220mg sodium, 10mg cholesterol, 29% calories from fat.
- From "Rock 'n Roll Recipes" by Chef Rex Havick
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE EWE STEW
(Whitney Houston)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 pounds lamb shoulder, trimmed, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large onions, chopped
1 small can tomato paste
3 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups beef broth
2 cups water
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup diced carrots
4 jalapeno chilies, seeded, diced
1 cup frozen peas
Cooked rice
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add lamb and onions and cook until lamb is brown, stir occasionally, about 6 minutes. Mix in tomato paste, bay leaves and cayenne pepper. Cook 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add beef stock and water and bring to boil.
Simmer until lamb is tender, about 11/2 hours. Stir peanut butter, carrots and jalapenos into stew and cook until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Add peas and cook until heated through. Discard jalapenos. Serve stew over cooked rice. Serves 6.
- Each serving contains 787 calories, 53g fat, 30g carb, 1023mg sodium, 148mg cholesterol, 60% calories from fat.
- From "Rock 'n Roll Recipes" by Chef Rex Havick
MELLOW YELLOW JELLOW
(Donovan)
1 package (8 serving size) lemon Jell-O
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 banana, sliced
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream, melted
In bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water, stir. Chill until thickened, approximately 2 hours. Add pineapple chunks, banana slices, and melted ice cream; stir thoroughly. Refrigerate until set. Serves 8.
- Each serving contains 57 calories, 1g fat, 12g carb, 22mg sodium, 4mg cholesterol, 15% calories from fat.
- From "Rock 'n Roll Recipes" by Chef Rex Havick