My TV Debut on the Rachel Ray Show, "Rach in a Box"

This posting was extremely delayed. I wanted to write this last month, but oh well…work takes precedence.

I made my TV debut on the Rachel Ray show on Tuesday, September 14th during the 10-11AM timeslot. It was a short segment called, “Rach in a Box,” which aired after “the Bra Whisperer,” segment. Two weeks prior, what was roughly five hours of shooting in my small, sweltering hot studio apartment was edited down to a two-minute spot. Side Note: I had to shut down my air conditioning because the sound guy said it would disrupt our voice over. Despite my short segment, which was shared with another “chef,” I’m extremely happy with the outcome.

So, how did it happen? Let’s just say it doesn’t hurt to know someone who knows a producer.

Abby Bodiker, part of Rachel Ray’s culinary team, was the host. She showed up at my door, on an awesome motorized cooler, with camera and sound crew in tow. Abby was a bit nervous at first (as was I), but she did a great job with the introduction, process and shoot. She presented the four secret ingredients, which were: Rib Eye steak, artichoke hearts, Greek yogurt, and pita bread. The only ingredient that stumped me was the Greek yogurt.

Here's the final dish that I prepared for the Rachael Ray Show:

Grilled Steak and Artichoke Medley: CLICK HERE to view on Flickr.
Grilled sliced steak with towering artichoke vegetable medley on a toasted pita, topped with neo-tzatziki sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• Seasoning: salt, pepper, Adobo, garlic powder.
• Lime zest
• Onion (1 small/medium or ½ large)
• Garlic (2-3 cloves)
• Quarter or half Jalapeno
• Handful of fresh basil
• Handful of fresh cilantro
• Handful of fresh cherry tomatoes
• ½ lb. mushroom, sliced
• Steak
• Artichoke hearts
• Greek yogurt
• Pita bread

PREPARATION & COOKING PROCESS (1 of 2):

• STEAK: season on both sides with salt, pepper, Adobo, garlic power. Set aside for seasoning to infiltrate meat. Fire up the grill.
• GREEK YOGURT (Neo Tzatziki): scoop a cup or two of Greek yogurt into a small bowl. Incorporate chopped cilantro, jalapeno, basil, lime zest, salt, and pepper. Stir ingredients, set aside in refrigerator.
• ARTICHOKE HEARTS: in a medium pan over medium heat, add a few tablespoons of EVOO. Sautee onions for a few minutes or until translucent. Add garlic, artichoke hearts and sliced mushrooms. Season with salt & pepper. Cook for a few minutes. Add fresh sliced cherry tomatoes and basil. Turn off flame and set aside.

PREPARATION & COOKING PROCESS (2 of 2):

• STEAK: make sure grill is hot and grate is cleaned. Baste EVOO on grill grate. Place steaks directly onto a hot grill for a few minutes. Then using tongs or a spatula give steaks a quarter turn to create the second set of marks, resulting in a crisscross pattern.
• To cook the perfect steak, use the 60-40 rule: first side of steak is cooked for 60% of the time compared to other side. Close lid when you can to circulate smoke (this enhances flavor).
• PITA BREAD: heat on grill until lightly toasted.

PRESENTATION:
Place toasted pita bread on plate. Slice steak into strips and place on top of pita. Pile two or three spoonfuls of vegetable medley on top of steak and pita. Scoop two or three dollops of Neo Tzatziki sauce. Garnish with basil leaf. Enjoy!

A cooked the same dish a week later for my girlfriend, but used lamb chops instead:

Memorial Day Weekend Recap

It's Tuesday, June 1st and I'm back at work. I cannot believe that it's almost summer; it feels like it was only yesterday when NYC was dumped with snow. Anyways, I just want to recap my Memorial Day weekend. For as long as I was looking forward to it, the weekend ended just as fast. I'm writing this more as a diary than an update to the public. If you happen to read this, please enjoy and leave a comment:

• Friday: half-day at work. I worked from home because my commute to and from work is just as long as the work-day. Noon = work ends, weekend begins. Sloan picks me up in his new Audi S4. This car is amazing. We drive for a few errands: bank, propane tank fill-up, beer distributor, Long Beach beach pass...check.
• Wood and Gillis tending at The Inn: 7-11PM. My cousin Tiana arrives with her fiance, Andrew. I finally hang out with my cousin and get to meet her husband to be. We chat, we chill, we knock back a few drinks and shots. Good people! After, head to Jeremy/Kate's to chill.

• Saturday: not "Summer Weather" just yet. We decide for an early afternoon BBQ at Dan's place. Dan picks me and Joe up in his "new" Jeep. We hit the grocery store and liquor store. Joe and I prepare the feast: chicken wings, steak satay, sausage, shrimp & plantain skewers, hotdogs, hamburgers, pickles, red sangria, white sangria, Twisted Teas, beer. What a nice day with friends and family [my sister]!
• Pregame at my place. Stroll down the block to The Cabana. Brian's bartending, Mike Ceeza is DJing - what a great combo! We drink, we dance, we hear "SHOUT!" Late night, finish at the Beach House. Lilli dominates the door, bouncer is silenced. I'm amazed that some man is fighting with a police officer outside. His life is over. We stop at Swing Belly's for a late-night snack; pulled pork sandwiches are perfect. I love our softball sponsor. We stop at Jeremy's house for Jared's bag. Lilli starts talking to a weirdo at 3AM; he's wearing boxers with 1 white and 1 black socks...enough said.

• Sunday: annual "Pump the MegaMix boat ride" with Jamie [aka James]. Noon pick-up turns into a 3:30PM pick-up. We wait at the LB boat launch location behind the sewage processing plant. We [Luke, Joe, Leanne, Shanna, Ariel, Marie] polish off a 12-pack while waiting. Jamie arrives, we get gas. James Pap slips into the water while docking, boat almost crushed him into the dock. He survives, we fill our tanks and take a shot. 
• We're off to Bracco's in Freeport [Nautical Mile]. We order beers and food: raw clams (Cherry Stone & Little Necks), steamers, shrimp, fried calamari, oysters, which were all amazing! We drink, we dance, we enjoy our new company. We dock, we chill, they depart, we drink, we head to James' parent's place, we chat, we leave, we dream...

• Monday: it's Memorial Day and it's beautiful out. Jared and Gold come to my apartment. We [including Lilli] hit the beach. It's windy, Gold gets hit with an umbrella and a volley ball. We leave. We head to CTown to prepare an impromtu BBQ: skirt steak, kilbasa, pork chops, portabello mushrooms, salad, and white wine spritzers. We chill, we eat, and catch some rays. Lilli and I take a nap, snack on some food, watch The Hangover and game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals. We're tired and go to bed.

That was my Memorial Day weekend in a nutshell.