What follows is a compendium of preparations for the greatest dishes ever to appear at either an event or in the kitchen of one of our members. Some are original, some adapted, and some outright lifted. We’ve given credit where credit is due, and are always on the lookout for new things to cook. If you’ve got something to submit, Contact Us.
It might be shocking to we Chicagoans of the present, but for most of recorded urban history, “bar food” was a pejorative term. Back in the era when you didn’t want to be in Bucktown after dark, there wasn’t much chance of walking into your corner tavern for dinner, unless you were on that Weird [...]
In Chicago, if it’s warmer than 30 degrees we think it’s hot outside. So when we Manbque member Justin Barg (aka GRUNGE!) showed up with his homemade bacon bourbon ice cream on a 40 degree day, we were ready to put some shorts on.
This is the perfect recipe for a hot summer night of grilling [...]
Enchiladas are nobody’s first choice at Don Tequila’s Americanized Taqueria, and that’s quite the shame. Long a dumping ground for overcooked shredded meat and bargain cheese, it’s become the red headed stepchild of our gringo eateries. No longer. This, from my Lincoln Square kitchen via Eat Me, is the most authentic inauthentic Mexican food you’re [...]
As you finish off your day at work the only thing on your mind is, “hmmm, HOW DO I MAKE BACON VODKA?”
Well, let Manbque show you!
Homemade Bacon Vodka
1lb Maple cured bacon
1 liter of absolute vodka
1.Cook bacon, I used a microwave with paper towels to absorb the excess fat.
2. Place bacon into vodka. Seal and [...]
CHRIS’ “I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT BEEF” Turkey Burgers
1 lb ground turkey
2 cloves garlic
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped
1 serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
2 tsp hot sauce
Olive oil
Sliced pepper jack cheese
Chopped red lettuce
Whole wheat buns
1. Roll and pack the vegetables [...]
Magoo’s Radish Slaw
1 lb radishes, peeled and coarsely grated
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 onion, sliced thin
2 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp Vulcan salt
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tsp peppercorns (Sichuan preferred) dry roasted and ground
3 c seasoned rice vinegar
1. Place the radish, scallions, onion, and ginger in a large bowl and toss to mix
2. Place the [...]
Chicago winter is brutal … usually. Maybe not this year so far, but we all know it’s one ass-kicker of a season when it gets going. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard friends and family say that they’d love to live here, but can’t bring themselves to due to the winters. My [...]
It’s Friday, and you’re in line waiting for a rectangle of pizza served by a surly woman with the best mustache this side of Tom Selleck. This was school cafeteria food at its finest during our formative years. In the days before beer, THIS was the reason we looked forward to Fridays.
I’d often looked for [...]
Poutine: Cheese. Gravy. Fries. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that French Canadians can’t bring the thunder.
Every time someone rags on Canada, I feel duty-bound to bring up the fact that they invented and championed this gravy-cheese explosion. It’s richness piled upon richness, like the KFC Famous Bowl, except not horrible.
The key here is to [...]
Ever innocently accept a garden-grown tomato from a friend or relative? Well, I hope you like them, because you’re going to get bags and bags of them until frost once again descends upon our fair city. Accepting a garden tomato, according to my calculations, is the mathematical inverse of feeding a raccoon. For most of [...]
This may be the easiest restaurant-quality side dish you’ll ever make. It’s almost not even a recipe. It’s a command to get yourself some plantains and fry those beasts. If you can’t do these, then it’s time to pack up the tongs and fill your oven with candy and takeout menus.
Plantains are pretty amazing – [...]
I’m really sick of winter and all of the damn “comfort food” I’ve been making has me looking like the Michelin Man. I’m supposed to be “tall and lean.”
Anyway, let’s say FUCK OFF to winter with a tasty recipe that will make you think it’s summer. This is great with chips but even tastier with [...]
Two chili recipes in one week, you should feel lucky. This recipe was supposed to be for ‘white’ chili, but my chili didn’t end up looking too white. Alas, it’s called white chili because of the beans that are used, not the end result. So, that makes me feel better. Regardless, the recipe turned out [...]
Ok, the three essential tools for surviving a snow day trapped inside are (in no particular order) World War 2 documentaries, a large bottle of Makers Mark, a hot chick in a bikini and chili. (Yes, that’s 4 things but you’re supposed to be reading, not doing math. Besides, you got a problem with a [...]
I grew up disliking Italian Food. I know this is a weird thing to say, since everyone everywhere has at least one Italian dish that they love, but I had nothing kind to say about it. I credit this to being a picky eater as a kid, but another big factor was that I’d had [...]
It’s late, you don’t have to work tomorrow, and you’ve lost count of what number pint you’re on. All is well, except for a steadily amplifying hunger and the growing realization that you’re going to have to plunge into the subzero night air of Chicago in January. All of the sudden …
“TAMALE! TAMALE! TAMALE!”
(Thump)
“TAMALE! [...]