1 lb. Dried black beans
4 qts. Water
1 Large onion, diced
1 Large green pepper, diced
1 Large red pepper, diced
8 Cloves garlic
Dash Red pepper
Dash White pepper
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Thyme
2 Bay leaves
1 tsp. Black pepper
¾ - 1 lb. ham hock
Salt to taste
 

Pick through beans and discard the damaged ones. Rinse beans well.
Place the beans in one quart of water and soak, in refrigerator, overnight.  
Combine soaked beans (do not drain or rinse again) with the remaining
3 qts. of water, and the rest of the ingredients, in a pot large enough to fit
everything comfortably. Bring to a boil, over high heat, then reduce
to a simmer. Cook until tender, not mushy. (@ 3 hours) You may need to
replenish water occasionally.   Serve hot with rice. 

2 ½ Cups converted rice
4 Cups stock (chicken, fish or vegetable)
1 Large onion, diced finely
½ tsp. Saffron threads
Dash white pepper
Dash red pepper
2 Tbls. clarified butter or oil
 
Sweat diced onion in the clarified butter or oil.  Do not brown!
Add rice and sauté a minute longer, being sure to coat the grains with butter.
Add stock, saffron, red & white pepper, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook 15 to 20 minutes longer, or
until all the liquid has been absorbed.  Serve hot.

Besides cheese, Wisconsin has another claim to fame.  That is Bratwurst.  It is of German origin, but remember, three quarters of Wisconsin’s residents are of German descent.  Myself included. Sheboygan, Wisconsin is probably the most well known city associated with these delicious sausages. So, being a German from Sheboygan, I consider myself somewhat of an aficionado on the subject. 
We call them “brats” for short, (pronounced brahts). If you talk to ten different people from Sheboygan, you will probably hear ten different ways to cook them. There are, however, really only three basic techniques to cook brats. 

All three methods require:
• a very hot grill, with coals that are already white.  (Some things you just can’t rush.)  (I know Hank Hill wouldn’t like this, but Propane is out of the question.)
• soaking the brats in water before you cook them.

1. The first way would be to simply place the little darlings side-by-side over the hot coals, and cook until very brown or even slightly burnt.  When they are browned on one side, roll them over and do the same on all sides.  Brats are usually a combination of pork and/or veal, so be sure to cook them through.  (Hint:  You will tend to have a lot of “flare ups” do to the fat content of the sausage.  The water you have been soaking them in makes a great extinguisher.  Simply cup your hand in the water, and douse the fire!)

2. A second way to cook brats would be to boil some beer and sliced onions for about 10 minutes. Turn the mixture down to a simmer and add the brats.  Simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Remove brats from beer and place over hot coals and brown on all sides.

3. The third method goes as follows.  Boil beer and sliced onions.  Meanwhile, cook the brats as you did in method one.  When they are done, put them in the boiling beer and onion.  Turn beer mixture down to the lowest possible position.  This will keep the brats warm, and you can serve them at your leisure.

Now, what you serve the brats on, and with, is almost as important as the brats themselves. In Sheboygan, they would be served on a Sheboygan hard roll.  This is a round roll, which is split in the middle, from top to bottom, but not all the way through.  It has a crisp, but not hard, crust.  The roll is chewy inside, and dusted with cornmeal.  They are the perfect size to hold two brats.  As we say in Wisconsin, “a double”.  A good substitute, in this area, is a Publix-French hamburger bun. Condiments for brats are usually the same  as for a hamburger.  That is, sliced raw onion, sliced pickles, ketchup and brown mustard. Items like tomatoes, lettuces, mayo, cheese, or any of that like “California-burger” stuff, is a definite NO-NO.  I know you might think cheese would be OK, but its not. So don’t even go there. So, there you have it, bratwurst done right.  Serve it with hot German potato salad, and maybe some baked beans.  A few towns in Wisconsin would also offer sauerkraut as a condiment.  In Sheboygan, however, we would not.  Enjoy the game and these wonderful sausages from Sheboygan! 

• 1 Can Baked Beans (2lb 8oz)
• ½ Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Ketchup
• 1 Tbsp. Molasses
• 5 Strips Bacon
• 1 Tbsp White Sugar
 

Strain the beans in a sieve, reserving both the beans and the juice.  Mix ¾ Cup of the bean juice with the brown sugar, ketchup, and molasses.  Pour juice mixture over the beans, and mix well.  Place the beans in a small, buttered, baking dish.  Layer the bacon strips, singularly, on top of the beans.  Sprinkle with white sugar.  Bake at 425° on the top shelf of your oven, until bacon is brown.  (45 minutes to an hour)  Serve hot. 

The Po’ Boy sandwich is a Southern name for Hoagie, or Submarine sandwich.  Although a Po’ Boy is generally not quite as big as a sub, it is usually packed with goodies inside.

4 Po’ Boy Loaves (hoagie loaves)
16 to 20 Large Shrimp, peeled & deveined
3/4# to 1# Smoked Kielbasa Sausage, sliced ½” thick on a diagonal
Honey Mustard Sauce (recipe following)
Olive Oil, in a pan
Garlic Salt, to taste
1 Tomato, chopped for garnish
1 Cup Lettuce, chopped for garnish
1 Red Onion, not peeled, cut in 8 to 10 wedges (The wedges should remain attached to the root of the
 onion. This will help hold the onion together on the grill.) 

Have your grill HOT, whether your using gas or charcoal. 

1. Take the red onion and dip the wedges into the olive oil.  Season the onion generously with garlic salt.  The onion goes on first because it takes the longest. 

2. Next, dip your peeled and deveined shrimp in the olive oil and season them with garlic salt. The shrimp go on the grill next.

3. Simply place the Kielbasa slices on the grill. 

Turn everything over as they brown and cook through.  Be careful not to overcook. Remove food to a warm pan as finished.  (It is good to eat the shrimp soon after they are cooked, as they can get tough.)

Finally, slap some Honey-Mustard sauce on your Po’ Boy bun, fill it with grilled shrimp, sausage, and onion.  Garnish with tomato and lettuce, and have at it!

½ Cup Honey
¾ Cup Dijon-style Mustard
1 Tbsp Dry Mustard
1 Dash, Cayenne
1 Dash, White Pepper
2 Tbsp Ketchup
Hot Sauce, to taste

Whisk the ingredients together in a double boiler, and cook until very hot, 160°.  Serve hot. This can be done over a direct flame in a pot, however it burns very easily. 

(AND WERE AFRAID TO ASK)

I like to choose large whole chickens for grilling, 3-4 lbs each.
Pre-frozen is O.K., but fresh is better.

(Yields about 5 cups.)

Two 15oz cans black beans, drained, not rinsed
4 Cups boiled or steamed corn, on or off the cob
1 Cup sliced scallions
¾ Cup diced red bell pepper
½ Cup diced green bell pepper
1 tsp. finely diced Jalapeño pepper (opt)
½ Cup chopped cilantro
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. white pepper
¼ tsp. black pepper
3 Cloves garlic, pressed
¼ Cup red wine vinegar
3 Dashes hot sauce
1 tsp. cumin
1/3 Cup olive oil

The Corn:
If your boiled corn is on the cob, brush it with a little olive oil or butter. Brown the corn, slightly, over an open flame, either on a grill or over the stove-flame. After the corn is brown, cool to room temperature and cut off the cob. If your corn is off the cob, brown it in a frying pan with a little butter or olive oil, then cool. Mix all of the ingredients together and chill.  Serve as an accompaniment to grilled foods or chips.  I like to make most of my salsas a day ahead, so all the flavors mix together well.

2 Jalapeño peppers, finely diced
1/8 tsp. Crushed red pepper
¼ tsp. White pepper
½ tsp. Black pepper
1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper
1 ½ tsp. Salt
1 ½ tsp. Cumin
1 ½ tsp. Chili powder
2 Cloves pressed garlic
¼ Cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. Green pepper, diced
1 Small onion, diced
1/8 Cup parsley, coarsely chopped
4 Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. Wine vinegar
 

Cilantro Salsa
Add above salsa to ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro. Salsa may be served immediately or refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.

4 oz Orange Juice

10 oz EH Steak Sauce 8 oz Sweet Chili Sauce

1/4 tsp Liquid Smoke

4 oz Soft Butter    

Reduce the orange juice, E.H. Steak Sauce, Sweet Chili Sauce & Liquid Smoke to desired consistency.  Whisk in the soft butter.

1 ½ Cup Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Poupon-style mustard
1 ½ Tbsp. Prepared Horseradish
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. dry Mustard
1/8 tsp. Turmeric
¼ tsp. Ground Cumin
1 Dash White Pepper
1 Dash Cayenne Pepper
Hot Sauce, to taste 

Whisk all the ingredients together.  Chill at least two hours, or over night.
Serve with cracked, cold Stone Crab.

¼ Cup Sicilian olives
¼ Cup Moroccan olives
¼ Cup French herb olives
¼ Cup Kalamata olives
¼ Cup Niçoise olives
¼ cup French garlic olives
1 Cup cubed Feta cheese
3 ripe tomatoes, split, halved and quartered
1 Small onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cracked Pepper
1 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. fresh Basil Chiffonade
½ tsp. Sugar
4 Tbsp. Wine Vinegar
1/3 Cup Olive Oil 

Mix together the vinegar, olive oil and sugar.  Add the tomatoes and onion.
Toss well.  Add remaining ingredients and toss.  Serve with Romaine lettuce as
a 1st course, or as a lunch for light dinner entrée.

 1lb Fresh Florida Lobster Tails
 1 or 2 dashes of your favorite hot sauce
 ¼ Cup Celery, finely diced
 1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
 Salt, to taste
 Pepper, to taste
 White Hot Dog Buns
 Butter, soft

Prep Lobster
Place lobster tails in heavily salted boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes, remove from water, and let cool to room temperature. Chill in refrigerator until cold. Cut in ¾ to 1” cubes.

The Salad
Mix together the mayonnaise, hot sauce and celery. Place the chilled lobster meat in a mixing bowl and salt & pepper it. Toss the lobster and add the mayonnaise mixture. Blend well.

The Bun
Slather the outside of the rolls with soft butter. Grill each side over a medium heat until golden. Place a generous portion of lobster salad in the bun. ENJOY!

Optional garnishes:
Finely sliced chives or green onion tops Chiffonade of parsley

 Fresh Florida Lobster Tails
 Melted butter
 Garlic Salt
 White Pepper
 Paprika

Prep Lobster for Grilling
Split the lobster tails lengthwise and lay out shell-side-down. Sprinkle with garlic salt, white pepper and paprika. Brush liberally with melted butter.

Place, flesh-side-down, on a hot grill. Cook for 5-6 minutes, till nicely browned. Turn over to shell-side, and cook another 5-6 minutes. Remove from grill and pull tail meat out of the shell. Serve on a buttered & grilled hot dog bun. Drizzle a little more butter on top. Serve hot.

 Fresh Sweet Corn (shucked well)
 Melted butter

Prep Corn for Grill
Steam shucked corn for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Brush corn generously with melted butter and place on a hot grill. Cook until browned in spots, turning occasionally. Serve hot.

A sandwich rooted in New Orleans containing mortadella, hard salami and provolone. Sometimes ham, pork and turkey, or almost any sliced meat you can think of. Served on a large, crusty, delicious, round Muffuletta Loaf*, and is HUGH, it usually serves 3 to 4 people. Occasionally, it is served with mustard and mayonnaise, but it must have the distinctive olive salad. The sandwich is pressed on a sandwich press and cut, usually in 4 pieces, with a cross right in the middle.
Served warm or cold.

*The Muffuletta bread is very difficult to find, except in New Orleans.  A good substitute is a round (8” to 10”) crusty, French or Italian loaf.  (If you can’t find that, a French baguette will do.  It just won’t look right.)

1 lb. Dried red beans
1 gal. Vegetable stock or 4 vegetable cubes, dissolved in 1 gal. Water
1 Large onion, diced
1 Green pepper, diced
2 Stalks celery, diced
Dash cayenne
Dash black pepper
 
Dash white pepper
Dash dry mustard
¼ tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. thyme
1 Bay leaf
5 Cloves garlic, pressed
Hot sauce, to taste
Salt & Pepper, to taste
 

Vegetarian Red Beans
Sort through beans and discard the damaged ones.  Bring beans and vegetable stock (recipe below), to a boil on high heat. Add remaining ingredients and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer until beans have become soft to the bite, and the liquid has the consistency of thick bean soup.  About 1 ½ to 2 hours.  Adjust seasoning.

Cajun Style Red Beans
To make Cajun Style Red Beans, replace the vegetable stock and liquid smoke with 1½ lb. large smoked ham hocks.  When beans are cooked, remove the bone.  You may either leave the beans as they are, or cut up the ham hock meat and add it to the soup.

Variation
Add some sliced and browned Andouille sausage to the beans, 10 minutes before they are done.

2 ½ Cups converted rice
4 Cups stock (chicken, fish or vegetable)
1 Large onion, diced finely
Dash white pepper
Dash red pepper
2 Tbls. clarified butter or oil
 
Sweat the onions in butter or oil.  Do not brown. Add rice and sauté a minute longer, being sure to coat the grains. Add stock and both peppers, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.  Serve hot.