fish

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Slim Man Cooks Salmon with Leeks

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Once again, I was faced with the dilemma...how can I prepare salmon in a new way?Lady Peoples, they love salmon. I once went out with a girl who ate salmon so often, grizzly bears tried to attack her when we went to the zoo.Trying to find a new way of cooking salmon can be a challenge. I’ve baked it, seared it, broiled it, grilled it, poached it…I was running out of ways to cook it! So I thought maybe I’d sear it, just the top, and then steam it.I saw a recipe that included Dijon mustard. I like Dijon mustard. I mean, I don’t eat spoonfuls out of the jar, but as far as condiments go, I like it.But on a piece of fish? I had my doubts. But I thought I’d try it, and see what it was like.It was good! There’s just a teaspoon, so it’s not overwhelming. And it was really subtle. If you didn’t know there was Dijon in the sauce, you might not have detected it.I used Wild Alaskan King salmon. It was thick and fresh and about $11 a pound, which is about half of what you normally pay. The filets I got were about an inch thick.You can use halibut, or any firm-fleshed thick fish. Thinner fish won’t work.I really like this dish. When you cook/sear/braise the top of the salmon first, it gets a nice crispness. Then when you steam it over the leeks, it stays really moist inside. It’s a nice contrast, the crispness of the top, and the steaminess of the rest.I’ve always liked the french-fried onions that come in a can that you use over string beans at Thanksgiving. I thought they might go well on top of the salmon. But I wanted to make them myself. So I took some slivered leeks, and fried them in some butter and olive oil until golden.Wow. They were good. They tasted great, just a few on top of the salmon at the very end. I made a little teepee, and it looked cool, and tasted great.Leeks...they’re dirty! Make sure you clean them real good. And cut off the root at the end, and cut off the dark green parts/leaves on top. The dark green leaves are tough like shoe leather! So just use the pale green and white parts of the leeks.INGREDIENTS1 cup leeks, white and pale green parts only, cleaned thoroughly and cut into matchstick slivers½ cup leeks, the same way (these are for garnish)¼ cup of flour4 tablespoons butter3 tablespoons olive oilSalt and pepperTwo 8-ounce Wild Alaskan King Salmon filets, about an inch thick each1 teaspoon Dijon mustard¾ cup dry white wine1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, choppedHERE WE GO!Let’s fry some leeks first. We will use these on top of the salmon, at the very end.Put a small sauté pan over medium-high heat.Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and let them heat up!Put the flour on a plate.Take the ½ cup of leeks, and add them to the flour and mix.Pick up the leeks, let the excess flour shake off, and put them in the pan.When the edges of the leeks turn pale gold, a minute or two, turn them over.Cook them on the other side until pale gold.Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel, and add salt and pepper.Don’t throw out the flour yet!And now for the salmon…Sprinkle the tops of each salmon filet with some Kosher salt. Mazel tov!Put 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.When the butter melts and bubbles, add the salmon, skin side up.Cook for 3 or 4 minutes.Remove the salmon to a large plate.To the sauté pan, add the final 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 cup of slivered leeks, the mustard, and some Kosher salt.Stir gently and cook for 3 minutes, until leeks are soft.Add wine, and let it cook off for a minute or two.Add the salmon to the pan, skin/raw side down, right on top of the leeks.Cover and simmer for 8 minutes, or until done (pale pink in the middle, and slightly flaky).Remove the salmon to two gorgeous plates.Add the lemon juice and parsley to the pan.Add a touch of flour, and stir gently.Taste for salt and pepper and adjust.Pour a little sauce over each salmon filet. Add some crispy leeks on top, like a teepee.MANGIAMO!

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Slim Man Cooks Halibut with Peppadew, Olives, and Garlic

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Slim's Manly Aioli Sauce

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I was trying to come up with a catchy name for this sauce. At first I was thinking…Slim’s Special Maytard Sauce. But it didn’t have that ring and zing I was looking for.Whatever you call it, this sauce is quick and easy and delizioso. And it’s manly—strong and brave, but not as hairy and stubborn.It’s basically an aioli sauce; the word is hard to pronounce…ah-ee-OH-lee, but the aioli sauces are some of my favorites. Aioli comes from aglio, the Italian word for garlic, which is the dominant flavor in this here Slim Sauce.Gilroy, California, is the Garlic Capital of the World. Just thought I’d toss that out there.NOTES:If you want a little sweetness, add a little honey at the end.   INGREDIENTS 6 tablespoons mayo2 tablespoons Dijon mustard1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar1 tablespoon minced garlic[OPTIONAL] 1 teaspoon raw honeyHERE WE GO!Put all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk whisk whisk, or put them in a jar with a lid, and shake shake shake!You can pour it in shot glasses and drink it down, but I strongly suggest you use it as a dipping sauce. It goes well with Slim’s Poached Salmon, or Slim’s Manly Balls of Salmon.slim aioliMANGIAMO!

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Slim Man Cooks Macadamia and Panko Crusted Halibut

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IMG_3208Slim Man Cooks Macadamia and Panko Crusted HalibutSome friends asked me to dogsit while they were at a wedding in Hawaii. The house was in Carslbad, and there was a fish market nearby, and they had the freshest halibut in the known universe. Every morning, the fishermen would bring it in. She was a-so nice!The fish was so fresh one of them pinched me on the buttcheek as I passed by.When my amigos got back from Hawaii, they brought some macadamia nuts. The nuts had honey on them, I mean, they were good, but maybe not good to cook with.So I got some regular, ridiculously expensive macadamia nuts at the grocery, grabbed a box of panko breadcrumbs, and went back to the house.Now, I’ve made halibut fish sticks before, they’re in the Slim Man Cooks cookbook; I made them with breadcrumbs and toasted pine nuts and dill.But I wanted to do something a little different. So I used macadamia nuts instead, and Italian flavored panko breadcrumbs. Lots of recipes call for garlic powder and onion powder, but I thought I’d give those two a break for a change.So I just added a little dried oregano and dried basil. She was a-so nice! You’ll need a total of 1 tablespoon. Instead of oregano and basil, you could use fresh rosemary chopped up, or fresh Italian flat leaf parsley chopped up, or thyme.In this recipe, THYMING is everything! You gotta dip the halibut in the egg, and then immediately press both sides in the breadcrumb/nut mix, and then sauté right away. You can’t do these in advance. Dip and fry, Slim People! INGREDIENTS1 pound skinless halibut filet, cut into rectangles, maybe 2 by 4 (inches, not feet)2 eggsSalt and pepper1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs½ cup macadamia nuts, chop your nuts fine!1 teaspoon dried oregano1 teaspoon dried basil½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper¼ cup olive oilHERE WE GO!Rinse your fish sticks off in cold water.Pat them dry with paper towels.Put ‘em on a platter.Take the eggs, break them in a bowl (I use a glass pie plate), add salt and pepper, and beat the crap out of them.Take the panko breadcrumbs, put them in a glass pie plate, or a large plate.Add the minced macadamia nuts, the oregano, the basil and the salt and pepper, and mick ‘em up!Put the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Toss in a couple breadcrumbs. When they start to brown, it’s time to get moving!Dip a fish stick in the egg, get it coated, let the excess drip off.Press each side into the breadcrumb/nut mix.Put it in the pan.Do this with all the fish sticks.Slim Folks…thick pieces of fish take longer to cook than thinner pieces. The objective here is to have them be golden brown on the outside, and moist and tender on the inside.Let the fish sticks cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until the underside is golden brown, and flip ‘em over!Well, don’t literally flip them over, be gentle, turn them over, let them cook on the other side for 2 or 3 minutes, until golden brown.Remove them from the pan, put them on a platter lined with a layer or two of paper towels.Dish it up! Put a piece of fish on a good-looking plate, serve with a wedge of lemon, and maybe a side dish of penne with a simple tomato sauce, and maybe some sautéed broccolini, and… IMG_3208MANGIAMO! 

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Slim Man Cooks the Best Fish Cakes

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IMG_2649I had some concerts in Baltimore, Maryland, a few weeks ago. I did the shows, they were great, and I decided to hang out for a few days and visit some family and friends in the mental hospital. The last night of my trip, I sang the national anthem for the Baltimore Orioles; it was such an honor.And the Orioles beat the Pittsburgh Pirates that night in 11 innings! The next morning, at the crack of dawn, I flew to Palm Springs, Californy. On my way back to the Slim Shack, I picked up a beeyooteeful piece of halibut.I cooked it with my incredibly edible salmoriglio sauce, which is a quick Sicilian sauce with lemon, moscato IMG_2702(sweet) white wine, garlic, parsley and lemon. She was-a-so nice!I didn't eat it all. I mean, with a name like Slim Man, you can't be stuffing your face like your facing execution in the morning!So the next day, I'm looking at the leftover broiled halibut. What to do? Leftover fish ain’t my favorite thing in the world. Then I remembered one time I was up at my dad’s cabin, Rat Tail Ridge, in upstate New York—the Upper U.S.—and I had some leftover salmon.So I made fish cakes with the salmon, like crab cakes except with fish. They were scrump-diddly-umptious. So I decided to make fish cakes with the leftover halibut. Just for the halibut.I didn't want to add a lot of stuff to the fish cakes, because the fish already had the salmoriglio sauce on it, and I didn't want to add too many flavors to the fish. But…if you’re using a plain piece of cooked fish, you might want to add a teaspoon of mustard, or Old Bay seasoning, or Worcestershire sauce. Or all three!All I added to the halibut was a little mayo, some panko bread crumbs, an egg and some salt and pepper.I mixed it all together, made some patties, and broiled the fish cakes. Why broil? Why not fry?Because there was a Lady People at the Slim Shack, and women folks don’t like things that are fried. Well, they like them, but they don’t want to eat them because they think it will make them…how do I put this…plump. Now, I’m a man who likes a little meat on the bone, but it’s important to keep the ladies happy.Because if they ladies ain’t happy, you, my friend, will not be happy. So I just shut the hell up and broiled.The fish cakes were delizioso. Seriously. Keep in mind, the fish is already cooked, you’re basically just heating it up. So you don’t have to cook it for real long, just long enough for the tops to get golden brown.And you don’t have to turn them over, because the heat from the baking pan will heat up the underside of the fish cake.That’s it.INGREDIENTS2 cups of leftover cooked fish (check for bones and skin and remove them)1 egg1 tablespoon mayo½ cup panko breadcrumbsSalt and fresh-cracked black pepper to tasteHERE WE GO…Put all the ingredients in a bowl.Mix gently. You don’t want to completely smash up the fish, leave it a bit chunky.IMG_2697Form into 4 cakes, about the size of a small hamburger patty.Take a baking pan, put a little olive oil or non-stick cooking spray on the bottom, so the fish cakes don’t stick.Put your broiler on high.Put the fish cakes on the pan, and stick them under the broiler.Broil for 4 or 5 minutes, or until golden brown.Keep your eyes on these guys! Don’t burn them!Remove from the broiler, put the fish cakes on a nice plate.Dish it up! Add a little tartar sauce, and a little Dijon mustard on the side. I made my own tartar sauce with about a tablespoon of mayo and a teaspoon of sweet relish.Dip and eat!IMG_2704MANGIAMO!!!

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Slim Man Cooks Baked Salmon with Pesto

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IMG_9915Most women I know love salmon.I once went out with a woman who ate so much salmon, she started developing small gills behind her ears.  Most women I know prefer to have things baked or broiled, rather than fried or sautéed.That’s OK. I’m a big admirer of women folk. I like to keep them happy. The world seems to work best that way.So if there are Lady People involved when I’m cooking, baked salmon is always a good bet.The thing about baked salmon is, it can get a little dry if you cook it too long. Don't overcook!Wild Alaskan King salmon is best, a nice thick piece. I found a nice piece of sockeye salmon at the local grocery (Ralph’s) for $7 a pound, and yes, it was wild.I baked it in the oven for about 8 minutes, took it out, put a little pesto and some toasted pine nuts (pignoli) on top and put it under the broiler for a minute or two, and it was…Delizioso.Keep in mind...Thicker fish take longer to cook.You don't need to toast your nuts for too long, they'll get another roasting when you stick them under the broiler.My pesto sauce has Parmigiano and romano cheese in it, and a lot of cooks frown upon putting cheese on fish.But what about the fish sandwich at McDonald’s? What about tuna casserole?Ingredients1 pound wild sockeye salmon filet, (the piece I used was about ¾ “ thick)1 tablespoon olive oilGlass baking dish Salt and freshly cracked black pepper.1 tablespoon Slim’s pesto (the video link to my recipe is down below)1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts (toast and shake in a dry pan over medium-high heat, don't burn your nuts!)Here we go…Heat oven to 425 degrees.Rinse the fish, and pat dry with paper towels.Put a tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of the baking dish.Put the fish in the dish, turn it over so each side gets a little olive oil.Put the skin side down, add salt and pepper to the top.IMG_9909When the oven comes to temperature, place the fish on second lowest rack.Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until almost done (pink inside).Remove from oven.Turn the oven to broil.Spread the pesto evenly over fish.Top with the toasted pine nuts.Put the salmon under the broiler for a minute or two.Remove from oven.Dish it up! Make it look good. She’s a-so nice!MANGIAMO!Click on the pic to see the YouTube pesto video:IMG_9915 

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Slim Man's Cod Pieces

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You couldn't ask for a better friend than Cowboy Pickles.  He has a recording studio outside Washington, D.C.  It’s a studio, yes.  But it’s really just a small spare room, in his humble home that’s close to the University of Maryland.I did the first Slim Man CD there.  The second one, too.The room is about 20 feet long and 15 feet wide.  It is stacked, floor-to-ceiling with audio equipment—old, new and everything in-between.Cowboy has never gotten rid of anything.  Fender Rhodes electric pianos, old Hammond B3 organs, Hohner Clavinets, Mini-Moogs, Commodore 64 computers, old JBL speakers, amplifiers, cassette recorders, 8 track tape machines…every microphone, guitar, keyboard he's ever bought, he still owns.  Some of it is junk.  Some of it is priceless.Cowboy Pickles has an old rifle by the studio door—the kind you might see in an old Western movie.  He has an ax--a big ax--by his toilet, as if he were expecting some crazed Meth-Head to come crashing through his bathroom window.Walking through the studio is like walking through a small maze.  One false move and a wall of junk might fall on you and bust your cranium.Batu loves Cowboy Pickles’ studio.  He lays down on the floor and listens to the music, eyes half-closed like he’s in a state of bliss.The Pickles Compound is near a railroad track.  It’s close to a small airport.  And it’s so close to the University of Maryland that you can hear the marching band rehearsing in the distance.Cowboy Pickles gets some amazing sounds out of that little spare room.Recording vocals was a challenge.  The timing had to be just right or else the microphone would pick up all those noises…planes taking off, trains passing by.And the air conditioner had to be shut off or else the mic would pick up the hum.  Which wasn’t bad in winter.  But in the dead of summer, when it’s 90 degrees and 90% humidity, it was murder without AC.And we did most of our recording in the summer.  Cowboy Pickles is a music teacher--he gives private piano and guitar lessons.  And when his students went on summer vacation, we'd have a lot of time to record.Whenever we got ready to do vocals, we’d shut off the AC.  Then we’d open the windows and listen for…planes, trains, marching bands, lawn mowers, dogs barking.If all was quiet on the Eastern Front, we’d record.Sometimes, we’d get a great vocal take.  But when we’d listen back to the track all by itself, we’d sometimes hear a plane landing.  Or a train going by.  Or a car horn.Birds chirping was OK.  I kinda liked the way it sounded.But a marching band…unless it was somehow miraculously in time with the song we were working on, we’d have to start all over.  Any time there was an open microphone—vocals, sax, etc., we had to listen closely for all kinds of extraneous noises.Most of them we caught.  Some we didn't...We were mixing a song called Shelter From A Storm, from the stunning Slim Man debut CD, "End of the Rainbow."  Mixing is the final part of the process where you determine the volume and tone of the tracks you've recorded.  We were listening to the song, and I heard the phone ring.  I yelled to Cowboy Pickles...“Answer the phone!”Cowboy picked up the phone.  No one there.We went back to mixing the song.  I heard the phone ring again.“Answer the phone!”Cowboy picked up.  No one there.  It happened a third time.  We stopped mixing.  We took a listen to my vocal track.  We listened to it ‘solo’, which means…all by itself.And sure enough, there was a phone ringing on the vocal track.  Plain as day.   In one spot, you could hear…RRRRRRRRing!So we had a decision to make.  Start all over…re-record the whole vocal track.  Or just leave it in.  We left it in.So…if you’re listening to the first Slim Man CD, and you hear a phone ringing…don’t answer it!When the CD was finished, we had a CD release party and concert at a club in downtown Baltimore.  We invited every newspaper, magazine, reporter, TV station, radio station--we invited everybody.  Anybody.Nobody showed up.  I counted 16 people in a place that held 200.  I went home that night, and was about as down-low as you can go.  I was convinced the CD was gonna flop.I was playing piano at a waterfront dive bar in Baltimore called “The Horse You Came In On”.  It’s one of the oldest bars in America.  I played Friday afternoons, mostly to a group of guys that called themselves "The Knuckleheads".They wore hats like Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble wore to their lodge meetings--hats that looked like furry coneheads with steerhorns sticking out each side.One Friday, the phone rang at the bar.  The bartender, Annabelle, answered it, listened, and then called out:“Looks like you’re  number 27!”I had no idea what she was talking about.  Neither did The Knuckleheads.  But apparently, the radio promoter I had hired was finally starting to get some interest.The next week…”You’re number 21!"It continued to climb the charts, week by week.  It got all the way to #9.  Nationwide.So technically, it was a Top Ten Hit.  We started selling tons of CDs, we went out on tour, we played all over the US and Europe…All from a little studio, in a spare room, next to an airport, near a train track and within earshot of a marching band.Codfish CakesIn Baltimore, where I spent most of my Slim Boyhood, almost every little grocery store had coddies--codfish cakes.  The two ingredients were codfish and mashed potatoes.  The coddies were displayed on a tray, along with Saltine crackers and plain yellow mustard.I loved ‘em.When codfish went on sale a few weeks ago at the local grocery store near Slim’s Shady Trailer Park in Palm Springs, I thought it would be a great time to create my own codfish cake recipe.  I call my new creation...Slim Man’s Cod PiecesINGREDIENTS3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cut into cubes (about 2 cups)1 pound codfish filet, skinless, cut into cubes (about 2 cups)2 tablespoons minced shallot1 tablespoon minced garlic1 tablespoon chopped rosemary2 tablespoons butter4 tablespoons olive oilKosher salt, fresh cracked pepper…to taste6 cups water1 egg½ cup of panko breadcrumbs (I used Progresso Panko Italian Style)FlourHERE WE GO...Get a large pot, put in 6 cups of water or so, put it on the highest heat ya gots.Put the taters in the water.When almost tender—it took mine about 10 minutes after the water came to a boil—add the fish cubes.  That's right, put the fish right in the boiling water with the potatoes.Cook for 5 minutes.Drain in a colander.Put the fish and the potatoes in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of butter, add salt and pepper, and mash coarsely.Let it sit and cool as you…Get a sauté pan and put it over medium heat.  I used a 10-inch pan.Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.When the butter starts to bubble, add the garlic and shallot.Saute for 3 minutes until the shallots are clear and the garlic is pale gold.Add the rosemary and stir a few times.Cook for 2 minutes.Take the shallot/garlic/rosemary mixture that's in the pan and add it to the codfish and potatoes.Mix it up.Grab your egg, put it in a bowl, and beat it.Add it to the codfish and taters, and mix.Add the breadcrumbs and mix by hand.If the mixture is too liquidy, add more breadcrumbs.When the mixture feels right—not too liquidy, not too bready--make cakes.I like my cakes about the size of a yo-yo.  This recipe yielded 8 codfish cakes.Put ‘em on a plate.Take the sauté pan that you used for the garlic/shallots/rosemary.Put it over medium-high heat.Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil.As the oil heats up…Get a flat plate, put some flour on it.Lightly dredge each codfish cake in the flour.When the olive oil is hot, put the cakes in the pan, and saute for 3 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown.Flip ‘em over—be gentle--and cook on the other side for 3 minutes, until golden brown.Place on paper towels when done.Serve with spicy brown mustard, or plain old yellow mustard like we used to do in Bawlmer!MANGIAMO!!!!!!! 

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Slim Man Cooks Ahi Tuna with Red Wine Sauce

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Ahi Tuna With Red Wine Sauce and the Baltimore ColtsClick on the pic to see the YouTube videoWhy don’t cannibals eat divorced people?They’re bitter.September 11, 1983.  The Baltimore Colts football team was scheduled to play the Denver Broncos.  The year before, 1982, the Colts had not won a game, and because they stunk so bad they got the first pick in the NFL draft the following year.The Colts chose quarterback John Elway, from Stanford University.  Elway refused to play for the Colts.  He was even considering joining the New York Yankees baseball team rather than play football for the Colts.  So the Colts traded Elway to the Denver Broncos and in the second game of the 1983 season, the Broncos came to Baltimore to play the Colts at Memorial Stadium.I had been a Baltimore Colts fan from day one. My uncle Oscar had season tickets from their very first game – the seats were in the mezzanine, right next to the press box.  Oscar played football in high school-he was good enough to be offered a full scholarship to college, but chose medicine instead. When the Colts came to Baltimore, Oscar bought the best seats. I went with him to as many games as I could. I knew all the players, their numbers, their statistics, their nicknames.Lenny Moore, #24.  Gino Marchetti, #89.  Artie Donovan, #70.  Johnny Unitas, #19. Raymond Berry #82.Slim Boy front and centerI loved football. When I was a kid, I played football in little league. I wasn’t offered any scholarships, but I loved playing. And I loved the Colts.You can imagine how thrilled I was when the Colts called and asked my band to sing the national anthem for Elway’s first appearance in Baltimore.  The band was BootCamp; we’d been making a name for ourselves in the music biz. We had worked up a great acapella version of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” It was a show stoppa.  At parties, shows, concerts, weddings, funerals - all of a sudden, out of the blue we’d burst into the national anthem  It was a cheap way to get a standing ovation. But our four-part harmony rendition was quite stirring, if I may say so myself.When we got to Memorial Stadium that Sunday, we were escorted through the Colts locker room, and into an underground tunnel that led to the field.  As we were coming to the end of the tunnel, we heard this rumbling…The players, all suited up and breathing fire, were coming down the tunnel right behind us. We stood up against the wall and let them pass.  They were big, and they had a look in their eyes that was fierce. Like Gladiators getting ready to enter the Coliseum.When they passed, we followed them out onto the field.  We walked up to the microphone. The announcer asked everyone to stand and remove their hats. Memorial Stadium got dead-quiet. Then he introduced us, “Ladies and Gentlemen, Baltimore’s own BootCamp!”We sang our hearts out.  It was the thrill of a lifetime. Fifty-thousand people standing on their feet, cheering.  A standing ovation!  Of course, they had to stand because it was the national anthem; but I’m marking it down in my bio as "a standing ovation before a sellout crowd of 50,000."When we finished, we walked to the sidelines, and stood among the Colt players.   The Colts’ front office had given us field passes.  I’m sure when they gave them to us they weren’t thinking we’d stay on the field for the whole game, but there we were, standing on the sidelines with the players and coaches.All the players and coaches were giving us funny looks.  I can’t blame them.  We were dressed like …well, it was the 1980s.  We looked like a cross between Duran Duran and Devo.  We had on as much eyeshadow over our eyes as the Colts had under theirs.On the opening kick-off, I couldn’t see what was going on, but I could hear it.  The two teams charging down the field sounded like a stampede of wild horses.  When they hit each other, you could hear the crack of the helmets, the grunts and groans of the players.When the special teams unit came over to the sidelines after the kick-off, it was something I’d never witnessed before.  The players were out of breath, wheezing and panting - fingers were broken, uniforms were muddy, noses were bloody.Playing football is a brutal sport. Playing music is not.  Musicians don’t encounter a lot of violence.  Unless, they’re really, really bad.The Baltimore fans were booing Elway mercilessly that day.  People from B-Mo were pissed off.  They weren’t afraid to be vocal about it.  John Elway had said he’d play anywhere but Baltimore, and we Baltimorons took it personally.It would have been nice if the Colts had won.  But the Colts were pretty bad that day.  They lost, 17-10.  The newspaper ran a photo on the front page the next day.Hit Man Howie Z was in it, back to the camera, walking off the field. 1983. It would be the Colts last season in Baltimore.On March 29, 1984, at 2:00 AM, 15 Mayflower moving trucks arrived at the Baltimore Colts training complex.  Eight hours later, they were loaded up and heading to Indianapolis.They took everything - the Colts’ name, the trophies, the memorabilia, the mascot, the uniforms.  All gone to Indianapolis.The mayor of Indy had offered the owner of the Colts a 12 million dollar loan, a 4 million dollar training complex, and a new 77 million dollar stadium.Let me make an analogy.  Your wife (spouse) meets someone new, a wife that you stood by through the good times and the bad.  This New Guy offers her a 12 million dollar loan, a 4 million dollar work-out room, and a 77 million dollar house.And she takes it.  That’s OK, things didn’t work out, I can handle that. But did she really need to take all your stuff, too?  Your trophies, your memorabilia, your mounted deer head? No.  With all that money, she could have bought new stuff.Did she have to take it all in the dark of night, at two in the morning, while you were sleeping? That’s harsh. But that’s what the Colts did.When I heard the news about the Colts leaving town, I was pissed off; so much so, that I didn’t go to a football game, or follow the NFL for years.I was bitter. Lots of folks in Baltimore were.When the Baltimore Ravens came to town, Oscar got season tickets, great seats in the club section.  I resisted at first.  Then I gave in.  I went to my first Ravens game.  The guy sang the national anthem and it sent chills up and down my spine.  The crowd cheered, jets roared as they flew right over our heads, and Ray Lewis came out of the tunnel and did his dance while fireworks shot into the sky. The stadium went wild. It was thrilling.I was hooked.  I was back in love! The Ravens went on to win the Super Bowl that year—2000.It took me a while, but I had found a better wife.  She’s been great.  She won the Super Bowl again last year. What more could a husband ask for?I’m not bitter anymore.  I’m better, not bitter.AHI TUNA STEAKS WITH RED WINE SAUCEWhat do you do with all that red wine left over from the Super Bowl Party? Make red wine sauce!You can use this sauce on steak, chicken or ahi tuna steaks. You can grill them, or sear them. I seared.I went to the grocery store not long ago and they had beautiful ahi tuna steaks for $8 a pound.  I bought two, and was wondering how to cook them.I had done tuna with a red wine sauce before, but it wasn’t where I wanted it to be.  The sauce wasn’t right. It was bugging me.  It was keeping me up at night.  Then, around dawn, it dawned on me. Tomato paste!The next time I made the sauce, I added a little tomato paste to the sauce to thicken it up and give it a little zip.  Then I added a little dried oregano to give it some zing.  Zip!  Zing!  It turned out great.A few things before we get started - the tuna steaks I used were about an inch and a half thick.  I cooked them for 2 minutes per side over medium-high heat.  They turned out perfectly — the pepper/salt/sugar that I had sprinkled on top gave them a nice sear, and they were a beautifully pink on the inside.Cooking times vary.  A thicker piece of fish takes longer.Also, when you light your Cognac on fire, be careful, boys and girls.  Yes, the subsequent explosion of flame looks so cool and very dramatic, but have the fire department on the phone in one hand, and a garden hose in the other.If you’re using this sauce on a steak or chicken, just cook or grill the steak as you normally do, and add a little sauce on top.This is a bold sauce. Don’t use too much!INGREDIENTS2 ahi tuna steaks, about a half pound (8 ounces) each2 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons chopped shallots1 tablespoon chopped garlic2 ounces of Cognac (about ¼ cup)½ cup dry red wine½ cup stock (I used beef)½ teaspoon dried oregano1 tablespoon tomato pasteFresh ground black pepperKosher saltBrown sugar or raw/turbinado sugar (you can use plain sugar in a pinch)Here we go…Rinse off your tuna steaks and pat dry with paper towels.Let’s make the sauce.In a small pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.When the butter melts, add the shallots and the garlic.Cook about 2 minutes until the shallots are clear and the garlic is golden.  Stir a few times.Add the 2 ounces of Cognac.Stand back, Jack!  Get a lighter, one with a long handle.  Light the Cognac on fire.  Be careful!  The flames will shoot up!When the Cognac burns off, and the fire department has left…Add the red wine and the beef stock.Let it cook for 3 minutes while stirring.Add the oregano, stir.Add the tomato paste, stir for a minute or so.Remove from heat.The sauce is done, now let’s cook our tuna.Rinse the ahi tuna steaks and pat ‘em dry with paper towels.Add a little freshly cracked black pepper, a little kosher salt and a sprinkle of turbinado or brown sugar on top of each steak.Get a sauté pan; put it over medium-high heat.Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.When the butter starts to brown, add the tuna, peppered/salted/sugared side down.Add a LITTLE SPRINKLE of fresh cracked black pepper, kosher salt, and turbinado sugar to the other side.Cook for 2 minutes, turn over with tongs. Swirl the butter and olive oil around in the bottom of the pan, so you’re not placing the ahi tuna in a dry pan.Cook for 2 minutes on the other side.Give it a slice, see if it’s done to your liking.  If it is, dish it up. Keep in mind, the fish will keep cooking, even though you've taken it out of the pan. Err on the side of rare.Put some greens on a plate with a few grape tomatoes, place the tuna on top, drizzle just a little red wine sauce over each piece, and…MANGIAMO!!!!

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