Slim Man Cooks Red Wine Sauce for Fish, Chicken, Whatever…

I'd made a red wine sauce before, but it wasn’t where I wanted it to be.  The sauce was a little bland, and a little thin.  I kept on making batches of red wine sauce, and none was good enough for you, my Slim People.It was bugging me.  It was keeping me up at night.  And then, around dawn, it dawned on me.I added a little tomato paste to the sauce to thicken it up and give it a little zing.  Then I added a little dried oregano to give it some zip.  Zip!  Zing!  It turned out great.Oregano is the only herb that I prefer dried.  Basil?  I rarely use dried basil, it is nowhere near as good as fresh.  Rosemary?  Same thing.  Oregano?  I like the dried oregano more than the fresh.  It tastes mo’ better to me.  But what do I know?A few things before we get started…I put this sauce over ahi tuna steaks. The tuna steaks I used were about an inch and a half thick.  Over medium-high heat, I cooked them for 90 seconds per side.  They turned out great—the pepper/salt/sugar that I had sprinkled on top gave them a nice sear, and they were a beautiful pink on the inside.You can also use this sauce over grilled chicken, steak au poivre, or use it as a hair gel or massage oil. She's a-so nice!Also, when you light your cognac on fire, be careful.  Yes, the subsequent explosion of flame looks so cool and very dramatic, but have the fire department on the line in one hand, and a garden hose in the other.Also, right before you light the cognac, if there are people around that you don’t like, gather them close to the flame.  Or better yet—have them light the cognac.  Stand behind them.Here we go…INGREDIENTS2 ahi tuna steaks, about a half pound (8 ounces) each4 tablespoons butter4 tablespoons olive oilFresh ground black pepperKosher salt (I use it for taste, not for religious reasons, Shalom!)Brown sugar or raw/turbinado sugar (I sometimes use plain sugar in a pinch)2 ounces of cognac2 tablespoons chopped shallots1 tablespoon chopped garlic½ cup red wine½ cup stock (I used beef)½ teaspoon dried oregano2 tablespoons tomato paste The sauce:In a small pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and 2 tablespoons of olive oilWhen the butter melts…Add the 2 tablespoons of chopped shallots, and the tablespoon garlicCook about 2 minutes, stir a few timesAdd the 2 ounces of cognacStand back, Jack, and set it on fire with one of those long-ass lightersWhen the cognac burns off…Add the 1/2 cup red wine, and the1/2 cup beef stockTurn the heat on medium-high and reduce for about 5 minutesAdd the oregano, stirAdd tomato paste, stir in for a minute or soRemove from heatLet's cook some fish:Rinse and pat dry the ahi tuna steaksAdd some fresh cracked black pepper, some kosher salt and a sprinkle of turibinado/brown sugar on top of each steakGet a fry pan, put it over medium-high heatAdd 2 tabespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oilWhen the butter starts to smoke, add the tuna, peppered side downLightly salt and pepper and sugar the non-spiced sideAfter 90 seconds, turn overCook for another minute and a halfPlate it upPut some greens on a plate, place the tuna on top, drizzle just a little red wine sauce over each piece, and… MANGIAMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Slim's Manly Aioli Sauce

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.MANGIAMO!

Slim Man Cooks Another Tomato Sauce

When I first started making tomato sauce, I minced the garlic. Then, one night, a Lady People friend of mine didn’t want minced garlic, she wanted sliced garlic, so that’s what I started doing.Then, I was making a tomato sauce for some meatballs for a restaurant in Palm Springs, Californy, where I was singing, and I thought it might be mo’ better if I used whole smashed cloves, so people could remove them more easily if they wanted.Because, if some octagenarian was eating a meatball, and got a whole clove of garlic stuck in their choppers and had a heart attack, that might not be good for business.So now I use whole, smashed garlic cloves when I make a tomato sauce. And you know what? It tastes better, and the fussy people can pick them out if they want.This tomato sauce is your go-to sauce and I’ll tell you why. You need a simple sauce when you’re making manicotti, eggplant parmigiana, or pizza, things like that. You load up your tomato sauce with a ton of stuff like carrots or celery or onion or oregano and all of a sudden you got too many flavors going on when you add it to something else.And sometimes a simple tomato sauce is great over pasta. My favorite pre-show dish is this sauce with penne rigate.So if you come up and say hi after a Slim Show, and I’ve got the old garlic breath kicking, you’ll know why.NOTES:I’ve been using Cento Italian tomatoes, they come in a 35-ounce can. I like them because they taste great, and the cans are lined, and I’ve been hearing some weird stuff about aluminum cans these days.Most Italian tomatoes come in 28-ounce cans. So, if you’re using 28-ounce cans, use two. I don’t think you’ll need to increase anything, there’s enough garlic here to keep vampires away for years. But if you want to add a little more garlic--or salt or basil--go ahead, Slim People!INGREDIENTSItalian tomatoes (one 35-ounce can, or two 28-ounce cans)8 cloves garlic3 tablespoons olive oilCrushed red pepper to taste (I use a ½ teaspoon)Salt (I use coarse Kosher, about a teaspoon)Fresh basil leaves (a bunch, a small handful)HERE WE GO!Put your tomatoes in a large bowl. Smoosh them with your hands, dig in with your mitts and squeeze the tomatoes. Remove any funky-looking stuff…skin, stalks, and especially that yellow stringy stem in the center of each tomato. Smoosh until smoovy-smoov.Take a garlic clove, smash it with the broad side of a knife. Smash it good and flat! Remove the skin.Put the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, and add the crushed red pepper, let it heat up for a minute or two.Add the smashed garlic, let it cook for a couple minutes. DON’T LET THE GARLIC BURN! It tastes nasty when it does.When the underside turns pale gold, turn over each clove, and sauté on the other side for a couple of minutes until pale gold. PALE, Slim Folks!Then, turn the heat to high, and add the tomatoes.Add the salt.Take a half-dozen basil leaves, snip them with scissors, right into the sauce.Give it a stir.When the sauce begins to bubble and boil, turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Be gentle, SlimNation. Gentle and kind.After 20 minutes, take a few more basil leaves, and snip them right into the sauce with your scissors, give it a stir, and taste for salt and adjust.There ya go! Use this sauce over pasta, or use it with manicotti, eggplant parmigiano, pizza, bruschetta, and…MANGIAMO!!!

Slim Man Cooks Halibut Marsala

Slim Man Cooks Halibut MarsalaCooking can be a challenge sometimes. Not necessarily the cooking itself, it’s the people you’re cooking for! This one doesn’t eat dairy, that one doesn’t eat chicken, the other one doesn’t eat onions, another one doesn’t eat anything that had a mother…what’s a man to do?Well, I had some halibut, it was fresh and wild and caught that morning. I got it at the local fish store in Carlsbad, California. So I had that to work with. I was thinking of making a white wine sauce, but I wanted something different. So I figured I’d try a Marsala sauce on a piece of fish. Why fish? Because this one doesn’t eat chicken. And that one doesn’t eat veal.And Marsala sauce would be good on fish, especially a fish like halibut, and especially if you’re cooking for a Lady People. You see, Lady People like their sauce on the side. And Marsala sauce is cooked separately; you make the fish in one pan, and the sauce in another. So I dusted the halibut with flour that had been salted and peppered, and then sautéed it over medium-high heat in olive oil. Why olive oil, why not my usual combo of olive oil and butter?Because that one doesn’t do dairy. They’ll do eggs, but no dairy.So…I had it all figured out. I made the Marsala sauce first. As soon as it was done, I made the pasta, and drizzled it with olive oil and a little Marsala sauce. As soon as that was done, I cooked the fish, it only took 6 minutes.Why didn’t I do it all at once? Because the “F” factor goes way up when you have three things on the stove at the same time.So here we go, I’ll step you through it.NOTE!!! Prep your porcini mushrooms first! Put them in a cup of water and let them soak for 20 or 30 minutes. And cook the fish as soon as you flour it; you leave it sitting around and it won't fry right. And you know what Nat King Cole said...straighten up and fry right!Ingredients1 ½ pounds halibut filets, cut into rectangles½ ounce or more of dried porcini mushrooms (soaked in a bowl with 1 cup of water for a minimum of 20 minutes—don’t throw out the water!)1 cup flour7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 shallot, chopped fine, about ¼ cup4 garlic cloves, sliced thin, about 1 tablespoon1 cup sweet Marsala1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped½ pound of egg noodles—pappardelle work wellKosher salt and pepper to tasteHere we go!Let’s make the sauce first.Remove the porcini mushrooms from the cup of water with a slotted spoon.Take the remaining porcini water and strain through cheesecloth into a bowl. I’ve used paper towels, coffee filters, whatever you use, save the water!Rinse off the mushrooms and pat dry. Chop into small pieces.Put a small sauté pan over medium-high heat.Add 2 tablespoons or so of olive oil, (or one each of butter and olive oil).When the oil starts to shimmer, add the shallots.Cook and stir for 2 minutes, until the shallots just start to brown.Add the garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Give it a stir.Add the Marsala.Add the cup of porcini water.Turn the heat to high and let it cook for 2 minutes.Turn the heat to medium-low, and add the porcini mushrooms.Cook for 2 minutes while stirring.Add the rosemary. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.Turn the heat to the lowest, and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes. You can whisk in a sprinkle or three of flour if you want it to be a little thicker, more gravy-like.Now let’s make the pasta…follow the directions on the box, or follow mine…get a large pot, fill it with cold water, put it on the highest heat ya got, when it comes to a boil, add a couple tablespoons of salt (I use Kosher, Mazel Tov!), and then add the pasta. KEEP THE HEAT ON HIGH AT ALL TIMES!When it’s al dente, firm to the bite, drain it and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil, and mix gently. Add a couple tablespoons of the Marsala sauce and mix gently. Gently, Slim People!And Now for the Halibut…Rinse off your halibut filets and pat them dry with paper towels.Take the flour and put it on a flat plate. Add salt and pepper and whisk it up.Take a halibut filet, and press each side into the flour, shake off excess, put on a plate.Get a large sauté pan. Put it over medium-high heat.Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil. (Or 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil).When the oil starts to shimmer, add the halibut.Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until golden. Thicker pieces take longer.Flip ’em over. GENTLY!Cook for 2 or 3 minutes on the other side until golden.Put the fish on a platter.Plate ’em up! Put a piece of fish on a dish, a good-looking dish, not a paper plate, add a little pasta, then drizzle a little sauce over the fish and pasta, garnish with a sprig of rosemary, and…MANGIAMO!

Slim Man Cooks the Best Fish Cakes

I 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 (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.Form 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!MANGIAMO!!!

Slim Man Cooks Broccoli and Peppers

[et_pb_section admin_label="section"][et_pb_row admin_label="row"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" background_layout="light" text_orientation="left" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid"]Broccoli and PeppersMy Dad didn’t like vegetables. I’d try to get him to eat a salad and he’d say, “I’m 86-years-old! I’ve made it this far without eating that shit, and I ain’t startin’ now!”He wasn’t a warm and fuzzy guy. He’d give it to you straight, right between the eyes. But when I put this sauce over pasta, he liked it, even though it’s vegan. If I had told him it was vegan, he would have dope-slapped me on the back of the head.This sauce is easy, quick, and delizioso. You can serve it as an appetizer with crusty bread, put it over rice or pizza, or make it with pasta, like I did for my grumpy pops.INGREDIENTS4 tablespoons olive oil6 cloves of garlic, sliced thin, about 2 tablespoonsCrushed red pepper (I start with a ¼ teaspoon)¼ dry white wine (be generous, Slim People!)1 orange bell pepper, seeds and stems removed, chopped1 red bell pepper the same way1 yellow bell pepper the same way4 cups broccoli florets¾ cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth)HERE WE GO!Get a large sauté pan, put it over medium heat.Add the olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper, and cook for a few minutes until the garlic is pale gold.Add the white wine, turn up the heat, cook for a minute or two.Reduce the heat to medium.Add the bell peppers, cook for 5 minutes, or until semi-soft. Stir a couple times.Add the broccoli.Add the vegetable broth, turn the heat to high until it starts to bubble.Turn the heat back down to medium.Cook for 5 or 6 minutes, or until the broccoli is done to your liking.Taste for salt and pepper and adjust. MANGIAMO!!![/et_pb_text][et_pb_video admin_label="Video" src="https://youtu.be/oeqprO0zpzw" /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Slim Man Cooks Spinach with Toasted Almonds and Raisins

A lot of people ask me to sing at their weddings. My answer is usually,“Yes. Yes I can.”I love singing at weddings.  It’s such a happy time. When I’m singing at a wedding where I hardly know anyone - that’s a lot of fun; watching strangers go nuts at a wedding is a blast.  Watching people you know and love go nuts at a wedding is enough to make you want to grab a dart gun and shoot somebody in the neck.A couple years ago, a young gal from Baltimore asked me to sing “End of the Rainbow” at her wedding.  She had no budget.I told her, “I can do it.”  But if Taylor Swift asks me to open up for her that day; or if David Letterman calls me at the last minute to do the Late Show, I won’t be able to.  If you can live with that, “Yes. Yes I can.”The week before her wedding, as hard as it is to believe, Taylor Swift did not call.  David Letterman did not appear on my doorstep. I told her yes.  She was so ecstatic.  Ever since she saw me sit down at the piano and sing “End of the Rainbow” at a concert in Annapolis at the Rams Head Tavern, it had been her wish for me to sing that song at her wedding. I was flattered. Really.When she asked me to sing, I was thinking - I could walk in, sing “End of the Rainbow” and then get back to packing.Packing?  Yes.  I was moving.  The day after her wedding, I was leaving Baltimore to move to Nashville.  A permanent move.  A big move.  The wedding was on a Saturday.  I was leaving Sunday.  I didn’t mention My Big Move to the bride to be.  I figured she had enough on her mind.A couple days before the wedding, we were talking on the phone about details when she said,“You need to be on the boat by 11:00 AM.”Boat?  Pardon me…did you say “boat?”  Yes.  The wedding was a cruise around Baltimore - for five hours.  We would be out to sea the whole time, and there was no getting off the boat.  The thoughts that were running through my mind - maybe I could have someone pick me up on a Jet Ski after my song.  Maybe I could leap on to a passing barge.  Or borrow an inflatable boat and bring it on board with me.I’m not a big boat guy.  I don’t wake up in the middle of the night and say, “Damn!  I wish I were on a boat right now.”My Dad had a small fishing boat, a 17-footer with an egg-beater on the back.  That was fun.  But a big boat out on the open sea makes me a bit woozy.But una promessa é un debito--“A promise is a debt.” That’s what my uncle used to say. I told the Bride of Baltimore that I’d be on the Love Boat bright and early.That Saturday, I jumped in the Slim Vehicle, and drove to the Inner Harbor of Baltimore.  I parked my car, and walked a few blocks down to the water.  I had on my beige Hugo Boss suit and my brown suede Donald J. Pliner loafers.  Gotta dress big for a big wedding!  I saw some folks boarding a small cruise ship — it held maybe 200 people.  I got on the boat at 11:00 AM.The Love Boat was all decked out in flowers and ribbons.  It was a beautiful spring day.  The sun was out, it was warm – but not too – and there was a slight breeze as the boat slowly headed out into the Chesapeake Bay. They had the ceremony on the top deck.  They exchanged their vows and everybody walked downstairs to the middle deck. And there I was, sitting at the piano.  I sang “End of the Rainbow” for the bride and groom and their guests.After I finished, people were crying.They were crying, “Don’t give up your day job, Donkey Face!”After I sang, I guess people needed alcohol.  My music usually drives people to drink. Folks were lining up at the bar.  After cocktails, it was dinnertime.  I sat next to Annabelle.  I’ve known her for years.  Annabelle is a joy.  She is one happy woman.Annabelle is married to one of my bestest amigos.  They've been separated for ten years, but never got divorced.  They get along better now than they ever did.  They’re the best of friends.Annabelle and I used to work together at a dive bar in Fells Point called the Horse You Came In On.  People in Baltimore go to Fells Point to drink.  She tended bar, I sang the blues.  My band was called the Scrappy Harris Blues Band.Scrappy Harris was the barback at The Horse.  He looked like a skinny little homeless kid.  He smoked Marlboro Reds, drank Budweiser and was loud and boisterous.  Scrappy had a small apartment nearby that looked like a flophouse.  Bare mattress on the floor.  Old sheets nailed over the windows.  But Scrappy wasn’t poor.  It turns out he was a trust fund kid.  Had a ton of dough.  He just liked being a barback, getting ice, stocking booze at The Horse You Came In On.We named the band after Scrappy.  I wrote a song about him.  I also wrote a song about Annabelle.“Annabelle…my sweet Annabelle, I’m going down to the wishing well…wish for a girl like Annabelle.”Annabelle and I had a blast at the wedding.  After dinner, a band played.  The guitar player was amazing, in a Stevie Ray Vaughan kinda way.  I got up and sang “Pride and Joy.”  The band was good.  Really good.At the end of the shindig, Rob Fahey got up and sang “Raised on the Radio.”  Rob was in a great Baltimore band called The Ravyns.  “Raised on the Radio” was a big hit for them.  It was used in the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High with Sean Penn.Rob sang his heart out.  What a way to end the wedding.The Love Boat pulled up to the Inner Harbor. It docked right by the food pavilions. The Baltimore skyline was shining in the setting sun. I said goodbye to Annabelle.  I walked up to the bride and groom. They handed me an envelope.  Inside was a gift certificate for way too much money for my favorite Italian restaurant in Baltimore.La Scala.I had told them I would sing for free.  I’m a great guy, ain’t I?  The gift certificate was unexpected, but much appreciated.  And very thoughtful.I said my goodbyes, and started walking from the Inner Harbor to the parking lot.  On the way, a pickup truck drove by, splashed through a puddle, and splattered mud all over my pants and shoes.  It looked like, well, like you can imagine. Dark brown mud. Beige suit. I was getting strange looks as I walked back to my car.I went home, changed, and walked Batu.  Then I went to sleep.  The next day, Slim Drummer John E Coale came over in his SUV.  We packed up everything into our two cars, and drove 700 miles to Nashville.Batu was in the back of the car, his dog bed piled on top of all the boxes, his head poking between the front seats.Goodbye, Baltimore.  Hello, NashvilleBut wait!  There’s more!I got an email the other day,“Can you sing “End of the Rainbow” as we walk down the aisle for our wedding?  That song has been our song ever since we met.”He told me he was getting married Labor Day in Palm Springs.  I’ve been staying in Palm Springs for the past few months.  I wrote back and told him the same thing I told the Bride of Baltimore — if Taylor Swift calls at the last minute, I’ll have to bow out.  He took it as a “yes.”He was so excited.  He wrote me back and told me he was going to keep it a secret – he wanted it to be a surprise for his partner, Jack.SPINACH WITH TOASTED ALMONDS AND RAISINSIf you need some fortification before a Big Day, like a wedding day, why not make some spinach? It worked for Popeye!A few things about this dish…I used multi-colored organic grape tomatoes.  Why?I saw them in the grocery store.  They looked real cool and colorful.  And they were inexpensive.You can buy almonds already toasted.  But I like to toast my own nuts.  I use raw slivered almonds, and toast them in a dry pan over medium-high heat.  Do not leave your nuts unattended.  Nothing worse than burnt nuts.I only cook the tomatoes for a couple minutes, you don’t want them to lose their shape or their skin.And only cook the spinach for a couple minutes, just enough to wilt it.Add the toasted almonds and raisins last.  Because you don’t want your nuts getting soggy, and you don’t want the raisins to absorb all the sauce.I used brown raisins. Golden raisins would also work well.Serves 2INGREDIENTS8 ounces of baby spinach (I use organic)2 tablespoons raw almonds, chopped or slivered2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons chopped shallotsCrushed red pepper (I start off with about ¼ teaspoon)1/3 cup white wine1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half, seeds squeezed out1 tablespoon raisins (brown or golden)Salt to tasteHERE WE GO…Rinse off the spinach and spin dry--unless it’s the kind that’s already been triple-washed. Make sure it’s clean, SlimNation.And now, let’s toast our nuts."Here's to you, you nuts!"Get a small sauté pan.Put the heat on medium-high.Grab your nuts, put them in the dry pan.Shake your nuts around until they’re golden brown.Put your toasted almonds on a plate.  Let ‘em cool.Put the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.Add the 2 tablespoons shallots.Add the crushed red pepper.Cook for 2 minutes or so, stir every now and then.When the shallots are almost clear, add the white wine, turn the heat to high, and let it cook off for 1 minute or so.Turn the heat to medium-low, add the tomatoes, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring every now and then.Add the spinach, cook and stir for 2 minutes--or until it wilts.Add salt to taste.Add the toasted almonds.Add the raisins.Give it a stir.Dish it up! This would make a great side dish for any of the Slim Fish Dishes.MANGIAMO!!!!!!!!

Slim Man Cooks Chicken Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Batu was born in Argentina on Cinco de Mayo – the 5^th of May – 2004. Batu’s grandfather was a famous bull terrier from Germany named Rock.   Batu’s owner paid $15,000 for Rock.   He could’ve bought a car for fifteen grand. I’m glad he didn’t.  But that’s still a lot of money for a dog.Batu’s owner had high hopes for the young pup.  Batu was entered in a few South American dog shows, but there was some technical defect in his bone structure--he was bow-legged, just like me--which prevented him from advancing any further in his show dog career.Their loss. Batu was a neglected champion, much like Yours Truly.  He was kept in a crate, not like Yours Truly.  No one knew what to do with him.  He just sat in his crate.I had wanted a bull terrier ever since I saw the movie Patton.  Patton had a bull terrier named Willie.  When my cousin – a true dog lover who knew I wanted a bull terrier – found out about Batu, she decided to get him for me for Christmas.She has a house in Chile.  She’s well-connected in the dog world down there.  She left Baltimore, Maryland, flew down, rescued Batu, and brought him to me on Christmas Eve, 2005.  I was at my uncle Oscar’s house on the river.  Cat Tail Creek, outside Baltimore, Maryland.Batu came out of the bedroom that Christmas Eve, walked up to me, and stuck to me like Velcro that night--and almost every day since. Batu came with that name.  I don’t know how he got it.  I Googled "Batu" and all that came up was the grandson of Genghis Khan, Batu Khan.Batu Khan.  So that’s the story I’m going with.At the time, I was living in an apartment in Roland Park, an incredible place in an old mansion that used to be a country club.I loved the place.  When I brought Batu home, he would not leave my side.  If I walked into the kitchen, he’d follow me.  If I walked into the living room, he’d be right behind me.  If I went into the bathroom, there he was.The first few nights I had Batu, he slept in bed with me.  When I found a tick on the sheets one morning, I decided to get him his own bed.  I put it on the floor by my bed, and that’s where he slept.  If I woke up in the middle of the night, I would reach down and pet him.I think Batu had separation anxiety.  Or maybe it was me.  Whenever I’d leave, he’d howl.Truth was, I missed him, too.So I took him just about everywhere I went.  If I went to a recording studio, I’d call in advance and make sure it was OK.  DC, Philly, New York — if I had a session, Batu went with me. If I went on vacation, Batu went with me.  If I went to visit my Dad in upstate New York, Batu went with me.Whenever I’d sit down and play piano or guitar, Batu was there.  Almost every song I wrote for the past eight years, Batu was at my feet, eyes closed halfway.  He was probably dozing off.  My music has that effect on people.The apartment in Roland Park had a crazy little kitchen with a small four-burner stove.  I got a video camera and started shooting cooking videos; short, goofy little five-minute home movies which featured Batu.I had heard about this new website called YouTube that had just started.  I started posting the cooking videos on YouTube.  One of my five or six fans saw the cooking videos, and brought them to the attention of their friend who was involved in a new network, the Italian American Network.They liked the videos. They loved Batu.  The Italian American Network started posting the videos on their channel.  They encouraged me to do more.  Batu and I started making more cooking videos in that little kitchen. And I started writing those recipes down, so the Italian American Network could post them along with the videos.  Batu and I kept on making videos and posting recipes.A few years later, Batu and I were at my Dad’s house in upstate New York on the Fourth of July, 2009. We were cooking and making videos. It had just rained, and there was a double rainbow reaching across the mountains.  I took a photo. I walked inside my Dad’s house.  The phone rang.  My Dad lives on top of a mountain, a place called Rat Tail Ridge, and there aren’t too many neighbors.  The phone doesn’t ring too often.I picked up the phone.  I got the news that Oscar—my Dad’s only brother-- had died.  I told my Dad.My Dad said “Fuck!” about a hundred times in a row.  Then he cried.  I’ve only seen my Dad cry twice.  When his best friend died, and when Oscar died.Unc — that’s what I called him – had fallen down the basement steps at Cat Tail Creek. He was going to the cellar to get a bottle of wine for the osso buco he was cooking. Unc died immediately. He was extremely wealthy, in good health, had a beautiful young wife.  He was 88 years old.  Unc and I were really close.  He was like a second father to me, I had lived with him for a couple years. Unc taught me a lot about cooking. And wine. And life.I packed up Batu and my Dad, and we drove for six hours from Rat Tail Ridge down to Cat Tail Creek.  We didn’t talk much.  I was heartbroken.  I felt so bad for my Dad; Oscar was his only brother, they had grown up poor on the mean streets of New York, and Oscar was always looking out for his younger brother – throughout their whole lives. Unc was like the Godfather — our world seemed to revolve around him.After the funeral, there was a wake at Unc’s house.  The next day, I took off for a show in San Antonio, Texas.  I had no idea how I was gonna get through it. I left Batu with the family.  They knew him, loved him, and I knew he would get more than enough attention.  Everybody loved Batu.When I landed in Texas, I got a frantic phone call.My sister started shrieking.  They were crabbing off the pier. They put a chicken neck on the end of a string and threw it in the river.  Batu jumped in after it. Batu can’t swim.  Bull terriers can’t swim. They sink.Batu sank to the bottom.  Everyone started jumping off the pier, right into the river--clothes on, wallets and cell phones in pockets. They were following the trail of bubbles, trying to find Batu.  Finally they dug down, found him and fished him out.  Mouth to snout resuscitation was not needed.  Batu survived.Right after the concert in San Antonio, I flew back. Batu was fine.I’ve had dogs all my life, but I never had a connection like I had with Batu.  I never thought of him as a dog.  To me, he was more like a funny little man in a dog suit.Batu had a bark that would make you jump five feet straight up in the air — it was loud and sharp and startling. He didn’t bark much.  He was a very calm, laid-back mutt.  Not much bothered him.  When we would walk the streets of Manhattan, there was so much noise – trucks, sirens, car horns, brakes screeching.  Batu never flinched.  I could have fired a gun next to his head and he wouldn’t have blinked an eye.Batu had a sense of humor, he liked to play.  He was funny.  He was photogenic.  When I pulled out the camera he’d look right at it.Batu loved to ride in the car.  To the post office, to New York City, or across the country, he was all-in. I’d throw his bed in the back of the car, and I’d have to lift all 70 pounds of him into the back.  Then we’d take off.  It’s funny; I guess he never knew if we were going a mile away, or a thousand miles away.  He was just happy to be along for the ride.  He would lie there for hours and hours and not make a sound.I’d have to reach back and shake him just to make sure he was alive.In 2011, Batu and I packed up the Slimousine and moved to Nashville.  I wanted to re-pot the plant.  Wipe the slate clean.  So we drove to Tennessee.  Eleven hours.  Seven hundred miles.  We did it in one day.I love Nashville.  I found an apartment in a neighborhood called The Gulch. But after we moved in, Batu’s skin problems started getting worse.  He’d always had skin problems, really bad sores between his toes.  No one could solve the problem.  I took Batu to more vets in more states than any one dog known to man.  We tried soaks, meds, diets, boots, salves, and nothing worked.  His feet were always pretty bad.  In Nashville, Batu’s skin got much worse.How bad?  At one point, I took Batu to his vet in Nashville and asked him if we should put him down.  I told the vet that if we had to put Batu down, he might as well put me down, too.  Maybe we could get two for the price of one.The sores on his feet were so bad he couldn’t walk.  He had sores on his elbows, his back, his chest, even his face.  It looked hopeless.  Batu was so miserable.  So was I.  The vet then suggested we put Batu on every dog medication known to man, and if it didn’t kill him, maybe he’d get better.We put poor ol’ Batu on antifungals, antibiotics, prednisone - I changed his diet to an incredibly expensive hypoallergenic dog food.  I gave him baths a couple times a week with ridiculously expensive medicated shampoo that I had to leave on for 15 minutes at a time. Eventually Batu got better.  We started eliminating drugs, and after a few weeks, Batu was almost back to normal.  It was miraculous.Once a month, Batu and I would drive from Nashville back to Baltimore to see my Dad.  He had moved nearby to Annapolis--Rat Tail Ridge was too isolated, and hard to maintain, with all the snow in the winter.  Stacking firewood alone was a full-time job.Soon after my Dad moved to Annapolis, he fell and broke his hip.  The doctors placed him in a hospice.  I explained to the people in the hospice how much my Dad loved Batu.  To my surprise, they let me take Batu up to my Dad’s room.  My Dad would always brighten up when Batu and I arrived.  When I got there, I’d lean in close to my Dad's ear (he was hard-of-hearing), as he lay there on the bed with his eyes closed and I’d yell,“WHERE DID YOU HIDE THE MONEY? IS IT BURIED IN THE FRONT YARD?”My Dad would smile, frail, cheeks drawn, and squeeze my hand.A few days later, my Dad passed away. Batu and I were just about to walk into his room when the nurse walked out and gave me the news.  I sat down on a bench in the hall. I took a photo of Batu on the floor.Funerals aren’t funny, in general.My Dad’s was.  The service was serious, it was at a Quaker Meeting House in Baltimore, the same one where my cousin Johnny had his service years ago; my Mom and uncle Oscar had their services there.I gave the eulogy at my Dad’s service.  Afterwards, people got up and told stories, funny anecdotes, and crazy quotes.  It was touching, all the remembrances and memories. I played “Summer Days” after the service. It was a song I wrote for Angela Bofill; she recorded it on her debut CD. It was one of the first songs I wrote while I was at Motown. The first time my Dad heard it, he asked me to play it at his funeral. Thirty-five years later, I did.My Dad had been cremated.  He wanted the urn of his ashes buried next to his mother, Angela.  I had been to that cemetery many, many times.  I remembered one February 14th years ago, roses in hand, Batu and I walking through a foot of snow, trying to find her grave, which was a plaque set in the ground.  It was her birthday.  Valentine’s Day.  I stopped, reached down and scooped out some snow, and as crazy as it seems, there was her gravestone.After my Dad’s service, we went to the gravesite.  It was freezing cold.  There was a small hole next to Angela’s grave.  It looked like it had been dug by a five year-old with a Fischer Price shovel.  Some spray paint lined the circumference.  Pieces of sod sat nearby.  Next to the hole was a small plastic orange sign, stuck on a piece of wire, like a flag, that read,“Please contact our office.”My Dad would have seen the humor.  We left a basil plant at his gravesite, to honor his pesto prowess. His wife took his ashes. Batu and I drove back to Nashville soon after.A few days after we got back to Nashville, my sister called. Her only son had died suddenly and unexpectedly of heart failure. Batu and I got in the car and drove back to Baltimore for the funeral. It was heart-breaking. No parent should ever have to bury a child.I spoke at the funeral. And then Batu and I drove back to Nashville. It was a long drive.A year later, in December 2013, I left Nashville with Batu, and we drove to Breckenridge, Colorado.  Batu and I needed a change of scenery.Breckenridge is a charming and lovely ski resort, with a vibe like an old Western mountain town.  My brother had rented a place there for Christmas so the family could be together and hang out for a week or so.  I took a jar of my Dad’s ashes with me, to give to my brother--which we accidentally dropped on the kitchen floor Christmas night.  We scooped them up, and went outside, and scattered them at the foot of the Rockies.  Batu was there.After Christmas, Batu and I drove to Scottsdale, Arizona, stayed for New Year’s Eve, and then drove to Palm Springs, California, where I had some concerts lined up. On the way to Palm Springs, we passed the General Patton Museum.  We stopped by the statue of Patton and Willie – those two were the reason I got a bull terrier in the first place.Batu and I got to Palm Springs, and decided to hang out for a while.  The weather was wonderful; sunny, warm and dry, with fresh lemons, oranges and grapefruit everywhere.  Batu loved it.The first four months of 2014 were the healthiest and happiest days of Batu’s life.  All of his skin problems disappeared — it must have been the climate.  I put him on a diet.  He lost nine pounds.  He was in the best shape of his life.  Batu seemed to flourish in Palm Springs.  He was the King of the Springs.Batu had only one health problem remaining.  He had an enlarged heart.  Batu would pass out occasionally, drop to the ground like a ton of bricks.  It was always very scary.  But he always came back.Batu turned 10 on the Cinco de Mayo, 2014.  He never looked better. On Mother’s Day, I left for a concert in San Diego.  When I left Batu with the dog-sitter, all was great.I did the show that night at Humphrey’s, a cool little club on the bay.  That night was one of the happier ones in a long time.  I had just done a really good show, my California band was sounding really good, Batu was doing great, we were both digging California - all was good in SlimLand.The next morning I got a text from the dog sitter.  I called her, and she told me Batu had fallen asleep the night before – Mother’s Day, May 11^th – and never woke up.I couldn’t believe it.  When I left he was healthier than ever.  There was no way he could be dead. I drove from San Diego to Palm Springs.  Three of the longest hours of my life. I could hardly see the road from the tears streaming down my face.I walked in to the house. Batu was lying on the kitchen floor.  I scooped his lifeless body up, and put him in the car, as I’d done so many thousands of times before. And I drove him to the vet to be cremated.  When they took him out of the car and walked away, you would have thought that everybody I had ever loved had just gone down on the Titanic.  I broke.Three thousand fifty-nine days. That's how long I had Batu.Seems like a long time.  It wasn’t nearly long enough.  I miss my sidekick. He had been by my side for the past nine years, through the good times and the bad.I started this cookbook when Batu and I started making cooking videos for the Italian American Network. It was early 2006.This recipe was the last recipe I did with Batu.  I took the photos for this dish on May 3, 2014.  Batu passed away the following week. After a couple of weeks curled up on the floor in the fetal position, crying my eyes out, I decided to start this cookbook.CHICKEN STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESEI don’t like wasting food.  If I’ve got leftovers in the fridge, as long as they don’t have anything growing on them, I’ll eat ‘em.I had some goat cheese that was on the cusp, so to speak.  I took a sniff, and it smelled OK.But I knew I needed to use it soon, so I came up with this brilliant idea--mix it with some scallion and red pepper and make a little stuffing for the chicken breasts I was about to cook.The dinner was actually delizioso.A couple things -Before the lawsuits start flying in, always remember to check the expiration dates on your food.  Your nose knows.  Take a sniff - when in doubt, throw it out.My brother once made a hot dog late at night, and as he was eating it, I noticed the bottom of the roll was all moldy and green.  It was pretty funny - until that night when he threw up in the drawer of the bedside table that we shared.It’s important to check stuff before you stuff your face.Whenever you handle raw chicken, make sure you clean everything it touches really well.As with any recipe, if you don’t like an ingredient, leave it out, or substitute.You guys are smart.  With incredibly good taste, I might add.  You can do this.INGREDIENTS¾ cup goat cheese1 tablespoon chopped scallion — the middle part only1 tablespoon minced red bell pepperSalt and fresh-cracked black pepper3 chicken breasts, sliced thin (about ¼ inch thick)3 slices prosciuttoFlour (1/3 cup should do)1 tablespoon butter1 tablespoon olive oilHere we goPreheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Now let’s make our stuffing…Put the goat cheese in a small bowl.Add the scallion and red pepper.Add salt and pepper to taste.Mick ‘em up.Set aside.  Let’s make some chicken!Lay a chicken breast flat on a plate.Put a slice of prosciutto on half the chicken breast.Put a couple tablespoons of the goat cheese mixture on top of the prosciutto, spread it around evenly.Fold the breast over, in half.Do this with all 3 of your breasts.Put some flour on a plate, about 1/3 cup.  Add some salt and pepper, mix.Grab a folded breast.Place it on the flour.Turn it over, so both sides have been dusted with flour.Do this with all the chicken.Get a sauté pan; put it over medium-high heat.Add the butter and olive oil.When the butter starts to bubble, add the 3 chicken breasts.Cook for 4 minutes.Turn ‘em over, cook on the other side for 4 minutes.Put them in a baking dish, and place in the oven for 5 minutes.Pull ‘em out, check for doneness.If they’re not done, put ‘em back in the oven for a few more minutes.When the chicken breasts are done, dish ‘em up!I did roasted beets with carrots as a side dish, along with some risotto.MANGIAMO!!!!!