Well, that's a wrap, folks. An agonizing end to a painful season. You have to credit the Black & Gold (and the Ravens and the Dolphins) for keeping our playoff hopes alive to the bitter end after an 0-4 start. After living in Philadelphia for 9+ years, I should have known better than to trust Andy Reid with our fate.
I wanted to do something special for the regular season finale here on the blog. Josh gave me a brand new deep fryer for Christmas, so I had to utilize that as well.
I decided to make the quintessential Pittsburgh-style cheesesteak, à la Primanti Bros. The fries turned out perfectly and were easy as pie using the deep fryer and following my recipe for Frenchy Fuqua Fries. (The original recipe calls for a large cast iron skillet as the frying vessel - either will do.)
This may be a controversial recipe (as controversial as benching all of your starters in week 17), because, like I mentioned, I reside in the cheesesteak capital of the world. In fact, I live a stone's throw away from both the famous Pat's and Geno's. So... don't tell them guys what I've been up to.
Full disclosure: I would take a Pitts-Burger sandwich over a wiz-wit any day of the week.
So this concludes our menu for the 2013 season. I hope yinz have enjoyed a snack or two! Check back for the occasional off-season recipe and keep repping the Black and Gold.
Pittsburgh Cheesesteak with Frenchy Fuqua Fries
Recipe adapted from Panini Happy
For the fries
1 large russet potato
24 oz canola oil
Salt and pepper
For the coleslaw
1/2 package (8 oz) coleslaw mix
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp canola oil
For the patty
1 lb ground sirloin
Salt
Pepper
Onion powder
8 slices thick, white bread
4 slices provolone cheese
4 dill pickle spears
Peel and quarter potato. Cut into fries using mandolin slicer or sharp knife. Blanche potato strips in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and dry well on a paper towel-lined plate.
Heat canola oil in cast-iron pan or deep fryer to 325 degrees. Once heated, cook potato strips for 3 minutes in two batches. Carefully remove fries with slotted spoon or fry basket and place on paper towel-lined plates. Raise the heat to 375 degrees and cook fries a second time for 4 minutes per batch. Remove and place on new paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
While the batches are frying, combine coleslaw mix, red wine vinegar, sugar and 1/2 tbsp canola oil in a bowl. Stir together, then cover and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Place sirloin on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with a second sheet of wax paper and roll into a square, about 1/4 inch thick. Remove and discard top layer of paper, then cut into four square patties. Season with salt, pepper and onion powder. Cook in grill pan (or grill - or frying pan) over medium-high heat until patties are cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, flipping once halfway.
Assemble sandwiches on baking sheet - bread, patties, cheese, fries, coleslaw and bread. Bake in oven until cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Cut in half and serve with dill pickle spears.
Peel and quarter potato. Cut into fries using mandolin slicer or sharp knife. Blanche potato strips in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and dry well on a paper towel-lined plate.
Heat canola oil in cast-iron pan or deep fryer to 325 degrees. Once heated, cook potato strips for 3 minutes in two batches. Carefully remove fries with slotted spoon or fry basket and place on paper towel-lined plates. Raise the heat to 375 degrees and cook fries a second time for 4 minutes per batch. Remove and place on new paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
While the batches are frying, combine coleslaw mix, red wine vinegar, sugar and 1/2 tbsp canola oil in a bowl. Stir together, then cover and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Place sirloin on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with a second sheet of wax paper and roll into a square, about 1/4 inch thick. Remove and discard top layer of paper, then cut into four square patties. Season with salt, pepper and onion powder. Cook in grill pan (or grill - or frying pan) over medium-high heat until patties are cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, flipping once halfway.
Assemble sandwiches on baking sheet - bread, patties, cheese, fries, coleslaw and bread. Bake in oven until cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Cut in half and serve with dill pickle spears.
