Chicago Recipes

Chicago-Style Hot Dog

A Chicago classic “dragged through the garden.” Recipe provided by Vienna Beef (www.viennabeef.com).

Ingredients:

1 Vienna Beef Frank
1 steamed poppy seed bun
Yellow mustard
Neon green relish
Chopped onion
2 tomato wedges
1 dill pickle spear
2 sport peppers
Dash celery salt

Directions:

Steam, grill or heat one Vienna Beef Frank in water. Nestle in a steamed poppy seed bun. Pile on toppings in the order listed above.

Servings: Serves one

Greek Saganaki

The popular flaming cheese dish was purportedly created at The Parthenon Restaurant (www.theparthenon.com) in Chicago's Greektown. This recipe is from Alexa Ganakos, author, Greektown Chicago: Its History. Its Recipes.

Ingredients:

1 pound soft Kasseri or Kefalotyri cheese
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 lemon (juice)
2 tablespoons brandy
1 loaf crusty Greek bread

Directions:

Heat oven to broil. Slice cheese into 1/4 inch thick wedges. Arrange slices close together on a broiler pan and brush with melted butter. Broil on high about five inches from heat. When cheese bubbles, remove from heat. Pour brandy over cheese and set on fire with a lighter or match. Immediately pour lemon juice over the top to end flaming process and serve with some crusty Greek bread.

Servings: Serves four to six

Shrimp de Jonghe

The namesake dish of the former De Jonghe Hotel in the Loop, shrimp de Jonghe cooks shellfish in garlic and breadcrumbs. This recipe is from Angelo Pagni, chef/owner of Sabatino’s Restaurant (www.sabatinoschicago.com), where it is served as an appetizer (half portion) or entrée.

Ingredients:

For the butter:

1 pound butter, salted
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the shrimp:

16 pieces of shrimp, 10-15 count, peeled, tailed, and de-veined
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/3 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

For the de Jonghe butter: Soften butter in medium-size mixing bowl. Add the rest of the butter ingredients and mix until well combined. Shape butter mixture into eight-inch log, wrap in parchment paper, and refrigerate.

For the shrimp: Heat melted butter over medium-high heat in frying pan. Add shrimp; cook until shrimp are slightly translucent (about three minutes), turning shrimp once. Add salt, pepper, oregano, and minced garlic. Stir evenly. When garlic is translucent, remove from flame and add parsley and white wine. Cut de Jonghe butter into slices 1/8th-inch thick and place directly on top of shrimp, until covered generously. Bake shrimp in pre-heated, 450-degree Fahrenheit (232-degree Celsius) oven (or broiler) for 2-3 minutes, or until butter is golden brown. Remove from oven and serve.

Servings: Serves one as an entrée, two as an appetizer