FAST FOOD Images by Dwight Drum Web work by Larsen & Drum
Racing Chef Nicky Morse from JEGS Racing
Introduction by Dwight Drum
Racing chef Nicky Morse gives fast food a new meaning. Morse prepares gourmet meals for fast teams. It's certainly not slow food, but it's food done just right for those whose stomachs must support the brains to race and win in the highly competitive world of NHRA drag racing.
Teamwork:
Nicky Morse
Like most teams, our team is very serious about getting the car in the winners circle. We are also very serious about the food that we eat. I am usually a one man show in the kitchen, but I have to admit the culinary team reaches to the mechanics and their families.
When I tell you that this team is serious about eating good food- it is not a joke! They know that I am a stickler for good ingredients. I cannot wait to get to Vegas because I know that I am always going to get batch of fresh bay leaves from Roy Simmons mom and dad (Larry and Marty). They have a tree in their front yard. Victor Cagnazzi's parents always show up at the track with a new cheese or something spectacular. Steve Cultrera lives in Maine. I keep talking to him about the fresh lobsters. I think that I am going to have him help get some delivered to the track this summer. Rich Saulino's brother Carl brings a Kielbasa that is the best Kielbasa I have ever had. I admit that I hide it for myself because it is so good.
When we were in Saint Louis this year, Dave Byers had a bunch of his family and friends visit him at the track. He had a friend from Fritz's Frozen Custard bring custard for everyone. It was a hit! Dave's parents and brother came too (Anita, David, and Travis). They brought some morel mushrooms with them that they hand picked in the woods. You have got to realize that these are not easy to find, and they are very expensive. They cost roughly $60.00 per pound fresh and $150.00 to $200.00 per pound if they are dried. You can be sure that I am never going to turn down fresh morels.
Vegetarian Plate With Sautéed Morels
(Makes 1 serving)
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Butter (Lightly Salted
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon White Onion (Fine Diced)
3 Large Morels (Cut in half)
½ Teaspoon Paprika (Hot- Smoked)
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice (Fresh Squeezed)
1 Tablespoon Chardonnay (Your Favorite) (I used a 2005 Kendall Jackson)
1 Teaspoon Courvoisier
To Taste Salt
To Taste White Pepper (Ground)
1 Tablespoon Fresh Chives (Sliced) (These are optional)
Procedure:
-Place the butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat.
-Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
-Add the morels and sauté until the morels are a little tender.
-Add the smoked-hot paprika and stir until the morels are pretty evenly coated.
-Add the lemon juice, wine, and Courvoisier and sauté until the morels are almost dry.
-Add the salt and pepper.
-Remove from the heat and add chives (Optional).
The morels in the photo are accompanied by sautéed asparagus and broiled tomato slices. The asparagus was sautéed in butter and seasoned with salt and ground white pepper. The tomato slices were broiled with fresh ground black pepper and grated Locatelli cheese
-Enjoy!
Nicky Morse
We have a lot of fun at the track. As I have mentioned many times, people on our team go on and off diets throughout the year, including myself. Roy Simons (The Crew Chief) happens to be one who watches his carbohydrates. It was Roy's birthday when we were in Atlanta. I wanted to make him something special, but I knew that I had better stay away from the desserts. There are some lo-crab desserts, but I know the way to Roy's heart. So, I made him a Roast Beef Salad for his birthday cake. Roy loved the idea.
Roast Beef Salad/ Roy's Birthday Cake
(Makes 1 serving)
Ingredients:
1 Cup Lettuce (Shredded)
5 Ounces Roast Beef (I used Filet Mignon)
1 Ounce Pickle (Spicy- Chopped)
2 Each Peppers (Hot/ Pickled)
1 Ounce Fontinella (Broken into pieces)
As Needed Red Onion (Sliced thin)
To Taste Ground Black Pepper (Telicherry)
To Taste (Salt)
See below Dressing
Procedure:
-Place the lettuce in the center of the plate.
-Sprinkle the lettuce with salt.
-Layer the roast beef over the lettuce.
-Arrange the chopped pickles, peppers, Fontinella, and red onion around the plate.
-Sprinkle with black pepper.
-Add Dressing.
Procedure for the Dressing: -Mix all of the below ingredients together.
2 Tablespoons French Onion Dip (Heluva Good)
1 Tablespoon Mayonaise (Kraft)
½ Teaspoon Spicy Brown Mustard (Guldens)
½ Teaspoon Tobasco (Chipotle)
¼ Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Enjoy
Recipes: This Milkshake is Hot Hot Hot! >> Enjoy!
Nicky Morse
I was in Houston last week in the kitchen with Randy Bishop and Meghan Coughlin. It was so hot and humid. I started messing around with some ideas and came up with this great shake. Randy was kind of looking at me weird when I added the honey and Meghan was not real big on the sour cream idea. But, they both agreed that the final product was wonderful. This shake is simple to make and very refreshing. I hope that you give it a try. I used fresh fruit for the recipe, but you may be able to substitute frozen in a pinch.
Pineapple-Mango Milkshake
(Makes 1 Shake)
Ingredients:
4 Ounces Vanilla Ice Cream
2 Tablespoons Honey
2 Ounces Pineapple (Fresh- Chilled)
1 Ounce Mango (Fresh- Chilled)
1 Tablespoon Sour Cream
1 Ounce Milk (Whole)
As Needed Cinnamon (Ground)
Procedure:
-Place all of the above ingredients except the cinnamon in a blender
-Puree
-Pour in a chilled glass
-Sprinkle the top with cinnamon
Added Garnish:
1 cinnamon stick
A chunk of pineapple with the skin on
A wedge of fresh mango with the skin on
-Cut a small slice in the pineapple meat so that it will sit on a glass
-Stick the pineapple chunk on the glass
-Cut a small hole in the skin of the pineapple
-Stick the cinnamon stick in the hole
-Slice the mango meat through to the skin of the mango in small slices (do not cut the whole way through.
-Cut a small hole in the middle of the mango skin
-Fan the mango so that the meat is showing
-Stick the cinnamon stick through the small hole in the skin
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