Super Shrimp de Jonghe

--Tailgatin' and how to make mofos start playa hatin' (Recipes)

Chicago has many different original dishes that were created in the city. Shrimp de jonghe might not be as well known amongst 20/30 somethings as beef and pizza but its a classic Chicago dish that needs to return to some menus around town. In fact its Chicago's oldest delicacy and is said to have been concocted by two Belgian immigrants that owned the DeJonghe's Hotel and Restaurant that rested at 12 E. Monroe St from 1899-1923. There is something really special about shrimp blanketed in garlic, butter, parsley, sherry and bread crumbs. Its a dish I have been eating since I have been on this earth. My uncle makes a killer de jonghe and he was happy to show me the art of this lost Chicago dish. Its also perfect during the wintertime and a sure hit for your super bowl party.

Uncle Richard's Shrimp de Jonghe

2 lbs shelled shrimp
1 stalk of flat leaf parsley (leaves chopped from stalk)
1 entire bulb of garlic (8-10 cloves)
1.5 cups of bread crumbs
3 sticks of butter
1 cup of dry sherry
salt, pepper and red pepper flakes
grated Parmesan

~add everything but the shrimp and cheese to a cuisinart and blend it into a paste like this.



~Take a large baking dish or single baking instruments such as these seashells that we used. Fill the shells or dish with the shrimp or a few on each individual serving and pack the blended paste tightly around the shrimp making sure there are no air holes. If using individual serving then place them on a baking trey.





~sprinkle the Parmesan on top of each serving



~Bake at at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until they look like this.






This is a great super bowl party food. Goes great with beer.

Five Cheese Garlic Spread from River Valley Ranch

In a little town called Burlington in Southeast Wisconsin (about 1.5 from Chicago) there is a mushroom farm called River Valley Ranch that produces mushrooms and canned goods. In fact it wasn't until they started the canned good business that they started turning a profit and were able to make a living harvesting mushrooms. Check out the website for all they have to offer which is a whole lot.

RVR is the oldest mushroom farm in the Midwest. Dating back two generations to '76, they grow all sorts of mushrooms at the farm and sell them fresh at the country store located on the farm. I'm sure that many people have seen them at various farmer markets throughout Chicagoland. With all the mushrooms grown, they have to put them to use in ways other than fresh picked and they do that by offering all sorts of wonderful pasta sauces, dips and pickled relishes but there most amazing product doesn't even include mushrooms, its a garlic five cheese spread (hey this is a mushroom farm in Wisconsin) that is the best condiment from the state of Wisconsin. You can buy the spread at the green City farmers market in Chicago and they also carry it at various Sam's wine & spirit stores throughout Chicagoland. One day I decided to make a Wisconsin style de jonghe.

KingT's Wisconsin Style De Jonghe

The Stock

-shrimp shells
-2 cans of Wisconsin beer such as high life
-1/2 stick of butter
-celery stalk chopped into 3 pieces
-1/2 onion chopped a few times

Shrimp De Jonghe

-1 lb gulf shrimp with shells 12-15 count or larger
-2 sticks of butter
-1/3 cup of RVR five cheese garlic spread
-Bread crumbs or crushed ritz crackers

~preheat the oven to 450

~Boil the stock for 15 minutes and then drain it into a bowl and remove the shells/veggies and return stock to pot.

~Bring beer stock to a boil and add the half stick of butter. When beer is boiling add the shrimp and poach them for 2 minutes until just pink. Remove shrimp and wash with cold water and set aside.

~Melt stick of butter and layer the bottom of a baking dish with the butter and toss shrimp around and get them coated with the butter. Add the 1/3 cup of RVR cheese/garlic spread and make sure each shrimp is pasted with a little bit. Be liberal with the spread, this is Wisconsin style.

~Layer bread crumbs on top and bake for 12 minutes.




bam! there goes your heart

Other fun stuff to do with River Valley Ranch five cheese garlic spread.


the Country store at the farm


Stuffed 'Shrooms

~Stuff a mushroom with half cheese spread and half bread crumbs and bake for 12 minutes


The best garlic bread on earth


Cheesy garlic bacon wrapped shrimp

~rub spread on shrimp and wrap with a thin slice of bacon and fry until bacon is crispy.

RVR Mushroom Farm
39900 60th St.
Burlington, WI 53105
262 539 3555
Website

Fred's Burger

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Wisconsin

I recently took a ride to meet a friend and try a self proclaimed "best burger in the world" from Fred's bar in Burlington, Wisconsin. Its about a 75 minute drive from Chicago and not to far from Wilmot ski mountain. Its also known as "Chocolate City" because it is the home to a Nestle factory. Well its not just the home to chocolate treats but also one of the best burgers in the world and the childhood home of NFL superstar Tony Romo as well as River Valley ranch Mushroom Farm and their amazing five cheese garlic spread. Not to jump off topic but that five cheese spread is the best condiment from the state of Wisconsin. So theres alot going on in this little town that resembles most of America and the burger is the star of the show, the Dallas Cowboy's QB and boyfriend of Jessica Simpson isn't even a close second and he'd be the first to tell you that.


Fred's burger wins best of Wisconsin and that is an honor!

Fred's is your typical Wisconsin bar with some not so average food. Its a very locals like bar and a relaxing place to stop in for a beer and a bite to eat. The walls are decked out in Packers memorabilia along with tons of Tony Romo pictures as well as stories about the burger from a few different print publications.


Black Wednesday in Burlington

When my friend and I entered the bar, the bartender was quick to greet us and make sure we knew the deal since she most likely assumed we weren't from there with my Bears hat on. You seat yourself and write out your order on a pad at each table and hand it to the bartender who then brings it into the kitchen. When I peeked in the back of the kitchen I saw boxes and boxes of fresh Idaho potato's stacked up to the walls. A good sign, no?


Spotted Cow on tap...an even better sign.


Fred's homemade chips with Cajun seasoning


Fred's homemade curly fries


Fred's homemade chili...a hearty Midwestern blend.

But the star of the show here is the burger. Its a fresh ground (daily) 1/2 lb patty sprinkled with a little spice secret and then griddled until cooked perfect. They top it with a fresh homemade bun from a bakery down the street that is buttered and crisped on the griddle. They offer a wide range of cheeses but I had to go with good old American and grilled onions with pickles. This is after all Wisconsin, also available is a double, yes a double with bacon if you want...next time.


If you could scratch and sniff this photo, you would be in heaven like I was when it arrived. I knew it was going to be the real deal just by the smell and love put into it.

Its so hard to declare one burger the "best ever" because there are so many variations and so many good ones across the country. How good was it? maybe and most likely the best I ever ate. It was my favorite large sized burger cooked on a griddle that I can remember, the best bar burger I can remember, the juiciest burger I can remember and the best burger in all of Wisconsin that I can remember and I lived and drove around the state for 4 years in college eating stuff like burgers and brats.


Notice the juice at the bottom of the bun

I got a chance to meet Fred who was arriving as we were finishing up and he was as nice as could be as were all his employees and all the regulars at the bar when we were there. They treated us well despite our Bears loyalty and it made the experience all the better. Its easy to see why Tony Romo is one of the nicest and most down to earth athletes out there. There was a framed newspaper clipping from the local paper the day Tony Romo signed his hefty contract to become one of the NFL's highest paid players.


Tony Romo is the real deal

The best thing about this place is its closeness in proximity to so many other good eats in Wisconsin. Which is just full of them. Burlington is about a 20 minute ride from Kenosha and halfway between Kenosha and Lake Geneva. The town of Kenosha is filled with good eats. Go over to LTHForum and search "Kenosha" if you don't believe me. Now when I want to I just get in the ride and drive, I can stock up on RVR five cheese garlic spread, Spotted Cow, groceries from Woodman's like micro brewed mustards and kringle's and Italian meats and cheese's from Tenuta's and grab a beer and burger from Fred's. Thats an area rich, rich, rich in food.

This is a big week in the NFL coming up for da bears and a few other contenders/pretenders and in the game of the week it will be Tony Romo and the Cowboy's vs. The Steelers. I never thought I would be a fan of the 'boy's and I still am not fond of T.O but Tony Romo has proven his worth to T.O, the team and his doubters since he came back from his injury. Can he do it again this weekend?


You know me and Tony are good

Fred's
596 N Pine St.
Burlington / WI 53105
Phone:(262) 763 8370
Website

RVR Mushroom Farm
39900 60th St.
Burlington, WI 53105
262 539 3555
Website