Chefs on Duty

We enjoyed chatting with the hardworking, dedicated and brave men and women of Cy-Fair Fire Department this month. Captain Kyle Steadman shared this with us; "The history of food in the fire service started with a simple meal to feed the guys after a long day's work. Most of our meals start with a protein, a carb and a vegetable. This is a balance of health and, as we say; 'something to stick to your ribs at 2am in the house fire'. Most people don't know that we pool money together daily then go to the store. This is managed while doing daily duties, training, and running calls," Kyle reflects. 

 

Kyle's Ole Number One

Recipe by Captain Kyle Steadman

"Most meals are quick, or something we can have slow-cooking throughout the day so we can get to it when we can. The Ole Number One is a simple staple across all departments, and in our daily lives, it just stands for our ‘number one go-to’. Everyone loves it and it's reliable. It's a little home away from home. It starts with a simple ingredients list."

Ingredients

• 24 ground chuck hammer patties 
• 8 lbs of russet potatoes 
• 2 lbs of fresh green beans
• 1lb thick cut bacon
• 3 large yellow onions
• Minced jarred garlic (‘jarlic’)
• 3 large beef stock
• Worcestershire sauce
• Two sticks of real butter
• Whole milk or heavy cream
• Flour
• Salt 
• Pepper 
• Steak seasoning (or whatever you season your burger with)

Directions

1. Start by seasoning the patties and searing both sides in a skillet. Brown until they're about half way cooked through. This seasons the pan; as Cajun culture calls it  "gremis” and is the roux base for brown gravy.
2. Flour will be added to the grease as needed. Start with a cup of flour, stirring it into the grease and scraping the gremis from the bottom of the skillet. Keep adding flour until it reaches the consistency of a watery pudding. Constantly stir on medium to low heat until it's a peanut butter or dormer brown. Next, pour in two large beef stocks, and stir, breaking up the roux. Continue stirring and possibly whisking until it’s a smooth gravy. 
3. Then, place all the patties, 2 onions–cut or chopped–into a pot. Pour the gravy over them, add a cup of Worcestershire sauce, 2 large tablespoons of ‘jarlic’ and then pepper to taste. This will be placed on the stove to simmer for 1.5-2 hours. 
4. While this is cooking, rinse and cut the russet potatoes, skin-on to boil for mashed potatoes. Once they're ready, boil them in Cajun seasoning or simple salt. Cook until tender throughout to mash. Mash and add 2 sticks of butter, and 2 cups of whole milk or heavy cream, and salt and pepper to taste. 
5. Sauté sliced bacon, and diced yellow onion until softened. Next, add green beans that were prepped earlier (by my fellow firefighters who snapped them in half). This is done to season the green beans with the onions and bacon to match the country style that I prefer. Add ‘jarlic’ to taste. 
6. Place a pretzel bread baguette in the oven (will be used to soak up gravy). 
7. Plate this as a hamburger steak in gravy over my mashed potatoes with a side of country green beans and pretzel bread. 

This isn't perfect, but it's my way and everyone loves it! 

 

Rick’s Cheesy Rotel Meatloaf

Recipe by Historian Rick Corliss

Ingredients

• 8 lbs ground beef
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 2 bell peppers, finely chopped
• 3 sleeves unsalted saltine crackers, crushed
• 4 eggs
• 1 (10 oz) can Rotel (drained)
• 2 lbs mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 (12 oz) cans tomato sauce
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Butter, for sautéing

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Sauté vegetables in butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and bell peppers. Cook until soft. Set aside.
3. Mix the Meatloaf: In large bowl, combine ground beef, crushed crackers, eggs, sautéed onions and peppers, and drained Rotel. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly.
4. Shape the Loaves: Divide the meat mixture into two equal portions, place into baking pan and pack firmly into two tight loaves.
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and slice into 2-inch slices (helps the cheese and sauce penetrate better). Sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese evenly over the sliced loaves. Pour the tomato sauce evenly over the top.
6. Return to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes, or until it reaches 160° F.
7. For last 10 minutes of cooking, top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and bake untilbubbly.
8. Let rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.

Marcos' Chocolate Cookies

Recipe by Firefighter Marcos Torres

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 
2. Beat butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. 
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
4. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt.
5. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and walnuts.
6. Drop spoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
7. Bake until edges are nicely browned, about 10 minutes.
8. Cool on wire rack and store in an airtight container or serve immediately and enjoy.

Darian’s Sopapilla Cheesecake

Recipe by Firefighter Darian Galarza

Ingredients

2 cans Pillsbury crescent dinner rolls

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Filling

2 cups softened cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

Toppings 

Diced strawberries 

Condensed milk drizzle 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Mix together ½ cup sugar + 2 tsp cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, ½ cup sugar, egg, and vanilla with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
4. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
5. Sprinkle ⅓ of the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan.
6. Unroll one can of crescent dough and press it into the bottom of the pan.
7. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the dough.
8. Place the second crescent dough sheet over the filling.
9. Sprinkle with another ⅓ of the cinnamon-sugar mix. (Optional: brush melted butter on top first for a golden finish.)
10. Bake for 30 minutes.
11. Sprinkle the last ⅓ of cinnamon-sugar mix on top.
12. Let cool, serve sliced into bars.

Daisy’s Enchiladas Rojas

Recipe by Driver Operator Daisy Noyola & her Mom, Maria Noyola 

Serves: 6-8 adults | Prep Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 36 Count Corn tortillas (thin ones NOT recommended)
• 28 Guajillo peppers
• 3 Ancho peppers
• 4 lb chicken thighs
• 2 large garlic bulbs
• 2 medium yellow onion
• 1 cilantro bushel
• 16 oz lard
• 1.5 TBSP Oregano
• 3 TBSP Cumin
• 1.5 TBSP Tomato Bouillon
• 1.5 TSP black pepper
• 16 oz Queso Fresco (“La Vaquita” brand is Mom’s recommendation)

Optional toppings

• 2 red onion
• 1 cilantro bushel
• Crema Mexicana (Like “La Vaquita”)
• 3-4 Avocados
• 7 white potatoes
• 7 whole carrots
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Whole pickled Jalapeño peppers can (Like “La Costeña”)
• Favorite salsa (if spicy flavor is desired)

Directions: In medium pot, boil 4 ½ quarts water, with peeled garlic, peeled & halved yellow onion. Once boiling, add; chicken and hang cilantro bushel into water. Cover pot with lid, for approx 20 minutes.

Deseed and devein peppers, place in small pot. Simmer until soft.

Shred cooked chicken, set aside. KEEP broth and vegetables. Discard cilantro bushel. Remove onion and garlic, place in bowl, and add boiled peppers. KEEP pepper water.

Optional Toppings: Sauté peeled/chopped potatoes in lard, add sliced carrots. Cook until fork soft, salt and pepper to taste. Sauté sliced red onion, in lard. Slice avocado into strips. Finely chop fresh cilantro bushel. Crumble queso fresco into bowl, and mix in finely diced second yellow onion. Set aside.

Blend: 3 cups chicken broth, ½ cup pepper water, onion, peppers, garlic. Puree into smooth red sauce. Add oregano, cumin, tomato bouillon, and black pepper. Blend. Combine red sauce with shredded chicken in a bowl, mix well. Pour remaining red sauce in serving bowl.

Fry Tortillas: Bring a large pan of lard to medium heat. Do NOT over-fry tortillas to crispy. Lightly fry tortillas, fully dip each into red sauce, completely coating both sides. Lay in baking dish, set aside. 

Assemble Enchiladas: To assemble; start with queso fresco, add shredded chicken. (thin layer enough to cover the middle third of the tortilla). Fold sides of tortilla into enchilada shape. Repeat. Garnish with optional toppings, sautéed red onion, cilantro, potato, carrot and avocado slices. Drizzle with Mexican crema and salsa. For extra spice, add whole pickled Jalapeño peppers on the side. Pairs well with Mexican style rice and frijoles!