Disco Tots Recipes

DISCO FRIES

Steps:

• For the gravy: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook the flour until dark brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the stock and cook, whisking, until the mixture is smooth and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the sherry, Worcestershire, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper, adjusting the seasoning to taste. Remove from the heat and cover by pressing a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the gravy, taking care to cover it completely to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside.
• For the fries: Bake the French fries according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• For the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook until the mixture resembles sand, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to boil and thicken, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the Cheddar and Gruyere and continue to cook, stirring, until the cheese is fully melted, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Worcestershire, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste and remove from the heat. Cover in the same fashion as the gravy and set aside until the French fries are ready.
• When the French fries are ready, transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle the fries with the warm gravy and then with the warm cheese sauce. Serve immediately.

DISCO TOTS

Steps:

• Add the 4 tablespoons butter to a large heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium-high heat. In batches, fry the ham until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and add half of the fried ham back to pot; reserve the remainder for garnish. Whisk in the flour and cook for 4 to 5 minutes to create a medium-dark roux.
• Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, bring to a low simmer and cook until the gravy has thickened, 5 minutes. Season with the paprika and 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pearl onions, and sear briefly. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook on all sides for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the liquid has mostly evaporated and onions are tender, 4 minutes.
• For each serving, place one-quarter of the tater tots on a heat-proof serving plate. Scatter 1/4 cup of the mozzarella pieces over the tater tots. Add 1 cup of the ham gravy, one-quarter of the braised onions and 1/2 cup of the pepper jack cheese. Place under the broiler; broil until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with some of the sliced banana peppers and reserved fried ham.

MASA BALL SOUP

Steps:

• For the masa ball: In a bowl, mix together the masa harina, manteca, horseradish, salt, baking powder, eggs and 3/4 cup water until completely combined. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• For the enriched broth: In a large pot, add the chicken stock, chicken legs and onions. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced by one-quarter, about an hour. Strain the broth, discarding the onions. Remove and discard the chicken skin, then shred the meat and set aside. Season the broth with the vinegar and some salt.
• For the composed soup: In a pot on medium-high heat, bring the enriched broth back to a simmer. Form the masa mixture into 8 balls and add to the broth. Cook until the centers of the balls are hot, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, carrots and reserved shredded chicken and cook until the soup is almost boiling, another 2 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and serve.

VEAL MILANESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the veal: To pound the veal chops, line a cutting board with plastic wrap and place a chop on top. Place another piece of plastic wrap over the chop making sure it's completely covered. Use a meat mallet to pound the veal evenly, making sure the middle and the edges are the same size, about 1/2 inch in thickness. Remove plastic from the top and set the pounded chop aside; repeat with the rest of the chops.
• Set up 3 shallow baking dishes, one with the flour, one with the beaten eggs, and the third with the breadcrumbs, parsley and Parmesan. Season the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs generously with salt and pepper. Season each veal chop with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge a chop in the flour. Shake off any excess flour and then dip it into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumbs. Once the chop is in the breadcrumbs, use your hand to scoop the crumbs up and over the meat and press to make sure it adheres and evenly coats the chop. Repeat the breading procedure with the remaining chops.
• Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 1/4 cup blended oil. When the oil is hot, add two of the breaded chops to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until golden brown, then turn the chops gently with tongs and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes on the other side. Lower the heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is almost brown, drizzle the juice of 1 lemon into the pan and over the crisp veal. Remove the chops and place them on a sheet pan. Drizzle the pan drippings over the veal. Repeat with the remaining 1/4 cup oil, remaining veal chops, remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remaining lemon juice.
• For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• For the salad: In a medium bowl, combine the fennel, radishes, olives and tomatoes. Toss with a few spoonfuls of vinaigrette. Add the arugula just before serving and toss again.
• To serve: Place a veal chop on a serving plate and add some salad on top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and some Parmesan shavings. Repeat with remaining veal, salad and Parmesan and serve.

SWEET PO-TATER TOTS

Steps:

• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add the sweet potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Dry off any excess water with a kitchen towel.
• Put the onions and cooled sweet potatoes in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Pulse until the sweet potatoes are almost pureed but still a bit grainy. You should have some very small bits of potato visible. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to combine.
• Using your hands, shape the potato mixture into 1- to 1 1/2-inch-long cylinders, packing them very tightly.
• Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep heavy skillet over medium-high heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F. Line a large plate or baking sheet with paper towels.
• Working in batches, add the tater tots to the shimmering hot oil and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, turning with tongs or a slotted spoon to ensure even browning and being careful not to overcrowd the pan. With a slotted spoon or skimmer, remove the browned tots to the towel-lined plate to drain. Serve warm.

JERSEY DINER DISCO FRIES

Steps:

• Place the potato wedges in a large bowl and cover with ice water. Let stand for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour. Drain the potatoes well. In batches, dry the potatoes on kitchen towels and let them sit for 30 minutes more to absorb any remaining moisture.
• Fill a fryer or a large, heavy saucepan with 5 inches of oil. Place over high heat and bring the oil up to 315 degrees F. Set a wire rack on a sheet pan and place near the fryer or stove.
• In batches to avoid crowding, add the potato wedges and fry, shaking them in the basket to separate them, or if in a large pot, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Cook until the potato wedges are pale gold and slightly floppy, about 4 minutes. They should not be browned at this point. Remove from the oil with a wire skimmer and transfer to the wire rack to drain. Bring the oil back up to 315 degrees F and repeat with the remaining potato wedges. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside?do not throw out the oil. Let the potato wedges stand until completely cooled, at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare the gravy. In a high-sided skillet or medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and melt. Sprinkle the flour in the pan and cook, whisking until light brown, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce. Continue whisking until there are no lumps. Let the gravy come to a bubble and cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat and hold there, whisking regularly to keep it from sticking. Now it's time to finish the French fries.
• Reheat the fry oil over high heat to 350 degrees F. In batches to avoid overcrowding, add the potato wedges to the hot oil and deep-fry until crisp and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a sheet pan and keep warm in a 200 degree F oven, if needed, while you fry the remaining potato wedges. Season with salt.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Arrange the potato wedges on a baking sheet or oven-proof platter. Pour the gravy over the top of the potato wedges and top with the shredded mozzarella. Place the baking sheet under the broiler until the cheese has melted, about 1 minute.

CAJUN JAMBALAYA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large stockpot set over high heat. Add the celery, onions and peppers, and saute until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the shrimp, chicken and Creole seasoning in a large bowl and stir to coat.
• Add the garlic to the stockpot, and saute for 1 minute. Add the bay leaves, tomatoes and Worcestershire. Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil, then stir in the stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and absorbs some of the liquid, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken, shrimp and sausage to the stockpot, and cook until the meat is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Serve hot.