Tag: Cook

With its classic Rock & Roll theme and great chef-prepared meals, the HARD ROCK CAFE is a fantastic place to eat.

Back in the 70’s, Eric Clapton – the original guitar god, founder of Cream and Derek & the Dominoes, writer of the immortal “Layla” – liked to eat at this quirky American restaurant in London, England, called the Hard Rock Cafe.

The diner was this funky old building that used to be a Rolls Royce dealership. It was run by a couple of young American guys who liked to keep it loose. Hard Rock Cafe was an instant classic. You could be yourself at the Hard Rock. It was good food and a good time.

So Clapton got to be friends with the American duo and asked them to save him a regular table – put up a brass plaque or something. And the young proprietors said, “Why don’t we put up your guitar?” They all had a chuckle, and he handed over a guitar, and they slapped it on the wall.

No one thought much more about it. Until a week later, when another guitar arrived (a Gibson Les Paul, by the way). With it was a note from Pete Townshend of The Who which read: “Mine’s as good as his. Love, Pete.”

The young proprietors put it on the wall. After that, the guitars never stopped coming.

The restaurant franchise continues this practice today with Hard Rock Cafes in more than thirty countries worldwide. Each Hard Rock Cafe is filled with Rock & Roll collectibles. Many famous musical artists continue to donate items to the restaurants.

Hard Rock Cafe features fun menu items like Blackened Chicken Penne Pasta, Hickory Smoked Chicken & Spinach Dip, Famous Pig Sandwich, Love Me Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce, Rock Your World Chicken Quesadillas and their Purple Haze Mixed Drink.

>>> So if you want to prepare a delicious meal to impress family, friends or even a hot date – maybe someone you met on a romantic dating site – here is Hard Rock Cafe’s most popular meal of all – BAKED POTATO SOUP FOLLOWED BY CHICKEN QUESADILLAS & ORANGE FREEZE DESSERT…

 

–Hard Rock Cafe Baked Potato Soup–

8 slices bacon

1 cup Diced yellow onions

2/3 cup Flour

6 cups Hotchicken stock

4 cups Diced — peeled baked Potatoes

2 cups Heavy cream

1/4 cup Chopped parsley

1 1/2 teaspoon Granulated garlic

1 1/2 teaspoon Dried basil

1 1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 1/2 teaspoon Red pepper sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon Coarse black pepper

1 cup Grated Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup Diced green onions — white Part only

Additional chopped bacon —

Grated cheese and Chopped parsley for Garnish

 

Fry bacon until crisp. Chop bacon and reserve drippings.

Cook onions in remaining drippings over medium-high heat until transparent, about 3 minutes. Add flour, stirring to prevent lumps.

Cook 3 – 5 minutes until mix just begins to run golden. Add chicken stock gradually, whisking to prevent lumps, until liquid thickens. Reduce heat to simmer and add potatoes, cream, chopped bacon, parsley, garlic, basil, salt, pepper sauce and black pepper. Simmer 10 minutes; DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL. Add grated cheese and green onions.

Heat until cheese melts smoothly.

Garnish each serving as desired with chopped bacon, grated cheese and chopped parsley.

 

–Rock Your World Chicken Quesadillas–

4 flour tortillas

1 grilled chicken breast

barbecue sauce

crushed pineapple

bacon bits

colby-jack cheese

cooking oil spray

 

Take flour tortilla and sprinkle half of it with cheese and 1/4 of cooked chicken.

Add bacon bits and a little bit of crushed pineapple (no juice) if desired. Pour a little bit of BBQ sauce on top. Don’t be too generous with the sauce or it will seep out of the quesadilla.

Spray the pan with cooking spray. Fold the tortilla in half and place in pan. It only takes a few short minutes to brown one side and then flip over to brown the other side.

When done, cut into wedges and serve with added BBQ sauce if you like to dip.

 

–Hard Rock Cafe Orange Freeze–

2 cups orange sherbet

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup milk

1 sprig fresh mint (for garnish)

In a blender, place the sherbet, juice, and milk; blend for 15 seconds or just until the sherbet is smooth.

You may have to stop the blender and stir the mixture up a bit to help it combine.

Pour into a tall, chilled glass and place a sprig of fresh mint on top.

Serve immediately, either to drink or as a dessert.

 

Or try…

–Hard Rock Cafe BBQ Beans–

2 15-ounce cans pinto beans (with liquid)

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons diced onion

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded pork or chopped bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour entire contents of the can of pinto beans into a casserole dish (with a lid). Dissolve the cornstarch in a small bowl with the 2 tablespoons of water.

Add this solution to the beans and stir. Add the remaining ingredients to the dish, stir well and cover.

Bake for 90 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir every 30 minutes.

After removing the beans from the oven, let the beans cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

 

–Hard Rock Cafe Grilled Vegetable Sandwich–

6 Tbl Mayonnaise

1/2 ts Fresh Parsley — Chopped

Dried Oregano

Salt to taste

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 sm Zucchini

1 Yellow Summer Squash

1/4 Eggplant

1/4 c Olive Oil

2 Sourdough French Roll

1 TB Parmesan Cheese — Grated

8 Onion Ring Slices

4 slices Tomato

2 Pieces Red Leaf Lettuce

Preheat the barbecue or stovetop grill.

To prepare spread, put 3 tbsp of the mayo into a small bowl and add the parsley, oregano, and a pinch of salt. Set this and the remaining mayo aside until you’re ready to make the sandwich.

Prepare the bell pepper by cutting it into quarters and seeding it. Brush the entire surface with olive oil. Slice the zucchini, squash, and eggplant into lengthwise slices with oil as well.

Cook the red pepper on a hot grill for 2 or 3 mintues. At that point add the remaining vegetables to the grill and cook everything for 4 to 5 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.

Be sure to salt the vegetables and turn them halfway through the cooking time. When the veggies are tender and begin to char, remove them from the grill and prepare each sandwich by first cutting the french rolls in half lengthwise through the middle. Spread the parsley-mayo mixture over the bottom of the rolls.

Arrange the zucchini onto the rolls. Stack the yellow squash and then the eggplant.

Peel the skin off the red peppers and then add to the sandwiches. Arrange the onions over the peppers. Divide the parmesan cheese and sprinkle it over the peppers. Arrange the onions and tomato slices next.

Add the lettuce and spread the mayo on the top of the rolls. Close sandwiches and cut in half. Pierce each half with a toothpick and serve.

 

Dig In and Enjoy!

 

A Graduate of the Holland College Culinary Course, Brian Alan Burhoe has cooked in Atlantic Coast restaurants for over 30 years. He is a member of the Canadian Culinary Federation. Brian’s articles reflect his interests in food service, dreamstudy, imaginative literature and our best friends — our dogs.

His Home Page is A CULINARY MYSTERY TOUR – A Literary Chef. His articles have been reprinted on numerous culinary websites and various Blogs, including the popular Romantic Relationship site WUVING.com.

Other Popular items on the Hard Rock Cafe Menu:

Hard Rock Cheeseburger or Bacon Cheeseburger : Served with Seasoned Fries.

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Sandwich: Topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato & Jack cheese. Served with Seasoned Fries & Coleslaw.

Hard Rock Cafe Veggie Burger: Served with a Side Salad.

Hickory Bar-B-Que Chicken: Served with Seasoned Fries, Coleslaw & Ranch Beans.

Entrée House Salad: Fresh mixed greens with shredded cheese, seasoned bacon bits, dried cranberries and in-house made garlic croutons. Served with choice of dressing.