Mood:
d'ohTopic: Food
Over the weekend, I made a dish I've been thinking about for awhile (that's right, I admit it, I think and dream about food). I saw this recipe for Sloppy Buffalo Joes on an Episode of Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals on The Food Network. The episode was trying to capture favorite junk foods (hot wings, loaded potato skins) and creating healthier versions of them.
The sandwich is a sloppy joe style, but using ground chicken or turkey and making the sauce very similar to a hot wing sauce. It also incorporates the carrots and celery along with the bleu cheese, which is often served with a plate of buffalo wings.
For the sandwich you'll need 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 pounds of ground chicken or turkey breast, 1 carrot peeled and chopped or grated, 2 stalks of celery chopped, 1 yellow onion finely chopped, 2-3 cloves of garlic (I used 4) finely chopped or grated, salt and freshly ground pepper, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce, 1/4 to 1/3 cup of hot sauce (I used Paula Deen's Hot Hot Wing Sauce and it was very spicy, I suggest mild), 1 cup of tomato sauce, 1 cup of chicken stock, 8 burger rolls split and toasted, 1 cup of bleu cheese crumbles, and 2 large dill pickles chopped (for topping the sammy). This recipe makes enough for 8 sandwiches.
Heat a large skillet with extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meat and break it up with a wooden spoon, cook 5 to 6 minutes. Add in carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, cook 7 to 8 minutes longer. In a bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce, and stock. Pour into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer a few minutes more. Now...here the mixture was a little thin. I guess it depends on how you like your sloppy joes, but I like a very thick consistency, so I added 2 tablespoons of flour and cooked on high heat for several minutes. Pile sloppy buffalo filling onto buns and top with bleu cheese and pickles.
I served this with my 5-minute slaw (slaw, red wine vinegar, salt, sugar, celery seed, chopped green onions) alongside kettle-cooked salt and pepper potato chips, and fresh iced tea. You would've thought it was summer in the Phillips' house!
