Solid Dudes Kitchen

Season Two Release Party

Photo Credit – John Froelich/Metromix

Thanks to everybody for coming out on such a cold night. We really couldn’t have anticipated how much fun we actually had and it was really humbling to have everyone stick around for the entire screening.

First and foremost, we have to thank our crew for all of their efforts throughout the last two years - CJ Benninger, Andrew Smetek, Mike Sheppard, Erik Maluchnik, Spencer Hall, Mark Penxa, Chip Kips, Art Curtis andTom Burns. We literally could not do this without you guys and it’s going to be really difficult to find your cheaper, third-world replacements. Don’t worry – we won’t rest until we do.

Secondly, we have to thank everyone that appeared in Season 2 – Bill and Karen Kozy, Hugh Yaro, Kaku Usui, Kevin Hickner, Jeff Tuttle, Chris Brock, and David and Hugo de la Cruz. You taught us a lot. Not the least of which was how to love again.

Finally, thanks to everyone that came through to help us put together such a great party:

Corktown Cinema provided projection services and everything went down smoothly (those that attended the Season 1 premiere will recall a somewhat less-than-smooth screening). They’re currently in the process of building out their new space and could use your help, so swing by and donate to a much-needed independent cinema.

Green Dot Stables brought a selection of sliders that they will be featuring on their menu when they open in the next couple of weeks, and they were fucking delicious. Really looking forward to seeing more from Les and Jacques and getting balls-deep in their poutine.

Sugar House made a custom punch that was equal parts citrus and smoke and it was fucking amazing. If you haven’t been yet, stop making excuses and get downtown. For a peek at what they do, check out this video.

Special thanks to Ron Rose – Milagro Post for providing the beer, Hard Luck Vodka for plying us with their delicious candy-vodkas, Michael Trombley for laying down grooves, Matty Perlman for selling merch, and Sean Whaley for being our man Friday.

Photo Credit – John Froelich/Metromix

For Allison

People often approach me with ideas for SDK episodes. Sometimes they’re great, but more often than not they’re a projection of that individual’s particular eating habits – eating habits which I could not possibly care less about. I try not to generalize, but I have never been excited in my entire life about vegan / macrobiotic / gluten-free / raw / low-calorie / low-carb recipes. I’m often excited about ingredients that may fall into any or all of those categories, but I would never plan a meal for my family based on restrictive criteria like that.

Full disclosure: I was an ovo-lacto vegetarian for nine years. I thought that instead of easing back on the steady diet of booze and pills, I could offset my health by cutting out meat (fuck you, I was 20). By the time my wife convinced me to start working meat back into my diet, I was ready for the fundamentalist pendulum to swing back the other way and lived for the next year on bacon and chicken thighs. I’ve managed to find a decent balance in recent years and generally keep vegetarian for most meals, but I still panic when I have to provide for strict vegetarians (I won’t even bother with vegan so don’t even ask). The dish I always return to is mujadara because it’s so hearty and, well, meaty.

Mujadara
1 lb. Brown Lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 cup Basmati Rice, rinsed until water runs clear
4 Onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
2 Bay Leaves
2 tbsp. Olive Oil

Plain Yoghurt
Pita

Heat your oil over medium heat and add your onions. Season with salt and pepper and sweat for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Seriously. The wait is totally worth it because this is where 90% of your flavor is going to come from. While they are cooking down, cook your lentils in a pot of water with the bay leaves until they are tender. Drain and reserve. Cook your rice and reserve. When the onions are nice and brown, remove from the heat and and combine with the lentils, rice, and remaining spices. Take care not to over-stir as you will wind up with mush. Season with salt and pepper and serve wrapped in pita and topped with yoghurt.

Available NOW! OMG! WTF? SMH.

Ingredient Trailer

Last in a series of five.