Shrimp pan roast, cheese curd cheesesteaks, salmon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwiches, Cajun chicken and biscuits, Mediterranean chickpea and zucchini sliders, pork chops with apple brandy sauce…
Menu items at the hottest new gourmet restaurant? Nope. They’re all dishes whipped up recently by the chefs at Penn State Behrend to please students’ palates. Dining hall cuisine has come a long way from fish sticks and instant mashed potatoes.
Craving a taste of “home”? Try one of these signature Behrend recipes that Kyle Coverdale, managing chef, shared during the pandemic shutdown.
Chef Kyle’s Detroit Style Pizza
Chef Kyle’s Detroit Style Pizza
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 batch pizza dough (store-bought or homemade, recipe below)
8 oz. sliced pepperoni
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Pizza sauce
PIZZA DOUGH
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rapid rise yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
Olive oil for brushing the bowl and pan
- Put flour, salt, yeast, and sugar in a stand mixer with a dough attachment.
- Add 1 cup warm water, then mix until a ball forms, about 1-2 minutes (if a ball does not form, add a bit more flour).
- Mix for another 2 minutes. Then roll into a tight ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl.
- Set in a warm location until the dough doubles in size, about 1-2 hours.
MAKE THE PIZZA
- Move oven rack to bottom of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees.
- Pour oil in a large, square, metal, cake pan. Put the pizza dough in the pan and gently stretch until dough reaches the corners.
- Let the dough rise in the pan for 20 minutes.
- Spoon pizza sauce on top of dough, then top with cheese and pepperoni.
- Bake in ultra-hot oven until bubbly and golden, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Chef Kyle’s Salmon Entrée
Chef Kyle’s Salmon Entrée (Serves 1)
INGREDIENTS
4 oz. salmon (substitute chicken or shrimp if you like)
3 oz. baby potatoes, Yukon potatoes, or red potatoes
3 oz. peas
2 teaspoons butter
1 pinch fresh-cut garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
- Boil potatoes until tender. After cooling, smash them to make them flat.
- Make the pea purée: steam 3 ounces frozen or fresh peas until tender. Transfer to a blender and add a dash of butter and lemon juice. Blend to a smooth purée. Set aside.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees and cook potatoes for 30 minutes.
- Season the salmon with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan and sear both sides of the salmon until golden brown. Set aside.
- When the potatoes have 10 minutes of cooking time left, put the salmon in the oven to finish cooking with the potatoes.
- In the pan that you used to sear the salmon, add some olive oil and fresh garlic, and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat and add in remaining butter and lemon juice. Swirl to make a sauce.
- Make sure the salmon has reached 145 degrees internally.
- Plate your dish: Put pea purée in center and smooth into a circle. Place the potatoes on top of the pea purée. Place the salmon on top of potatoes. Top with the butter sauce.
Clipper’s Famous Anchor Burger
Clipper’s Famous Anchor Burger (Serves 4)
INGREDIENTS
4 burger patties
Worcestershire sauce
Seasoned flour (1 cup flour, 1 tbsp. garlic powder, 1 tbsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. black pepper)
4 slices of bacon
4 oz. smoked cheddar, sliced
4 oz. onions, sliced
4 oz. canned jalapeños, drained
4 large eggs
1 cup of buttermilk
½ cup of mayonnaise
2 cloves of garlic rolls
FIRST, MAKE A FEW ITEMS
- Cook bacon in a 375-degree oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- While bacon is cooking, peel garlic and coat in olive oil. Place in oven with bacon; roast until golden brown.
- Slice onions thin and add onions, jalapeños, and a few dashes of hot sauce to the buttermilk and swirl.
- Add roasted garlic to mayo and blend in a food processor. Set aside.
- After the onions and jalapeños have soaked in the buttermilk for a bit, drain them, and then toss in the seasoned flour. Fry at 350 degrees in neutral oil until golden brown. Set aside on paper towels.
PUT YOUR BURGERS TOGETHER
- Cook burgers on a grill or in frying pan. Season each patty with salt, pepper, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Cook to an internal temp of 155 degrees. Top with bacon and smoked cheddar to melt.
- While burger is cooking, fry eggs over easy. When done, place on top of burger patty.
- Toast buns and spread garlic mayo on both sides.
- Place your burger on the bun and top with fried onion straws and jalapeños.
For more recipes visit Behrend Recipes.