January 22, 1999-Vol30n17: Cheap ways to spice up menu-and life

VOLUME 30, NUMBER 17

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 1999

Cheap ways to spice up menu-and life
UB grad shares his secrets in an online "bistro"

Eminently Palatable Pancakes, anyone?

College students looking to find quick, simple and cheap ways to spice up their limited menus can visit an online "bistro" created by a recent UB graduate who shares his college culinary expertise on his personal Web site.

"Bill and Al's Bachelor Bistro"-located at http://www.cs. buffalo.edu/~ahunt/recipe.htm-is a collection of tips for college students and others on food, drinks, parties and entertaining constructed by Alan Hunt, a graduate of the Department of Computer Science.

The Bistro-named for Hunt and his former roommate-claims to be "the place to go for stylish bachelor living" and "the hip, new hang-out for young folks who want to brush up on their recipes, get the latest tips on social excellence, save the world or just kill a few moments basking in the enlightening views of its proprietors."

Hunt, who received a master's degree from UB last year, also received his bachelor's degree from UB. He says he created the "never-fail delicious recipes" section of his Web site as an undergraduate because, at that time, he and his roommate were having so much fun cooking that he wanted to make the recipes available to friends.

"That, and I found the section an easy target for some collegiate humor and I can never resist an easy gag," he adds.

Recipes are divided into several categories: Little Snacky Things, Breakfast Recipes, Lunches, Dinner, and Drinks, and include concoctions such as the Breakfast Sandwich of Champions, Omelet of Death, Fried Potatoes with Stuff and the featured "The Tomato and Chicken Stuff I Always Make for Women That I'm Trying to Impress." Hunt says he has made this dish countless times over the years with "almost universal success in respect to the title.

"Some things I picked up just because I was lazy some night and I had to cook with what was in the fridge," Hunt admits.

He says he never intended to have much of an audience but that he has received several email responses from students asking for recipes for a certain occasion and people looking for party-theme ideas.

"Bill and Al's Patented Party Tips" includes information on theme, dinner and movie parties. Hunt warns that if having parties seems to be a relatively simple affair to you, "it is a sure sign you are doing it wrong."

Suggestions for theme parties range from the Mexican fiesta, a Middle Eastern get-together, a French soiree and a redneck hoe-down. He even goes the extra mile and includes hyperlinks to sites about wine and music for prospective hosts. The site on party tips-partially under construction-is located at http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~ahunt/partytip.htm.

Hunt, who now works as a computer scientist at Calspan, encourages everyone to learn to cook. "Life is better if you eat well-Not to mention that culinary ability is second only to giving good backrubs in the attractive skills category for the modern male."

But those who are health conscious, be forewarned. The disclaimer for the recipes reads: "WARNING: The things that you read here are not for the calorically timid or for the cholesterol empowered. If you get squeamish around grease or use "light" cream cheese, you might as well just 'http' to some health-food page because you will probably have a coronary."

The tomato and chicken stuff I always make for women that I'm trying to impress

I really don't have a name for this dish. Oh, I suppose I could name it "Poulet melange de Tomate," or something equally pretentious, or, self-servingly, "Chicken Alan." But since it is the one dish that has never come out badly for me, I do tend to make it when I have company. Thus, the name that you see above.

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large onion
1 large green pepper
1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

Once you have amassed the requisite ingredients (as with all the recipes, at least half of them are optional, and you can toss in whatever you want to supplement them. The heart of cooking is improvisation. Well that, and having one of those magic holes in the counter that they always have on cooking shows, so that you can just make all the garbage magically disappear with an elegant sweeping motion. I really need to get me one of those) then you can start cookin'.

Now, I know what you're probably thinking; you're saying to yourself, hey Al, this recipe sounds a lot like the ziti recipe, only without the ziti. Well, maybe it does. So what? What do you know, anyway?

Put some olive oil in a frying pan, and fry up the onion and the garlic and the pepper. I know that I didn't explicitly say "chop the onion and pepper into little bits" and "mince the garlic," but if you look into your pan and see a whole onion and pepper and a clove o' garlic starting to burn, then you probably deserve to eat it the way it comes out. Then you can name it "Why we are at the restaurant."

While the onion and associated vegetables are cooking, cube up the chicken. Toss the chicken in with the onions, et al and fry it until it is all white on the outside. We don't want to catch salmonella, now, do we? When it gets to that stage, add the tomato juice, and dice the canned tomatoes. Toss the tomatoes in, add some of the big three and perhaps some black pepper and Tabasco sauce. I have also found that just a smidgen of beef bouillon gives it a hearty flavor. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then add the mushrooms and olives. Cook for about 10 minutes more, and you're done. It should be boiled down to a thick but still fluid consistency.

Now, you can serve it with whatever you like, but it tastes good on a nice bed of rice, or with cubed and boiled potatoes, depending on which starch you prefer. If you want a nice variation, you can add a little marsala to the mixture, or melt some mozzarella or monteray jack cheese on the top. I would recommend a nice Bordeaux to drink with it. Of course, I am of the mind that a nice Bordeaux goes with anything short of ice cream...

PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES. COOKING TIME: 25 MINUTES