1 year, 6 months ago
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What are the most famous dishes in Chicago?
I'm a real foodie and love to try the very best plates a place has to offer when I'm traveling. Which dishes are a MUST TRY if I'm visiting Chicago? Old traditional recipes maybe, where do I get them?
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There are many high end, outstanding restaurants in Chicago and plenty to offer foodies, but here are a few ideas:
Alinea – One of the best restaurants in the world (according to Restaurant Magazine, Gormet Magazine and others), Grant Achatz creates masterpieces in his location in Lincoln Park. Alinea was awarded five stars by Mobil Travel Guide.
XOCO (and other Rick Bayless restaurants) – XOCO is the newest spot from Bayless and offers his take on traditional Mexican street foods. It offers an great way to see Bayless’ style in a more relaxed and less expensive fashion.
There are all sorts of other fancy spots (Charlie Trotters, Gene & Georgetti’s, etc.), but you should also be sure to try out some of the Chicago “classics”. Enjoy some deep dish pizza at Gino’s East or Giordano’s. Enjoy an Italian Beef at Al’s Beef and enjoy a Chicago style dog at Superdawg or Hot Doug’s.
Alinea – One of the best restaurants in the world (according to Restaurant Magazine, Gormet Magazine and others), Grant Achatz creates masterpieces in his location in Lincoln Park. Alinea was awarded five stars by Mobil Travel Guide.
XOCO (and other Rick Bayless restaurants) – XOCO is the newest spot from Bayless and offers his take on traditional Mexican street foods. It offers an great way to see Bayless’ style in a more relaxed and less expensive fashion.
There are all sorts of other fancy spots (Charlie Trotters, Gene & Georgetti’s, etc.), but you should also be sure to try out some of the Chicago “classics”. Enjoy some deep dish pizza at Gino’s East or Giordano’s. Enjoy an Italian Beef at Al’s Beef and enjoy a Chicago style dog at Superdawg or Hot Doug’s.
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Ths most famous and classic dish in Chicago is the deep dish pizza. The pizza was invented by Pizzeria Uno in 1943. The crust is not thin like many pizzas. Instead it is a very thick crust. It's made with a thick layer of dough with olive oil into a round pan, piled up high around the sides. The cheese and other toppings are added next with the sauce on top.
A great recipe you can try is from Emeril Lagasse of the Food Network. The pizza takes 50 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes of cooking time. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza Dough, recipe follows
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, coarsely crushed
1 tablespoon dry red wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
8 ounces pepperoni, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, cored and cut into thin rings
1 yellow onion, cut into thin rings
1 cup thinly sliced black olives
1 pound crumbled hot Italian sausage
1 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
While the dough is rising, make the tomato sauce. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the herbs, seeds, salt, and black and red peppers, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, wine and sugar, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely before using.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
Oil 2 seasoned 12-inch round deep-dish pizza pans with the extra-virgin olive oil. Press 1 piece of dough into each pan, pressing to the edge and stretching about 1 1/2 inches up the sides. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Layer the mozzarella cheese all over the bottom of the pies. Top each with half of the pepperoni, mushrooms, bell pepper rings, onions, black olives and sausage. Ladle the sauce evenly over each pizza and top with Parmesan.
Bake until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, slice and serve hot.
Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza Dough:
11/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
1 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus 2 teaspoons to grease bowl
1 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar and stir to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the semolina, 1/2 cup of the oil, and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until all the flour is incorporated but the dough is still slightly sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes. Oil a large mixing bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil.
Place the dough in the bowl and turn to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Divide into 2 equal portions and use as directed
A great recipe you can try is from Emeril Lagasse of the Food Network. The pizza takes 50 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes of cooking time. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza Dough, recipe follows
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, coarsely crushed
1 tablespoon dry red wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
8 ounces pepperoni, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, cored and cut into thin rings
1 yellow onion, cut into thin rings
1 cup thinly sliced black olives
1 pound crumbled hot Italian sausage
1 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
While the dough is rising, make the tomato sauce. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the herbs, seeds, salt, and black and red peppers, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, wine and sugar, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely before using.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
Oil 2 seasoned 12-inch round deep-dish pizza pans with the extra-virgin olive oil. Press 1 piece of dough into each pan, pressing to the edge and stretching about 1 1/2 inches up the sides. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Layer the mozzarella cheese all over the bottom of the pies. Top each with half of the pepperoni, mushrooms, bell pepper rings, onions, black olives and sausage. Ladle the sauce evenly over each pizza and top with Parmesan.
Bake until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, slice and serve hot.
Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza Dough:
11/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
1 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus 2 teaspoons to grease bowl
1 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar and stir to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the semolina, 1/2 cup of the oil, and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until all the flour is incorporated but the dough is still slightly sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes. Oil a large mixing bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil.
Place the dough in the bowl and turn to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Divide into 2 equal portions and use as directed
images:
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M$
