The Hungry Hoosier - Scott Hutcheson

When eating at a new restaurant for the first time, you might want to try something different. It could be a dish that features the best of a certain region of the world, or maybe it's just something you can't pronounce.

Scott Hutcheson went out of his comfort zone with edamame, and was hooked.

Smoked Edamame

1 bag frozen edamame

Water

Salt

In most instances, having your name associated with a product or company is a good thing. This includes food - think of a Cobb Salad or Vegetable Napoleon.

However, Scott Hutcheson wonders what happens when the same dish goes by two names.

Chicken Nobody

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breast

Kosher Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion, medium diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bottle (12 ounces) Heinz Chili Sauce

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sherry

1/4 cup water

1/2 of a 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple

Whether it's Béarnaise or Béchamel, Hollandaise or Mayonnaise, a sauce adds a little something extra to a meal.

Scott Hutcheson says when it comes to BBQ, he looks to the Carolinas for a great sauce.

North Carolina-Style Vinegar Sauce

2 cups cider vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon hot sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot)
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons black pepper

Combine all these ingredients and whisk until the salt and brown sugar dissolves. You can store this covered in the refrigerator for several weeks. Use on pulled pork.

With the warmer weather, many outdoor chefs are preparing their grills for what many hope is a long season of cookouts and BBQ.

Scott Hutcheson is one of those, but he faces a slight obstacle in making space for his grill.

Hungry Hoosier All-Purpose BBQ Rub

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

3 tablespoons black pepper

3 tablespoons Kosher salt

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all this together and rub it into ribs, pork shoulder, or whatever else you are putting on the grill. After applying the rub, let the meat cure for at least an hour. Overnight is ‎even better.

Just about everyone has a sign that lets them know spring has arrived.

Gardeners usually look for the crocus to bloom. Birders might be looking, and listening, for the robin. And, any baseball fan sees the first pitch at a Spring Training game as a sure sign.

For Scott Hutcheson, the harbinger of spring is the appearance of the tasty chive.

Recipes

Chive Butter– mix together four tablespoons softened unsalted butter, two tablespoons minced chives, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. This compound butter is great on hot rolls or to toss through new potatoes.

The Boston Globe ran a story in late 2009 about how the poor economic conditions in Ireland were causing more people to leave their homeland for the hope of better opportunity elsewhere.

While that's not good news for Ireland, it might help Scott Hutcheson with one of his hobbies.

Irish Beef Stew

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 lbs beef stew meat

1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup beef stock

1 cup Guinness Stout

2 cup baby carrots

There are more than 100 species of maple trees, and one form or another can be found on nearly every continent. However, maple syrup comes from just a handful of varieties.

While production of the syrup is based in Canada and the United States, Scott Hutcheson says the National Maple Syrup Festival can only be found in Indiana.

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons 100% maple syrup

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

When you think to yourself, "I'm going to have a salad," you probably envision a nice bowl of greens, maybe some vegetables, and a tasty dressing.

But Scott Hutcheson wants you to know a salad comes in many different shapes and sizes.

Apple Snickers Salad

1 cup of milk

1 large tub of Cool Whip, thawed

1 large package of instant vanilla pudding

6 regular sized snickers bars, cut into bite-size pieces

3 medium Granny Smith apples or other tart apple, cut up into small chunks 

Food and faith often go together, just ask Scott Hutcheson, who's had the good fortune of sharing many meals in different fellowship halls and church basements.

"One memorable annual event was the Groundhog Day Dinner featuring Groundhog Loaf! This wasn’t the frugal use of road kill, but rather a clever play-on-words," he says. "The church had several hog farmers in the congregation and someone came up with the idea of serving Ground-hog loaf, aka Ham Loaf."

Groundhog Loaf

2 lb. lean ground ham (grind in a food processor)

1 lb. lean ground pork

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup milk

Whole cloves

Brown sugar

In a culture where fast food sometimes isn't fast enough, Scott Hutcheson suggests bucking the trend completely by embracing the "slow food" movement, at least some of the time.

"Spending a few hours in the kitchen on a Saturday or Sunday may seem like a big commitment but the results can really pay off," he says. "Not just for Sunday dinner, but in the leftovers that can be creatively used the next couple of nights."

Beef Bourguignon


2 pounds beef stew meat (2-inch pieces)


2 cups dry red wine


1/4 cup olive oil


1 onion, chopped


2 large onions, chopped


1 clove garlic, chopped


1 bay leaf


2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped


1/2 teaspoon dried thyme


Salt and pepper to taste