Chasens Cheese Toast Recipes

CHEESE ON TOAST

Steps:

• The thing I like most about a recipe like this is that you have a chance to showcase your favorite type of cheese in a way that's hard for people to resist. I like goat cheese for the "tang" factor and the supple texture. This goes great with a bowl of my chicken soup but can really fit in with any soup for the "comfort" factor.
• Heat a large skillet, over medium heat, and add the olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, shut off the heat and add the thyme leaves. The thyme should make a crackling sound as it hits the oil, cooking it slightly and mellowing the flavor. Add the bread in a single layer. Turn the heat back on and cook over medium heat until the first side browns, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Use a pair of tongs to turn the toasts on their second side and season with kosher salt. Top each round with a slice of cheese and continue cooking them over very low heat or off the heat, for 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust the seasonings with sea salt, to taste. Serve alongside soup, if desired.

CHEESE TOAST

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the Cheddar, Monterey Jack, mayonnaise, Parmesan, butter, salt, pepper and seasoned salt.
• Cut the loaf in half lengthwise, then into thirds or fourths. Evenly spread the cheese mixture onto the bread pieces. Wrap each piece in a foil "purse," leaving a little room at the top between the cheese and the foil.
• The bread can either be frozen for later, or baked right away. If baking right away, place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. If cooking from frozen, bake on a baking sheet at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

CHEESE ON TOAST

Steps:

• The thing I like most about a recipe like this is that you have a chance to showcase your favorite type of cheese in a way that's hard for people to resist. I like goat cheese for the "tang" factor and the supple texture. This goes great with a bowl of my chicken soup but can really fit in with any soup for the "comfort" factor.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, shut off the heat and add the thyme leaves. The thyme should make a crackling sound as it hits the oil, cooking it slightly and mellowing the flavor. Add the bread in a single layer. Turn the heat back on and cook over medium heat until the first side browns, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Use a pair of tongs to turn the toasts on their second side and season with kosher salt. Top each round with a slice of cheese and continue cooking them over very low heat or off the heat, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust the seasonings with sea salt, to taste. Serve alone or alongside soup, if desired.

CHASEN'S CHILI MAC

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until nearly tender (al dente), Drain.
• Preheat broiler.
• Divide spaghetti among four oven-proof au gratin dishes.
• Spoon chili over pasta.
• Sprinkle with cheese, and place under the broiler until cheese melts.
• Serve with cheese toast.

CHASEN'S SPINACH SALAD WITH FRENCH DRESSING

Steps:

• Start by making the dressing, in a shaker (such as a jar) dissolve the sugar, salt, pepper and English mustard in vinegar.
• Add in oils, lemon juice, Worcestershire, garlic, Tabasco and white pepper.
• Cover and shake jar vigorously.
• Set the jar aside or chill until needed.
• For the salad, remove stems and wash spinach leaves in several changes of water until there is no trace of sand, dry well.
• Clean mushrooms and cut off stems, thinly slice mushrooms.
• Combine the red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with the French dressing in a cup.
• Place the spinach in a large bowl, tear the large leaves into smaller pieces.
• Add the mushrooms, dressing and bacon.
• Toss to mix, sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
• Serve on chilled plates.
• Serve with Chasen's cheese toast.

CHASEN'S ORIGINAL CHILI RECIPE

Steps:

• A secret ingredient added by a chef (after Dave Chasen stopped making the chili himself) is a quarter cup or 4 tablespoons of Kahlua liqueur. I heard someone won a chili championship with the recipe, including that addition.
• *Chasen's used the best beef chuck, center cut, trimmed completely of fat. The restaurant used a special meat grinder, but for the home cook, meat chopped into one-quarter to one-half-inch chunks is much better than ground meat for this chili. Alternatively, ask the butcher to put the meat through a "chili plate" ONE time - this is a very coarse grind, and works well for chili.
• ** Chasen's used Gebhardt's Chili Powder and Farmer Bros Cumin. Sometimes cumin seed is used in place of the ground cumin. It's a matter of personal preference. You might toast the seeds in a dry skillet, and crush them before adding to the recipe.
• Rinse the beans, picking out debris. Place beans in a Dutch oven with water to cover 2' above beans. Boil for two minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand one hour. Drain off liquid.
• Rinse beans again. Add enough fresh water to cover beans. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered, for one hour or until tender.
• Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Simmer five minutes. In a large skillet, sauté bell pepper in oil for five minutes. Add onion and cook until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic and parsley. Add mixture to bean mixture. Using the same skillet, melt the butter and sauté beef and pork chuck until browned. Drain. Add to bean mixture along with the chili powder, salt, pepper and cumin.
• Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for one hour. Uncover and cook 30 minutes more or to desired consistency. Chili shouldn't be too thick - it should be somewhat liquid but not runny like soup. Skim of excess fat and serve.
• NOTE: You can freeze this chili for several months. When reheating refrigerated leftover or frozen chili, add a few tablespoons of water to regain proper consistency.

CHASEN'S HOBO STEAK

Steps:

• Season steak with pepper.
• Wrap fat around sides of steak, covering them completely but leaving top and bottom exposed.
• Tie fat to steak with string near top and bottom.
• Fat must be securely anchored to steak.
• Combine salt and water to make paste.
• Mound about 3/4 of mixture over top of steak, covering meat completely.
• Place steak under broiler and broil 8 to 10 minutes, depending on size of steak.
• Carefully remove salt crust, keeping it in one piece.
• Turn steak over and place salt crust on other side.
• If necessary, patch crust with remaining salt mixture.
• Broil steak another 8 to 10 minutes. Remove steak from broiler and discard crust and fat.
• Slice meat, cutting slightly on diagonal.
• Heat butter in chafing dish or large skillet until foaming and lightly browned.
• Place a few slices of meat at a time in butter and cook to desired degree of doneness.
• (Allow about 1 minute on each side for rare meat.)
• Place each slice of meat on slice of toast and spoon some of the hot butter over.