I Love SPAM.  I do.  It’s silly, I know but I can’t help it and I really don’t want to help it.  I’ve made SPAM dishes on CbsoP before and I’m sure I will again… In fact I have a new dish that features SPAM all lined up and waiting for a sunny day.

That’s one of the best things abut SPAM. It’s like smoked oysters, sardines, olives or pickles.  You buy it and it’s just sitting there waiting for you when you have the urge for it.  Shelf stable is good, and especially good if you’re in a crunch for something to make in a hurry.

This dish is actually brought to you by the fine folks at Hormel, who emailed me to ask if I’d be willing to get in on a program they’re running called the “SPAM: Dish This! program.”  Of course my answer was well, thought out, cordial and written in a welcoming, but not to eager tone…

Oh who do I think I’m kidding?  I answered back with barely enough restraint to keep the “Hell Yes!” out of my response. Someone offered me free SPAM!  I ain’t turning that offer down for anyone.

Of course the FTC requires that I disclose that I was given product to work with, so here’s the legal stuff before I get into why of all the things I could have made, I chose an extremely simple sandwich…  So, in the words of the Legal Department:

To participate in the SPAM: Dish This! program, I was provided with complimentary samples of SPAM product and merchandise, valued at approximately $35. Hormel Foods did not tell me what type of creations I should make nor did they require me to use any specific ingredients. My statements reflect my honest and truthful opinions and actual experience.

There.  Now that we’ve got that out of the way; on with the subject at hand.  The wonder meat in a can, the glorious, jiggly, bright-pink SPAM.

As promised, the guys from Hormel sent along a package containing a few varieties of SPAM.  It also included a SPAM spatula and a hand painted art tile depicting a can of SPAM that I’m not going to show you because you would want it really, really badly and I can’t find one anywhere to send you to, which is a bummer because it’s COOL.

Upon closer inspection, there was one package in the box that I wasn’t prepared to see.  Among the classic, low fat and individual-serving sized containers was a tin of Bacon SPAM.  I’d never heard of this particular variety, but since I was specifically asked to make a sandwich with some part of the package, I saw “bacon”, thought “BLT” and this post was born… sort of.

I didn’t want to make a standard BLT, I wanted something a little different.  I also just happened to have some of my favorite little sourdough rolls handy, which are perfect for sliders.  Also, the bacon flavor in this product is very subdued even after cooking, so to give the whole thing a deeper, richer flavor I added some Worcestershire sauce to the equation.

In the end, this was the perfect combination, or at least was for me.  I took care of both of those sliders in one sitting and had another today. (In penance I swear I’ll have salad for breakfast and lunch for the next week!)

Do you love SPAM as much as I do?  If not, WHY NOT?!? what’s your favorite way to cook/make/serve the stuff.  I’d love to know.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2010. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: entree, lettuce, lunch, main course, mayonnaise, Sandwich, spam, tomato

If there’s one thing that makes this particular venue stand apart from all the others like it, it’s that I have always pushed the idea that food should be fun. Honestly, what’s the point in slaving over a hot stove in a hot kitchen if you aren’t having any fun doing it?  Just once this week, this month or this year, walk into the kitchen and make something that’s just FUN!  It doesn’t have to be good for you, it doesn’t have to be worthy of a setting on the table of a fine dining restaurant, but it should make you smile. That’s what this particular “recipe” is all about.

At moments like these inspiration can, and should, come from anything that puts a smile on your face.  In my case, it was a few minutes wasted on YouTube watching the iconic antics of John Cleese,  Graham Chapman and the rest of the cast of Monty Python’s Flying Circus.  In particular, the SPAM skit:

In the end, I settled on using SPAM Egg Sausage and SPAM, because it’s “…Not got much SPAM in it.” (Certainly not as much SPAM as SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM eggs and SPAM.)  Initially I was going to simply serve it up as a breakfast plate, but I had a strong desire for some good rye bread, so the Full Monty Python Sandwich became the result of the evening.

Not healthy.  Not terribly gourmet. possibly enough to make my cardiologist have a few nightmares, but it was fun to make, fun to eat and just the thought of it still has me smiling.

Go ahead.  Have some fun in the kitchen. Even if the results are awful, you’ll be laughing about it and that’s what the entire adventure is about.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Humor, Sausage, spam

There are certain recipes you know you just have to try the very first time you hear of them.  You know the ones, don’t you?  It’s that certain something that sticks in your memory once you’ve seen or heard of it.  It won’t leave you alone until you can recreate it or find somewhere that sells it so that you can see what all the hype was about.  You do have those days, don’t you? Don’t You?

For me, Spam Musubi was one of those recipes. Ever since I saw it on some TV show I was watching, I’ve longed to try it for myself, but have put it off.  Then I saw Anthony Bourdain sing it’s praises on an episode of No Reservations and I wanted it even more, but I resisted.  It was my next-door neighbor’s Hawaiian best friend that finally talked me into tying it, and I’ve never been more glad that I set out to make something in my life.

Most American’s regard Spam with the same sort of distaste that is reserved for things such as offal, but the Hawaiians not only love the stuff, they’ve elevated it to a new level.  Spam Musubi has all the subtle flavor combinations you would expect from an Asian dish, but uses the most humble ingredients.  In one bite you’ve go sweet, sour, savory, salty and starchy, all in different intensities with each bite.

You gotta try this!

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Hawaiian, Misubi, Musubi, Nori, Recipes, rice, Seaweed, soy, soyu, spam