Life is Simply Delicious

In cooking, as with many things in life – simple is good.

Even the experts enjoy a great burger now and then. Although James Luckey, kitchen manager for O’Meara’s Restaurant and Pub, is skilled at making the sumptuous signature meals at the restaurant, it’s nice to relax and cook easy at home.

“My favorites are wings and hoagies,” said the Philly native. “And I love steaks and burgers.”

Steaks are always a popular item, even though many people overdo it when it comes to cooking them, said Luckey. It’s important to consider the thickness of the meat and you need to decide how long to cook it after it’s been seared. It helps to have an extra pan to flatten down the steak while it cooks. And if you’re not comfortable with your cooking skills, try rib-eye — an easy steak to cook.

Hamburgers are also simple when you use an extra pan to flatten patties that are all made to the same size, he said. You’ll want to cook those three to four minutes on each side and test one patty by taking it out and cutting a slit to see if it’s done, of course.

The people at O’Meara’s were kind enough to offer several simple recipes that were created by James Gibney for the restaurant. In O’Meara’s kitchen, the meals are handled by a professional cooking staff, including assistants Clarence McNeal and Derick Cunningham. Featured in this issue we have: Buffalo Chicken Salad with a Southwestern Ranch Dressing; Crab Dip, dusted with Old Bay seasoning; and Vegas-inspire d Sin City Signature with Yellow Fin Tuna, Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and leaves of Bok Choy.

Although the recipe calls to cook the tuna rare, you can grill it and still be safe, said Jeff Salisbury, general manager. “You can grill it to your liking,” he said. And he points out that the most important part of making a mouthwatering crab dip is to have plenty of crab meat.

It’s also easy to include the children in the family cooking as well as meal planning. Luckey suggests purchasing a Food Saver to keep food longer. The restaurant staff cuts and vacuum-packs the steaks themselves, preserving freshness as well as giving the food a longer shelf life. Even pastas, sauces, and salads can be vacuum packed.

Visit O’Meara’s in Manassas or on the web at www.omearasrestaurant.com.