Jeff the Chef - Rants & Raves

When last we met Winnipeg firefighter Jeff Derraugh, our intrepid local hero had just released his first cook book, Fire Hall Cooking With Jeff the Chef . Now, just over two years have passed and Derraugh has released a second cookbook, Where There's Food There's Firefighters: More Surefire Recipes to Feed Your Crew (Touchwood Editions, $19.95).

This husband and father of five and grandfather of two attributes the popularity of the first book to good old-fashioned word-of-mouth. Six months after the first printing, a second was ordered.

"I wrote it to have it be conversational, so that the book is kind of 'talking' to you," says Derraugh, "I think it should read like a conversation, like you're there and you're kibitzing in the kitchen. It seemed to be what people liked about the first book."

Derraugh is clear that he feels these books are not about him, but everyone who cooks with them, and it's a reflection of the same kind of attitude you'd find in the fire hall. "A lot of those recipes are from firefighters and friends. The book really is about firefighters. It's about us , so I just see myself more as a conduit; we share recipes, we share stories at work. I happen to be the one that writes them down."

Cooks will find more funny stories and conversation in Derraugh's second book. It also has a few more slightly advanced recipes, some with an Asian flair. "There is a little bit more of a progression from the first cookbook. But don't be intimidated. These ingredients are readily available in most grocery stores and are inexpensive. If you've cooked from the first cookbook you should be able to make these. But even if you haven't, it's the slogan from the book: Make the gourmet easy."

The expectations for fire hall meals have changed. "Twenty years ago, suppers were meat and potatoes and a bag of frozen vegetables. Now it's all changed. Maybe the ethnicity of firefighters has changed, or food trends, but now you get into the curries and stir fries. And a lot of healthy ingredients. People are more health-conscious."

Manitoba is a leader in creating compensation legislation recognizing the debilitating and often deadly, long-term occupational health hazards of fighting fires, beyond the immediate physical dangers of walking into a burning building.

Compensation chairman and United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg executive board member Tom Bilous is part of a larger movement organizing a provincial memorial to our firefighters.

"Fallen firefighters are given the same respect and dignity, whether it is one fire that kills them or the cumulative effect of fighting many fires over a career," says Bilous.

"We want to properly recognize the sacrifice firefighters make doing the profession we love."

To that end, the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg have secured some of Jeff Derraugh's books as a means of raising funds for the construction of a provincial memorial to honour the firefighters and their loved ones who have given so much. Those copies are available at the office at 303-83 Garry St . All profits from those copies will go to the memorial.

Land has been set aside at the Legislative Building grounds and plans are under development.

At this stage, the best way to get on board to support the Manitoba Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial is to go to www.uffw.ca

Firefighter Lee Timchuk made this for us at the fire hall and it was such a huge hit that the masses insist on So Damn's making a regular menu appearance. To put a handle on this tasty salad combo, think of a Greek Salad, but with the funky twist of fresh dill, Dijon mustard and lentils. So Damn Salad, so named because ……………………….. it's just so dam good! SO, YOU'VE GOT ME SALIVATING, WHAT DO I NEED, DAMN IT?

1 long English cucumber, in chunky cubes, please
1 red onion – go for the 1-inch square look
1 each orange and/or yellow pepper – ditto the above
19 ounce can of Lentils - drained
Say about 5 ounces Feta cheese, finely diced or crumbled
2-3 tomatoes – in large cubes (or 1 lb. grape tomatoes)

The great part is, it's so quick and easy, especially if the prep chefs are armed with knives and cutting boards and willing to help. Before they get rolling, be sure to remind them to go for that chunky cubed veggie look.

The dressing's a breeze too. A blender is a good option if you're making it for a crowd. Otherwise, the old bowl and whisk will do. Count on the Dijon mustard to keep it all together.

Toss the dressing and salad together. For added flavour toss it in the fridge for an hour before serving, minus the tomatoes.

Toss in the tomatoes just before the salad hits the table. If you toss them in earlier they just might decide to mutiny and sweat out their liquid, thereby diluting your dressing.

I know, I know, couscous, that silly sounding tiny pasta (which some people wrongly believe to be rice) is more of a traditional African dish, but we're giving it a Caribbean twist today with a hit of spicy curry and a balancing blend of sweet fruit. By the way, if you happen to come up with a new name for couscous, let me know. Is it just me, or does couscous sounds about as manly as quiche?

1½ cups water (or chicken broth)
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup couscous, uncooked - but not for long
2 more tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 sweet red or orange pepper, diced
2 Mac or Spartan apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 small banana, sliced in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons curry paste - I like Mild, but you can go hotter
¼ cup orange juice
1 cup chicken broth
Chopped cilantro

Get the water or broth boiling in a medium saucepan and add the butter and the couscous. Hmmmm, no confusion so far.

Get that pot off the heat, put a cover on it and let it stand for at least 5 minutes. Yes, couscous is just that easy to cookcook.

Lets pull out say about a 10-inch fry pan and find a place for it on the range over medium heat. Melt one tablespoon of the butter in the pan and add the onions. Sauté our tear-makers until lightly browned.

Toss another tablespoon of butter in the pan and add the garlic, pepper and apples. Fry the lot until the apples start to get tender.

Bring on the bananas and fry them briefly – bananas don't like to be overcooked, or at least you won't like them overcooked.

The orange juice is getting impatient over there in the on deck circle, so let's pour it into the mix and stir it through. Fry for another 2 minutes.

Here comes the big finish - you're almost there! Toss in the chicken broth and stir it through. Get that cooked couscous in there and blend it in.

When the couscous has sucked up the broth, simply add the chopped cilantro, and you're done! This fired up funky-fire side dish is ready to rock.

Let's say company is coming over, time is tight and you don't know what to serve. Well, get off your wallet, you tightwad, and order in some exotic sushi. Or…….. you could make this thrifty, traditional, delicious Thai dish in a matter of minutes and blow them away with both presentation and flavour.

3 tablespoons fish sauce - whatever you do, do not smell the fish sauce, as this will only sour your taste buds (relax, the results will be incredible)
3 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1½ tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce (great, anchovy's, more fish!)
3 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce – or more if you need additional fire
½ pound thick rice noodles (over there in the Asian foods section)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
1 pound, peeled uncooked shrimp, cut into bite sized pieces
1 red, yellow, or orange pepper, cut into thin strips
3 eggs - beat ‘em like they owe you money
2 cups bean sprouts, washed and ready to roll
1 bunch green onions - green parts only, sliced
Approximately 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
¼ cup dry coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
2 limes, cut into wedges

Let's get all the chopping done, and arrange all our ingredients into a series of highly organized bowls - you know, like they do on TV.

Oh, and let's get the sauce together in a bowl as well. Combine the fish sauce, sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili-garlic sauce.

Hey I thought I told you not to smell the fish sauce! If you think for one second that I'm not looking over your shoulder, well buster, you are so wrong! All right then, go ahead. Put a dab of fish sauce behind your ears. You'll have lots of elbowroom at the dinner table. Rest assured, the smell will burn off, leaving only a wonderful, subtle flavour behind. Well, unless you actually did cologne yourself with it.

Get some boiling water happening. Toss the rice noodles in a lasagne dish or other flat roaster or casserole and cover with the hot water. When the noodles are al dente, which is Thai for “busts up your expensive dental work,” drain them in a colander and set aside.

What do you say we fire up the wok to high, and when it starts to smoke, toss in a couple of tablespoons peanut oil?

By the way, you can make this recipe with Tofu instead of chicken, but why? I mean what is Tofu made from, pencil erasers?

Anyway, stir-fry the chick n' shrimp until the shrimp are nicely pink, and the chicken is pretty much cooked through. Let's add the peppers now.

Bring the sauce into the mix, and stir it through for about 2 minutes. Yes Holmes, that's why it's called a stir-fry.

Bring on the bean sprouts, green onions and half the cilantro. Keep stirring, you're almost there!

When your creation is heated through, top with the rest of the cilantro and the peanuts, and plate it tout de suite.

Garnish each plate with lime wedgies and command the diners to squeeze the limejuice over their Pad Thai and toss it through.

This recipe serves 4 “if I don't get to eat soon here someone is going to die” firefighters as a main dish. Better make the Thai Coleslaw (pg. 62) just to be sure they're satisfied. Otherwise they'll make you pay for their take out pizza.

'Click here to see what the critics had to say about, 'Fire Hall Cooking with Jeff the Chef.'

LOCAL FIREFIGHTER COOKS UP NEW BOOK
By Brenda Fehr, for Prime Times, Thursday October 15, 2009

Salad lovers, soup fans and spicy rib eaters can expect to find a recipe they'll enjoy in local firefighter Jeff Derraugh's latest cookbook, Where There's Food There's Firefighters: More Surefire Recipes to Feed Your Crew.

The new book, which features everything from a recipe for fettuccine jambalaya to his mom's chocolate cake, is a follow-up to Derraugh's bestselling debut, Fire Hall Cooking with Jeff the Chef. The recipes were gathered from local firefighters, friends, family and Derraugh's own stock of well-used recipes.

“I really wanted a balanced cookbook,” Derraugh explains, noting that he wanted to include everything from breakfast to lunch to dinner recipes. Each recipe features Derraugh's helpful and humourous notes and hints, and the cookbook includes stories about life at the various fire halls Derraugh has worked at over the years.

As with the first book, Derraugh wanted to offer recipes that everyone from novice to veteran cooks could make and enjoy.

He says it was while working at local fire halls and taking his turn in the kitchen cooking up meals for his colleagues that he really developed his culinary skills.

While Derraugh is now at home in the kitchen, he recalls with a chuckle that, while growing up as the oldest of four boys, his early attempts at cooking resulted in some interesting creations. His brothers still like to kid about the time when their parents went to the lake and Jeff, who was in charge of feeding his younger brothers, served up what he now jokingly calls “the can't-miss combo” of fish and ravioli.

These days, Derraugh not only cooks at the fire hall but also enjoys cooking at home, often enlisting his wife Lori as a taster. He also enjoys serving up his kitchen creations to the couple's five children.

Derraugh, who recently celebrated his 50 th birthday, says he feels blessed to be able to share his love of cooking with others. His greatest reward is hearing from the public and cooks from fire halls who share their stories of making recipes from one of his books.

The fact that readers have supported his books is much appreciated, says Derraugh, who jokingly once said of his first book that he'd be happy if he “sold three books worldwide.”

Derraugh also hopes to raise awareness about the contributions of his fellow firefighters with his book. It's dedicated to firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty or due to job related illness. Derraugh says he is pleased that some of his books are being used to help raise funds for a planned Fallen Firefighters memorial.

Derraugh doesn't have any formal plans for a third book as of yet. For now, he's just hoping that those who pick up his newest book will find joy in the experience of cooking and sharing their creations with others. He also hopes novice cooks will be inspired to put their own unique touches on the recipes.

“If you like red peppers, throw some in a Caesar salad,” he says. “I want people to take the recipes and have fun with them.”

Where There's Food There's Firefighters is published by Touchwood Editions and is available at local bookstores.