'The Truck Food Cookbook' by John T. Edge is a Must Have for Great Recipes

When I first moved to the City, many moons ago, I was not a huge fan of eating street food from vendors other than the occasional Hot Dog or Pretzel, and even then I was sure I'd get some kind of food poisoning. Street Fairs were not much better with their high prices and fried everything assortments. Again the fear of stomach pains outweighed the possibility of finding something edible. Fast forward to a couple of years ago when the economy sank, forcing many people to transition to new careers and alternate ways of making a living. Suddenly, as if without warning, Food Trucks began to multiply all over town offering up goodies never seen before on the streets of the city.  There have always been food trucks, so it's nothing new. There used to be a taco truck that used to station itself under the 7 train in Queens where I used to live. No I never tempted fate even though in the wee hours of the morning those tacos smelled pretty good, and they always seemed to have a line. Hmmm. One day somebody told me about a delicious treat that they had on the street from a cart that was called The Treats Truck. An Oatmeal Cookie with a scrumptious Raspberry Jam center, which they called the Oatmeal Jammy. Other treats included a humongous Rice Crispy Treat, Caramel Creme Sandwich Cookies and various delectable Brownies. Yes, yes I ate them all that first time, and in no way did I feel like a pig, until later in the day when I wanted some more. What that experience did was open my eyes to the quality of just what a Food Truck could be. People who probably had dreamed of doing something with food their whole lives, and maybe never had the chance until they were laid off and forced to rethink their future. Whew! Suddenly I began to search out other Food Trucks. I scoured the web for blogs that had reviewed as many Trucks as possible, and then I began to search them out myself. What really stuck out to me other than the quality and choices, was how each individual Truck showcased their specialities. You see most Food Trucks, or should I say good Food Trucks, do one type of food really well. There are Ice Cream Trucks, Burger Trucks, Waffle Trucks and so on. The key is to be unique, to show a new way to experience food that is offered without the constraints of owning a restaurant.
Now, thanks to John T. Edge, we have a cookbook with some of the delicious recipes from our beloved Food Trucks! The book is called The Truck Food Cookbook, and it includes 150 recipes from Food Trucks all over the country. Mr. Edge visited over 200 Food Trucks from coast to coast and believes that..."Street food is theater, it's not just about great food." Amen. So check out the book when you can, it's about 12 bucks on Amazon, so there's no excuse if you don't buy a copy. To give you an excerpt, below are a few recipes from some of our own NYC Food Trucks. Yes, I know, your welcome.
For more info on the book, please visit the website:
truckfoodcookbook.tumblr.com/

RECIPE: TOASTED CURRIED COCONUT

Serves: 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups large-flake coconut
1 tablespoon curry powder, more to taste

Instructions

Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat (do not use a nonstick skillet for this). Add the coconut, then shake the curry powder on top and stir to coat. Taste for seasoning, adding more curry powder, if desired. Cook the coconut until it takes on a golden brown hue, about 2 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning the coconut. Transfer the curried coconut to a pan or heatproof bowl to cool before using it as a topping for ice cream. The curried coconut can be stored in an airtight container for about 2 weeks.
Recipes excerpted from “The Truck Food Cookbook” by John T. Edge ($18.95, Workman Publishing).

RECIPE: CHEATER SOFT-SERVE ICE CREAM

Serves: 4 cups

Ingredients

For the ice cream:
3 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
1 cup whipped cream (see note)
2 to 4 tablespoons chocolate syrup (optional)
Scoop the ice cream into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add the whipped cream and, if you like, the chocolate syrup and beat until thoroughly blended. Cover the ice cream tightly, either by placing it in a container with a lid or by wrapping the bowl several times in plastic wrap. Place the ice cream in the freezer for at least 12 hours; it will still be slightly soft after that time. Then, it’s ready to eat, with or without toppings.
Note: To make 1 cup of whipped cream, pour 1/2 cup cold, heavy (whipping) cream into a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.

Instructions

Scoop the ice cream into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add the whipped cream and, if you like, the chocolate syrup and beat until thoroughly blended. Cover the ice cream tightly, either by placing it in a container with a lid or by wrapping the bowl several times in plastic wrap. Place the ice cream in the freezer for at least 12 hours; it will still be slightly soft after that time. Then, it’s ready to eat, with or without toppings.
Note: To make 1 cup of whipped cream, pour 1/2 cup cold, heavy (whipping) cream into a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.

RECIPE: CALEXICO CARNE ASADA TACOS

Serves: 8 tacos

Ingredients

Traditionally carne asada is made with beef variety cuts like shoulder clod and the lesser sirloins. This recipe, based on one made by Jesse and the boys at Calexico Carne Asada, relies on hanger steak, known among clever chefs and informed eaters as butcher's fillet. The implication is that a butcher knows this cut to be the equal of a tenderloin. That's a bit of an overstatement, but it does make a fine taco.

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika or sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds hanger steak, trimmed
8 small (4 to 6 inches each) corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade
Avocado Crema (recipe follows)
Calexico Pico de Gallo (recipe follows)
1 small head cabbage, cored and shredded

Instructions

Place the lime juice, lemon juice, oil, garlic, onion, cumin, coriander, paprika, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir to mix well. Pour the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag, add the steak, and massage the marinade into the meat. Press any air out of the bag and seal it, then let the beef marinate in the refrigerator for no less than 6 hours and preferably for 24 hours. Turn the bag occasionally to distribute the marinade evenly over the meat.
Set up a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling and preheat it to high. Or heat a stovetop grill pan over high heat.
Remove the beef from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Grill the steak until done to taste, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the beef to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then slice the steak into thin strips across the grain.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and warm the tortillas one at a time in the skillet until pliable, about 30 seconds on each side. As you work, wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm.
To serve, place a few slices of meat on a tortilla and garnish it with Avocado Crema, Calexico Pico de Gallo, and shredded cabbage.
Avocado Crema
At first blush the pairing of buttermilk and avocado seems unlikely, but the interplay of acidic buttermilk and fatty, rich avocado is a natural. Inspired by Calexico Carne Asada, this recipe is just the thing to keep in a squeeze bottle in your fridge.
Makes about 1 cup
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into chunks
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Put the avocado, sour cream, buttermilk, lime juice, and salt in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. The crema can be refrigerated, tightly sealed, for 2 to 3 days; it must be sealed airtight or the sauce will turn brown.
Calexico Pico de Gallo
This pico de gallo, from Calexico Carne Asada, could become your summer table sauce — the stuff you make when the July heat bears down. The stuff you pull from the fridge every afternoon. If you make it in the winter, look for plum tomatoes.
Makes about 1 cup
3/4 cup chopped ripe tomatoes (about 2 medium-size tomatoes or 6 plum tomatoes)
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
Place the tomatoes, onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or pepper as necessary.

RECIPE: TAIWANESE FRIED CHICKEN

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds), quartered
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 cups sweet potato starch (see note)
2 tablespoons garlic powder
Peanut oil, for frying the chicken
Cooked rice, for serving
Taiwanese Pork Sauce (optional, recipe follows), for serving

Instructions

Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the five-spice powder, and the pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the soy sauce mixture, turning it to coat all sides. Let the chicken marinate, covered, in the refrigerator overnight.
Beat the egg yolks with the cornstarch in another bowl. Add the yolk mixture to the bowl with the chicken and stir to mix well.
Place the sweet potato starch, garlic powder, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of five-spice powder in a large shallow bowl and stir to mix. Working with one chicken quarter at a time, dredge the chicken in the sweet potato starch mixture and let sit for a few minutes.
Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a cast-iron skillet and heat over high heat until it registers 350°F on a deep fry thermometer. Working in batches and being careful not to overcrowd the skillet, carefully add the chicken quarters to the hot oil and cook, turning once, until golden brown and cooked throughout, about 12 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the cooked chicken to paper towels to drain. Serve the chicken over the rice with the pork sauce, if desired.
Note: You can find sweet potato starch at Asian markets.
Taiwanese Pork Sauce
Call this gravy if you like. That's what it is: Pork gravy with soy sauce, inspired by the NYC Cravings folk. In my native American South, this is the kind of stuff we mop up with biscuits, the stuff we plop on mashed potatoes, the gilding with which we anoint a fried chicken thigh. Serve it over rice or fried bird. Your call.
Makes about 4 cups
Peanut oil
10 shallots, thinly sliced
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Pour oil to a depth of about 1 inch into a heavy, medium-size saucepan and heat over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shallots and cook until brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to paper towels to drain. Do not wipe out the pan.
Add the ground pork to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce, salt, pepper, sugar, and enough water to cover the meat. Return the browned shallots to the pan, reduce the heat, and let the sauce simmer until the water has cooked off, about 45 minutes.