Firehouse Recipes

According to Scarsdale's firemen, "picky eaters don't do well" at the firehouse, where firefighters break bread together for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Scarsdale's paid firefighters are on duty 24/7 at the Public Safety Building and at two more Scarsdale fire stations – or outhouses – as they are called by the men. While on duty, the men have to pay for their own meals, and rather than order in, they take turns shopping and cooking for each other. They say it's healthier and more economic to do it themselves. Since heart attacks are the main cause of death among firefighters, the men seek to eat well and stay in shape.

Ann Starer of Fox Meadow invited the squad to Scarsdale Library on Saturday afternoon January 30 to share their recipes and cooking secrets with the community. She met them when they came to check out her house after a funny smell was coming out of the dryer. They agreed to come to the library where they did far more than impart information. The crowd was treated to a meal featuring firehouse favorites and served a glass of wine to wash it down.

The genesis of the event was Starer's idea to create cookbook club at the Scarsdale Library to showcase chefs, cookbook authors, and food writers with a possible potluck component. She lining up speakers for future events and down the line, she's hoping to host a Scarsdale Smorgasbord where food purveyors share samples of their food.

At this first event, we had the treat of meeting the men who serve us and learning what they like to cook. These firehouse chefs are skilled at cooking for a crowd and rarely use a measuring cup. They re-create family favorites or go online to the Food Network site where they can find recipes that are easy to make for a crowd. They shop at DeCicco's – who donated all the food for the event. The following day we spotted two firemen at DeCicco's buying ingredients for a spinach omelet brunch for the team.

But on Saturday the menu was more elaborate. As we sipped a smooth and hearty carrot soup, one of the men demonstrated how to whip it up in a blender. Another delicious course was "Lava Mac and Cheese," rich, creamy and spiced with a jalapeno pepper. Also on the menu was Parmesan encrusted chicken with glazed carrots – a recipe I plan to make myself --and another firehouse standby, Chicken Scarp, short for Chicken Scarpiello with hot Italian and peperocini peppers and potatoes. All were good, hearty fare.

What happens when the alarm goes off? The fire truck was parked at the library – just in case. And the firemen said that everything they make has to be able to sit for a bit in case they all get called out on an emergency while the meal is in progress. So if you find that dinner is often interrupted by carpools and trips to the train station, check out the firemen's recipes below – they're sure to keep while you put out your own family fires.

Lava Mac & Cheese
Courtesy of Scarsdale Firefighter Jon Maxwell

Ingredients:
1lb elbow macaroni
Whole milk
1 8oz sharp chedder cheese
1 8oz extra sharp chedder
1 8oz pepper jack jalapeño cheese
1 raw jalapeño

Shred cheese into 3 separate piles and set aside.
Chop jalapeno up finely.
Boil salted water and cook elbow macaroni to al dente and drain.
Spread a layer of elbows in a 9" by 13" three-quart cooking pan (size is roughly that).
Layer 3 cheeses on macaroni evenly to fully cover and sprinkle some chopped jalapeno. Repeat layer of macaroni and layers of cheese till elbows are used up. Finish with final layer of cheese.
Poke a hole with your finger in one corner leaving depth about 1/2" short of the bottom of the pan.
Pour milk into far opposite corner slowly until milk is visible in bottom of the hole.
Bake uncovered in oven at 365 degrees for 45-60min. It is done when top is browned and crispy. Check often.

Parmesan Encrusted Chicken 
Courtesy of Scarsdale Firefighter Jeremy Stempel

(serves 8 to 10)

Ingredients:
4 lbs. boneless chicken breast
Equal parts bread crumbs (plain or panko) and parmesan cheese, enough to coat chicken
Dijon mustard regular or country style
Garlic to taste.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Take chicken breast and slice to make cutlets (two or three) per breast
Dice garlic
Mix bread crumb and cheese
Cover chicken with garlic. Coat chicken with mustard then coat with bread crumbs/ cheese mix. Press bread crumbs on chick so it sticks
Place on baking pan and bake till done. Usually 15-20 minutes. Cooking time depends on how thick chicken is. Be careful to not over cook.

Carrot Soup
Courtesy of Scarsdale Firefighter Chris DiMichele

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons butter
1 pound of carrots peeled and sliced
1 small onion peeled and quartered
1 medium potato peeled and cubed
½ tsp salt
Dash of pepper
½ tsp sugar
3 cups chicken broth (pref. College Inn)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)

Melt butter in soup pot, add carrots, onions, potato, salt pepper, and sugar.
Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add broth and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until carrots are soft.
Let cool.
Puree in blender.
If too thick, add a little more broth, or, in a pinch, add a little more water.
Reheat, garnish with parsley and serve.
Serves 4 comfortably, 6 if you stretch it.

Chicken Scarp
Courtesy of Scarsdale Firefighter Doug Mignone

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken breast
1 lb hot Italian sausage
1 large jar of peperoncini peppers
1 large jar sweet red pepper hulls in vinegar
1 large container chicken broth
3 large potatoes
Flour to dredge chicken and make rue

Cut potatoes into bite sized pieces
Mix with olive oil and put into 375 degree oven in a big pan
Cut chicken into bite size pieces,
Dredge in flour and put into frying pan with hot vegetable oil.
Sear chicken on all sides
Transfer chicken into pan with potatoes in oven.
Deglaze pan with chicken broth and dump into chicken and potatoes.
Put more oil into frying pan and sear sausage on all sides.
Cut sausage into bite size pieces.
Deglaze pan with more broth and add sausage and broth to potatoes and chicken in oven.
Place peppers and remaining broth in frying pan and heat .
Once hot add to pan in oven and cook for 30 minutes.