"Mosh Potatoes - Recipes, Anecdotes, and Mayhem from the Heavyweights of Heavy Metal" - Rock Ragout, recipe from Markus Grosskopt from the band, Helloween

Date I made this recipe:  October 31, 2015 – Happy Halloween!  

Mosh Potatoes – Recipes, Anecdotes and Mayhem from the Heavyweights of Heavy Metal by Steve Seabury

Published by:  Simon and Schuster

ISBN:  978-1-4391-8132-4

Recipe:  Rock Ragout from Markus Grosskop,[from the band], Helloween – p. 72-73

It's not often I buy a brand-new cookbook given that used books are so prevalent and so inexpensive, but the minute I spotted this book – Mosh Potatoes - I had to have it.  And then color me giddy, but as soon as I spotted this recipe from Markus Grosskopt of the band, Helloween, I knew I had to make this dish on Halloween night.  And so I am.

I cannot say that I am "into" heavy metal but that doesn't mean I don't recognize a number of bands or artists in this book, including:

• Lita Ford
• David Lee Roth
• Queensryche
• Guns N' Roses
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Alice Cooper
• and Judas Priest, just to name a few

Actually, Alice Cooper was a favorite of mine, especially the [unofficial school anthem] "School's Out."  Did we not all tear out of class singing this every summer?  We did.

As to recipes, they vary from the expected – spaghetti and meatballs, Thai curry, and even a roasted turkey dinner, to the unexpected  - "Reindeer Sausage and Pasta" (Brock Lindow of 36 Crazyfists).  I passed on the reindeer sausage given that reindeer are probably hard to find in North America, plus there's that whole Rudolph thing so...

In addition to making this dish from a band member of Helloween, several other recipes also fit a Halloween theme such as "Deviled Chicken" (Jeremy "Jerms" Genske of Dirge Within) or "Chuck's Evil Chili" (Chuck Schuldiner of Death), or "Satanic Burrito" (Joel Grind, Toxic Holocaust).  And one made me tear up: "Linguine and Clams Castellamare" from Frankie Banali, Quiet Riot/W.A.S.P.  My grandparents hailed from that Sicilian fishing village and it sounds like Frankie's father was either from there or knew someone who was because he said the recipe "was a favorite of my father and handed down by example."  So - we're practically related!

An added bonus to this cookbook are the photographs of all these heavy-metal chefs and their recipes.  Love that:  head-bangers by day, chefs at night.

The meat from this dish is meant to be marinated in beer for 1-2 days so plan ahead!  I shopped for the beer on Friday, October 30 by heading to Total Wine in nearby Roseville and asking for assistance in the "lager" department (as called for in the recipe).  My selection was a local favorite (from Wisconsin) – Leinenkugel.  I'm not a beer drinker but rumor has it you can't miss with this one.

Rock Ragout – "Serves 4 hungry fellas like us" (Ann's Note:  Marinate overnight)

3 pounds boneless beef, lamb, or pork shoulder or round

2 onions

Salt and pepper

Paprika

Mustard powder

Lager beer (as many as you like)

¼ pound bacon (chopped)

½ pound red potatoes peeled (and chopped)

½ pound carrots, peeled (and chopped)

½ pound green beans, trimmed (and chopped)

½ pound mushrooms, cleaned (and chopped)

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups heavy cream

2 to 3 tablespoons tomato paste

Chop the meat into bite-size pieces.  Chop 1 of the onions.  Mix the meat and onion in a large bowl with salt and pepper, paprika, and mustard to taste.  Now pour beer over it until thoroughly covered.  Leave marinating in the fridge for 1 or 2 days.

Chop the remaining onion into bite-size pieces and set aside.  Chop the bacon and set aside separately.  Chop the potatoes, carrots, beans, and mushrooms and set each aside separately as well.

After marinating for at least 24 hours, drain the meat (and onions) and set aside on paper towels.  Keep the beer marinade in a separate bowl for later use.  Pour the olive oil in a stockpot and begin cooking the remaining (unmarinated) chopped onion.  After half a minute, add the bacon.  When bacon turns a nice golden color, add the meat mixture.  Stir until browned all over.

Pour almost half of the beer marinade in the pot.  Reduce the temperature so the whole dish is gently simmering for approximately an hour (depends on the kind of meat you are cooking).  Add more beer marinade as it reduces.

After nearly an hour, add the green beans to the pot.  After a couple of minutes, add the carrots and potatoes.  Allow another 5 minutes and add the mushrooms.

Simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes.  Gradually stir in the cream and tomato paste and simmer for another 2 minutes.  Add some salt, pepper, and paprika to taste, and enjoy a great dish.  Cheers.