Cook like a pro this holiday season

Featuring Something Fishy in Apopka

From the Lake Apopka Natural Gas District

No matter how you celebrate this holiday season, three things always come to mind: family, friends … and food. From cooking to consumption, there’s nothing better than bringing your loved ones together over a great meal, sharing cherished traditions and making new memories. This may be a special time of year for food, but one thing remains constant year-round – the excellence of cooking with natural gas.

Nine out of 10 chefs prefer cooking with natural gas, and for good reason. Natural gas sets the table for easy and precise cooking and a better, tastier finished product. Lake Apopka Natural Gas District customer Terrence Phillips, an Apopka-local chef, and business owner, recently shared some of his favorite holiday cooking memories, tips, and tricks, as well as why natural gas is a key ingredient in his business’ recipe for success.

Something Fishy, located at 2107 E. Semoran Blvd., is a family-owned and family-friendly restaurant specializing in locally-sourced, mouth-watering seafood dishes.

Terrence – commonly known as “Chef Terry” – and his wife, Patrice, opened the restaurant in March 2016, which quickly became a community staple known for its warm, inviting staff and fresh menu items. When asked what keeps him coming back to work day after day, Terrence was quick to answer: “The people. Whether with our 15 employees or our loyal customers, nothing beats sitting down to a great meal with great company.”

Terrence has many memories with food and loved ones at their core, starting in his childhood. Growing up in New York City, with parents in full-time, demanding careers, Terrence’s brother showed him the ropes and sparked his interest in cooking at an early age. One thing he looked forward to every year was Thanksgiving, a treasured time with his grandmother in the kitchen and his family around the table.

Chef Terry

These experiences laid the foundation for his career today, and Terrence has a couple of tips for aspiring chefs and restaurant owners: never forget to show appreciation for your employees and don’t forget about the importance of natural gas. “The consistency, quality, convenience, and char you get with natural gas – it’s crucial for us,” Terrence shared. “Many people say, ‘it’s not the stove, it’s the cook,’ but without the right equipment, you just can’t get the job done right.

While natural gas is crucial for commercial cooking, Terrence asserts that the green energy resource should be fueling kitchens of all kinds, both in restaurants and at home. “Everyone should be using natural gas – if you enjoy eating and preparing food, it’s a must.”

With the holiday season approaching, Terrence generously shared an “industry insider” treat – the step-by-step recipe for his famous “Chef T’s Crab Cakes.” Keep this close by to bring a luscious taste of the sea to your next family feast:

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. “super” lump crab
• 4 oz. breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
• 1 egg
• 2 oz. real mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. Tabasco
• 1 tsp. real lemon juice
• 2 tbs. unsalted butter? Tbsp or tsp?
• 1 tbs. olive oil

Instructions

Drain the crabmeat, if necessary. Put the crab in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg, mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. Scrape the mixture over the crab and mix gently until well combined. Gently break up the lumps but be careful to not overmix. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the mixture and mix them in gently. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.

Shape the crab mixture into cakes about 1 inch thick. In a nonstick skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. When the butter is frothy, add the cakes to the pan. Cook until dark golden brown on the underside (about 4 minutes). Flip the cakes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue cooking until the other side is golden brown (about 4-5 minutes). Plate, serve and enjoy!

Natural gas customers already have the opportunity to “cook like a pro,” and, this holiday season, you can too. Interested in making the switch? To learn more, visit www.langd.org, call the LANGD marketing team at (407) 656-2734, ext. 307 or email marketing@langd.org.