NY Daily News

True, a firefighter's dish didn't take the top kitchen honor at the World Cares Center's Fifth Iron Skillet Cookoff - Marine Company 1's Tom Sullivan took second for his crab cakes - but the competing firemen proved they could hold their own in a restaurant kitchen, like Engine 247's Carmine Ancona. The Brooklyn fireman invented his shrimp a la firehouse on Monday night.

Pier 53 Crab Cakes
Makes 20 small crab cakes
From Tom Sullivan of
Manhattan's Marine Company 1

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for sauteing
3/4 cup finely diced red onion
3/4 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3/4 cup of Japanese breadcrumbs, divided use (unflavored)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 pound fresh lump crab meat (remove any cartilage or shell fragments)
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 eggs

In a saute pan, place butter, olive oil, onion, celery, red peppers, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, salt and pepper. Saute 15 to 20 minutes, then cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the above mixture with 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, lemon juice, crab meat, mayonnaise, dry mustard and eggs. Mix by hand thoroughly, being careful not to break up lump crab meat. Cool in refrigerator 15 minutes.

Using an ice cream scoop, form 20 small cakes and flatten with the palm of your hand. Lightly bread each side with remaining breadcrumbs.

In a frying pan, add olive oil about 1/4 of an inch deep and bring to frying temperature. Fry cakes about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, being careful not to burn them. Then remove to paper towels and drain. Serve hot.

The event, which pits a firefighter from each borough against a city pro, was won by chef Marc Murphy of the Manhattan restaurant Ditch Plains, for his crab cakes.

Runnerup Sullivan spent the past few months working the kinks out of his own version of the seafood dish, Pier 53 crab cakes with a creamy sauce. Colleagues Dan Mayott and Paul Ruckdeschel served as his kitchen crew.

Thanks to feedback from the seafaring firefighting team based on Pier 53, it looks like Sullivan's preparation paid off - a sold-out sign on their serving station.

Coming in second is a coup for Sullivan, who jokes that with an Irish heritage, "My cooking experience was nonexistent before I joined the firehouse."

"Irish cooks like to boil or burn things," he says, noting that in the 14 years since he has had to cook for a multiethnic crew, he has learned plenty about techniques and other cuisines.

Another talented cook out to smash Irish stereotypes was Keith Devenish of Engine 315 in Queens, who took third place with his Mediterranean Chicken and Herb Stuffed Tomatoes.

He was cheered by two brothers, his wife, Wendy, several firemen and his mother, Peg, who noted that she prefers Keith's crab cakes, usually made from crabs he catches himself.

Like Devenish, firehouse cooks have long been lauded for their skills, and this is just the second time a chef has taken the event - a fund-raiser for the center's programs, which support emergency workers and disaster-stricken communities.

And while Murphy's cheers were nowhere near as loud as his jeers, he did eventually earn the firefighter's mark of respect: "You did good," said a member of the crowd.

Mediterranean Chicken
Serves 8
From Keith Devenish of Queens' Engine 315

1 head of garlic, chopped fine
1/4 cup dried Greek oregano
1/4 cup dried cilantro
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup Spanish olives
1/2 cup capers
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
8 pounds skinless chicken thighs (can use boneless if desired)

Combine all of the above ingredients, except chicken, and mix well. Add the chicken and marinate at least 2 hours. Pour chicken and marinade into a baking pan and arrange thighs in a single layer (they can touch but don't overlap). Sprinkle some extra brown sugar on top and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for a little more than an hour, basting every 20 minutes. If using boneless thighs, bake for approximately 50 minutes.

Jack'd-up Penne and Grilled Chicken
Serves 5
From Andrew J. Enderes, a paramedic with Staten Island's Engine 168/EMS Station 23

1 pound chicken cutlets
1/4 cup Cajun seasoning
1 pound penne pasta
1/2 pound prosciutto
2 tomatoes diced, or 1 small can diced tomatoes
2 fresh habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers
1 clove garlic
3/4 pound butter, divided use
2 pints heavy cream
1 pound pepper-Jack cheese, cut into cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 dozen fresh basil leaves, chopped

Place chicken cutlets in a large bowl and slowly add Cajun seasoning while mixing well with hands. Let stand for about 30 to 45 minutes. When ready, grill chicken over medium heat until cooked through, then cut into thin strips.

Cook pasta in large pot of lightly salted boiling water until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, cut prosciutto into small strips. Dice tomatoes, or have ready diced canned tomatoes. Dice garlic and peppers, combine in a small saute pan with 1 tablespoon of butter. Saute over low heat for about 5 minutes. Then combine chicken strips with penne, prosciutto, tomatoes, garlic and peppers in a large serving bowl, gently mix and set aside.

In medium-size pot over low heat, or in a double boiler, melt remaining butter and then slowly stir in heavy cream, alternating with cubed cheese. Continue stirring until all the cheese is melted.

Pour cheese sauce over pasta and chicken, add salt and pepper to taste. Mix slowly, while adding freshly chopped basil leaves.