Bringing the taste of home back to Texas

My recent road trip to Chicago was a memorable hometown visit. It’s always nice to return for something like a wedding rather than a funeral. We haven’t lived in the Windy City for 40 plus years, but in some ways it’s still home.

Our first stop upon arriving was to get an Italian beef sandwich. The origins of the popular Chicago standby date back to the early 1900s. Italian immigrants slowly roasted tough cuts of meat in a spicy broth until it was tender. The thinly-sliced meat was then piled onto Italian bread. The sandwich became popular for weddings, graduations and other big family gatherings.

Restaurants started adding it to their menus during the 1930s. Sandwiches can be ordered wet or dry. Some Chicagoans order their Italian beef dipped in the juices, which is definitely worth the messiness. Sandwiches can be topped with sweet peppers or with hot giardiniera. A combo comes paired with an Italian sausage.

In 1963, Dick Portillo opened The Dog House in the Chicago area. Portillo’s is now synonymous with Chicago. They’ve branched out to other states and it seems they have their eye on Texas. Portillo’s recently parked its “Beef Bus” at seven locations in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Portillo’s is also known for Chicago-style hot dogs with mustard, relish, celery salt, freshly chopped onions, sliced red ripe tomatoes, kosher pickle and sport peppers piled onto a steamed poppy seed bun. A “dragged through the garden” dog was what I had on my second visit to Portillo’s.

I was unable to facilitate another Chicago tradition during this visit. The famous Walnut Room, located in Marshall Field’s, was the first restaurant ever opened in a department store. The building opened in 1907, and the Walnut Room has existed from the start, although it was initially named the South Grill Room.

My mother took my sisters and I downtown on the el to see the spectacular Christmas decorations every year. This included the multi storied Marshall Field’s Christmas tree. The Walnut Room was at the base of the tree. The restaurant was a bit rich for my mother, but we enjoyed macaroni and cheese at the dime store food counter.

It wasn’t until I was an adult that I ate in the Walnut Room. My meal made such an impression that I replicated it after most Thanksgiving dinners. It’s a great way to use up leftover turkey. This recipe is from Rita’s Recipes. I always added black pitted olives.

Marshall Field’s Special Salad

Iceberg lettuce Turkey, thinly sliced 1000 Island Dressing Swiss cheese Fresh good rye bread Butter, softened Bacon, 2 sliced cooked Slice of hard boiled egg Slice of tomato

Butter the rye bread and place on a large plate. Cover bread with a Swiss cheese slice. Next add 1 or 2 thin slices of turkey to cover.

Remove the large outer leaves from the lettuce and set aside. Slice the remaining lettuce into a few large sections and arrange a section on top of the turkey and Swiss cheese. Cover the open-face sandwich with the big outer lettuce leaf. Top that leaf with several slices of turkey.

Spoon an ample amount of 1000 Island Dressing over the top, allowing it to drizzle down the sides.

Add the bacon slices, criss-cross on top. Add tomato slice and egg slice, top mound with a parsley sprig.

dwyer@wilcosun.com