When they're not out being heroes, the firefighters of New York City's Fire Departments like nothing better than to cook up a meal together at their 5 borough fire houses. Being a fireman also means long late shifts and dinner at the fire station. So it's either bring on the take away, or cook it yourself. Not keen on forever eating takeaways, most choose to cook the late shift meal for 25-30 hungry firefighters; everyone throws in the dollars, some do the cooking and some do the shopping. I used to bump into a lot of firefighters when I lived in New York when I had to nip out to the supermarket for something dressed in my chef whites (usually I didn't really need anything but it was always an excuse to grab a beer) and they would ask me questions about food and for recipes and were genuinely interested in cooking. (I also once had the honor to judge a firehouse chili cooking competition that had my mouth on fire for days!) On September 11, raise a glass in remembrance to those who are no longer with us and try these recipes that were given to me by New York's Bravest. BANGERS 'N' BEER This sounds alcoholic, but isn't. The beer is used to marinate and contribute a subtle flavor to the sausages. INGREDIENTS 15 Irish Bangers or your favourite type of sausages 3 large yellow onions, sliced thin 4 sprigs rosemary bunch Italian flatleaf parsley 3 leaves fresh sage, bruised 10 peppercorns (unless you're using spicy sausages) Ale or Porter (not lager or stout and definitely no Budweiser!) Olive or vegetable oil METHOD Prick the sausages with a fork all over (don't use a knife; the holes will be too big). Place sausages in a pot big enough to hold all of them. Pour over enough beer to completely submerge them. Add the sage, rosemary, parsley and peppercorns. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, simmer sausages in the beer and herb mix for 30 minutes, then transfer to a casserole dish. While sausages are simmering, slice onions and sautZ over medium high heat in a skillet into which enough oil has been added to just cover the bottom. When onions caramelized put on top of the sausages. Serve with onions, mustard and HP Steak Sauce. FDNY FIREMAN'S RICE PUDDING This incredible recipe came from a cookbook written by a New York City firefighter, benefiting the city's special burn unit in a Bronx hospital SERVES 10 (or 4 Firefighters) INGREDIENTS 1 quart whole milk teaspoon salt 1 cup white rice (rinsed in cold water and drained) 2 eggs 1 cup evaporated milk 1 teaspoon vanilla cup sugar cup raisins METHOD Place milk and salt into a saucepan. When milk is warm, add rice. Bring to a slow boil and then reduce to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook until the rice is soft, about 35-40 minutes. In a large bowl, blend the eggs, 3/4 c evaporated milk, vanilla and sugar. Add cup evaporated milk to the hot rice. Add the raisins. When rice is soft, spoon about 1 cup of the rice mixture into the blended egg mixture, then pour the mixture into the remaining rice and cook until bubbly and thick. Place into a bowl, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon and fresh berries on top if you wish. Refrigerate until cold. AND FINALLY... When the Lord was creating firefighters, he was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared and said, "You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one." And the Lord said, "Have you read the specification on this person? Firefighters have to be able to go for hours fighting fires or tending to a person that the usual every day person would never touch, while putting in the back of their mind the circumstances. They have to be able to move at a second's notice and not think twice of what they are about to do, no matter what danger. They have to be in top physical condition at all times, running on half-eaten meals, and they must have six pairs of hands." The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands ... no way." "It's not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord, "It's the three pairs of eyes a firefighter has to have." "That's on the standard model?" asked the angel. The Lord nodded. "One pair that has to see through the fire and where they and their fellow firefighters should fight the fire next, another pair here in the side of the head to see their fellow firefighters and keep them safe, and another pair of eyes in the front so that they can look for the victims caught in the fire that need their help." "Lord," said the angel, touching his sleeve, "Rest and work on this tomorrow." "I can't," said the Lord. "I already have a model that can carry a 250 pound man down a flight of stairs and to safety from a burning building, and can feed a family of five on a civil service paycheck." The angel circled the model of the firefighter very slowly. "Can it think?" "You bet," said the Lord. "It can tell you the elements of a hundred fires, and can recite procedures in their sleep that are needed to care for a person until they reach the hospital. And all the while they have to keep their wits about themselves. This Firefighter also has phenomenal personal control. They can deal with a scene full of pain and hurt, coaxing a child's mother into letting go of the child so that they can care for the child in need. And still they rarely get the recognition for a job well done from anybody, other than from fellow firefighters." Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the firefighter. "There's a leak," she pronounced. "Lord, it's a tear." "What's the tear for?" asked the angel. "It's a tear from bottled-up emotions for fallen comrades. A tear for commitment to that funny piece of cloth called the American Flag. It's a tear for all the pain and suffering they have encountered. And it's a tear for their commitment to caring for and saving lives of their fellow man!" "What a wonderful feature, Lord. You're a genius," said the angel. The Lord looked somber and said, "I didn't put it there."