Chicken Under Bricks March 5, 2010

The first time I saw a recipe for this I thought it sounded crazy, but then I got a Weber’s Real Grilling cookbook and I read the description and saw a picture. It seemed a bit unconventional to me, but it really reduced the cooking time for a whole chicken and it seemed worth a try. The results are amazing.

Whole chickens are usually fairly inexpensive, and go on sale for less than $1 a pound quite frequently, making this one of the most economical main dishes I can think of. The skin gets crispy and the meat stays very juicy and tender. The rub is simple, but adds the right amount of flavor. It is my absolute favorite way to cook a whole chicken. And I don’t actually own bricks, I just use a heavy cast iron skillet and it does the trick. The hardest part is probably cutting the backbone out of the chicken, this is necessary to flatten the chicken; you can use a knife, but kitchen shears will work better. Don’t worry if you don’t do this part perfectly, mine never look pretty, you just want the chicken flat. You might want to watch for flare-ups, as you can see in the picture mine got a little blackened, but it was still very good; you can also see how tender the meat is, it is practically falling right off the bone.

Chicken Under Bricks

Rub:

• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/2 tsp granulated onion
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. In small bowl, mix the rub ingredients.

Chicken:

• 1 whole chicken, about 5 pounds, excess fat removed
• vegetable oil
• 1 cup your favorite bbq sauce, optional

1. Place chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. Using a knife or poultry shears, cut along the backbone and remove it. Open the chicken like a book and flatten as much as possible; cut and discard wing tips.
2. Season the chicken with the rub.
3. Place the chicken, skin side down, on the grill over indirect high heat. Lightly coat the bottom of a baking sheet with oil. Place the baking sheet on top of the chicken and weight it down with foil-wrapped bricks or a cast iron pan (I actually oil the bottom of my cast iron pan and place it directly on the chicken, why wash a baking sheet if you don’t have to?).
4. Grill until golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.
5. Using pot holders, carefully remove baking sheet and bricks/pan. Using a wide spatula, carefully release chicken from grate and move to medium high heat and grill 5-10 minutes  more (I like to flip chicken at this point to get nice skin on both sides, but the original recipe doesn’t do this).
6. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. Cut chicken into serving pieces and serve with bbq if desired.
   

Cuban Pork Roast February 25, 2010

It is unusual for me to read, let alone love, a cookbook that contains few or no photographs. However, one of my all-time favorite cookbooks is The Gourmet Cookbook, edited by Ruth Reichl. This is a very big yellow book, containing over 1,000 recipes in its 1,040 pages; literally 60 years worth of the best recipes from the now defunct magazine. There are no shiny photographs, no glossy pages, just fabulous, reliable recipes for foods you’ll love. Our favorite pork recipe, Cuban Pork Roast, is found within the pages of this gigantic book. We like to serve it with quinoa, cooked in a rice cooker (just set it for white rice) with vegetable stock and a little cilantro, but for a more traditional meal, rice and beans would be fitting. Try to use fresh citrus juice, but if you don’t have quite enough, make up the difference with bottled or juice from concentrate.

Cuban Roast Pork Loin

• 4 large garlic cloves
• 1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1 (2-pound) boneless pork loin roast, preferably tied
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 1 Tb butter

Marinate the pork:

1. Using a heavy knife or fork, mash the garlic with the oregano, salt and pepper to make a paste. Rub mixture over pork. Put pork in resealable plastic bag.
2. Stir together juices and 1 tablespoon olive oil and pour over the pork. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Marinate pork, refrigerated, turning occasionally, for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Roast the pork:

1. Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 325.
2. Lift pork from marinade, reserving marinade.
3. Heat butter and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in oven-proof pot, over medium heat until foam subsides. Brown pork on all sides; this takes about 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat and pour reserved marinade over pork.
4. Cover pot and roast about 45 min- 1 hour, or until roast registers 145 F on meat thermometer (this is what the original recipe states, I cook my pork to an internal temp of 160, which is the USDA’s recommendation for pork)
5. Transfer pork to plate or cutting board and let rest about 10 minutes, internal temperature will rise 5-10 degree; meanwhile boil cooking juices 5-10 minutes. Slice roast and serve with juices.

BBQ Baked Potato February 24, 2010

I am having one of those weeks. You probably know what kind of week I mean; the one where it would help if I was more organized, planned my meals better and just had more time. So, last night in an effort to be more of this organized super-mom I wish to be, I surveyed my fridge, seeing what quick meal ideas I could come up with. I had leftover homemade BBQ Sauce, so I decided I would defrost some chicken in the fridge overnight and make slow cooker bbq chicken the next day.

So, the next day happens. I go to throw my ingredients into the slow cooker, only to remember we don’t eat gluten. The only way I know how to serve shredded BBQ chicken is on a roll. And sure, I have made some gluten free breads and rolls, but they aren’t all that special. And truth be told, homemade bread is only worth the trouble if it tastes great, or at least good. And even if I did have a gluten free bread recipe up my sleeve, today was not a day I had time to make bread.

I do the only think I know to do, I call my sister and ask what else her family eats bbq shredded meat on or with. She suggests a baked potato, apparently this is popular in bbq country. So I chopped up some green onions, grated some cheddar cheese (although I think colby-jack would be better, I had none) and went about my day. When I arrived home, very tired and way past our regular dinner time, with a very grumpy toddler at my foot, I quickly washed up some potatoes, threw them in the microwave and had dinner on the table in no time. It was delicious, thanks Lynn. Dinner Saved.

BBQ Baked Potatoes

Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce
• 1/2 cup Italian Dressing
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• diced onions and garlic, optional (my homemade bbq sauce has onions and garlic, so I don’t add more)

1. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook around 3 hours on low. Using a fork, shred chicken and stir back into sauce to combine.
2. Cook on high for approximately 1 more hour, or until meat is done.

• 4-6 baked potatoes
• sour cream, cheese, green onions or chives, all optional but delicious

1. To serve, split open potatoes, lengthwise. Spoon chicken on top of potatoes. Top with optional ingredients if desired. Enjoy.

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak February 22, 2010

I have a love/hate relationship with my crock pot. I love the ease and convenience, but I have hated more than one slow cooker meal. And what is with all  the slow cooker recipes and the ingredients they call for, the cream of this, cream of that soup? And cheese whiz. The last thing I want slow cooking with my meat is a congealed can of fat or artificial cheese. Seriously, what were our mothers thinking? And slow cookers can be a pain in the you know what to wash.

Even with all the drawbacks, there are days when my crock pot is a life saver, especially now that we eat gluten free. Long gone are the days when we can just order a pizza or pick up some deli food on a hectic day. And between school, work, activities and normal family life, isn’t every week just a little chaotic? So, in the end I need my crock pot, but I also need dependable recipes that will produce a delicious meal. This isn’t always easy.

I have found that things that naturally require low and slow cooking also work the best in a crock pot, go figure, huh? Things I have been the happiest with are: beans, broths, stews, soups and roasts. Red meat seems to work better than chicken. Chicken is notorious for being easy to  over cook and dry out, so slow cook chicken with caution. Another warning, the old slow cookers required a longer cooking time. So if you are using an old recipe and a new crock pot, make sure to adjust the cooking time. I doubt anything requires 12 hours in a newer slow cooker, but this seemed to be the norm in the old ones. And please, for the love of all things delicious, do not use cream of anything soup. Your family and your arteries will thank you.

This is my all time favorite slow cooker meal. I believe it came from an old Taste of Home of Country magazine. Feel free to use a can of tomato sauce in place of the canned tomatoes if you prefer, it will be good either way. And the original recipe called for a 16 oz can of tomatoes, but the brands I use are all 14.5 oz cans, so I changed this accordingly. But I seriously doubt it will matter which size of can you use.

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

• 1 1/2-2 pounds round steak (or any other appropriate cut)
• 2 Tb oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (if eating gf, San-J makes a good one)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
  
• 1 tsp sugar
• pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger  (or about 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced)
  
• 1-  14.5oz can of cut tomatoes with liquid (or a can of tomato sauce)
  
• 2 large bell peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tb Cornstarch

1. Cut beef into 3-inch strips and brown in oil in skillet (if short on time, browning  can be skipped). Place beef in slow cooker.
2. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, onion, garlic, sugar, pepper, ginger, tomatoes and green peppers. Cook on low 5-6 hours or until beef is tender.
3. Combine cornstarch and water in small dish. Stir into slow cooker and cook on high until thick; about 30 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Fish Tacos With Black Bean Salsa January 28, 2010

I have always been a huge fan of Emeril Lagasse, however, I don’t use many of his recipes anymore.  I have quite a few of his cookbooks, but honestly the ones that get the most use are his children’s cookbooks. These recipes are easy with few ingredients and not too spicy. Emeril’s traditional recipes are a bit bold for my family, so I usually have to hold back on some of the seasoning, but that is probably a regional thing. We don’t really “kick it up a notch” in Northwest. We do love food in this part of the country, jut not necessarily spicy food.

If you are looking for some new, fast meal ideas you might want to take a look at Emeril’s latest book, 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast. It stays true to his style of cooking fresh, flavorful food, but it only contains simple, practical recipes; recipes that will be ready in 20, 40, or 60 minutes and that is how the cookbook is broken down. Sure, we eat gluten free at our house, so not every recipe is going to work for my family, but I think it’s nice that professional chefs are realizing that the average home cook may not want to run around collecting special ingredients and then spend several hours cooking dinner. In real life we have about 20 or 40 minutes, maybe 60 minutes on a slow day, to get dinner on the table. So, thank you Emeril for making a cookbook for the real home chef, a person who may be short on time but still wants a great home-cooked meal.

I have had fish tacos at restaurants along the coast and they are great. Only once did I try to make them at home, and although they were good, they were complicated and not really worth all the effort. I saw this recipe in the 20-40-60 cookbook and I had to try it for lunch. Other than using corn tortillas instead of flour, I followed the recipe exactly. When I make it again though I am going to reduce the oil in the Black Bean Salsa from 1/4 cup to 3 tablespoons, and so I noted this change below. If you have never had fish tacos, they might sound odd at first, but they are really good.

Fish Tacos With Black Bean Salsa

• one 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup + 3 Tb olive oil, divided
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1 Tb fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 pounds skinless firm white fish fillets (such as snapper) trimmed and cut into pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 8 corn tortillas
• 3 cups shredded lettuce
• 4 lime wedges
• 1/2 cup sour cream

1. In a medium bowl, combine the beans, 3 Tb olive oil, jalapeno, lime juice, garlic, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside.
2. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Dredge quickly in the cornmeal and shake to remove excess. Set aside.
3. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in saute pan (I use a large cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Add half the fish fillets, and saute until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel lined dish to drain. Repeat with remaining fish.
4. Heat tortillas for 30 seconds per side in a saute pan (I think non-stick or cast iron works best). Transfer to a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
5. To assemble the tacos, place 2 tortillas on each plate, and divide the shredded lettuce among them. Spoon the black bean salsa onto the lettuce, and place fish fillets on top. Top with sour cream and and squeeze the lime wedges over top. Serve immediately.

Steak with Chili BBQ Sauce January 26, 2010

Growing up, we didn’t really eat steak. I am guessing it was just too expensive. I entered my adult life not really knowing what a good steak tasted like, let alone how to cook it. For a long time, my husband just had to go out to a steakhouse to get a decent steak, and then finally I decided I had to learn how to grill a steak. How hard could it be?

If you want to learn how to cook a great restaurant quality steak at home, my biggest piece of advice, invest in a Weber cookbook. The people at Weber know griling. They have fabulous recipes that are simple and fresh. And tons of tips on grilling in general, not just steaks. Here is an example of a quick, flavorful steak recipe out of Weber’s Big Book of Grilling. When I make this, I cut back on the pepper and chili powder, to make it more kid-friendly, but the following recipe is the original, full flavor version. We used the sauce for dipping, but it would also be good as a bbq sauce on other cuts of meat.

Texas Rib-Eye Steak with Chili BBQ Sauce

4 rib-eye steaks, about 1- 1/14 inches thick

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup kethcup
• 1 Tb worchestershire sauce
• 1 Tb red wine vinegar
• 1 Tb dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp granulated onion
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/4 cup water

For the rub:

• 1 TB peppercorns, crushed
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/4 tsp granulated onion

Allow steaks to come to room temperature, about 20-30 minutes. This is a great time to make the sauce.

To make sauce: In a small saucepan combine all sauce ingredients  and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Set aside while you grill the steaks.

Brush or spray steaks with olive oil. Combine rub ingredients in small bowl. Press rub into both sides of the steak. Grill over high heat for 8-10 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time, for med-rare. Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes. Serve with the sauce.