[sake it to me chicken]

Serves 2-4

adapted from Steven Raichlen's recipe 'Sake Chicken' from the recipe book 'Beer-Can Chicken and 74 Other Offbeat Recipes for the Grill'

Just pick one

For the rub: 

2 tsp sesame seeds

2 tsp wasabi powder

2 tsp coarse salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 chicken (3 1/2-4 pounds)

2 Tbsp sesame oil

3/4 cup sake

1-2 tsp lemon zest

Lime Teriyaki Glaze (recipe below)

1 clean empty 12oz beer can

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make the rub.  Put the sesame seeds, wasabi powder, salt and pepper into a spice mill or clean coffee grinder.  Grind to a fine powder.  

Wash the chicken with room temperature water and dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle half the rub into the cavity of the chicken.  Drizzle 1 Tbsp of sesame oil on the outside of the chicken and rub the rest of the rub into the skin.

Make two additional holes to the top of the clean beer can with a knife or bottle opener.  Using a funnel, pour the sake into the can of beer and add the lemon zest through the opening.  Place the beer can (now filled with lemon zest and sake) upright into a large Pyrex Pan.  Carefully hold the chicken upright, with the opening of the cavity at the bottom, and lower it onto the beer can so the can fits into the cavity.  Place the Pyrex pan with the chicken carefully into the oven and cook for 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Baste the chicken with the leftover 1 Tbsp sesame oil before the final 30 minutes.  (Cook until chicken has reached 180 degrees internally).

 

Remove from the oven and tent with foil for 10 minutes.  Carefully remove the can from the chicken and cut the chicken to serve.  Serve with the Lime Teriyaki Glaze for dipping.

Teriyaki Lime Glaze:

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 cup sugar

2 cloves garlic, peeled and flattened with a large knife or cleaver

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Combine the soy sauce, sugar and garlic in a medium saucepan and stir to mix.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is thick, 4-6 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice and briskly simmer until the glaze thickens slightly, 5 minutes.  (It will thicken more as it cools).  Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered, until the chicken has finished cooking.  When you remove the chicken from the oven, discard the garlic before pouring the glaze into a large bowl or individual dipping bowls.

[Tacos Carne Asada w/ Pico De Gallo]

Based on recipe by Tyler Florence

Makes 8 (very filling) tacos (we could only eat 3 each). 
We had leftover carne asada we used for burritos and sandwiches.

Tacos:
2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat
1 recipe Mojo, recipe follows
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 (7-inch) corn tortillas
Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce, for serving
Diced white onion, for serving
Shredded Colby Jack cheese, for serving
Pico de Gallo, recipe follows
2 limes, cut in wedges for serving

Lay the flank steak in a large baking dish and pour the mojo over it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, so the flavors can sink into the meat. Don't marinate the steak for more than 8 hours though, or the fibers break down too much and the meat gets mushy.

Preheat an outdoor grill or a ridged grill pan over medium-high flame (you can also use a broiler). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable.
 

To make the tacos, stack up 2 of the warm tortillas, lay about 4 ounces of beef down the center, and sprinkle with some lettuce, onion, and cheese. Top each taco with a spoonful of the Pico de Gallo salsa and garnish with lime wedges. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Mojo:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 limes, juiced
1 orange, juiced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
In a bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste.  Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Whisk it up really well to combine.

Pico De Gallo:
2 vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/3 medium red onion, chopped

1 green onion, white and green parts, sliced
1 Jalapeno chile, minced
1 small handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 lime, juiced
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together. Toss thoroughly. Let it sit for 15 minutes hour to allow the flavors to marry.
Yield: 1 cup

[grilled shrimp and scallop scampi on angel hair pasta]

This recipe is a little tricky the first time only due to handling so many pots in the kitchen at once with very time sensitive ingredients, like seafood.  Once you've made it once, it's easy to master.  The bacon can be replaced by prosciutto if you can find it.

sea salt

black pepper

1/2 pound of angel hair pasta

6 garlic cloves,minced

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

about 16 shrimp, medium to large size, peeled, deveined, and tails removed

8 medium sized scallops

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup dry white wine or sherry

juice of one lemon

4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter

4 pieces of bacon

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Parmesan, if desired

Perheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lay bacon strips in a pyrex pan and cook for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.  Remove from oven and set aside between paper towels to drain.

Bring a large pot of boiling water to a boil.

In a bowl, combine the garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil.  Place half of the mixture with the shrimp and scallops and toss to coat evenly.  

Cook the pasta per the directions on the box by adding the pasta to the water along with some salt, cook until al dente (about 4 minutes).  Reserve 3 ladles of the water.  Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.

Heat a skillet to medium high and add the shrimp and scallops once it's hot.  (If using a nonstick pan - no need to add more oil - the marinade has enough).  Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until the scallops are lightly browned and the shrimp is pink.  Once cooked, remove skillet from heat and set aside.  

In a large pan/skillet, add the reserved garlic mixture and the red pepper flakes and cook over medium high heat until fragrant (don't let the garlic brown).  Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes.  Add about 2 ladles of the reserved pasta water, and the juice from the lemon.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the butter, stiring until it's melted.  Add the shrimp and scallops and toss to coat.  Add the onion and bacon and toss again.  Last, add the pasta and toss to warm up the pasta.  

Serves two generous servings.  Top with a little shredded Parmesan if desired.

[erin's chx blue]

 

this recipe doesn't get called by name in our house - we just call it "can we have that chicken thing with the bacon..." it's awesome. Truly made from Erin's imagination.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line metal pan with foil and olive oil.

2 chicken breasts, pounded until flat (about 1/4-inch thick)
2 pieces deli sliced swiss cheese
frozen broccoli florets (depending on size, 4-6 per breast)
4 slices deli ham
cajun seasoning
sea salt (the big chunk stuff)
black pepper
Olive Oil
2-4 slices of bacon (we prefer the real stuff, but you could use turkey if you want to cheat yourself)

Pound chicken breasts (in a large ziploc bag, or between sheets of wax paper), with a meat mallet until flat. Put chicken on cutting board or large plate. On the outer side of the chicken, rub cajun seasoning to your liking, and salt and pepper to taste. Flip back over and place on each breast: 1 piece swiss, broccoli and 2 slices ham (in that order). Roll chicken around ingredients (ok if ends are open, just make sure most of the inner goodness is inside the chicken). Move chicken aside and place bacon in an 'X'. Place the chicken on the bacon (seam side down) and wrap the bacon around the chicken, tugging slightly to ensure it's tight and wrapped. (I let the X be underneath on the seam of the chicken and the 'top of the chicken' be the side with the bacon overlapping, usually two parralel lines rather than another 'X' on top.) Place the chicken in the metal pan with foil. Drizzle a little olive oil on each breast.

Bake for 50 minutes. Set oven to broil and remove chicken once bacon begins to brown and crisp. (You don't need to flip the chicken).
Serve with vegetables.

[sauteed sweet chicken breasts w/ spicy fresh tomato chutney & white rice]

makes 4 servings 

adapted from Rachael Ray

Tomato chutney is the worst name for a type of food... but I made it and we liked it, and I HATE tomatoes... so that's saying something.

2 14-ounce cans chicken broth
3 tbsp extra-virgin Olive Oil
2 cups white rice
6 plum tomatoes, quartered
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, half of the seeds removed, finely chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
3 tbsp brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 green onion stalks, finely chopped
1 tbsp honey
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 
Tip:
Get the chicken coated and let it sit before you heat the skillet. While it sits, boil the chicken stock for the rice. When the rice is set and boiling and covered, then heat the chicken's skillet and get them started. While the chicken's cooking & the rice is boiling, direct your attention to the tomato.... or do what you want and have kitchen chaos. 

Chicken:
In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp of Olive Oil, cilantro, green onion, honey and a little salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts and toss to coat. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts (lower heat to medium once they've hit the pan) and cook for 6-8 minutes on each side, until cooked through. While they cook - start the rice. (Keep an eye on the chicken, but make sure it's cooked through. When it's done, set the breasts aside on a serving dish and cover with foil).

Rice:
Bring the chicken broth and a drizzle of Olive Oil to a boil in a medium pot. Add the rice, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook the rice covered, stirring occasionally, for 17-18 minutes, or until tender. Fluff with a fork. 

Tomato:
While the rice cooks, work on the spicy fresh tomato chutney. Heat a medium-size skillet over high heat with a tbsp of Olive Oil. Add the quartered plum tomatoes, cumin, coriander, serrano peppers, shallots, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, stir until garlic is fragrant. Add the sherry vinegar, brown sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and the tomatoes have broken down and are slightly thickened.

Remove the chicken and move to a serving platter.
Top each breast with tomato chutney and serve with the white rice.