Quick Sunday Glaze

We eat chicken…often.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love chicken.  It is versatile, easy, and budget friendly.  That being said, the truth is I would LIKE to eat more red meat.  On the opposite side of the coin, I would also like to live a long and healthy life.  Despite my love of red meat, I’m sure that my arteries thank me for the limitations.

Chicken, in its frequency of use, can get old.  Let’s face it, chicken can be down right boring.  This is the reason I take every opportunity to mix it up, try a new recipe, and make chicken more than just chicken.  I try cooking it differently or mixing it with different sauces or spices.  In the end, as boring as chicken could be, I can’t remember the last time I was bored with it.

Last night I knew I wanted to have chicken that was decently healthy but that tasted like it was not healthy.  That is always an important first step, because sometimes I do want it to taste light and healthy.  Not on a Sunday, though.  Sundays are mildly gluttonous in our household.  Since I knew I wanted a richer flavor, I bought thighs at the market instead of white meat.  The dark meat gives them a deeper, fattier flavor.  I trim off the excess fat and they still end up juicier than if you were to use, say, a chicken breast.  I also knew I wanted something sweet…

Sauces can be really easy.  Since I am a) from the South and b) a huge fan a BBQ, it makes sense that I would turn to the sticky sweet side of the culinary aisle when given the chance.  A quick and relatively healthy way to make a sweet sauce is to cook down (or reduce) something that is naturally sweet.  I used a single serving bottle of orange juice (pure juice, not from concentrate) as the base for my sauce.  First, though, I sautéed a 1/2 cup fine dice shallots in a sauce pan with a little oil, salt, and pepper.  Then I added the juice and brought it to a boil.  You can even throw in some herbs (I used thyme from my window box herb garden) and a dash more off salt and pepper and let it cook down until you can see it thickening up. This shouldn’t take more than 15 to 20 minutes. Since I used shallots and full sticks of thyme, once the sauce had reduced, I strained it.

After I strained it, I threw a couple of thyme leaves for color and let it come to room temperature.  This reduction alone, could work for a great glaze.  I wanted more, though, so I also stirred in a tablespoon or Worcestershire sauce and about 3 tablespoons of Maple Syrup ( the real kind.)

For the chicken, I just gave it a little salt and pepper and gave it a good seer in a wicked hot pan and olive oil.

Once it had a good seer on both sides, I threw it in a 400 degree oven to cook off.  This should only take about 15 – 20 minutes and can be done while the sauce is reducing.  Once the chicken was about 5 to 7 minutes from being finished, I started basting it with the sauce.

Do this a couple of times before it is finished and when the chicken is cooked, you have some sinfully sticky chicken thighs.

So, it isn’t the healthiest of all routes, but at the end of the day it really isn’t much worse that having a glass of juice.  The best part is that you use another burner on the stove and simultaneously make some quinoa or couscous and in under 30 minutes, you have made yourself a finger licking good Sunday meal.

Sweet Summer Ribs

I’m spent the majority of my childhood in Arkansas and Missouri.  Now I am a New Englander.  Here in New England, they call where I come from “The Middle.”  Of course, they call everything from Pennsylvania to Nevada “the Middle.”  The truth of the matter is, as anyone from “the Middle” knows, each state has its own flavor.  You can hear it in the vernacular, see it in the faces of the people, and taste it on the local tables.  Each region, state, and even city is like a microcosm, each with its own ‘way.’  These innately individual traits among locations have brought me volumes of inspiration and interest through my travels.  It has also given me a glimpse into my own personal tastes and the evolution that has taken place as I grow older.

The region of North Central Arkansas where I grew up certainly has its own ‘flavor’ and its food is no exception.  What I consider to be one of the coolest areas of food in Arkansas is its approach to BBQ.  When you hear about different kinds of BBQ, you usually hear the city or state associated with the different ‘basic’ methods as part of its name.  (I say ‘basic’ because BBQ is truly unique to each individual, though each region seems to have a ‘known’ set of characteristics.)  The “styles” of BBQ most referred to are Memphis, St Louis, Kansas City, Texas, and Carolina.  Now picture each of those places on a map.  Leaving Carolina BBQ out of the equation, both geographically and gastronomically, you might notice that the known variations of BBQ literally surround Arkansas.  The result is Arkansas BBQ; an incredible muddling of the best traits of each of the surrounding regions…sweet, smoky, spicy BBQ that melds as perfectly in theory as it melts in your mouth.  That style of BBQ, in its entirety, is my favorite type of food.

As we draw another week closer to my annual week-long trip home to Arkansas, I cannot help but be excited.  Family, the Ozarks, and food you cannot get anywhere else are all elements that bring a smile to my face even as I sit here typing.  I think it was in that spirit of nostalgia and my love for my home state’s version of my favorite kind of food that inspired to make this meal; Sweet Tea Ribs. It was initially inspired by a dish I saw in Food Network Magazine and I, of course, just added my own little twist.

It may be one of the simplest basic preparations out there.  I have used both baby back and spare ribs, and both have turned out equally delicious.  Something to keep in mind; spare ribs are generally more budget friendly than baby back ribs.  I used spare ribs this time, about 2.5lbs.  In a bowl I made the rub; I took the tea from 3 bags of Irish Breakfast and 1 bag Lady Grey tea (any tea would probably work), brown sugar, chili powder, salt and pepper and mixed it together.  (The great thing about rubs, though, is they can be whatever you want them to be!)  Rub the mixture all over the ribs.

Then, while the oven is preheating to 250 degrees, make some actual tea on the stove top.  2 cups or so using the same kind of tea from the rub.

Once the tea is made, add 1/8th cup or so of brown sugar to make it sweet.  Pour the tea into a roasting pan or even a broiler pan.  If you are using baby backs, you can just set the ribs down in the liquid.  The natural curve of the rack keeps the majority of the meat out of the liquid.  However, when I use spare ribs, I put them on a rack of some sort to keep them elevated.  Cover the pan with foil and throw the ribs in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or so.

Once the ribs are tender, you can start basting them with the liquid from the pan.  To do this, pull the ribs from the oven and crank the temp to 450 degrees.  Pour about half of the cooking liquid back into the saucepan you used to brew the tea.  Return the ribs to the oven, sans foil, basting every 10 minutes or so until the ribs are sticky and slightly crispy.

The ribs are sticky and gooey enough that you don’t need any sauce.  You may need a lot of napkins, though.  I served them with white wine sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes sprinkled with a little gorgonzola cheese.  The tangy cheese and earthy mushrooms were a great complement to the sweet ribs.

We discovered a new cocktail thanks to some friends while we were in P-town a couple of weeks ago that went VERY well with this meal.  Absolut Vodka has a Wild Tea flavor in their arsenal.  This black tea and Elderflower vodka infusion was sure to go with these ribs.  Mix it with some ginger ale over ice and you have yourself a perfect mate to this sweet, Southern inspired, summer meal.

Writing this blog today made me smile as my thoughts played between this meal and memories of home.  I love my life in the city, but the little boy who grew up in the country will always have a place in my head and at my table.  It just reminds me that the next time I’m homesick for Arkansas, all I have to do is whip up a little piece of home up in my kitchen.

Welcome to Burger Night

Each week is full of challenges…work, school, childcare, insomnia, or any mixture of the aforementioned. In fact, the week begins with the dreaded Monday…a day which by name alone causes many to shiver in fear.  In the worst of these weeks, the only thing that can get us up and moving is the knowledge that the weekend is coming.  Friday has thus become the near opposite of Monday.  Songs are written about it, restaurants are named for it, and it is generally loved by all.  Where Monday is dreaded, Friday is revered.  Monday…bad.  Friday…Awesome!  This is all on the assumption that Saturday is even better, and mostly because the work week is over.

When those that work Monday through Friday finally reach their weekend, what is it that they do?  Well, they do what they didn’t have time to do during the week.  They go out to eat with friends, go to the movies, get their hair done, and visit a few watering holes.  The down side to the practices mentioned is that the majority of my adult life I have worked in restaurants, bars, and salons.   In consequence, while others are leaving to begin their weekend, I am heading to work.  While this has been the source of some minor frustration throughout the years, I am no worse for the wear.  I still have ways of enjoying my Fridays in spite.  In that spirit, I say, “Welcome to Burger Night.”

Every Friday, with little exception, we have burgers.  They are my second favorite food and given the opportunity I would happily eat a burger everyday.  Sometimes they are just regular beef burgers with salt and pepper. Other times, they are something special.  I saw a recipe a few weeks ago using the Argentinian condiment of chimichurri on some incredible cowboy cut steaks.  The thought of the herbal ‘dressing’ melting over the top of a steak as the oil in the chimichurri heated up made my mouth water.  I immediately thought how a burger might look dressed up the same way.

You’ll find a million different recipes for chimichurri.  Some use parsley, others cualantro (which I didn’t even know existed.)  I was inspired by the fresh summer flavors of a mojito in making mine.  Yep, mint and lime!

Taking flat leaf parsley, mint, lime juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper, I assembled my ‘mojito’ chimichurri.  By processing the ingredients in a food processor, you can get a fragrant, smooth, bright green paste.

With the chimichurri finished, you can set it covered in the refrigerator, letting the flavors combine even further.   For the burgers, I wanted something more than a ‘run of the mill’ burger to go with the fresh and boisturous flavors of the chimichurri.  Instead of just salt and pepper, I decided to add grilled onions and garlic to the burger meat before cooking them.  The onions add flavor and more.  I almost always use ground sirloin or bison for our burgers.  While this lowers the intake of saturated fats in our diets, it can always take away some moisture.  The sautéed onions help to keep even a ‘well-done’ burger tender.  For an extra boost, I also added some crushed red pepper flakes.

 

Once the onions are translucent, they are done.  The trick to these is a fine dice, making them almost melt inside the burger once it is cooked.  Once the onions have cooled completely, it is time to assemble the burgers. To spice it up a little further, I also added about a teaspoon of cumin, a pinch of oregano, and a 1/4 cup of cilantro (and of course salt and pepper) before I formed the patties.

1 pound of meat can make four really decent sized burgers.  (I won’t be mad if you just make 2 though.  Ya know, if you’re really hungry.)

 I would venture to say that when it comes to burgers, a grill is always best.  There is just something about it, some strange “grill magic” that just makes things taste better.  However, when you live in the city, sometimes that is not an option.  Alternatively, I would say pan cooking the burgers can do well.  Then again, sometimes you have bad ventilation or an extra sensitive smoke alarm.  In that case, it is okay to broil them.  I admit that we always broil…  On the same token, we always have great burgers…so mind your time and broil away.

After it was all said and done, I had some beautiful burgers.  Add a bun and whatever veggies you like to garnish it (I tend to go a little on the minimalist side) and the burgers are ready for a healthy dollop of the chimichurri.

If you hadn’t noticed, this round came with a healthy portion of my (self-proclaimed) famous sweet potato fries.  It was a good fit.  That just left one final component that needed some ironing out.

In my opinion, little else goes better with burgers than a nice beer…perferably an ale.  However, I thought with the elevated flavor level I would try something bold and outside of the box.  I’m walking through the wine store trying to decide if I want a sturdy Red Zinfandel or a fruity Pinot Noir to put a finish on our Burger and Fry-day.  Then I saw that a special “Tour de France” display had been set up in the store, highlighting several affordable wines from around France.  Then the little devilish thought came creeping in…Bordeaux.

 Sure enough, this burger has just enough spunk to tangle nicely.  Still, I think Bordeaux and I think warm fireplace and snuggling.  As good as it was, it didn’t fit the summery flavors of the lime and mint in the chimichurri like I had wanted.  I would ultimately suggest the Red Zin…and tell me which one you decided on so I can give it a try.  Maybe even on the next Burger night.

>Spice it up….

>

The world of food is constantly evolving.  New items are being discovered and rediscovered.  As a culture, we find things that suddenly seem to make sense to our palate even though Incas may have used the same item in the earliest spaces of civilization.  Then there are the things that humans have used for millennia, traversing the tables of our mothers as well as our ancestors.  It is this journey through what is known and unknown to our stomachs that made me fall in love with food.  Likewise, I feel it is the constant search for new flavor profiles that defines a “food lover.”  When that search takes someone from the comfortable to the completely unknown, from the journey to the obsession, then a REAL foodie is born.  

By my own definition, I am not a REAL foodie…not yet.  I feel that to claim that specific title, one must be exposed to a few more flavor profiles and cultures than my tongue has had the chance to experience.  That isn’t to say my obsession, my passion, isn’t still there 100 percent.  In fact, it grows every day.  The key is exposure.  The more flavor combinations and cooking mediums I come across and experience fully, the closer I come to my goal of not just obsession but INFORMED obsession.

As I am still in the beginnings of my journey, I was only introduced to Indian spices and flavors this year.  Actually, there was one previous experience…While I was younger and living in Oklahoma a friend took me to an Indian restaurant on a whim.  She happened to love Indian food while I was a virgin to it.  She explained the complexities, spice, etc. but the words that stuck with me were “all you can eat buffet for 7 dollars”. (Hey, when you are young, there are certain priorities.)  All I remember were the colors of curries steaming in chaffing dishes after sitting out for hours.  They looked inedible, and mostly because they looked as if someone had already ingested them.  This caused me to steer clear of anything Indian for a decade.  It was a true desire to try new things and enjoy them that I eventually turned back to those flavors and discovered them for what they were.  I did it at home first.  I gathered together many different recipes as to understand the spices that were used and in what proportion.  Then I removed this and added more of that to come up with an Indian inspired dish I could sink my teeth into.  I have never looked back.

If you have never had Indian food, I must say I suggest it.  While I am still no expert here, I can say with assertion that if you like to taste your food, you will love Indian.  Imagine flavors that are sensual and warm, not only by scent but by warmth they leave behind in your mouth.  Spices so fragrant that to smell them each time makes my stomach growl with anticipation.  These dishes even entice an exotic sense as you read their names aloud; Tandoori, Tikka Kadahi, Vindaloo.

So, when you are ready to try your hand at this fascinating cuisine, head to Davis Square.  You will hear mixed reviews but I personally enjoyed Diva Indian Bistro.   Many also like another Indian food establishment a little further down the street called Namaskar Fine Indian Cuisine.  While I have not been there yet, the word on the street seems to say it may be better.  On the other hand, if you are ready to try something at home, I have an easy Tagine style recipe for you. 

1)       Pick your Protein (4 to 6oz per person).  Use Beef, Lamb, Chicken, or Tofu.  I think the spices take control here and the meat (or lack thereof) becomes the supportive flavor.  Just know that the depth of the dish will depend upon the protein you use.  I prefer beef…  Cut the protein into bite sized pieces, lightly salt and pepper them, and put them in a medium sized bowl.

2)      Spice it up.  For a serving of 4, I would take 1.5 tsp. of Paprika and Cumin, 1/2tsp of Tumeric, Ginger, Coriander, and Red Pepper flakes, and a 1/4tsp of Cinnamon.  Toss the protein in the spice mixture.

3)      Get to cookin’.  Using 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large hot pan or Dutch oven, cook the protein for 5-10 min depending on the protein and the level of “doneness” you desire.  Don’t forget, though, that meat (especially chicken) should really reach 170 degrees to be safe. 

4)      Add your accessories.  As the protein is nearing it perfect level of cooking, add in what you like.  I use a medium yellow or Spanish onion sliced thin, 4 cloves smashed garlic, and some color in small to medium diced carrots, butternut squash, or sweet potato (1-3 cups depending on your preferences.)  In reality, anything works here.  Pick what you like and add it.  The trick is to make it small and uniform enough to cook in about 10 min.

5)      Bring it together.  Once the onions turn translucent, about 6 or 7minutes, add in about 2 cups liquid, preferably a stock that matches the protein you chose.  What I think adds some richness, however, is to use a 14oz can of diced tomatoes.  Don’t drain the liquid from the tomatoes.   Just dump them in with a cup of the stock.    Just make sure that once the lid is on, the heat is turned down.  You don’t want to boil the liquid, just simmer.

6)      Finish it.  After about 10min, remove the lid and let the dish thicken up a bit.  Serve over couscous or rice.  Garnish with chopped cilantro…it makes a huge impact.

7)      With…I serve this over couscous.  If you really want to shake it up, add a couple teaspoons of peeled, minced ginger root to the cooking liquid for the couscous.  After it is made, stir in 3 or 4 chopped scallions.

8)      Drink.  Add a glass of Pinot Noir.  The sweetness really plays with the spice.  I suggest Red Truck Winery’s Pinot Noir.  Its a really decent wine for a really decent price.