Five-Spice Chicken with Hoisin-Maple-Glaze, Orzo with Browned Butter and Parmesan, Tomato Ginger Dressing

My dad is not a fan of grilling chicken, something he let me know when I informed him I had a grilled chicken recipe I would like to make for Sunday dinner. Actually, he waited until he had purchased the chicken, the chicken had marinated and the grill was hot. This was a surprise to me because I remember eating quite a bit of grilled chicken growing up. Maybe my mom talked him into grilled chicken, I don’t know. Can you tell I’m picking on my dad right now?

Begrudgingly dad grilled the chicken while I made the Orzo with Browned Butter and Parmesan as well as Tomato Ginger Dressing to have on the side.  Once we all sat down for dinner dad let husband and I know the ins and outs of grilling chicken. It was a lively conversation of asking questions and sharing advice.

The only adjustment I made on the chicken was the paprika. I don’t have any sweet paprika in my spice cabinet so I went with the plain old boring paprika. The chicken was so flavorful. The glaze cooks very quickly so be prepared with your clean plate as soon as you put the glaze on.

I did make a few changes with the orzo. The wine I used was garlic wine. My parents had a bottle that my aunt gave them a while back. My dad makes wine and sometime makes unusual flavored wine (onion, just to prove he could) so he’s often the recipient of interesting flavored wines. No one should drink garlic wine. No one should even smell garlic wine. But you should cook with it. There was a subtle garlic taste to the orzo that was lovely. I omitted the parmesan and chives just because I didn’t have them on hand.

The tomato ginger dressing is an amazing way to use tomatoes from the garden. I really don’t like fresh/raw tomatoes but I am in love with this dressing. I usually have all the ingredients in the pantry so I am sure this dressing will be gracing our table for the next few weeks at least. Make sure the tomatoes are garden fresh, I have a feeling December/January grocery store tomatoes will not be as exciting.

Five-Spice Chicken with Hoisin-Maple-Glaze

My poor honey bear is done.

2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
1 Tbs. sweet Hungarian paprika
1 Tbs. minced fresh garlic (about 3 large cloves)
2-1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
1 tsp. ground fennel seed
1 tsp. dry mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. honey
2 tsp. Asian sesame oil
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup peanut or canola oil
3 lb. bone-in chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breasts, and wings)

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, garlic, 2 tsp. of the five-spice, fennel, mustard, 1 Tbs. salt, and 2 tsp. pepper. Put the chicken pieces in a 9x13-inch baking dish and rub the spice mix all over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and no more than 6 hours.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill fire for indirect cooking over medium heat (325°F to 375°F). In a small bowl, combine the hoisin, maple syrup, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and the remaining 1/2 tsp. five-spice powder.

Lightly brush the chicken pieces with the peanut oil and arrange skin side down over direct heat. Cover and cook until grill marks form, 3 to 5 minutes. If the chicken flares up, immediately move it to indirect heat. Flip the chicken and mark the other side, 2 minutes more. Move the chicken to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking over indirect heat. Cover and cook, occasionally rearranging the pieces to ensure even cooking, until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F (breast pieces) to 170°F (leg pieces), 30 to 45 minutes.

Generously brush the glaze on the chicken and flip glaze side down over to the hotter part of the grill. Cook until the glaze is bubbly and deep red, 30 to 60 seconds. Brush more glaze on the top of the chicken, flip, and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more. Serve immediately.

Orzo with Browned Butter and Parmesan

1-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 cup orzo
1/3 cup dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Thinly sliced fresh chives (optional)

In a 1- to 2-quart saucepan, bring the chicken broth and 1/2 cup water to a simmer over medium-high heat.

In a 3-quart heavy-duty saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 2 minutes. Add the orzo and stir with a wooden spoon to coat well. Cook until the orzo just begins to turn a light golden color, about 2 minutes.

Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add the simmering broth mixture, stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the orzo is just tender, about 12 minutes; the mixture may still be wet but will set up.

Stir the orzo, season to taste with salt and a generous amount of pepper, and mix in the Parmigiano. Cover and let rest 5 minutes. Add the chives (if using) and serve.

Tomato Ginger Dressing

1 medium beefsteak tomato (about 8 oz.), cored and roughly chopped
1 Tbs. unseasoned rice vinegar
1/2 Tbs. grated fresh ginger (from a 3/4-inch piece)
Small pinch of ground cayenne
Kosher salt
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Put the tomato, vinegar, ginger, cayenne, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a blender and purée until smooth. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil through the feed hole in the blender cap. Season to taste with more salt.

All recipes from Fine Cooking July 2011

Grilled Tamarind Chicken Tacos

One of my most favoritest things (yes, most favoritest) about airports is that they are the only place I allow myself to purchase Fine Cooking magazine. It’s one of my all time favorite cooking magazines but with the stacks of Food and Wine, Bon Appétit and many cookbooks on my bookshelves I have decided that Fine Cooking is a special treat. I love tucking into the articles and dreamily reading the delicious recipes during takeoff.

Once husband and I returned home from our vacation I made five recipes from the most recent issue. I have several more waiting to be made. Husband received a grill as a gift earlier this year so I’m happy to find ways to use it. We have been without a grill for so long, grilling anything isn’t the first thing I think of when I make our menu for the week. This issue of Fine Cooking had a whole article about grilling so I got down to business.

I had everything I needed to make this recipe after a not-co-quick trip to the grocery store (10 day in Europe equals a very bare fridge) so I decided I was going to master grilling chicken. Ok, maybe not master but at least be successful. Thankfully this recipe is pretty easy. The chicken is boneless and skinless so it cooks quickly. There are also very few ingredients. I was unable to find Tamarind soda which was shocking to me since I swear I’ve seen it at the grocery store, but I used the tip to use orange (mandarin actually)soda in its place.

I served the chicken with whole wheat tortillas, lettuce, tomato, cheddar, plain Greek yogurt, my dad's lime salsa and cucumbers. Definitely a hit and I will be making this again at least once before winter arrives!

Raw chicken never photographs well.

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 lb.)
1 12.5-oz. bottle tamarind soda (Jarritos brand)
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 medium cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbs. ground coriander
2 tsp. pure chile powder, such as ancho
Sea salt

Put the chicken in a large bowl and cover with the tamarind soda. Add the soy sauce and garlic and mix well. Refrigerate overnight.

Prepare a high charcoal or gas grill fire for indirect grilling.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat it dry. In a small bowl, combine the coriander, chile powder, and a pinch of salt. Dust the thighs on both sides with the spice rub. Cook on the hot part of the grill until grill marks form on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and mark the other side, about 2 minutes more. Move the chicken to the cooler side of the grill and grill until cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Let the chicken rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes and then cut the meat into strips and serve.

Fine Cooking – July 2011

Rösti - a Swiss adventure

Fireworks at Fetes de Geneve

Husband loves me. He took me on an amazing trip fulfilling a lifelong goal of mine. As a gift for my 30^th birthday (gasp!) husband took me to Geneva Switzerland! The timing was perfect, Geneva was just finishing their annual summer celebration “Fetes de Geneve” which culminates with a glorious fireworks festival.

While on this trip we also spent a little time in London, several towns in Switzerland, a monastic island in Germany and Vienna. I was enthralled with the sites, the sounds, the people, the rhythm of life and of course the food. I did what I could to try all the local foods but there were so many options and just not enough meals in the day.  We also didn’t eat the infamous fondue because it’s a winter meal. I guess we’ll have to make another trip in some not too distant winter.

In London husband and I split an order of fish and chips in from of the Tower of London before meeting some of his coworkers for a tasty Indian dinner. In Switzerland we feasted on Rosti, fish from Lac Leman (Lake Geneva), light and crisp Swiss wine and a little chocolate. Another of husband’s coworkers met us for Fetes de Geneva and shared a few new treats with us: fresh figs, blue mirabelles (globe grape sized plums) and pate. This pate was meat enveloped in a pastry shell and looked like a little cake, not the type of pate you would spread on a cracker.



Sausage and Rosti



Eastern Switzerland and Vienna brought forth sausages, schnitzel, goulash, potato dumplings, potato salad, sauerkraut, pickles and beer. Very similar to the food you would find here in the Midwest, but just a little bit better. I’m not a big fan of sauerkraut but I gobbled it with gusto in Vienna. The potato salad was dressed in a light lemony dressing making it much more appealing that mayo soaked potatoes. Since I prefer lighter beer I ordered lagers which came with a surprising sweet taste.



Grapes, bread, meat, pickles and Swiss wine



Husband loves to tell a story of traveling on a train in Switzerland or Germany when he was there on business and how some fellow travelers brought their own lunch along. A lunch of meat, cheese, bread and a jar of pickles. They brought their Swiss Army knives along to cut and share. After hearing this story, I wanted to be those travelers. Husband indulged me and I put together a similar lunch one day for our trek to the monastic island. We may not have shared this meal on the train, but sitting near a church built in the 900s was amazing itself.

I felt the recipe to share is the one for Rosti. The first time Husband came home from Switzerland he raved about Rosti for days. I found this recipe but I still have yet to make it for myself. If you can make hash browns, you can make Rosti!

1 pound yellow-fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In a large saucepan cover potatoes with salted water by 2 inches and simmer until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander and cool. Chill potatoes, covered, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.

Peel potatoes. Set a four-sided grater in a large bowl and coarsely shred potatoes into bowl. Season potatoes with salt and pepper, tossing mixture with a fork.

In a 9- to 9 1/2-inch nonstick skillet heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add potatoes, spreading them evenly and tamping them down with a rubber spatula to form an even cake. Reduce heat to moderately low and cook rösti until underside is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Slide rösti onto a large plate. Invert another large plate over rösti and invert rösti onto it. (Browned side of rösti should be on top.) In skillet heat remaining tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil over moderately low heat until foam subsides. Slide rösti back into skillet, browned side up, and cook until underside is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.  Slide rösti onto a serving plate and cut into wedges.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Rosti-15809#ixzz1VrPUBL8W

All-Bran Chocolate Chip Cookies

Not too much cooking has been happening at our house this week. It’s hot outside and I just don’t feel like cooking. Thankfully I had all those meals I made at Your Secret Kitchen to keep us going. I’ve also been a little creative with some leftovers in the fridge. I actually turned leftover roast, the few remaining spoonfuls of salsa, a can of beans and leftover gazpacho into chili last night. Yes, the heat index is close to 100 and I made chili, welcome to my world! I realized later that the gazpacho had cucumbers in it, oh well, you can’t taste them!

So what do I have to share with you? Cookies! I don’t make baked goods very often but I had a box of All-Bran in the pantry that I had purchased to make cookies with before little one arrived. I decided to whip up another batch since they were so very very yummy! These have a different taste from Toll House chocolate chip cookie (I LOVE those too!) but the difference is subtle.

I mixed together milk chocolate with dark chocolate chips that I had left over from making fudge and that was fantastic! I add walnuts if I have them, if not I don’t think that the cookies suffer. I don’t buy margarine so I used butter.

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup hot water

1/2 cup Kellogg's® All-Bran® Original cereal

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 package (6 oz., 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1. Stir together flour, soda and salt. Set aside.

2.  In large mixing bowl, beat together margarine and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Mix in hot water. Add KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN ORIGINAL cereal, flour mixture, walnuts and chocolate morsels, mixing until combined. Drop by teaspoon onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray.

3.  Bake at 375°F about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks. Store in airtight container.

http://www2.kelloggs.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?id=46