Friday Food - Thai Grilled Chicken

This morning we woke up to 71℉ and 95% humidity and are expecting 86℉ this afternoon. Summer has arrived and from now until October or November it will not get any cooler than that at night and definitely much, much hotter during the day. It's not my favorite time of the year here...

During those hot and humid summer months, we like to grill. Actually, I should say that I love that Daniel likes to grill in the summer ... and stay out there by the hot grill with the mosquitoes swarming around him. Not a job for me, that's for sure!!

One of our very favorite dishes is this Thai grilled chicken with a dipping sauce and cucumber relish. We've been making it for years and still haven't gotten tired of it! Although we don't eat it too often because of the all the sugar in the dipping sauce and cucumber relish...

Today, I'd like to share the recipes with you.

Barbecued Chicken Chiang Mai Style
from True Thai, the Modern Art of Thai Cooking (I think the cookbook is out of print by now, which is too bad - it is excellent!)

2 frying chickens (about 3 1/2 pounds each), split in half (we usually make this with one chicken if it's just for us, but still make the full recipe for the marinade)
1 small bunch cilantro
1 large orange
3 1/2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, ground
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 bottle (12 ounces) beer, allowed to go flat
Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce (recipe to follow)

Place the chicken halves skin-side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Lightly score the chicken to allow the marinade to penetrate. Set aside.

Chop the cilantro stems and reserve the leaves for another use. You should have about 3/4 cups loosely packed chopped stems.

Trim off the ends of the orange and discard.

Cut the orange into 1/2-inch slices and remove any seeds. Stack and cut the slices into small cubes. You should have about 3/4 cups.

Combine the cilantro stems, orange cubes, garlic, pepper, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until the mixture is ground to a rough-textured paste. With the motor running, pour the beer through the feed tube. Process until the mixture is well blended.

Pour the marinade of the chicken halves, then turn them skin-side down. Spoon some of the marinade into the cavities. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or up to 24 hours, turning occasionally to coat each half well.

Grill or roast (in 425℉ oven) the chicken for about 30 to 40 minutes, turning the chicken now and then and  basting it frequently with the marinade. If you are roasting it in the oven, brown the chicken at the end by turning on the broiler.

Cut chicken into smaller pieces and serve hot, warm or at room temperature with the dipping sauce.


Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce
from True Thai, the Modern Art of Thai Cooking

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Chinese-style chili-garlic sauce, preferably Lee Kum Kee brand

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the rest of the sugar. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently as the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chili-garlic sauce and remove from heat.

Let cool and serve at room temperature.

Covered and refrigerated, this sauce will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

Spicy Cucumber Relish

from True Thai, the Modern Art of Thai Cooking

1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup golden brown or white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large cucumber, hothouse or common variety, or 1 pound small pickling cucumbers
4 to 6 small Thai chilies or 2 to 3 serrano chilies, finely chopped
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, crushed in a mortar or finely chopped
1/3 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro

Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Cook for 1 minute at a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

When ready to serve, peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. (If using a common cucumber, scrape out the seeds with a spoon.) Cut the halved cucumber crosswise into thin slices. Place the cucumber, chilies, peanuts and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Pour the cooled vinegar dressing over the relish ingredients and mix gently.
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Add to that some jasmine rice and you'll have an amazing meal!!

Now, it may seem complicated, but it really isn't as most of it you can do ahead of time, even the dressing for the relish. Plus, the marinade is done in the food processor well in advance - super easy! So, at mealtime, you simply grill the chicken, cook the rice and put together the relish ingredients.

Delicious!!

Friday Food - Turkish Carrots and Lentils

Whenever we remember to do so, Daniel and I like to listen to The Splendid Table on our public radio station. So, when an episode in November featured Diana Henry and her recipe for Greek Potatoes, it sounded so good that I made a mental note to check out her cookbook Plenty: Good uncomplicated food for the sustainable kitchen.


The cookbook looked so fabulous that I got it for us for Christmas and have been cooking from it quite a bit. So far all the dishes have been fairly simple and quite exceptional. So, too, this dish of Turkish carrots and lentils. If you click here, it takes you to the recipe! It's definitely worth trying.

Thank you all for your comments on my painting yesterday. I have to tell you that you'll get to see it again. I kept thinking about it, which tells me it wasn't done. And this morning it already looks completely different. Let's just say the duck flew off to someone else's painting...

Wishing you a fantastic start into your weekend!!

Friday Food - Asparagus with Tarragon Sherry Vinaigrette

I am of the opinion that it's always wise to interrupt deep thoughts with good food. So, I'm doing that in my blog posts as well. Too much deep thinking is not good without sustenance.

Daniel recently found The Gourmet Cookbook (edited by Ruth Reichl) at the public library and, after we tried some of the recipes, bought a copy from a used book seller. It has over 1,000 pages of deliciousness, and - here it comes, dear friends!! - over 400 pages of baked goods and desserts. That's a cookbook for us!!

Here's a simple Asparagus recipe we tried the other evening and I thought you might like it, too. It reminded me of the way my mother would serve asparagus salads (with white asparagus, though) when I was growing up.

Asparagus with Tarragon Sherry Vinaigrette
from The Gourmet Cookbook

1 1/2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons minced shallot
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 hard-boiled large egg

Cook asparagus in a 4- to 5-quart wide pot of boiling well-salted water, uncovered, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on thickness. With tongs, transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.

Whisk together vinegar, shallot, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until well blended. Whisk in tarragon.

Halve egg and force through a coarse-mesh sieve into a bowl. Toss asparagus with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette and divide among four plates. Spoon remaining vinaigrette over asparagus and top with egg.

Our variation: Instead of poaching the asparagus, we brushed it with a little bit of olive oil and then grilled it. It tasted soooo good!!

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When I checked this morning, I saw that there are now 300 followers on my blog! I am simply blown away! Thank you so much - and Welcome to the new readers!! And, as soon as the creative muse visits me again, there will be a giveaway. Promise!!

But for now I wish you a most wonderful Friday and a great start to your weekend!

Friday Food - Armenian Kebabs

This was yet another excellent meal from the Sunset Best Recipes 2010 magazine - So amazing Armenian lula kebabs. I thought it would be very involved, but it actually went quite fast and was delicious!
With the kebabs, I made a bulgur pilaf with onion and spinach and sauteed some carrots with fresh tarragon. Click here to find the recipe! Enjoy!!

Friday Food - Grilled Chicken with Pickled Tomato Salsa

Here, another delicious recipe from the Sunset Best Recipes 2010 Magazine - Grilled Cilantro Chicken with Pickled Tomato and Avocado Salsa. This one was a little more involved, but preparing it was a delight for the senses.

Especially when quickly frying the mixture below (garlic, ginger, cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric, cayenne, salt and pepper) in some olive oil before pouring it over the tomatoes.
Not only did this dish look beautiful, but it was unusual and delicious as well!
Find the recipe here. Guten Appetit!!

Friday Food and Flowers

The other day, I dropped Daniel off at a bookstore for him to just run in quickly to look for an art magazine he needed. He found it, but he also came out with this magazine for me - well, really for us, since he'll be enjoying the food I make... When we lived in California and even in New Mexico, I subscribed to Sunset Magazine and always enjoyed it. So, after I read it cover to cover, I thought I'd try some of the recipes and share them with you if we liked them.

This was a very easy dish called Spicy Turkey Sausage with Black-Eyed Peas and Spinach. It was fast, it was easy and it was delicious! Instead of serving it on rice, I served it with quinoa that I cooked in broth. Yummy!! You can find the recipe here.
And then I just had to share these flowers with you! One day this week, I noticed that one of our amaryllis stalks had been knocked over in a rain storm, so I just had to bring it inside as well as a few of our stunning hydrangeas.
So pretty!! They make me smile every time I walk past.
Good food and flowers - what more could I want? I hope you are all having a delicious Friday!!

Friday Food

Well, at least it's food related! Remember these pot holders? Well, I finished them a while ago and decided that they weren't quite the colors I wanted, so I listed them on Etsy. Simply click here if you want to take a peek.

This is the pair I made for our kitchen. The dark blue just works better with some of my kitchen towels.
And look at those delicious colors I am using for yet another pair that'll go in my Etsy shop. Fun!!
Now, I promise to make you hungry. Just look at this yummy decadence.
Doesn't it look ambrosial? That's what I thought until I realized that it's all miniature food made from polymer clay by Stéphanie Kilgast. Isn't that amazing? She was a featured seller on Etsy the other day and I've been mesmerized by her creations ever since...

She even makes jewelry, like this delectable pendant

and these mouthwatering cookie earrings.
Or maybe you prefer sandwiches...

You can find her blog here and her Etsy shop here. It's worth taking a look!

Working in such a small format is just amazing to me. I admire it, but it's not something I'd have the patience for. Plus, if I'd make foodie items like this, I'd always be hungry...

Speaking of food, today, I am making a Chocolate Cherry Angelfood Cake for a dinner with friends. I hope I'll remember to take photos to share with you all. And if it turns out really well, I'll share the recipe with you!

P.S. Some of you have commented on how early I get up to write my posts. While I do get up quite early, I actually prepare my posts the night before and schedule them to get published bright and early in the morning. It just makes it easier for me and assures that my post happens even if my morning gets to be really busy.

Friday Food - Memphis Chopped Cole Slaw

As promised, here is the recipe for the delicious slaw we made the other day, which I wrongly called Carolina Slaw. When I looked for the recipe online (we only have a rudimentary handwritten version), I discovered that it's really called:

Memphis Chopped Cole Slaw

(America's Test Kitchen)

1 medium head green cabbage, chopped into 1/4 inch dice (NOT shredded) - we used red cabbage this last time

1 carrot, grated

1 small onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater

1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and diced

Toss together with 2 teaspoons of salt, place in colander and allow to drain for 1 hour. Rinse off the salt and remove excess water in salad spinner.

Combine in medium saucepan:

2/3 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1/4 cup Heinz chili sauce

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon celery seeds

Bring to a boil and pour hot on vegetables. Toss and chill for at least one one hour before eating.

This coleslaw has a wonderful sweet and tangy flavor and is even better the next day. Enjoy!!

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Yesterday, I was feeling much better again (yeah!!!), so we went on an outing to Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge near Hilton Head Island. I cannot wait to share the photos with you tomorrow!

In the meantime, thank you for your visits and sweet comments! You always make my day!!

Friday Food

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while now, know that I have a serious love affair with bread! Yesterday, I made a batch of these very delicious oatmeal knots to eat with equally delicious vegetable beef soup.

When we ate them fresh from the oven, I simply could not restrain myself and ate four of them - yes, four! Try them, you'll love them as much as I do!!

Oatmeal Knots

Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients

• 1 cup regular oats

• 1/2 cup honey

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 2 cups boiling water

• 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

• 1/3 cup warm water (100° to 110°)

• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal

• 3 cups whole wheat flour (about 14 1/4 ounces)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces), divided

• Cooking spray

• 1 teaspoon water

• 1 large egg

• 1 tablespoon regular oats

• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Preparation

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, and add 2 cups boiling water, stirring until well blended. Cool to room temperature.

Dissolve yeast in 1/3 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add yeast mixture to oats mixture; stir well. Stir in flaxseed meal.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Gradually add 3 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour to oats mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into the dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Divide dough in half; cut each half into 12 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent from drying), shape each portion into an 8-inch rope. Tie each rope into a single knot; tuck top end of rope under bottom edge of roll. Place each roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray; let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine 1 teaspoon water and egg in a small bowl; brush egg mixture over rolls. Combine 1 tablespoon oats, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds; sprinkle evenly over rolls. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

Yields 24 Rolls.

Guten Appetit!!

Friday Food

We both love to eat roasted or grilled veggies and these just looked so pretty I had to take before and after pictures. We tossed sweet peppers (yellow, orange and red), red onion and sliced portobello mushrooms with garlic, lemon rind, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper and grilled them in a grill basket. Delicious!!
Ever since I started blogging and taking pictures for you all, I notice things I never saw before. A few days ago, I had to roast a whole head of garlic for a dish and when I was finished squeezing out the soft, roasted garlic, I was left with this beautiful "flower."
There truly is beauty wherever we choose to look for it...

P.S. This is the last day to enter my giveaway here!! (The two winners will be announced tomorrow.)

Friday Food

Ok, so I don't need it to be Friday to enjoy or share recipes with you, but it happens to be Friday and I happen to have tried out a new recipe that was so easy and delicious I had to share it with you!

Two days ago, I found this wonderful Tunisian recipe in Williams-Sonoma's Essentials of Mediterranean Cooking, which I checked out from our local library (a wonderful way to try new cookbooks before you think about buying them).
Spiced Carrot Salad

3/4 lb carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into slices 1/4 inch thick

3/4 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 - 1 teaspoon harissa (I made my own, but you can buy it prepared at Middle Eastern grocery stores - it's a past of dried chiles, garlic, cumin and oil)

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 to 2 large eggs, hard-cooked, peeled, and quartered lengthwise

8 oil-cured black olives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)

Bring small saucepan three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook until almost tender, about 2 1/2 minutes. Drain and transfer the carrots to a bowl.

Using a mortar and pestle, crush the caraway seeds until they are finely ground. Alternatively, place them on a plate and use the bottom of a small cast-iron frying pan to press and grind them. Add the caraway seeds to the carrots. Add the garlic, harissa, and vinegar to the warm carrots and, using a fork, toss to mix well. Add the olive oil and continue tossing until the carrots are evenly coated.

Transfer the carrot salad to a serving platter. Arrange the eggs and olives over and around the carrots. Garnish with the cilantro and serve at once.

Served with some toasted whole-wheat pita bread - simply delicious!!

P.S. Last night, I made the bean soup found on Kary's wonderful blog My Farmhouse Kitchen. Click here to find the recipe - tasty, warming and comforting. Thank you, Kary!!