"The Devil's Chicken"

Eric and I used to watch "America's Test Kitchen" on PBS every week. If you've never watched it, it's the most practical, helpful cooking show I've ever seen... and I really don't like cooking shows. One episode this season featured cooking a whole chicken on the grill... it looked so fantastic we kept the recipe on reserve for the warmer weather. My Eric never had the opportunity to cook this one, but he would've loved it! ("Grabastic," he would've said.)

So I christened the new grill and made Chicken alla Diavola... the Devil's Chicken. (Itsa spicy!) I believe it's an Italian-style method and it's worth every minute! This recipe does call for you to butterfly and brine a chicken. It sounds complicated but it's really quite easy! I am not taking credit for developing this one... this is all America's Test Kitchen, but I really wanted to share it. I have included the instructions for gas grilling here, but they have directions for charcoal grilling at their Web site at americastestkitchen.com. I also highly recommend their magazine Cook's Illustrated. Good stuff!

Chicken alla Diavola
(Gas-grilled method)
Serves 3 to 4

Chicken and Brine
2 medium heads of garlic
3 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 cup table salt
1 whole chicken, butterflied and pounded (*Instructions below)

Garlic-Pepper Oil
4 medium cloves of garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 4 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
vegetable oil for grill grate
1 lemon cut into wedges, for serving


1. TO BRINE THE CHICKEN: Combine garlic heads, bay leaves, and salt in gallon-size zipper-lock bag; press out air and seal bag. Using rubber mallet or meat pounder, pound mixture until garlic cloves are crushed; transfer mixture to large container or stockpot and stir in 2 quarts cold water until salt is dissolved. Immerse chicken in brine and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 2 hours.

2. FOR THE GARLIC-PEPPER OIL: While chicken is brining, heat garlic, black pepper, pepper flakes, and oil in small saucepan over medium heat until garlic is fragrant and sizzling and mixture registers about 200° on instant-read thermometer, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 40 minutes. Divide the garlic-pepper oil in half by measuring 2 tablespoons into 2 small bowls and set aside.

3. TO FLAVOR THE CHICKEN: Remove chicken from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Apply 2 tablespoons infused oil beneath skin.

4. TO GRILL THE CHICKEN: Turn all burners on gas grill to high, close lid, and heat until grill is very hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grill grate clean with wire brush; lightly dip small wad paper towels in vegetable oil and, holding wad in tongs, wipe grill grate. Turn all burners to medium-low, position chicken skin-side down on center of grill grate, cover.

5. Cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170° to 175° about 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. Carve, then drizzle carved chicken with remaining infused oil and serve with lemon wedges.

*How to Butterfly, Pound, and Season a Chicken (illustrations on ATK's Web site)
1. Use kitchen shears to cut through bones on either side of backbone, then remove and discard backbone.
2. Flip chicken over and use heel of your hand to flatten breastbone.
3. Cover chicken with paper towels to protect skin, then pound flat using meat pounder or rubber mallet.
4. After brining, slip fingers underneath skin of breast and legs to loosen membrane. Rub marinade under skin.

Misc. notes:
To prevent flare-ups that can char the chicken, make sure that the gas grill's fat drainage system is in place. Lava rocks can intensify flare-ups, so be especially vigilant if making this recipe on a grill with these ceramic briquettes.

Eric's Roast Loin of Pork with Rosemary/Balsamic Glaze

~3 lb. boneless pork loin
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 t. chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. balsamic vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 T. extra virgin olive oil

Prepare the glaze first:
Combine garlic, rosemary, brown sugar, and the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Over high heat, bring just to a boil and then turn down heat to low. Cook 5 minutes more until all the brown sugar has dissolved. Set glaze aside.

Then prepare the pork loin:
Preheat oven to 300° F. Season the pork loin well with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof saute pan (or large ovenproof dutch oven), heat the olive oil over high heat until smoking hot. Add the pork and sear it well... about 5 minutes on all sides. Turn off the heat under pan and immediately brush the pork generously with the glaze. Place the pan into the oven and roast the pork loin for 15 minutes. Brush the pork with more glaze and then continue roasting 15 to 20 minutes longer for medium doneness. Let it sit at least 5 minutes before slicing very thin.

Serves about 6.

Grilled Shrimp Scampi

This is a super-easy marinade I made for the first time last weekend. Wonderfully garlicky and easily customized to suit your palette. Fresh lemon, parsley and garlic give the dish its bright flavor. I used shrimp, but I think you could successfully use this with chicken or scallops also.

Grilled Shrimp Scampi

1/3 c. olive oil
1/3 c. fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
3 to 4 T. chopped fresh parsley
4 to 5 cloves of minced fresh garlic
ground black pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

2 lbs. medium to large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

DIRECTIONS:
In a large, glass bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, and black pepper. Add some crushed red pepper, if desired. Place shrimp in a shallow glass dish (a rectangular Pyrex baking dish works great) and pour marinade over shrimp, tossing to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (2 to 4 hours is better). (You can also marinate in a large ziplock bag if that's a method you prefer.)

Lightly oil your grill grate with vegetable oil. (Plain olive oil will burn and smoke at high heat). Preheat grill for high heat. Thread shrimp onto metal or wood skewers. Pierce the shrimp twice, once near the tail and once near the head. (If using wood or bamboo skewers, SOAK THE SKEWERS FIRST in water for about 15 minutes so they don't burn.) Discard any remaining marinade.

Grill for 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until opaque. (Note: shrimp cook really quick!)

Serves about 6

QUICK recipe!
Prep time: less than 30 minutes
Marinade time: as little as 30 minutes
Cook time: 4 to 8 minutes

Continuing Eric's collection

Well, it's been 2 months since the last recipe entry. Although Eric was the adventurous one in the kitchen, I was a pretty good cook when I met him. Eric taught me that recipes are really just guides... In other words, if you want to put a half-cup of chipotle tabasco in your pizza dough, why not? Sometimes these experiments worked; sometimes they didn't. But you never know if Corn Nut-Encrusted Eggplant will work unless you try it, right? (From what I've heard, that one didn't work in the biggest way.) So I've become brave in the kitchen due to Eric's influence. I understand the process of cooking in a way I hadn't before.

Do you have a favorite thing that Eric used to cook? Let me know and I'll look if there is a recipe in Eric's binder. He didn't write recipes down very often; he kept most of them in his head. I tried to get the lowdown on eggplant from him - he was so good with eggplant - but alas! He took the secrets of baba ganoush with him! (If he wrote it down for anyone, please leave a comment for me so I can get in touch with you!)

Eric wanted me to contribute to this site, but both of us were otherwise terribly occupied shortly after he set it up, weren't we? My intention is to continue this collection. As I make recipes we loved together, I'll share them with you. When I discover something new, I'll share that too.

Cheers!

Taco Dip -- Totally easy and awesome

Also known to some people as Taco Crack Dip because of its addictive properties.

This is not a whole foods, healthy recipe by any measure. It is, however, one of my more requested dips for parties. It's so easy.

Ingredients
One 16 ounce container of sour cream
Two bricks of cream cheese
One package Old El Paso brand taco seasoning mix (no substitution)
Four medium sized scallions

In a generous mixing bowl, soften the cream cheese and stir until smooth. Slowly add taco seasoning mix until there are no lumps. Fold in sour cream and incorporate completely.

Dice the scallions, green and white parts, and fold in to the mixture.
You may substitute finely diced red onions if scallions are not your thing.

Sprinkle top with cumin and cilantro. Chill and serve.

Word of warning: This is a very delicious dip, however, because of the hydrogenated and processed ingredients in the taco seasoning dip this recipe cannot be recommended for anything other than special occasions.

Also, it's almost 100% fat. But that's OK, it' a party dip!

Olive Tapenade & Goat Cheese in Asiago Cradles

Delightful hors d'oeuvres that can be served at a holiday cocktail party or as an accent to a tossed spring mix salad.

Asiago Cradles
One Pound of Asiago Cheese (extra sharp provolone or another hard cured cheese may be substituted)
One 8 ounce package of plain goat cheese.
Several shot glasses or small tumblers. All should be the same size.

Olive Tapenade
6 ounces pitted Lindsay Black Olives
6 ounces pitted Lindsay Calamata Olives
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 or 4 cloves of garlic
One medium shallot
One Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
One Tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mint leaves for garnish.

To make the Asiago Cradles
Shred the cheese into strings, like shredded potatoes. Do not grate into a powder. Take 1/4 cup of shredded cheese and place in a hot, nonstick skillet. As the cheese melts, use a spatula to keep it shaped in a circle about 2 to 3 inches across. You may also use a cooking ring to keep the cheese shaped in a circle. When the cheese has a brown surface on the bottom, flip the cheese and finish cooking. Cheese should be lightly brown on both sides and be flexible but not runny.

Remove cheese from pan and place over an upside down shot glass or tumbler. The cheese should droop over the sides and create a small bowl. Let the cheese cool and remove from glass. It should retain this shape. Repeat this procedure until all the cheese cradles are finished.

To make the Olive Tapenade
Place the pine nuts in a hot, dry skillet and lightly toast for a few minutes, keeping them moving in the pan. Once they begin to turn lightly brown, remove them from the heat. Be careful not to burn them.

In a toaster oven or conventional oven, loosely wrap the garlic and shallot in aluminum foil with a few drops of olive oil. Roast the cloves for 15 to 25 minutes at 300 degrees. This mellows the flavors of the cloves.

Place all Tapenade ingredients in a food processor and pulse until all the ingredients are incorporated. The consistency should be diced with different sized chunks, do not puree.

Presentation:
In each cradle, place about a teaspoon of goat cheese in the bottom. Top with a teaspoon of Tapenade , leaving some cheese visible. Place one mint leaf on top. Arrange cradles on a platter surrounding a small bowl of extra Tapenade for your guests.

Or when serving a first course spring mix salad, place one cradle on the side of the salad as a flavorful garnish and topping.

Eric's Recipe for Humus

Originally posted on Eric's Blog on September 24, 2004.

Eric's simple and ever-changing recipe for Humus
If you ask me for my humus recipe again in two months, it will have no doubt changed as I experiment with new ingredients and techniques. Recipes are living things.

You'll need a food processor for this recipe, unless you have an exceptional blender.

Ingredients:
Two 16 ounce cans of Progresso Chick Peas (I like this brand best)
Three or four cloves of garlic (not bulbs, cloves)
One lemon
Eight to twelve sprigs fresh parsley
Two tablespoons of tahini (sesame paste, most grocery stores have it in the "ethnic" isle)
Half teaspoon salt
Half teaspoon ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Optional ingredients:
One medium shallot (this is a new variation to my recipe. Yummy!)
Half teaspoon ground cumin
Half teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Teaspoon Chili powder

In the food processor add the garlic, parsley and the juice of the lemon. Remove any seeds from the lemon and remove the fibrous stalks of the parsley. Add the shallot if you are including it. Pulse the processor until any large pieces of garlic are gone.

Open and rinse well the two cans of chick peas. Add them to the processor along with the tahini, salt, black pepper and the other spices. Add about 1/4 cup of olive oil.

Turn on processor and let the blades begin to puree the mixture. As it thickens, very slowly add more oil so that the consistency is smooth and creamy. This way you can control the amount of oil in the recipe. The more oil you add, the creamier and richer the final product will be.

Occasionally stop and taste. Adjust the spices to your liking, if necessary.

Serve the humus in a bowl with pita bread wedges for dipping. Garnish with chopped scallions or parsley.

OR

Serve in a sandwich wrap: If I had a hollow leg, I could eat this all day.
Tortilla wrap
Several tablespoons of humus
Sliced tomato
Sliced cucumbers
Crumbled feta cheese
Onion slices
Sprigs of lettuce or spring mix
A few dashes of a hot sauce of your choice

This first one is a joke. Please don't try this at home.

I entered this recipe in a contest for French's Fried Onions. Since I don't use the product, I thought it would be fun to enter a fake recipe to see what would happen. I never heard from them. I didn't even get the free can of Fried Onions they promised each participant. -- eric

Hearty Carrot and Gum Soup
A hearty and satisfying soup for those long winter evenings by the fire. Easily adjusted to a vegetarian soup by substituting vegetable stock.

Ingredients
5 cups of quality chicken stock
3 cups diced carrots, washed but un-peeled
1 cup of cube-shaped cinnamon flavored chewing gum, stick gum not a substitute
1 cup of French's Fried Onions – reserved for garnish
2 diced scallions – reserved for garnish
1 cup diced onion
3 large cloves of garlic
1 medium shallot
1/4 cup EV olive oil
1/4 red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger or diced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt to taste

In a large stock pot or soup pot, add olive oil and wait until the oil is hot. Add raw onions and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onions have cooked down a little and become translucent. Add crushed or minced garlic and diced shallot to the mix and quickly stir in. Push mixture to the side of pot, making room for the gum cubes. Add more oil if necessary.

Brown each side of the gum, making sure the cubes don't lose too much of their shape. Add carrots and stir together mixture. Let simmer for a few minutes, then add the rest of the spices. After one minute more add the stock and vinegar bring to boil. Taste for salt and season as necessary.

Cover and let simmer on stove for at least one hour, but can cook longer if necessary.

To serve, ladle soup into bowl. Place a few raw carrot strips across top, sprinkle a generous amount of French's Fried Onions and diced scallions on top of carrot strips and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6.