Poultry – TasteFood

Chicken, Condiment, gluten-free, Main Course, Marinades, Poultry

Sheet Pan Chermoula Chicken and Cauliflower with Smoky Red Pepper Sauce

Winner Winner Chicken (Sheet Pan) Dinner:

You’ve probably heard of sheet pan dinners. The term may be trendy, but the concept is not. It simply means arranging all of your dinner components on a rimmed baking sheet, coating them with oil and seasoning, then roasting in the oven – and, voilà, you have a complete dinner on a tray. While the emphasis is certainly on ease of preparation, with the right ingredients this cooking method ensures maximum flavor. Oven roasting coaxes out the flavors of vegetables and meats and is a sure-fire (no pun intended) way to cook to crispy, golden perfection. The key to building great flavor is the ingredients you use to coat and bind the dish. They can be as basic as olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, or more elaborate with aromatic marinades, spices, herbs, and citrus.

This recipe combines two ingredients that are well suited for roasting: bone-in chicken thighs and romanesco, a green brassica, which looks like a cone-headed cauliflower. Importantly, they both require a similar amount of cooking time, so they can happily team up on a baking sheet without one ingredient over-cooking while the other keeps on roasting. (You can also use white cauliflower in this recipe.) A potent, herbaceous chermoula sauce, robust with garlic, lemon, and spices, coats the whole lot and drives in flavor.

The finishing touch to this recipe – not required, but recommended – is a smoky red pepper sauce for swiping and drizzling. It’s inspired by Spanish romesco sauce (not to be confused with the romanesco vegetable!) and traditionally consists of roasted tomatoes and ground almonds or hazelnuts. This smoother rendition uses roasted red peppers to create a sweet and smoky condiment.

Chermoula Chicken and Cauliflower Sheet Pan Dinner

Active time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, plus marinating time
Serves 4

Chermoula Sauce:
1 1/2 cups Italian parsley leaves and tender sprigs
1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves and tender sprigs
1 cup fresh mint leaves
Juice and finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 cup olive oil

8 bone-in chicken thighs with skin

Red Pepper Sauce:
2 jarred roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed, coarsely chopped
1 red jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes removed (optional), coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 medium head romanesco (or white cauliflower)
Cilantro sprigs for garnish
Lemon wedges for serving

1. Combine all of the chermoula ingredients, except the oil, in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to chop. Add the oil and pulse to blend. The chermoula should have a runny salsa consistency. If too thick, add more oil to loosen.
2. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Pour in the chermoula and stir to thoroughly coat, rubbing the marinade between the skin and meat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting.
3. Combine all of the red pepper sauce ingredients in the cleaned bowl of a food processor and process to blend. Taste for seasoning. (The sauce may be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
4. Heat the oven to 375°F.
5. Cut the cauliflower from crown to stem in 3/4-inch slices. Cut out the cores and cut the cores into bite-size chunks. (The cores are sweet and edible, so don’t discard them.)
6. Remove the chicken from the marinade and arrange, skin-side up, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush the cauliflower steaks and pieces on all sides with the residual marinade and arrange around the chicken. Season everything with salt and black pepper.
7. Transfer the tray to the oven and roast until the romanesco is tender and the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (it should register 165°F when a meat thermometer is inserted into the thickest part closest to the bone), about 30 minutes.
8. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

Appetizers, Poultry

Duck Crostini with Radicchio Slaw and Roasted Apricots

July 16, 2015by Lynda Balslev3 Comments

Messy is ok sometimes – especially when you are heaping lots of delectables onto crisp crostini. In such the case it’s inevitable that some of the ingredients will tumble onto the plate, creating random ‘garnishes’. This is when the term rustic comes in handy. Rustic implies comfort and nothing too fancy, with an emphasis on adjectives such as finger-licking and delicious. Or at least that’s how it works here.

Crostini are a fun way to present a light and casual meal. They are also a great way to showcase simple fresh ingredients and use up interesting leftovers. For this recipe I used duck meat that was leftover from my current cookbook project. I shredded the leg meat and quickly caramelized it in the oven, then mounded it over the toasts. While chances are you may not have leftover duck loitering in the back of your fridge, duck legs can usually be found at your local market or butcher. Otherwise, shredded pork is a great substitute. The point is to have a little fun building your crostini, and try to be creative with what you’ve got. And it’s ok if they are messy – just call them rustic.

Duck Crostini with Radicchio and Apricots
Makes 12

Radicchio slaw:
1 small head radicchio, shredded
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper

2 apricots, halved and pitted
Vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 (1/2-inch thick) ciabatta or sourdough bread slices, cut in half
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt

Duck:
8 ounces cooked and shredded duck leg meat with skin
1 tablespoon rendered duck fat (or vegetable oil)
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves for garnish

1. Combine the radicchio slaw ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 375°F. Brush the apricots with oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish and bake, skin-side down, until the flesh is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove and cool; do not turn off the oven.
3. Arrange the bread slices in one layer on a baking tray. Brush the bread with the olive oil and lightly season with salt. Bake in the oven until golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
4. Turn on the oven broiler. Combine the duck ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Spread in a baking dish and broil until brown and beginning to crisp in parts, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once.
6. Drain the radicchio. Arrange the bread on a serving platter. Mound some of the radicchio over each bread slice. Top with a few pieces of duck and a small dollop of apricot flesh. Garnish with parsley and additional salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Barbeque, Chicken, Condiment, gluten-free, Grilling, Main Course, Marinades, Poultry

Jerk Chicken

June 1, 2015July 25, 2018by Lynda Balslev2 Comments

Jamaican Jerk is a thick and heady Afro-Carribean marinade chock-a-block full of ingredients. Don’t let the lengthy list of spices and aromatics deter you. All you need is the fire of a grill to unify the flavors and create a spicy-sweet finger licking dinner – perfect for a summer barbecue. The heat in the marinade traditionally comes from Scotch Bonnet peppers (super hot). I’ve modified that with jalapeños – but feel free to go all out with a scotch bonnet (carefully seeded with gloved hands!) if you dare. And remember – as with most meat marinades, the longer the chicken can soak in the marinade, the better the flavor.

Jerk Chicken
Serves 6

Marinade:
6 garlic cloves
4 scallions, chopped
2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded (optional)
1 (2-inch) knob ginger, peeled, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 chicken legs and/or breasts with skin and ribs

Method:
1. Place the marinade ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process to form a paste. Arrange the chicken in a large baking dish. Rub the marinade all over the chicken and under the skin where possible. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium heat. Grill the chicken over indirect heat until charred and golden brown and thoroughly cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on size and thickness. During the last few moments of grilling, move the chicken to direct heat to char the skin as needed.
3. Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

Appetizers, Main Course, Poultry

Crispy Duck Banh Mi Sliders

December 26, 2013April 12, 2019by Lynda Balslev10 Comments

In our multi-national family with previous addresses in 4 countries, we’ve adopted a hodge-podge of cultural traditions that we call our own when it comes to Christmas. In Danish style, we celebrate with a big dinner on the 24th, when we light live candles on our Christmas tree. The meal often includes duck and beef, surrounded by French favorites such as Pommes Dauphinoise and a climactic Buche de Noel. The 25th is decidedly more low key, perhaps with a foray into Chinatown for dim sum, or a lazy day of leftovers, smoked salmon and cheese. Luckily there is always some duck left over from the night before, which I stash in the back of the refrigerator for a more Asian inspired meal on the 26th or 27th. Duck reheats beautifully with a little help from some of it’s rendered fat, and when shredded it’s happily reinvented into spicy lettuce cups – or banh mi.

Shredded Crispy Duck Banh Mi Sliders with Pickled Carrot Radish Slaw and Spicy Aioli

These sliders are a firework of flavors and sensations. Shredded duck coated with a sweet and salty Sriracha glaze and crisped in the oven until caramelized is layered with creamy garlicky aioli, piquant veggie slaw, fresh cucumber and jalapeno heat. Here’s a recipe where you can use up any shredded duck meat, and if you don’t have any leftover duck lurking in your refrigerator, purchase duck legs confit and shred those for a luxurious step.

Slaw:
1 large carrot, cut in matchsticks
1 (4-inch) piece daikon radish, cut in matchsticks
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Spicy Aioli:
½ cup mayonniase
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons Sriracha or Asian hot sauce

Duck:
8 ounces cooked and shredded duck leg meat (or confit)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or rendered duck fat)
1 tablespoon Sriracha or Asian hot sauce
½ teaspoon ground coriander

6 French-style dinner rolls or slider buns, halved crosswise
½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
Lime wedges

Make the slaw:
Place the carrot and daikon in a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the vegetables, then rub with your fingertips until vegetables soften, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar and lime juice and stir to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Make the aioli:
Whisk all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Chill until use.

Make the duck:
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the duck in a small baking dish. Whisk the soy sauce, sugar, oil, Sriracha and coriander in a small bowl. Pour over the duck and mix to thoroughly coat. Bake in the top third of the oven until crisp and caramelized in parts, about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Assemble sliders:
Spread 1 to 2 teaspoons aioli on bottom bun half. Top with a layer of cucumber and then a mound of the carrot and daikon slaw. Top the slaw with shredded duck. Arrange jalapeno slices over the duck and top with cilantro sprigs. Spread another teaspoon of aioli on the top bun half. Repeat with remaining buns. Serve with lime wedges.

Chicken, gluten-free, Main Course, one-pot, Poultry, Uncategorized

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Yogurt, Lemon and Garlic

March 29, 2012April 4, 2019by Lynda Balslev11 Comments

If you are wishing for an easy and rewarding rustic dinner then look no further than this roast chicken. A whole roasted chicken is a weeknight wonder, yielding a bounty of food with little effort. It will fill your home with comforting and tantalizing aromas as it cooks, amply feed a family of 4 with leftovers for lunch, and bestow you with the goods for a rich and restorative stock.

I roast a chicken nearly weekly in our home. For variety, it’s easy to change it up with a rub or marinade depending on the mood or season. Feeling spicy? Then try a marinade with Sriracha and serve over a bed of couscous. Prefer something cozy and traditional for a grey and rainy day? Then keep it simple with olive oil, rosemary, thyme and a pan gravy. If you are in the mood for exotic spice and aroma, like I was the other day, then try this recipe which infuses the bird with yogurt, lemon, garlic and ginger.

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Yogurt, Lemon and Garlic

Serve with baby potatoes roasted in the pan juices. Serves 4 to 6.

For the chicken:
1 whole free-range or organic chicken, 4 to 5 pounds
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup whole milk Greek-style yogurt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

For the potatoes:
2 pounds baby potatoes, halved if large
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt

Thirty minutes before roasting, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 425 F. Rinse the chicken all over and inside the cavity with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Rub the paste all over the outside of the chicken, between the skin and breast, and inside the cavity. Place, breast-side up, in the center of a baking pan or oven proof skillet.

Prepare the potatoes: Toss the potatoes, olive oil, paprika and salt in a bowl. Scatter around the chicken. Place the pan in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Using tongs, carefully turn the chicken over, breast-side down. Stir the potatoes. Return to oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and once again turn the chicken over, breast-side up. Return to oven and cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked and thigh juices run clear when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest 10 to 15 minutes before carving. While the chicken is resting, return potatoes to oven to keep warm. Carve the chicken and return to skillet, nestling the meat between the potatoes in the pan juices.

Chicken, Main Course, one-pot, Poultry, Soups and Stews

Braised Chicken in White Wine

January 1, 2012August 16, 2014by Lynda Balslev19 Comments

~ Braised Chicken in White Wine with Carrots, Mushrooms and Thyme ~

On the first day of the new year I make a stew. There are many reasons why I do this. Stews and braises are healthy and fortifying, a comforting antidote to holiday menus and festivities. Stews are reflective, incorporating humble ingredients with heat and time, yielding deeply flavorful results. Stews comfort and nourish us, while warming us on a cold winter day. This year I received a beautiful French oven for a gift, so I have another reason to make a delicious stew today.

Braised Chicken in White Wine

The chicken skin remains exposed while the chicken braises to maintain the color and crispness of its skin. Serves 4.

4 large chicken breast halves, with skin and ribs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 leeks, white parts only, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 pound white or cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/2-inch thick
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup dry white wine
2 to 3 cups chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the chicken breasts all over with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in an ovenproof pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, in batches. Cook until the skin is brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes, then turn the chicken and cook 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.

Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pot and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the leeks to the pot and saute over medium heat, about 1 minute. Add the carrots, mushrooms and garlic. Saute over medium heat until the vegetables begin to soften and brighten in color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the white wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits in pan. Add the bay leaf and thyme. Return the chicken to the pot and nestle, skin-side up, into the vegetables. Pour in enough chicken stock, without splashing the skin, to nearly cover the chicken but not submerge it. The skin should remain exposed. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover pot and transfer to oven. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Serve in bowls with rice, farro or couscous.

Appetizers, Charcutepalooza, Food Blog Events, Main Course, one-pot, Poultry, Soups and Stews, Winter

The Grand Finale: Charcutepalooza Cassoulet

December 6, 2011January 1, 2019by Lynda Balslev16 Comments

~ Duck, Sausage and White Bean Stew ~

Finally the finale. The year of meat has come to an end. This month is the last Charcutepalooza challenge, which requires a menu, platter or composed dish incorporating 3-4 of the charcuterie items prepared over the year. My first inclination was to prepare a platter, because, frankly, this is how I best prefer to enjoy charcuterie – on a large wooden board with an array of little bowls filled with pickles, mustard, black peppercorns and sea salt, accompanied by slabs of country style bread (and just a little cheese.)

~ Caramelized Home-cured Bacon, Boar & Pork Pate, Pork Rillettes ~

But this is the finale, so something more substantial and celebratory than a charcuterie board is in order. December is holiday season, and nothing speaks more to our Danish family than duck at Christmas. And what better way to celebrate duck than with a cassoulet – a French white bean stew brimming with duck leg confit, sausage and bacon. This version is not an authentic cassoulet, as I had to use whatever homemade charcuterie I had in the freezer or could make on short notice. So, I am calling it a Charcutepalooza Cassoulet – or a Duck, Sausage and White Bean Stew.

Duck, Sausage and White Bean Stew

Start with uncooked white beans for best results – canned beans will turn mushy. If you don’t have access to duck confit, then substitute with an additional pound of duck breast. Serves 6.

1 cup dried cannelini beans or northern beans, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound duck breast (1 large), skin removed and reserved for another use
1/2 pound mild pork sausage links
1/4 pound slab or thick-cut bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 can (15 ounces) plum tomatoes with juice
3 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 confit duck legs, boned, meat shredded

1. Bring the beans and 4 cups (1 liter) of water to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover the pot, and let stand for one hour. Drain.
2. Heat the oven to 325°F.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-proof pot with lid or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and brown on all sides. Transfer to a cutting board and do not discard the fat from the pan. Add the duck breasts in batches, if necessary, without overcrowding the pan. Brown on both sides and transfer to the cutting board. When cool enough to handle, halve each sausage, cross-wise and cut the duck breasts into 2-inch chunks.
4. Add the bacon to the pot. Sauté until brown in spots and the fat renders. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until crisp tender and beginning to brown in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour in the wine, scraping up any brown bits and reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf, and thyme. Stir in the beans and return the sausages and duck breasts to the pot, submerging them in the stock. (If necessary, add more stock to cover.)
5. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Remove from the oven and stir in the duck confit. Return the pot to the oven and cook, partially covered, for an additional 1 hour.

What is Charcutepalooza?
An inspirational idea hatched by Cathy Barrow and Kim Foster and partnering with Food52 and Punk Domestics. It celebrates a Year in Meat, where participating foodies and bloggers will cure, smoke and salt their way through Michael Ruhlman’s bestselling cookbook Charcuterie.

Chicken, Main Course, one-pot, Poultry, recipe, Soups and Stews

Harvest Chicken Tortilla Soup

July 21, 2011July 23, 2019by Lynda Balslev24 Comments

~ Harvest Chicken Tortilla Soup ~

My inspiration for making soup is often a convergence of too many veggies in the refrigerator with homemade stock and leftovers from a roast chicken. Such was the case after a weekend of house guests and dinners involving carnitas, black bean salsa, lots of corn and the aforementioned roast chicken. This recipe is not an authentic tortilla soup, as I managed to empty most of the contents of my veggie drawer into it. It’s chock-a-block full of corn, beans, zucchini and peppers, which led me to call it a Harvest Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Harvest Chicken Tortilla Soup
Serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, stemmed and seeded, diced
1 sweet red pepper, stemmed and seeded, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch dice
4 cups chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, with juice
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cloves
3/4 pound shredded cooked chicken
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup cooked black beans
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Tortilla chips, broken in pieces

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the peppers and continue to sauté 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and zucchini and sauté briefly, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, plum tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, and cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer partially covered, about 20 minutes. Stir in the corn, beans, and chicken and simmer until piping hot. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired. Stir in the cilantro leaves and ladle into bowls. Serve garnished with the tortilla chips.

Barbeque, Chicken, Condiment, Poultry, recipe, skewer, tastefood, tastefoodblog

Chili-Lime Chicken Skewers with Spicy Green Pepper Sauce

June 29, 2011February 5, 2019by Lynda Balslev28 Comments

~ Chil-Lime Chicken Skewers with Spicy Green Pepper Sauce ~

A pedicure was the inspiration for this recipe. I rarely sit and thumb through a stack of fashion and lifestyle magazines – except when I am captive in a chair for a pedicure. As I picked up a well-read issue of O, I did what I always to with a magazine: I began at the back in search of recipes. And there I spied an article with a recipe by Cat Cora for chicken kebabs. Since my next stop was at the market to buy ingredients for a dinner, I immediately knew what I would make. With the image of the kebabs in mind, I came up with this recipe. Thanks to Cat and Oprah for the inspiration!

Chili-Lime Chicken Skewers with Spicy Green Sauce

There is big flavor and little effort in this recipe for Chili-Lime Chicken Skewers, which makes it a perfect weeknight meal. If you can, marinate the chicken for several hours or overnight and let the chili, lime and sriracha marinade do the flavoring work for you. While the chicken sits in the refrigerator, all you need is a few extra minutes to blitz the ingredients for the green sauce. Weeknight dining doesn’t get better than this. Serves 4-6.

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha or hot sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch chunks
Bamboo skewers, soaked in warm water 30 minutes

Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together. Place chicken in a bowl and toss with marinade. Refrigerate at least one hour or up to 24 hours. Prepare grill for high heat. Skewer chicken on pre-soaked bamboo sticks; discard marinade. Grill over direct high heat until nicely charred on all sides and thoroughly cooked through, about 8 minutes. Serve with Spicy Green Pepper Sauce.

Spicy Green Pepper Sauce

The beauty of this sauce is that you may use whatever fresh green herbs you have on hand and tinker with the flavor. It always tastes great. Try to make it a few hours before serving to let the flavors develop. Makes about 1 cup.

2 garlic cloves
1 small poblano pepper, coarsely chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, to taste, coarsely chopped
1 handful fresh mint leaves
1 handful fresh oregano leaves
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pulse all of the ingredients in a bowl of a food processor to achieve a chunky sauce. Taste for seasoning. (May be prepared up to 6 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate).

This post and recipe from TasteFood was featured in Women’s Health Blog: What We’re Reading.

Appetizers, cookbook, entertaining, Parties, Poultry, tastefoodblog

On a Stick! and a recipe for Chinese Meatballs

June 7, 2011August 11, 2014by Lynda Balslev20 Comments

~
Here’s the thing: It’s fun to eat with your hands, and Matt Armendariz has figured this out. In his new book On a Stick! it seems that every food you may think of is fair game for skewering. It might be simple: Crudité Skewers with Latin Green Goddess Dressing or Caprese Sticks with Mozzarella, Basil and Tomatoes. It might be more complex: Deep Fried Ravioli or Spaghetti and Meatballs anyone? Or perhaps you are craving something sweet. How about Frozen Bananas Dipped in Chocolate or Strawberry Shortcake? Yes, that’s right – all on a stick.

On a Stick! puts the fun in food, taking ordinary and exotic recipes and sticking it to them, so to speak, along with an assortment of dipping sauces – because, after all, dipping a stick in a sauce, dressing, salsa or chutney is half the fun of eating food on skewers. If you would like to enjoy a little simple pleasure, if you need to entice your kids to eat their veggies, or if you wish to invite your 20 closest friends to a party, you will appreciate this book. There’s something in it for everyone, and fun doesn’t get more tasty than this.

~
For my first recipe, I tried the Chinese Meatballs, which are a spicy, savory concoction of ground turkey, cilantro and spices. Fragrant with ginger and garlic, these addictive little morsels are served with a sweet and sour chili sauce. I pan fried them rather than deep fried them before dutifully skewering with bamboo sticks. And you know what? They really do taste better on a stick.

Chinese Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Chili Sauce
Makes about 12 meatballs

3/4 pound lean ground pork or turkey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons peeled and minced ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 bunch cilantro, minced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl with your hands to thoroughly combine. Form into 12 small even balls. Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the meatballs in one layer without overcrowding. Cook, turning, until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with remaining meatballs. Skewer with toothpicks or bamboo sticks. Serve with Sweet and Sour Chili Sauce.

Sweet and Sour Chili Sauce

1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons minced lemon grass
1/2 bunch mint, minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon seeded and minced red jalapeño
1 teaspoon peeled and minced ginger

Stir vinegar, sugar and lemongrass in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until sugar dissolves and liquid reduces by one-third. Strain into a bowl and cool completely. Stir in mint, cilantro, garlic, red jalapeño and ginger. Serve warm or at room temperature, alongside the meatballs.

Recipe reprinted with permission from On a Stick! Written and photographed by Matt Armendariz. Published by Quirk Books.

Full disclosure: I received a free copy of On a Stick! from Quirk Books.