The Return of the Grill

After 5 long months, my grill has returned. I was forced to relinquish it for a time due to the constraints and "rules" of apartment living. But that is past and now I can thankfully put large quantities of meats and vegetables over an open flame.

I currently have a gas grill, which I enjoy because of its ease of use and enormous surface area. I have cooked on all types of grills (gas, charcoal, and wood), and though I do miss grilling over mesquite, I realize that any of the three will lead you to a good meal. The first thing that went on the grill was chicken. I love grilled chicken, but it can easily taste and feel like rubber. I turn to my friends at Cook's Illustrated for some tips with this, and now grill all of my poultry this way. Not only does it lead to great flavor, but it helps keep the meat moist and avoid most flare-ups.


This recipe uses a similar sauce and marinade, mostly because reusing marinade is NOT safe. I prep the two side by side, cutting down considerably on time.

Lemon-Garlic Grilled Chicken

Marinade
5 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Sauce
3 tablespoons lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon pepper

In a small bowl, combine ingredients for marinade. If chicken breasts are thick, pound to about 1 inch thickness. Place marinade and chicken in zip-top baggie, combine, and let marinade for about 1 hour. Combine ingredients for sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

If using gas, turn on 2 of the three burners (or just leave about 1/3 of your grill without direct heat) to high (you will want to reduce the heat of the burners to medium-high when you place the chicken on the grill). If using charcoal, place your coals on one side of the grill and heat until ashed over. Remove chicken from marinade and place on hot side of grill. Cover and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the chicken gets browned on one side. Flip chicken over sear on grill for about 1 minute more. Move to side of grill with no direct heat. Cover and cook until interior of chicken registers about 160°F on a thermometer, about 10 minutes. Chicken should spring back and not be mushy when you poke it with a finger. Remove from grill, let rest for about 5 minutes, and cut into slices. Serve with sauce over top or to dip in. Enjoy!

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North Shore Seafoods

I cannot believe I am talking about fish in Lafayette, Indiana. If it's not shrimp, I will admit, I am usually a fish snob. Why? Unless you find some from Chicago (which D&R gets sometimes), most seafood sold around here is farm raised, overpriced, and borderline gross. Scoff at me all you want, but even I have standards. But it also puts me at somewhat of a disadvantage because cooking fish is my weak spot due to my lack of experience with it.

Enter this precarious new shop on 4th street, North Shore Seafoods. A few weeks ago while perusing the farmer's market, I smelled salmon cooking. And it certainly smelled good. I investigated and found a small booth cooking up fresh, wild salmon. And it was good! I mean, really good. I got some more information from the shop and found out how they operate. They only sell more sturdy fishes, such as salmon, tuna, swordfish, and halibut. The reason for this is because all of the fish they sell is frozen. Not bagged and frozen but rather Individually Quick Frozen (IQF), this is done on the boat and is becoming more and more common in seafood operations. This process freezes fish as well as sealing it, preventing ice crystals and cell destruction. Chefs and cooks across the globe are big fans of this if local and fresh are not available. North Shore is also able to keep their prices pretty low (actually lower than the grocery store) because the fish has a longer shelf life in the freezer than the slimy case.

I bought some salmon for dinner to accompany the vegetable risotto I was making for dinner. I, at the recommendation of the proprietor, baked the fish frozen. I have heard of this before and figured it was worth a shot. I baked it at 350°F for about 30 minutes until the salmon reached an internal temperature of 130°F. Well, the results were alright. The middle was quite delicious, but the outside was a tad overdone by the time the fish cooked on the inside. Not a huge deal, but I will thaw the fish next time I cook it and experiment some with the cooking methods (for another post). The quality, however, was very good. The fish was firm and had a great flavor. At least I know that I have a local source of high quality fish any time I like. That's something I take great comfort in. Now if I could only find a good source for lobster…..

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Stuffed Chicken

I currently reside in an apartment (for about another day, yay!) so I am limited with the amount of green I am able to grow. My current large garden consists of two tomato plants in pots and a small herb box. I know, high society there. I just have to comment, one of my tomato plants is a giant. The thing is totally massive, if it was a kid at school, it would be the 7 foot center of the basketball team. I have NO idea what I did to it.

My herb box was planted for budget reasons, mainly because grocery stores like to charge crazy amounts of money for herbs that are extremely perishable. No thank you. So I currently grow chives, basil, thyme, and oregano. I did parsley last year which was also nice, but I have since found a good source for it. However, sometimes the box likes to do its own thing, such as grow crazy amounts of basil. Pesto is always an option, but since I'm moving next week I am trying to avoid making containers of things. Instead I opted for a stuffed chicken breast.



The idea of stuffed chicken breasts (French style) I got from Cook's Illustrated, with their neat approach to using pieces of the chicken for the stuffing instead of bread, adding to the texture but not drying the whole roll out. Swap out some ingredients for what I have on hand; make the preparation a bit easier for time, and boom, dinner. I paired it with some really awesome fresh tomatoes and green beans that I just drizzled with balsamic vinegar and some salt, pepper, and sugar.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (3-4 breasts depending on where you get them)
1 shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup white wine
½ cup basil leaves
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ tablespoon + 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

If the chicken breasts have tenders (the loose piece on the back the size of your finger), cut it off and reserve for the stuffing. Using a very sharp knife, butterfly the chicken breasts. Open up the breast so it is flat on the counter (still one piece), cover with plastic wrap, and pound to about ¼ inch thickness. It should be slightly larger than 6"x8". Trim the outside to make a 6"x8" rectangle, and add the trimmings to bowl of your food processor. You should get about 2 ounces of trimmed meat from each breast. Repeat with the other breasts and then set aside.

In the bowl of your food processor chop all of the breast trimmings in pulses, about 10 seconds. Transfer to bowl. Over medium heat place a large skillet and ½ tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the garlic and shallot and cook until soft. Transfer to the food processor. Return pan to heat and add wine, scraping up any stuck bits. Reduce wine to about 2 tablespoons and pour into a small bowl. Set aside.

To the food processor with the shallot and garlic, add the basil leaves and salt and pepper. Process to chop the basil. Add to the bowl with chicken and mix to combine. Next, lay out the chicken breasts. Spread the filling even over all of the breasts, leaving about ½ inch room on one long end of the breast. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the breasts. Using the long side, roll the chicken into a tight roll, using the side without filling as somewhat of a seal. Tie each breast with 3-4 pieces of kitchen twine.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the rolled breasts and brown on all four sides, about 2 minutes per side. Make sure to redistribute the oil in the pan to prevent sticking. When browned, add the chicken broth to the pan and cover, reducing heat to medium and cooking until the middle reads 160°F, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken breasts and cover to rest. Return pan to heat and add the remaining wine. Reduce the sauce to about ¼- ½ cup. Turn off heat and whisk in butter and lemon juice. Slice chicken breasts and serve sauce over top. Enjoy.

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Visiting Sweden- Part II

So to continue my stories, here are some more places I checked out while overseas. The above picture is the the greatest tasting wedding cake ever, a princess cake, a recipe I have asked for in hopes I can recreate the great cake that is hidden underneath the decor.

Nationalmuseum- Cafeteria or museum are two words that do not usually inspire hunger, yet Sweden throws our sad concept of mass produced food out the window. This was such a great lunch, with smoked salmon or the great chicken Caesar salad that Em had. I would say it's better than the art :)

Grill Ruby- Don't go, don't even bother. Horrible service and overpriced food. We didn't even make it to the water on the table before we left and went to seek food elsewhere.

Restaurant Stortorgskallaren- where we sought food elsewhere. Nice little place in the square, I had some really good fried sole in a butter sauce.

Vette Katten- Pastry shop that will blow you away with its looks and tastes. This was a stop-off for some really good snacking.

Ice cream- According to our Swedish friends, Swedes consume more ice cream per capita than anywhere else in the world. There is an ice cream stand or store about every 20 feet, and it's all really good.

Backfika and Restaurangen- Two of the places I really wanted to visit, but unfortunately both were closed. A lot of restaurants are closed during the summer for vacation, so if you travel there during the warmer months this is something you might run into.

Grace Tea House- Yummy tea and dumplings, they offer a three-course "healthy lunch" every day that is quite nice and refreshing.

Hot dogs- almost as common as ice cream.
The picture below should say it all. I love hot dogs. They are my weak spot. Also common are really good sandwiches.

Places that I recommend you see if you visit Stockholm- The Vassa Ship, Skansen, Sergels Torg, the Hoterget Market, and the Ice Bar are just a few of the many great things about Stockholm. I'm sure I missed so many, but then again, I may return.

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Visiting Sweden- Part I

After recently returning from Stockholm on a fantastic trip (and my first to Europe), I wanted to share my food related experiences for anyone who enjoys that kind of thing but also for future travelers to the area. I found doing some research when picking out places to eat was the best thing to do, so I hope this aids others who go searching for a good meal. I will try not to ramble too much, as I did a lot of eating while I was there. But before I get into specifics, I want to touch on a few general bits I came across while there.

First, I ate a huge breakfast. Breakfast is big there, and our hotel (Nordic Sea) provided us with an extravaganza. Yogurts, granola, oatmeal, eggs, sausages, bacon, potatoes, meats, cheeses, fresh baked breads, and tons of fruit were available everyday that we ate. Oh my gosh, I have never had options like that. Fantastic. The cheese and bread in Sweden (and probably in most of Europe) is delicious, mainly because it's fresh and not processed. No pre-sliced loaves or small blocks of cheddar. Bread came in large nutty mounds and cheese came in huge wedges. Be still my heart.












I also enjoyed the abundance of markets (shown above is the Omstermalm Saluhall) with fresh meats, cheeses, breads, fish, and produce. How great is it that you can easily walk down the street and get fantastic fresh fish any day you like? Or for that matter, that you can find great food in department stores or fresh pastries in 7-11? It's such a stark contrast to the drive through context of our food culture, which I find is years behind what the Europeans enjoy on a daily basis. Delivery? I think the only thing you can have delivered is pizza (and that's only a few places).

On to a few specifics.
Cattelin's Restaurant, Gamla Stan- If you are looking for authentic Swedish cuisine, I recommend a stop here. The herring is fantastic, and the Swedish meatballs are mighty yummy.










Erik's Bakfickan- A famous chef by the name of Erik has a few restaurants in Stockholm, I guess this would be classified as his moderate restaurant. Em had "the best cheeseburger of her life", which I know is high praise, but it was seriously good. I had seafood casserole, which is actually more of a seafood stew. My favorite dish of the entire trip. A great place, though sadly my camera ran out of battery so there is not a picture of my dish.









Lisa Elmquist- In the Omstermalm Saluhall (the greatest food market ever, go if you get the chance). A bit overpriced for what I found to be just an alright meal. I think there are other restaurants in the food hall that offer better value.









Bla Porten- Our first real Swedish meal did not disappoint. A no-nonsense place, their quiche is good as well as their poached salmon with dill sauce. Lunch here is something you don't want to miss.

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Greetings From Sweden

As I write this, there are boats passing by in the nearby sea. The sun has not quite set and really never will in the summer, and I am experiencing great things in Sweden. The wonderful thing about their food is how much they care about it. Breakfast is an ordeal, lunch is often outside and with friends, and dinner is wonderful. I love their food and how much they put into making it an experience. I feel it is something that is sometimes lacking in everyday life, that people need to just stop and enjoy some food with friends while taking a break. I will be sure to write more when I return, but I hope these pictures convey some of what I am loving about Swedish cuisine.

You can follow some of my travels here

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Strawberry Goodness

This will be the last post for probably two weeks, I am headed to Sweden for some much needed vacation. I will certainly take notes of what I eat and experience and share them soon :)

This sauce was the result of some late night ice cream hunger, strawberries on sale, and some extra bananas. It takes about 5-10 minutes to make and is great. I think next I'm going to try it on pancakes. I like spontaneous cooking.



Strawberry Sauce

1 pound strawberries, sliced
1/4-1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon amaretto
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

In a sauce pot over medium heat whisk together the cornstarch and water until no lumps remain. Add the strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for about 5 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thick. Add the vanilla and amaretto. Taste and add remaining sugar if necessary. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before serving. Try over ice cream, fruit, pancakes, or even yogurt.

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Herb Frittata

Yesterday I stopped off at the farmer's market for my weekend haul of fruits and veggies. In addition to some yummy potatoes, snap peas, and free milk(which is so good I am now second guessing my purchase of all other milk), I picked up some spring onions. These are onions resemble large scallions but are actually just a white onion picked early. Or, if you refuse to let go of the whole scallion thing, really big bulbous scallions. I returned home and went about making breakfast with them. Onion pancakes don't sound good, so left was the incredible edible egg. I had leftover goat cheese and some fresh basil as well, so I decided to go with a frittata.

Eggs take very well to multiple vehicles, so this is by no means the limitation of a frittata. Ham and Swiss, tomato and Parmesan and sausage, the combinations are endless. I use this as a template for adding whatever you want into your tasty breakfast.



Fresh Herb and Goat Cheese Frittata

4 eggs
4 egg whites
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 spring onions, diced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 ounces goat cheese
1 teaspoon salt
pepper
pinch cayenne pepper

Whisk the eggs, egg whites, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Add the parsley and basil and set aside. Preheat broiler to low

In a 12-inch non stick skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, stirring constantly. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become wilted and start to caramelize. If you have a lid for the pan, clamp this on, it will speed up the process. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the eggs, stirring lightly with a spatula. Once the eggs start to set up, use the spatula to pull the eggs away from the edge of the pan and allow the runny part to run underneath the frittata. Continue doing this until most of the runny part has been removed from the center. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the top and place the pan in the oven. Broil until the top is just set, about 2-3 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve.

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Lentils

I sometimes wonder if these had a better name if people would eat them more. What if we called them "little orbs of deliciousness" or LOOD for short. Would you eat lood or lentils? Well, as my fiancée will testify, she does not like lentils. Or rather, did not (I think it was the name aversion). I made them for myself in a "fine, but I'm still making what I want" moment, and she ended up eating half of them. That will show her. Well, this time at least.



I read a lot, and I enjoy reading cookbooks. I came across a recipe in Tom Collichio's book for lentils and it piqued my interest, mainly because it contained under 10 ingredients. Sign me up. However, cooking them with only a little bit of stock made them pretty crunchy. I have optimized the recipe and it has not failed me yet. Do not feel like you have to use all of the stock, it varies by lentil variety. I like green lentils, but other varieties will work quite nice.

Lentils

1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed and picked through for stones.
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups chicken stock
Salt and Pepper

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat until quite hot. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and some salt to the pan, cook until the veggies begin to soften, about 10-15 minutes. Add the lentils to the pot followed by enough stock to cover them (it helps to use a more narrow pot here). Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer the lentils until a good amount of the stock has been absorbed, about 10-15 minutes. Repeat with more stock and some salt, cooking the lentils until they are tender, about 20 minutes more. You may have to repeat the stock adding process a few times (hence 3 cups of stock, it depends on your lentils). Discard the vegetables and serve.

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What E-Scapes Me

I never get tired of making horrible puns in the titles of my blog posts. And today is no exception! I was at the farmers market a few days ago (yummy) and was perusing through a booth when I was informed of these lovely little green strings called garlic scapes. Garlic, but green and long? Say what? Well, since I'm a sucker for pretty much anything that has the word garlic in it, away I went with my little bag of them.



When I got home I figured I should probably do something with them. But what? A trip to Mr. Google revealed that scapes (the green shoot that comes up from garlic in the late spring) are a relatively new addition to most people's kitchens. They make great pesto (note to self for the future), steam well with other veggies, and are nice in stir fry. I figured they would go well with the snap peas I got at the market, so stir fry was decided, dinner was changed (from chicken with almonds) and into the pan they went.

The result? Well, first I tried them raw. Not so good. Great flavor, but really tough. So I sauteed them in my wok and gave them a bit of a quick pan roasting. I might have gone a bit too long on the flavor (they actually cook pretty quickly) and from now on Im treating them like green beans. But the flavor, oh the flavor was awesome. It's all the garlicky goodness without the big bite at the end. Even though the season is short, I plan on picking up some more of these tasty tendrils.

Spicy Chicken Stir-fry with Scapes and Snap Peas

1 pound chicken sliced thin
1 egg
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chili paste with garlic
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup peanut oil
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 pound snap peas, ends trimmed
1/3 pound garlic scapes or scallions, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil or hot sesame oil (optional)

Combine the egg, cornstarch, and salt until smooth. Add to chicken in bowl or bag, marinate for 30 minutes. Combine the sugar, sherry, soy sauce, chili paste, hoisin, and water in a small bowl or cup and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Oil should be shimmering, or about 375°F. Add the chicken, stir frying until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Pour off all but about 1 1/2 tablespoons oil (you can pour out the oil and refrigerate for another later use). Add the ginger and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add the scapes and peas, stir frying for about 2 minutes or until just starting to soften (I actually like to cover them for about 30 seconds of this process). Add the sauce followed by the chicken and stir fry until the chicken is warmed through. Add the sesame oil if desired. Serve over rice. Serves 4

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