Cast Iron Skillet Chicken

If there is one cooking technique everyone should have in their toolbox it is "how to roast the perfect chicken."

Most recipes call for roasting chickens in a pan on a V-shaped rack--starting out with the chicken breast down, and then turning breast-side up to finish cooking. This is good for cooking the chicken on all sides; but what we are really looking for is browning the chicken on all sides. Using a very hot cast iron skillet accomplishes this goal with less effort.

Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Recipe
1 broiler/fryer, 3-5 pounds
Everyday Spice Blend
1/2 onion, cut in half
1/2 lemon, cut in half
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and whole
6-7 fresh oregano sprigs (or your favorite herbs)
Olive oil

Put a cast iron skillet into the oven and heat oven to 500F.

Wash chicken, pat dry and season inside and out. Insert onions, lemon, garlic and herbs into cavity of chicken. Rub all over with olive oil. Truss legs and fold wings under chicken.

Remove hot skillet from oven and transfer the chicken to the skillet. Return the skillet to the oven and cook 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350F and cook an additional 40-45 minutes, or until temperature, on an instant-read thermometer, reaches 165 degrees. If chicken is browning too fast, loosely tent with foil.

Remove skillet from oven and transfer chicken to a cutting board. Let rest 15 minutes before cutting.

Shrimp Po'boy Sammie--What's Not to Like!

Po'boys don't require a lot of explanation--you either love them or you don't! While I like both catfish and shrimp po'boys, I have to admit that the shrimp version has the edge with me. What started as an addiction years ago when I lived in New Orleans has only gotten worse. Sometimes I just have to give in to the craving!

Shrimp Po'boy Recipe
Makes 4
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
Chef Belinda Seafood Spice Blend
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Canola oil, for frying
2 french baguettes, cut in half crosswise
Lettuce
Tomato slices
Pickle slices
1/4 cup Sriracha
1/4 cup ketchup

Season the shrimp with the seafood spice blend. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, flour and cayenne. Add the shrimp to the bowl, toss to coat well and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

In a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat, heat oil to 350F. Fry shrimp in batches until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel lined platter. Keep warm. Allow oil temperature to come back up to 350F. Repeat until all shrimp are cooked.

Slice the four baguette halves lengthwise, leaving attached on back side. Build po'boy starting with lettuce, tomato and pickle slices and dividing shrimp among the four buns.

In a small bowl, mix the Sriracha and ketchup together and drizzle over each po'boy as desired.

Chili Stew

I did not have an opportunity to eat any chili on Superbowl Sunday, so half-way through the week I was craving it!

There was no ground beef  in the freezer and I live miles from the  nearest supermarket. I did have a chuck roast which I thought about putting through the grinder of my stand mixer. Then I had a second thought! (Yeah, I know--a dangerous thing!) Who said it has to be ground beef--the chili police? I ended up cubing the roast. The finished product was a cross between a beef stew and chili; and it was disgustingly good. I will never go back to the old way of making chili!!

Chili Stew

Serves 8 (depending on bowl size)

1 3-4 pound chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

1-1/2  tablespoons canola oil

1 red bell pepper, diced 

1  jalapeños, minced 

3 anaheim or poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped

1 yellow onion diced 

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage,  preferably “hot”

2 tablespoons Everyday Spice Blend

1-1/2  tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes & green chilies

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

12 ounces beer, lager or ale 

1/2 cup beef stock

2 (15.5-ounce) cans assorted chili beans with juices (pinto, kidney, black beans etc)

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup shredded cheese

In large stock pot over medium-high heat, heat canola oil. Brown beef chunks on all sides, working in batches, and be careful not to overcrowd the pot. With a slotted spoon, remove beef chunks to another bowl and keep warm.

To the same pot, add bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, chiles and onion and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté a minute longer. Make a hole in the center of the vegetables; add the sausage and brown. Add the beef chunks back into the pot along with the Everyday Spice Blend, chili powder, and cumin and cook for 1 minute. Add in diced tomatoes and tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in beer and beef stock. Lower heat and simmer, partially covered, for 2-1/2 hours.  Add beans 1/2 hour before end of cooking time.

Garnish with cheese and sliced green onions.  

Quince--The Comeback Fruit

The mysterious quince is making a comeback! Similar to an apple or pear, with it’s rich, golden skin tone and alluring aroma--reminiscent  of pineapple and guava--the quince is actually a relative of the rose.

If there was ever a poster child for the “slow-food” movement, the quince is it.  Unlike the apple or pear, quince can not be eaten raw. But when slow-cooked, develops a very sweet flavor, like a perfumed apple. With cooking the quince assumes a grainy texture, similar to a pear and turns a gorgeous rosy color.  Its complex taste is compatible with citrus and warming spices, such as nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla.

Quince is used to make tarts, jams, preserves and is also a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern meat stews.  In Latin countries, quince is turned into a paste called membrillo and is used in tapas dishes that contain Manchego cheese. The quince is high in pectin, the natural gelling agent that allows jams and jellies to thicken. This made quince a very popular base for preserves in ancient times.  The Portuguese word for quince is marmelo and over time evolved into what we know today as the word marmalade.

Quince Crumble

Makes 6-8 individual servings

8 quince

1 cup sugar

½ cup honey

1 lemon, cut into quarters

1 cinnamon stick

1/3 cup Madeira or Sherry

Topping (see recipe below)

Ice cream, optional

Peel, core and slice quince into 8 wedges each. Put wedges into a large bowl of water, as you prep, to prevent from turning brown.

In a large stock pot add ½ gallon of water, sugar, honey, lemon and cinnamon stick. Over medium-high heat bring to a boil and allow sugar to totally dissolve. Lower heat. Drain quince and add to the pot; simmer for about two hours, until you can pierce the quince with a knife. (The quince will be a bright rose color.) Let cool. At this point you can store in refrigerator, in the juices, for up to a week. Reserve the juice for adding to your favorite cocktail

Preheat oven to 357F. Divide quince among individual ramekins. Sprinkle with Madeira and cover completely with topping crumbs. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Top with ice cream. Can be served warm or room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers; warm in oven or microwave before serving.

Topping

Makes 3 cups

1 cup brown sugar

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup old-fashioned oats

½ teaspoon Moroccan Coffee Spice Mix

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

Put all ingredients except butter into a food processor. Pulse until blended. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles course bread crumbs. Don’t over work.

Spread over top of the fruit.

 Reprinted with permission of Bella Magazine

Miso & Ginger Glazed Salmon with Black Rice

Woke up this morning greeted by snow--when we were told it would pass us by. It is not nearly as much as is being experienced north of us; but for South Carolina, it is still daunting. What is it about bad weather that makes us take to the kitchen and start cooking?  Could it have something to do with the 25 degree temperature outside; and the kitchen is usually the warmest spot in the house? Take advantage of it by making a very healthy lunch on this snowy day.

Salmon

Olive oil
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons red miso paste
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons tamari
1/2 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger 
4 salmon fillets
1 medium scallion, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only), garnish
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, garnish

Rice

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (optional)

1 scallion, sliced
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
1/2 cup water chestnuts, drained and sliced
1 cup black rice
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons tamari
1 cup edamame, shelled

Kosher salt

For the salmon, heat the oven to broil and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a small rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with oil; set aside. Whisk the mirin, miso, brown sugar, tamari, and ginger in a medium bowl until combined. Reserve 1/2 of the miso mixture in a small bowl; set aside. Strain the remaining miso mixture, discarding the solids and set the strained sauce aside. Brush the salmon fillets with all of the unstrained  miso mixture. Cover the salmon with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the rice, heat oil over medium heat, in a medium saucepan  Add mushrooms and sauté until soft. Add scallions, peppers, water chestnuts and rice and cook for 1 minute. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the edamame, return to a boil and cook until bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain. In a small bowl, whisk together sesame oil and tamari. Remove top from rice and fluff with a fork. Pour the soy sauce and oil over the rice and add edamame. Stir and set aside.

Remove the fish from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Broil the salmon on the baking sheet, rotating once or twice, until it’s just opaque in the center and a golden brown crust has formed, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the salmon from the oven and keep warm. Serve over rice and sprinkle with the scallions and sesame seeds. Pass the strained sauce on the side. Serves 4