Housemade Barbecue Chicken

When there is a sunny day in the middle of gloom most people in San Francisco freak out, drink a bunch and have BBQs....well cheers to that! Although the weather doesn't last long I can still eat the hot weather food that I love...Here is my Barbecued chicken recipe-

The Sauce!

2 T. EVOO

2 Cloves Garlic grated

1/4 C. Molasses

1 C. Sugar free ketchup or tomato sauce

1/2 t. Sriracha

1/2 T. Agave nectar 

3-4 T. Apple Cider Vinegar (add more or less depending on thickness and taste)

pinch of the following:

cayenne pepper
cumin

red pepper flakes
s&p

Step 1: add EVOO and garlic into a cold sauce pan, heat slowly until garlic has almost melted into oil, keep on low. 

Step 2: stir in molasses and ketchup (wait to add more of either after sauce has cooked down a bit, the flavor always changes)

Step 3: add in the rest of ingredients and simmer for 30min. adjust flavors to your desired taste...

The Chicken!

Wash and pat dry desired chicken parts ( I prefer bone in skin on thighs and legs). Cover with S&P and place in Big bowl.

Drizzle with BBQ Sauce and allow to marinade.

Put chicken on hot grill till internal temp is about 155˚ remove and allow to rest. Inside temp will rise to 160˚ at that point.

Eat!

*no final photo, due to starvation and enjoying my food hot!

Creamy Potato, Fennel, Celery root Soup!

warm, easy and nutritious....shall I say more? 

What you need:

2 1/2 C. Cubed peeled yukon gold potatoes 

1 C. Celery root peeled/cubed

1 Bulb Fennel diced and divided

1 Leek (white part) chopped

1 shallot 

2 cloves garlic

2 T. EVOO

1 T. butter 

6 C. hot broth (veggie or chicken)

1/2 C. white wine (optional)

1/2 C. Soy/Almond milk

1 tsp Cumin

pinch of red pepper flakes

fresh parsley and sage

Step 1: Heat 1 T. EVOO in a heavy bottom pot, add in leek and sweat about 6 min. Then add butter, finely chopped shallots, garlic and 1/2 chopped fennel bulb, cook for a few more min. until browning starts to happen throw in S&P at this time.

Step 2: Add in celery root and 2 C. potatoes, gently sauté for a few min.

Step 3: Raise heat and de-glaze pan with white wine, a little at a time until absorbed. You will start to notice the starches being released and becoming almost sticky.

Step 4: Add in 4 cups of broth and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover for 30min.

Step 4.5: While you are simmering get out a saute pan and add 1 T. EVOO and remaining potatoes and chopped fennel, allow to saute till lightly caramelized.

Step 5: Once veggies are tender blend quickly (this meaning don't over blend unless you want glue)

Step 6: Bring puree back to stove and a gentle heat, add in milk and the gradually add remaining broth until it gets to a consistency you like, dump in sauteed potatoes and fennel, add cumin, red pepper flakes, fresh herbs and S&P to taste, cook on med. heat till potatoes are completely soft.

Step 7: put in bowl and garnish with fresh herbs and creme fraiche or croutons if desired.

bon!

Urban Peasant Soup

I often get home pretty late from work and the idea of soup sounds great, but very time consuming...however loaded with pre-made chicken stock in my freezer and veggies dying to be used I just decided to go for it. This soup is super hearty and reasonably quick. I have decided to use buckwheat groats since they are a no fail type of grain, they won't get too soft for left overs like most rice, and they have a nice earthy flavor that lends itself to this type of urban peasant soup. You can use practically any type of earthy vegg. you have laying around and any type of broth IE mushroom, veggie, chicken...water?

You may be asking yourself what a Buckwheat groat is exactly, well in in short they have a texture similar to rice and are most commonly known as kasha, they are gluten-free, cheap and cook pretty quickly. 

What you need:

Mushrooms (crimini, shitake, trumpet)

Kale

Broccoli Rabe (stems and leaves)

Two Turnips and a microphone...

garlic

leaks

Carrots

potatoes (fingerling)

sweet peppers

3-4 C. Broth (chicken)

1/2 C. Buckwheat Groats

S&P

cumin

bay leaves

fresh mixed herbs from the garden

EVOO

Step 0: Heat your stock to a boil, you will be using it later.

Step 1: Heat a pot on med with 1 T of EVOO, clean leaks and throw in pot. Once leaks are soft add 3 cloves of chopped garlic, chopped mushrooms and all herbs cook for a couple of minutes.

 Step 2: Chop remaining root vegetables and stems of broccoli rabe into bite sized pieces and throw into the pot- cook for about 10 min, till their natural starches and juices begin to release and they start to get soft and cumin and S&P to taste, be generous with the seasonings.

Step 3: Rinse and add greens to the pot, wilt down- this should take 2 min.

Step 4: Add Buckwheat groats and hot broth to the pot, you want enough broth to cover the vegetables about 2" the groats will expand. Cook to a rapid simmer for about 20 min. till groats are puffy and al-dente 

Step 5: Spoon into a bowl and add chopped parsley and/or fresh grated parm.

Enjoy!

Green Soup!

The last month I have been bursting at the fridge seams with greens, potatoes and more greens; you name it it might be on the verge of bad soon....soups are the one of my favorite ways of wasting nothing and eating everything! 

You can ditch your multi Vitamin after eating this, there is lots of garlic and greens to satisfy any winter sniffle!

Green Soup

4 Cloves Garlic 

2 Leeks (white and light green parts)

1 Head Broccoli

1 Bunch Broccoli Rabe

1 Bunch Spinach

1 Potato peeled and cubed

1 T Butter

1/4 C. Soy Milk (or whatever you have)

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

S&P

1-2 T. of fresh chopped herbs (thyme, oregano, marjoram, sage) whatever you have

2-3 C. Hot Water (just turn on your tea kettle before you start)

Step 0: Chop and rinse your leeks, these guys hold dirt in all sorts of places so make sure to get them clean! Make sure to leave the colander in the sink you will be using it a bunch (pun intended).

Step 1: In big pot start melting butter on low heat, then add the leeks, S&P (generous amounts) and Cumin Seeds. Once the leeks are soft and sweaty add 3 cloves of the chopped garlic, keep going for another 5 min. but don't burn!

Step 2: Chop Broccoli stems and florets and broccoli rabe stems into 1" chunks, throw in colander and rinse-add to the pot, throw in the chopped potato as well- Cook down till stems are soft and emitting juices. This will take a bit but be patient and throw on a lid.

the reason we are not really drying is to add some additional moisture into the vegetable without actually adding water at this point, it helps aid in the steaming and softening. 

 Step 3: Once all is soft add the broccoli rabe leaves and spinach that has been roughly chopped and rinsed to the pot. At this point add about 1 C. of hot water and let the leaves wilt. Once they are wilted add more water till it is about 1" higher than the vegetables. Let Simmer for about 15-20 min. (you can work on other things for dinner or just read a book. Remove from heat and let it cool down for a bit...you don't want it to explode while you puree it.

Step 4: Put the green mess into a blending device and let it roll, you might need to add a bit of extra warm water to thin it out if it is a little thick. At this point add the fresh herbs and 1 clove of chopped raw garlic, and S&P to taste.

 when it is to a consistency you like put it back in the pot, add the milk and a small pat of butter for additional richness, it's not really needed but it adds a little more body. Reheat before you serve.

Step 5: Make some croutons with stale bread, chop dust in EVOO and sprinkle with herbs and S&P, place on a baking sheet and cook on 300˚ for 15 min. 

yummmmmy!

stock!

There are a few things in this world that I hate spending money on, one being bottled water the next being stock (or broth). It is really annoying that a box of organic broth can cost up to $5, while you can make a bunch at home with probably the remanence of the same scraps you are using with your boxed broth. And don't even get me started on the salt broth blocks that I used to drink when I was sick.....ugh this topic irks me, and I feel like a total jerk for buying into the boxed broth system for sooooo long!

(Chicken) Stock or Bust!

what you need:

practically anything left over from your cutting board ie:

carrots (tops and greens)

onions (peels)

celery (all parts except the dirty ones)

leeks (same as celery)

a protein if you so choose (I choose my left over chicken bones and giblets)

pepper corns

bay leafs

any fresh herbs you like and use often in cooking

bit of salt 

water 

Big pot or Crock pot

note that I did remove all things edible from the chicken before I added it, as well as any fat and skin. Also the little silver baked potato looking packets are form a previous bird that have been store in the freezer.

Step 0: rinse and break up all veggies to prep for, make sure you don't get any dirt in the stock.

Step 1: throw everything in, add enough water to completely cover the top.

Step 2: Set it and forget it. (if in a crock pot leave for up to 6 hours for a stove top anywhere between 1-2 hours at a simmer)

Step 3: it should look like this when it is done.

Step 4: Strain the contents and viola broth! Store in the freezer or the fridge for quick use (I like the plastic soup to go containers to store in)

the left overs ready to be composted

Kitchen Tip:

Strainers

If you don't have a fancy broth strainer a regular colander will work just as good. Either cover the bottom with cheese cloth to catch most the fat or put the broth in a container, stick it in the fridge and once cooled that fat will rise to the top and stick to the containers edges, just remove with a spoon and you are set! Like Alton Brown I prefer not to waste money on one hit wonders.