Tandoori Chicken

Many thanks to Dhiraj and his sister Kiran for this wonderful recipe. The recipe is super simple and so perfect for a change of pace when you want to BBQ. You can make this well in advance with dark meat chicken on the bone and let it sit for as much as a day or two refrigerated in its marinade as the Yogurt penetrates the flesh and cultures start to break down the protein.

This Indian dish is named appropriately after the "gadget" that it is prepared in. It was developed to be cooked in an Indian clay oven called a Tandoor. This clay oven has the ability to heat up to 900 degrees using natural lump charcoal. This renders the protein with a crispy exterior almost as if it was fried. It also creates such a crisp crust on the exterior of the protein it seals the juices in the protein and allows the protein to stay juicy. The yogurt added here is not only for richness and flavor it also helps to break down the flesh and hydrates it so that it doesn't burn during the baking process. This is a world famous dish synonymous with Indian cuisine.

This recipe goes wonderful with a side of Basmati rice. Delish.

Tandoori Chicken Software:
4 skinless leg quarters
2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp garlic paste
1 cup yogurt
3tbsp oil
2tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1tbsp coriander powder
1tbsp cumin powder (My deviation from the original recipe)
1 tsp garam masala powder
SnP

Tandoori Hardware:
Covered BBQ grill or oven. Hell if you have a Tandoori oven go for it.
Food Processor or Mortar and Pestle

To Prepare the dry spice toast whole coriander and cumin in a medium heat in a dry pan. Toast until you can smell the oil off of the pods warming to the surface and giving off a warm smell. It should take 5-10 minutes shaking often.

 
This works better with the original "food processor" the mortar and pestle. If you don't have one or are impatient then go for a food processor. I highly suggest the mortar pestle method as it really bring out the flavor of the herbs by bruising the flesh rather than crushing it.

 
First start with toasted coriander under a powder, then mix the Turmeric, Garam Masala, and Chili Powder. Pound and grind until homogeneous. Then take chopped garlic and ginger and either finely mix or blitze in a food processor. Mix the wet and dry in the mortar and mash until you have an aromatic homogeneous paste. Mix with yogurt and set aside.

 
To prepare your chicken remove the skin, rinse under cold water and make 45 degree angle slits in the chicken. The point here is that the skin will prevent the marinate from permeating the flesh. The slits assist with the permeation and quickens the cooking process a bit. This is especially important for bone in meats that take a bit longer to cook.

 
Pat the chicken dry so that the spices stick to the flesh. SnP and smear the marinate on both sides. Refrigerate for 6 hours to 2 days.

 
On the day of cooking take the chicken out an hour before cooking to let the flesh come up to room temperature. This is perfect as you start the coals of your Grill or Preheat your oven to the Max temperature setting.
 

Once the grill is ready with the coals set it to indirect heating by placing the heated coals to one side and place a drip pan with water directly underneath the chicken. Place chicken on a heated, cleaned and well oiled grate and cover. Cook for approximately 30 minutes turning over only once and absolutely no peeking.

 

If using the oven just the chicken on a baking tray and place into the oven once the max temperature has been reached. Keep an eye on the chicken and cook at this chicken only until the desired browning has occurred approximately 10 -15 minutes. Once the chicken looks really good and browned drop the temperature to 375 and cook for another 20 minutes until you can pierce the flesh and the liquid runs clear and free of blood.

Basil growing like weeds? Pesto baby pesto.

Due to the ridiculous heat wave this past week and the continued hot weather my basil has been growing out the back like friggin weeds. For a quick make ahead meal that decimates your basil population try making pesto. You can refrigerate the sauce or even freeze it if you don't add any milk or cream. This is a great meal for when you get home and you want to feed everyone within minutes. Just make sauce ahead of time so when you get home all you have to do is boil pasta and finish it in the sauce. Grill some chicken if you like to make it more substantial.

Software:
3 cups fresh basil leaves (you can add most fresh mild herbs here like oregano or parley)
1 1/2 cups of toasted Pine nuts (you can substitute almonds or walnuts here)
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (you can substitute Pecorino for a nuttier taste I prefer it)
1 cup olive oil
Half of a fresh squeezed lemon or 2 tablespoons of juice (I used Limoncello)
salt and pepper to taste
 
Pasta (Homemade is best)
 
Grilled chicken.

 
Hardware:
All-Clad Stainless 7-1/2-Inch French Skillet to toast Pine nuts
All Clad LTD2 7-Quart Pasta Pentola boil Pasta
All-Clad Stainless 12-Inch Fry Pan to finish pasta in sauce
Cuisinart DFP-14BCN 14-Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel
Global 5-1/2-Inch 14 cm Vegetable Knife
Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Square Grill Pan

I like to toast my pine nuts to bring out the warm oils of the nut. To do this start with a dry pot or pan and warm it up to medium low heat. Fill it with the nuts and toss every minute. DO NOT walk away as the oils can burn quickly. Keep a good eye on it and flip constantly. When the nuts start to brown and you start smelling the oil come to the surface of the nuts you can stop but don't leave them in the pan unless you plan on flipping them still. The residual heat form the pan is enough to burn the nuts and put off a bitter rancid taste.

 

Combine all of the above pesto ingredients into a food processor until its a grainy sauce to your preference. I like to add a little milk or cream to make it a creamy pesto. If you don't have lemons you don't need it but it add a refreshing acidity to the sauce. I used Limoncello don't knock it, it works.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the pesto for the chicken. Take chicken breasts or dark meat, SnP and marinate in the reserved pesto for 30 minutes to 12 hours. Grill each side for 3 minutes until meat is firm and the liquid from the chicken runs clear and free of blood. Set your chicken aside to rest.

Start your pasta by boiling salty water with Extra Virgin Olive oil (remember salty like the sea). Meanwhile heat up a skillet with your pesto on low heat. Boil pasta to Al dente, fresh pasta is even better.

Right before Al dente while the pasta finish it in the pesto sauce to Al dente. You can add some starchy water that pasta came from or some milk to loosen the sauce.

Slice up your chicken and place over your pasta, you can garnish with Pine nuts, Shaved Pecorino cheese, or Basil. No "NFGs" please (None Functioning Garnish).

For a easy fancy looking garnish here's my take on Parmesan Crisps.

Software:
Shaved Parmesan ( I used Pecorino same thing but sheep instead of cow)
Fresh Cracked pepper
1 Teaspoon of AP Flour

Hardware:
Oven
Baking sheet or jelly roll pan
Silicon Silpat or Parchment paper
Spray Oil

Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees. Mix off of the above in a bowl. Spray oil your Baking sheet and lay your Silpat or parchment paper on it.

Spray oil the Silpat or parchment paper. Grab a small handful of the mixture onto the sheet and smooth it out to a flat layer not too thin.

Stick the sheet into the oven for about 15 minutes until the cheese melts and browns.

Careful when you take it out of the oven the sheet and crisps are hot hot hot. For about 60 seconds they are soft and flexible so you can mold it into a shape if you want. Otherwise just let it cool for 5 minutes before removing and garnishing.

Enjoy for a quick meal. With Proper prep this meal can be made within 30 minutes. Eat that Rachel Ray.