Stop Grillin' that Drunk Chick.

Today is a beautiful day in New York. The sun is shining and its like 85 degrees out. Today the plan is to go out and get some planting done. We need some soil and some annuals for the front of the house and some herbs for the back of the house. First things first lunch. I had some Chicken thighs and legs so thats a start my freezer had some limoncello from a trip to italy 4 years ago. Thing it would work together? Why not? Lets do it.

Drunken Limoncello Grill Chicken

Software:

1/2 Cup of Limoncello

SnP to taste
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

Hardware:

BBQ Grill or Oven
Vessel to marinate

First salt and pepper the chick and set aside. Pour the limoncello over the chicken and evenly coat. Let it set aside for at least 30  - 60 with the fresh Thyme covered in room temperature.

Set your grill to full blast on all burner for at least 20 minutes. Then turn off the middle burners. Gently place the chicken skin side down in a 45 degree angle pointing left for 3 minutes and 3 minutes to your right in a covered the grill. Flip the bird on its back and let it sit for another 20-30 minutes with the Thyme on top. Its hard to overcook dark meat on the bone due to its fat content so don't worry about drying it out.

What your doing by turning of the burners directly under it is cooking with an offset fire. What that does is creat a convection like effect in your grill much like the expensive ovens out there with a built in fan. The air is able to circulate better and the air brushing gently against your food will allow it to cook evenly and quicker then if you would under a hot fire directly. This is a more gentler way of grilling and will result in a cripy skin rather than a charred skin. The sear in the beginning is largely for the cross hatch appearance resulting in a pretty grilled chicken look. Remember you eat with your eyes as well as your mouth.

A fun Side: Roasted scalloped potatoes

Software:

4-5 Potatoes

Onions or Shallots

2 Gloves Garlic

1/4 Cup of Olive olive

2 Tablespoons of Butter

SnP

Hardware:

Swissmar Borner V-Slicer Plus Mandoline V-1001, 6 Piece Set set to thin slice

Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron 8-Inch Skillet

Slice up the potatoes (I like them skin on). Place them in rows in an oiled iron skillet. Slice the onions and garlic up thinly and wedge between the potatoes. SnP and drizzle with melted butter and olive oil. Place skillet in your grill closed with an offset heat for 30 minutes.

Which wiche is which?

What a great day today. We stayed at home all day and just chilled. I wanted to clear out my DVR so I watched episode after episode of Americas Test Kitchen and Everyday food finishing my day off with the Move The Taking of Pelham 123. Undoubtably I was a slug all day. Eventually hunger sets in and with notthing but left overs in the fridge I decided today's dinner was going to be a left over meal. I had the roast beef from the previous night which would make a great whiche but I have no bread. Thankfully the cable gods answered my calling and one of the episodes I watched of Americas Test kitchen had a bread recipe.

Looks like Beast Sandhiches are whats served up for tonight. Here goes:

Bread Recipe:
Bread Softare:
16 1/2 oz AP Flour
1 oz wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Instant Yeast
2 Teaspoons Honey
12 1/2 oz Water
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt

Bread Hardware:
KitchenAid KSM150PSWH Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer, White
Oxo Good Grips 5-Quart White Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl
Saran Wrap
Cuisinart Chef's Classic Nonstick Bakeware 9-Inch Round Cake Pan
Old Stone Oven 14-Inch by 16-Inch Baking Stone
Amco Food Service Half Sheet Pan
OXO Good Grips Pastry Scraper


To make the bread mix the wet ingrediants first until every component is well homogenized then mix in the yeast. Next, mix in flour and place in your stand mixer with the dough hook attachement on low for 3 mins. Stop and mix in salt and mix for another 3 mins. Saran wrap the bowl and let the mixture rest for 30 minutes. Transfer to a greased bowl and pull one side of the dough over and onto itself. Do this for all sides. Rest another 30 minutes and do it again. After another 30 Minutes since the last pull over. The dough should have almost doubled in size in room temperature. Carefully transfer the dough onto a flat surface and seperate into two batches with a scraper. Shape as you need them I made one batch into rolls and one into heroes. The dough should be butt up against each other to support themselves and they rise. Preheat the oven for 500 Degrees with your baking stone if you have it and a sheet pan with water. After 30 minutes spray the dough with water and stick into the oven after 10 minutes drop the temperature down to 400 and seperate the rolls and put them back in to bake for another 20 nminutes until golden brown. They should cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

Roast Beast Sandwiche Software:
Thinly sliced beef
Sauteed onions
Toasted Hoagie Bread
Beef Jus
SnP

Hardware:
Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press
Victorinox 12-Inch Granton Edge Slicing Knife with Fibrox Handle
Chicago Cutlery Walnut Tradition 10-Inch Serrated Bread/Slicing Knife
Victorinox 12-Inch Granton Edge Slicing Knife with Fibrox Handle

To assemble the sandwiche I sliced my hoagie roll in half lengwise with a serrated knife.
Spread a layer of Beef Jus, Beef, onions, and cheese. I then greased the top and botom side with melted butter and pressed until everything inside is nice and warm and comingled. Slice and serve! Its the perfect sandwiche and be sure to reserve some of the jus for dipping =).

Chillin' and Grillin

Its warm out yeeeeah! woo hoooo! Nothing beats a nice warm summer night and the smell of the grill sizzling and billowing with the delicious smoke that surround your meal. Let's get grilling...

Tonight I was driven by the usual inspiration for dinner, the ingredients were on sale =) not to mention the side dish was instant as Jen was craving Rice-A Roni.

Hardware:
Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 18.5-Inch Smoker
Oxo Good Grips 12-Inch Stainless-Steel Locking Tongs
Pyrex Prepware 4-Quart Rimmed Mixing Bowl, Clear
Microplane Fine Grater

Pork Chops:
Marinate:
1 Cup Orange Juice
2 Cloves of garlic minces or grated
1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar
1/2 of Cilantro minced
1 small onion minced or grated
Pork Chops Salt and Peppered

Mix all of the ingrediants for the marinate if youre lazy throw it all in a blender or food processor and blitze. Pour over the pork chops and let it marinate as you get the rest going.

Asparagus:
Asparagus
4 Tablespoons of Good aged Balsamic Vinegar
1 table spoon of olive oil
1 clove of garlic grated or minced
SnP

Mix the marinade and let the asparagus sit in it after you chop the bottom ends off.

Rice-A Roni:
Follow the instructions on the box

As everything marinates start your grill with the lid closed. Gas is good, charcoal even better.

Once the grill is hot (hold your hand 5 inches from the grill if you can hold it for 1 -2 secs the grill is hot, if you can hold it for 3-4 secs its medium high, 4-5 secs medium)

Throw your pork chops on 10 O'Clock then 2 O'Clock then flip and repeat for perfect grill marks. It should be something like 2 minutes per side per angle depending the thickness of your cut.

Once thats done set aside off of the grill to rest and toss your asparagus on the grill.

Grill to taste and serve it up with your chops and favorite side dish.

Enjoy the flavor the smoke imparts on your chops, enjoy the night, and enjoy not having to clean up your kitchen or smell your dinner for 3 days at home =)