Jun 30, 2009

I was chosen to be a part of the first every virtual cook off by the Chicago RedEye – you can see their blog here – http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/redeye/munch-time/

The best thing about this is that chef Rick Bayless will be judging. I know – right? I used to watch him on his PBS Shows alll the time.

Here’s my intro to the competition: http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/redeye/2009/06/meet-the-chefersons.html

I didn’t know what to do at first – but the cherry gods were good to me! Cherries are sweet – so they’re best paired in savory foods with a bit of heat – right? That’s what I did! I did a Mexican Cherry Trio. It starts out with a Mexican flavored seared chicken breast that’s glazed with a sweet and savory cherry balsamic glaze. That sits over a bed of cilantro and saffron rice that’s been studded with dried cherries. The whole dish gets topped with a pan roasted corn and cherry salsa and finished off with the ultimate cherry margarita.

Photos are below…and the recipes and instructions are further down!

Enjoy,
-Darius

(photo by Darren Calhoun is fine)

(photo by Darren Calhoun is fine)

(photo by Darren Calhoun is fine)

(photo by Darren Calhoun is fine)

(photo by Darren Calhoun is fine)

(photo by Darren Calhoun is fine)

(photo by Darren Calhoun is fine)

(photo by Darren Calhoun is fine)

(photo by Darren Calhoun is fine)

(photo by Darren Calhoun is fine)

Mexican Cherry Trio
It starts out with a Mexican flavored seared chicken breast that’s glazed with a sweet and savory cherry balsamic glaze. That sits over a bed of cilantro and saffron rice that’s been studded with dried cherries. The whole dish gets topped with a pan roasted corn and cherry salsa and finished off with the ultimate cherry margarita.

For the chicken
- 1 Tablespoon of each (salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, dried thyme, and fennel seeds)
- 3 chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

For the glaze
- ½ cup of cherry preserves
- ½ cup of cherry juice
- 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup of minced shallots
- 2 garlic cloves, minced

For the Rice
- 1 cup of long grain rice
- 2 cups of low sodium chicken stock
- ¼ teaspoon of saffron
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup of dried cherries
- 2 tablespoons of minced cilantro

For the Salsa
- 1 cup of frozen or fresh corn kernels
- ¼ cup of minced onion
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup of fresh chopped cherries
- 1 teaspoon of minced jalapeno
- 1 teaspoon of butter
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar

The Process
Combine all ingredients for the glaze in a saucepan and bring to a boil – allow to reduce by half until done.

Get a cast iron skillet to a screaming hot temperature. Add the vegetable oil. Season the chicken liberally. Sear on one side until golden brown. Turn over and sear on the other side. Place in a hot oven (450 degrees) until an instant read thermometer reaches 165 degrees. Be sure to glaze the chicken with the cherry balsamic glaze every 2-3 minutes until the chicken is done.

For the rice – combine all ingredients – bring to a boil, and simmer until rice is tender.
For the salsa, combine and butter in a skillet until golden brown. Then combine the remainder of the ingredients and the corn into a separate bowl. Chill until ready to use.

To assemble, place rice on down first. Add chicken and a bit of the excess glaze. Top with salsa and enjoy.

The Ultimate Cherry Margarita
1 cup of ice
¼ cup of water
¼ cup of lime juice
¼ cup of tequila, triple sec, and vodka
1 cup of frozen cherries

Combine in a blender until smooth.

Jun 25, 2009

So, I look in the fridge – and what’s there? Some would say nothing. Well, me – I say my next challenge. There was a celery root, potatoes, and carrots – all from past dishes. I always have chicken in the fridge. I also has some citrus brewing in the crisper – oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit – you know, things like that. So, what did I do? A fusion if you will of two seasons – root veggies (fall/winter) and citrus (spring/summer).

The pan sauce was KILLER! And what’s so interesting is that I had a cupcake pick-up while I was trying out my new dish and the customer wanted to try the dish too. Hey, I’m a nice guy – so why not?!?! Well – the rest was history. At least she was willing to pose for a photo!

Citrus Encrusted Chicken
- Zest of lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit – about 1 cup total
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 cup of flour
- 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 2 chicken breast cut cross wise to produce 4 cutlets

Combine zest, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes together. Rub the chicken with the mixture and allow to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Coat and dust with flour. Preheat oil until it’s almost wafting. Cook chicken on one side until golden brown, turning once, complete the other side until golden brown. If chicken is too thick – after browning, place in a 400 degree oven until the internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Parm Buttermilk Root Veggies
- 1 cup of diced celery root, potatoes, and carrots
- 1/4 cup of buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 3 tablespoons of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste

Boil vegetables until fork tender in shockingly salty water. Drain properly and mix with buttermilk, butter, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Smash until desired consistency.

Citrus Pan Sauce
- 2 cups of fresh citrus juice (your choice)
- 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients into a saucepan and allow to reduce until a thick glaze – about 15 minutes on high heat. Remove from heat and use immediately.

Jun 22, 2009

I was hungry. Really hungry. That’s how this story will go. What did I decide to do? I needed to eat. So, I went to my fridge to see what I had. I had the basic elements. Next thing you know – we had a meal. It’s what I call Angel Hair & Pan Roasted Shrimp in a Chardonnay & Garlic Sauce! Um, long name – maybe I’ll rethink that for a menu – however, it’s some good eating…like, for real!

1/4 lb of angel hair pasta
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 pound of gulf shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/2 cup of broccoli
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 cup of a good white wine
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of minced shallots
1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
salt and pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Cook the pasta until right past al dente – be sure to cook it in salty water. In a pan heat olive oil, shallots, and garlic – once fragrant, add shrimp. When shrimp are almost done add white wine, parsley, paprika, red pepper flakes, a bit of salt and pepper. Toss in butter, cooked pasta, and blanched broccoli. Make sure all are combined well. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Jun 11, 2009

How simple and delish is sesame chicken? It’s super simple and full of flavor – for real. I’m not lying. This dish is beyond simple and easy – and you know what? That makes this dish PERFECT for Everyday Cookin’. Enjoy!

For Sauce
¼ cup of water
1 cup of low sodium chicken broth
½ tablespoon of vinegar
¼ cup of cornstarch
1 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 small chili, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of flour
Vegetable oil, for frying
Wooden skewers
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds

The Method
For the sauce, combine everything into a sauce pan. Whisk good until combined and bring to a boil on a medium heat. Once thickened, remove from heat.

Preheat oil to 375 degrees. Cut the chicken breast into strips. Season with salt and pepper. Place onto skewers. Dredge in flour being sure to shake of the excess and deep fry until golden brown. When done, dip in sauce and place over rice or noodles.

**For the rice, prepare rice based on the package instructions. Per cup of uncooked rice add 1 teaspoon of dried lavender to the cooking liquid as the rice cooks.

Jun 9, 2009

So, how boring is just plain ol’ roasted chicken? I get more excited about what you can do with roasted chicken versus the actual concoction itself. You know, things like cajun chicken salad, chicken and mole enchiladas, chicken and green olive tamales with a mango salsa – I mean – you get the idea. However, every once in a while it’s good to revisit the classics, right? So I did – and I remixed it of sorts.

So, how about a Cajun Roasted Chicken with a Garlic Butter Glaze served with Garlic Roasted Potatoes over a Pea Puree that’s been infused with Parmesan. And guess what’s even better – there’s NO FREAKIN’ RECIPE PEOPLE. Get that – NO FREAKIN’ RECIPE. I know, I know – I’ll receive all applause.

So you take your fave cajun seasoning along with kosher salt and pepper and rub the chicken down. Put it in a shallow dish and let it roast on 375 degrees for about 45 minutes (or until the juices run clear). Do the same with the potatoes. Cut them into wedges, sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper (sneak in a bit of that cajun seasoning too), and roast those along w/the chicken until they’re done. Now, the pea puree – simple. Heat up some milk or cream, toss in some Parmesan cheese (only the fresh grated stuff), salt, pepper, cayenne, and frozen peas. When the peas heat through – puree those bad boys – and that’s it – as simple as two peas in a pod (lol – my attempt at comedy).

One last step is to melt a stick of butter and toss in a few whole garlic cloves. Keep the heat on low and let the garlic flavor infuse in the butter. Use that to glaze the chicken or the potatoes or put it in a glass with a straw and enjoy – lol. If you like more butter glaze more – if you like less butter – glaze less – but whatever you do – glaze a bit.

That’s it folks…a classic remix.