Hangman's Luau Chicken

The house is being swallowed by one of our famous "souper" fogs and I'm sparring with a bout of those depressing winter uglies. I'm in my favorite place - the kitchen - channeling positive energy to keep them at bay. Madrone, crackling in the fireplace, and cinnamon, from a baking crisp, perfume the air. Lovely smells. I'm listening to a Mozart flute concerto made more beautiful still as it's played by Jean-Pierre Rampal. Lovely sounds. And while I can't grill in this weather, I plan to make a treat that will take me to the black sand beach of my special island. I've pulled down a contraption called a leg rack that I use to make the famous Hangman's Luau Chicken. It's not really famous. It's a recipe I threw together for my grandsons who like to putter in the kitchen. The plan was to have them make the marinade and wrap the ball tip of the legs in a thick band of foil to prevent the legs from slipping through the slot as they cooked. We hit a patch where there was more to do than day in which to do it so that never happened, but the recipe was well received by some folks who know chicken. This is really easy to do, it's gorgeous to look at and the leg rack gives it a novelty factor that intrigues a lot of people. This one is fun to do.

Hangman's Luau Chicken

Ingredients:
12 chicken drumsticks
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sweet hoisin Sauce
1/4 cup chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon white or yellow miso
Cilantro and pineapple cubes for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1) Using a sharp knife, score chicken legs at 1-inch intervals. Place in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Combine teriyaki sauce, mayonnaise, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, ginger and miso in a 1-quart bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour marinade over chicken; seal bag and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.
2) Remove legs from bag, reserving marinade. Place marinade in a 1-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until sauce thickens and is reduced by half. Keep warm.
3) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray leg rack with nonstick spray. Slide legs into notches of rack. Place rack on a shallow baking pan large enough to catch drippings. Bake for 25 minutes. Baste with reserved marinade. Continue to cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer. Transfer legs to a serving platter. Yield: 6 servings.

Cook's Note: To grill, preheat grill according to manufacturer's instructions for cooking by direct and indirect heat. Legs are first grilled over direct heat, then moved to finish cooking over indirect heat. Lightly coat grill rack and a LEG and WING rack with oil or cooking spray. Slide legs into notches of LEG and WING rack and place rack over direct heat and grill, covered, for 15 minutes. Carefully move rack to indirect heat side of grill, baste with reserved marinade and cook, covered, for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Use oven mitts to remove rack from grill; place on a heat resistant surface until legs can be removed. Yield: 6 servings.

Dare to Dream - Barack Hussein Obama - POTUS 44

Sauerkraut Soup

Do you remember the dust-up over French freedom fries a few years back? I was amazed to learn that a similar thing happened during WWI when the manufacturers of sauerkraut renamed their product liberty cabbage. I first had sauerkraut just after I was married. Our apartment was in an old building whose walls had absorbed aromas from the kitchens of tenants, past and present. On any given night the brisket in apartment 2D fought with the curry in 2F while the unmistakable smell of sauerkraut wafted down the stairs from 3A. It was like a street market. As you walked through the hall you could hear snippets of conversation or the clatter of dishes as the tables were being set and if your olfactory senses were the least bit keen you could tell what everyone was having for supper. I must admit I found my first taste of sauerkraut off-putting. Mama S made it her mission to correct that and while I'll never rise from my death bed to cry "Choucroute" I came to like it well enough. The secret is, of course, to rinse and soak it in several changes of cold water before using. Mama's sauerkraut was more French than German and years later I'd realize what she had taught me to make was actually a choucroute garni. Tender mercies! When I heard about the weather folks on the east coast and plains areas are having, I knew it was time to roll out my sauerkraut soup. The soup has an inverse relationship to the weather - the colder it gets the better the soup tastes. The photograph looks gentile, but the soup is true, hearty peasant fare. Add a salad and some bread and it's a meal in itself.

Sauerkraut Soup

Ingredients:
1 (32-oz.) jar sauerkraut
1 large baking potato, peeled and grated
6 slices thick cut bacon, diced
1 pound smoked sausage, diced
1 large (about 12-oz.) onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 large carrot, grated
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon Hungarian hot paprika
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (12-oz.) bottle non-alcoholic amber beer (i.e. O'Doul's)
8 cups beef stock
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1) Drain and rinse sauerkraut. Place in a large bowl; cover with cold water and soak for 20 minutes. Drain. Set aside. Place grated potato in a small bowl. Cover with cold water. Drain just before using.
2) Meanwhile, place bacon in a large skillet and saute until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper toweling. Add sausage and saute until lightly brown. Remove from pan and drain on paper toweling. Add onions to pan and saute until limp and transparent. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return bacon and sausage to pan. Add grated carrots, fennel and caraway seeds, paprika and tomato paste. Add beer, scraping bottom of pan to release fond.
3) Place sauerkraut in a large soup pot. Add beef stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; add drained potato and contents of skillet. Simmer for 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yield: 8 servings.

Thai Rice Noodle Bowls

Is it soup yet? Not as we know it, but this soupy noodle bowl, or a variation of it, can be found in cafes and on street corners throughout Asia. This is the ultimate DIY meal. Pick a noodle, some protein and a vegetable and you have a meal in minutes. I use wide rice noodles here; they're paired with leftover chicken in a broth flavored with Thai fish sauce. I do fuss a little and make my own crisp fried garlic . It's available in some grocery stores but what you buy is no match for what can be made at home. Make no mistake about it - this dish is about noodles that happen to find themselves floating in a little broth. It's really not a soup. If you're still trying to overcome holiday indulgences this light but filling noodle bowl will really hit the spot.

Thai Rice Noodle Bowl

Ingredients:
1/2 pound wide dried rice noodles
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 heaping tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic
5 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken, shrimp or pork
1/4 cup Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
3 scallions (white and tender green), thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Directions:
1) Bring three quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Remove from heat. Add dried rice noodles and let sit until tender enough to eat, about 10 minutes. Rinse with cold water. Drain and set aside.
2) Heat oil in a small skillet until it shimmers. Add garlic and cook until it is golden brown. Pour oil and garlic into a small heatproof bowl. Set aside.
3) Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add chicken, pepper flakes if using, fish sauce and black pepper; simmer until meat is heated through, about 2 minutes.
4) Divide noodles among 4 soup bowls. Top each serving with reserved garlic and oil mixture. Ladle broth and chicken over noodles; sprinkle with scallions and cilantro. Yield: 4 servings.

Adapted from a recipe by Nancie McDermott

I sending this recipe on to Presto Pasta Night sponsored by Ruth at Once Upon A Feast. This week's event is hosted by Ivy at Kopiaste.

Braised Short Ribs Côtes du Rhône

This is one of my favorite recipes. It's kissing cousin is, of course, beef bourguignonne, but this luxury version produces aromas that will drive you wild. Meaty short ribs replace stew meat. The ribs, along with some vegetables and herbs, soak for a day in a full bodied, deep crimson Côtes-du-Rhône, guaranteeing they'll be happily soused when they hit the saute pan. The ribs are browned in bacon drippings, then slowly braised at a temperature low enough to melt connective tissue while still allowing the beef to retain it's shape and glorious texture. The other usual suspects associated with bourguignonne - mushrooms and pearl onions - are assembled and tossed in the mix just before serving. Did I mention bacon? It's there, too. The braising liquid is reduced by half then used to nap the ribs, mushrooms and onions which are served atop a bed of noodles. Extra sauce is passed at the table. This is like no stew you have ever had. I hope you'll try it.

Braised Short Ribs Côtes du Rhône

Ingredients:
1 bottle Côtes du Rhône or other full-bodied red wine
2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 very large yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 parsley sprigs
4 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
8 slices thick cut smoked bacon, diced
12 beef short ribs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup flour
2 cups beef stock
1 pound small mushroom caps
1/2 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions:
1) Place wine in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; add carrots, onions, garlic, parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Cool to room temperature. Place the short ribs in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the ribs in a single layer. Pour the marinade over the ribs, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
2) Fry the bacon in a large saute pan until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. Set pan containing bacon dripping aside.
3) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Remove ribs from marinade. Liberally season with salt and pepper and dredge all sides in flour. Heat skillet containing bacon drippings until almost smoking. Brown ribs, in two batches, until deep brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a large roasting pan. Pour marinade and beef stock into skillet and bring to a boil; add half the bacon. Pour over ribs. Cover pan with foil and bake for 3 hours. Transfer ribs to a baking sheet; top with mushrooms and onions. Return pan to oven but leave door ajar.
4) Strain braising liquid into a large saucepan. Boil juices until reduced by half. If too thin, dissolve cornstarch in a small amount of stock or water and add to sauce, stirring until thickened. Stir in mustard. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over ribs and continue baking for 20 minutes longer. Warm bacon. Lift ribs and vegetables from sauce and place on a platter lines with hot noodles. Top with reserved bacon and chopped parsley. Pass extra sauce at table. Yield: 6 servings.

This recipe is being sent to Regional Recipes - France a blogging event sponsored by dp at Blazing Hot Wok. This month's host is Susan at Open Mouth Insert Fork.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Beef Bourguignon - Simply Recipes
Viennese Goulash Stew - Memorie di Angelina
New School Beef Stew #1 - The Food Hound
Beef Carbonnade - Amanda's Cookin
Five Hour Oven Stew - Sweet Basil Kitchen
Guinness Irish Pub Stew - Skinny Kitchen

Muenster Cheese Bread

One of the joys of blogging is discovering events that test your limits and move you out of your comfort zone. One such event is the monthly Bread Baking Day, hosted this month by Temperance at High on the Hog. Her request was simple - bake a bread that is made with or served with cheese. I resisted the temptation to do a pizza. I love pizza but I wanted to expand my repertoire and do something really new. My search led me to a remarkable German bread that is made with and topped with Muenster cheese. The bread has a remarkable crumb, gorgeous color and a soft, yet crunchy, crust that is not to be believed. The bread stays fresh for several days but that gorgeous crust is best the day the bread is made. You'll need no special equipment to make these loaves but you might want to consider cutting the recipe in half as it produces two huge - monster Muenster - loaves. This bread was originally made with a German Munster which is much sharper than the American Muenster cheese used here. I've tried it both ways and prefer the milder Muenster. I do hope you'll try this bread - it is really, really good. I'm also sending this on to Susan at Yeast Spotting.

Muenster Cheese Bread

Ingredients:
6-1/2 to 7-1/2 cups flour, unsifted
5 teaspoons active dry yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
4 teaspoons salt
1 cup plain yogurt
2-1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup water
6 eggs, room temperature
3/4 pound Muenster cheese, shredded
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

Directions:
1) Combine 1-1/2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Combine yogurt, butter and water in a microwavable bowl. Cook on HIGH power until butter melts, about 1 minute. Cool slightly. Slowly add to dry ingredients; beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add 6 eggs, 1/2 cup cheese and 1 cup flour; beat for 2 minutes at high speed. Add as much flour as needed to make a stiff dough (I used a total of 6-1/2 cups flour). Turn onto a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
2) Place dough into a greased bowl, turning it once to grease top. Cover; let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; divide into two equal pieces. Pat dough to form round loaves. Place on greased baking sheets; cover, let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat remaining egg with milk; brush over loaves. Top with remaining cheese. Bake until loaves are golden, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves

Recipe from The New York Times Bread and Soup Cookbook by Yvonne Young Tarr

Angel Food Cake - The Wife Killer Challenge

The gauntlet was thrown down. The taunt...are you the woman your Mother was? The challenge - make an angel food cake using a rotary beater. I accepted. I had frozen egg whites and a competitive spirit in need of a challenge - I was bored. I mean, how hard could this be? In the 19th century the eggs for this cake were beaten with a fork or perforated spoon. If they could do it so could I. To make it more interesting I decided to use the ingredients my Mom and her friends used to make the cake all those years ago. They wouldn't waste precious ration stamps on items such as cake flour or cream of tartar, so they improvised. All-purpose flour was mixed with cornstarch to replace cake flour - the ratio was 2 tablespoons cornstarch to 16 tablespoons flour. Lemon juice, spoon for spoon, was used to replace cream of tartar. I have three recipes for angel food cake. I chose the one that's made with granulated sugar because I couldn't remember if confectioners' sugar was generally available at that time. With the oven preheated and mise en place awaiting my deft hands I began to time my activity. Five minutes into beating, the egg whites were still milky and showed no signs of thickening. I began transferring the beater from one hand to the other in an attempt to rest arms that quickly became tired. The eggs began to thicken at the ten minutes mark after being moved to a tall narrow bowl, but it took 25 minutes for them to form the kind of peaks I was looking for. Once in the oven I waited to see the voluminous cloud that is angel food cake form. It didn't happen. The finished cake was sticky to the touch and about half the height I expected to see. Not easily discouraged, I decided to try again using a balloon whisk. I know that's not what I set out to do, but I wanted to know this cake could be made completely by hand. The results were better, but not great. Both cakes appear in the photograph above. If I had more egg whites I'd make the cake a third time using an electric mixer to see if it would make a substantial difference in the height of the cake. For the record, Mom was quite a gal and the guy who invented the electric mixer deserves a medal and a special place in heaven. Now all I have to do is figure out what I'm going to do with all this cake and find a better way to handle my crazy ideas. There is much to commend the "good old new days."

Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup cake flour
1-2/3 cups granulated sugar
1-3/4 cups egg whites, room teperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract or 1 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 300 (yes three hundred)degrees F.
2) Sift flour three times. Combine flour and sugar and sift three times more.
3) Place egg whites in bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium-high speed until frothy. Add salt and cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Add reserved 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, to beaten egg whites. Add extract of choice of extract until whites hold stiff peaks. Sift one quarter of flour over whites and fold in gently but thoroughly. Sift and fold remaining flour mixture into whites in three parts.
4) Spoon batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan and smooth top. Rap pan on counter to burst any air bubbles. Bake in middle of oven until cake is springy when touched and a skwerer inserted into center comes out clean, about 1-1/4 hours. Invert and cool for 2 hours. Loosen cake from edges of pan and invert onto a cake plate. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Maple Oatmeal Bread - National Oatmeal Month and Blue Monday

A warm loaf of a maple flavored oatmeal bread for National Oatmeal Month and a box of oats in Quaker blue for Blue Monday.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...January is National Oatmeal Month and I wanted to post this before it was lost in a rash of recipes for the Super Bowl. It's adapted from one created by Bernard Clayton. I made it years ago and used it to make toast for my picky breakfast eaters. This is a moist bread, not sweet enough to be a cake, but sweet enough to ward off proposals from pastrami or other luncheon meat. It's unusual in that it's made with cooked oatmeal and a starter that is like a biga, save for the fact it contains salt and takes less time to ferment. The bread is easy to make but the dough is very sticky and, in its initial stages, is hard to handle. If you choose to make this, you might want to use a stand mixer to keep handling to a minimum. I've found that stale versions of this bread make wonderful French toast and bread pudding. It also freezes well. It helps to slice the bread and freeze it in individual portions rather than try to slice through a frozen block. What makes this bread truly appealing is the maple flavor imparted by the syrup used to make it. Use real maple syrup, the imitation just won't do. Here's the recipe.

Maple Oatmeal Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Bernard Clayton

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
2-1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon oil
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour + flour for kneading

Directions:
1) Place oats in a large bowl. Pour in boiling water. Stir and set aside for 1 hour.
2) Add yeast, syrup, salt and oil to the oats. Add 3 cups of flour and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until small bubbles form on surface of dough, about 1 hour.
3) Add more flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough comes together. Turn it onto a floured surface and knead, using flour as required, for ten minutes. Dough will still be sticky, but it will form a cohesive mass. Cut dough into two pieces, shape into loaves and place in 2 greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise another 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4) Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until bread is brown and sounds hollow when thumped with a finger. Transfer pans to a cooling rack. Brush tops lightly with butter. Remove from pans and cool to room temperature before slicing. Yield: 2 loaves.

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

This recipe is linked to:
Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting