It’s inexcusable. It’s just plain ole’ food-blogging malpractice. I came across this recipe for Moroccan Brick Chicken about fours years ago. I have cooked it countless times. And while I don’t like to play favorites among my favorite recipes, between you and me, this is my mostest favoritest dish to come out of my kitchen. So, it’s indefensible that it’s just making it onto this site.

As the cover photo implies, this chicken is full of deep, bold flavors: spicy cayenne, smoky paprika and cumin and, earthy and sweet cinnamon. And while the spices combine to create a beautiful, warm and fragrant rub, it’s the lemon that gives the chicken that little something extra by adding a touch of tang and brightness – bringing the dish to life. It’s a very juicy and succulent dish. I always serve it with the Mint Yogurt Dressing to add a little sweetness, coolness and cream to the plate.

NOTES: For best results, you should butterfly, and remove breast plate of chicken. Here’s an “How To” video). Also, I made a few tweaks to the original recipe: increasing the lemon juice to better round out the spices and using ground spices instead of toasting whole spices (the amounts were adjusted to reflect the change).

MOROCCAN BRICK CHICKEN  

Adapted from Chef Tyler Florence

2 TBL ground cumin
2 TBL ground coriander
1.5 TBL cinnamon
1 TSP sweet paprika
1 TSP cayenne

3 TSP kosher salt

¼ cup olive oil, plus more for sautéing

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, (about 2-3 lemons)
1 whole free-range chicken, split and butterflied (video on butterflying chicken)

Mix cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne and kosher salt in bowl. Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice. Place chicken in a large plastic “Zip-loc” bag. Pour in cumin marinade and “squish” around until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Marinate chicken for 4 hours or overnight.

Place foil-wrapped brick in oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil and cook chicken skin side down. Carefully, remove bricks from the oven and immediately cover with foil-wrapped brick (alternatively, you can use a heavy skillet). Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until chicken is golden brown. Finish cooking in the oven for a further 20 to 25 minutes. If the chicken hasn’t cook through, removed brick(s) to allow the top side to roast faster. Internal temperature between the leg and thigh should register 165 degrees F. Serve with Mint Yogurt Dressing.

MINT YOGURT DRESSING

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
½ bunch chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ bunch fresh mint leaves
2 green onions, green parts only

2 TBL honey
1 lemon, juiced
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Combine yogurt, cilantro, mint, green onions, honey, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a blender. Blend to smooth consistency and chill.

You couldn’t pay me a gazillion bucks to eat this! Well, that would have been my response to coleslaw as a kid. First, I hated Brussels sprouts (what kid doesn’t). Secondly, I had a visceral dislike of coleslaw. The cabbage. The gloppy-thick mayo dressing. No thanks.

But recipes like this make me thankful that I’ve let go of many of my childhood food prejudices. This salad has instantly become one of my favorite, “make to impress,” dishes. It’s light, refreshing and full of flavor. Unlike the mayo-soup that you find in many coleslaw recipes, the flavors of each component really shine through: the slightly peppery Brussels sprouts, the extra peppery radicchio, the spicy Dijon, the honey’s sweetness, the brightness of the lemon juice and the toasted flavor and textural crunch of the candied almonds. It’s an amazing balance.

Served ice-cold, it’s a refreshing side paired with a hearty meat dish. I served it with a Roasted-Brined Chicken and Root Veggies. Know someone who professes a dislike for coleslaw? Spring this dish on them – like me, they’ll be converted.

DIJON-BRUSSELS SPROUT SLAW WITH CANDIED ALMONDS

Slaw adapted from Williams-Sonoma and Candied Almonds adapted from Simply Recipes

(MAKE THE ALMONDS FIRST. THEY NEED TO COOL BEFORE USING. This will also make a little more of the almonds than you’ll need for the slaw. No problem. They’re addictive and you’ll want to eat them on their own.)

½ cup almonds, coarsely chopped

1 egg white

1 TBL water

¼ TSP vanilla extract

8 oz almonds – about 2 cups

½ cup sugar

1 TSP cinnamon

¾ TSP salt

¼ TSP ground cloves

¼ TSP ground nutmeg

2 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and fibrous stems removed

1 small head radicchio, quartered and cored

3 TBL apple cider vinegar

1.5 TBL fresh lemon juice

3 TBL whole-grain mustard

4.5 TBL honey

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat an oven to 300°F.

Put sugar, cinnamon, salt, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg in a small bowl. Thoroughly mix. Put egg, water, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Beat until slightly foamy, add almonds and coat well. Lift almonds out of bowl with a slotted spoon and put them into the sugar and spice bowl. Stir almonds until they are well coated.

Bake 20-30 minutes on a lightly greased baking pan. Halfway into the baking, stir up the almonds with a fork to break them apart and prevent burning. When done, set aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile, cut the Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise. Cut the halves into julienne strips. Do the same for the radicchio. Alternatively, you can shred each with a food processor (grater attachment). Transfer to a large bowl and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and maple syrup. Slowly whisk in the ¼ cup olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.

Add half of the dressing to the Brussels sprout-radicchio mixture and toss well to combine, adding more dressing as needed. Let stand for 15 minutes to slightly wilt the Brussels sprouts. Top with the cooled almonds and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

CAUTION: Construction Zone Ahead.  As you can see, we’re crafting a new look for CeramicCanvas: larger photos (much larger), reader friendly graphics (estimated cook time, flavor profile, recipe rating system) and a lot less copy. Over the next few weeks the design will be tweaked more until it’s just right. Let me know what you think. And stay tuned. Now on to the recipe…

What’s not to love about Brussels Sprouts? They have an earthy, slightly cabbage like flavor – they’re in the same family. I roast them whole, chiffonade and sauté them in butter (lots of butter) and I’ve even tested out a gratin (that didn’t turn out so well). I’m always a bit surprised when people profess a dislike of Brussels sprouts. So much so that I’m determined to find a recipe that will win over even the most ardent sprout detractors. I think this recipe just may do the trick. The recipe compliments the earthiness of the Brussels sprouts with a balance of flavors: sweetness (honey), salt (sauce), spice (pepper flakes) and the distinct flavor of toasted sesame oil hanging out in the background. And I love the texture balance of the soft wilted leaves and the crispy crunch of those leaves that have been charred on the edges.

Note: Unfortunately, I was out of my favorite bottled soy sauce and I was too lazy to run to the market for more. So, I used a few of the less flavorful soy sauce packets that I happen to have on hand from my last Chinese delivery. Oh, the shame.

SOY SAUCE-HONEY GLAZED ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUT LEAVES

10-12 large Brussels sprouts

2 TBL extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 TSP Kosher salt

4 TSP soy sauce

¼ TSP red pepper flakes

1/8 TSP toasted sesame oil

1½ TSP honey

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Trim the Brussels sprouts of the stalk end in order to expose the base of the leaves. Discard the first outer and/or bruised leaves. After the first few leaves, you may need to cut more of the stem end off in order to peek off more leaves. Continue until you peeling off leaves until you get to the small-pales yellow.

Placed the leaves in a single layer of a baking dish. Pour 1 tablespoon of extra virgin oil on leaves. Stir, making sure that all of the leaves are coated. Roast leaves for 15-20 minutes, until they are cooked through and have started to crisp up on the ends.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, soy sauce, pepper flakes, sesame oil and honey until ingredients have mixed and emulsified. Salt to taste.

Pour half of the vinaigrette over the roasted Brussels sprout leaves. Per your taste, add more of the vinaigrette if needed.

Serves 2

Here’s another one of our favorite Brussels sprout recipe: Dijon & Brussels Sprout Slaw with Candied Almonds

Wait…there’s no need to adjust your screen settings. Yes, this ketchup is actually black.

I’ve only cooked one ketchup from scratch before (a delish Ginger 5-Spice Ketchup) but I had my doubts when I first came across this recipe. There were questions: A ketchup with no tomatoes? Mushroom ketchup? Would it taste anything like “real” ketchup? How could you even call it ketchup…I mean, why not call it a Mushroom Tapenade? And the questions kept coming until there was little doubt of what I needed to do. Make it.

As with most of my recipe research, this one began online.  Here’s what learned. While the concept of using mushrooms in ketchup is decidedly English, the origins of the word dates back to the 1600’s in China – where it referred to a spicy pickled fish sauce called ke-tsiap. After making it’s way to England in the 1700’s the ketchup began it’s western evolution through the use of a variety of fruits and nuts (such as apples, peaches, walnut and of course mushrooms). It wasn’t until the sauce made its way over the pond to America that it became popular by using tomatoes.

I came across quite a number of Mushroom Ketchup recipes online. But I narrowed it down to two: a recipe video by famed Michelin starred-chef Heston Blumenthal; and the tried and true Mark Bittman.

While the Blumenthal recipe came with international star appeal, the final sauce, which only used the liquid of salted mushrooms, lacked body and looked really runny. Unfortunately, I wanted something that had a similar texture to the ketchup that I’m more familiar with. So, I decided to go with Mark Bittman. The recipe called for cooking and processing the actually mushrooms into the final sauce – which would achieve the texture that I was looking for. Plus, the recipe was relatively simple and straightforward. Exactly what you’d expect from Bittman.

I made two substitutions to Bittman’s recipe. I wanted the ketchup to have a more complex flavor profile so instead of white wine vinegar and sherry, I went with red wine vinegar and Marsala wine, respectively.

It’s a nice condiment. It has an earthy, tangy and deep flavor. As you can see from the photos, I spread the ketchup on a simple Grilled Chicken Baguette Sandwich. Which gave the sandwich a pop of brightness. And because the ketchup is mushroom-based, it could hold up in a variety of dishes (from fish to steak). Or, as Bittman suggests, add a dollop of it to soups or other sauces to help boost their flavor.

I want to point out a few things. First, the uncooked sauce is rather thick. It will have the firmness of cold, thick cooked oatmeal. That’s OK. As you cook the sauce it will loosen.

Second, many Mushroom Ketchup recipes call for some type of sweetener – usually brown sugar. This recipe did not. In my opinion, it needed it – without, it tastes more mile A1 Steak Sauce than what you’d expect from a ketchup. I stirred in granulated sugar at the end (about ¾ cup). If you choose to, add the sugar in ¼ cup increments until you achieve the taste that you’re looking for.

Enjoy!

MUSHROOM KETCHUP

Adapted from How to Make Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

1½ pounds white mushrooms, halved

1 tablespoon salt

1 ounce dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup roughly chopped shallot or onion

1 clove garlic, peeled

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup Marsala wine

½ – ¾ cups granulated sugar

Put the fresh mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Transfer to a large bowl; sprinkle with the salt and mix until the salt is distributed evenly. Cover with a cloth and let sit at room temperature for about 24 hours, stirring 3 or 4 times (the mushrooms will turn dark).

An hour before you’re ready to make the sauce, put the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover with about 2 cups boiling water. Use a plate if necessary to keep them submerged and soak until soft, about an hour.

Transfer the fresh mushrooms to a food processor. Use a slotted spoon to move the dried mushrooms to the processor. Then ladle or pour in ½ cup of their soaking liquid, trying not to disturb the grit settled at the bottom of the bowl. Add the vinegar, shallot, garlic, and lots of pepper; purée until smooth.

Put the mushroom mixture in a pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat so it bubbles gently and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture appears homogenous and thick, an hour or so. (To test the consistency, dab a small spoonful onto a plate and let sit for a few minutes; if liquid is released, it needs to cook longer.)

Cool until safe to handle, then put the ketchup in a blender and purée until smooth, almost velvety in texture. Add the Marsala if you’re using it and adjust the seasoning.

If using, stir in granulated sugar in ¼ cup increments, to taste.

Let cool to room temperature, then serve or store, refrigerated, in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1 quart

Can caviar taste and Ramen Noodle budget exist together? This was the question that brought me to this recipe.

More specifically, can you put a budget friendly twist on the classic dish, Duck Confit? Duck Confit has a special place in my heart: succulent, tender meat and crispy flavorful skin. But there’s a down side. Besides being cooked in vats of cholesterol packed animal fat, it’s cook in very expensive vats of cholesterol packed animal fat. And since duck fat doesn’t grow on trees, I was committed to finding a more cost efficient alternative. There are two stages to a traditional confit recipe. The first is curing the meat with salt. The second, is slow poaching the meat in fat. As for the curing, for years I’ve used an herb-salt recipe from Thomas Keller’s cookbook, Bouchon. The recipe has always worked for me and I felt no need to change it. Finding an alternative to using duck fat would be the true hurdle.

No duck fat pretty much meant that I’d have to go with a plant-base cooking oil. Which then begs the question of whether or not I could even call it “confit.” The short answer is, “maybe, maybe not.” It depends on how much of a purist you are. Some are adamant that you must, under penalty of being publicly flogged, cook and preserve the meat in it’s own fat…let’s call them, ummm, I don’t know…French. But there are many who use the word more liberally, referring to slow poaching meat in any oil as being a confit. Let’s call these people, “non-French.” (Just joking)

More importantly, the real question in my head was, “Would it even work?” Meaning, if I used olive oil, would it overpower the flavor of the meant?; What happens to the flavor of olive oil after its cooked for hours?; Should I use canola oil? or; Would canola oil be too bland?

While doing a little internet detective work, I discovered that famed chef, Michael Ruhlman, had already tackled this question on his website with a recipe for Olive Oil Poached Duck Confit. I immediately came to the conclusion that if it’s good enough for Ruhlman, it’s good enough for me.

So, an olive oil blend it would be.

And since the objective of the experiment was to make it as budget friendly as possible, I decided to use dark meat chicken quarters in place of duck.  Since chicken has a more delicate flavor than duck, I also decided to blend the olive oil with canola oil – which is more neutral.

While nothing compares to actual Duck Confit (cooked in it’s own fat), I have to say, I really liked this dish. The crispy skin. The succulent meat (obviously, less gamey than duck). I recommend serving it with something sweet to help balance out the fat and salt in the chicken.

In this case, I paired the Chicken Confit with a Beluga Lentil Salad (I’m still tinkering with the recipe). It was a good match. The salad (tart, cold, tangy and filled with crunchy veggies) did a great job balancing out the flavors of the chicken.

NOTE: After marinating the chicken with the herd salt rub, don’t for get to thoroughly rinse the chicken to remove as much of the salt as you can before starting the poaching.

Enjoy!

OLIVE OIL POACHED-CHICKEN “CONFIT”

Adapted from Bouchon by Thomas Keller

½ cup kosher salt

2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped

¼ cup Italian parsley, roughly chopped

1 1” wide piece of lemon zest, pith removed

2 teaspoons of black peppercorn

4 Chicken Dark Meat Quarters (leg/thigh) pieces

Extra-virgin olive oil (alternatively, use one part olive oil to one part neutral oil – such as peanut or canola)

Place salt, rosemary, lemon zest, peppercorns, in the bowl of a small food processor (or coffee grinder). Processor ingredients until well combined and the salt is a vibrant green. Set aside.

Rinse chicken legs under cold water and pat dry. Rub the green salt over the legs making sure to rub a little extra around the thick parts and the joints. Place the legs flesh side up in a baking dish, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

After the legs have marinated, preheat oven to 180°F.

Meanwhile, thoroughly rinse legs to remove all of the salt. Pat each dry and set aside.

Place the legs in an ovenproof pan no more than two layers deep. Pour enough of the oil blend (roughly, 2-parts olive oil to 1-part canola) in the pan to completely cover the chicken legs.

Over a medium high flame, heat chicken legs until the oil is warm and bubbles began to rise. Place chicken legs, uncovered, in oven, and cook for 6 hours – until meat is tender and fat is clear.

Remove legs from the oven and allow to completely cool. Refrigerate (still completely submerged) and store covered for up to a few weeks.

Before use, remove legs from heat and sauté skin side down to achieve crisp brown skin and then turn them over once to heat through – about 3-4 minutes total.

Drain legs on rack or paper towels.

It happens every year like clockwork. I call it my Three Stages of Autumnal Culinary Acceptance.

You saw Stage One last week: The Denial. I stubbornly refuse to even entertain the notion that summer is over. So, in the middle of October I start making a variety of frozen, pool party worthy treats. I present Exhibits #1-3: This Fall’s Blackberry-Red Wine Ice Cream; Fall 2010’s Frozen Strawberry Margarita Pie; Fall 2009’s Mango & Raspberry Sorbets. See? I have problem. And then comes Stage Two: The Acceptance. I go all in – throwing myself into as many new seasonal recipes that I can get my hands on. During this phase, I usually find at least one or two stand out recipes that earn a permanent place in my cooking repertoire (fancy word, right). Which brings me to this recipe for Roasted Curried-Cauliflower. Amazing.

I stumbled across this recipe online. I’d never cooked a curried vegetable dish before but I was drawn to its use of spices: the coriander, cumin and, of course, the curry. I felt it would be a comforting dish. Attached to the recipe were 100 reader reviews that were overwhelmingly glowing: “This was the best way I’ve ever had cauliflower, I couldn’t stop eating it.” and “Fabulous! We all loved it and I am telling all my friends about it.” These were reviews for a cauliflower dish. Cauliflower! When have you ever heard anyone talk about cauliflower with such passion and excitement? I had to try this dish.

Plus, the recipe called for Hungarian Paprika – which I just happen to have. This was meant to be. (No Hungarian Paprika? No biggie. Use the standard-everyday variety.)

I made a few slight changes (largely based off of the online reviews). I adjusted the vinegar down and changed the amount of cumin and coriander to reflect that I was using ground spices and not the seeds called for in the original recipe. I added toasted black and yellow mustard seeds.

Since I was cooking a whole head of cauliflower, I invited a few friends over to help test it out – a good friend of mine cooked a fabulous cinnamon-braised brisket.

The Roasted Curried-Cauliflower did not disappoint. The subtle earthiness of the cauliflower, smoky quality of the spices and fresh heat of the cilantro, played well with the occasional touch of sweetness from the caramelized onions. Next time I’ll use less vinegar (this is reflected in the below recipe). While you want a bit of acidity and brightness to cut through the deep spices, we all agreed that the original proportions slightly overpowered the dish.

For a complete dish, you could toss in some strips of grilled chicken breast.

Oh, I almost forgot…my Third Stage of Autumnal Culinary Acceptance…Indulgence.  This usually happens on Thanksgiving.

Enjoy!

ROASTED CURRIED-CAULIFLOWER

Adapted from Epicurious.com

1 head of cauliflower cut into florets (2lb cauliflower, roughly)

1 large onion, peeled, cut into eights

¼ TSP yellow mustard seeds, whole

¼ TSP black mustard seeds, whole

½ TSP ground coriander

½ TSP ground cumin

1/3 cup olive oil

3 TBL red wine vinegar

2 TSP curry powder

1 ½ TSP Hungarian hot paprika

2 TSP Kosher salt

chopped fresh cilantro, as garnish

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Place cauliflower florets in large roasting pan. Pull apart onion eights into separate layers; add to cauliflower. Stirring occasionally, add black and yellow mustard seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until the yellow seeds darken slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add cumin and coriander to skillet and stir constantly (ground spices will burn quickly) for 1 minute. Crush coarsely in mortar with pestle.

Place toasted spices in medium bowl. Whisk in oil, vinegar, curry powder, paprika, and salt. Pour dressing over vegetables; toss to coat. Spread vegetables in single layer.

Roast vegetables until tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 450°F oven 10 minutes, if desired.)

Mound vegetables in large bowl. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4

You know that guy that never seems to know when the party is over? Well, in the party known as summertime, I’m that guy.

It’s been a few weeks since the official end of summer and, I’m still not ready to let go. The sun. The outdoor neighborhood cafes. The ease of throwing on my favorite tattered shorts and racing out of the door. With that said, I was beginning to embrace fall. But then came the setback. I was hit with a sight that screamed, “Don’t give up just yet!”

Walking around my neighbor, I saw it… a lone wild tomato plant growing in a patch of dirt.  A wild tomato plant?…growing in downtown Brooklyn?…in October?

It made me think, “If this little guy can struggle and hold on past his seasonal prime then surely I can join him in his one-man fight to save “Fun Under the Sun.’”

Later that night it hits me, “I’ll make ice cream.” I mean, there’s nothing that says summer like ice cream. And because I came up with this Quixotesque plan over a glass of vino, I was inspired to make a red wine ice cream.

A quick web search brought me to a 2004 NY Times recipe for red wine ice cream. I decided to tweak it a bit. It was too one dimensional for my taste. For a bit of sweetness, I decided to incorporate stewed blackberries. Also, I thought blackberries would bring out the berry flavor of the wine grapes.

This ice cream has a beautifully complex flavor profile. It’s sweet, creamy (it uses 9 egg yolks) and has a slight sourness to it (I’m assuming because of the tannins). The frozen blackberries add a pop of fruity flavor as well as a bit of texture. And at the risk of scaring someone of you away, the peppercorns and cinnamon sticks give the ice cream an almost undetectable hint of spice. Served with a drizzle of the blackberry syrup, it makes a deliciously atypical frozen treat.

For a moment, I forgot about the loss of summer. I was feeling good about my seasonal coup. Walking around my neighborhood a day later, I mentally dismiss people in their autumn jackets for giving up so soon.

I approach the spot of the tomato plant that so inspired me to join his seasonal battle. I’m not sure if was the cool autumn nights or the countless dogs who relieved themselves but, I was horrified to see that my tomato plant, my little mighty engine that could, had bitten the dust.

Today, I’m wearing a long-sleeved shirt and light jacket. As Kenny Rogers once sang, “You gotta know when to hold. Know when to fold them.”

NOTE: I used the Spanish red wine, Grenache. If you can’t find it, any full body red will do. Since the recipe calls for 2 standard bottles of wine, I recommend that you buy one large 1.5 litter bottle. It will be cheaper and it’s not hard to find a decent bottle.

NOTE II: You may wind up with a bit too much ice cream batter for your maker. If this happens do not overfill your ice cream maker – it may not churn properly.

BLACKBERRY & RED WINE ICE CREAM (with Blackberry Syrup Topping)

Adapted from the NY Times

1 1/2 cups sugar (plus, 3 TBL)

1 pint blackberries

2 bottles full-bodied red wine

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 TSP whole black peppercorns

2 cups milk

2 cups heavy cream

9 yolks

1/4 TSP kosher salt

1/8 TSP vanilla extract.

In a medium-sized saucepan over a medium high flame, add ¼ cup of sugar, blackberries and 3 tablespoons of water. Stirring occasionally, cook the blackberries until they have slightly broken down and released a good deal of their juices, about five minutes. Strain to separate juice and berries. Refrigerate the blackberries until they are completely cool. Add juice back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until it thickens to a rich syrup, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate the syrup until it’s cool.

Pour wine into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Add cinnamon sticks and peppercorns. Simmer until the wine is reduced to 1 cup (it should take about 1 hour).

In a large pan, bring the milk, cream and half of the sugar to a boil and turn off heat. In a bowl, whisk together yolks and remaining sugar. Temper the yolks into the boiling milk by gradually whisking about 1 cup of milk into the yolks and adding this back into the pot with the remaining milk. Stir in the salt and the vanilla. Whisk in the reduced wine. Set pan over a bowl full of ice to cool. Pour the chilled ice cream base through a fine mesh strainer. Process the base in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add stewed blackberries into the maker five minutes before stopping it. Freeze in the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serve ice cream with a drizzle of syrup over each serving.

Serves 8

This is a ‘Money Back Guarantee’ recipe! A bold claim? Yes. But I say this without a hint of doubt. Chiefly because: 1) it truly is the best Fried Chicken recipe that I have ever cooked (and I was raised in Alabama)! and; 2) I’m giving it to you for free. It’s been awhile sine the last post and I’ve missed sharing some of my favorites eats with you. This has been a busy summer of settling in: new client, new home, new city and thus, a bunch of new local restaurants to discover! Which leads me back to this Brined Fried Chicken recipe.

I’m not much of a pact rat – not a fan of clutter. But there is an exception. My DVR. It’s filled with shows that I have watched and can’t bring myself to erase and unwatched shows/movies that I keep meaning to get around to. I’m a regular ole “DVR hoarder.”

Just the thought of ‘cleaning out’ my recorded list can turn into epic internal battle on what to delete. Do I erase the At Home with Giada episode with the citrus, herb tilapia? Or the Bobby Flay grilled chocolate dessert episode? Or Eric Ripert’s Avec Eric show on wild boar? Impossible decisions. So, the episodes sit, gathering virtual dust, waiting for me to watch and cook.

Recently, I’ve decided to tackle this electronic mountain. First up was a comfort food focused Martha Stewart show featuring cooking demonstrations for crème filled doughnuts, flakey biscuits and brined fried chicken. There was little question as to where I would start. Fried Chicken.

As someone raised in Alabama, I’m no stranger to fried chicken recipes. But there was something about this recipe that stuck out. Developed by the creative force behind the Brooklyn restaurant, Pies n’ Thighs, I was intrigued by the simplicity fo the seasoning and frying following a 24-hour brine. Also, it didn’t hurt that Martha gushed about how great the chicken was when she ordered it during a recent date night at the restaurant. Watching the show, I thought to myself, “Hmmm, we’ll see about that.”

So, I invited a few friends over to help me test drive the recipe. (Unfortunately, I had forgotten that one friend is a vegetarian. Awkward.) But vegetarian aside, it was a runaway hit. Unlike many fried chicken recipes, it’s not heavy and overwhelming. The chicken was crispy on the outside, insanely moist on the inside, full of flavor and had a hint of peppery spice. You taste a bit of the paprika and cayenne – not enough to turn off people who are sensitive to spicy foods. The spice just hangs around in the background giving the chicken a little something extra.

A word on brining. For those not familiar with the process it may seem that soaking the chicken in water with so much salt is just asking for trouble. But brining actually makes the chicken moist and well-seasoned. Why? Through science. Osmosis actually – the theory of molecules moving from an area of high density to an area of relative lower concentration. Meaning, that the water molecules seek to move from the higher density of the salted water to the relatively lower saline density of the meat. As the water moves into the meat, it brings some of its flavoring with it. Thus, a more flavorful and moist piece of meat on your plate. (Ok, enough with the science.)

A must try recipe!

Wanna try another flavor impact fried chicken? Try our Spiced Lime Fried Chicken recipe. Our most read recipe (with about 300k hits) and it was named by Saveur magazine as being a “Best of the Web.”

TASTIEST FRIED CHICKEN, EVER!

Recipe adapted from the Brooklyn restaurant, Pies n’ Thighs

Brined Fried Chicken

2 tablespoon paprika

4 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

¾ cup kosher salt

½ cup sugar

1½ cups all-purpose flour

Canola Oil for frying

Mix paprika, cayenne and black pepper in a bowl and set aside. Meanwhile break whole chicken apart into eight pieces (if the breasts are large you may want to further divide each in half).  Rub chicken piece with the paprika mix – each piece should have a generous coating.  Set aside.

Bring 3 cups of water to a bowl in medium saucepan.  Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in kosher salt and sugar into hot water until both dissolve.  Pour brine into a large mixing bowl. Add enough ice (about 3 cups) or iced water into bowl until water is complete cooled.

Place chicken pieces into cold brine. Make sure that all of the pieces are completely submerged in the brine. If needed, place a small plate on top of the chicken to keep it submerged.  Place chicken in the refrigerator and let marinate for 24 hours.

Pour oil into a large skillet – about 2’ inches deep.  Over a medium high flame, heat oil to a temperature of 350°F.

Spread flour across a large plate. Set aside.

Remove chicken pieces from brine and gently rinse off excess brine solution with fresh water.  While chicken is still wet from the rinse, immediately dredge it in the flour – it should have a complete coating of flour – and place the chicken piece in the hot oil for frying. Repeat with as many pieces that can fit in pan without overcrowding.

Cook for 5 minutes, then turn the chicken over and cook for an additional 10 minutes for white meat and 12 minutes for dark meat or until chicken is done.

Drain pieces of a paper towel.

Health effects. Smelth effects. I loved MSG. OK, well, that’s an exaggeration. I don’t actually LOVE MSG.

Growing up in the South, MSG (better known by a consumer product brand, Accent) was practically a kitchen staple. You used it in everything: soups, marinades, sprinkled on ‘garden fresh’ tomatoes (yeah, I know how ridiculous fresh anything with MSG sounds), fried chicken, stewed veggies…the list goes on. It wasn’t until well into adulthood that I realized that MSG came attached with some serious health problems – headaches, digestion issues and shortness of breathe to name a few.

As my appreciation for food and cooking has grown and matured over the years, I have tried my best to be more responsible about what I put on the table and in my body. Although, I’ve been known to still use a dash of Accent while making my mother’s ‘best in the South’ fried chicken recipe.

Besides ditching MSG, I’ve made other efforts towards improving my diet. It’s been 3 months since I’ve walked through the doors of a McDonald’s and said, “I’ll have a Number 6 with no ketchup or mustard, one slice of cheese and hold the tomato. With Sweet Tea and Medium Fries.” For those of you who are not McDonald’s connoisseurs, a #6 is a Double Bacon Angus Beef Burger. It’s the same in any McDonald’s in the United States. I’m not proud that I know this.

It is through this renewed embrace of better eating that makes me so excited about many of the recipes in the cookbook, Super Natural Every Day. Written by Heidi Swanson author of the fabulous website 101Cookbooks.com, this book reads like a food romance novel (read the full review at our sister-site TatteredCookbook.com). Her love of food, flavors, exotic ingredients is down right infectious.

One of the many recipes to land at the top of my ‘must cook’ list is the Wild Rice Casserole. The photograph of the dish looked so comforting and so filling that it stopped me dead in my tracks. Made with a blend of wild black rice and red rice, this dish promised to be as filling as any of the heavy meat-laden casserole varieties that many of us are accustomed to.

With excitement I got down to cooking.

As suspected, the black rice gave the dish heft. and served as a perfect compliment to the creamy and slightly tangy baked custard of sour cream, Dijon mustard and cottage cheese.

And making the casserole with two varieties of rices gave it more balance.

Since, I was only cooking dinner for a date and myself, I halved the recipe and baked it off as individual servings. I paired it with a shaved Brussels Sprout & Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad – the cool light and sweet flavor of the salad was a perfect counter to the filling casserole.

Cheers!

WILD RICE CASSEROLE

From Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

2 large eggs

1 cup cottage cheese

½ cup sour cream

1 TSP Dijon-style mustard

Kosher salt

1 TBL extra-virgin olive oil

8 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 cups cooked wild rice and/or brown rice

1/3 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese

1 TSP chopped fresh tarragon or thyme

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the top third of the oven. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of butter or olive oil (ideally 9×13” or individual baking dishes).

In a large bowl, whish together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, mustard and a scant ½ teaspoon salt.

In a large skillet over high heat, combine the olive oil with a couple pinches of salt. Stir in the mushrooms. After the initial stirring, leave the mushrooms alone until they release their water and the water evaporates, about 5 minutes.  Continue to cook and stir every couple of minutes until the mushrooms are browned. Ad the onion and cook until the onions are translucent, another 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute, and remove from the heat. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.

Add the rice mixture to the cottage cheese mixture, stir until well combined, and turn into the prepared backing dish. Sprinkle with two-thirds of the grated cheese and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the casserole takes on a lot of color. If you are in a rush, you can finish it under a broiler for a couple of minutes, but watch carefully so the top of your casserole doesn’t burn’ it can happen quickly. The finished casserole should be hot throughout and golden along the edges. Serve sprinkled with the chopped tarragon and the remaining grated cheese.

Serves 6

Big News Alert. Our e-family is growing! We just launched our cookbook review site, TatteredCookbook.com. Go check it out and you can enter the contest for a chance to win a free copy of this week’s featured cookbook, Heart of the Artichoke. As a matter of fact, I’ll wait here while you head over to the site…

…Ok, now that you’re back, I also have some bad news too. Normally, you’ll find tons of step-by-step cooking photos at CeramicCanvas.com but you’ll notice that today’s entry is a little light on photos.

Reason? About two weeks ago our computer crashed and died just after we finished the shoot and entry for today’s Sesame Peanut Chew Candies. Although I was able to save a few of the photos, many were lost before I had the chance to back them up. So, on to the recipe…

Since I come across quite a number of recipes, it’s rare that I go completely nuts over any particular one. But this recipe for Sesame Peanut Chew Candies has become my new food obsession. I love it. It has this brittle meets cookie thing going on. It has that beautiful deep flavor of a great brittle but with its cookie like texture, it doesn’t have the rock hard, “I think I just chipped my tooth” hardness of your standard brittle recipe.  It with only 5 ingredients, it’s super easy to whip up a batch whenever you get the craving.

This recipe comes from the recently release cookbook, Heart of the Artichoke (easily, one the best cookbooks to be released in 2010). Want to see another recipe from the book? Head over to TatteredCookbook.com for a book review and its recipe for Lemon Curd Tart & Candied Kumquats.

Cheers!

SESAME PEANUT CHEW CANDIES

Originally printed in Heart of the Artichoke by David Tanis

2 cups raw peanuts

½ cup sesame seeds

1 cup brown sugar

½ TSP salt

1/4 TSP vanilla extract

2 egg whites

Reheat oven to 350F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the peanuts, sesame seeds, sugar, salt and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Whisk the egg whites into soft peaks. Stir half the whites into the nut mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whites.

Spread evenly on the baking sheet about 1/2” thick. Bake until the brittle turns a toasty brown, about 25 minutes. Cool on a rack

Peel off the parchment paper while the brittle is still a bit warm.

Allow to cool and harden completely before cutting into small squares.