Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Portugese Grilled Chicken

from Jean Anderson's The Food of Portugal
6-8 servings

2 large garlic cloves
1 large bay leaf, crumbled fine
2 tsp. paprika (preferably Hungarian sweet rose)
1 Tbls. kosher or coarse salt
1/4 tsp. crushed dried red chili peppers
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbls. olive oil
2 small chickens, quartered* (as small as you can find - I usually can't find any smaller than 3 lbs.)

Mash garlic, bay leaf, paprika, salt, chili peppers, black pepper, and olive oil to a paste using a mortar and pestle or a small food processor. Rub the chicken well under the skin and on both sides with the paste. Freeze.

Thaw completely in refrigerator. Preheat grill to medium heat. Grill bone-side-down with cover closed about 15 minutes. Watch out for flare-ups and move chicken, if needed. Turn and grill for another 10-15 minutes or until thickest part of meat reaches 165 degrees. My cookbook says you can also broil the chicken 5 inches from the heat source for the same amounts of time, but I never have. We love this with oven fries and a cucumber/tomato salad.

*quartering a whole chicken is really easy (and more economical than buying parts) if you have a pair of kitchen shears. Cut up along both sides of the backbone, removing it completely. Then cut down the center of the breastbone. We actually grill halves like this more often than quarters, but for quarters, snip the area between the leg and the breast that's thinnest. You're done!

Roasted Veggie Burritos

This recipe looks way longer and more complicated than it really is. I just have trouble being succint with such a maleable recipe.

Roasted Veggie Burritos
The key to good-tasting burritos is have each component taste good before you put it in. Bland rice and bland beans will not make a tasty burrito.

Ingredients for about 6-8 burritos:
Beans (pinto or black), 1 lb. dried beans, soaked and cooked, or 2 cans, rinsed
2-3 cloves garlic (or more or less to taste), minced
3 onions, one diced, 2 for roasting
2 lbs (2 large) sweet potatoes
2 red/orange/yellow bell peppers
Any other veggies you like roasted (zucchini, squash, carrots, whatever)
1 1/2 c. rice (I use brown)
3 c. chicken broth
Shredded cheese
Tortillas
Salsa (your favorite, but not a fruity kind)
Olive Oil
Cumin
Chili powder
Ground coriander (if you have it)
Apple cider vinegar (opt.)
Salt

Roast the veggies: Peel the sweet potatoes then chop all veggies into about 1-inch chunks. Alternatively, cut them into bigger chunks/slices but then chop them more fine after cooking when they're softer. Either way, make sure the sweet potatoes are no more than 1-inch thick or else they'll take a lot longer to cook (carrots too). Put the veggies in a large bowl and add 1-2 T. olive oil, 1-2 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. coriander, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Toss to coat, adding a little more oil if needed. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or rub with oil. Spread the veggies in a single layer. If they don't fit, use two sheets. If you're using two, it helps to use one for sw pot and one for everything else since they don't always cook at the same rate. Roast at 425 for about half an hour or until tender, stirring every 10 minutes. Let cool a bit then chop into bite-size pieces if not already done.

Cook the rice: Cook the rice in the chicken broth with 1/2 tsp. salt. After it's cooked, add salt and pepper to taste.

Make the beans: Saute the diced onion in some oil. When almost soft, add the garlic. After a minute, add 1-2 T. chili power, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander. Stir til onions are coated with spices. After another minute, add the beans. Add salt and more spices to taste. I sometimes add a splash (a tablespoon?) of apple cider vinegar at the end to brighten the flavor. If the beans get dry while cooking, add a little water.

Assemble: If you're not eating them right away, get squares of foil ready. Put a tortilla on a foil square. Put about 1/3 c. rice, 1/3 c. beans, 1/4 c. veggies, some cheese and a little salsa (not too much or it gets soggy) down the middle of the tortilla, leaving an inch or so at each end. Use more less depending on the size of your tortillas. Don't overfill! Roll up about halfway, turn in the ends, then finish rolling, using the foil to help keep everything in place, if you're using it. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, or whatever you like, or freeze for later.

To reheat: for one or two, remove burrito(s) from foil and microwave for 1-3 minutes until warmed through, turning over once. For many, leave in foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.