A really simple, really traditional preparation for one of the staple side dishes of the South. I know that brown sugar plus squash sounds sweet, but trust me when I say it's not. The sugar is just there to bring out an extra dimension of flavor in the squash.
Southern Yellow Squash and Onions
2 medium sized yellow squash, sliced into rounds
1/2 videlia onion, diced
Heaping 1/2 tsp brown sugar (you want a little more than 1/2 tsp here, but not so much as 1 whole tsp)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted sweet cream butter
Salt
Pepper
Optional: up to 1/4 cup chicken stock
Add the oil to a pan over medium high heat, and melt the butter into this. When it's completely melted and starts to foam, add the onions and saute until translucent.
Add the squash and brown sugar, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Season with salt and pepper. Use a light hand on the salt, you'll have a chance to season it again at the end. Bring to a simmer and cover, then turn heat down to medium low. Steam squash for 15 or so minutes, or until softened. Taste, then adjust the seasoning as appropriate. Serve immediately.
Serves: 2-3 people
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Baked BBQ Chicken
This recipe makes some of the juiciest, tenderest chicken I've ever tasted, and it's fantastic for leftovers. It takes a little time, but believe me it's worth it. The real key is the BBQ sauce: make sure you get one that you like. I personally am partial to a brand called Blues Hog that's sold at my local supermarket, but when it comes to BBQ sauce everyone has their own personal preferences. Just remember not to cut corners when it comes to the sauce. It's worth spending an extra buck or two for really outstanding flavor.
A couple other notes: the marinating process is not optional. Marinating is an absolute must on this one. Plan ahead far enough to give yourself time for the chicken to sit and absorb flavor for a while. Also, it's really cheap to buy a whole fryer hen (about 4 lbs) at the grocery store, and those work perfectly for this recipe. If you're not comfortable sectioning a whole chicken by yourself, see if your grocer's butcher is willing to section it for you. Mine is happy to do it if you ask. This saves you the time and trouble of sectioning the bird yourself, but also saves you money from what most stores charge for pre-cut chicken pieces.
I like this recipe served with simple sides that will let the chicken shine: butter beans and fresh tomato slices, fresh corn with squash and onions, that sort of thing.
Baked BBQ Chicken
Marinade:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp paprika (smoked paprika is also good)
1 tbsp ancho chile powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup chicken stock
Optional: 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
BBQ Chicken:
1 jar or bottle BBQ sauce (I like the Blues Hog brand, which comes in jars, but to each his own)
1 whole chicken, cut into quarters
2 tbsp olive oil
Start the process by placing the chicken quarters into a gallon plastic ziploc bag. Add all the ingredients of the marinade to the bag, and squish everything around for a while until it's mixed and all the chicken pieces are coated. Place the bag into a bowl, and stick it in the fridge to marinate for at least two hours and up to overnight.
When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350F.
Line a roasting pan with tin foil and use the olive oil to grease it thoroughly. Place the chicken quarters skin side down onto the pan, and baste the exposed side of the chicken with BBQ sauce. Cook for 20 minutes.
When 20 minutes has expired, remove the chicken from the oven and flip it over so the skin side is facing up. Baste heavily with BBQ sauce. Stick it back in the oven and cook for 7 minutes, then baste again. Repeat this at least twice more (so that the chicken has been basted at least 3 times on the skin side). You can baste it 4 times if the fancy strikes you.
Test the chicken for doneness by sticking a meat thermometer into one of the breasts at the thickest part. It should register at least 165F. If not, your chicken needs longer in the oven.
When the chicken is done, remove from oven and serve immediately, with extra BBQ sauce for dipping if desired.
Serves: 4
A couple other notes: the marinating process is not optional. Marinating is an absolute must on this one. Plan ahead far enough to give yourself time for the chicken to sit and absorb flavor for a while. Also, it's really cheap to buy a whole fryer hen (about 4 lbs) at the grocery store, and those work perfectly for this recipe. If you're not comfortable sectioning a whole chicken by yourself, see if your grocer's butcher is willing to section it for you. Mine is happy to do it if you ask. This saves you the time and trouble of sectioning the bird yourself, but also saves you money from what most stores charge for pre-cut chicken pieces.
I like this recipe served with simple sides that will let the chicken shine: butter beans and fresh tomato slices, fresh corn with squash and onions, that sort of thing.
Baked BBQ Chicken
Marinade:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp paprika (smoked paprika is also good)
1 tbsp ancho chile powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup chicken stock
Optional: 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
BBQ Chicken:
1 jar or bottle BBQ sauce (I like the Blues Hog brand, which comes in jars, but to each his own)
1 whole chicken, cut into quarters
2 tbsp olive oil
Start the process by placing the chicken quarters into a gallon plastic ziploc bag. Add all the ingredients of the marinade to the bag, and squish everything around for a while until it's mixed and all the chicken pieces are coated. Place the bag into a bowl, and stick it in the fridge to marinate for at least two hours and up to overnight.
When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350F.
Line a roasting pan with tin foil and use the olive oil to grease it thoroughly. Place the chicken quarters skin side down onto the pan, and baste the exposed side of the chicken with BBQ sauce. Cook for 20 minutes.
When 20 minutes has expired, remove the chicken from the oven and flip it over so the skin side is facing up. Baste heavily with BBQ sauce. Stick it back in the oven and cook for 7 minutes, then baste again. Repeat this at least twice more (so that the chicken has been basted at least 3 times on the skin side). You can baste it 4 times if the fancy strikes you.
Test the chicken for doneness by sticking a meat thermometer into one of the breasts at the thickest part. It should register at least 165F. If not, your chicken needs longer in the oven.
When the chicken is done, remove from oven and serve immediately, with extra BBQ sauce for dipping if desired.
Serves: 4
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Red Beans and Rice
One of the staple Cajun dishes, this recipe is both very inexpensive and very easy to make. It's also very tasty! It has to simmer for a while, but it's low-maintenance while it does. One of the keys to this one is getting good andouille sausage: you want sausage that's very smoky and spicy and flavorful. If the sausage looks sort of dry in the package, that's a good thing. It means it's been smoked longer.
Red Beans and Rice
1/2 lb andouille sausage, sliced into small bite sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small videlia onion, diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour
2 cans red kidney beans, NOT drained
4 cups beef broth
2 tbsp Cajun Spice Mix (see bottom of recipe for spice mix ingredients)
3 bay leaves
2 cups cooked white rice
Salt
Pepper
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat, then add the sausage and sear until lightly browned. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan, and the sausage should get very fragrant during this process. When the sausage is finished cooking (about 3 min per side), remove it to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
Add the onions, celery and pepper to the same pan you cooked the sausage in, adding a little more olive oil if necessary. Cook until vegetables are tender and onions are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, stir, cook until you can smell the garlic (about 1 minute). Sprinkle the flour over the cooking vegetables and stir until the vegetables are well-coated and the flour has mixed with the oil/butter to make a roux. Allow a minute or so to cook the flour.
Add the beans, stock, cajun spice mix, bay leaves, and 2 cups water. Stir thoroughly to make sure the roux gets incorporated with no lumps. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer covered for at least an hour (but two or three is much better). If desired, you can mash or puree about a quarter of the beans with 30 minutes left on the cook time to add even more body to the sauce. I don't do this, because I find the flour makes it thick enough, but to each his own.
Serve the hot beans and sausage over the rice.
Serves: 6
Red Beans and Rice
1/2 lb andouille sausage, sliced into small bite sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small videlia onion, diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour
2 cans red kidney beans, NOT drained
4 cups beef broth
2 tbsp Cajun Spice Mix (see bottom of recipe for spice mix ingredients)
3 bay leaves
2 cups cooked white rice
Salt
Pepper
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat, then add the sausage and sear until lightly browned. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan, and the sausage should get very fragrant during this process. When the sausage is finished cooking (about 3 min per side), remove it to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
Add the onions, celery and pepper to the same pan you cooked the sausage in, adding a little more olive oil if necessary. Cook until vegetables are tender and onions are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, stir, cook until you can smell the garlic (about 1 minute). Sprinkle the flour over the cooking vegetables and stir until the vegetables are well-coated and the flour has mixed with the oil/butter to make a roux. Allow a minute or so to cook the flour.
Add the beans, stock, cajun spice mix, bay leaves, and 2 cups water. Stir thoroughly to make sure the roux gets incorporated with no lumps. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer covered for at least an hour (but two or three is much better). If desired, you can mash or puree about a quarter of the beans with 30 minutes left on the cook time to add even more body to the sauce. I don't do this, because I find the flour makes it thick enough, but to each his own.
Serve the hot beans and sausage over the rice.
Serves: 6
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