Sunday, May 31, 2015

Simple Brined Roast Chicken with Herbs and Garlic for a Five Ingredient or Less #SundaySupper

Simple Brined Roast Chicken with Herbs and Garlic for a Five Ingredient or Less #SundaySupper




I have a bit of déjà vu here...You might remember about a year ago I prepared a salad for a #SundaySupper theme of Five Ingredients or Less. Well, the challenge has returned this week (this time hosted by T.R. of Gluten Free Crumbley) and I thought I'd give it a second shot.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

I still maintain that this challenge would be great on Top Chef either as a Quickfire Challenge or a Last Chance Kitchen dish. The rules specify that water, salt, pepper and cooking oil do not count towards the five ingredients. If memory serves me correctly, I relied upon a whole bunch of store-bought ingredients but didn't use any of the "freebee" ingredients. This time around, I've done a complete 180, using all of my freebees in addition to preparing a dish from scratch.

Dish Details

I understand that restaurants, during the process of hiring a head chef, will request each candidate to roast a whole chicken and I couldn't think of a more flavorful way to prepare one given the constraints. Other than a process of roasting a chicken (oven temperature and cooking time) I borrowed from Melissa d'Arabian, this is a Crazy Foodie Stunts original.

Ingredients

1 cup kosher salt plus more for seasoning
1 cup sugar
1 gallon water
1 4-to-5 pound whole chicken
3 to 4 cloves, smashed with the side of a knife
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 to 3 sprigs fresh sage
Freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Method

1. Brine the chicken. Remove the giblets from the cavity of the chicken and place in a container that holds at least 8 quarts (I use a stockpot). In a separate large bowl, combine the water, 1 cup salt and sugar and stir until dissolved. Pour the season water (or brine) over the chicken, and if necessary weigh the chicken down with a bowl or salad size plate to fully submerge the chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours to overnight.


2. Roast the chicken. Preheat the oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Remove the chicken from the brine, then discard the brine. Pat the inside and outside of the chicken dry with paper towels, then season the cavity with salt and pepper. Place the herbs and garlic into the cavity, then drizzle about 1 tablespoon (or more, as needed) olive oil over the outside of the bird on both sides and rub it in to coat it evenly. Truss the chicken in the manner described here, then put the bird on a rack in a roasting pan and roast in the oven until the internal temperature in the deepest part of the thigh (but not touching the bone) reaches 175° Fahrenheit, approximately 60 minutes. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and let the chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.


Final Thoughts

I prepared this chicken on a Sunday. I dropped it into the brine at about 10am and removed it about 7 hours later once I was finished with #SundaySupper chat. It was actually one of the more flavorful chickens I've roasted, although it wasn't one of the more prettier pictures I've taken of my food. A whole chicken isn't commonly served in a restaurant setting simply due to the portion size but it makes for a great comfort food at home. If you have never brined your chickens in the past, I urge you to take the extra time to do so. You will be greatly rewarded.

Are you hungry but your pantry bare? Then review the other #SundaySupper dishes that have been prepared using minimal ingredients:

Drinks
Appetizers and Snacks
Main Dish
Side Dish
Desserts
Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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Sunday, May 24, 2015

Baby Back Ribs with Roasted Strawberry Barbecue Sauce for a Red, White and Blue #SundaySupper

Baby Back Ribs with Roasted Strawberry Barbecue Sauce for a Red, White and Blue #SundaySupper




Yikes! A quick check of my records finds that I didn't participate in a #SundaySupper event in April which is the first and only month I've missed since I began with the group in January 2013. I had planned to participate in the April 19th Picnic event hosted by T.R. of Gluten Free Crumbley and had prepared a dish but I ran into a few execution issues, so I wasn't able to fulfill my commitment but I'm happy to be back today.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

With this week's #SundaySupper theme, Red, White and Blue, I was considering my options when I noticed some strawberries in my refrigerator Mrs. Stuntman had purchased from Costco. A quick check of The Flavor Bible yielded pairings that suggested a dessert, however I'm not normally a dessert type of guy. I then remembered that pork pairs well with sweet flavors and was intrigued by the thought of strawberries paired with pork. It also occurred to me that I won't be able to compete in Ribfest in the Park this year, but had I been able to attend, I would use this recipe.

Dish Details

From a preparation standpoint, this dish will look a lot like the one I published last July, but with a different sauce. For it, I used a barbecue sauce I found on epicurious as a guide, but it's ultimately a Crazy Foodie Stunts original. Other than the short cut I take in smoking the ribs, I would imagine that this dish could be found on any southern barbecue restaurant.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half lengthwise
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 2-to-3 pound rack baby back ribs

Special equipment: smoker bag

Method

1. Roast the strawberries and make the sauce. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Toss the strawberries with salt and pepper, then place on an aluminum foil-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Roast the strawberries in the oven until they soften and start to caramelize, approximately 20 minutes.


In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the garlic, onion powder, cumin and chili powder to sweat, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the ketchup, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and liquid smoke and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes in order to blend the flavors. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary, then remove from heat and let it cool before placing in the refrigerator. The sauce can be made a day ahead of your rib preparation.


2. Rib preparation. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper. Place the ribs in the smoker bag bone-side down, then follow the instructions on the smoker bag. In my case, I placed smoker bag on an aluminum foil-lined sheet pan, then placed the oven rack on the lowest position possible and preheated the oven to 500º Fahrenheit. I placed the ribs in the oven at 500 for 15 minutes, then reduced the heat to 375º Fahrenheit for an additional 60 minutes. Remove the ribs from the oven and increase the heat to 425º Fahrenheit, then let the rind rest for 10 minutes before removing them from the smoker bag. Baste the ribs on both sides with the reserved strawberry barbecue sauce and place back in the oven so the sauce caramelizes, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Let the ribs rest for an additional 5 minutes, then cut crosswise into individual portions and serve with any leftover sauce.


Final Thoughts

From an execution standpoint, there are a couple of items to discuss. In my own evaluation, I found that I reduce the sauce too much and found it overly thick, as I simmered it closer to 20 minutes so I recommended dialing it back to 10 minutes in my instructions above. Secondly, I recommend resting the ribs in the smoker bag after 75 minutes primarily because the bag needs to cool down to handle. The smoker bags I use are sealed shut by folding the open end over twice so I recommend unfolding the bag carefully before removing the ribs because there will be about 1 cup of rendered fat in the bag that needs to be discarded before basting the ribs. The ribs can easily be prepared in the smoker bag on the grill but I highly recommend using indirect heat to caramelize the sauce in step 2 because the sugars in the sauce will cause the ribs to burn easily.

Before I leave you with the other red, white and blue dishes, I just wanted to acknowledge my friend Bobbi of Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen who prepared a similar strawberry barbecue sauce last summer and encourage you to try her recipe too!

Food Using One Color
Red Food
White Food
Blue Food
Food Using Two Colors
Red and White Food
Blue and White Food
Red, White and Blue Food

5 Tips for Potlucks by Sunday Supper Movement

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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Thursday, May 21, 2015

Preview of a Red White and Blue #SundaySupper

Flag at the Main Post Office. Kirkland, WA




I'm a little surprised that I'm typing this but this upcoming weekend is the unofficial start of summer in the Untied States and it begins with an extra day off for many on Monday, the 25th, called Memorial Day. Is it just me or has the year flew by for you too? It seems like just last week when I was wishing Mrs. Stuntman a happy new year. Regardless, the weekend has evolved to be associated with backyard barbecues and family vacations, so I thought I'd remind you of the history behind the day.

Since it's an American holiday, the colors of it's flag (i.e. red, white and blue) are very popular and even permeate into the food that's served that weekend, so the team at #SundaySupper has decided to use the theme Red, White and Blue this week and dozens of bloggers have decided to prepare dishes that are red, white and/or blue. I look forward to this Sunday and offer this preview of dishes to be published:

Food Using One Color
Red Food
White Food
Blue Food
Food Using Two Colors
Red and White Food
Blue and White Food
Red, White and Blue Food

5 Tips for Potlucks by Sunday Supper Movement

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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Friday, May 15, 2015

Farro "Risotto" with Cannellini Beans and Kale plus a Giveaway #VegFlavorBible

Farro "Risotto" with Cannellini Beans and Kale #VegFlavorBible




Meet Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, creators of the critically acclaimed book The Vegetarian Flavor Bible, which has been cited as one of the five best cookbooks of 2014 based on 300+ reviews in media including Bloomberg, The Chicago Tribune, Food & Wine, The Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post.

They are not only the two-time James Beard Award Winning authors of The Flavor Bible and Becoming a Chef, but also coauthored What to Drink with What You Eat, which was named the IACP Cookbook of the Year and the Georges Duboeuf Wine Book of the Year, while also winning a Gourmand World Cookbook Award.

It goes without saying that Karen’s credentials are exemplary. In addition to holding degrees from Northwestern and Harvard, she earned a Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell, so it is little wonder that critics are praising her invaluable knowledge and contribution to a healthier and more flavorful approach to food and nutrition!

Karen and Andrew are teaming up with 9 food bloggers to be able to reach out further and share their knowledge and talents with an even greater audience. They have offered to partner in a giveaway in order to educate and make accessible not only their latest creation, The Vegetarian Flavor Bible, but also copies of The Flavor Bible and What to Drink with What You Eat! ALL of these resources are treasures that would grace the presence of any home cook’s library, but already hold places of reverence within the commercial kitchens of many chefs.

If you've been reading this website for any length of time, the opening phrase "meet Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg" is a little ridiculous. I have been using my copy of The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg before Crazy Foodie Stunts ever existed, so you can imagine my excitement when I was presented with the opportunity to work with them. You could even call me a fan.

Last autumn, Karen and Andrew published a follow-up to The Flavor Bible titled The Vegetarian Flavor Bible. Ms. Page uses the same format to the earlier version, but the similarities end there. Before reading it, I must admit that I did not realize the topic of vegetarianism was so expansive. In the first 90 or so pages, Karen discusses the reasons behind consuming solely a plant-based diet and puts them in a historical context, demonstrates how to fulfill your body's protein needs with a vegetarian diet, reviews the concept of flavor (which was discussed in the first book), provides plant substitutes for animal-based foods, and examines sample vegetarian tasting menus from well known restaurants as Eleven Madison Park and The Inn at Little Washington. In addition, the reference section of the book contains more detail than the original and now includes a color code that indicates the nutrient content, a description, health benefits, vitamin and/or mineral content, gluten specificity, protein content botanical relatives and possible substitutes in many of the ingredients.

So what exactly is occurring here? Well, I am one of nine bloggers that have teamed with Karen and Andrew to promote The Vegetarian Flavor Bible by hosting a giveaway for one copy of it in addition to The Flavor Bible and What to Drink with What You Eat. In the interest of full disclosure, this giveaway is sponsored by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg in addition to their publisher, Little, Brown & Company and I was compensated by product, however all opinions are my own. Each participant was to prepare a dish inspired by one of the flavor pairing suggestions listed with everyone choosing a different ingredient. Details of the giveaway below.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

You might remember a dessert I published shortly after Valentine's Day last year where I noted that Mrs. Stuntman and I marked the occasion with a dinner at Frances in San Francisco. One dish Mrs. Stuntman ordered that evening was the Tuscan Kale & Butter Bean Soup with Farro, Crostini, Roasted Chicken and Garlic Broth. Truthfully? I wasn't all that excited by it but my opinion went 180 degrees in the other direction once it was served. It looked like nothing, yet it was the most flavorful broth I've ever had the pleasure of consuming. I remembered this dish when I chose farro because I knew it was a common substitute for rice in a risotto and wanted to see for myself. This flavor affinity I enjoyed at Frances was further reinforced on page 248 by noting that farro, kale and garlic pair well with each other in addition to the tip on page 247 that notes to add the cooking water from cannellini beans to the farro risotto a creamier and starchier texture.

Dish Details

I took some hints from the "farroto" recipe on the package of farro I purchased in addition to Chef Anne Burrell's version on pages 138 to 139 of Cook Like A Rock Star by Anne Burrell with Suzanne Lenzer, however this dish is a Crazy Foodie Stunts original. I could imagine it to be on any fine Italian menu, although its presentation would need to be elevated a little.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pearled or semi-pearled farro, soaked in water overnight then drained
1 cup dry white wine
6 to 8 cups chicken stock, warmed over low heat
3 cups baby kale, chopped
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground lack pepper

Method

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions to the oil and sweat until softened, approximately 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir. Once the garlic is fragrant (approximately one to two minutes), add the farro to the onions and garlic to toast, an additional 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with white wine, continually stirring until the wine has evaporated, then add chicken stock, 1/2 cup to 1 cup at a time, stirring continuously until each addition has absorbed before adding the next one. Start tasting the farro after the third or fourth addition and stop adding stock once the it is al dente.


2. Once the farro is al dente, stir in the kale until wilted, then the beans until warmed through. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter and Parmesan until melted. Season the risotto with salt and pepper, then spoon into warmed bowls and garnish with more parmesan.

Final Thoughts

Before I proceed with the details of the giveaway, I must note Karen and Andrew's website, in addition to their instagram, twitter, facebook and pinterest pages. I also wanted to introduce you to the eight other participating bloggers. Please visit all of these ladies in addition to adding them to your social media platforms.


This giveaway is open to addresses in the USA only, including APO addresses. For a complete set of giveaway rules, see terms and conditions in the rafflecopter widget.


a Rafflecopter giveaway



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Monday, May 11, 2015

Spaghetti with Sausage and Peppers plus Updates

Spaghetti with Sausage and Peppers




Hello? Are you still there? I haven't published a dish in almost a month but I have still been busy working. My anniversary was a couple of weeks ago but Mrs. Stuntman and I decided to forgo a dinner at a nice restaurant in exchange for the opportunity to upgrade our cell phones. While Mrs. Stuntman got a newer version of an iPhone, I made the leap from a $12 flip phone to a Samsung Galaxy S5. This is relevant here because, in addition to opening an instagram account for this website, the pictures of this dish were taken with it primarily because it has a 16-megapixel camera which is better than the 12-megapixel quality of my point-and-shoot camera I had been using.

I also attended a photography seminar which was held through my local parks and recreation department which was moderated by Duke Conrad who's an award-winning nature photographer. I encourage you to check out his portfolios at 500px.com and flickr.

The third update is that I have re-written my About Me page. In it, I summarize a new direction here from execution-focused challenges to flavor profile-focused challenges. As such, I will be announcing some format changes. I'll start with the inspiration behind the dish, then the dish details (which will include the recipe) and finish with some final thoughts. This dish will be my first under the new format.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

A contributing factor in why I went so long without publishing a here is because of Mrs. Stuntman's contributions to the dinner table as of late. She has been purchasing a lot of prepared food. Most of it is the type of food that is already fully-cooked and the only thing needed is to reheat and serve. Don't get me wrong, there isn't anything wrong with these items but it's just not appropriate to publish here at face value. So, while I was rummaging around the refrigerator on a recent evening, it occurred to me that the smoked mozzarella with artichoke and garlic chicken sausages could be used in a classic Italian pairing of sausage and peppers.

Dish Details

I adapted this epicurious recipe to accomodate a few ingredient substitutions in addition to the sausages noted above. First, I substituted spaghetti for the bucatini simply because I didn't want to pay the additional dollar for the bucatini. Bucatini is the same shape as spaghetti with the exception of a hole running through the pasta so it resembles a straw or a hose. Second, I puréed my tomatoes instead of crushing them by hand. I also substituted fresh oregano leaves for the dried and used regular parmesan instead of the Grana Padano. This dish would easily fit onto any casual Italian menu.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces smoked mozzarella with artichoke and garlic chicken sausages (approximately 3 links), casings removed
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, julienned
1 medium yellow bell pepper, julienned
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, puréed
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
Kosher salt
Red pepper flakes
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Method

1. In a large pot, bring to a boil at least 4 quarts of salted water to a boil over high heat. Separately in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the sausage and break it up into bite size pieces until well browned, approximately 4 minutes. To the sausage, add the onion and peppers to sweat and adjusting the heat as needed, approximately 8 minutes.


2. Add in the garlic and stir until it becomes redolent, one or two minutes. Deglaze with the white wine, scraping up any brown bits and reducing for minute or two. Add in the tomato purée, 2 cups of the pasta water, then season with salt, red pepper and oregano. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes until the sauce reduces and becomes flavorful. Approximately 10 minutes in, drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook for two or three minutes less than the box instructions direct. Once the pasta is al dente, reserve 1 cup of the water, then drain and add to the sauce. Toss the pasta with the sauce and the parsley. Serve in warmed bowls garnished with Parmesan.


Final Thoughts

While not my most creative effort, it still was well balanced and perfect for a quick weeknight meal.

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