Thought for Food

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 03:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1 pouch onion soup mix
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients.
2. Form into six patties.
3. Barbeque, broil or fry until completely cooked through and juices are no longer pink.
4. Serve on toasted hamburger buns and garnish with your favourite toppings.

Technorati Tags: Recipes, Ground Turkey, Burgers, BBQ, Grilling

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 08:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The following marinade is great on beef, but would work well with chicken breasts. This is a good marinade for barbecuing, but would also work for meat grilled in the oven or on an electric grill.

Cooking times will vary depending on the style of cooking, cut of meat, required doneness, etc.

Ingredients:

• 2 green onions
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1/2 cup of orange juice
• 1 tablespoon of five-spice powder
• 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, leaves and stems

Directions:

1. Place the ingredients in food processor and whiz until blended.
2. Pour over meat and marinade for at least 2 hours.
3. Remove meat from marinade a grill until cooked.

Technorati Tags: Marinade, BBQ, Grilling, Recipe, Beef, Chicken, Ginger, Orange

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 02:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 09:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ingredients:
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
2 Tablespoons of Butter
1 small brick of feta cheese
8 cups of spinach leaves
1 cup chopped onions
1/3 cup red wine vinaigrette
12 cherry tomatoes
1 Red Pepper

Directions:
1. Brush chicken breasts with butter and place chicken on unheated rack of a broiler pan.

2. Place chicken under the broiler (4 inches from heat). Broil until the chicken is lightly browned, flip the breast, brush butter that side and cook for another 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

3. Meanwhile mix fresh spinach leaves with the chopped onions, cherry tomatoes and diced pepper; sprinkle graded feta cheese throughout the mix.

4. Slice the Chicken Breast width ways into 5-7 slices and place along the top of the salad.

5. Lightly dress the salad with red-wine vinaigrette.

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ingredients:

• Water


• 1 tsp canola oil


• 3 x boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 pound)


• 2 tsp prepared garlic


• 1 tbsp Madras curry paste


• 2 tbsp flour


• 1/2 cup chicken broth


• 1/2 cup mango/tangerine juice


• 1 cup milk


• 1 tbsp peach or apricot jam


• 1 tsp crushed chilies (optional)


• 350 gram spaghetti

Directions:

1. Fill a large pot with water. Cover and bring to a boil.


2. Heat oil in large non-stick frying pan or wok at medium-high.


3. Cut chicken into small bite size pieces and add to pan. Stir until meat is no longer pink.


4. Add garlic, curry paste and flour to pan. Stir to coat chicken.


5. Gradually add chicken broth, mango juice and milk, stirring as you add.


6. Add peach jam and crushed chilies. Stir and let simmer.


7. Add pasta to boiling water and set timer for 8 minutes.

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• 4 bone-in chicken breast halves or chicken legs
• (about 2 1/4 pounds/ 1 1/4 kg)
• 1 can Ocean Spray (398 mL)
• Jellied Cranberry Sauce
• 2 tsp cumin (10 mL)
• 1 tsp grated lime peel (5 mL)
• 2 tbsp lime juice (30 mL)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, 1
• seeded, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt (2 mL)
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (1 mL)
• chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

Heat grill. Combine cranberry sauce, cumin, lime peel, lime juice and jalapeno pepper in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking often until smooth. Set aside 1 cup (250 mL) to serve with chicken.

Sprinkle chicken breast halves or legs with salt and pepper; place skin side down on grill. Cover grill. Cook 20 to 30 minutes or until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced. Turn occasionally and brush with remaining glaze during last 10 minutes of cooking time. Heat reserved glaze; serve over chicken. If desired, garnish with cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

- News Canada

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 02:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Prep. Time: 1:50
Serves: 4

Ingrediants:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
20 chicken wings split
1/2 cup butter OR margarine
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Insturctions:
Combine flour, salt, cayenne pepper, and paprika in bowl.
Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture. Reserve leftover mixture.
Refrigerate coated chicken for at least 1 hour.
-Coat chicken for a second time in leftover flour mixture.
-In a saucepan, heat butter, hot sauce, pepper, and garlic powder just until butter melts, then keep warm.
-Deep-fry the coated chicken in 375 degree oil for 13 minutes.
-Drain chicken.
-Pour half the hot sauce mixture over chicken and toss to coat.

Serve with Bleu Cheese Dressing

Technorati Tags: Cooking, Recipes, Appetizers, Hooter's Hot Wings, Copy-Cat Recipe

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 01:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

1 slice bacon cut into small pieces
1 onion chopped
2 carrots peeled and cubed
2 stalks celery chopped
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast diced
6 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp. fresh dill
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups small egg noodles
1 cup frozen peas

Sauté bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Add onion, carrot and celery and cook until the onion turns translucent. Add chicken and the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes.

Add dill, paprika, salt, pepper, egg noodles and peas and simmer for 15 minutes or until noodles are tender.

Technorati Tags: Cooking, Soup, Recipes, Chicken Noodle Soup

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 01:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Recipe from Emeril Lagasse, 2001

*1 cup soy sauce
*3/4 cup finely chopped yellow onions
*1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
*1/4 cup honey
*1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
*2 tablespoons sriracha (hot red pepper chili paste)
*2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
*2 tablespoons chopped fresh gingerroot
*2 tablespoons minced garlic
*2 tablespoons sesame oil
*12 skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 1/2 pounds), or drummettes

In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, onions, rice wine vinegar, honey, cilantro, sriracha, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic and sesame oil, and stir well to combine. Place the chicken in a large plastic bag or baking dish and cover with the marinade. Toss to combine and place in the refrigerator, turning frequently, to marinate at least 6 hours.

Preheat the grill to medium and the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Pat the chicken dry, and grill the chicken, skin-side up, until browned, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the leftover marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until slightly thick, about 10 minutes.

Turn the chicken, and grill until the skin is browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken skin-side up to a roasting pan and roast, basting with the marinade occasionally, until cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes more.

Arrange the chicken on a platter, and spoon the reduced marinade on top. Serve with the Honeyed Apple-Cabbage Slaw.

Technorati Tags: Recipes, BBQ, Poultry, Chicken

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 03:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A slightly odd, but really fantastic combination, which must be tried. [Oliver’s Twist]

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 pounds) organic chicken
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 oz butter
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1 handful fresh sage, leaves picked
• 2 lemons, zested
• 6 cloves garlic, skin left on the cloves
• 565 ml milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and find a snug-fitting pot for the chicken. Season it generously all over with salt and pepper, and fry it in the butter, turning the chicken to get an even color all over, until golden.
2. Remove from the heat, put the chicken on a plate, and throw away the butter left in the pot. This will leave you with tasty sticky goodness at the bottom of the pan, which will give you a lovely caramel flavor later on.
3. Put your chicken back in the pot with the rest of the ingredients, and cook in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Baste with the cooking juice when you remember. The lemon zest will sort of split the milk, making a sauce, which is absolutely fantastic.
4. To serve, pull the meat off the bones and divide it on to your plates. Spoon over plenty of juice and the little curds. Serve with wilted spinach or greens and some mashed potato.

Tags: Chicken, Recipes, Roasting, Jamie Oliver

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Roast Turkey

(Adapted from the BC Turkey Marketing Board)

Turkey is one of today’s best meat buys nutritionally and economically. The low fat content in turkey accounts for the little shrinkage in meat after roasting. A defrosted whole turkey requires only a few minutes to prepare for roasting. Follow these three simple steps to a beautiful golden brown, ready-to-carve, mouthwatering turkey!

1. Thawing: (if turkey is not frozen begin with Step 2)
NEVER THAW TURKEY AT ROOM TEMPERATURE - leave turkey in original package and follow one of these methods.
a) Fast Method: Place wrapped frozen turkey in sink and cover completely with cold water. Allow ½ hour per pound of turkey. Change water frequently.
b) Regular Method: Place wrapped frozen turkey on a pan in refrigerator. Allow 5 hours per pound of turkey. (A 20 lb. turkey will take approximately 4 days to completely thaw.)

Refrigerate or cook turkey immediately once thawed. NEVER refreeze uncooked turkey.

2. Preparation:
Wash hands thoroughly with hot soapy water before and after handling raw turkey. All materials used for storage, preparation and serving turkey must also be cleaned before and after use. Remove plastic wrap from thawed turkey. Remove giblets and neck from body cavity. Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

3. Roasting:
Place turkey breast side up in roasting pan. Sprinkle outside and cavity with poultry seasoning. Insert thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, but be careful not to let it touch the bone. Roast turkey in 325 Deg. F. (160 Deg. C.) oven. When the skin of the turkey is golden brown, shield it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.

How to insert thermometer in Raw Turkey:
Insert thermometer into inner thigh, just above and not touching thigh bone.

Roasting Guide:
Please refer to the New Roasting Times for Whole Turkey chart below for approximate roasting times only. Using a thermometer is recommended. A number of factors affect roasting time. These include the type of oven, the temperature of the turkey when roasting begins, the size of the oven, the shape of the turkey, the pan used, etc. Begin checking for doneness about one hour before the end of the recommended roasting time.
NEW ROASTING TIMES FOR WHOLE TURKEYS

*New research shows whole turkeys take less time to cook!

For best results use a meat thermometer when roasting turkey. Use these new cooking times to prepare roast turkey that’s moist, tender and delicious.
Weight

Oven Times 325 F (160 C)

Barbeque Times Medium Heat

Weight	Oven Times 325 F (160 C)	Barbeque Times Medium Heat
	Stuffed Unstuffed	Unstuffed
6 - 8 lbs (3.0 - 3.5 kg)	3 - 3 ¼ hours 2 ½ - 2 ¾ hours	—
8 - 10 lbs (3.5 - 4.5 kg)	3 ¼ - 3 ½ hours 2 ¾ - 3 hours	1 ½ hours
10 - 12 lbs (4.5 - 5.5 kg)	3 ½ -3 ¾ hours 3 - 3 ¼ hours	1 ¾ hours
12 - 16 lbs (5.5 - 7.0 kg)	3 ¾ - 4 hours 3 ¼ - 3 ½ hours	2 hours
16 - 22 lbs (7.0 - 10.0 kg)	4 - 4 ½ hours 3 ½ - 4 hours	—

Your turkey is done when:
a meat thermometer in the inner thigh reads 180 F (82 C) for a stuffed turkey
a meat thermometer in the inner thigh reads 170 F (77 C) for an unstuffed turkey.
When cooked to perfection the turkey meat and juices may have a slight
pink tinge. The temperature of the meat is the most important sign of doneness.

When the turkey is done remove it from the oven or barbecue. Cover it with foil and let it stand for 15-20 minutes before carving.

*Diversified Research for the Canadian Turkey Marketing Agency 1994

Stuffing:
Stuffing is most easily prepared separately and placed in a covered casserole dish to cook during the last hour of the turkey roasting time. For those who prefer to stuff their turkey follow these directions:

Prepare stuffing and spoon into body cavity just before roasting. Do not pack stuffing - let it sit loosely in cavity to promote even cooking.Never stuff your turkey the day before it is roasted. It takes too long to heat the centre of the chilled stuffing and food spoilage organisms could accumulate.

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 09:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Herbed Turkey with Roasted Garlic Gravy Recipe

For the Garlic-Herb Rub:
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
12 garlic cloves

For the Turkey:
1 whole garlic head
1 (15-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
Cooking spray

For the Roasted Garlic Gravy:
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

To prepare garlic-herb rub, place first 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely minced.

To prepare turkey, remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap garlic head in foil. Set aside.

Remove and discard giblets and neck from turkey. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Spread garlic-herb rub under loosened skin and rub over breast and drumsticks. Gently press skin to secure. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey.

Place turkey on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Insert a meat thermometer into meaty part of a thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Add garlic head to pan; bake an additional 2 hours or until thermometer registers 180 degrees. Place turkey on a platter, reserving pan drippings; let stand 20 minutes. Discard skin.

To prepare gravy, place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 4-cup glass measure. Pour pan drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into glass measure, stopping before fat layer reaches opening (you should have about 2/3 cup). Reserve 1 tablespoon fat; discard remaining fat. Add enough broth to drippings to measure 3 cups; reserve remaining broth for another use.

Separate roasted garlic cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Heat reserved fat in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic pulp and flour; cook 30 seconds or until lightly browned, whisking constantly. Gradually add broth mixture, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is a quick variation of a Chicken Madras. Nothing particularly special, but you can’t get a decent hot curry any faster than this (well, you can, but I wouldn’t recommend it). Takes about 30 minutes total and serves up to

• 2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 600g boneless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
• 1 capsicum (green bell pepper), deseeded and cut into 1/2” rings
• 5 fresh green chilies, chopped
• 1 small piece fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 can tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons tumeric
• 3 teaspoons coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon hot chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 large bunch green coriander, stalks and leaves chopped separately
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
• salt

1. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee (or oil) in a large frying pan or wok and fry the chicken pieces until white all around (and slightly yellowish), then remove from the pan and put aside.
2. Add the second tablespoon ghee, put in the chopped onion and fry until brown. Then add the capsicum, ginger and chilies and fry briefly for about 1 minute.
3. Whizz the tomatoes in a blender, then pour the purée into the pan; add the tumeric, coriander powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt and coriander stalks. Stir well and cook over high heat for a few minutes. Then add the reserved chicken pieces, reduce heat, cover and let simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Turn off the heat. Stir in the coriander leaves and garam masala. Let stand for a few minutes, then serve with rice and/or chapatis.

Horst Prillinger: The Aardvark Cooks

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 04:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Almighty Beer-Can Chicken
By Scott Schirkofsky

A popular method of cooking chicken in recent years both in Barbeque contest as well as backyard barbeques is the beer-can chicken. Cooking a beer-can chicken couldnâ t be any easier but the results are worthwhile. This is a technique that delivers a moist, succulent chicken and flavorful chicken. Itâ s also a bit of a showstopper and makes a lively conversation starter as well. Is it chicken in a beer can? Close but try beer can in a chicken. The beer is used to both keep the bird flavorful and moist, and the cook happy. By the time the bird is ready to eat, the chef will not be the only one with a beer belly!

Is it safe to eat chicken that has been in contact with the ink from a beer can? When the FDA was asked this question they were not sure because they have only tested the cans as a container and not as a cooking utensil. However the ink on the cans is applied at a temperature in excess of 500 degrees while the can never get hotter then 215 degrees during the cooking process. The conclusion by most is that there is nothing harmful in using the cans.

For those cooks who still worry about possible contamination, vertical stainless steel chicken roasters are available. These roasters have their own reservoir for beer, water or your choice of liquid.

1 whole chicken
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons of your favorite dry spice rub
1 can beer

Preparing the chicken
Remove and discard neck and giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub or brush the chicken lightly with oil then season inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub.

Open a can of beer and drink half. Wait 5 minutes then drink the other half and open a second can for the chicken. Drink half of the second beer and reserve remainder of beer for the bird. Using a “church key”-style can opener, pop a few more holes in the top of the can so that the moisture will be able to escape.

With the can on a steady surface, lower the chicken onto the can. It should stand on itâ s own using the legs and can as a tri-pod. Refrigerate the bird while you get your grill or smoker setup.

Preparing the grill
Whether you intend to grill or smoke the bird, the goal is indirect heat. No coals or burner directly under the chicken. Place a drip pan under where you intend the bird to sit. If you are grilling, turn the burners to medium-high on one side of your grill and place the bird on the other side.

Cooking the chicken
Continue to cook the chicken over medium-high with the grill cover on for approximately 1 1/4 â 1 1/2 hours. The chicken will be done when the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh. Remove from grill with tongs and move to cutting board. Be careful not to spill the beer when removing the can. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before carving. Toss the beer can out along with the carcass.

Scott Schirkofsky is the chef and owner of At Home Gourmet. You can find more recipes, cooking tips, food and beverage articles on his highly recommended website: http://www.athomegourmet.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Technorati Tags: Grilling, Recipes, Cooking, Barbeque, Chicken

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 03:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is a quick variation of a Chicken Madras. Nothing particularly special, but you can’t get a decent hot curry any faster than this (well, you can, but I wouldn’t recommend it). Takes about 30 minutes total and serves up to 4.

* 2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 600g boneless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
* 1 capsicum (green bell pepper), de-seeded and cut into 1/2” rings
* 5 fresh green chilies, chopped
* 1 small piece fresh ginger, chopped
* 1 can tomatoes
* 2 teaspoons turmeric
* 3 teaspoons coriander
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon hot chili powder
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1 large bunch green coriander, stalks and leaves chopped separately
* 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
* salt

Heat 1 tablespoon ghee (or oil) in a large frying pan or wok and fry the chicken pieces until white all around (and slightly yellowish), then remove from the pan and put aside.

Add the second tablespoon ghee, put in the chopped onion and fry until brown. Then add the capsicum, ginger and chilies and fry briefly for about 1 minute.

Whizz the tomatoes in a blender, then pour the purée into the pan; add the turmeric, coriander powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt and coriander stalks. Stir well and cook over high heat for a few minutes. Then add the reserved chicken pieces, reduce heat, cover and let simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Turn off the heat. Stir in the coriander leaves and garam masala. Let stand for a few minutes, then serve with rice and/or chapatis. Horst Prillinger: The Aardvark Cooks

Technorati Tags: Recipes, Chicken Madras, Curry, Indian, Poultry, Main Dish, Cooking

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 03:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)