Spanish Butterfly

When a whole bird’s backbone is removed so that it can lay flat for grilling or roasting it looks butterflied.  The term is actually spatchcocked and no amount of research provides a particularly interesting word derivation.  What is interesting is that the bird cooks faster, is easier for most to carve and makes a really pleasing presentation.

For a recent dinner we enjoyed a Spanish-influenced spatchcocked chicken.  Any of your favorite chicken seasonings are just as good and you can even place the bird on a bed of bread stuffing for a more formal dinner.  I baste the chicken halfway through with the cooking juices then make a light gravy while the bird rests.  You can also toss quartered vegetables like potatoes, onion and carrots or fennel into the pan once the juices begin to collect.

The method is easiest if you use kitchen sheers.  (A sharp boning or chefs knife will also do the job.) 

Roasted Spatchcocked Chicken
Ingredients
1 whole chicken  3-5 pounds
1/2 lemon, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon each salt, pepper, smoked Spanish paprika

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.  While the oven preheats, prepare the chicken for roasting.  
2. Turn the bird on its breast and, working from the cavity end,  cut down each side of the back bone.  Open up the bird so that the inner breastbone is exposed.  
3. If the bird is over 4 pounds, consider removing the sternum to allow the breast to lay completely flat.  Simply cut a sliver into each side of the bone and remove it and attached cartiledge.   (A smaller, younger chicken will have a more flexible sternum and may not need removal.  This is optional even for a larger bird.)  
4. Squeeze a lemon quarter on each side of the bird followed by the olive oil.  Finally rub with the salt, pepper and paprika.  Place chicken directly on a large rimmed roasting pan.  (A flat rack is optional.)  
5. Roast chicken 15-20 minutes per pound until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F.   (A four-pound chicken can take under an hour so keep an eye on it.)  Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest 10-15 minutes before carving or cutting into parts.  During this time the temperature will increase to 170˚F and juices will be reabsorbed to provide a moist yet thoroughly cooked chicken.

Serve the Spanish chicken with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and lemon wedges to squeeze over the meat.

Tomorrow: The remains of a whole bird give you the fixings for soup.  You can even roast the backbone alongside the bird for extra deep flavor.

Bring Back the Twist

It is rare these days to order a drink with a twist of lemon or lime and get a real twist.  Usually, the drink arrives with a tiny wedge of peel, pith and juicy segment smushed to the side of the glass.  A real twist is all about the oils of the fruit’s skin and with the right tool (or even a vegetable peeler and a little technique) it is not hard to get this essence of citrus into a drink (or a food recipe). 

Watch closely for the tiny spray of lemon oil bursting from a twisted yellow peel into a very dry martini and breathe in through your nose to capture the lemony essence.  You’ll actually be able to see little pools of lemon oil on the surface of your drink.  And taste it on your lips.  That’s what a twist of lemon is meant to be. 

To easily procure a twist of lemon (or lime) use a zester.  Even if you are not a foodie who collects kitchen gadgets, this is an inexpensive tool that you will use every week, perhaps even several times a week, once you own one.  Not only will you get more bang for your lemon bucks since you will use more of the fruit, you’ll enjoy the impact of the pure citrus taste the peel brings.   For today try peeling a lemon using a vegetable peeler. Don’t dig too deep; back off when you see any of the white pith under your blade.  By the time you have cut the peel away from an entire lemon, you will be quite adept. 

Before I owned a zester, I used to finely slice the peeled peel and use it as zest in fruit salads.  A zester has two cutting surfaces and allows you to perform two useful functions: 1) pull a twist of citrus and 2) shred the peel for use in fruit salads, poultry marinades and rubs, salad dressings, baked goods and more (much like a microplaner).  Anywhere you would use a little citrus flavor is fitting for the flavorful oils that burrow in the peel.  This is pure flavor.

Always zest before cutting into the fruit.  It is easier to apply a bit of pressure on an uncut piece of citrus.  You’ll find many uses on your own.  Here are few ideas to get you started:

 
House Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Zest an entire lemon and mix with equal parts cracked black pepper. (Salt is optional.)  This is a terrific seasoning for chicken.

Lemon Vodka
Fill a pint jar or bottle with a screw top with plain vodka.  Add lemon peel (twists) and close.  Store in a cool dark spot for 3 weeks.  Enjoy lemon vodka in martinis. Bloody Marys or with tonic.

Lemon Marinated Olives
Ingredients
1 cup assorted olives- any combination, packed in brine.
Lemon peel from 1 lemon
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 spring fresh rosemary or thyme
optional: red pepper flakes)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325˚F.  
2. Drain olives.  
3. Combine all ingredients in a foil-lined baking pan. Cover with more foil and bake 15-20 minutes.  

Olives may be eaten when cooled to room temperature or chilled for use in a few hours.  Olives keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Blackberry Maple Syrup

The pretty berry color "stains" the yogurt dolloped on buttermilk waffles.

The trees are tapped, the syrup is boiled down and a new batch of maple syrup is ready.  Maple syrup is an acquired taste, I’m told.  Raised on maple sugar candy I wouldn’t know.  It is one of life’s primal flavors for me. Just a teaspoon turns oatmeal, yogurt and well, pancakes and waffles into pure comfort food.  A few drops in the cavity of an acorn squash or in baked beans are more savory uses. (Add a little to canned baked beans with a touch of mustard to freshen up the flavor.)

For those who were not weaned on this northern nectar, the taste can be a bit strong.  This is especially true for those who’ve been served maple-flavored or some unknown-flavor pancake syrup.  We stumbled on a great way to get just a touch of maple on our waffles and lighten it up with fruit. 

In the microwave, warm up a cup of fresh blackberries with a tablespoon of maple syrup and dress your waffles with the warm fruit.  Leftover fruit can steep in a few ounces of maple syrup to yield an even more intense berry syrup in about a day.

Raspberries or strawberries are good this way too.  Blueberries get a little overwhelmed but if you love them, try these too.  You can even use frozen berries. 

Happy Spring.

Bleak Night Huevos Rancheros

When things get a bit desperate and the end of winter seems well out of sight, a flexible recipe for Huevos Rancheros makes surviving worth it.  A few beers don’t hurt either.

Huevos Rancheros are essentially nachos with an egg on top.  Within the basic layers lots of variation is possible making this one of those dishes that you can pull out of a hat.  The first time I ate this was in the Yucatan at a little restaurant inside the entrance to some Mayan ruins.  Our hotel had a nice restaurant but my friends and I learned quickly to hop the local VW bus (without a side door) to the ruins and eat desayuno with the workers.   The meal was simple and that’s been my inspiration since: eggs, cooked beans, salsa on a corn tortilla with a side of fried plaintains.  For this northern version, I substituted roasted turnip fries for plaintains.   Home fries made with white or blue potatoes are good here too.

Its all in the layers:
Base- corn tortilla (grilled pizza crust, even tortilla chips if desperate)
Beans- canned black low sodium cooked down with some oregano, cumin, salt, ground coriander
Salsa (purchased is fine but take a peak in your larder and get creative here)  chopped tomato, mild peppers, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, smoked chili, onion, tomatillos can combine in many variations in a pinch to create a tempting salsa.
Fried eggs (poached if you feel like it)
Cheese (cheddar, queso fresco)
Garnishes; extra salsa. Scallions, black olives, jalepenos (pickled roasted), sour cream, cilantro, avocado

If you’d like a more formal recipe….

Huevos Rancheros Fonda del Yucatan
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 corn tortillas
Canola or vegetable oil
1 can low-sodium black beans
2 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano, cumin, chipotle chili powder
1/4 teaspoon each ground coriander and salt
1/2 cup salsa (home made or store bought)
4 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
Garnishes and extras: sliced scallions, black olives, jalepenos (pickled or roasted), sour cream, cilantro, avocado

Method

1. For each serving, drizzle a little canola oil onto an oven proof dish (pie plates work well) and dip 2 corn tortillas in oil on both sides.  Place in a 400˚F oven to crisp while you prepare the remaining ingredients.  
2. Heat up a can of low-sodium black beans (no need to drain) and add cilantro, dried spices and salt.  Lower heat and continue to cook until juices are absorbed, stirring occasionally.  
3. Once beans are heated, fry eggs in a little olive oil.  Cook eggs “sunny side up” and remove from heat when whites are firm but yolks are still runny.  
4. While eggs are frying, assemble dishes.  Remove tortillas from oven and pile on beans followed by a bit of salsa then carefully transfer the eggs, one on each tortilla.  Sprinkle with cheese and return to hot oven to finish eggs and melt cheese.  
5. As soon as cheese has melted, remove pie plates from oven and transfer to warmed plates.  Place another spoonful of salsa on top of each egg and add garnishes to your liking.   

On the side—roasted turnip fries with smoked paprika (400˚F for 20 minutes).  You can dip them in ketchup but here they taste great dipped in the runny egg yolks and the sour cream.  They are nice cross between sweet potato fries and traditional fries from white potatoes and can be roasted while the tortillas crisp.

I found this fun rendition online.  Great idea to serve a crowd:
http://www.designeatplay.com/?p=482
Huevos Ranchero Pizza- very clever and communal too.