Month: June 2014

Bitchin’ BBQ chicken

, Valentina Rice

 

I’ve always been a little ashamed of how much I enjoy July 4th. As a Brit, shouldn’t I have been hanging my head in shame? But no, I look forward to it every year nearly as much as I do Thanksgiving. Both events are spent in the same place, with the same family which goes a long way to explaining why I love it so much. And this year, for the very first time, I’m officially a US citizen so I get to hold my head high and enjoy the traditions with no embarrassment at all.

 

Every holiday spent on Cape Cod has countless wonderful traditions and July 4th is no exception with a parade of decorated golf carts, a garden party with my godmother’s famous Tex Mex dip and the grand finale of a fire works display that feels like its custom made for us.

 

You can’t think of July 4th without thinking of barbecuing so for this year’s festivities, I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious BBQ Chicken!

 

Bitchin’ BBQ Chicken

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

3 lbs chicken drumsticks and thighs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 jar Bitchin’ BBQ Sauce

 

Method:

1. Heat the grill. If gas, heat to high and if using coals, until they glow orange and begin to ash. (Or turn on broiler if using the oven -the timing will be the same for both the broiler and the grill).

2. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and grill/broil 5 minutes. Turn, baste with bbq sauce and grill/baste another 5 minutes.

3. Baste the chicken generously once more and grill/broil for another 5 minutes until fully cooked through. Once fully cooked, transfer to a serving platter and give another generous coating of Bitchin’ BBQ Sauce.

4. Serve warm alongside Pickled Corn Relish and all your other favorite bbq sides.

 

Easy Dips and Spreads: Camille’s Hummus and Two Tasty Crostini

, Valentina Rice

 

Everyone has their dish. The one they’re known for and have honed to perfection over years, tweaking here and there. Camille’s is hummus  – there’s always a bowl of it on the kitchen counter when I come round and it has ruined store bought hummus for me. There’s a secret to how she gets it so creamy that I’ve never seen in other recipes. She generously shared her much loved recipe with me and therefore all of you.

 

Another really easy appetizer to add to a party is a variety of crostini. I have a fridge full of jams and spreads and like to mix them with different cheeses on top of toasted slices of baguette. You can toast a whole bunch together on a cookie tray in the oven and if you’re feeling decadent, you can brush them with olive oil first. Two of my favorite that are pictured here are goat cheese topped with Vidalia Onion Jam and ricotta topped with Honey Lemon Lavender Jelly. I’ve always been a sucker for sweet and savory.

 

Crostini with Ricotta and Honey Lemon Lavender Jelly

Serves 15-20 people

Ingredients:

1 baguette, sliced into 1/4″ slices

3/4 cup of olive oil

1 tub of ricotta (as fresh as can be found)

Salt to taste

1 jar of lavender honey (or even better Mr. Wittle’s Honey Lemon Lavender Jelly)

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Slice the baguette thinly and arrange slices on two cookie trays. You can brush olive oil on both sides if you want but not necessary.

3. Bake until crispy and golden brown (about 15-20 minutes). Turn the trays halfway through baking.

4. Leave crostini to cool.

5. Meanwhile in a medium size bowl mix ricotta with salt to taste. You won’t need more than about 1/2 a teaspoon but it really makes a difference in taste.

6. Spread the ricotta on top of the crostini and top with a spoonful of Honey Lemon Lavender Jam.

7. Enjoy with friends!

 

Crostini with Goat Cheese and Vidalia Onion Jam

Serves 15-20 people

Ingredients:

1 baguette, sliced into 1/4″ slices

3/4 cup of olive oil

1 log of goat cheese (about 8 oz.)

1 jar of Vidalia Onion Jam (or you can substitute 1/2 cup of caramelized onions)

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Slice the baguette thinly and arrange slices on two cookie trays. You can brush olive oil on both sides if you want but not necessary.

3. Bake until crispy and golden brown (about 15-20 minutes). Turn the trays halfway through baking.

4. Leave crostini to cool.

5. Meanwhile take goat cheese out of the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature. This makes it easier to spread.

6. Spread the goat cheese on top of the crostini and top with a spoonful of Vidalia Onion Jam.

7. Enjoy with friends!

 

 

Camille’s Hummus

Ingredients:

1 heaped tablespoon of tahini

1 can of chickpeas (including liquid from can)

4 cloves of garlic (peeled)

1 tablespoon of cumin

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

A pinch of paprika (optional)

 

Method:

1. Take tahini out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Stir if necessary.

2. In a saucepan, heat the chickpeas and garlic along with all the liquid from the can.

3. Simmer on a low heat for approximately 10 minutes.

4. Add all ingredients to a blender (except paprika) and mix until smooth and creamy.

5. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of paprika for color to finish.

Poached Salmon with Herb Mayonnaise

, Valentina Rice

 

I always thought that I hated mayonnaise. All I knew was Hellmann’s and it wasn’t until I was “tricked” into trying a homemade version with sorrel that I fell in love with it. I refused to believe the two were both called mayonnaise. For everyone’s protestations about how easy it is to make yourself, I’ve had some epic fails. To have discovered a jarred version that tastes and looks like the real deal is basically life changing (as well as waist changing).

 

I think the perfect way to enjoy a good mayonnaise is alongside poached salmon paired with nutty fingerling potatoes and crunchy green beans. It feels summery and is light without being rabbit food and even better when eaten at room temperature. It’s a dish that makes me nostalgic for England in the summer and those long afternoons napping on a lawn after too many strawberries and cream. I can almost see the Burleigh pottery plates piled high and ignored while the last few drops of white wine are passed around.

 

 

Poached Salmon

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of dry vermouth

4 cups of water

1 lemon (thinly sliced)

2 bay leaves

A bunch of dill (I used 1/3 of the bunch)

1 desert spoon black peppercorns

Salt

2lbs of wild king salmon

1 jar of Fine Herbs Mayonnaise

 

Method:

1. In a large skillet, add the vermouth, water, half the lemon slices, bay leaves, dill and peppercorns.

2. Bring the liquid to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Season the salmon with salt and add to the poaching liquid, skin side down.

4. Cover the pan tightly and reduce heat to lowest setting.

5. Poach until the salmon is just cooked through and barely opaque (10-12 minutes).

6. Using a spatula, remove the salmon from the liquid onto a serving platter. Carefully peel off the skin and discard.

7. Serve at room temperature with herb mayonnaise with the remaining lemon slices and more fresh dill.