Grill Interrupted

                                       

There are times when going out for a fancy meal just isn’t in the cards. The sitter cancelled, the kids are sick, the budget won’t allow it, your spouse is on-call, the forecast is for 3 feet of snow…

This Moroccan inspired Cornish hen recipe is perfect to pull out when heading out the door just isn’t in the cards. It’s elegant, easy, & delicious. Light a candle, dim the lights, play some music, and enjoy the best date night you never went out for.

The cinnamon and cumin intertwine in this dish, collaborating together on an aromatic trip to North Africa.

                                                   

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Moroccan Couscous Stuffed Cornish Hens with Moroccan Carrot Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup couscous
1/2 tablespoons margarine
2 1/2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Cornish hens
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 tablespoons water

Moroccan Carrot Salad (recipe below)

Preparation:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a cookie sheet, toast the nuts in the oven until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Raise oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a small saucepan bring the broth, sundried tomatoes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a simmer over Medium-High heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the couscous. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Fluff couscous with a fork. Add the almonds, 1/2 tablespoon of the margarine, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the honey, the cinnamon, and salt & pepper to taste.
4. Fill the cavities of the hens with the couscous mixture. Twist the wings behind the backs of the hens and tie the legs together with string.
5. Put the hens, breast side up, in a small roasting pan. Coat the hens with the oil and season with salt and pepper.
6. Roast the hens for 25 minutes. Baste them with the pan juices and drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon honey. Continue roasting until done, about 15 minutes longer.
7. When the hens are done, transfer them to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
8. In a frying pan take the juices and scraping from the roasting pan and add the water. Cook over medium heat, and allow to reduce, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Cut the hens in half and serve with the couscous stuffing , au jus and Moroccan Carrot Salad.

 

Moroccan Carrot Salad
Adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:
6 to 8 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon honey
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup mint leaves, washed and chopped

Preparation:

1. Bring water to a boil over High heat. Add carrots, cover and simmer until just tender, about 6 minutes.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix cayenne, cumin, honey and lemon juice. Whisk in olive oil. Drain excess water (if any) and toss warm carrots with vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with mint. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Filed under: Recipe on June 23rd, 2010 | Comments Off on Moroccan Couscous Stuffed Cornish Hens with Moroccan Carrot Salad

                                         

As my travels have taken me through Buffalo some two dozen times this year, I thought it would be appropriate to tip my cap to this grand city by the lake. Buffalo taught me a number of things this year, including the fact that it doesn’t REALLY always snow in Buffalo – in fact, I didn’t see a lick of snow the entire winter.

Another thing I learned, is that despite the rest of the country believing that the spicy chicken wing is the be-all and end-all of Buffalo’s culinary contribution to the nation – this is absolutely and entirely false. Buffalonians keep their tastiest cuisine somewhat of a secret. Meet the “Beef on Weck”.

When I suggested to my buddy(and former Buffalonian) Howie that we whip up a batch for dinner one night, he was all game (read: wall to wall Bills paraphenalia).

Beef on Weck is effectively a specialized beef sandwich. Weck is short for kummelweck, a combination of the German words kümmel (caraway seed) and weck (roll). It is the roll that makes the sandwich unique. Made only in the Buffalo-Rochester area, the kummelweck is basically a kaiser roll topped with lots of kosher salt and caraway seeds. Inside, very thinly sliced roast beef is piled high, and the whole thing is served “au jus”. The beef is then topped with sinus-clearing horseradish.

The closest thing I could compare the experience to is that of eating sushi. The salty, in your face kaiser toppings, and the spicy horseradish, immediately reminded me of the soy sauce and wasabi experience with sushi. And just like the first time you try sushi, once you’ve tried it, you’ll be hooked for life.

Buffalo – thank you for your hospitality, but more importantly, your Beef on Weck!

                                          

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Beef on Weck

Serves: 8

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 x 4 pound eye of round roast, or equivalent
Salt & black pepper, to taste
1 cup beef broth
8 kaiser rolls
1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds
2 tablespoons pretzel salt or kosher salt
6 ounces prepared horseradish
1 cup au jus gravy, reserved from roasting the beef
1 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water, warmed

Preparation:

1. Put oil in a skillet, season roast with salt and pepper and brown on all sides.
2. Place roast in crockpot and add 1 cup of beef broth. Cook on low for 8 hours. Slice thin!
3. Combine coarse salt and whole caraway seed. Heat 1 cup water to a boil. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/2 cup warm water and add to boiling water. Return to a boil and thicken until it coats a spoon.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. To make kummelweck rolls, take 8 rolls and place on baking sheet. Brush top of rolls with cornstarch solution and sprinkle with seed mixture. Place in oven for 4 minutes or until kummelweck dries.
6. For the Beef on Weck: drizzle au jus on bun halves, layer on roast beef and top with a good smear of horseradish. Traditionally served alongside fries and a dill pickle spear.

Filed under: Recipe on June 17th, 2010 | 2 Comments »

                                                       

It is so easy these days to try dishes from around the globe. The Internet is full of ideas from anywhere and everywhere.

The following recipe is based on a 2000 year old Korean dish called Bulgogi. It was originally called Neobiani and would be prepared for the king on special occasions.

It is typically made from thin slices of sirloin or other prime cuts of beef. The meat is marinated with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic and other ingredients to enhance its flavor and tenderness. Bulgogi literally means “fire meat” in Korean, which refers to the cooking technique over an open flame.

I served it here on top of rice noodles which were a perfect bed for this richly flavoured royal dish. The sauce brilliantly balances the aromatic sesame oil, the heat of the pepper flakes, the sweet sugar, the savory soy sauce, the dry wine, and the pungent garlic & scallions.

                               

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Korean Sizzling Beef

Adapted from Food & Wine

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon pure sesame oil
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 1/2 pounds beef flank steak, cut across the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices
16 scallions, green part only
Vegetables oil, for rubbing
Salt, to taste

Preparation:

1. In a large, shallow dish, combine the soy sauce, sugar, white wine, garlic, sesame oil and crushed red pepper. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add the steak and mix to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Heat grill on High. Rub the scallions with vegetable oil and grill, turning once, until just softened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt.
4. Grill the steak over High heat until the slices are medium rare, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a serving platter and serve with the grilled scallions.

Filed under: Recipe on June 14th, 2010 | Comments Off on Korean Sizzling Beef