Grill Interrupted

I would love to take credit for this cake. Coming up with it, or even finding it. Alas, my friend Robin gets all the kudos. She called me up as soon as she saw it in her Oprah magazine and said “Gav, I know you don’t like desserts, but we’re baking this. Stat.”

Now, it’s true, I don’t have a love for desserts. The savory will always win me over ahead of the sweet. The desserts I like are usually quite straight laced. I like plain cheesecake. I like old style strawberry shortcake. I like pumpkin and pecan pie. All old faithfuls.

This cake though? It’s to die for, and thus, you should make it. It’s a chocolate cake, but the cocoa is subtle not obnoxiously uber-chocolate-y. Perfectly subtle so that the flavour of the Guinness manages to shine through. Also, if you’ve ever wondered how they make that awesome cream cheese frosting  you’ve had on red velvet, carrot, and other cakes? Well, this is it. You may be a bit horrified to find out it’s lots of butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Lots. But this is dessert folks, it’s not going to be all green beans and broccoli.

Thanks Robin – awesome recipe.  Hope you enjoyed the cake!*

*also – my attempts at a rustic icing look… not so successful… just a reminder I should stick to grilling…

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Guinness Cake

Adapted from Oprah.com

Servings: About 16 1-inch slices

Ingredients:

Cake

1/2 pound butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 2/3 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup Guinness stout
6 eggs

Icing

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars. In another bowl, mix together the baking powder, cinnamon, salt, flour and cocoa. At the very last moment, add the Guinness to the eggs. (Don’t let it sit too long, or the alcohol will begin to cook the eggs!)
2. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and blend, then add half of the wet ingredients. Repeat this process until all the ingredients are combined.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line the bottom of two 9-inch diameter cake pans with wax paper. Divide the batter between the pans, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack and peel off the wax paper. Let the layers cool completely before frosting.
4. In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until mixed, then beat in the sugar. Finally, add the vanilla.
5. Place one cake layer, bottom side up, on a platter. Spread with frosting, then top with another layer, bottom side down. Spread the remaining frosting smoothly over the top and sides of the cake.

Filed under: Recipe on May 19th, 2010 | 8 Comments »

                                 

Ah, the chicken wing. Such a pleasing little piece of poultry perfection. Tasty little morsels with their own built in serving utensil.

These wings came out great – perfectly melding together the various flavours with the rich undertone of reduced Tennessee Whiskey.

I think next time, I’d try them straight on the grill – but otherwise, a real crowd pleaser.

                                

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Whiskey-Glazed Chicken Drumettes with Tennessee Dipping Sauce

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Tennessee Whiskey, divided
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons golden brown sugar
30 chicken drumettes (about 4 pounds)*
Tennessee Dipping Sauce (recipe below)

*A chicken drumette is the thick, meaty section of the chicken wing that resembles a drumstick.

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes.
2. Add 3/4 cup Tennessee Whiskey; boil until most of liquid is absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk in 1/4 cup Tennessee Whiskey, ketchup, hot pepper sauce, tomato paste, and brown sugar. Bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Season marinade with salt and pepper. Remove marinade from heat; cool to room temperature.
4. Place chicken drumettes in a large glass baking dish. Pour marinade over and turn drumettes to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place wings on a broiling pan that will allow grease to drip away. Arrange drumettes, spacing slightly apart. Spread any remaining marinade from dish over drumettes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Bake drumettes until cooked through and brown in spots, about 45 minutes. Transfer drumettes to serving platter. Serve Tennessee Dipping Sauce alongside.

Tennessee Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cups mayonaisse 
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoons Tennessee Whiskey

Preparation:

1. Whisk ingredients to combine.

Filed under: Recipe on May 16th, 2010 | Comments Off on Whiskey-Glazed Chicken Drumettes with Tennessee Dipping Sauce

                                                                

Who doesn’t love deep fried Chinese food smothered in a sweet, succulent sauce? That being said, the fast food/take out versions leave you wondering what it is that gives your dinner that floresent hue, and how much sugar was used in that sweet, sticky sauce that is gobbed onto your dish.

This recipe for Crispy Orange Beef will leave you speechless (mainly becuase you are trying to fit more of it in your mouth). The ingredients are all natural and simple. The dish comes out just how you’d hope – the beef is silky soft, the exterior is crispy and not too oily, the orange sauce is vibrant and sweet, but not in a gross syrupy way.

Sure this dish invloves frying in oil, but the freshness and quality will make you wonder how you can ever order Chinese food in a take-out container again.

                                                         

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Crispy Orange Beef

Adapted from the Shun Lee Cookbook

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 pound stir-fry beef
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 orange
Vegetable oil
1 cup cornstarch
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
3 scallions, white part only, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau
1/4 teaspooon Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

Sauce:
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Preparation:

1. Mix the beef, baking soda, and 3 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl. Cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight (the baking soda will tenderize the steak).
2. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the coloured zest from the orange. Cut the zest into 1 inch long strips, and set aside.
3. To begin the sauce, mix the sugar, vinegar, rice wine, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Heat a large wok over High heat. Add enough vegetable oil to come about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the wok, and heat to 375 degrees F. Meanwhile, add the cornstarch and egg white to the beef, and mix well to coat.
5. Add the beef to the oil one piece at a time so that it does not splash or stick. Stir gently until it begins to look crispy, about 1 minute. Using a wire mesh strainer, transfer the beef to a colander to drain. Remove any fried bits from the wok.
6. Return the beef to the wok, and fry again until crispy all over, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a strainer to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the wok.
7. Return the wok with the oil to High heat. Add the scallions, beef, sugar-vinegar mixture, orange zest, sesame oil, orange liqueur, and hot sauce. Stir-fry until all of the ingredients are well blended, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

Filed under: Recipe on May 8th, 2010 | 1 Comment »