Mashed Purple Potato Salad

My 8 year old loves being in the kitchen. Last weekend he decided he wanted potato salad. We went to a farmer's market and he picked out some purple and yellow potatoes for his "creation". I usually prefer a vinaigrette type dressing on my potato salad but he was adamant that he wanted a creamy dressing. He also insisted on mashing them up vs chopped. Can't say he doesn't know what he wants! He added celery and some green onions. The dressing was a combo of reduced calorie miracle whip (you could use mayo), mustard, relish and some extra vinegar for some "zip". I gotta be honest - I wasn't convinced I was going to like it - instead I LOVED it! Not only did it taste amazing, the purple potatoes added a fantastic blast of colour. I made some one eyed purple people eater comment but obviously that song is lost on the 8 yr old set!

You can peel the potatoes ahead of time if you want but I usually just peel them after they are cooked - it's easier as long as your fingers aren't too sensitive to the heat or you have patience to wait till they cool. About 2 lbs of potatoes in total is about what you need. Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

Ingredients

6 purple potatoes, large dice
4 yellow potatoes, large dice
1/2 c miracle whip
1/4 c honey dijon mustard
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 heaping tbsp green relish
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 stalks celery, diced
3 green onions, chopped
pepper and salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a large pot, add potatoes (and salt if desired) and cover with cold water. 
2. Bring to a boil and cook until tender - about 10-15 after reaching a boil.
3. Drain potatoes, peel if not already done.
4. Add to large bowl.
5. Add onions and celery.
6. In a small bowl, combine miracle whip, mustard, vinegar, relish, and garlic powder.
7. Add to potatoes and mash together.
8. You can mash as much or as little as you  want. We left some good size chunks for texture. 
9. Cool in fridge.

Indonesian Blackout Chicken

During a wind storm a couple of months ago, we were sitting in the living room enjoying a little peace while the kids were playing quietly upstairs (i.e. they weren't fighting, bickering or asking us for things). Suddenly, outside our window, sparks were flying, loud "pops" were sounding and then nothing but darkness. The kids came running downstairs asking why fireworks were going off down the street. Turns out a very large and very old tree couldn't stand up to the strong winds and decided to go out with a bang - it fell across a street, taking a power pole with it and crushing a car for good measure. Thankfully, even though it's a busy corner, no one was hurt. Power, however, would be out for the night and the next morning.

Luckily, we had planned to BBQ our dinner. I know you're thinking "why would you plan on grilling in a wind and rain storm?" We BBQ all year round and, yes, in any weather (and by we, I mean my husband). This recipe was adapted from Saveur. The original recipe makes skewers but we bypass that and use whole thighs and cut up breasts.

That night, thanks to the power outage, we had a fun dinner by candle light and we dubbed the dish "Blackout Chicken." The kids LOVE this chicken because it's full of flavour but not spicy. In fact, it's now in our regular rotation.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp tumeric
2 tsp salt
2 stalks lemon grass, chopped
1 head garlic, separated and peeled (at least 5 cloves)
6 mediums shallots
2 larges pieces if ginger (about 8-10 inches in total), cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbsp ground fennel or 2- 3 tbsp fresh fennel
1 tsp ground curry

5-6 lbs chicken thighs or breasts or combo.

Instructions

1. Blend everything except chicken in a food processor until a thick but relatively smooth paste is formed.
2. If using breast, cut them in half or about the same size as a medium thigh. Using a smooth sided mallet or cast iron pan flatten the chicken pieces so they are all the same approximate thickness. This will help the chicken cook at the same rate.
3. Place the chicken in a bowl or ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Massage the marinade into the chicken so every nook and crevice gets its fair share.
4. Seal or cover the chicken and marinade for 2-6 hours.
5. Heat your grill to medium-high. Once hot, place chicken and cook for 5-9 minutes per side until chicken reaches 165 degrees F and juices run clear and bits of the chicken are charred).
6. Place on serving dish and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with rice and your favorite vegetables.

Cookbook Review: Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Foods by K Pullman and J Fertig

Buffalo-style Hot Wings

We, like so many Canadians and Americans, are caught up in the smoked meat craze. And really how could we not?  There are BBQ restaurants, food trucks, TV shows and smoked meat competitions all within a sauce dripping arm's length of us all. And  the meat can't be beat! The taste of a piece of bark on a pork butt or brisket is heaven on earth.

So when I bought my husband a Weber Bullet Smoker I  pretty much took the crown of  Best. Wife. Ever. 

We've smoked pork, beef, chicken and turkey so far with amazing results and jealous stares from our neighbours. So when I was offered the chance to review Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Foods by Karen Putman and Judith Fertig I jumped on it.

This is the 2nd edition of the 400 page cookbook/how-to-smoke anything resource. 

Karen Putman was a chef and well respected, award winning BBQ competitor who passed away in 2011 but certainly leaves an amazing legacy to anyone who has an interest in the BBQ world.

The 2nd edition has added more tips and secrets from Karen's friends. 

The book itself is 400 pages and those pages are filled with useful tips, tidbits and information that even seasoned slow cooking meat veterans will enjoy. There are tips on different types of equipment, how to's about getting started, what you need to know if you are thinking about entering a competition,  how to create your own signature rubs and sauces, and of course great tips on each type of meat you want to smoke plus loads of recipes. It's a lot of information but is presented in an easy to read and easy to use format. There are also great step-by-step photos on how to prepare charcoal, meats etc. And of course there are mouth watering photos of many of the recipes too.

The recipes cover the gamut from rubs and sauces to sections on each meat - pork, beef, poultry,and  lamb. There are also cold smoking recipes and recipes that are truly different like tofu and almonds and even "smoky deviled eggs"!

I like this book. In fact I love it. Lots of great info and recipes that I've already ear marked to try over the coming months. Unfortunately, the recipe I tried while reviewing the book fell short. I'm hoping it was the one dud in the otherwise great read.

We decided to try the "Buffalo-Style Hot Wings" recipe. It was super simple with only 4 ingredients. It was easy to slap the marinade together and throw on the wings but the execution didn't work. The recipe says to place them in a single layer in an aluminum pan and then smoke them in the pan. Well that led to a lot of grease from the chicken and marinade. There was so much that the underside of the wings didn't hold the marinade, formed a wet, unappetizing skin and definitely weren't "hot" as promised. We ended up throwing the wings on the BBQ grill after smoking to crisp them up a bit. 

Too much grease was captured in the pans.

The undersides of the wings didn't look appetizing.

The taste of the meat, however, was phenomenal, smoked poultry is simply something everyone must try (well, except vegetarians). My husband thinks it would have been much better if we hand poked holes in the bottom of the pan so the grease could drip out or just put the wings directly on the smoker grill. Despite the disappointing result we will not be throwing this cookbook in the trash. We will be trying more of the recipes and the rubs/sauces. I know there are many other great recipes that can be smoked out. 

So we grilled them to crisp them up.

A little extra sauce and they were good to go!

If you or someone you know is smoking enthusiast I recommend this book. It has something for everyone and every skill level.

Book Infomation:Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Food 
2nd Edition
Karen Putman and Judith Ferig
Published by Robert Rose Inc
isbn: 978-0-7788-0449-9

Spicy Miso Grilled Chicken

I love spicy foods, especially dishes that have more than just that hot, make you sweat kind of heat. The really great spicy dishes have a depth of flavour and heat levels that change as you enjoy them. I think this miso grilled chicken qualifies.

This marinade would also be amazing with pork.

Adapted from a Men's Health recipe

Ingredients
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 chicken breasts
3 tbsp sirachi sauce (hot sauce)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 c white grape juice (apple juice works too)
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp red miso
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 c water
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
6 green onions, chopped

 What to do

• In a bowl, combine all ingredients EXCEPT chicken, and both kinds of onions.
• Mix well (the miso usually requires a bit of extra attention to make sure it mixes completely).
• Pour half the mixture into a large ziploc.
• Add half of regular and green onions to the bowl and the other half into the bag.
• Cover and place the bowl in the fridge.
• Place the chicken in the ziploc with the marinade mixture.
• Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
• When ready to grill chicken, remove marinade in the bowl and place in a small pan.
• Simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. If desired, use a hand blender to blend in onions and make sauce thicker.
• Meanwhile, oil BBQ grill and heat to medium high.
• Grill chicken until nice grill marks have formed and chicken releases easily. (5 minutes for thighs; 8 minutes for breasts). Throw away marinade in bag.
• Flip chicken and cook 5-10 minutes more. Make sure chicken is cooked to internal temp of 170 degrees F.
• Remove from grill and rest for 3-5 minutes so juices redistribute within chicken.
• Use cooked sauce for dipping or drizzle over chicken.
• Makes 4-6 servings.

The Stoked Smoked Burger

This recipe is based on one I found in Gourmet Grilling. The mayo is fantastic and makes enough that you should have leftovers for sandwiches or fries! The burger is nicely spiced but not too hot. The avocado MAKES this burger - warm avocado adds such a nice and creamy texture and flavour that you will never go back to ordinary avocados on your burgers!

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip Dressing
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons minced chipotle in adobo, including some sauce, divided
• 1/4 cup real bacon bits
• 2 pounds ground beef - not extra lean - fat adds flavour to burgers!
• 1 tbsp + 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 firm-ripe avocado, quartered lengthwise, peeled, and cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch thick slices
• 6-8 slices applewood smoked cheddar (or other fave cheese)
• Olive oil for brushing on avocado
• 1 tsp salt
• 6-8 hamburger buns, grilled

What to do:

• In a food processor or blender, purée mayonnaise, mustard, and 2 tablespoons chipotle, 2 tsp smoked paprika; transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.
• Mix beef (using gloved hands always works best for me) with 1 tablespoon chipotle, 1 tbsp paprika, garlic, bacon bits and 1 teaspoon salt until combined. Form into 6 - 8 patties. Make a small indentation in the center of the burger with your thumb.  This will keep them round and help to prevent them from puffing up while cooking. Most importantly, it prevents uneven cooking. Refrigerate if not cooking right away.
• Prepare a medium hot gas BBQ.
• Meanwhile, brush both sides of avocado slices with olive oil.
• Grill patties until they reach 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, approximately 6 to 8 minutes on each side. Add cheese and melt.
• Grill avocado slices, turning once, until grill marks appear, about 60 seconds on each side.
• Slather sauce on buns and stack burgers with avocado and any other of your favorite condiments. 
• Enjoy!