Stoner Cooking

Food Porn: NASCAR special edition

From the Charlotte Motor Speedway, here's some good eatings:

 

The Funnel Bacakonator, a funnel cake covered with bacon pieces with chocolate and strawberry sauces.

The Mac & Cheese Burger, which includes pimentoes in the macaroni and is topped with crumbled pork rinds.

Sickness!

Source: Yahoo Sports
http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/blog/from_the_marbles/post/Charlotte-Motor-Speedway-to-offer-the-8220-fun

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Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/17/dining/peanut-butter-and-chocolate-ice-cream-sandwiches-recipe.html

Time: 10 minutes

1 long baguette
Peanut butter
Chocolate nut spread, like Nutella
About 1 pint vanilla, chocolate or other ice cream, softened for 10 minutes
2 ripe bananas (optional)
Flaky sea salt

1. Slice the baguette in half lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Then cut into 3-inch-long pieces.

2. Spread the insides of the baguette pieces with a thin layer of peanut butter on one cut side and a thin layer of chocolate spread on the other cut side. Spoon some ice cream in the center and top with banana slices if using; sprinkle with a few flakes of sea salt before closing into sandwiches.

Yield: 8 to 10 ice cream sandwiches.

*

Food Network Triple Shot

French Onion Soup
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/french-onion-soup-recipe

Cook 4 sliced onions and 2 thyme sprigs in butter, covered, 20 minutes. Uncover; cook 1 hour, or until caramelized, stirring occasionally. Add 6 cups beef broth; simmer 10 minutes. Add cognac, salt and pepper. Top with gruyere toasts.

Alton Brown's Buffalo Wings
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown for Food Network Magazine
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/alton-browns-buffalo-wings-recipe

Total Time: 2 hr 15 min.
Prep 25 min.
Inactive 1 hr 0 min.
Cook 50 min.
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
12 whole chicken wings (about 3 pounds)
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup hot sauce
Kosher salt

Directions

Place a 6-quart saucepan, with a steamer basket and 1 inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.

Remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Use kitchen shears or a knife to separate the wings at the joint. Place the wings in the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay out the wings on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator to dry, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the paper towels on the pan and replace with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven, about 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook 20 to 30 more minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.

While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a small bowl with the garlic. Pour this along with the hot sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken and stir to combine. Remove the wings from the oven, transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm.

Beer Suggestion for This Recipe
Lager
Crisp, refreshing light beer

Beer Punch
Recipe courtesy Sunny Anderson, 2010
Show: Cooking for Real
Episode: Gamer's Gathering
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/beer-punch-recipe

Total Time: 1 hr 10 min.
Prep 10 min.
Inactive 1 hr 0 min.
Yield:4 servings

Ingredients
4 strawberries, chopped
1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons grenadine
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 (12-ounce) bottles beer, cold (recommended: Corona or a pilsner)

Directions

In a bowl add the strawberries, blueberries, sugar, grenadine, and lime juice. Stir to dissolve as much sugar as possible. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, stirring a couple of times to agitate and help create juices.

When ready to serve, divide the mixture among 4 low ball glasses. Pour 6 ounces beer into each glass and give a gentle stir. Drink!

Stoner Cooking: Meatballs

The Meatball Recipe to Conquer All Others
By Chef Shane Solomon, Pizzeria Stella, Philadelphia
Esquire.com on Tue Sep 27, 2011
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/the-meatball-recipe-to-conquer-all-others-2570299

Philadelphia is a red-sauce town — what we call "gravy" — but I'm not a big fan of spaghetti and meatballs. I prefer to make a meatball that stands alone, maybe resting on a small base of polenta or some good grilled bread. Nothing that detracts from the meatball itself. This habit of mine is likely rooted in the various Italian regional ways of serving meatballs without pasta, sometimes as a second course, or even the Sicilian polpettine alla griglia (grilled meatballs with a touch of lemon) that make me think meatballs are related to the ground-meat kebabs of the Arabs and Greeks who dominated that island for centuries.

In any case, making a tender meatball relies on a few basic principles: First there's ratio, and about 20 percent of the meat mix should be fat. In my restaurant — and this is a huge benefit of being a pizzeria — I can grind the end nubs of cured meats like prosciutto or sopressata to get fat and flavor at the same time. But at home, I use pancetta or nice smoky bacon. Quality matters because during the low, slow oven cooking, the fat flows out of the meatballs and goes right into the tomato sauce.

Then there's shape, and here you want to make sure to get all the air out as you form the meatball. For that I use an old-fashioned trigger ice-cream scoop. Firmly pack the meat into the scoop, pressing down on the flat side with your palm. Then use the spring trigger to release it, and roll it between your flattened palms into a ball. Of course, in between the mix and the shaping comes the filler, added for texture and to help retain shape. I go really easy — bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. A meatball should taste like meat.

Meat mix: 1 lb ground beef (80 percent lean/20 percent fat), 1 lb ground pork, 1 lb ground veal
1 lb pancetta or thick-sliced smoky bacon, finely minced
2 whole eggs
1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
½ cup finely diced yellow onion
8 garlic cloves, minced
Herb mix: ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, 2 tbsp chopped oregano, 2 tbsp chopped rosemary

Combine above ingredients and mix well, kneading the mixture with your hands like dough.

1/3 cup fine, dry unseasoned bread crumbs
about 4 oz (½ cup) whole milk
about 1 tsp coarse salt
about 1 ½ tsp ground black pepper
Slowly add milk to bread crumbs, stirring until the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Immediately add to the meat mixture, season with the salt and pepper, and mix well. To taste for seasoning: Heat a small amount of canola oil in a small pan. When it's hot — it will ripple in the pan — pinch off a bit of meat and fry in the oil. Remove with a spoon, taste, and correct seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Refrigerate the meat mixture for about 30 minutes.

canola oil for browning
about 12 cups good-quality tomato sauce, kept warm over low heat
finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape meatballs, preferably using an ice-cream scoop (see introduction). In a large skillet, heat about a quarter-inch canola oil until very hot. Working in batches, brown all sides of each meatball.

As they finish, transfer browned meatballs to a deep, ovenproof casserole. Cover meatballs with tomato sauce. (Don't skimp — they must be totally submerged.) Place in oven and bake until well done, about 1 ¾ to 2 hours. When done, they should feel firm to the touch, or an instant-read meat thermometer should read 160 degrees.

To serve: Spoon sauce over meatballs (2 or 3 per person), top with grated cheese, and pass crusty bread. Makes 25 to 30 meatballs. Serves 8 to 10 as an entrée, with leftovers.

Stoner Cooking

Chewy Chocolate Pan Cookies http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/2953/REESE%27S-Chewy-Chocolate-Pan-Cookies.aspx

Ingredients
1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips

Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch jelly-roll pan.

2 Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually blend into butter mixture. Stir in peanut butter chips. (Batter will be stiff.) Spread batter in prepared pan.

3 Bake 20 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack; cut into bars. About 4 dozen bars.

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OREO® Banana Peanut Butter Treats
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/oreo-banana-peanut-butter-56627.aspx

What You Need

4 bananas, cut crosswise in half
12 OREO Cookies, finely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 Tbsp. multi-colored sprinkles
3/4 cup PLANTERS Creamy Peanut Butter

Make It

INSERT wooden pop stick into cut end of each banana half; set aside. Mix chopped cookies and sprinkles; set aside.

SPREAD bananas evenly with peanut butter. Roll in cookie mixture until evenly coated. Wrap individually with plastic wrap.

FREEZE 2 hours or until firm. Remove from freezer 10 min. before serving to soften slightly.

Variation

Prepare as directed, substituting 1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts for every 3 cookies.

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Lobster Mac and Cheese with Fontina
http://www.30days30waysmacandcheese.com/?p=830

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds cooked lobster meat
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup flour
4 cups whole milk
1 cup Wisconsin Mascarpone Cheese
4 tablespoons clam juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3 cups (about 12 ounces) Wisconsin Fontina Cheese, grated, divided
salt and white pepper, as needed
1/2 cup chives, minced, divided
1/2 cup scallions white and light green parts, thinly sliced, divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) Extra-Sharp Wisconsin White Cheddar, finely grated
1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs (about 5 slices bread with crusts removed)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a 4-quart saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost cooked, about 6 minutes. Drain pasta, transfer to a bowl, toss with the oil and set aside.

Pull out about half of the biggest, firmest pieces of lobster, and then neatly slice it into attractive pieces. Roughly chop the rest.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and cook, continuing to whisk often, until sauce has thickened and coats the whisk, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in Mascarpone, along with the clam juice, cayenne, and nutmeg; stir until smooth. Return the mixture to low heat and add 2 cups Fontina cheese, stirring until smooth; season with salt and white pepper. Add reserved pasta to cheese sauce. Stir in the chopped lobster, half of the chives, and half of the scallions.

Transfer mixture to a 9×13-inch or similar capacity baking dish and sprinkle with remaining Fontina cheese and the Cheddar. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle over the top of the pasta. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the pasta is browned on the top. Let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining lobster slices, scallions, and chives.

Stoner Cooking

Banana Coconut Muffin
http://www.naturalnews.com/033594_coconut_recipes.html#ixzz1YCkcSk39

Ingredients:

1 cup organic coconut flour
6 free range eggs
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
2 tablespoons melted organic butter
2 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons organic, raw milk
3 tablespoons raw honey
1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
pinch salt

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs gradually then add milk, honey, coconut oil, butter, vanilla and salt.

Add the coconut flour, baking powder and mashed bananas.

Grease 12 muffin cups with coconut oil. Fill greased muffin cups with the batter.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.

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Fried Eggs with Squash and Tomatillo
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904265504576568512323343944.html

Total Time: 25 Minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
½ jalapeño, halved lengthwise
½ pound tomatillos (3 or 4)
2 small garlic cloves, peeled
5 tablespoons olive oil (or 3 tablespoons olive oil plus 2 tablespoons duck fat)
4½ cups 1-inch diced yellow and green squash (cut from about 1¼ pounds squash)
Salt to taste
3 sprigs cilantro plus 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves, plus extra for garnish
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, plus extra for garnish
4 eggs

What To Do:

1. Turn on broiler. Place jalapeño (cut side down), tomatillos and garlic in an ovenproof dish and broil until tomatillos are charred, about 7-10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, set a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in 2 tablespoons olive oil or duck fat. Once hot, add squash in a single, even layer. (If necessary, cook in 2 batches.) Season with salt and cook 4-5 minutes, or until caramelized. Stir and cook 4-5 minutes more, or until tender. Remove from heat, stir in chopped cilantro and season to taste with salt.

3. Transfer tomatillo mixture to blender with cilantro sprigs. Blend on high until smooth, slowly adding 1½ tablespoons olive oil. Season to taste with lime juice and salt.

4.Crack eggs into small bowl. Wipe pan and set over medium heat. Once pan is hot, swirl in 1½ tablespoons oil, or enough to coat bottom. Tip eggs gently into pan. Season with salt and fry 3-4 minutes, or until whites are cooked and yolks just begin to set.

5. To serve, spoon 2 tablespoons warm tomatillo sauce into 4 shallow dishes. Mound roasted squash in center. Top with fried egg. Garnish with cilantro sprig and lime wedge.

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Noodle Soup with Mussels
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903285704576561133920673702.html

Ingredients

4 ounces small mussels (about 6)
1¾ cups fish stock
2 teaspoons olive oil
6¼ ounces fillini pasta, or spaghettini broken into small pieces ¼ cup sofrito*
1½ tablespoons white wine
2 teaspoons picada*

Scrub and debeard the mussels. Bring stock to a boil and hold at a simmer. Heat oil in a large pan and fry the pasta for 1-2 minutes, until golden. Add the sofrito and cook for 2 minutes, stirring well. Pour in the wine, loosening the food from the bottom of the pan. Add the hot stock and then the picada and boil for 10 minutes. Drop the mussels into the soup, cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes or until all the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

*Many of the recipes in "The Family Meal" rely on two essential Spanish elements — sofrito and picada — to add deep, rich flavor. With a supply of both in the freezer, elegant meals are a snap.

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OREO Football Cookie Balls
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/oreo-football-cookie-balls-124154.aspx

total time 1 hr 30 min prep 20 min servings 40 servings

What You Need

6 oz. (3/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (15.25 oz.) OREO Chocolate Creme Cookies, finely crushed
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
1 Tbsp. white decorating icing

Make It

MIX cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended.

SHAPE into 40 (1-inch) football shapes. Freeze 10 min. Dip in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Use icing to draw laces on footballs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

How to Melt Chocolate

Place unwrapped chocolate squares in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 2-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted, stirring every 30 sec.

How to Easily Dip Cookie Balls

To easily coat cookie balls with the melted chocolate, add balls, in batches, to bowl of melted chocolate. Use 2 forks to roll balls in chocolate until evenly coated. Remove balls with forks, letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl. Place balls in prepared pan; let stand until chocolate coating is firm.

How to Store
Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Stoner Cooking

Zucchini and Potato Frittata
Jacqueline Rizk
August 29, 2011
http://theorganicblonde.com/zucchini-potato-frittata

Frittatas are a quick and easy meal on any night of the week but make Meatless Mondays a snap. A frittata is really an unflipped omelette that is finished off in the oven. You can use any vegetables you have on hand and can make these with cheese or go dairy free without it. For my recipe I had some really good potatoes and lots of leftover zucchini and my ever present parmigiano so that’s what I used and it came out perfectly.

I do believe in using cast iron for frittatas and a well seasoned and oiled pan can be nearly as non-stick as any trusty teflon pan. Cast iron is a wonderful cooking medium for anything that needs to be cooked first on the stove top and placed in the oven to finish as it gives foods a nice crisp texture. Cast iron actually infuses your food with necessary iron as well, a bonus for women who may be slightly anemic.

Ingredients:

6 large eggs

splash of milk, cream, or water

1 zucchini cut into thin half moons

1 small onion sliced thin

1 organic potato sliced into thin half moons (or cubed and parboiled)

Fresh herbs (tarragon, basil, chervil, parsley or chives work well)

grated cheese*

sea salt and pepper

grapeseed oil, butter or ghee

* I know people who cannot make a frittata without heavy cheese such as mozzarella or cheddar. I prefer my frittatas on the lighter side with just a grated hard cheese such as romano or parmigiano and sometimes even without the cheese.

Directions:

Beat eggs with milk or water and cheese if using.

Sauteé potato and onion in plenty of oil, butter or ghee until potatoes are tender. Add zucchini and sauteé another few minutes until zucchini has softened but still a bit firm.

Add egg mixture and distribute mixture evenly.

Set heat to low medium and cover pan. Let cook about 10 minutes, checking often.

When eggs are set, place under a preheated broiler for a few minutes until top is light golden brown.

Cut into wedges and serve with crusty Italian bread and a salad.

*

Holy gnocchi! How to make perfect potato pillows
September 9th, 2011
http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/09/09/holy-gnocchi-how-to-make-perfect-potato-pillows

When Marco Canora was the chef de cuisine 10 years ago at Tom Colicchio's now flagship restaurant Craft, his gnocchi were described by then New York Times restaurant critic William Grimes as "eye-rolling pleasure bombs" in his three-star review.

This past week, current Times critic Sam Sifton re-reviewed Craft citing the gnocchi as "the same butter-laden pleasure bombs Mr. Grimes raved about in 2001."

While Marco Canora has moved on, becoming the executive chef of his own restaurants - Hearth and Terroir - as well as the author of the James Beard-nominated cookbook "Salt to Taste," his gnocchi legacy carries on.

Gnocchi
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients

•3 large russet (Idaho) potatoes, scrubbed
•1 egg yolk
•About 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
•About 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, diced
•1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
•Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
•About 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prick the potatoes with a fork and bake them until they are soft, about 1 1/2 hours.

2. While they're still hot, cut all the potatoes in half lengthwise - you want to create as much surface area as possible so the steam billows out. (Steam is water; the less water the potatoes contain, the less flour you will need. The less flour, the lighter the gnocchi.)

3. Scoop the potatoes out of the skins and into a fine-holed ricer. Pass them through the ricer onto a large clean work surface - use your countertop or kitchen table. Using the end of a large metal kitchen spoon, spread the potatoes into an even rectangle about 24" x 12".

4. Season the potatoes generously with white pepper (if available). When they are no longer hot to the touch, almost room temperature, beat the egg yolk. Drizzle the egg yolk over the potatoes. Measure 1 1/4 cups flour and sprinkle this over the potatoes.

5. Using a pastry scraper, cut the flour and egg into the potatoes, chopping and then turning the mixture in on itself and folding it together, until everything is well mixed and the dough resembles coarse crumbs. Bring the mixture together into a ball.

6. Sprinkle a scant 1/4 cup flour on the work surface. Place the dough on the flour and press down, flattening it into a disk with both hands. Dust the dough with another scant 3/4 cup flour. Using your hands, fold and press the dough until the flour is incorporated. Add two dustings of flour to the work surface and dough and repeat. If the dough still feels sticky, repeat once more, this time covering both the table and the dough with no more than 2 tablespoons flour.

7. Roll the dough into a compact log. Dust the outside with flour, then allow the dough to rest for about 5 minutes. Dust the work surface lightly with flour. Divide the log into 8 pieces. Roll each section into a cylinder about 1/2" thick. Using floured knife or pastry cutter, cut the dough into gnocchi about 1" long.

8. Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Working in two or three batches, drop the gnocchi into the water and cook, stirring occasionally, until they float, 2 to 3 minutes. Retrieve the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and put them on a baking sheet or plate. While the gnocchi cook, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage and season with salt and pepper. Allow the butter to brown slightly, about 4 minutes. Add the gnocchi to the browned butter and remove the pan from the heat. Mix gently and serve topped with Parmigiano

Stoner Cooking Special: The top five buffets in Las Vegas

Kitty Bean Yancey, USA TODAY July 2011
http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/dispatches/post/2011/07/the-top-five-buffets-in-las-vegas/177165/1

The question of which Las Vegas resort has the best all-you-can-eat is a perennial talker among fans of Sin City.

According to the smartdestinations.com blog, the No. 1 belly-busting fare is at the Bellagio, which also is high rated by many visitors, locals and food critics.
The blog calls Buffet Bellagio "top-of-the-line cuisine ... from choices like Chinese dim sum to foie gras to crab legs to pizza fresh out of the wood-fired oven. The atmosphere is classy, with opulent chandeliers and elegant artwork adorning the dining area." Only downside, the blog says, is desserts that "look better than they taste." You'll pay $19.95 at weekday lunch; $29.95, dinner. Weekend dinner is $36.95 and weekend Champagne Brunches are $24.95.

No. 2 is Rio Las Vegas's Carnival World Buffet for " kid-friendly menu and absolutely fabulous desserts."

Third: Le Village buffet at Paris Las Vegas, dishing up cute French-style decor and Gallic favorites. Rounding out the list is Spice Market Buffet at Planet Hollywood, for a variety of international fare including "Middle Eastern specialties (a rarity in Buffetland)." And the Garden Court Buffet at Main Street Station, which attracts a lot of locals, is praised for its value and lack of long lines. Talk about value: $7.99 for weekday lunch; $10.99 for weekday dinner. Those prices are for members of the players' club, but as any Vegas regular knows, membership at any resort players' club is free and gets you lots of perks.

Now, for some other opinions. A recent "Best of Vegas" survey by USA TODAY, which polled eight local experts (from the mayor, to newspaper columnists, to local magazine editors) found the Bellagio ranking high, but it wasn't the winner. The Wicked Spoon at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, which bills itself as a "culinary food hall," gobbled up the competition, for the quality and variety and elegant presentation of its offerings, served in chic, modern surroundings. The dessert cases alone are mesmerizing, and the buffet served 18 kinds of gelato on a recent day. It's not cheap: Expect to pay $22 for lunch on weekdays, with nonalcoholic drinks included; $35 for dinner.

Anthony Curtis, founder of LasVegasAdvisor.com, thinks the buffet at the M Resort south of the Strip in Henderson, is a great deal, and the two of us had a great dinner at the Studio B spread there. That spread also won top honors from the Las Vegas Review-Journal for 2010. It offers live cooking demonstrations, more than 200 items, including all the (decent) wine and beer you care to down with lunch and dinner. Lunch currently is $14.99 weekdays; dinner 22.99. Prices go to $31.99 on weekends when premium seafood is added.

Stoner Cooking: Special Movie Edition

Here's a Stoner Cooking Combo to go with the following Netflix Weekend: The Aviator, Sideways, Ocean's Eleven, and a Harry Potter marathon...
Aviator 3-Cheese Fondue
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/5-fabulous-film-inpsired-recipes

The Aviator is about the life of famed flier (and movie mogul) Howard Hughes between the 1920s and 1940s. From the clips I've seen of the movie, Howard takes a lot of dips and dives in his various flying machines. And what better way to demonstrate dipping and diving than with a fondue fork?

1 tablespoon no-trans-fat margarine (with 8 grams of fat per tablespoon)
2 tablespoons fat-free or light sour cream
2 1/2 tablespoons Wondra quick-mixing flour
3/4 cup fat-free half-and-half
3/4 cup low-fat milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch ground nutmeg or cayenne red pepper
3/4 cup shredded light Jarlsberg cheese (or reduced-fat Swiss)
1/2 cup reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

In medium saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from heat; blend in the sour cream and flour to make a paste.

Whisk in the milk and half-and-half and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to simmer, stir in salt, pepper, and cayenne, and stir frequently until the sauce thickens (about 5 minutes). Whisk in an additional tablespoon of Wondra flour, if needed, for desired thickness.

Remove from heat, add in shredded cheeses and stir well. Pour cheese into fondue pot or slow cooker set on HIGH. Serve with cubes of sourdough or French bread, or lightly cooked vegetables (broccoli or cauliflower florets work well).

Yield: 4-6 servings

Per serving of fondue (if 4 per recipe): 185 calories, 15 g protein, 10.5 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 25 mg cholesterol, 0.2 g fiber, 278 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 44%.

*

Sideways Santa Barbara Chicken Salad
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=55990&page=2

The movie Sideways takes place in the Santa Barbara wine country. I thought a pasta and fruit chicken salad, perfect for a picnic in the wine country, would be a great way to celebrate this movie.

2 cups cooked whole-wheat blend pasta (or use regular pasta)
1 cup roasted skinless chicken breast meat, cubed
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 cup seedless grapes, halved
6 ounce can (in juice) pineapple tidbits, drained
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Chill pasta and chicken thoroughly.
Mix chicken, celery, apples, grapes, pineapple, mandarin oranges, and pasta in large bowl.

Mix the light mayonnaise, fat-free sour cream, fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk, sugar, salt (if desired), pepper and nutmeg.

Combine mayonnaise and chicken mixtures and toss. Store in the refrigerator.

Yield: 4 side-dish servings (or 2 entree servings)

Per side-dish serving: 272 calories, 16 g protein, 41 g carbohydrate, 5.8 g fat (1.3 g saturated fat), 30 mg cholesterol, 4.4 g fiber, 148 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 19%.

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Grilled Salmon with Mustard Glaze
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/blogs/fitstop/2011/08/04/healthy-eating/fun-blockbuster-film-inspired-recipes

Omega-3s have never tasted better!
Serves 6, Inspired by: Ocean’s Eleven

6 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup dry mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon tamari

1.Prepare a charcoal grill. When charcoal is hot, spread around the coals for an even heat source.

2.Season the salmon fillets with salt on both sides. Place the fish on the grill and cover with the grill lid. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes, without turning.

3.Mix honey, dry mustard, oil and tamari to make a thick glaze. If needed, thin just a bit with water to glaze consistency.

4.During the last 3 to 4 minutes on the grill, brush fillets with the glaze. Turn fillets and replace cover until salmon is finished cooking.

5.Transfer to plates and serve with grilled veggies, steamed spinach or a green salad.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 510 calories, 25 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat)

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Alcoholic Butterbeer
http://www.britta.com/hogwarts/recipes.html#butterbeer

Makes 2 quarts.

1 cup butterscotch schnapps
7 cups cream soda (almost one 2 liter bottle)

Carefully mix just before serving, adding the schnapps to the soda then stirring gently to mix well, or the fizz will dissipate too soon.

You can also find butterscotch flavoring near the vanilla flavoring in the baking section of the grocery store, but it is more difficult to find, and actually the flavoring is 35% alcohol where the schnapps is only 15% alcohol by volume, so if you're making large quantities of butterbeer, I recommend just to buy the schnapps. There is not much alcohol content in the butterbeer mixture, just enough to make a house-elf tipsy and to give it the warm, buttery aftertaste to the fizzy cream soda. Yum! :-9

Stoner Cooking

Georgia Dip Burger Robert Sterling

Here's a little dish I came up with after a visit to Trader Joe's...

Ingredients:

* 1 Pound hamburger meat (Trader Joe's has a great 80/20 beef right now)
* Peach Juice (Trader Joe's had some on sale, or you can blend together peaches and water if you'd like)
* Peanuts
* 4 French Rolls
* Chopped Onions
* Mustard
* Horseradish

Take the pound of burger and quarter it into four patties. Pour peach juice and peanuts in pan, then place the patties into the liquid. Add onions and horseradish to taste. When done to your cooking, remove burgers, nuts and onions and put them in a French roll. Add mustard to taste. The remaining liquid should be placed in a small cup to the side as a dipping sauce for the sandwich. Enjoy!!!

*

Chocolate cake in a cup
Devra First
April 7, 2009
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/dishing/2009/04/chocolate_cake.html

Until today, I was unaware of this apparent e-mail/Internet phenomenon. (If you Google "chocolate cake in a cup," you get 1,800,000 hits.)

It's a 5-minute chocolate cake that's made in a mug in the microwave. Someone e-mailed the recipe to my father, who passed it along to me.

It goes like this:

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well.

Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.

Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1,000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
Then EAT! (This can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous.)


It ends: "And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night."

*

Simple Vegetable Paella
MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
August 23, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/24/health/nutrition/24recipehealth.html

You don’t have to make this vegetable-rich dish in a paella pan, though if you do, you’ll get a nice layer of crusty rice on the bottom. Serve it as a main dish or as a side.

1 quart chicken stock, vegetable stock or garlic broth

Generous pinch (about 1/2 teaspoon) saffron threads

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 red pepper, cut into strips

1 green pepper, cut into strips

2 cups medium-grain rice

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and grated on the large holes of a box grater; or peeled, seeded and chopped; or 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juice

1/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in 1-inch lengths

2 or 3 baby artichokes, trimmed and sliced (may also use frozen artichoke hearts, sliced)

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen lima beans

1 cup shelled fresh or thawed frozen peas

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Crush the saffron threads between your fingertips, and place in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon warm water, and set aside.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy frying pan, an earthenware casserole (cazuela) set over a flame tamer, or a paella pan. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic, peppers and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the peppers begin to soften, about three minutes. Add the tomato paste, paprika and rice. Cook, stirring, for one minute until the grains begin to crackle. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until they cook down slightly and smell fragrant, about five minutes. Stir in the saffron with its soaking water, scraping in every last bit with a rubber spatula. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Add the stock, green beans, artichokes and chickpeas or lima beans. Bring to a boil. Stir once, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer without stirring until the liquid has just about evaporated, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the peas. Continue to simmer until the rice is dry, another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.

Yield: Serves six to eight.

Advance preparation: This does not have to be piping hot, so it can be made an hour before you wish to serve. If you make it further ahead than that, you can reheat it in the pan.

Nutritional information per serving (six servings): 432 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 81 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 261 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 13 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (eight servings): 324 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 61 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 196 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 10 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of "The Very Best of Recipes for Health."

*

Onion Dip from Scratch
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/onion-dip-from-scratch-recipe/index.html
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Show: Good Eats
Episode: Dip Madness

Total Time: 25 min.
Prep 5 min.
Cook 20 min.
Yield: 1 batch
Level: Easy

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onions
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
In a saute pan over medium heat add oil, heat and add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and stir again before serving.

*

Vegan Black Bean Burgers
http://www.fourgreensteps.com/community/recipes/sandwiches/vegan-black-bean-burgers

Ingredients:

2 cups of black beans (need to be soaked before cooking)
½ cup of whole wheat or all-purpose flour
¼ cup of cornmeal
½ cup of smashed tomatoes (without skins and seeds) or spicy tomato sauce
½ bunch of fresh Italian parsley
2 tsp of ground cumin
1 tsp of garlic salt
Directions:

1.Cook 2 cups of black beans (after soaking), wait until they’re cold and then place the beans in a food processor and process for a bit.
2.Add flour, cornmeal, smashed tomatoes or spicy tomato sauce, chopped Italian parsley, ground cumin and garlic salt. Everything needs to be well combined. Then transform the mixture into balls (you should be able to create 6 or 7), wrap them in aluminum foil and refrigerate for a few hours until they are firm.
3.When the grill is warm enough, take the black bean balls out of the fridge and form each ball into a patty burger. Grill them 4-5 minutes on each side. (You can also cook these on a pan or in a toaster oven.)

*

Pattypan Squash Stuffed With Corn
MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
August 30, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/31/health/31recipehealth.html

I found irresistible large dark green and yellow pattypan squash at my farmers’ market last week, perfect for stuffing with this simple mixture of squash, corn, a little onion and a very light custard.

2 pounds pattypan squash

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

Kernels from 2 ears corn

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley

2 ounces (1/2 cup) freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyère cheese

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

1. Cut the pattypan squash in half along the equator. Using grapefruit spoon, scoop out the seeds in the middle and discard. Scoop out the flesh to within 1/2 inch of the outside and finely dice. Lightly salt the pattypan shells, and let sit while you prepare the filling.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a baking dish or casserole large enough to accommodate the pattypan shells.

3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes. Add the diced squash and cook, stirring, for four to five minutes until tender. Add the corn, and cook, stirring often, for four minutes until just tender. Remove from the heat, and stir in the Parmesan and the cilantro or parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Fill the pattypan shells with the corn mixture, and arrange in the baking dish. Beat together the egg and milk, season with a little salt, and carefully spoon a little over the corn mixture in each filled squash. Add a small amount of water to the dish (about 1/4 inch). Cover tightly, and place in the oven. Bake 45 to 50 minutes to an hour until the squash is tender. Remove from the heat, and transfer to a platter. Serve hot or warm, garnished with additional chopped cilantro or parsley.

Variation: Coarsely chop the corn kernels in a food processor fitted with the steel blade before cooking.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: These are best served the day they’re made, but you can prepare the corn filling through Step 2 a day ahead.

Nutritional information per serving: 231 calories; 4 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 59 milligrams cholesterol; 20 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 258 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 12 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of "The Very Best of Recipes for Health."

Stoner Cooking: The Ultimate Beef Wellington

Robalini's Note: According to Wikipedia, this dish is named in honor Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington: "Some theories go a step further and suggest this was due to his love of a dish of beef, truffles, mushrooms, Madeira wine, and pate cooked in pastry, but there is a noted lack of evidence supporting this. In addition to the dearth of evidence attaching this dish to the famous Duke, the earliest recorded recipe to bear this name appeared in a 1966 cookbook." Whatever the case, while it traditionally is coated with pate foie gras, a cheaper and less politically incorrect option is to wrap it in ham or prosciutto, which is what is used here...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/the-ultimate-beef-wellington-recipe2/index.html

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence, 2008
Show: Tyler's Ultimate
Episode: Ultimate Beef Wellington

Recipe categories: Meat, Prosciutto, Beef, Vegetables, Shallot,
more

Total Time: 7 hr 0 min.
Prep 1 hr 0 min.
Cook 6 hr 0 min.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings .
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

For the Duxelles:
3 pints (1 1/2 pounds) white button mushrooms
2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Beef:
1 (3-pound) center cut beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 thin slices prosciutto
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Flour, for rolling out puff pastry
1 pound puff pastry, thawed if using frozen
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Minced chives, for garnish
Green Peppercorn Sauce
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Warm Wilted Winter Greens

Directions

To make the Duxelles: Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add butter and olive oil to a large saute pan and set over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushroom mixture and saute for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

To prepare the beef: Tie the tenderloin in 4 places so it holds its cylindrical shape while cooking. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and sear all over, including the ends, in a hot, heavy-based skillet lightly coated with olive oil - about 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile set out your prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap (plastic needs to be about a foot and a half in length so you can wrap and tie the roast up in it) on top of your cutting board. Shingle the prosciutto so it forms a rectangle that is big enough to encompass the entire filet of beef. Using a rubber spatula cover evenly with a thin layer of duxelles. Season the surface of the duxelles with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. When the beef is seared, remove from heat, cut off twine and smear lightly all over with Dijon mustard. Allow to cool slightly, then roll up in the duxelles covered prosciutto using the plastic wrap to tie it up nice and tight. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Roll it up tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal it completely and hold it in a nice log shape. Set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to ensure it maintains its shape.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Depending on the size of your sheets you may have to overlap 2 sheets and press them together. Remove beef from refrigerator and cut off plastic. Set the beef in the center of the pastry and fold over the longer sides, brushing with egg wash to seal. Trim ends if necessary then brush with egg wash and fold over to completely seal the beef - saving ends to use as a decoration on top if desired. Top with coarse sea salt. Place the beef seam side down on a baking sheet.

Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash then make a couple of slits in the top of the pastry using the tip of a paring knife - this creates vents that will allow the steam to escape when cooking. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and beef registers 125 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and rest before cutting into thick slices. Garnish with minced chives, and serve with Green Peppercorn Sauce, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, and Warm Wilted Winter Greens.

Green Peppercorn Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1 cup brandy
1 box beef stock
2 cups cream
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
1/2 cup green peppercorns in brine, drained, brine reserved

Add olive oil to pan after removing beef. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme; saute for 1 to 2 minutes, then, off heat, add brandy and flambe using a long kitchen match. After flame dies down, return to the heat, add stock and reduce by about half. Strain out solids, then add 2 cups cream and mustard. Reduce by half again, then shut off heat and add green peppercorns.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes:
(Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray)

2 pounds small fingerling potatoes
6 cloves garlic, crushed
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, 1 to 2 tablespoons
Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 500 degrees F.

Spread potatoes out on a cookie sheet. Scatter garlic over potatoes. Coat lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and season potatoes with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes.

Warm Wilted Winter Greens:
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 pint walnuts, for garnish
3 bunches assorted winter greens (such as Swiss chard, radicchio, or escarole), washed, stemmed, and torn into pieces
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, for garnish
Parmesan shavings, for garnish
1 shallot, chopped, for garnish

Cook honey and balsamic together over medium-high heat in a large saute pan, about 5 minutes. Toast walnuts in a small skillet; set aside to cool.

Pile greens on a platter. Stir mustard into balsamic-honey dressing, then whisk in about 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil; pour over greens. Season greens with salt and pepper and garnish with walnuts, pomegranate seeds, shavings of Parmesan, and shallot.

Stoner Cooking: Cheese Enchilada Stack

http://www.food.com/recipe/cheese-enchilada-stack-104312

4 Servings

Ingredients:

12 corn tortillas, cut into quarters
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 (15 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 bunch green onion
1 (4 ounce) can green chilies

Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2 Spray square 8x8 baking pan with pam (the garlic one is good).
3 Line pan with layer of corn tortillas.
4 Top with 1/3 sauce, cheese, chilis, and onions.
5 Top with second layer of tortillas.
6 Top with second layer of 1/3 sauce, cheese, chilis, and onions.
7 Top with final layer of tortillas.
8 End with final layer of 1/3 sauce, cheese, chilis, and onions.
9 Bake until bubbly (approximately 10-15 min.).
10 You can use green sauce and 2 cups cubed chicken.
11 Or black beans.
12 Or ground beef seasoned with taco mix.

Stoner Cooking: Chocolate Chip Bread

Thursday, June 16, 2011
http://www.kitchenlore.com/2011/06/recipe-chocolate-chip-bread.html

There's something incredibly comforting about baking bread - it's methodical and the tactile sensation of kneading dough can be a wonderful way to release stress. My roommate jokes that this is my angry bread, or what he finds on the kitchen counter in the morning when I'm upset. (His life is hard.) This recipe is a variation on Irish soda bread, with results similar to a scone.

Servings: 12
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into large chunks
3/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup chocolate chips (you can use cranberries instead, or most dried fruits)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a large baking sheet.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter - if you don't have one, a large fork or two knives will work as well - until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips (if you're using dried fruit, soak the fruit in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes, dry, and then stir them in). Add the milk and vinegar, mixing until just combined. Once the ingredients are moist, stop stirring - the bread will become hard if you keep doing so.

Place the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it gently a few times. Divide the dough into two balls and place them onto the baking sheet with a fair amount of space in between. (If you don't want to bake both loaves at once, you can freeze one for later - just wrap it tightly in plastic and place it in a Ziploc bag.) Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F, then reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake for around 15-20 minutes until the bread has turned a nice, golden brown.

Stoner Cooking: Twice-Glazed Asian Barbecued Chicken

http://www.kitchendaily.com/recipe/twice-glazed-asian-barbecued-chicken-149300/
1 hr 20 mins total

Instead of the usual smoky-sweet tomato-based barbecue sauce, Mike Sheerin of Chicago's Blackbird bases his Asian-style version on oyster sauce, soy sauce and roasted garlic, with toasted black peppercorns added for heat. The sauce is superb glazed on chicken, but it would also be great on pork or steak. Best New Chef 2010: Mike Sheerin

Ingredients

6 clove(s) garlic, unpeeled

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) black peppercorns

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil

1/2 cup(s) oyster sauce

3 tablespoon(s) soy sauce

1/3 cup(s) water

1/4 cup(s) white wine vinegar

4 boneless, skin-on chicken breast halves about 6 ounces each

Cucumber-Cherry Salad, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and bake for about 30 minutes, until soft. Squeeze the garlic from the skins into a small bowl.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, cook the peppercorns over moderately high heat, shaking the skillet occasionally, until they are smoking and fragrant, 2 minutes. Transfer the peppercorns to a spice grinder and let cool completely, then grind to a coarse powder.

3. In the same skillet, cook the chopped onion in the vegetable oil over moderate heat, covered but stirring occasionally, until the onion is caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted garlic, ground black pepper and oyster sauce and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the water and white wine vinegar and simmer over moderate heat until the barbecue sauce is very thick, about 5 minutes. Transfer the barbecue sauce to a blender and puree until smooth.

4. Light a grill. Oil the grates and grill the chicken skin side down over moderately high heat until the skin is crisp, about 7 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook over moderate heat until the chicken is almost white throughout, about 5 minutes. Generously brush the barbecue sauce onto the skin; turn and grill until glazed, about 30 seconds. Generously brush the other side with sauce, turn and grill the chicken until glazed. Repeat the glazing on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a work surface to rest for 5 minutes.

5. Slice the chicken breasts crosswise and transfer to plates. Serve with the Cucumber-Cherry Salad.