Double Header Meals

Round one this week involves brining. There are as many recipes for brine as there are proteins to brine. The brine I chose is the first one I ever used. I saw it a few years ago on Martha Stewart's show and did our Thanksgiving turkey in it. This week I chose a Cornish Game Hen (half on Saturday and half on Sunday)

Roasted Citrus-Herb Game Hen
Roasted Cauliflower with herbs


The brine basics are salt, sugar and lots of ice water. The rest of the ingredients are your choice. This one has whole cloves and black peppercorns and bourbon. Stir it all together until the salt and sugar dissolve. Submerge the hen and set a plate on top so it stays in the brine overnight in the fridge. If you are using a large turkey, an ice chest works just fine. Just be sure there is ice added to keep the brine cold. Remove the bird and pat dry. Prepare as usual. The hen is rubbed inside and out with lemon and orange zest, thyme and mint leaves, chopped, salt and pepper and a bit of olive oil to make a paste. It is roasted in a bath of chicken stock, Marsala wine, lemon and orange juice and dried cranberries. Save some of the broth to be used as part of a dressing for a green salad (day 2).

As I have said before, roasting vegetables has become my favorite preparation. The caulifloweretts are drizzled with EVOO and sprinkled with fresh herbs of choice, salt and pepper. Toss a couple of times during the roasting at 400 degrees. The leftover veggies were tossed with greens on day 2 with the broth for the dressing.

An excellent meal and I look forward to brining again with some other protein.

I mentioned last week that I was going to Kendall College Dining Room with friends. The menu featured foods from Chile and Peru. Having no knowledge of either cuisine, I did some research on the foods we were served.

Chilean Chick Pea and Chard Soup
Duck Escabeche with Quinoa Fritters
Mixed Greens with Charred Corn, Hominy, Chick Peas & Queso Fresco in a Vinaigrette
Peruvian Lomo por lo Pobre (Steak for the poor)
Almond Manjar Bianca with Berry Sauce

The soup was lovely. The peas and chard are lightly cooked and chopped. A flavorful broth is poured over the mixture table side. Escabeche is Peruvian and is a pepper and used to prepare the duck and served with the fitters (will need to find out how the fritters are prepared, excellent) The salad was a country combo, very pretty. The entree "steak for the poor' is a grilled steak served with an egg on top, on a bed of tomatoes, onions and potatoes. Dessert was a Peruvian dish as well. A custard that is more firm than I am used to and served atop the most amazing berry sauce. All in a all an excellent meal prepared and served by culinary students. Thank you Jane for the Chilean wine. We can do this again....anytime!

Next week is my first with Paula Deen recipes. All chocolate! Who doesn't like chocolate?? An entree, a salad and a dessert. I think you will be surprised how chocolate is used in all the recipes. AND each recipe does not begin with a pound of butter! Join me in the chocolate celebration!