Copycat Recipe: Rudy’s BBQ “Sause”

As a native Texan, I’ve always loved to eat BBQ ribs, chicken, sausage, etc. So while attending graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin, I explored various BBQ joints in search of the all-time best place for BBQ. Most people raved about the famous Salt Lick. However, after having ordered a large sampler plate of all their “best” fixins’, my friend and I were quite disappointed with the food and never returned. Then I discovered Rudy’s …

The end. 🙂

Seriously though, eating at Rudy’s was an eye-opening experience for me. That place was so good that I had my order memorized (1/2 lb extra moist brisket, 1/2 a hottie (aka jalapeño sausage), potato salad, large Coke (the Coke seemed stronger there FSR), and extra, soft, white bread). Rudy’s was so good that after my then-husband/friend discovered the place, he ate there almost every single day and requested to go there for his birthday as a “special dinner” even though we had just been there the day before! haha

Now that I no longer live in a city with a Rudy’s establishment (they are primarily located in Texas and Oklahoma now), I have been going through BBQ withdrawals. My first withdrawal prompted my search for a copycat recipe for Rudy’s peppery BBQ “Sause” (with an “s”, thank you very much!). Their “sause” is peppery with a hint of sweetness and tang; it is perfection IMHO.

I found a good recipe on Beth’s Favorite Recipes, but the “sause” tasted a bit too sweet and not peppery enough compared to that of Rudy’s BBQ. So, I adjusted the recipe to match it more with the original taste. Although the “sause” is pretty darn close to how the real stuff tastes, I still miss the brisket, ribs, chicken, turkey, potato salad, bread, paper plates (literally paper!), benches, water bags (to ward off insects), strong Coca-Cola, reusable cups (I used to have more than 20 of them!), quirky signs, automatic hand-washer, and the overall ambiance.

My mother’s lovely hand demonstrates how thick the yummy “sause” is!

Even if you’ve never known the wonders of Rudy’s BBQ, I suggest you give this “sause” recipe a try. All of my friends and coworkers love it and have asked for the recipe on more than one occasion. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, add more brown sugar. If you prefer a spicier sauce, add more cayenne and/or pepper. Just try out the recipe as is the first go round and then make adjustments. ENJOY Y’ALL!

The recipe yielded all of the sauce you see in this black bowl (about 2+ cups).
  Copy cat Recipe: Rudy’s BBQ “Sause”
Yield: 2+ cups

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup (236 ml) ketchup
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
juice of 1/2-1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2-3 tsp coarse, black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer until slightly reduced (about 10-15 minutes). Serve hot or allow to cool.
Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Orange Chicken Revisited

Orange Chicken
Yum Orange Chicken! Here is another recipe I’m revisiting because the original photos are HORRIBLE, and this dish is worthy of being on my blog twice.
QUESTION: Whenever you are in the process of making a dish, do you think about what you are going to write about on your blog for the same dish?
I do. For instance, I wanted to mention that using cornstarch in place of flour makes the chicken pieces look too white while flour browns the chicken more. So, you should combine the two when coating the chicken. Also, I wanted to mention how I didn’t have green onions, so I used white onions (then I found some green onions in the refrigerator after the photo session!).
Orange Chicken
Anyway, the fact that I made this dish again tells you how good it is. Aside from the regular onions, I followed this recipe exactly. I also made some jasmine rice in the used rice cooker my mom just gave me. For the first time, I had to call my mom on how to operate a kitchen-related appliance :D. Now I know why people love their rice cookers! I no longer have to wait for the water to boil. That is so nice.
Orange Chicken
I accompanied the orange chicken and rice with cold, green tea sans the ice. [Did you know that I don’t like ice, but my mom is crazy about ice (she buys a big bag of ice every week! I have no idea what she does with that much ice.)? That is another contrast between my mom and me. Ice interrupts the flow of my drink (like nuts in soft desserts), and when the ice melts, it waters my drink.] Okay, enough of my quirks. Here is the recipe:
Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken
from Blog Chef

Chicken-
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-1/2” cubes) (I used 1.25 lbs)
 
1/2 – 1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 – 1 cup cornstarch
1 egg (beaten)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Oil (for frying; I used vegetable or canola oil, but peanut oil is the best for frying)

Orange Sauce-
1 ½ cups water
2 Tbsp orange juice (I used the juice of 1/2 of a large orange)
¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp orange zest (grated)
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp ginger root (minced)
½ tsp garlic (minced)
2 Tbsp green onion (chopped) (I used 1/4th of a regular, white onion)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water

Step 1: Combine flour and cornstarch. Place chicken in the egg mixture along with salt and pepper, and shake the pieces in the flour mixture to coat. 

Orange Chicken
Deep fry chicken in batches at 375 degrees in a deep fryer (or use a wok) until completely cooked and light brown (around 5 minutes per batch).
Orange Chicken

Step 2: Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for 2 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.

Orange Chicken

Step 3: Combine 3 Tbsp of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions.

Orange Chicken
Want a piece? That’s all I’m willing to share.
Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangioeviaggiodasola.com

BBQ Wings & My First Online Interview!

I ate these wings with corn and mashed potatoes.

Remember the baked spicy buffalo wings I made last month? Well, since that time, I have made it two or three more times because they are that good. So, I thought I would make the base of these wings with the homemade BBQ sauce I made, and it was fantastic too!

Since I finally made these wings in the daytime, I thought I’d include some process photos. So, whenever you make these wings or the buffalo wings, you can visualize the process a bit more. Please please make one of the two versions of this dish or both! It is a quick, delicious meal.

In fact, I went to a restaurant today and ordered wings, and my mother said that “my” wings tasted considerably better even though the restaurant’s wings were very flavorful. If that compliment doesn’t convince you to try the buffalo and/or these BBQ wings ASAP, then I don’t know what else will.

MY FIRST INTERVIEW: I am so happy to announce to you all that I had my first online interview a few days ago. Marly from Namely Marly contacted me via email after seeing my name and requested an interview about it. We conducted the interview on Skype and by phone; it was so fun! So, if you’d like to learn more about my name changes (yes, more than one) and me, please stop by her beautiful blog, which also features great vegan recipes. Click here for my interview, and feel free to leave comments and thought-provoking questions! Thanks again, Marly!

I’m reposting a photo of the sauce here.
Copycat Recipe of Rudy’s BBQ “Sause”
adapted from Beth’s Favorite Recipes; original post here
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer until slightly reduced. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

BBQ Wings
Base recipe comes from Life’s Ambrosia; my original post here

1.5 to 2 lb chicken drummettes or wingettes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
About 1/4 cup canola oil
BBQ Sauce (recipe above)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

In a bowl whisk together egg and milk. . .

Combine flour, seasoning salt, pepper and granulated garlic in one gallon plastic bag. . .

Put chicken wings in the egg wash first and coat (I sometimes season the wings with seasoning salt and pepper before placing them in the egg wash; I did that after this photo.). . .

Transfer the wings to the plastic bag with flour. Seal the bag and shake to coat. . .

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Lay wings in single layer. Drizzle with canola oil. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for an additional 20 minutes. . .

Wings should be golden brown and crispy. Prepare the wing sauce while your drummettes are cooking.

Enjoy!

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Chicken, Shrimp, & Chorizo Paella & A Giveaway!

Paella blogTwo years ago, my mother and I went to Madrid, Spain. Once there, I was tempted to try paella, but the presence of seafood prevented me from doing so. You see, the only types of unfried seafood I like are very small shrimp (like in fried rice), baked salmon, and tuna fish in a can. The only types of fried seafood I like are fish (like in fish and chips) and shrimp. That’s it. I don’t like crab, lobster, mussels, crawfish, or anything else that resembles how it looked when it was alive haha. I don’t like slimy food either, so yeah, I had to stay away from the paella. I did, however, try to taste just the rice portion of the paella one day, but I had to quickly wash out my palate (not “palette!”) because I could still taste the seafood or clam juice in the rice. From that day on, I had decided that the only way I would be able to have paella would be to make it myself, but at that time of my life, I wasn’t a cook at all. So, I just gave up on that dream until a few days ago!

After corresponding with Sarah Jay (read how she started the company!), the founder of Paella Pans, which is a small, family-run business,  I received a pan imported from Valencia, Spain in only a matter of days. 
I found a recipe for Chicken Paella on her website and examined it anxiously every day as I waited for the pan. I almost had it memorized. My yellow-cake friend, Lydia, was with me when the pan arrived, and we were both impressed with how the pan looked and how big it was. I was beyond excited to try it out and felt like the luckiest person in the world.

A couple of days later, I made the yummiest paella I had ever had (out of two paellas total haha!). Lydia said that it looked incredible, and my neighbor said it looked like the real thing even without the big prawns and mussels, and they both used to live in Spain. 

The pan from various angles: I stuck the tag back on this pan so you could see from whence (hehe) this pan came.



So, first let me talk to you about this company and this pan that was graciously given to me for me for review. It is a 14″ pan made of carbon steel, which is considered the most popular and most used in Spanish households. The company, also sells pans made with enameled steel, stainless steel (so shiny!), pata negra (literally means “black foot/paw (of an animal)”), and flat-bottom pans. Not only do they have pans on their site, but they also sell authentic ingredients for paella, such as bomba rice, chorizo, pimentón (with an accent on the “o”!) dulce or sweet paprika, and saffron or azafrán of various sizes. They also have recipes and tips on making a successful and authentic paella. Okay, enough links for now! I’m just really excited about this company, its products, and especially the founder. She is such a lovely lady with whom I’ve interacted via email for quite some time now.

The bottom of the pan and its handle: look at the bubbles or dimples at the bottom of the pan; they are there to promote even heating.



As an instructor of college-level Spanish, it is refreshing to see how her excitement for the Spanish language and culture encouraged her to start a business for importing paella-related products directly. Now, that’s what I call ambition and drive. I hope some of my students get that excited about learning Spanish and various cultures different from their own.  

Anyway, back to the paella. Because I wanted to make this paella asap, I did not get to try out the ingredients on the Paella Pans  website, but I did use similar products. 


For instance, I used bomba rice that I obtained from Williams-Sonoma…
 That’s the most classiest-looking rice container I’ve ever seen. 

I also used Spanish chorizo
 Yum!

pimentón dulce (purchased in bulk for only .39 cents!), and saffron. 
 You can see the packaging of the chorizo in the top right corner.

The chicken as pictured was not fully done, so I had to cook that some more when I returned home from my friend’s house (I don’t have a photo of that because it was devoured quickly by my neighbor and me for dinner). Lydia, her husband, and I gobbled up the shrimp and chorizo, though, while pushing the lemon slices aside haha. 


As Sarah writes in the recipe, don’t pull out any plates for this dish; eat the paella directly from the pan itself. YUM! I want to make this again very soon. 

 ¡Buen provecho!

 After some serious damage, I still had plenty of leftovers. I still need to work on making the socarrat or the crusty, crispy layer formed under the rice, but look at that garlic!

I made only two additions to this recipe – the chorizo and shrimp. I cooked the deveined and peeled shrimp in a separate pan, but you could cook up all the meats together since the pan is so large or one at a time and then place them in a separate plate to rest. Don’t cook the shrimp up too much because it will go back in the pan along with the rice later on. Just cook them until they turn a slight peach-looking color. Make sure the chicken is cooked pretty well, though. I had to cook the chicken for about 30 minutes, and that still wasn’t long enough, so cook it longer than that. The chorizo is already dried and cured, so you don’t need to cook it for very long. For the full recipe, go to the site

For your entertainment, I have some process photos below and a special announcement you don’t want to miss!!

 
PAELLA IN THE MAKING:
 Boil chicken broth; toast and crush saffron, and add to boiled broth.
Cook the peppers and garlic; cook the meats and veggies and set them aside; peel the covered, hot bell peppers
 Make the compote comprised of grated tomatoes and onions.
 Add the Spanish or short/medium-grained rice before adding the broth and the rest of the ingredients that have been set aside while keeping the whole garlic in the middle of the pan.

ANNOUNCEMENT!
Okay, now for the exciting news! Paella Pans has graciously allowed me to sponsor a giveaway for one of their 14″ carbon steel pans – just like the one I now have – to one of you all!! 
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION: Because this is a small company, this giveaway is open to residents of the contiguous United States only. 
TO ENTER THE PAELLA PAN GIVEAWAY: All you have to do is go to their site and tell me what you would like to either make or buy there if you could.  
DEADLINE: Monday, July 5th, 2010. ¡BUENA SUERTE! GOOD LUCK!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!! 
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!
Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

BBQ Chicken and Macaroni & Cheese

I was craving barbecue. I was sifting through one of my now favorite blogs, Deep South Dish. I found a recipe for BBQ chicken on it. I looked for a recipe for a copycat of my favorite BBQ sauce at my FAVORITE BBQ restaurant, Rudy’s BBQ (the “sauSe”). I ran to the kitchen and made BBQ chicken, macaroni and cheese, and green beans. I took photos. I prayed for my meal. I ate the meal heartily. I thanked God again for the ability to make such a wonderful meal. The End.

I hope you make this meal soon. It would be even better on the grill, but if you don’t feel like using it like me, then make it in the oven. Just be sure to line your jelly roll pan with foil for easy cleanup!

BBQ Chicken
adapted from Deep South Dish

Brine for a moist, flavorful chicken:
2 lbs drumsticks (about 6), with or without skin based on your preferences
2 Tbsp of kosher salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Fill a large pot or container with enough water to cover the chicken well. Whisk the salt into the water until dissolved; whisk in the vinegar. Add the chicken, and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.

Dry Rub Marinade for added flavor, spice and a kick!:
2 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp freshly-cracked pepper
1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp celery seed (didn’t have)
2 tsp of Cajun seasoning, or to taste
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Remove the chicken from the brine, and drain well. Discard the brine. Pat the chicken pieces dry, laying out on a platter or baking sheet that will fit in the fridge. Combine the dry rub ingredients and rub the chicken well with the dry rub, cover loosely, and refrigerate one to several hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the rubbed chicken pieces on a rack on a foil-lined large baking sheet. Bake for approximately 45-60 minutes. [Use your tongs for this!] Turn the chicken over after 25-30 minutes. After 40-50 minutes, add the BBQ sauce on both sides with a brush or via a squeeze bottle. If you’re a sauce lover like me, add more sauce once they are done.

For instructions on how to grill the chicken, go to the source.


Copycat Recipe of Rudy’s BBQ Sause (with an “s”)

from Beth’s Favorite Recipes who adapted it from Chaos in the Kitchen

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer until slightly reduced.Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Quick Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

1/2 lb macaroni shells
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp regular flour
2 cups WARM milk
2 tsp mustard or dry mustard
kosher salt to taste
pepper to taste
1-2 cups of cheese that melts, to taste (I used regular American cheese because that was all I had)

Cook pasta according to instructions (al dente). Make a roux by melting the butter in a separate saucepan and then adding the flour. Cook the roux for about 3 minutes, and stir frequently. Add the WARM milk 1/4 of a cup at a time at the beginning. Stir between each addition. Once you can no longer see the bottoom of the saucepan, add more milk in generous portions until you use it all. Add the mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cheese until it tastes cheesy enough for your tastes. Turn off the heat.

Immediately, add in the al dente pasta, and then stir well. Once pasta is well-coated, you’re done.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Baked Spicy Buffalo Wings and Fries

Has anyone caught the football* fever yet? I am not into sports, but it is nice to see my international colleagues get excited about their countries for the Copa Mundial/World Cup being held in South Africa. I haven’t been seeing much coverage of the games on English-speaking channels here, but on the Spanish-speaking channels, it has been big news.

Even though I’m into sports, the Copa made me want to cook sports-related food items like wings and fries. Now that I can eat solid foods again, I decided to make these wings and fries my first real meal. I don’t know if the positive, delicious outcome of this meal was because it was my first solid-food meal or if it was because of the recipe. I am sure the answer lies in both of those reasons. These wings and fries are crunchy and beyond flavorful on the inside and moist and yummy on the inside.

Whether you have football fever or not, you must make these wings and fries. They are beyond amazing and so flavorful. My teeth, tastebuds, and stomach enjoyed them very much. And what did I watch on TV while eating them? Toy Story 1 and 2 haha. So much for football fever in this household!

TEETH UPDATE: I would first like to thank my oral surgeon, his assistants, and my two good friends for making this wisdom tooth procedure so easy and pain-free. I requested to be sedated during the process and allowed my oral surgeon to remove not one but all four of my wisdom teeth! I didn’t feel one ounce of pain during and after the procedure. My good friend took me to the dentist and back home. Then, she removed and replaced my gauze and monitored my medicine intake for most of the day. Later, my other friend took over and brought over ice cream and stayed with me until I could fend for myself. I truly am grateful for them. I am also thankful to all of my blog readers for thinking and praying for me. It is nice to graduate from mashed potatoes, ice cream, pudding, and baby food. 🙂

Well, enough of that. Here are the recipes!

YUM! I want more right now!
Spicy Buffalo Wings
adapted from Life’s Ambrosia

1.5 to 2 lb chicken drummettes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
About 1/4 cup canola oil
Wing sauce (recipe on her site) I used Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and butter because I had a bottle in the cupboard (follow the recipe for the sauce on the back of the bottle).

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Combine flour, seasoning salt, pepper and granulated garlic in one gallon plastic bag.
In a bowl whisk together egg and milk. Put chicken wings in the egg wash first and coat (I also seasoned the wings with seasoning salt while sitting in the egg wash). Transfer the wings to the plastic bag with flour. Seal the bag and shake to coat.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Lay wings in single layer. Drizzle with canola oil. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Wings should be golden brown and crispy. Prepare the wing sauce while your drummettes are cooking.

Jo Jo Potatoes
reduced and adapted from Life’s Ambrosia for one person

Non-stick spray
1 tablespoon butter, melted (I didn’t use)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into 6 – 8 wedges each
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray, set aside.

Pour olive oil in a bowl over the cut potatoes. Combine seasoning salt, flour and cayenne pepper over the potatoes to coat.

Bake on prepared cookie sheet for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for 10 more minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 5–7 minutes or until browned (I skipped this step).


*I am referring to the definition of football recognized by the majority of the world, not U.S. football.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Daring Cooks: Stacked Enchiladas and Giveaway Winner

¡Hola! from the land of Daring Cooks. Our hosts this month, Barbara of Barbara Bakes and Bunnee of Anna+Food have chosen a delicious Stacked Green Chile & Grilled Chicken Enchilada recipe in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. The recipe, featuring a homemade enchilada sauce, was found on www.finecooking.com and written by Robb Walsh.

Yes, I’m a Daring Cook. Yes, I’m late. Yes, I’ve been a Daring Cook for a long time without posting anything. Shame on me. I saw this dish, though and knew I had to make it. It didn’t come out as pretty as I’d like, but the enchilada sauce was amazing. Click here for more!

I first made everything with a juicy cut of beef, and it was amazing. However, the sun had gone down by the time I was done setting up everything, so I just made some soft tacos with the meat.
I also made frijoles refritos (refried beans) and arroz mexicano (Mexican rice).
For the challenge, I stuck with all the basic and made the stacked enchiladas with chicken. I used chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for added flavor but later found that I would have preferred the breast for this particular dish b/c the thigh’s flavor took over the dish. It was still good, but the beef tacos with the same enchiladas sauce were a million times better.

I know I don’t shred my chicken up very finely. I don’t have time or patience for such shenanigans haha.

As I stated already, I really liked the recipe for the enchilada sauce. I will be making it over and over again. It was surprisingly mild but still very good. Next time I will add a couple of jalapeños along with the Anaheim peppers and tomatillos instead of hot sauce.

I altered the instructions for the sauce a bit by following what I’ve seen my (Mexican) ex-girlfriend’s mother did when she prepared salsa verde (pronounced sort of like “BEHR-day”).

I first grilled and scorched the Anaheim peppers and tomatillos.Then, I placed the hot peppers in a bag and peeled the skin off. These photos look gross!!Then, I used the blender for all the for scorched peppers and tomatillos along with garlic, cumin, Mexican oregano, salt, and lime juice. After blending everything I poured the contents in the saucepan and followed the instructions for Daring Cooks from there. Here is the Mexican Oregano I used in the sauce.

Of course, I made my own flour tortillas. Barbara, the co-host of this challenge was kind enough to link back to my site for the tortillas, and I used that very same recipe. I already blogged about how to make these tortillas ahead of time, so if you missed that post, you can go here.

Stacking the enchiladas was easy. (The sun had really gone down by now.)
It was nice to use homemade tortillas, sauce, and fresh monterey jack cheese…
…and fresh cilantro.This was a fantastic challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven’t participated in the past challenge b/c it is more expensive to cook than bake. Also, I’m a picky eater, so many of the past dishes consisted of foods that I would not want to or could not eat. So I have to pick and choose my challenges. I wish I had the money to participate in all the challenges, but unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Nevertheless, I enjoy looking at what others have done and see their interpretations on the dishes. I hope to be more active in the Daring Cooks and Bakers Groups this summer.

WINNER OF GUITTARD GIVEAWAY!
I used the Random Generator to pick out the winner of the “Bittersweet” giveaway, and the number was #7, which is WIZZY THE STICK of Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Punch and One Thousand Faces (both BEAUTIFUL blogs) who stated:

What would I make? You mean what wouldn’t I make with these chocolates! I would love to try the two cocoa powders most of all. Goodness there is ice-cream, mousse, truffles, brownies, ohhhhhhh molten cakes. Listen I don’t live in any of the above countries but I do have a US address that I use for my Internet shopping can I participate in this giveaway?

Wow! Congratulations!! I’m really glad you won, chica! Send me an e-mail with your address information!

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Chicken Carbonara

Chicken Carbonara?! What?! But Carbonara is supposed to have guanciale (pork cheek), pancetta or at least bacon! Well, I didn’t have any of those items, and I was broke at the end of April, so I decided to improvise and use chicken strips in place of the traditional meat for this dish, and guess what? IT. WAS. FANTASTIC!

Oh my goodness. Now I think I’m going to make my carbonara like this in place of the traditional way because 1) it’s cheaper 2) not as fatty if you use chicken breasts 3) it tastes lighter. Now, don’t get me wrong, the traditional version is much more flavorful because of the flavorful pork, but the other ingredients in carbonara helps retain the same yummy flavor in this chicken version.

I used the recipe I always use, which comes from a video on Italian Food Net (I mentioned this site before when I made the indimenticabili (unforgettable) lasagne al ragù for my friend). I rely on this site for almost all of my traditional, Italian, savory dishes. I love how the videos are in Italian, and the food always looks amazing.
Before I offer you the modified recipe, let me tell you a little story about my first taste of Pasta alla Carbonara (feel free to skip this story and go directly to the recipe :D!):

On my last day in Venezia (Venice), I had a few hours to spare while waiting in the airport. I became hungry and wanted to try out the pasta in Venezia since I had missed out on a lot of savory dishes during my time in Italy after eating copious amounts of gelato al limone.

I approached one of the airport restaurants and asked for Spaghetti alla bolognese, but they were out! My heart sank because I really wanted to try out this dish in Italy. Instead of lamenting over this missed opportunity, I ordered the only other pasta dish available – Pasta alla carbonara.

I had absolutely no idea what this dish was. I just knew that it had a white-looking sauce, so I was disappointed that it didn’t have tomatoes in it. I am normally a very picky person, so I was a bit hesitant about trying out this new dish. I sat down slowly, inspected the dish closely, twirled my fork around the pasta, gulped, and took a bite.

Words cannot describe how I felt after that first taste. All of a sudden, nothing existed but this dish and my tastebuds. I was in pasta heaven. I completely forgot I was in an airport with other people around. The feeling was similar to how I felt when I ate the gelato in the sense that I don’t really recall what happened after that first bite. I came out of my pasta-induced coma only after the last bite.

As soon as I came back home, one of the first things I did was look for that recipe. I was surprised that that white-looking sauce was basically the amalgamation of eggs and pasta water along with a few other ingredients. When I made it at home for the first time, I was once again transported to that time in Venezia.

Now, with this chicken dish, I didn’t have the exact same feeling as I had in Venezia, but I was in pasta nirvana without a doubt. This dish is truly amazing. I am so glad I chose to make this dish in lieu of going out to eat for a quick bite. Please make this dish tonight! If you use store-bought or already-prepared pasta, it doesn’t take long to make at all.

Guess how much this plate was?! If you guessed more than 1 U.S. dollar then you’ve guessed too high. Yep.

Chicken Carbonara

adapted from Italian Food Net
I adapted this recipe for one person, but the full recipe is below.

360 gr. (12.69 oz.) Spaghetti
60 gr. (2.11 oz.) cut, skinless chicken (I used breasts, but you could try other cuts)
80 gr. (2.82 oz.) Parmesan cheese
80 gr. (2.82 oz.) Pecorino cheese (I had only parmigiano reggiano, so I used just that)
4 Eggs, room temperature (one egg per person)
1 Teaspoon black pepper (try to use fresh ground black pepper)
Extra virgin olive oil

Pour the extra virgin olive oil into the frying pan, add a handful of cut chicken breasts, 1 tsp of black pepper, and put the pan on a low heat.

Meanwhile crack the whole egg (1 per person) into a dish, beat it with a fork, add a pinch of black pepper, 1 Tbsp of fresh grated pecorino, 1/2 Tbsp of parmigiano reggiano, and beat it again to incorporate all of the ingredients.

Now put spaghetti into a pot of boiling salted water, 90-110 Gr. (3.17-3.88 Oz.) per person.

Continue to cook the chicken on low heat until it is cooked and brown around the edges. Don’t overcook, or it will be too dry.

Once chicken is ready, add a little pasta cooking water into the pan so that the starch of the water helps to mix all the ingredients. Turn off the heat, and wait until the pasta is done cooking (preferably al dente (less cooked than some are used to, especially in the States)!

Once Spaghetti are cooked al dente, do not drain; instead, add more pasta water to the chicken to create a sort of watery “sauce”. Next, drain the pasta (reserving the pasta water), and put it into the pan, add a little more pasta cooking water.

Take the cheese/egg mixture; beat it again, and pour it into the pan. (I suggest turning off the heat at this point, but the cook in the video kept it on. I had some scrambled eggs at the bottom of my skillet by following his method)

Stir slowly, sautè, add a little pecorino cheese, a little parmesan cheese, and a little more pasta cooking water. Stir again over low heat, and if the pan is too hot remove it from heat.

Transfer the pasta to a serving dish garnished with a little pecorino and a parmesan, add the sauce (i.e., the pasta water and oil leftover from cooking the chicken) all over the spaghetti and serve in a HOT dish.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

BBQ Chicken Braid

Dear Yeastaphobes,

On my very first post, I made a Cherry Cream Cheese Danish that required not only laminated dough but the use of yeast. I never knew there existed a fear of yeast until I became more integrated into the food blog world. I say this not to brag but to tell you that most likely your fear of yeast lies in the knowledge of the fear of yeast itself (huh?!). In other words, because I never knew there existed a fear of yeast, I treated this fungal ingredient as any other ingredient. I just followed the instructions and avoided the pitfalls I had read or heard on other recipes (i.e., avoid hot water and salt). I used a thermometer to check the temperature of the water and only added salt after adding the flour, and everything always has worked out fine….well, at least in the yeast department. So, pretend like the fear of yeast doesn’t exist. Just remember that it’s just another ingredient like eggs or milk. All ingredients require a certain procedure in order to obtain optimal use out of them. NOW GO FORTH AND MAKE THE BELOW BREAD DISH! 🙂

Love,
Memoria of Mangio da sola
I have to admit that this is the prettiest, savory dish I’ve ever seen in my own apartment haha. This braid was so lovely that I almost didn’t want to cut into it…almost. It was delicious.

Wow. Did I really make this?

The bread was soft with a slight, welcomed crunch due to my overheating oven. The filling was very flavorful despite the little bit of BBQ sauce I had in my possession. After I made this braid, I went back to the recipe source at Mel’s blog, My Kitchen Cafe, and saw that other people who had tried this braid experimented with other fillings that I would like to try in the near future.
Since I live alone, I froze one half of the dough for later. With that dough, I would like to make a sort of a buffalo chicken filling with Frank’s Red Hot Wing Sauce. For the vegetarians out there, I’m sure you could use a variety of meat-less fillings as well. Stuff the braid with various grilled veggies. That mixture even sounds good to me!!

“Off with its head!” I still feel bad about doing this decapitation to the lovely braid.

I have posted some step-by-step photos below and a link to a printable version without photos. I suggest making the filling first or during the bread’s first rising. Also, mix the chicken with the other fillings (minus the cheese) for quicker distribution.
Thanks, Mel!

There’s a yummy filling inside of that soft dough!

I am submitting this lovely braid to YEASTSPOTTING!

*UPDATE* Check out the Pizza Braid I made with the leftover dough!

French Bread Rolls
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe who got it from allrecipes.com
Yields one dozen rolls or two braids
PRINTABLE VERSION

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups bread (or AP) flour (I used bread flour)

In a large mixer bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate the dough, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. (If doing regular french rolls: Divide the dough into 12-14 equal pieces, and form into round balls. Place on lightly greased baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.] [If doing the braid: Divide the dough into two, equal-sized balls. (I weighed them out). Scroll down to the next recipe for more instructions.] Cover the rolls with a damp cloth (or greased saran wrap), and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

The left ball of dough is now in the freezer.

Bake for 12-13 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

BBQ Chicken Braid
adapted by My Kitchen Cafe

1 recipe French Bread Rolls (above)
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1/2 medium onion, sliced into thin half moons
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce (I only had 3/4 cups of bbq sauce in the house)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used and shredded a block of provolone)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

FILLING: Season your chicken well. Boil or grill your chicken and then shred it. Add the BBQ sauce and chopped onions to the chicken.

TIP: Make the filling first, and store it until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

BREAD BRAID: After the french bread roll recipe has gone through the first rise, split the dough into two parts (I weighed my dough. Each one came out to about 528 grams). Lightly cover one portion and set aside, or refrigerate (up to 2 days) or freeze (up to 2 months) the other ball. Roll the other portion into about an 11X17-inch rectangle (I rolled mine out on a silpat liner for easy transfer to the baking sheet and oven).

Grate your own cheese for a better flavor!

Using a pizza cutter, knife, or dough cutter, cut 1-inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side.
Spread half of the barbecue sauce down the center strip. Top with the chicken, onions and cheese. Fold the side strips over filling, alternating strips from each side and pressing them into the dough on the opposite side, forming a braid. Pinch or twist to seal.

Can you tell how soft this dough was?

Pick up the Silpat or parchment paper, and transfer it to the baking sheet. Or you can slide the pan under the Silpat liner, and let rest for 15 minutes.

While it is resting, follow the same steps above for the second portion of dough. Bake the first braid for 15-20 minutes (while the second braid is resting), until golden brown and bread is baked through. Remove from oven and bake the second braid.

Let the braids rest for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut braid into sections, and serve warm.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Jerk Chicken with Rice and “Peas”

When I make international dishes, I try to be as authentic and traditional as I can possibly be as I was with the Murgh Makhani, Tamales, and Lasagne al Ragù. However, there are times when I work so hard one part of a recipe, that some component of the side dish fails a bit in authenticity. Such is the case with this Jerk Chicken with Rice and “Peas”.

The first time I ever tried Jerk Chicken was in New York City (is that right, mom?) a few years ago when my mom was attending NYU for her grad degree. We went to a small Jamaican restaurant in the outskirts of the major city. I had heard of the dish before but had never tried it before. After my first bite, I fell in love instantly and never forgot about that experience.
Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to eat the dish again until I made it a few days ago. So, this is my second time tasting this flavorful, spicy chicken dish that originated in Jamaica. Once the marinade is mixed together, everything else is very easy. So, the key to Jerk Chicken is the marinade. It is comprised of many ingredients that vary from recipe to recipe. However, the universal ingredients are Scotch Bonnet or Habañero (don’t forget the “ñ”! Without it, the pronunciation changes) peppers and pimiento or allspice berries.

I did research on Youtube and did a regular search as I always do when I look for an authentic recipe, if I don’t have a traditional cookbook. I looked for Jamaicans preparing the meal to see how they did it and then compared their methods with others found online and other sources. I finally settled on a recipe from a website called Jamaica Travel and Culture.
Okay, here is how I broke the code of authenticity: First, I grilled the chicken in the oven instead of on the grill. Second, I didn’t play reggae as I cooked :). Third, for the rice and “peas” (the recipe calls for “red peas”, which are really kidney beans), I used black beans instead of kidney beans because I didn’t have the latter. Fourth, I did add in coconut milk. I just couldn’t. I already don’t like coconut very much, so I just couldn’t pour 1/2 cup of the stuff in my rice and beans. I just couldn’t….and I didn’t. Lastly, I didn’t have 1/2 cup worth of soy sauce, so I used what I had.
Nevertheless, everything tasted really good. The chicken was still too spicy even though I used only half of the marinade. I reserved some of the marinade, and used it as a sauce. If you use all of your marinade in with the chicken, be sure to boil the sauce before using it. I just kept some of the marinade separate from the raw chicken. The rice and peas dish was really flavorful and helped cool the tongue down from the spicy chicken. Okay, I’ll shut up now and give you all the recipe. Please visit the cook’s website to see process photos or watch the video of her in action.
GIVEAWAY REMINDER: If you haven’t already, don’t forget to enter in my giveaway! The deadline is at midnight! If the number of questions is deterring you from entering, just tell me which cookbook you would like in order to qualify.

Jerk Chicken
halved & adapted from Jamaica Culture and Travel (full version)

One 3 1/2 lb chicken (3lb of chicken breasts may be used if preferred)
6 sliced scotch bonnet peppers (I used 2 habañeros in my halved version, & it was still hot.)
2 Tbsp. thyme (I used a few sprigs of fresh thyme, roughly chopped)
2 Tbsp. ground allspice (I crushed allspice berries in a mortar and pestle)
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped (I used 1 Tbsp of leftover ginger/garlic paste)
3 medium onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 to 2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 tsp nutmeg
1-2 tsp ginger (I used 1 Tbsp of leftover ginger/garlic paste)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
Juice of one lime
1 cup orange juice (I used 2-3 fresh oranges)
1 cup white vinegar

Chop the onions, garlic and peppers. These do not need to be chopped too fine as they will be liquidized by the blender or food processor. Blend all of the ingredients (excluding the chicken) in a blender to make the jerk sauce.

The marinade added to the raw chicken.

Cut the chicken up in to 4 pieces. Rub the sauce in to the meat, saving some for basting and dipping later (I made slits in the chicken like I did with the murgh makhani). Leave the chicken in the fridge to marinade overnight up to 2 days.

OVEN: Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turn the meat then bake for a further 30 minutes. OR Slow cook the meat at 212 degrees (100 degrees C) for 45-60 minutes per side.

GRILL: Grill the meat slowly until cooked, turning regularly. Baste with some of the remaining marinade while cooking. For best results, cook over a charcoal barbecue (ideally over a rack of pimento wood).

Chop each quarter chicken portion in to 5 or 6 smaller pieces using a heavy cleaver. Use a wooden spoon (or something similar) to hold the chicken in place whilst chopping and NOT YOUR HAND (you will be chopping with enough pressure to cut through bone!!!). (This step is not necessary if you’re using chicken parts or drumsticks, like I did). While chicken is baking, make the rice and peas.

Rice and Peas
adapted from Jamaica Culture and Travel

3 cups of rice (I used regular, long grain rice; however, I assume you could use brown rice)
1 can of tinned or 1 cup of fresh red peas (use kidney beans or pigeon peas; I used black beans)
5 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 uncut scotch bonnet pepper (1 habañero or jalapeño pepper. I didn’t have any more peppers)
3 Scallion (spring onions may be used as a substitute)
1 tin (or one cup) of coconut milk (if you dare! hahaha)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (2 teaspoons of dried thyme may be used as a substitute)

FRESH PEAS/BEANS: If you are using fresh peas or beans, then wash them. Pour on three cups of water and leave to soak overnight.

CANNED PEAS/BEANS: Skip this step.

Crush the garlic and add to seven cups of boiling water. If you are using FRESH peas add them now and boil for 45 minutes. Test to see if the peas are cooked by crushing a few of them. If they crush easily, you are ready to move on to the next step.

Add your CANNED beans (if using), coconut milk, rice, salt, black pepper and thyme to the mix. Crush the scallion (do not chop), and add to mixture. Also add the UNCUT scotch bonnet pepper, to give it a subtle peppery flavor.

The rice and peas should be ready after about 40 minutes (exact cooking time will depend on the brand of rice used).

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com