Korean Fried Chicken

Judy Joo is the host of "Korean Food Made Easy" on the Cooking Network and is always presenting great Korean dishes.  Her recent show called "Fusion" included a recipe for Korean Fried Chicken.  The Korean's have upscaled the classic American favorite with a Korean twist.  So, here is her take on Fried Chicken.  Enjoy.

Ingredients
Pickled Radish Cubes:

• ½ Cup Rice Vinegar
• ½ Cup Water
• ½ Cup sugerfine sugar or Caster sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher salt or sea Salt
• 1 Pound Daikon radish, cut into ½ inch cubes

Pre-Coating:

• 1/4 Cup cornstarch or corn flour
• 2-1/2 Teaspoons Kosher salt or sea salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
• 10 grinds Black Pepper
• 2 chicken drumsticks, 2 thighs and 4 wings with tips (bone in, skin on)
• Oil, for frying

Batter:

• 1/2 Cup cornstarch or corn flour
• 1/4 Cup fine matzo meal
• 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons Korean chile flakes (gochugaru)
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt
• 2-1/2 Teaspoons Garlic granules
• 2-1/2 Teaspoons Onion granules
• 1/4 Teaspoon baking powder
• 1 Cup Water
• 1/3 Cup Vodka
• 2 Tablespoons Korean chile paste (gochujang)

Korean BBQ Sauce:

• 3 Tablespoons Korean chile paste (gochujang)
• 3 Tablespoons Ketchup
• 2 packed tablespoons dark Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon roasted Sesame Oil
• 2 Teaspoons grated Ginger (from about a 2-inch piece)
• 2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

Procedures

• Make the pickled radish cubes: Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl, whisking until the sugar and salt are dissolved.  Add the radish and toss to coat.  Leave at room temperature, covered, for 24 hours.  Then refrigerate. 
• Make the pre-coating: In a large bowl, whisk together the first 4 ingredients.  Add the chicken and toss well until evenly coated in all areas.  Transfer the chicken to a rack, shaking the chicken well to get rid of any eess coating.  Let rest uncovered for 1 hour. 
• Prepare oil: Pour enough oil into a 6-quart Dutch oven to reach a depth of 2 incudes.  Heat the oil over medium-high hear until a deep-dry thermometer reads 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Make the batter:  In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.  Just before frying, whisk the wet mixture into the dry mixture.  The consistency should be relatively thin and runny.  Working in two batches, dip each piece of chicken into the batter, letting excess batter drip off.  Suspend the chicken in the oil for a couple of seconds to it to setup before letting it slip completely into the oil, otherwise, the chicken will fall and stick to the bottom of the pot.  Fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes per batch.  Transfer to a wire rack to drain as done. 
• Make the BBQ sauce: Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened, 2 to 5 minutes.  Serve the chicken with the BBQ sauce, pickled radish and beer. 
• Note: The batter's dry and wet ingredients can be assembled but bnot mixed together ahead of time.  Whisk the wet and ry ingredients right before you are ready to fry the chicken, otherwise, the batter may thicken too much.  Cook the chicken in batches, cooking the drumsticks and thights together as one batch and the wings as a separate batch.  Loosen the BBQ'sauce with a little water if you want to drizzle the sauce over or glaze the chicken. 

Ginger Cranberry Sauce

This recipe was adapted from Sam Sifton's book "Thanksgiving - How to Cook It Well".  Enjoy.

Ingredients

• ½-Cup Pecans, roughly chopped.
• 1 Bag (12 oz.) Fresh or Thawed Frozen Cranberries.
• ¾-Cup Sugar.
• ¾-Cup Fresh Orange Juice.
• 1 Teas. Grated Fresh Giner.
• 1-½ Teas. Orange Zest.

Procedure

• Toast Pecans in sauté pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes or until fragment and golden brown.  Remove from heat and set aside.
• Cook Cranberries, Sugar and Orange Juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, 4 to 6 minutes or until Sugar melts and Cranberries begin to pop.
• Add Ginger and Orange Zest; cook 2 to 3 minutes and remove from heat.  Add Pecans, cover and cool to room temperature.
• Chill, covered for at least 2 hours.
• Serve

Garlic Confit Toast

This one comes from the April 2015 issue of Bon Appétit magazine.  Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1 fresh Baguette 
• 1 head fresh Garlic
• ½ cup unsalted Butter
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Teas. chopped Oregano
• 1 Teas. grated Lemon zest
• ½ Teas. crushed Red Pepper flakes

Procedure

• Extract cloves from head of garlic.
• Cook cloves of garlic in unsalted butter, in a small covered saucepan, over medium-low heat until golden brown and very soft - 15-30 minutes.
• Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool.
• Add Parmesan, Oregano, Lemon zest and Red Pepper flakes to garlic and mash to a paste.
• Season with salt to taste.
• Heat broiler.
• Slice Baguette lengthwise and crosswise to fit baking sheet.
• Broil cut sides down on a foil-lined baking sheet until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
• Let cool slightly, then spread on cut side with garlic paste. 
• Broil again until cheese is golden and bubbling, about 2 minutes.

Citrus Vinaigrette - From the Park 121 Grill

Chef Bruce Riezenman

If you travel up Highway 121 (Arnold Drive) from Route 37 about 6.5 miles, past the Sonoma Raceway, you will find the Park 121 Cafe and Grill, a great cozy restaurant inside Cornerstone Sonoma.

Cornerstone Sonoma has a few wineries, some retail stores, a working garden demonstration area and, of course, the Park 121 Cafe and Grill restaurant.   They have a very nice, fresh menu with many really great lunch items.  Along with their salads and a few other dishes, they serve their signature Citrus Vinaigrette.   London van der Kamp, the restaurant manager, was kind enough to share the recipe.

The recipe is the pride of Executive Chef Bruce Riezenman.

The Cozy Outside Patio (their is inside dining too)

While they have a wonderful and extensive menu, one of my favorite dishes is their Adult Grilled Cheese Sandwich.   The grilled cheese showcases Bellwether Farms Carmody, bacon and quince paste on Penngrove wheat bread toast.  Yum yum.

So, here we go with the Citrus Vinaigrette.  The recipe makes 1 pint of dressing.




Ingredients

• ¼ Cup While Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp, Shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 Lime, zested and squeezed for juice
• 1 Lemon, zested and squeezed for juice
• ¼ Orange, zested and squeezed for juice
• 1 Teas. Brown Sugar
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Teas. Grain Mustard
• ¾ Cup Good Quality Olive Oil
• ½ Cup Canola, Grapeseed or other neutral, clean-tasting oil

Procedure

• Place shallots, zest, white vinegar and juices from the citrus in a non-reacting bowl for 30 minutes.  Strain and discard shallots.
• Combine the olive and other oil.  
• Place the juices, sugar and mustard in a blender and lightly emulsify by addiing the combined oils slowly to the blender.
• Add salt and pepper, as desired, remembering the dressing will taste much lighter when drizzled on a salad.

Chicken Wings with Honey and Hoisin Glaze

Here is a different chicken wing recipe for those who like Asian rather than Buffalo wings.  From Kelsy Nixon's - Kesley's Essentials program on the Cooking Channel.

Ingredients

• 12 chicken wings (wingettes and drumettes)
• 3 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
• 1 Teas. Kosher Salt
• 1 Teas. Cracked Black Pepper
• ¼ Cup Rice Vinegar
• 2 Teas. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• ½ Cup Honey
• 2 Tbsp. Hoisin Sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
• 2 Scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 2 Teas. Black and White Sesame Seeds, for serving

Procedure

• Arrange an over rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the broiler.
• Toss the chicken with the vegetable and sesame oil and sprinke with salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
• Arrange the chicken on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.  Broil the chicken parts, turning after 10 minutes, until the chicken is golden grown, crisp and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the vinegar and crushed red pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the honey, hoisin and soy sauce.  Pour into an extra-large bowl.
• Add the chicken to the bowl and toss with the honey glaze.  Transfer the chicken wings to a platter and garnish with the scallions and sesame seeds.

Zeke and Linda's Soda Bread

Zeke and Linda, who are friends from the Novato Elks Lodge, provided this recipe. They say it was lifted from the Fireman's Cookbook.  It is a really great recipe.  Please try.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp plus 1 Tbs shortening (Crisco)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbs caraway seeds
• 2+ cups raisins
• 4 cups flour
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• Butter

Procedure

• Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch heavy iron frying pan with 2 tsp of shortening.
• In a large mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or a KitchenAid type stand mixer, blend together 1 Tbs shortening and sugar. Combine buttermilk, baking soda, caraway seeds and raisins and stir into the sugar mixture.
• Sift together or combine and aerate with a whisk, flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add this to the buttermilk mixture in batches and beat well. Turn into the prepared frying pan and smooth the top evenly with a spatula or butter knife.
• Bake for 1 hour 25 minutes to 30 minutes until top is golden brown. Remove from oven, turn out of frying pan and wrap in a clean dish towel. Prop up and stand the bread vertically on its end and cool for 30 minutes before cutting. Slice and serve with butter.

Bon Appétit - June 2015 - Some Nice Recipes to Try

Here are some new recipes from the June 2015 edition of Bon Appétit.

Ralph Lauren's Burger Sauce

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ⅓ cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp. sweet relish
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped cornichons
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped red onions
• 1 Teas. Worchestershire sauce
• ½ Teas. garlic powder
• ½ Teas. onion powder
• ¼ Teas. hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Mix all ingredients, cover and chill
• Can be made two day ahead

Spicy Grilled Chicken With Lemon and Parsley

Ingredients

• ¼ cup hot smoked Spanish paprika
• ¼ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup ground black pepper
• 1-½ Tbsp. Cayenne pepper
• 2 3-4 lb Chicken
• 1 loaf country-style bread, sliced lengthwise 1 inch thick
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olice oil
• 4 lemon, halved
• ½ cup parsley leaves with tender stems

Procedure

• Combine paprika, salt, peppter and cayenne to create rub
• Halve and press chicken flat
• Grill chicken until thighs are 165
• Start with skin side up over high heat until browned 5-8 minutes
• Turn skin side down and cook until browned 8-10 minutes
• Turn over with skin side up and move to indirect heat side of grill
• Finish to temperature
• Drizzle bread on both side with Olive Oil. Grill until lightly charred - about 4 minutes
• Grill lemons, cut side down until lightly charred

Slow-Grilled Leg of Lamb With Mint Yogurt and Salsa Verde

Ingredients

• Mint Yogurt
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped.
• 2 cups while-milk plan Greek yogurt.
• 1 cup chopped mint.
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (salt and pepper).
• Salsa Verde
• 6 oil-packed anchovy fillets.
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped.
• ¾ cup olive oil.
• ¾ cup chopped parsley.
• ½ cup chopped fresh mint.
• 2 Tbsp. drained capers.
• 1 Tbsp. fesh lemon juice.
• Salt and pepper.
• Lamb
• 1 cup rosemary leaves.
• ¾ cup peeled garlic cloves.
• ¼ Cup extra-virgin olive oil.
• 5-6 lbs whole bone-in leg of lamb, shank attached, drenched.
• Salt and pepper.
• 1 cup chopped preseved lemons.
• ½ cup choipped fesh mint.

Procedure

• Mint Yogurt
• Mix ingredients.
• Can be made 1 day ahead, cover and chill.
• Salsa Verde
• Process anchovies, garlic, oil, parsley, mint, capers, and lemon juice in food processor until finely chopped, salt and pepper.
• Can be made 1 day ahead, cover and chill.
• Lamb
• Prepare grill for medium-heat one side of grill (for indirect cooking).
• Blend rosemary, garlic, ¾ cup oil in blender until finely chopped.
• Season leg of lamb with salt and pepper and smear rosemary mixure.
• Grill lamb over direct heat fat side up turning from time to time until browned 15-20 minutes.
• Position lamb over indirect heat  until internal temperature reaches 135 degress (1-½ to 2 hours.
• Transfer to cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. 
• Holding bone, thinly slice lamb against grain.
• Top lamb with lemons and mint.
• Serve with mint yogurt and salsa verde.
• Lamb can be marinaded 1 day in advance.
• Lamb can be grilled 2 hours ahead (hold at room temperature) grill over high heat to reheat about 4 minutes before slicinga nd fiishing as directed above. 

Makin' Bacon

One of the benefits of a home smoker is the ability to make your own bacon.   In the March 2015 Issue of Sunset magazine is an article about making bacon at home.  The man is executive chef Brad Lettau at the The Mitching Post II restaurant in Buellton, California.  He started making bacon for special customers.  He now shares his recipe and process which I will make as my next smoker project.

I have learned a great deal regarding this process.  After I preserved the pork belly to make it Bacon, I cut the preserved belly into 4 large pieces for freezing and use at a later date (I cut mine into pieces about 6 inches by 6 inches with the grain).   I soaked the preserved meat (Bacon) in a plastic container fully covered with water for 2-½ hours.   After soaking, I washed off the Bacon, patted it dry with paper towels and let it dry throughly on the counter for about 30 minutes.   I then packaged the pieces for freezing.  I took one to cook.  OMG.  This is really great stuff.

Makes  5 to 8 lbs of Bacon (25 to 40 think slices)/6 to 8 days.  Making bacon is a three step process: cure, smoke and roast.  

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup Morton's kosher salt.
• ½ cup each granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar.
• 2 tablespoons each Molasses (not blackstrap) and cracked black pepper.
• 1 rindless pork belly (5 to 8 lbs without rind).

Procedure

• Mix together salt and sugars in a bowl with your hands.
• Rinse port belly, pat dry and cut in half crosswise with the grain.
• Rub pork halves all over with molasses followed by the pepper and a generious sprinkling of the salt-sugar mixture. 
• Put each half in a nonmetallic container with 2-inch high sides, such as a Pyrex baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap.  Chill (in the refrigerator) pork halves 5 to 7 days, depending on their weight.  Turn over every day.  They will produce a lot of liquid which you should leave in.  They will feel firmer and develop a deep rosy brown color.
• Rinse pork halves and pat dry.  Cut into any required pieces for future use or freezing.   
• Soak in clean water, fully covered for a minimium of 2-½ hours. 
• Prepare your smoking station or smoker.  
• For a charcoal station, stack 4 or 5 briquests and onw paraffin light cubes to one side of a chimney starter.  Ignite cube and let burn until ashy and glowing, about 20 minutes.  Set an 8-by-10 inch disposable alumiunum roasting pan on one side of grill fire grate.  Arrange 4 or 5 wood chunks in the pan in a single layer.  With tongs, set the ashy briquests directly on chucks.  When wood chunks start to smolder open the bottom vents of grill, set cooking grate in place.  Lay pork halves, fat side up on cooking grate, but not directly over fire.  
• For using a smoker - Prepare smoker with water pan, water soaked wood chips and set temperature to 150 degrees. 
• Smoke pork halves for 3 hours.  Check the heat every 20 minutes or so.  If it dips below 150 add another wood chunk.  If it exceed 150 degrees close vents and/or add more water to water pan. 
• Cool smoked bacon uncovered for 4 hours and then wrap well in plastic wrap and chill overnight. 
• Roasting Bacon (my recommendation for final preparation).  
• Set up a metal rack in a rimmed baking pan for cooking the bacon.  Cut bacon into ⅛  inch slices, then lay slices on rack(s).
• Put pan in oven and turn to 400 degrees (do not preheat oven).  Roast bacon just until edges are crispy, rotating pan half way through if needed for even browning.   When the fats start to golden brown, stop cooking.   I cook mine in about 10 minutes.  Set aside on paper towel to finish.  
• Some other options include:
• Get a large fry pan or skillet and put o cooktop with medium heat.  
• Once the pan is hot, fry bacon.
• Do not leave bacon unattended.  It cooks really, really fast.  When the edges get brown and the center fat is starting to become a golden brown, take the bacon off the fire to drain and finish on a paper towel.   
• Do not over cook. 
• Serve immediately.

Brad doing his thing.

Franklin Barbecue - The Barbeque Bible Is Available

I have finally started to smoke barbecue.  My first project was Smoked Salmon, which came out great with a light fragrant apple wood favor.  I am currently making bacon, which requires one week of preserving, 4 hours of smoking and then finishing in the skillet.  I'll update everyone next week when I have completed my first batch of bacon.

Aaron Franklin, Austin, Texas, is considered one of the best barbeque pitmasters in the country.  He has won numerous awards in the BBQ game.  He has just published a barbeque book.  The first half of the book is devoted to smoker design, woods to select, cut and prep for smoking, meat preparation and cooking techniques.  I cannot wait to finish the book and try to apply his techniques and tips to my little smoker.


More to come.

http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Barbecue-Meat-Smoking-Manifesto-Aaron/dp/1607747200/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428535843&sr=8-1&keywords=franklin+barbecue

Thanks Aaron

Antipasto Summer Lettuce Wraps - Kelsey Nixon

Again, another great treat from one of my favorite cooks.   Enjoy.

Ingredients

Antipasto

• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed
• 8 ounces salami, cubed (have the deli counter slice it into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 roasted red pepper, drained and chopped
• 1/4 cup jarred pepperoncini, drained and chopped
• Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 16 leaves Boston Bibb lettuce

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon mustard

Procedure

• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the mozzarella, salami, cherry tomatoes, artichokes, roasted red pepper and pepperoncini. Toss the salad mixture with the Red Wine Vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Let this marinate for 30 minutes before serving.
• Serve the lettuce cups alongside the antipasto salad. Be sure to use a slotted spoon when serving to drain off any excess marinade, so the lettuce doesn't get soggy.
• Red Wine Vinaigrette:  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey and mustard. Once combined, slowly add olive oil in steady stream while whisking. Season with salt and pepper.

Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon - Kelsey Nixon

Kelsey is a very talented cook that provides really good easy to cook recipes for us non-Executive Chefs.  I really love a good Deviled Egg dish.  So, here is one to try.  Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• Pinch Cayenne pepper
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• 1/8 pound thick-cut bacon (about 3 strips)
• 8 large hard boiled eggs, straight from the refrigerator
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise, or as much as desired
• 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 scallions, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Paprika, for garnish

Procedure

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, a pinch of cayenne and the cinnamon. Place the bacon on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle each slice of bacon with some of the spiced sugar and bake, about 10 minutes. Flip the bacon, sprinkle with the remaining spiced sugar and continue to cook until crispy, about 10 more minutes. Remove the bacon from the oven and allow to cool. When the bacon is cool, mince it and set aside, reserving a quarter of it for garnishing the eggs.
• Put the cold eggs in the bottom of a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan with a lid and let stand for 12 minutes. Drain the eggs and rinse with cold water. Let the eggs cool a bit and then peel when they are still warm (eggs are much easier to peel when they are warm). After they are peeled, you can then store them, covered, in the fridge.
• Mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, dill, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, the scallions and the minced bacon in a medium mixing bowl. Season with the salt.
• Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Gently remove the yolks by pressing your thumb against the back of the yolk to pop it out of the white. Add the yolks to the bowl with the mayonnaise mixture. Mash together, using a fork, until smooth.

Miso Glazed Brussel Sprouts and Miso Praline Bacon

I recently found these two Miso recipes on an Asian cooking website and decided to publish them.  I love Brussel Sprouts cooked anyway, and who doesn't like bacon kicked up a notch or two.   Based upon 5 sprouts per person, this recipe should serve bewteen 6 to 8 people.

Please Note:  I need to give you some recommendations before you make this Brussel Spout recipe.   First, it should be served when you are serving other Asian dishes.  The hardy Asian profile of this dish will not work well with other cuisines.  Next, the Miso sauce is a dominate favor and therefore needs to be mixed with enough Brussel Spouts so that the final dish is not too saucy.  I would highly recommend that a mininum of 1-½ poinds of Brussel Sprouts be used for the amount of liquid being prepared in this recipe.   Given all of this input, this is a very tasty dish if you like Asian favors.  Enjoy.

Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and the fungus Aspergillus Oryzae, know in Japanese as kōji, and sometimes rice, barely or other ingredients. 

Miso Glazed Brussel Spouts

Ingredients

• 1-½ pound Brussle Spouts. 
• 2 TB Miso Paste.
• 1 TB Maple Syrup.
• 1 Teas. Mirin.
• 1 Teas. Sake.
• 1 TB Cider Vinegar.
• 1 Teas. Soy Sauce.
• 3 cloves of  minced Garlic.
• ¾ cup Water, separated into three (3) ¼ cup portions.
• 2 Teas. Sesame Oil.
• 1 slice Bacon (chopped into ¼ inch pieces).
• 1 Teas. Sesame Seeds.
• ¼ cup chopped Green Onions (scallions).
• ½ teas. Sriracha Sauce (optional).

Procedure

• For the Miso sauce combine the Miso paste, Maple Syrup, Mirin, Sake, Cider Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Garlic and ¼ cup water in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook for 1 minutes, or until miso dissolves.  Remove from heat; stir in Sesame oil.   
• For the brussel sprouts, wash sprouts, trim ends and remove any outer loose leaves and cut in half.  Heat 2 TB vegetable oil and 2 ounces of butter in a deep-sided skillet.  Cook the sprouts without stirring for 4 minutes or until browned.  Turn over spouts and add ¼ cup water and cook for another 4 minutes or until golden brown on all side.  Taste as you cook for doneness.  You do not want to over cook the sprouts.  Make sure the Srouts are still a little crisp.  Set aside on paper towel.   
• Add ½ TB of vegetable oil to the skillet.  Cook the bacon until the bacon turns golden.  Stir in 1 TB of the Miso Sauce, add the sauteed Brussel Sprouts, and ¼ cup water and reheat until water evaporated tossing well.  Fold in green onions.  Sprinkle with Sesame seeds and serve immediately. 

Miso Praline Bacon

Ingredients

• 1 pound thick sliced Bacon.
• 1 cup Miso paste.
• 1 cup Sake.
• 2 cups of Praline (1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of crushed pecans). 
• ½ cup Mape syrup.
• Scallion very thinly spliced.

Procedure

• Par broil the Bacon (cook slightly, but not all the way through).
• Sprinkle Miso/Sake mixture on top of bacon.
• Combine the brown sugar and pecans in a food processor and process into a medium grind Praline.
• Sprinkle praline mixture on to the bacon.
• Broil bacon until crisp.
• Sprinkle with thinkly spliced scallions and serve. 

Chinese-Style Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Cook's Country provided this recipe for Chinese-Style Pork Tenderloin.   My son, John and his wife Mary, did an Asian Pork Tenderloin on the grill a few years ago, which was delicious.  I hope this one is as good as theirs.   Enjoy.

Ingredients and Procedure

• Marinade and basting Sauce - mix together the following ingredients.  
• ½ Cup Soy Sauce
• ¼ Cup Housin Sauce
• ½ Cup Apricot Preserves
• ¼ Cup Dry Sherry
• 1 TB Seseme Oil
• 2 TB Minced Fresh Ginger
• 2 Cloves of Minced Garlic
• 1 Teas. Five Spice Powder
• 1 Teas. Black Pepper
• Hold back ¾ Cup of mixture for basting sauce - Use the remainder for the Marinade.
• Add ¼ Cup Ketchup and 1 TB Molassas to the basting sauce and cook in a sauce pan until a bit thicker (about 5 minutes).  
• Once sauce is thickened reserve ¼ of the sauce for serving with cooked Pork and the rest to baste Pork while it is grilling.
• Take 2 Pork Tenderloins and cut off silver skin and butterfly.  Once butterflied pound to flatten.
• In a zip lock bag add marinade and Pork.   Massage pork and marinade.  Marinade from 30 minutes to 4 hours.
• Prepare grill at medium heat.  (clean grill, swipe with oil to treat grilling surface).
• Brush pork with vegetable oil.  Put on grill and cook for 2 minutes.  Flip and start glazing with (uncooked) basting sauce.  Flip three times and cook for about 8 minutes.  You want the meat to be pinkish inside.   So, check at 6 minutes.  
• Once cooked, let rest for 5 minutes.  While the meat is resting, brush on thicken basting sauce.
• Slice to serve with remaining thicken sauce. 

Asian Barbeque Chicken Wings

Fine Cooking Magazine published this recipe which calls for cooking the wings in a slow cooker for 2-½ hours and then finishing under the broiler.  I do not think you really need to go through all of that.   However, the alternative would be to BBQ them on the grill after being marinaded for 2-3 hours.   I have included the directions for cooking using the slow cooker as well as an approach for the grill.  Try them both and let me know.  Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 4-½ lb. Chicken wing drumettes, winglets, or both
• 8 medium scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup Hoisin Sauce
• 3 TB Asian Sesame Oil
• 1-½ Tbs. Minced Fresh Ginger
• 1-½ Tbs. Sambal Chili Sauce
• 2-½ Tbs. Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tbs. Asian Chile Oil (optional)

Procedure - Slow Cooker Method

• In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine, except for 2 Tbs. of the scallions, the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and sambal.
• Stir sauce with the wings until the wings are evenly coated. Cover and cook until the wings are cooked through, but not falling off the bone, 2-1/2 hours on high or 4 hours on low. (The wings can stay on the keep-warm setting for up to 1 hour.)
• Use tongs to transfer the chicken wings to a large foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Strain the sauce into a fat separator and set aside for a few minutes. Pour the defatted sauce into a 2-quart saucepan, add the vinegar, and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
• Position a rack 4 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler on high. Brush the wings with the sauce and broil until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the wings over, brush them again, and broil until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes more. Brush with the sauce once more before serving, topped with the remaining 2 Tbs. scallions and drizzled with the chile oil, if using. Serve any remaining sauce on the side for dipping.

Procedure - My Optional Method

• Combine, except for 2 Tbs. of the scallions, the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and sambal.
• Stir sauce with the wings until the wings are evenly coated. Marinade wings for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.
• Barbeque wings over a low to medium-low heat.  Make sure wings do not burn, turn as needed.  Cook for about 25 minutes.  Use tongs to transfer the chicken wings to a large foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. 
• Strain the sauce into a fat separator and set aside for a few minutes. Pour the defatted sauce into a 2-quart saucepan, add the vinegar, and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
• Position a rack 4 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler on high. Brush the wings with the sauce and broil until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the wings over, brush them again, and broil until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes more. Brush with the sauce once more before serving, topped with the remaining 2 Tbs. scallions and drizzled with the chile oil, if using. Serve any remaining sauce on the side for dipping.

Got A Smoker for Christmas

Hi Everyone - Well, I got a Masterbuilt Propane Wood Smoker for Christmas.  I will be trying a series of recipes in a few weeks. I hope to become somewhat proficient in smoking meats and fish.  Once I have some good results, I'll start publishing my findings.   In the meantime, this is where I will be starting my search into Smoked BBQ.

• Apple Wood Smoked Bacon
• Hot Smoked Salmon
• Smoked Chicken
• Smoked Baby Back Ribs
• Various Types of Smoked Sausages