Chicken Soup for the Hungover Headbanger

Whether you are hungover, sore, sick or just need some good old fashioned comfort food, homemade chicken soup is where it's at.

Today is a rainy Sunday and all I want to do is curl up in front of the fireplace with a good book, and slurp at some piping hot feel-good soup. I grew up eating Lipton Chicken Noodle from a package, and I suppose I still have a soft-spot for it, but nothing beats home cooking! 

Chicken soup has long been dubbed as a healing, feel-good food, and for good reason.  

**Soup has anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe sore throats.  An amino acid released from the chicken during cooking chemically resembles the drug acetylcysteine, which is often prescribed for bronchitis as well as other respiratory problems.  

**Also, steam is a real benefit. Sipping the hot soup and breathing in the steam helps clear up congestion. 

**When you are ill it's always helpful to intake plenty of fluids; once again, chicken soup to the rescue!

 Aside from being a "get-better" soup, it can also be consumed to relieve depression (giving you an overall sense of well-being), make you more relaxed/ de-stressed, aide in hangover recovery and of course is just an overall healthy, easy and relatively cheap meal option.

Here's how I make mine:

Chunky Chicken Soup (about 4 servings)

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

3 L chicken stock

2 sticks of celery, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1/2 large white onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 cob of corn or 2/3 c. canned corn 

1/2 tomato, diced

salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, parsley, any other herbs you like

linguine pasta, broken into small pieces, about 1/2 c.

I might have to go for seconds on this!!

Execution 

1. Heat some olive oil in a large pot. Saute chicken, celery, onions and garlic for about 2 minutes.

2. Add the chicken stock, bring to boil.

3. Add carrots, tomato and seasonings (Don't season too heavily as the soup will reduce. You can always correct your seasoning at the end.) Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

4. While soup is simmering cook the linguine pieces al dente in a separate pot. You can cook the pasta in the soup, but I find it makes is cloudy and starchy and I prefer thin, clear broth. You're choice.

5. Taste the soup. Veggies should be tender. Adjust seasoning and add corn and pasta.

6. Consume and prepare to feel awesome!

Til next time...

Sinfully Yours,

The Gruesome Gourmet

 

Shredded Beef "Burger"

It's pretty self-explanatory, really, but in order to get the most succulent beefy goodness you've ever tasted, there are a few tips and tricks you need to know.

First off: let the beef marinate for a minimum of 12 hours. I started off with an eye of round steak (1-10 oz cut is enough for 2 standard burger buns, generously piled) and rubbed it with fresh garlic, dijon mustard and black pepper. I lightly drizzled it with olive oil, red wine vinegar and Worchestershire sauce.

Secondly: I can't even count the number of recipes that tell you to toss the beef right from the fridge in to the slow cooker. Ok, if you're hellbent on using a slow cooker, fine, but make sure you SEAR the beef first. It only takes a couple minutes and is definitely worth the time. Heat a pan on med-high (7-8), add a skim of olive oil, season beef with kosher salt and brown it up on all sides. THEN transfer to your slow cooker (if you MUST). I always cook mine in the oven.

Which brings me to my third point: SLOW COOKING that beef until it flakes easily when poked with a fork. If you don't have ample time and are looking for a quick meal, I do not recommend trying this recipe. That being stated you don't need to supervise the cooking process; just shove it in the oven and come back later to check it.

For a 10oz chunk 'o' beef  this is the marinade (approx...I don't really measure things...)

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 tbsp dijon

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp Worchestershire

+ a good pinch of kosher salt right before searing the meat

Place seared beef in a casserole or roasting pan with a lid, add just enough beef stock to cover meat.

I find cooking at 210°F for 8 hours does the trick! Shred the beef with a fork stirring to incorporate all the stock and juices.

You can build your sandwich however you like...

I put a dollop of mayo on each side of the bun, pile beef on the bottom, top with Montary Jack cheese, tomato and caramelized onions.

Caramelized Onions...if you please

1 large red onion, sliced

olive oil

kosher salt

red wine

balsamic vinegar

beef stock

1. Heat skillet over med-high heat (7) and add olive oil.

2. Add onions, give a quick shake to disperse, season with kosher salt and let sit, don't stir immediately!

You want the onions to get some color on them and stirring will cool the pan too much and cause their  natural moisture to leak out rather than evaporate. Once they start to brown, stir, every couple of minutes. 

3. When all the onions are dark in color (not burnt, just dark) deglaze with red wine and scrape bottom of pan, to get all that charred oniony goodness! 

4. Add a few splashes of balsamic vinegar and if you have any leftover beef stock, add about 1/4 c of that as well. Cook until onions are completely soft and all the liquid has been absorbed.

Bon Appétit!

The Gruesome Gourmet

The Thrifty Gourmet Part 2: Eggplant Spaghettini

As promised from my previous post, I will continue to enlighten my dear readers on how to eat well on a tight budget.

Today's creation is kind of a spin-off of pasta puttanesca. I'm not a big fan of anchovies, or capers as per original recipe, so I made a few modifications.

If you are unfamiliar with the term "puttanesca", it is derived from the Italian word "puttana", meaning whore. It is said that in the mid-20th century prostitutes used to make this dish in the time between their customers because it was quick, cheap and easy...

hmm, maybe there is some truth in the phrase "You are what you eat", haha;)

On the note of shunned and sacrilegious professions, I feel the appropriate music to accompany this dish is Goatwhore. I talked a bit about Soilent Green in a previous post, who share the same ruthlessly exuberant vocalist, Ben Falgoust. The band was originally formed in 1997 by guitar player Sammy Duet after the tragic breakup of his previous band, Acid Bath (also, an AMAZING band). Their black-death metal synthesis with gut-wrenching vocals and ear-annihilating riffs makes them one of my favorite bands to rock out to live. I've seen these guys a few times now, and every time they vastly exceed themselves!

Enough of my babbling....let's eat, drink and rock the fuck out!

Eggplant Spaghettini a.k.a. Modified Whore Pasta!

Makes 2 servings, enough for the whore and her guest;)

Ingredients:

Enough spaghettini for 2...about 300g

1/2 of a medium sized eggplant, diced (about 1/2" cubes)

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

dash of chili flakes

Approx 1 c. whole canned tomatoes, with juice

small handful of Kalamata or black olives

extra-virgin olive oil

black pepper and a touch of kosher salt (the olives are salty, so you shouldn't need much)

fresh parsley (If you have the means to acquire it fresh, do it...if not, don't bother with   dried herbs...they just aren't the same)

Execution:

1. Cook pasta al dente, drain and set aside.

2. Heat a heavy bottomed skill over med-high heat (7-8)

3. When pan is hot, add a generous amount of olive oil. You want a good amount because the eggplant will soak it up like a sponge and also because it is part of your sauce. I cannot emphasize enough that the pan has to be HOT or else the eggplant will simply soak up the oil and take forever to cook!!

4. Add eggplant, cook for about 1 minute.

5. Add garlic and chili flakes
and cook another minute or
so until tender.

6. Hand-crush the tomatoes
into the pan and add enough
of the juice so that you
have about 1 c. of liquid
including the olive oil.

7. Throw in enough olives to
your liking, season with s&p
and fresh parsley if you have
it, add the cooked spaghettini and toss.

8. Most of the liquid should get absorbed into the pasta (which is why it's important that is is al dente!) so there shouldn't be a puddle of liquid in the bottom of the pan.

9. Portion into serving dishes. If pasta seems dry, drizzle lightly with olive oil.

10. Enjoy your dinner and listen to Goatwhore!

Here's a pic I got with Ben Falgoust outside
of  The Biltmore when I saw them in 2009.


Off of their first album released in 2000, The Eclipse of Ages into Black, this is my favorite track and probably the most appropriate, or...uh...inappropriate, depending on how you look at it, hah!

                                          Goatwhore: Invert The Virgin

As always, thanks for checkin' this out and keep comin' back for more!

Sinfully Yours,

The Gruesome Gourmet

The Thrifty Gourmet

Hail Disciples!

If you work in the food service industry, such as myself, chances are you are familiar with being short on spending money. Let's face it, being broke is pretty much an industry standard! Oh how we suffer for the love of food, haha....

One can never stop learning about cooking. There's endless possibilities, variations, methods and techniques to brush-up on. 

Sometimes I get kinda depressed when I review my finances and realize I have a $50 budget for a week's worth of meals. I dream of all these fancy, expensive, exotic dishes...but why? 

Good food doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, I love how living on a budget makes me more creative when shopping for groceries. I have to think ahead and plan out how I can use my ingredients for Monday's dinner in my meals for the rest of the week, without getting bored of eating the same foods repeatedly. 

Creative ingredient usage---very important! Also, keep in mind that oftentimes less is more---simplicity can be a wonderful thing.

For the next few days I'm going to post some excellent recipes and helpful tips for cooks on a tight budget.

My dinner tonight? 

A simple Veggie Stir-fry...this recipe is scaled to approx 2 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 package fresh stir-fry noodles (225-250g)

2 c. assorted veggies (tonight I used onion, cabbage, bell pepper, carrot and corn)

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

tofu (optional)

small bunch cilantro, chopped

Sauce:

1/4 c. rice vinegar

1/4 c. white sugar

4 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. sesame oil

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. I usually boil for 4 minutes, drain and give them a quick rinse.

2. Heat a wok or heavy bottomed skillet over med-high heat. Add a couple tsp of oil and saute veggies and garlic until they are tender but still have some "bite" to them.

3. Add tofu, sauce and noodles. Cook about 1 minute until tofu is hot and noodles start to soak up the sauce.

4. Throw in desired amount of cilantro, toss and serve!

Stay tuned for more...

Sinfully Yours,

The Gruesome Gourmet

Save On Meats

In my travels, I have experienced high-end, over priced delicacies that tantalize my taste-buds, but break my pocketbook. 

On the contrary I have eaten at some sketchy restaurants in the name of being thrifty!

Thursday was a beautiful day, and my friend and I decided to go for a nice walk and grab some lunch. We started downtown, walking past the fancy eateries and trendy coffee shops until we reached our destination.  

Located in a less-than-glamourous part of East Hastings, Save On Meats served up tasty comfort food at an incredibly reasonable price.

I have passed by countless times but that's usually been on my way to Funky Winkerbeans next door, where it would be less than ideal to be toting around a bag of meat all night! I had never been back in the day-time.

Upon entering, it looks like they haven't remodeled since the 60s, but that gives it a simplistic, old-school diner-like flair. For a Thursday at 2pm, this place was packed---I couldn't believe it! Our server was friendly and talkative, making our dining experience all the better. From what we could see of the open kitchen, it appeared clean and organized, with staff that seemed genuinely happy to be at work. 

That's just the restaurant half of it though. 

The other half of the business is a thriving butcher's shop with prices that could have you leaving with a shopping cart full of meat for under $100! 

Save On Meats gets my vote all the way. I can't wait to go back.

The Gruesome Gourmet

A Bite of Everything

Hail Disciples!

To be honest, until about 5 minutes ago, I was under the impression that today was the first day of March...wow...I often lose track of days, but that's ok, it's how I roll:)

I can be a rather indecisive person at times. I’m just a whirlwind of chaos and that is often reflected in what I eat, the music that inspires me and the activities I choose to take part in. When I’m at a loss of what to do, usually I read. I try to calm and focus my mind and sometimes that results in me reading for hours on end and sometimes it just gives me a “jump start”…gets my “motivational juices” flowing, so to speak.

I believe the weather greatly affects my mood and therefore the music I listen to. It’s been observed that I have a taste for slower, more raw styles in the winter months, whereas as soon as Spring hits I go for mostly fast paced, upbeat melodies. 

Summer is always a bit of everything. That’s when I’m usually the most active, come out of my winter tendency to be a bit of a hermit and start socializing more. This always calls for EPIC HEADBANGING. Anything groovy and kick-you-in-the-face-heavy will do!

It’s bloody March and it’s still snowing. In the spirit of summertime fun and spur-of-the-moment ideas and being indecisive, here’s some badass muffins I just whipped up…EVERYTHING Muffins! The fun part about Everything Muffins is that you can put any combination of ingredients together and tweak the recipe to your liking. 

This is what I concocted today. 

Feel free to substitute fruits (fresh or dried), veggies, nuts/ seeds, candy/ chocolate, grains , etc. 
For the best results try , as best you can, to keep the ratio of wet to dry ingredients in proportion. Now go on…CREATE!

Everything Muffins (Makes about 10)

1/3 c. Canola Oil (I use oil for a light, spongy consistency, but if you’re seeking a                                       more dense product, use butter or shortening)
½ c. Sugar
1 Egg
1 c. Orange Juice (any fruit juice or milk)
2 c. All Purpose Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
¼ c. chocolate chips
¼ c. granola
¼ c. chopped walnuts
¼ c. dried currants


Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Combine oil, sugar and egg in a medium sized bowl.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate container.
3. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the juice to the wet ingredients. 
4. Pour into lightly greased muffin tins. 
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes.



Enjoy your creation...post a comment, I always enjoy feedback. 
Let me know what your Everything Muffins are rockin'!




 What I'm listening to right now:

Kalmah, a melodic death metal band from Finland. This is the title track off their 2006 release The Black Waltz.

Sinfully Yours,
The Gruesome Gourmet

Sliders Schmiders

 Do you eat out at restaurants on an occasional basis? What have you noticed in the last few years as far as appetizer trends go? 

Well, for one, Asian style protein bites. Whether it's breaded chicken, crispy beef or marinated shrimp, Asian fusion has taken over a lot of classically westcoast restaurants. 

I used to rant and rave about that because at one point it seemed like Cactus Club topped everything on their menu with cilantro and somehow that was acceptable as Asian influenced cooking.

I've gotten over that now. I may even opt for some of those tasty creations from time to time.

My beef now, so to speak, are those teeny-tiny 1 bite excuses for sustenance commonly known as SLIDERS.

What is the deal with those things? 

I can't stand them...but for some reason their popularity is escalating. I see them everywhere...every new and upcoming trendy restaurant has sliders on their menu. 

There's endless varieties and combinations of ingredients that you can shove inside a bite-sized bun, but isn't that all the more reason to put all that deliciousness in a larger bun? 

Hear me out: so your average, casual dining restaurant burger is anywhere between $10-$13...that price includes a full sized burger with approximately a 5-6oz portion of protein as well as fries, soup, salad, whatever. 

So...why the hell would you pay $9 for 3 microscopic "burgers" that have about 1oz of protein per bun and no side dish? 

I get it---appetizers; you want something to snack on..but it's just not worth it! Never underestimate the power of classics appies and share plates like nachos, hot wings and cheesy bread.
Just saying. 

Also, I can say from experience that sliders are one of those items that everyone in the kitchen hates to make. You're busy running around during the dinner rush and all of a sudden you have to put everything on hold an dedicate the next 5 minutes of your time to carefully assembling these labor-intensive mini burgers from hell.  

Not fun. There's no love for those wretched wannabe burger spawn!

Seriously, consider value for your dollar next time you go out. Don't waste it on mediocre crap.

Sinfully Yours,

The Gruesome Gourmet

No Lambiguity here...

It's 9:20am.

I don't normally do mornings. Right now is my equivalent to the rest of the world's 5am. I feel slightly "woozy" and am still trying to figure out if I'm actually awake, or dreaming about being awake...

So why don't I just crawl back into my nice comfy bed and snooze for a few more hours? Ah, right, I'm waiting for a phone call...

...could be now, could be an hour from now; who knows? 

COFFEE... 

 ...will save the day.

In the meantime, I need some "wake the hell up" music...ear-splitting notes; relentless verbal desecration.

Lamb of God. Formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1990, the band was originally called Burn The Priest. They released one album in 1999, but after being banned and excluded from events and venues due to the "evil nature" of their name, decided to change it to something seemingly less offensive. In 2000, Lamb of God delivered their "first" album New American Gospel.

The first metal show I ever went to was The Unholy Alliance. I was completely unfamiliar with Lamb of God at the time and was there mostly to see Slayer. I recall entering the stadium and hearing Children of Bodom onstage. I raced down the stairs and dove straight into the mosh pit...big mistake---WHACK, right in the jaw! Good times\m/

As Randy Blythe strode onto the stage and belted out the first line of Ruin (off their 2003 release, As The Palaces Burn), I was captured. 

The power. 

The intensity. 

Holy crap, what a show. 

Accompanied  by guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell and drummer Chris Adler, Blythe's vocals assaulted the audience for the next 45 minutes.

I have since adopted them as one of my favourite bands of all-time.  In my opinion, Ashes Of The Wake(2004) takes the cake for their best album and I must have listened to it 20 times over within the first week of owning it! 

Sacrament (2006) and Wrath (2009) have their moments, but nothing will sway me from "Ashes"...I simply just love that album. 

As soon as I have a paycheck I'll be off to buy Resolution which was just released on January 24th...can't wait to give that a spin!

Here's Laid To Rest. Good stuff. Listen. Rock out. Enjoy.

Mmmm....LAMB! The cuter an animal is, the better it tastes. That's a fact.

On a chilly day I find hearty stews do the trick. However, sometimes stew leaves me feeling so full that all I can do is lie around and vegetate until the effects wear off. Here's a "middle ground" recipe that is sure to fill you up, but not to the point where you become a useless heap on the couch!

Lamb Tagine (Feeds 4)

**All spice measurements are approximate. Feel free to experiment a bit and play around with different amounts to tailor this recipe to your desired taste)

2lb lamb shoulder, cut in bite-sized chunks

flour, enough to coat lamb

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, smashed

10 dried apricots (you can chop them, but I like to leave the whole)

1 carrot, diced

1 tomato, diced

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp paprika

small pinch saffron threads

1 tsp turmeric

kosher salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 c tomato paste

2 c chicken stock

1/2 bunch (or more) cilantro, roughly chopped

EXECUTION

1. Douse the lamb bits in the flour and discard excess flour.

2. Saute lamb, onion and garlic in olive oil over med heat until browned.

3. Add spices and toast for about 1 minute.

4. Stir in tomato and tomato paste as well as the stock. Season A BIT.

**The broth will reduce so don't add too much salt at this time.

5. Add carrots and apricots.

6. Reduce heat to LOW, cover and simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

7. Check meat and veggies are tender and the broth is thickened. NOW you can add more seasoning if you wish as well as the cilantro

8. I like to serve this with cous cous, but rice and pasta are good alternatives as well.

Sinfully Yours,

The Gruesome Gourmet

Soylent Green is PEOPLE!!!

Have you seen the movie? I highly recommend it...

OK, so I'm not going to give you a cannibalistic recipe for "Soylent Green"...but I will tell you a bit about one of my favorite grind-sludge-metal bands, Soilent Green.

In 1988 from the depths of New Orleans, Louisiana, Soilent Green was born. They didn't, however, become known until the release of their first album in 1995, Pussysoul.

Their line-up consists of Ben Falgoust (vocals), Brian Patton (guitar), Tommy Buckley (drums), and Scott Crochet (bass). Crochet joined the band in 2004 after previous bassist Scott Williams was fatally shot by his roommate with a .38 caliber revolver.

Ben Falgoust's ravenous screams, immortal energy and sublime charisma make him one of my favorite front-men in heavy metal...don't even get me started on how he kicks it up to a whole different level in Goatwhore...but I'll talk about them some other time :)

I've had the brutal pleasure of seeing these guys play twice and both times had the most epic "bang-overs" and hearing loss the next day!

My all-time favorite album would have to be their 2001 release, A Deleted Symphony For The Beaten Down. Here's the sixth track off that album called "Later Days"

Til next time Disciples!

\m/

Whip it...Whip it good.

Last night I had the pleasure of dining out at a quaint, cozy neighborhood restaurant, that for many years I have strolled by but for one reason or another, never actually explored.

The Whip Restaurant and Gallery with it's classic brick walls and rugged wood flooring gives it a warm and traditional style atmosphere. The bold and eclectic lighting compliments the architecture well and the close-together seating is intimately suggests European discernment. 

On the walls, local artisans display their work, available for sale. January's featured artist is Luke Behrndt.

While the ambiance seems classic, the menu is clearly modern, fresh and very west coast. There's a variety of  organic, vegetarian and vegan options which is no surprise due to the observation that The Whip's clientele is defined mostly by new-wave trend setters, hipsters, musicians and anyone who advocates "artsy" nature.

Upon being seated, my friend and I were greeted promptly and throughout our meals were attended to appropriately. 

I say appropriately with conviction. 

Have you ever been to a restaurant where you almost have to tackle your server to get their attention? 

On the contrary, there's nothing worse than a server who clearly wants a big tip and tends to you so frequently that you can't even have a decent conversation without being interrupted every second sentence!

Back to the food...I enjoyed the "Organic Monterey Bacon Chicken Burger", served with a pile of crispy yam fries. I'm picky about yam fries, and I gotta say, these rocked! As for the burger, the chicken was juicy, the bacon crispy and the veggies, crisp and fresh, all stuffed inside a perfectly toasted kaiser. YUM. 
My friend had the Oven Roasted Lamb heaped on top of a thick wedge of toasted focaccia and drizzled with a scrumptious rosemary jus. FANTASTIC. 

Their drink list is extensive, especially the beer. In 2007 The Whip partnered with R&B Microbrewery and hence every week offer a featured cask from a different BC brewer.

Inviting atmosphere, quality food, intriguing beer and local art. You can't go wrong.
Oh, and did I mention the prices are reasonable?


Wow. The Whip gets my vote for sure. 5 " \m/ " for these guys!


Sinfully Yours,


The Gruesome Gourmet

What a bunch of JERKS!

Hail Disciples!

Who is Jerk?...An industrial nu-metal band from Sydney, Australia formed in 2000. They released a self-titled EP in 2001, but their only full length album was When Pure Is Defiled, released in 2003, one year before they broke up. In 2006, singer Johnathan Devoy reunited with former guitarist Charles Cilia and bassist Leeno Dee to form the band Ink.

Now I must say "nu-metal" is not really my favourite sub-genre due to the predominant emphasis on anger and severe emotional distress rather than melody and, in a lot of cases, actual musical talent!

Nu-metal was birthed in the mid-90s consisting of bands such as Korn, Limp Bizkit, Mudvayne, Deftones, Papa Roach and Coal Chamber, along with many more that no one listens to anymore, hah!

I'll admit, I do have some guilty nu-metal pleasures such as Korn (pre-1999), System of a Down (when the mood strikes), Slipknot's Iowa and Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory...but that pretty much sums it up.

For some reason I thought of this song when I woke up this morning and it took me right back to high-school! 

Jerk: My Friends All Lie

Now, for a delicious recipe that suites the mood...

Jerk Chicken (serves 4) 

All my measurements are approximate, so feel free to tweek it to your liking.

3 tsp coriander

3 tsp cumin seed

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp chili flakes or cayenne pepper (I like hell-ish hot food, but if that's not your style you will want to decrease this measurement!)

2 cloves garlic, smashed, crushed...DECIMATED

4tsp ginger, fresh and just like the garlic, ANNIHILATE it

2 tbsp allspice

2 tsp KOSHER SALT (did you read my last post about SALT? DO IT!)

3 tbsp Jamaican rum

6 tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup works too...)

4 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp brown sugar

4 tbsp olive oil

1/2 c parsley, fresh and chopped

4 pieces of chicken, can be bone-in, boneless skinless, if you're using drumsticks maybe use 8...you get the idea, just enough assorted chicken to feed 4 people!

1 lime

How to execute this recipe:

1. Place the first 5 ingredients in a skillet over medium heat and toast until aromatic, about 2 minutes...watch it carefully, continuously shaking the pan as you don't want them to burn!

Toasting spices brings out their natural oils and intensifies their flavour. I recommend that you toast whole spices and THEN grind them, but if all you have is your pre-ground dried spices in your spice rack then I suppose they will have to do.

2. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and add the toasted spices. Stir well. The marinade should be a paste-like consistency.

3. Lather your chicken with the marinade and transfer to a large ziploc bag. Try to get as much air out of the bag as possible. You can marinate in the bowl or other container if you wish, but bags are always the most effective as they eliminate the amount of air around the product and "press" the marinade into your protein more effectively.

4. Let the chicken marinate for at least 5 hours, but I highly recommend leaving it overnight for maximum flavour absorption.

5. Preheat oven to 375ºF. 

6. Place chicken on a baking sheet or uncovered casserole dish.

For boneless breasts bake for about 20 minutes.

For bone-in you're looking at closer to 35 minutes.  

Alternatively, cooking on the BBQ will get you that nice blackened colour and smoky taste.

I suggest grilling boneless for about 5 minutes on each side, and bone-in for about 10-12 minutes each side depending on the size of the chicken. 

To check if chicken (or any poultry) is cooked through just make sure the juices run clear and are not pink or bloody!

7. Squeeze the fresh lime juice over your cooked chicken and serve!

Thanks for tuning in today.

Sinfully Yours,

The Gruesome Gourmet

Seasonings in the Abyss...

After posting my earlier "assault" that made me think about, well.....SALT!

Salt may seem unimportant to you, but the fact of the matter: it is important. 

No kitchen is complete without salt.

  Salt, as you probably already know is a mineral, so it's not really a seasoning in itself. The "definition" of a seasoning is an herb or spice, but salt is usually clumped in to the category as well. 

  However, I prefer to think of salt more as a flavouring; a flavour enhancer or intensifier. To season and to flavour are not the same thing...salt is added to seasonings to create flavour...follow me so far? For example if you add salt to something sweet, it will get sweeter. Salt can also reduce bitterness, draw out liquid and aid in the preservation of foods.

Let's talk types of salt...

Table Salt: A refined, bleached and usually iodized salt. Why is it iodized?  In many countries, iodine deficiency is a major public health concern and can be cheaply addressed by iodisation of salt. Iodine deficiency affects about two billion people, worldwide and is a leading cause to mental disabilities. It can also cause thyroid gland problems. As far as taste goes though, it's nothing to phone home about.

Kosher Salt: A purified rock salt that contains no iodide or additives. The funny thing about kosher salt is that the salt itself is not actually what the term "kosher" is describing. Over the years, like many other words and phrases, it has been shortened...the correct term would be to call it koshering salt. According to the guidelines for kosher foods, nearly all salt is kosher, including ordinary table salt, so that would be a redundant adjective! It's rather descriptive of the fact that the salt is used to make meats kosher by removing surface blood. As written in the Torah, it is forbidden to consume blood, for it is believed that the life of the animal (literally, the soul of the animal) is contained in the blood. Yikes!

  

  Due to it's purity, kosher salt is ideal for preserving and pickling. The reason being, an iodized salt can be oxidized by the foods and darken them; a harmless but esthetically undesirable effect....imagine eating black pickles! Also iodide and anti-caking agents will sometimes impart an "off" taste to preserved food.  

  I mentioned the reduction of bitterness earlier. If you enjoy eggplant I suggest sprinkling the cut slices with some kosher salt and letting them sit for about 15 minutes before giving them a quick rinse with cold water and then patting them dry so they are ready for preparation. Since kosher salt grains are coarse, their increased surface area allows them to draw out the bitter juices without dissolving and leaving you with super salty eggplant that will be inedible (so don't use table salt for this!).

Sea Salt: A salt obtained by the evaporation of seawater, go figure! It is usually used in gourmet cooking, and it can get quite pricey. You do get what you pay for though...sea salt promotes stability in metabolism and is also helpful in minimizing the effects of stress. It's also the most diabetic-friendly salt on the market. Oh, right, and it tastes great too!

  

Fleur de Sel: A delicate finishing salt used to lightly sprinkle over food seconds before consumption. It's that little extra touch that gives your dish that tantalizing little kick that your guest will love, but can't quite put their finger on why!

 

Rock Salt: Used on your driveway in the winter so your mail-carrier doesn't fall and break their hip! It's not edible...do not confuse this with coarse salt--which is edible and only refers to the size of the grain! 

 

Black Salt: Contrary to it's name, black salt is actually more of a pinkish-gray colour. Traditionally it is used in Indian dishes such as fruit salads, chutneys, and raitas. The flavour is vaguely reminiscent of eggs and is sometimes used by vegans to add an eggy taste to salads and tofu dishes. It is a salt mined from the earth and should not be used as an all purpose salt because of it's sulphuric flavour.

  

  There are many other types and sub-varieties of salt, but unless you are willing to let me babble all night about salt, I'll call it quits with these more common varieties.

  
  If you are more interested in salt, check out food writer Mark Bitterman's reference/ cookbook:

Salted: A Manifesto on the World's Most Essential Mineral, with Recipes

Thank you for reading, and check back often!

Sinfully Yours,

The Gruesome Gourmet

Tuesday's Ear-Splitting Assault

Hail Disciples!

This morning I awoke to find, yet again, more snow outside...so what could be more appropriate than a little black metal to start off my day?

Who is SATYRICON? 

Satyr (Sigurd Wongraven) and Frost (Kjetil-Vidar Haraldstad), a pummeling duo from Oslo, Norway. Their first studio album in 1993 Dark Medieval Times was raw and unyielding and focused on their fascination with the Middle Ages. Although the medieval influence has always been a relevant theme in their music, Satyricon has manifested by experimenting with some industrial and straight up rock and roll inflections throughout the years. 

This track: "Black Crow On A Tombstone" is taken from their 2008 album The Age of Nero. It's dark, aggressive and extremely catchy! Enjoy...