We’re changing things up a bit on this Pre-Thanksgiving Friday Feast today and posting a great video based on Serious Eats’ Braised Turkey Thigh recipe…
Thicken that sauce/gravy with your favorite flour-thickener alternative…
Recipe: Proteins
the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 7 September: Grilled Cumin Garlic Tahini Chicken
Here’s a bit of a different spin on typical grilled chicken we had with friends a few months back – a Grilled Cumin Garlic Tahini Chicken.
Our daughter recently traveled to Jordan for her work as a photojournalist, and came back armed with several artisanal olive oils and spice mixtures, prompting an exploration of Jordanian and other Middle Eastern foods we’ve enjoyed tremendously of late.
We’ve always enjoyed tahini around our camp (even if used primarily in whipping up the occasional batch of hummus when entertaining company), and the nutty goodness of the ground sesame really comes through in this dish.
The fresh garlic, good cumin (get some fresh) and paprika, along with the fresh lemon juice combine very, very well the tahini, and caramelizing (gently) on grill makes the whole package even better.
If you’re a tahini fan, give this one a spin, it’ll likely end up in your rotation (it has in ours of late).
3-4 pound chicken, cut up
Good salt7-8 garlic cloves, peeled, minced, mashed
1 tbsp fresh ground cumin
1 tbsp good paprika
1/3 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (maybe just a bit more)
2-3 tbsp avocado or olive oil
Pinch of good salt, more to taste
Cut up your chicken, dust with good salt, and throw in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Mince the garlic, then grind into a paste with the side of your trusty chef’s knife, along with a pinch of good salt; transfer to a small bowl.
Now add the cumin, paprika, tahini, fresh lemon juice, and 2 tbsp of the oil you’ve chosen. Combine well, you’re looking for a thick paste something akin to a thinner peanut butter consistency. Add a tsp of fresh lemon juice or oil if you need to loosen it up; adjust the salt to taste.
Now slather the paste mixture over each chicken piece; it’s much more interesting to use your hands, rubbing it in and coating all surfaces well. Let the chicken sit at room temp for up to an hour.
Fire the grill.
Cook using your favorite routine for chicken; we start this one skin side down, and turn fairly frequently, moving the chicken to a cooler zone of the grill as the tahini-spice paste begins to caramelize. Rest the chicken when done for a few minutes, then serve either hot or cooled to room temp.
Enjoy.
the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 17 August: Grilled Gochujang Skirt Steak
When were up in Montana a few weeks ago, I brought along about five pounds of skirt steak for a celebratory fajita dinner. We have a family favorite, Texas-inspired version we’ve been making for years (recipe later perhaps), and ended up making the entire bundle of skirt using that old recipe.
I’d actually intended to do a pound or two using this Grilled Gochujang Skirt Steak recipe a friend shared with us a few months back, though didn’t grill this one up until we were back in Texas settled into our routine again.
We’re using gojuchang more and more in the kitchen these days. If you’re not familiar, it’s the umami-laden, thick, crimson red, Korean fermented chile paste that’s most often sold in the little red tubs in our neck of the woods. For those watching their soy intake, most brands include fermented soy in the mix. Note occasionally a bit of glutinous (sticky) rice has been ground in to thicken the mixture, and some even include additional sweeteners (an ingredient we prefer not be included).
This blistering summer we’ve typically been eating thinly-sliced, grilled skirt steak (both warm and cold) over a big-assed salad, but it makes for a great taco (tortilla or lettuce) along the lines of what we talked about in last Friday’s Grilled Southwestern Lamb Shoulder Tacos.
You’ll want to try this in your rotation next week…
2 pounds skirt steak, trimmed, cut into 8-ounce pieces
1/3 cup (generous) gochujang + more for the table
1/3 cup (generous) avocado oil (or EVOO)
1/3 cup (generous) rice vinegar (seasoned if you have it)
2-3 tbsp tamari, coconut aminos, or soy sauce
1/2 sweet onion, gratedTo serve
Warm tortillas or lettuce leaves
Your favorite taco fixin’s
Trim your skirt steaks and cut into roughly 8-ounce pieces.
Combine the gojuchang, oil of choice, rice vinegar, tamari/aminos/soy sauce, and the grated onion in a small bowl and mix well. Pour into a large resealable bag, add the meat and goosh it around so every surface has been coated with the marinade.
Into the fridge it goes for at least an hour, overnight is better.
When ready to cook, drain the skirt steak, and grill over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes per side. Remember skirt cooks really quickly as it’s so thin, and we like ours medium rare…
Pull, let rest for 10 minutes or so while you’re getting the rest of the goods ready, then slice thinly across the grain and go to it.
Enjoy.
the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 3 August: Grilled Southwestern Lamb Shoulder Tacos
This recipe fell in my lap one September afternoon last year; I was attending an outdoor cooking demonstration put on by a gifted hunting and game chef (Killer Chefs) – he was cooking an amazing looking (and tasting) dove, pan-seared in butter, garlic, and thyme, before being finished on a grill to crisp it up a bit for serving.
I was chatting with several other interested cooks (and eaters) in the crowd and ended up trading recipes for leg of lamb with one gentleman who shared about a Grilled Southwestern Spiced Lamb Shoulder Taco he had recently prepared for a gathering.
Within a week I’d made up several versions of his recipe and we ended up liking this one the best; you need plan ahead a bit as it needs overnight time in the marinade, but it’s well worth it and makes a great primal/paleo centerpiece for your next shindig.
5-6 pound bone-in leg of lamb roast (about 3-4 pounds boneless), butterflied
Marinade
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded, minced
2 small shallots, chopped small
5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons good salt
2 teaspoons fresh ground pepperTaco fixin’s
Fresh corn tortillas if you’re using those now and again
Otherwise fresh lettuce leaves
A great salsa or two (consider this one or this one)
Cheese: crumbled cotija, feta, or even goat cheese
Avocado slices or dices
Freshly sliced red radishes
Maybe even uber fresh green onions sliced on the bias
Whatever the heck else goes in your tacos
Salt and pepper
Stir together the marinade ingredients, pour into a large resealable plastic bag, add the lamb shoulder, seal it up and goosh it around until the lamb is covered with liquid and spices. Throw it in the fridge overnight.
When ready to cook, fire the grill, and grill the butterflied lamb for 6-8 minutes per side (an internal temp of about 145) for medium-rare. Pull it and rest the meat for at least 10-15 minutes.
Now slice across the grain into taco-sized slices and start working on those taco masterpieces; you’ll have some great leftovers for the next few days too.
Enjoy.
the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 27 July: Judy’s Grilled Salmon
Several weeks ago when posting this recipe for Lemony Spiced Salmon Kabobs, I shared about a clandestine fresh Alaskan salmon connection we had years ago up in Salt Lake City –
Years ago, living and working in the Salt Lake City valley, we befriended a couple who, among a bevy of interesting quirks, were partners with another guy in a small Alaskan fishing business.
This ‘other guy’ had a boat and spent a fair part of every summer up there and fished (commercially); he sold some of his take to the big canneries, but some, he packed up on ice in coolers, threw on a direct Delta flight, and were then sold by our friends out of their garage, most often 24 hours or less out of the water. And at prices far, far less than local fish markets (there weren’t multiple hands clamoring to take a cut out of the pie).
The halibut was amazing, but the salmon was simply stunning.
The guy’s wife, a wonderful woman named Judy, taught us this quick and easy marinade for salmon the first summer after we’d met. We like to set it up the night before grilling, and it’s well worth using a handful of fresh dill in the marinade. We like to stir in a tbsp or more of chili garlic paste (it adds a very subtle but discernible note), and while Judy’s original recipe called for a tbsp of brown sugar, we don’t miss it all leaving it out these days.
1-2 wild caught salmon fillet(s), pin bones removed
1 cup soy or tamari
Juice of one large lemon
1/2 lemon cut into thin rounds
1 bunch fresh dill, trimmed
1/4 cup olive or avocado oilOptional
1 tbsp oriental chili paste or chili garlic paste
1 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
Prep your salmon (pull those pin bones!) and combine all the marinade ingredients, then pour into a large, flat container. Lay the salmon flesh side down in the marinade, cover, and throw in the fridge.
When ready to grill, fire the grill, drain and discard the marinade, and grill skin side down first on an oiled grill for 3-4 minutes, then turn and cook for another minute or two until done to suit your clan. Great hot off the grill or chilled for the next day’s salad.
Enjoy.
the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 20 July: Ancho Grilled Leg of Lamb
Last week we shared a quick discussion about road trip foods; the concepts would of course apply to those camping or exploring new territory otherwise ensconced in a hotel or vacation rental.
One of the foods we like to take along, certainly in the warmer months of the year, is a grilled leg of lamb. There are a host of great ways to prepare and grill a leg of lamb; we love traditional Greek flavors around our camp, though we reach for this Ancho Grilled Leg of Lamb three out of four times lamb is on the menu.
You need to plan ahead a bit, as it’s much better soaking in the marinade overnight (up to 24 hours). And it’s very much worth tracking down fresh oregano and genuine ancho chile powder (check the Hispanic foods aisle at your favorite grocer, spices and chiles are often much more reasonably priced there). Don’t be afraid of the garlic amount either; when we originally pilfered this recipe from Chef Libby in Austin, her’s called for 14-16 cloves!
By the way, this is great hot of the grill, and maybe even better chilled the next few days.
1 cup white wine
1/3 cup good olive oil
6 tbsp fresh oregano
2 green onions
10 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tbsp ancho chile powder
3 tbsp good blended chili powder
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 and 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 generous tbsp fresh ground black pepper1- 4 to 5 pound, grass-fed leg of lamb, trimmed and butterflied
Combine everything (but the lamb!) in your trusty blender and blend well; add more wine if too thick. Slather the leg of lam in the marinade, rubbing it into the nooks and crannies; place the leg of lamb (covered in all of the marinade) in the fridge overnight, consider using a two-gallon plastic bag to ensure better coverage. Turn it once before you go to bed and again in the morning.
Fire your grill, and note you’ll need a fire with some staying power; we like this over oak and natural hardwood charcoal. Gently shake excess marinade from the lamb (but don’t shake it all off) and let it rumble along for 15-18 minutes per side. It’s medium rare at 130 though you’ll want this big piece of meat to rest for 15 minutes or so.
Once rested, artfully slice thinly against the grain and pour some of those incredible pan juices that oozed out while it was resting over it. Holy smoke, that’s good.
Enjoy.
the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 13 July: Lemony Spiced Salmon Kabobs
Years ago, living and working in the Salt Lake City valley, we befriended a couple who, among a bevy of interesting quirks, were partners with another guy in a small Alaskan fishing business.
This ‘other guy’ had a boat and spent a fair part of every summer up there and fished (commercially); he sold some of his take to the big canneries, but some, he packed up on ice in coolers, threw on a direct Delta flight, and were then sold by our friends out of their garage, most often 24 hours or less out of the water. And at prices far, far less than local fish markets (there weren’t multiple hands clamoring to take a cut out of the pie).
The halibut was amazing, but the salmon was simply stunning.
I’ll share in the next few weeks our all time favorite fresh salmon marinade (thanks, Judy!), but these kabobs are also one of our favorites (we just did a batch last week).
The kabobs are delicious and Instagram worthy as written, even more so with some thinly sliced vegetables threaded on the skewers, but a tip from a chef friend now has us grilling separate vegetable skewers as cook times differ a bit…
For the spice mix
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano (or 1 T dried)
2 tsp white sesame seeds
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp good smoked paprika
1 tsp good pink or kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes2 lemons, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced
2 tbsp EVOO or avocado oil1 and 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into approx. 1.5 inch pieces
Optional: Thinly sliced baby zucchini, summer squash, red bell pepper squares, etc
For the spice mix, we find it easier to dump all the spice mix ingredients into a mini-processor and whirl them together.
Onto pairs of skewers thread salmon and half-slices of lemon (alternating of course); if you choose to throw some vegetables into the mix, either artfully thread them onto the skewers with the lemon and salmon, or construct several vegetable only skewers.
Brush each skewer with the oil, dust generously with the spice mix, and grill, rotating every 1-2 minutes, until the fish is done to your liking.
Enjoy.
the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 6 July: Columbian Marinated Flank Steaks
Flank steak has been a workhorse beef choice of discerning home grilling enthusiasts for decades, and for good reason.
It’s readily available, won’t break the bank, offers a rich, beefy flavor, is relatively quick to cook, and has a great tooth when not overcooked, rested, and then sliced thinly across the grain.
A super-simple teriyaki flank was one of the first grilling recipes I was ever able to reproduce consistently, though these Columbian Marinated Flank Steaks have become one of our favorites during the past decade.
I honestly can’t remember, but it seems like the first version of this popular preparation we ever cooked was featured in the Wall Street Journal of all places (they do have a great food section), and the cumin, oregano, dark beer, and Worcestershire work magic on an otherwise good but oft unadorned cut of beef.
To our way of thinking this prep needs to come of the grill medium-rare, rested, then thinly sliced and served with whatever version of a great salsa verde you’re good at (chimichurri is the Argentinian version, though try Columbia’s ahi sauce sometime too – we’ll post a recipe in the next few weeks…).
You’ll come back to this one…
Trimmed flank, approx. 2 and 1/2 pounds
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp good coarse salt (or more)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup EVOO or avocado oil
6-8 green onions, trimmed, then thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 bottle dark beerChimichurri sauce, Quick Columbian Guacamole, Tomatillo Avocado Salsa, or your favorite
Mix together the cumin, oregano, salt, and fresh ground pepper (we use as much pepper as salt) in a small bowl.
Trim your flank steaks as needed, then lightly score them on both sides in a crisscross pattern (only an eighth of an inch or so deep) roughly 1/2-inch apart. Now dust both sides of the steaks with the spice mixture, drizzle with the olive oil, and rub it in with your hands, working the spice mixture and oil into the score marks and making sure the steaks are well-covered.
Drop the rubbed steaks into your marinating container, add the Worcestershire, beer, parsley, and green onions, then cover and throw in the fridge for a minimum of four hours; overnight is better.
When ready to cook, fire the grill and grill these over medium-high heat, taking care not to overcook. We’re medium-rare folks around our camp, and pending the size of your steaks and the heat of your fire, you could easily be at the medium-rare point in only 3 minutes per side.
Pull the steaks, let them rest for at least 5 minutes, then (as always with flank) thinly slice across the grain. We love this served with chimichurri (and yes, I know that’s Argentinian) or Columbia’s version – Ahi sauce, or a great creamy guacamole (see links above).
Enjoy.
