A Tale of Two Fantastic Chicken Recipes

First off does anyone know what plant this is? Are these edible? If I channel my inner Hank Shaw and forge and eat one will I die?



One more thing... My Concord grapes are growing. I love how the insides pop out of the tough skin. I have a whole lot of them growing and I want to do something other than jelly or juice. Any ideas?



I lied, one more thing for real. I love this bug. I saw one of these when I was a kid and never saw one again. I had thought that I made it up in my head until this morning when this little guy was right on my door to my house. "Hi little stick guy!" That is what I said to him. I wish I could keep him for a friend but Dr. Food would probably um...I dunno what Dr. Food would do. It might throw him over his limit of what he can tolerate from me and he would cry. That would be scary.

Ok ok, two fantastic chicken recipes (along with some description)



I cut up my own chicken and I think that I invented parts that no one has ever heard of before. It did call for 10 pieces and there were 10 pieces but not the "usual" 10 pieces. Oh, there was a wing in there somewhere.



This recipe was in "The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen" a new cookbook that we bought. I can't tell you how much I love this cookbook and want to make everything in it.



This one was called "Easy Braised Chicken" and it was easy and good.



The Umma Paste is spicy so add less or more depending on taste.



Moving on to Chicken recipe #2! I loved this one so much that it is now one of my very favorites. I got it because I was Tweeting with Cathy (Mrs Wheelbarrow) and she said that she was making it for dinner. She said that if I made it too it would be like we were eating dinner together. I made it and boy am I glad that I did!



The spices are really pretty together (although the turmeric did turn my pretty manicure to yellow).



How beautiful is this? It is so easy to make and I swear you wont be sorry.



I also made with roasted brussel sprouts but...



I kinda got distracted and kinda let them burn.



Didn't matter because this was an awesome dinner! I better go "tweet" to see what I will be making tonight. Mrs Wheelbarrow? Any more suggestions?


Easy Braised Chicken
Kimchi Chronicles
Printable Version

One 4-pound chicken
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil

*Umma Paste
1 tbsp soju, sake, vodka, or water
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

8 small boiling potatoes, peeled
2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bunches scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 fresh green chile pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
1 fresh red chile pepper; thinly sliced (optional)
Cooked white rice, for serving


Cut the chicken into 10 pieces (2 wings, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, halve the breasts).

Season the chicken pieces aggressively all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, wide heavy pot over high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken, skin-side down, and brown on both sides, 6 to 7 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, whisk together 1/2 cup water, the Umma Paste, soju, honey, and sesame seeds. Set the sauce aside.

When all the chicken is browned, add the potatoes, onions, carrots, scallions, and reserved sauce to the pot and stir everything together. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring now and then, until the chicken is cooked through and yielding and the potatoes are tender, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with chiles if you’d like and serve with rice.


*Umma Paste
Makes 3/4 cup

4 large garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons gochugaru
(red pepper powder)
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons gochujang
(red pepper paste)
3 tablespoons soju

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and puree to a smooth paste.



Peruvian Chicken
Mrs Wheelbarrow

Printable Version

Buttermilk Soak:

3 cups buttermilk
2 crushed garlic cloves
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
one - 3 - 3.5 pounds chicken, rinsed and tidied up

Peruvian Style Rub:

1 medium head of garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 tablespoons softened butter
1 tablespoon hot Hungarian paprika or smoked paprika, or a combination. depends how spicy you like your chicken.
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 limes
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup chicken broth

1. Soak the chicken in the buttermilk brine for 3-4 hours. I use a ziplock bag as it's easier to get the buttermilk all around the chicken.
Roast the head of garlic. Slice off the top of the head, exposing all the cloves. Drizzle the oil in between all the cloves, and wrap the whole thing up in foil. Bake for about an hour at 350.


2. Squeeze all the tasty roasted garlic out into a small mixing bowl. Add the butter and spices, and the juice of one of the limes, and make a paste.

3. Remove the chicken & brine from the refrigerator. RInse the chicken and pat it dry. Rub the paste under the skin of the breast and thighs and then over the entire chicken. Tuck one or two quartered limes in the cavity and truss the chicken loosely.

4. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature, and the paste to season the chicken, for about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 475 with the rack in the bottom third of the oven. In good weather, I use my outdoor gas grill as an oven. It heats up faster and hotter then the oven.

6. Get out a heavy cast iron skillet.

7. Heat the skillet for 3 minutes on high heat. Add a shimmer of canola or other oil and get that good and hot, too. Another minute or two.
Slip in the chicken, back side down, into the skillet, and then place the skillet in the oven. (Or on the grill.)

The chicken will take about 50 minutes to one hour. The only reliable test is a thermometer reading of 160.

Remove the chicken from the oven/grill and put it on the stove, over high heat, and add thyme and 1/2 c chicken broth, then spoon the broth over the chicken. Allow the bird to rest for 10 minutes, then quarter and serve.