Good Morning.
Forget the burgers, beer, and ice cream. There's nothing wrong with any of it, but in a country that seems intent on beating itself to shreds, my thought is to go deliciously diverse this year.
Thus we begin with a BLUE HAWAII for the adults.
3/4 oz. light rum
3/4 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. blue curacao
3 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. sweet and sour mix
Combine in a glass with plenty of ice. For the younger set, fix up a ROY ROGERS - a Coke or Pepsi on ice with a little Grenadine and a maraschino cherry. Doesn't sound like a cowboy to me but there it is.
Moving along, we suggest CHICKEN MOLE ON THE GRILL. Make the sauce a day ahead of grilling.
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 small white onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 canned chipotle peppers with a tablespoon of liquid
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
In a medium skillet, saute the onions in the vegetable oil until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the tomatoes, chocolate, cinnamon, cumin, and the chipotles with liquid. Simmer for 5 minutes. Place in a blender, add the chicken broth and puree until smooth. Cool, put in a container, and refrigerate until needed.
For the marinade:
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups water
Combine these ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. Add 6 chicken thighs and 6 drumsticks to the marinade in a baking pan and place in the fridge for an hour.
For the dry rub:
2 tbsp. ancho chile powder
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Remove chicken from the fridge and pat dry. Sprinkle with the rub all over the chicken pieces and use your hands to smush the dry mixture into them. Get out the mole sauce and warm up on the stove. Grill the chicken over medium-high heat until done, 15 minutes per side. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, baste with about two thirds of the sauce, reserving the other third. To serve, spoon the warm, reserved sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh, chopped cilantro.
We like two chillier sides with the somewhat spicy chicken, including a GREEK SALAD.
1 head romaine, washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 medium cucumber, sliced or diced
1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and cut in half
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup crumbled Feta
Place the romaine in a salad bowl, add the tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss. Sprinkle with Feta. Makes 6 servings.
And a FRENCH POTATO SALAD with not a blob of mayonnaise in sight.
2 pounds baby red potatoes
2 tbsp. dry white wine
2 tbsp. chicken broth
10 to 12 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh basil, finely chopped
Cook the potatoes in boiling water until done. Drain in a colander and cool. Cut in half. Place in a medium bowl and toss with the wine and chicken broth. Set aside. In a bowl whisk together olive oil, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add to the potatoes, throw in the chopped herbs, and carefully toss. Serve at room temperature.
And for dessert we tip a hat with IRISH MOUSSE. Give the kids an Eskimo Pie.
6 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
Dash of salt
2 tbsp. sugar
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
1 oz. Bailey's Irish Cream
Combine the egg yolks with 1 cup sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly, for close to 10 minutes until thickened. Place this mixture in a bowl and put plastic wrap directly on top to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for several hours. In a bowl, beat the 3 egg whites with 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff. Fold this carefully into the chilled custard, then carefully fold in the whipped cream, and finally the Bailey's. Pour into individual dessert glasses and chill for several hours. Top with a bit of whipped cream.
The St. Patrick's Day activities in my city were started by a Jewish woman, now over the age of ninety and still known for her festive nature. I once attended a party at her home where she had a conveyor belt in the kitchen. Each guest was invited to stand at the end of the belt and grab the drink she mixed up before it fell off the belt onto the floor. She also wore a gizmo on a chain around her neck that held her glass - she freely declared that she was tired of setting her drink down and forgetting where she'd left it.
God Bless Us,
Elisabeth
Comments