Recipes
Whole Roast Chicken
on the Charcoal Grill
Put within arms' reach:
sheet of butcher paper
paring knife
whole chicken
2-3 wads of paper towels
local garbage sack
6' of cotton string
fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley
heaping tablespoon of kosher salt
heaping tablespoon of coarse-ground black pepper
Remove giblets and dry chicken with paper towels. Remove wishbone with a paring knife. Trim excess fatty skin. Season with salt and pepper under the skin of the breast and through the cavity into the leg quarters. Insert a handful of herbs into the cavity. Truss. Allow to reach room temperature before grilling.
Fill a Weber chimney with charcoal and newspaper and light it. When flames are coming out the top (20 min.), pour coals on grate in two piles. Keep the center of the grate clear. When coals are covered with ash, center chicken on grill and cover.
Soak a cup of wood chips in water. After 30 minutes, drain and put the chips on coals.
Keep grill covered. Roast for 90 minutes in all. It is not necessary to turn the chicken.
Remove chicken from grill and let rest for 20-30 minutes before serving.
Whole roast turkey is very similar. Buy a "minimally processed" turkey under 14 lbs. Brine in salt water for a few hours or overnight, depending on strength of brine. After one hour, add new, burning charcoal to each pile. Continue to roast for 2 hours 15 minutes in all.
Polenta
Heat 3 or 4 cups of water in a teapot. In a medium-large pot combine
4 c. water
1 t. table salt
1 T. olive oil
2 bay leaves
Bring to boil then sprinkle like rain (come pioggia) while whisking
1 c. stone ground yellow corn meal
Reduce heat for a slow perk. Cook 25 minutes adding hot water from teapot for desired consistency. Remove from heat. Remove bay leaves and add
3/4 c. grated Parma cheese
Serves 4 as a side.
Crepes
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the crepe pan. In a medium-sized bowl, wisk
2 eggs
1 t. sugar
3 T. melted butter
1/4 c. water
until eggs are beaten. Then add
3/4 c. flour
and wisk to make a thick, lump-free batter. Then add
3/4 c. milk
and wisk for a batter that is thin enough to run around the pan. Add water if needed. Use 1 1/2 to 2 oz. of batter per 8" crepe. Makes 7.
Standard-Issue Boat Drink
A muddler, preferably of white oak, is required to make the standard-issue boat drink. The standard issue requires no mixers, which is nice on a boat.
In a Tervis Tumbler, muddle
3 sugar cubes (1 tablespoon) to taste
1/4 lime
1 1/2 oz. rum or tequila
2-3 oz. water (leave room for ice)
Be careful not to over-muddle, lime rind is bitter. After sugar dissolves, add ice.
White oak muddlers for sale at our Etsy shop!
Texas Martini
Also called "Mexican martini" in Texas. Mix
3 oz tequila
2 oz water
1 1/2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 oz orange liqueur
1 oz simple syrup
Shake with ice, strain into a martini glass.
DIY olives: Rinse large, pitted queen olives in water. Stuff them yourself with bits of brined jalapeño slices.
Shaker Daiquiri
3 oz white rum
1 oz lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
2 oz water
Shake with ice in cocktail shaker. Strain into a martini glass.
Rum Runner
Rum runners are complicated, with many ingredients. This mixer uses a Dole™ 100% juice product that combines three ingredients in one. Blender not required.
12 oz Dole pineapple-orange-banana juice
3 oz blackberry brandy
2 oz water
15 shakes cocktail bitters
To properly dispense bitters, invert bottle over mix and give it 15 deliberate shakes.
Fill a Tervis with ice, add white rum and mixer, and shake. Dust with fresh-grated nutmeg spice. Ron 151 floater is optional.
Simple Syrup
Heat 2 c. sugar and 2 c. water in saucepan. Boil for one minute. Cool and refrigerate.