Grilled Lemon Rosemary and Garlic Flattened Chicken

Recently when Bill, Debbie and their son Matthew came for dinner, I grilled vegetables from my garden and this chicken that my neighbour raised, for dinner.  With the exception of the lemon and olive oil, everything I served for dinner was local.  

I first made this chicken while camping in Killbear Provincial Park a number of years ago. We arrived at our campsite late in the day and immediately started the fire after pitching the tent.  One of the great things about the older campgrounds in the provincial parks is that they have fire pits with grills to cook on.  Friends of ours were camping the first time and I was making dinner.  I prepped the chicken the night before at home, threw it in a freezer bag, froze it over night and packed it in the cooler for the trip north.  Small new potatoes, cut in half, thrown in the cast iron pan with some olive oil, coarse salt and tyme, and fresh corn on the cob that we picked up from a road side stand on the way north completed the dinner.

This summer has been so dry that there is a fire ban and so have had to use
the gas barbecue which is almost as good, but lacks the smokey taste of the fire. 

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 large head of garlic
• 2 lemons
• 1 bunch of rosemary
• 1 bunch of Italian parsley
•  olive oil
•  salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt
• 1 large freezer bag

Cut the whole chicken down the centre of the breast and open flat.  Clean inside ribs, and salt.  Smash garlic cloves with side of knife and continue to mash with the side of knife until the garlic is paste like.  Rub half of the garlic into ribs of the chicken.  Finely chop rosemary and mix with the remaining mashed garlic. Lift up skin over breast and stuff rosemary and garlic mixture between breast and skin.  Carefully place skin back in place. Generously salt and pepper skin.  Place in large freezer bag with the juice of a lemon and refrigerate until ready to cook, a minimum of one hour, but overnight is better.  Grate skin of lemon and mix equal parts sea salt, and save for when chicken comes off grill.

Fifteen minutes before cooking turn the barbecue on high.  If you are using a fire, build a good bed of coals, and test heat by holding hand over fire. You should be able to hold it for the count of 3.  When the grill is hot, paint the grill with olive oil and place chicken, rib side down in the centre of the grill.   Place something heavy on top, like a cast iron frying pan to flatten the chicken. Turn grill down to medium.  Leave for 15 to 20 minutes depending on size of chicken and temperature of grill. Flip the chicken and weigh down again.  Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes and the skin is crispy and golden and juice runs clear.  Sprinkle lemon zest and salt mixture over chicken and tent and let rest for 10 minutes.

Finely chop 1 branch of rosemary, 2 branches of parsley and 1 clove of garlic.  Mix with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and juice from one lemon.  Serve with chicken.

Maple and Bourbon Planked Salmon

A number of years ago, I came across Ted Reader's "The Art of Plank Grilling" in the barbecue section of Canadian Tire.  I love this book and the kooky inventiveness combined with the practical 'how to' directions for preparing special plank applications.  I think, I drove most of my friends crazy for about a year, cooking everything on a plank.  Since then, I have evolved a few favourites that I always come back to. It continues to be my favourite method to barbecue salmon for a group because of the cedar smokiness and the moisture that the plank affords the salmon.  

Plank not soaked long enough will need additional spraying during grilling 

Making anything planked requires planing ahead, because, first you need the plank, which can be difficult to find, and secondly, the  plank needs to be soaked in water,  preferably overnight. I use a shallow glass roasting dish filled with water to soak the plank, weighing the plank down with another dish.

• cedar plank larger than piece of salmon selected
• large multi-portioned salmon fillet
• one lemon
• 1/2 cup of maple syrup
• 1/4 cup of bourbon
• red chilli with seeds removed
• coarse sea salt
• freshly ground pepper
• tablespoon of butter

Soak cedar plank in water overnight or for a minimum of 3 hours.  In the mean time, prepare glaze.  Combine maple syrup, bourbon in small stainless steel pot. Bring to boil and reduce by half. Add chopped chilies and set aside.  

Heat barbecue grill to high. While the  grill is heating up, salt and pepper skinless side of the salmon, squeeze 1/2 of lemon on top of salmon, lightly paint top of salmon with glaze.  Set fish aside and let warm to room temperature while preparing the plank.  Place plank on hot grill.  Cover grill until plank begins to crackle, about 5 minutes, remove and sprinkle coast sea salt on plank.  Turn grill down to medium, then place salmon on plank and place plank back on grill.  Close lid and leave for 15 to 25 minutes depending on thickness of salmon. Be careful not to over cook. The plank will smoke, which provides the flavour, but if it starts to flame,  spray the plank with water.  When done remove from grill.  I place plank on large serving platter.  


Heat remaining glaze, add butter, and stir.  Squeeze other half of lemon on top of salmon, and drizzle maple/bourbon glaze with butter over length of salmon.   

Chilled Summer Pea Soup with Mint

I currently have a bounty of peas.  In addition to the peas from my garden,  there were two bags of fresh peas, one of sugar and the other snap peas in my box of vegetables from the farm.  Fresh peas from the pod are so fabulous and I wanted to capture that essence in a cold soup for dinner on a hot summer day. 


Peas from the pod remain sweet for only a very short time and then start to become starchy, so I needed to use as quickly as possible.  With both fresh mint and shallots from the garden, in combination with the peas, the freshness of this soup was hard to beat.  

2 shallots, finely diced
2 tablespoons of butter ( or olive oil, if vegan)
5 cups of shelled peas
2 cups of vegetable broth
4 or 5 leaves of fresh mint
1 cup of cream (or soy milk, for my vegan daughter)
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste




Sauté shallots in butter, until soft, but not coloured. Add vegetable broth and simmer for a few minutes.  Cool.  Briefly cook peas in boiling water, until softish, retaining some bite.  Rinse in ice bath to stop cooking.  


Combine cold broth, peas and mint in food processor and pulse until a smooth constancy.  Strain, add cream.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve, or store in refrigerator until ready to serve.  


Note, the peas become starchy very quickly, so do not store for too long.  

Three Types of Strawberry Jam

The sky opened up and it rained hard on Saturday morning, and all of the local gardeners and farmers were ecstatic.  It had been scorchingly hot, with no rain for a few weeks. My neighbour, Peter, referred to the storm as 'the million dollar rain'.  The local Saturday morning market was a bit sparse and so when I saw the flats of strawberries, I thought strawberry jam, either that, or tackle organizing the basement.  It was an easy decision.  Strawberry Jam.

When I got home I pulled out my Small Batch Preserving, by Margaret Howard,  and found a couple of recipes, one with sherry, and another with balsamic vinegar.  My mother had a fondness for Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry, and I had the remnants of a bottle from years ago in the cupboard.  The other recipe reminded me of one of my favourite deserts, strawberries with balsamic vinegar and crushed black peppercorns. 


After making these recipes there were still strawberries left over, and I thought a classic jam, and so I made what started out to be Plane Jane Strawberry Jam until, Andrea, who was visiting, suggested I add tarragon "just to add a bit of interest", so the third batch is French Tarragon Strawberry Jam.  

Three Types of Strawberry Jam

Balsamic and Peppercorn Strawberry Jam

• 8 cups of small strawberries, cleaned and hulled
• 4 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon of coarsely crushed peppercorns

Combine strawberries and sugar in large stainless steel pot.  Let it stand for at least two hours, stirring occasionally.  Add vinegar and bring to a hard boil and continue boiling gently for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and add peppercorns.

Pour into large flat glass or enamel pans to 1/2 inch depth.  Place in oven and bake at 170F for 10 hours, or in a convection oven for 3 hours.  Stir occasionally.


Ladle into 8 oz sterilized bottles and screw on lids.  Process for 10 minutes.  Makes 5 bottles. 

Mom's Harvey's Bristol Cream with Strawberry Preserves

• 5 cups of cleaned and hulled small strawberries
• 4 cups of sugar
• juice of one lemon
• I pouch of liquid fruit pectin
• 1/2 cup of Harvey's Bristol Cream

Stir sugar, lemon and strawberries in stainless steel or enamel pot and let stand for 4 or 5 hours. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring constantly, and boil hard for 2 minutes. remove from heat, and add pectin and sherry.

Ladle into 8 ounce, wide mouthed, sterilized bottles and process for 10 minutes.  Makes 4, 8 ounce bottles.

Andrea's Tarragon Strawberry Jam

• 5 cups of strawberries, half slightly crushed, the other half cut in half
• 4 cups of sugar
• juice from 2 lemons
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 envelop of pectin

Mix berries, lemon juice and sugar and let stand for 8 hours.  Put in stainless steel pot and boil for 5 minutes.  Stir in pectin and cook for another minute.  Remove form heat and stir in tarragon.

Ladle into bottles and process for 10 minutes.  Makes 4, 8 ounce bottles

Canada Day Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart

I currently have  strawberries and rhubarb in my garden. Strawberries and rhubarb are the quintessential early summer combination.  Rhubarb, technically a vegetable, is the very first thing from the garden and as long as it is picked regularly will continue to produce for most of the summer.  Strawberries come later, but are worth the wait.  There is nothing like Ontario strawberries fresh from the field.  They taste like a completely different fruit than the strawberries that come from the southern US and Mexico.

Growing up, we always had rhubarb in the garden, and would often pick buckets of strawberries in a "pick your own" strawberry field to make strawberry jam for the rest of the year, and then indulge in the left over bucket of strawberries, for the next few days -  strawberries and milk for breakfast, strawberry short cake,  strawberry and spinach salad, and my mother's favourite was always strawberry and rhubarb stew.  

It was Canada Day and I so it seemed appropriate to refer to Rose Murray's  book, " A Taste of Canada"  and her recipe for Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart for inspiration.  

Canada Day Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart

Pastry

• 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of cold unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons of ice water

9" tart pan with removable bottom

Sift together dry ingredients.  Cut butter into small pieces and put in flour.  Cut butter into flour until a light crumble.  Gradually stir in cold water adjusting amount until the correct consistency.  Form into flat ball, and roll and fit into 9" fluted tart pan. Prick bottom with fork, and cover with parchment paper, and weigh down bottom.  I use my daughters old marbles, but dry beans or rice also work. 

Bake at 425F for 8 minutes, Remove weights and parchment paper and put back in oven for another 5 to 8 minutes.  I protect the edges by reusing the parchment paper and placing it lightly over the tart.   Cool and remove from tart pan.

Filling

• 4 cups of chopped rhubarb
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of port
• 1/2 cup of black current jelly
• 4 cups of fresh hulled strawberries

Glaze

• 4 tablespoons of current jelly
• 1 tablespoon of port

Combine brown sugar, port and jelly in heavy sauce pan.  Add rhubarb and cook over low heat, storing until the sugar, jelly and port are fluid in constancy.  Turn up heat, storing often, until the rhubarb is a mushy constancy, about 10 minutes.  Cool.

In small pot, heat current jelly and port for glaze.

Fill shell with rhubarb mixture, arrange strawberries, point up in filling, and paint strawberries with glaze.  

This tart is fabulous on it's own, however whipped cream or vanilla ice cream as a compliment push this desert over the top.