Spatchcocked Korean Chicken and Cabbage-Ramen Slaw

I ran out today to pick up a variety of meat as I plan on relaxing tomorrow, doing no yardwork, sitting in the shade and running the smoker.  As usual I got a little out of hand,  2 chickens, 3 racks of baby back ribs, and two bone-in pork shoulders. I don't think it will all fit on the smoker, so I've decided to do a chicken on the grill today. Cooked chicken freezes nicely and can make for a very quick weeknight supper.

Some time ago, I made some Korean shortribs that were wonderful; the marinade is sweet, salty and aromatic with the sesame oil. I'll try that with the chicken.  In order to make it cook quickly and evenly on the grill, I decided to spatchcock it.

What you say? You've Spatchcocked your chicken? Good lord man!  Relax..... besides being a funny word (there remains a bit of the 14 year old in me) it is a handy way to prep your bird for cooking that helps ensure even cooking. Basically you take your chicken - remove the backbone and butterfly it so it will lie flat on the grill rack, roasting pan or wherever.

First I whipped up some of the Korean BBQ marinade from the Korean slider post.

Then I spatchcocked the chicken

Place chicken breast side down on the work surface.

Using kitchen shears - snip out the backbone. (save for stock)

Push down on the sides of  the bird - a crunch is not a bad noise.

Trim off the wing tips (save for stock)

Using the tip of the shears make two small cuts into the flaps of skin below the breast and push  the legs tips through the holes. It  will help keep the chicken flat.

At this point I reserved 1/2 cup of the marinade, put the rest into a large Ziploc bag, added the altered fowl.

This went in the fridge while I made the salad.

Cabbage Ramen Slaw
1 head of cabbage - shredded
1 package of Ramen noodle (2.5oz) uncooked and crumbled - but not too much
4 or 5 green onions sliced, white and green
3 Tbs sesame seeds

For the dressing whisk together,
1/2 cup of salad oil - need not be EVOO
3 Tbs sugar
3 Tbs red wine vinegar
Splash of Sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything except the noodles and refrigerate until 20 minutes before serving.

20 minutes before serving add the noodles and toss to coat.

Prepare grill to 350F.

Grill on indirect heat for 25 minutes,

turn and grill for 25 minutes more.

You may have to adjust the fire. Brush with reserved marinade in last 5 minutes

Remove from grill and let rest 10 minutes.

Carve and serve with Ramen Slaw

A nice light summer dinner, perfect for alfresco dining!

Until next time, Eat Well and Keep Digging!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
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Quick Kimchi

In preparation of Korean style BBQ beef short ribs, I'm making this recipe for Quick Kimchi. I don't have a lot of time so we'll try this quickie method.

This recipe is adapted from Tyler Florence of the Food Network.

Ingredients:
1 head Napa cabbage, about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup rice vinegar (I used white vinegar)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons hot chili paste
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions:
Remove outer leaves from cabbage. Cut cabbage in quarters and remove the tough inner core. Pretty huh?

Slice across sections into 1/2-inch slices.

Put into a colander, add salt, and mix well.

Place over a bowl and let drain, covered, until wilted, about 2 hours.

In a large bowl combine the vinegar and sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the chili paste, ginger, garlic,  and stir.

Rinse the salt off the cabbage with a couple of changes of water.  I used my trusty salad spinner.

Dry well and add to the vinegar mixture; stir well to combine. Put into a sterilized glass jar and pack the cabbage down; add enough water to cover.

Close the jar and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. This is spicy and gets spicier the longer it sits



The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
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Braised Napa Cabbage with Fennel and Apples

Cabbage is such a homely vegetable. Years of mistreatment can lead to indelible scars and get folks to not like it. Then again, it  can be so poorly done, yet is versatile and keeps wonderfully. It can be eaten raw (think slaw) cooked (braised), or preserved (sauerkraut or kimchi). Nutritionally, it is high in vitamins C and K.

By the way, and I don't normally preach, but studies suggest that women with a diet high in brassicas (cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and others) have a lower incidence of breast cancer.  Food for thought...

I have a lovely head of Napa cabbage and want to cook something comforting for dinner.

Ingredients:
1 head Napa Cabbage
1 Fennel bulb
1-2 apples
Juice of half a lemon
2.5 oz of bacon ( 2-3 slices)
chicken stock (or water or vegetable stock or wine)
salt and pepper to taste

One of the nice things about curing, smoking, and slicing your own bacon is that I have bunch of little bags of bacon ends in the freezer. It adds a salty, smokey, porky note to anything you are cooking. Of course you could skip it and use any fat of your choice, oil, or butter. I love the flavor of the bacon, so that is what I am using.


Directions:
Brown bacon in a heavy dutch oven over medium high heat.

While bacon browns, core and slice the cabbage and apples. Slice the fennel.

Add the cabbage and fennel, stir to coat in the fat. Cook stirring often until the cabbage begins to brown, about 7-9 minutes.

Add juice of 1/2 lemon and the apples. Cook another 3 minutes.

Add 1 and 1/2  cups stock or enough to almost cover cabbage apple fennel mixture.

Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Braise for 1 hour.

Check seasoning, adjust salt and pepper.

At the end, I added a smoked Kielbasa to the dutch oven to steam/cook.

Serve with steamed buttered new potatoes.

The wife liked it, and said the cabbage was not bitter, must be a function of the apples and fennel.

Try some today!


Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener