Easy Company Fare: Mustard Crusted Chicken Thighs

Everyone needs a few tried and true chicken recipes in their repertoire … the kind of recipes that only use a few staple ingredients and can be whipped up in a flash for a weeknight dinner.

This is one of those recipes.

It was an idea that came about while we were looking through the pantry, trying to think of what to have for dinner (an all-too-common occurrence, but one that often meets with mixed results). I had a package of chicken thighs that needed to be used, but no time to marinate them as I normally would.

So, I decided to rely on flavorful staples I had lying around -- a few tablespoons of mustard, fresh herbs and a bit of wine. I decided a bit of butter would keep the baked chicken moist, while ensuring a bit of caramelization on the exterior. And what started off as an impromptu experiment turned into one of the most delicious recipes I've come up with in a long time.

These delicious chicken thighs are impressive enough to serve to impromptu guests, but they feel just as at home alongside a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes and green beans.

Mustard Crusted Chicken Thighs

There are more great recipes where this one came from! We created this dish as part of our work with the Go Bold with Butter blog, where you'll find an amazing collection of delicious recipes using real butter.

©BURP!

Tequila Lime Butter Grilled Chicken: The Best Chicken is Drunk Chicken

Ah, yes. Grilling season is finally here.
And is there anything more classic than marinated chicken?

Probably not. But, I'll bet you're bored with your usual recipes.

So, let me offer this suggestion: start mixing your favorite cocktails with your chicken breasts.

Seriously, folks. A chicken breast marinated with a Bloody Mary is positively delicious.

And rum and pineapple will give you an awfully nice tropical chicken dish.

Or pour on the gin and grapefruit juice and make yourself delicious "Salty Dog" inspired chicken.

The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. And your liquor cabinet.

This is our latest "drunken" chicken marinade: tequila lime.

This recipe brings together the flavors of a classic margarita into a deliciously bright chicken dish where the flavors really pop. A tequila lime mop sauce fortified with real butter reinforces the citrus flavor and assists the chicken in caramelizing easily on the grill.

Just look at those lovely grill marks. And no - they weren't made with a sharpie.

Tequila Lime Butter Grilled Chicken

©BURP!

Salami Stuffed Chicken Breast: Easy Company Worthy Fare

I'll admit that when we first tackled this Bolzano Blogger project, I wasn't sure exactly what we were going to make for our first recipe. Bolzano salami is delicious, but we generally eat it out of hand, as part of an antipasto platter, or prepared simply on a sandwich. So, thinking about creating a recipe that really made the most of the flavors of the meat felt like a bit of a challenge.

We were lucky enough to be given a stick of the newest flavor of Bolzano Salami -- the Pitzotl, featuring the zip of chiles and the deep dark flavor of delicious cocoa powder. So, we decided to focus on recipes that show-cased the "mole-esque" qualities of the product.

This delicious recipe features quick-brined chicken breasts stuffed with cumin garlic butter, and stuffed to the brim with Pitzotl salami, sundried tomatoes, and Queso Fresco. The chicken breasts are easy to throw together, they hold their shape thanks to a bit of kitchen twine, and they're perfect for making ahead. Both the brine and the butter ensure a deliciously tender chicken breast, and the basic filling offers just the right pop of sweet salty flavor.

The chicken breasts cook up beautifully in the oven, and when sliced into medallions, they make a fabulous presentation on the dinner plate. Pair them with Mexican rice, sauteed squash, and refried black beans. And eat the leftover medallions piled high on a sandwich with crisp lettuce, maybe a slice of melted cheese, and a bit of chile-spiked mayo.

Pitzotl Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Perfect for your next dinner party. Make it and tell us what you think!

Want to try one of Bolzano's salami products for yourself?
We're giving away one stick of salami away to a lucky reader. All you have to do is tell us which salami flavor you'd like to try -- and how you'd use it.

You have until NOON on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 when we'll randomly choose one lucky winner to receive a stick of Bolzano salami for your very own. Winners will be notified by email, so please leave your email addy with your comment if it's not included with your Blogger profile. Entries from the U.S. only, please.

Choose from the following flavors:

Pamploma Runner
RauchZwiebel 
Old School
Fin Oh Kee Oh Na 
Pig Red Salami
Pitzotl


©BURP!

Full disclosure:  The product for our recipe development was provided by Bolzano Artisan Meats, free of charge. But, all opinions expressed are our own, and we are footing the bill for the salami giveaway.

Homemade is Always Better: Baked Chicken Taquitos

So, I've been wondering -- who buys those taquitos that they sell in the frozen foods section of the grocery store?  And -- are they actually good?

And also -- why don't people just make them at home?  They're really not difficult to construct. They take minutes to cook. And, contrary to popular believe, they don't require a deep fryer to get that uber crispy delicious exterior.

Now, we should disclose that we really hate cookbook claims that healthier versions of traditionally unhealthy foods taste just as good as their fat-laden counterparts, in part because it’s almost never true.

Fortunately, we found at least one instance where the baked version is just as good as fried, and maybe even better.

These deliciously smoky chicken taquitos bake up crispy and delicious thanks to a brush of melted butter and some time in a hot oven.  They’re the perfect snack for game day, or any time you’re craving that fast Tex-Mex food fix.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

©BURP!

Super Bowls: Buffalo Chicken Chili

I'll admit it. We're not really football people.

But, that doesn't mean we don't know great game day fare when we see it.  In fact, we've been known to throw a mean Super Bowl party... with an emphasis on Puppy Bowl and commercial watching, of course.

But even so...  it's really all about the food anyhow. Isn't it?

Since the Super Bowl tends to fall at one of the coldest times of the year, it's a great time for soup. And chili always seems to be a perennial favorite for parties. But, you don't need to make the same old boring recipe.

Creamy blue cheese, crisp celery, succulent chicken, and a nice hot sauce kick. These are the things that make the buffalo wing a perennial favorite. But, deep fried wings aren’t exactly every day fare.

This recipe pulls together all the flavors you love from buffalo chicken wings into a nourishing soup that’s perfect for a weeknight meal or an afternoon of watching football (or commercials) with friends. 

A topping of chopped celery and creamy Gorgonzola cheese gives the soup texture and an added layer of flavor. If you’re not a blue cheese lover (though we encourage you to give it another try), sub out the Gorgonzola for Feta cheese or Queso Fresco.  

For even more of that "chicken wing" feel, use shredded roasted chicken added toward the end of cooking instead of the ground chicken.  

Buffalo Chicken Chili

©BURP!

The Best of Burp! 2012

 Difficult to believe we're coming to the end of another great year. As it gets to be this time, we always find ourselves looking back, reflecting, and planning for what's ahead -- and that includes a whole new look for 2013. We've been working with a friend and very talented graphic designer, Noel Tanner, to revamp our logo and give the site a bit of a new look in 2013.  If you want a preview, check out our new icon on Facebook. Otherwise, just stay tuned.

In the meantime, we'd like to thank you for your readership, your comments, and your feedback. Burp! wouldn't couldn't exist without you!

As a thanks to all of you, we figured we'd share the top 12 posts on Burp! from 2012 (in order of popularity) ... just in case you missed them.

Top 12 Posts of 2012
These are in order of popularity, # 1 being the most popular post.

1. Crockpot Turkey Meatloaf and Lessons Learned
2. Sweet and Spicy Butter Roasted Chickpeas
3. Roasted Radishes with Tarragon Butter
4. Kicking off Grilled Cheese Month: Melthouse Bistro
5. St. Patrick's Day Recipes
6. No Fuss Spiral Sliced Ham with Pineapple Chutney
7. Coffee Rubbed Ribeye with Chipotle Butter
8. Wonton Crisps - Four Ways
9. Roasted Cauliflower with Rosemary Browned Butter
10. Uses for Sumac: Za'atar Potatoes
11. Easy Baked Chimichangas
12. Creamed Celeriac Soup with Potatoes, Sausage, and Kale 
    

Share in the Comments

As always, we're always listening and open to your feedback.  What was YOUR favorite post? What would you like to see more of in 2013?

©BURP! 

Roasted Chicken with Dill-Garlic Butter

  We stand in awe of dill.

 What other herb inspires home cooks to stand in excruciatingly hot kitchens on 100 degree days just so they can look forward to biting into crisp, delicious pickles eight weeks later?

On the other hand, we lament that this delicious fernlike herb is highly under-utilized in most kitchens.
Sure, dill is great for making pickles. But, it’s also indispensable for pairing with cheeses, adding to breads, enhancing the flavor of vegetables, and complementing the briney notes in feta cheese or seafood.

 In this case, it really shines when matched with butter, garlic, and lemon to create an amazing roasted chicken.

It takes just a few basic techniques to produce a beautiful dill-scented bird with crisp, salty skin, moist breast meat, and dense, meaty dark meat. First, rubbing the exterior of the bird with seasoned butter assists in ensuring a beautiful brown crisp skin.

Slipping some of the butter under the skin of the breast helps to keep it moist and adds flavor to the otherwise mild meat. And finally, adding lemon quarters and extra dill to the cavity seasons the pan juices as they flow from the bird into the roasting pan.

This chicken is scrumptious served alongside fresh green beans and mashed potatoes for a weeknight dinner. But, leftovers make phenomenal chicken salad, so consider roasting two birds while you're at it... just to be on the safe side :)

Roasted chicken with Dill-Garlic Butter

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Make In, Don't Take Out: Easy Baked Chimichangas

  Some nights you just don't feel like cooking.  Face it, it probably happens more often than you'd like to admit.  And it's kind of like not being able to find the right outfit to wear in the morning... it's seriously frustrating.

If you're like me, you get home from work, change clothes and waste a few minutes getting your bearings.  Then you spend about 45 minutes standing around in the kitchen, opening up the cupboards and staring into the refrigerator.  Maybe you consult one of your many cookbooks.  Or you start puttering around, looking at recipes on Pinterest -- all of which require some sort of random ingredient that you know you don't have in the house.  Eventually, you realize that inspiration is simply never going to hit.  And that's when you begrudgingly pick up the phone to call for takeout (which always ends up to be "not quite what you wanted," doesn't it?)

It's on those evenings when you need some seriously awesome "Make In" recipes.  These are the types of things that almost always sound delicious, don't require too much fussing, and can be pulled together on the flip of a dime -- even on a busy weeknight.

In addition to keeping frozen chili, tomato soup, and pasta sauce on hand, I have a small cadre of  recipes in my repertoire that can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less.  And these are one of them.

The fact is, I'm a sucker for Latin-American food.  Give me Cuban, Puerto-Rican, Mexican, or Tex-Mex and I'm generally a pretty happy camper. Chicken chimichangas are one of my favorite indulgences. Crispy, deep fried tortillas filled with chicken and cheese. Calories galore, but never short on flavor.

Interestingly enough, these baked chimichangas are pretty killer, and they don't require you to haul out the deep fryer (and don't let the nay-sayers fool you... a little bit of cooking oil in a very hot oven gives even the most stubborn of tortillas a perfectly respectable crispy crust). As an added bonus, since you control exactly what goes into them, you can make them even easier, healthier, or more creative with a few small tweaks of your own.

We've been known to make ours with canned (or leftover homemade) refried beans, leftover roasted or rotisserie chicken, or (my favorite) Cuban pulled pork.  Any which way is delicious. It just depends what you have on hand and how much work you're willing to put into it.

I like to serve meat-filled chimichangas with a side of refried beans & some sauteed kale.  But, you could be even simpler and serve them with a quick chipotle-lime dressed side salad.  Or a quick slaw.  The point isn't to be fancy.  It's to make good food, fast.

Got leftover meat or beans and tortillas?  Make chimichangas. Dinner will be on the table in 40 minutes flat, and your kids will think you're a super hero.

Easy Baked Chimichangas

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Soul Food Fusion: Fried Chicken & Waffle Sandwich

It all started with a trip to Roots, one of our favorite Milwaukee restaurants.  We love Roots for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it's got a gorgeous patio, surrounded with herbs and other edible plants, that overlooks one of the best views of the city.  It had been a long week, and we decided to meet a friend of ours for drinks.  While we were chatting, Peef picked up the menu and spied something that would change his (and thereby my) life forever:

Smoky Fried Chicken
Frank's Red Hot waffle, dill ranch, dressed kale

I'll pretty much guarantee that it was the Frank's Red Hot waffle that caught his eye first.  Being a man obsessed with condiments, particularly spicy ones, he automatically has a visceral reaction to words like "grainy mustard," "siracha," and "hot sauce."    And the man's pretty fond of waffles. 

Once he got over the intriguing idea of putting hot sauce into a waffle, I'm quite sure he quickly glossed over the part about the dill ranch and kale, but he definitely saw the fried chicken part.  And then it was all over.

We both ended up ordering the Smoky Fried Chicken.  And it was pretty incredible.

Since, as I've said many times before, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, we decided to recreate this delicious sandwich for ourselves at home.  So, a few months later (fast forward to this past weekend), we pulled together a cadre of all the necessary ingredients.

Since we're in the midst of the Milwaukee Eat Local Challenge, we opted for Wisconsin grown Cornish Cross chicken breasts from Angel Acres and a nice bunch of locally grown lacinato kale.  We also subbed out the Frank's Red Hot for a more local option, Off Road Camp Fire Pepper Sauce.

After pounding our chicken breasts flat and dredging them in kefir, and then in a mixture of cornmeal, flour, and seasonings, we fried them up to a golden brown in a bit of oil.  While I was frying the chicken, Peef made up a batch of cornmeal waffles (our favorite pairing with fried chicken).

The best part about making these particular waffles was, of course, the fact that he got to sub in hot sauce for 1/4 cup of the buttermilk.  But, a close second was the fact that he got to make the waffles in our brand new West Bend Belgian waffle maker.

Our former waffle maker was a fancy blue FiestaWare model that I bought Peef for Christmas a number of years back.  Unfortunately, we had some restoration work done on our house this past year, and the poor waffle iron got knocked off of its shelf, shattering into about 5 different pieces.  So, we had been without waffles for quite a while before this handy dandy gadget arrived at our doorstep.

And I do mean handy dandy.  This waffle maker turns out perfectly golden waffles with very little skill needed. Just by gripping the handle, it twists 180 degrees so your waffles bake and brown evenly every time.  I've also been told this rotating action ensures that the batter is more evenly distributed leading to waffles that are are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
But, I'm no waffle expert.  All I know is that our waffles came out beautifully golden, perfectly tender, and -- whoo! -- just a little spicy from that cayenne pepper sauce we added.

We took those lovely waffles and sidled them up right against pieces of fried chicken, which we then topped with finely shredded kale tossed with a deliciously refreshing dill ranch dressing.  Another waffle on top, and all of a sudden we had a pretty spectacular waffle sandwich.

Just like they make at Roots. And probably even better.

Cornmeal Waffles
Dill Ranch Salad Dressing

And now for the fun part!  We get to give one of our lucky readers the chance to win a West Bend Waffle Maker of his or her very own!!  

For your chance to win, just leave us a comment letting us know about your favorite way to eat waffles.

Rules:  All comments must be received by Monday evening, September 19th, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. CST  Winners will be announced on Facebook before the end of the day on Tuesday, September 13th.  Entrants must provide a working email address in their comment or blogger profile to win.  Limited to citizens of the U.S. and Canada.

Alright, ready...set... go!

Full Disclosure:  Although we were given West Bend Company products free of charge for the purpose of this review and giveaway, all opinions expressed in this review are our own.  

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Weeknight Shortcuts: Thai Chicken Pizza

It's difficult to believe that it's been a whole week already since our last post. But, that just goes to show how busy we've been with the planning for the Cookies for Kids' Cancer Bake Sale & Silent Auction here in Milwaukee.  We've met an amazing array of people over the past couple of weeks, whose generosity has been absolutely astounding.

Unfortunately, it also means we haven't been creating a whole lot of original recipes in the Burp! kitchen.  Fortunately, we have a few delicious "secret weapons" under our belt that assist in making sure we're still happy and well fed, even when times get crazy.

One of our favorite quick weeknight meals happens to be this delicious veggie laden Thai chicken pizza, which is a breeze to throw together even when time is tight.  It does make use of a few convenience items, which we don't normally rely upon.  But, its nutritional profile still remains quite solid, which makes it a nice stand-by for nights when we might otherwise order take-out.

One of the items I try to keep on hand are premade corn pizza crusts (we love these rustic crusts from Vicolo, made with non-GMO corn).  These make a great base for a variety of pizzas, and they're absolutely delicious.

In addition to the crusts, a great Thai pizza needs only a few additional ingredients to be absolutely stellar -- some leftover chicken, a few vegetables, cilantro, and some delicious Thai style peanut sauce.

If you've never made peanut sauce before, you'll be delighted by how easy it is to put together. We use a no-cook sauce made with peanut butter and coconut milk. But, you can also use a premade sauce (Trader Joe's satay sauce is quite good) for this application. The peanut sauce recipe will make more than needed for pizza, but you'll have no trouble using up the leftovers. Just throw a bit in with pasta and some shredded vegetables for homemade peanut noodles.  Or use it as a dipping sauce for vegetables or chicken.

Just top pizza with the peanut sauce, add vegetables, cooked chicken, chopped cilantro, and shredded mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

I don't know if I should admit it, but I feel a little bit like Rachael Ray whenever I make these pizzas... But, the reality is, it's pretty darned good for a meal you can put on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Thai style peanut sauce


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches with Tomato Basil Jam

I love February.

It's the time of year when everything in the produce section at the grocery store is either months old (storage veggies like potatoes, onions, and root veggies) or imported from a warmer climate (all of which are bajillions of miles away from Wisconsin). 

It's the season in Wisconsin when the idea of fresh locally grown herbs is a complete anomaly -- unless your green thumb allowed you to get a pot of them to grow in a warm, sunny window at the southeastern corner of your house.

It's the time of year when all the plants outside look dead.  The grass is covered in dirty snow.  And the only thing that looks remotely green are the evergreen shrubs planted in front of most houses on my block.

Ah, yes... despite these things, I really do love February.

You think I'm joking, don't you?
But, I'm not.  The reason I love this time of the year so much is because I'm pretty well prepared for it.  I have a hat to wear when it's cold outside.  And warm, waterproof boots that allow me to tromp through the snow without a care in the world.  And, best of all, my basement pantry and freezer are stocked with items that, when opened, take me back to the days when a sunny day meant a warm day.  When vegetables were in season and at their prime right in my backyard.  And the farmer's market was teeming with new delights each week...   tomatillo salsa, roasted tomatoes and peppers,

And one jar of tomato basil jam -- gifted to me by my friend Rena, whose generosity is surpassed only by her ability to make my day better just by being around.  She gave me the jar of jam last summer, after the tomato harvest, and I've been simultaneously hoarding it and waiting to break into it ever since.

Fortunately, a particular craving inspired me to break it open.  Peef was hankering for a panini.  And I was thinking about summer.  I also happened to have chicken breasts on hand, along with a bit of Wisconsin Sartori Reserve Sarvecchio Parmesan cheese, and a delicious loaf of sourdough bread.

It didn't take much effort to get my creative juices flowing.  First, I took the chicken breasts and pounded them nice and flat between two sheets of waxed paper.

Then we seasoned them up with some Historic Third Ward Seasoning (a delicious Italian blend from our local Spice House), and browned them up in a bit of olive oil.

A few slices of cheese, a spread of tomato basil jam, and a handful of winter greens from Growing Power (an awesome urban farm in Milwaukee that grows fresh micro-greens & salad mixes all winter long-- read more here), and we had ourselves a pretty amazing sandwich.

The tomato basil jam smells of the essence of tomato.  And its flavor followed suit -- reminiscent of a sweet tomato concentrate with just the right hint of fresh basil lingering on the finish.  Although I might ordinarily think that it was a bit too sweet for a sandwich, I really enjoyed how the fresh tasting jam played off of the saltiness of the cheese and the Italian seasonings of the chicken, coming together almost like the sweet/salty combination of a delicious Italian salad dressing.

All in all, opening that jar was like opening a perfectly preserved jar of summer.  Just the sort of thing to cure your February blues.

And just in case you'd like a link to bookmark this jam for next year's summer tomato harvest:
Tomato Basil Jam



©BURP! Where Food Happens
Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at FOODCrush, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Roasted Porcini Chicken: They Call Me Mimi

Lo: How about Porcini chicken for dinner tonight?
Peef: You want to make a Puccini chicken?
Lo: NO -- PORCINI chicken.
Peef: Oh, ok. Can we call the chicken Mimi?
Lo: What?! Um... no.  Besides, I don't like to name my food, remember?
Peef: Oh, yeah.

(After some time)

Peef: Is it ok if I call her Mimi?
Lo: Do what you must, just keep it to yourself.
Peef (Out loud): Come here, little Mimi, let me get my hands under your skin.
Lo (now disgusted): PEEF! Enough!

This scenerio may or may not have actually taken place in the Burp! kitchen.  Nonetheless, we like the idea of a little opera singing chicken named Mimi.

For those completely lacking in knowlege of opera trivia, Puccini (a pretty famous opera composer) just happened to have a little opera by the name of La Boheme.  It wasn't exactly about a chicken. But, well, you'll forgive us for our imagination, won't you?

The fact is, there is a character in La Boheme whose name is Mimi... well, Lucia, but people call her Mimi. And Mimi is just lovely (much like this chicken recipe).

If you're in the mood for a bit of culture while we're cooking, here's a snippet of the wonderful and talented Maria Callas singing Mi Chiamano Mimi.

 Italian not so good?
Well,  that's not a problem. The gist is that Mimi just met her neighbor, Rodolfo, who happens to be a writer. They are attracted to each other and she sings him this aria which mentions something about living alone and making these beautiful fake roses.  They don't smell pretty, but she likes them, and she adores April kisses and, conveniently, she also likes poetry. By the end of her aria, Mimi & Rodolfo end up being quite enamored of one another.

And that's your music lesson for the day. And it serves a dual purpose because you can totally picture Peef as Rodolfo -- thinking his chicken named Mimi is pretty innocent and cute, right?

The fact is, we love a good roasted chicken. This one happens to be full of flavor -- thanks to the simple magic of something called "porcini dust," which just happens to be dried porcini mushrooms ground into a fine powder with a coffee grinder.

The porcini powder is mixed with fresh garlic, white wine, salt, and a bit of olive oil, and then spread between the skin and the meat of the chicken. 

Earthy and garlicky, this chicken is completely & amazingly delicious.  And, although it makes wonderful use of the rich, deep flavor of porcini mushrooms, it does so judiciously, so it won't completely break the bank.

The recipe gets even better when you choose to cook the chicken in the same pan with halved new potatoes and quartered turnips.  The vegetables caramelize nicely and they absorb plenty of the earthy flavor from the porcini mushrooms, along with that deliciously savory chicken flavor.

Perfect for company.  Just pair with a green salad and a bit of crusty bread.

Porcini Roasted Chicken


©BURP! Where Food Happens
Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at FOODCrush, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Jerk Wraps with Fresh Peaches, Fried Plantains, and Ginger Mayo

Every summer it seems we find a new addiction when it comes to fresh peaches. Oddly enough, it's not usually a dessert recipe.  It's usually a sammich.

Two years ago, we fell in love with Thai style fish tacos with red curry coleslaw and peach salsa. 

Last year we discovered the BLP -- which made us so very happy we had a hard time saying goodbye to peach season.

And this summer, I'm afraid it's the Jerk Wrap.

I've been waiting all summer for the blushiest, ripest peaches so that I could pair them with something spicy. Usually, they'd end up in some sort of salsa.  But, not this year.  This year I decided to veer along Caribbean lines. The first thing I did was to fry up a couple of plantains.

I tend to like my plantains on the sweet side. But, for this recipe I opted for fruits in the mid-range of ripeness -- mostly yellow with a few black flecks.  I figured that the semi-ripe fruit would hold up a bit better during the frying process, and the starchier flavor would compete less with the sweetness of the peaches.

In keeping with the Caribbean theme, I decided to fry the plantains in coconut oil.  I use coconut oil frequently for making Thai curries, for frying fish and seafood, and for baking.  I also love the flavor it adds to roasted cauliflower, turnips, and potatoes.

In this particular case, I was trying out a new product. Tropical Traditions had just sent me a sample of their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil -- a coconut oil made using the traditional methods (grating the coconut, extracting the milk and allowing the milk stand until the oil separates naturally from the water).

One of the first things I noticed about the TT oil was its clarity -- perfectly clear at above 76º. The oil also smelled rich and nutty.  Since the oil was warm enough to be in its liquid state when I pulled it out of the cupboard, I used a ladle to put about 1/4 cup into my cast iron skillet.

I heated the oil over medium-high heat before adding the plantains, which I had sliced in half and then lengthwise (making them a reasonable shape to put into a wrap.   The plantains fried up beautifully golden brown.  The outside of the fruit was golden and crisp, while the inside was warm and creamy.  And the plantains carried with them just a hint of the nutty coconut flavor.

Once the plantains were fried, I sliced up the peaches while Peef shredded up the jerk chicken.  I also mixed two tablespoons of ginger with about 1/3 cup or so of mayonnaise. I spread the mayo onto a sprouted grain wrap, added a couple of slices of peaches, a length of plantain, about 1/4 cup of shredded chicken, and a few fresh arugula leaves.

One bite and we were both hooked. The peppery arugula provided crunch. And the complex flavors of the jerk chicken -- allspice, habanero, thyme, and garlic -- paired perfectly with the sweetness of the peaches and the liveliness of the ginger mayo.  Meanwhile, the warm crisp plantains provided body and "tooth" to the wrap.  

This recipe would be equally as good made with tofu or pork.  In fact, we're already working on a winter variation of the recipe -- jerk pork with sliced pineapple, watercress, and ginger aioli.

Burp! Jerk Marinade
____________________________________________________________

**** TROPICAL TRADITIONS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED ****

Congratulations to our winner, Elisse!  Thanks for playing.

Interested in trying out Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil for yourself?

Tropical Traditions has generously offered to send a quart sized jar of their coconut oil to one lucky reader.  To win, please read the instructions below. Be sure to leave a comment for each entry (and leave your email address if you don't have it listed on your blog/contact info).   Contest ends 9/25/10 at NOON (CST).

Mandatory entry (must be completed or no other entries will count):   

• Tell me which of these Coconut Oil recipes you most want to try

Extra entries – please leave a comment for each additional entry, letting us know you completed it

• Subscribe to Tropical Tradition’s email sales newsletter 
• Give us a "like" on Facebook!
• Follow @Burp_blog on twitter
• Use the following text to tweet about this giveaway (please leave a link to your tweet in the comments for credit):  
• Tropical Traditions Gold Label Coconut Oil - #win a quart @Burp_blog:  Ends 9/25 #giveaway
  
  
  

Full disclosure: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.



©BURP! Where Food Happens

Daring Cooks June: Teriyaki Chicken Burgers with Pineapple & Macadamia Nut Butter

 I have been a fan of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies for as long as I can remember... I particularly love them when made with salted roasted macadamias, since the combination of salty toasty nuts and sweet white chocolate is pretty difficult to beat.

I'm also a big fan of the macadamia nut pie -- which I fell in love with in 1998 when a business associate mailed one to me as a Christmas gift. Since I'm a nice person, I immediately cracked open the package and shared the bounty with my colleagues -- but soon regretted the decision. Let's put it this way, the word "luscious" doesn't even begin to describe that deliciously salty sweet pie.  In fact, I've been conspiring to make a pilgrimage to Hawaii to pay homage to the macadamia nut ever since.

It probably goes without saying that if someone challenged me to make something delicious with macadamia nuts, I'd be most likely to think of a sweet application for them.  But, those Daring Cooks... they're sly. Margie of More Please  (who also happens to be a local food blogger -- yay!!) and Natashya of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies chose to challenge all of the Daring Cooks to make their own nut butter from scratch, and then use the nut butter in a SAVORY recipe.

Hmm. I'll admit I had to think about this one for a moment.
It's not that I've never eaten a savory recipe made with nut butter.  After all, there's nothing quite like a mole made with almond butter or an Asian noodle dish made with peanut sauce.  But, I wanted to do something a little different. And less... well... expected.

So, I enlisted my usual compadre in crime, Peef, to help me think of a great savory application for nut butter. Our two brains ground around on the topic for quite some time (pun intended), and we finally decided on a plan.

The credit for the burger concept belongs to Peef, who is always coming up with new and wonderful ways to combine meat and bread. He may have been slightly inspired by the Barrie burger, which is served at a little local burger joint called AJ Bombers (if you're on twitter, you've probably heard of them).  The Barrie burger consists of a cheeseburger topped with bacon and... peanut butter. Actually a fairly brilliant combination, master-minded by @KateBarrie, and enjoyed by many in the humble city of Milwaukee.

But, we're not complete copy-catters (though you might remain unconvinced if you look back in our archives at the Stendler breakfast burrito or the Buttafuoco tomato sandwich  -- both Comet Cafe knock-offs).  And I was pretty determined to do something wonderful with macadamia nut butter.  So, we settled on that classic combination -- teriyaki chicken and pineapple.  To take the challenge truly over the top, we also added a Daring Baker's challenge -- homemade brioche buns.

While the dough for the burger buns was rising, we put our heads together and came up with a nearly perfect marinade for the chicken.  A bit of pineapple juice, some soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and a whisper of brown rice vinegar.  Taste and... perfect.

We mixed the chicken with the pineapple mixture and put everything aside to marinate in the fridge.  In the meantime, we took about a cup of roasted salted macadamia nuts (this seems to be the only way we can find them here in Wisconsin), and made our nut butter. We used about one cup of macadamia nuts, which produced approximately 1/2 cup of butter.

Thirty seconds in the food processor was all it took to create a creamy delicious butter. And, of course, the first thing we did was to stick our fingers into the bowl to get a sample.  Smooth, creamy, nutty, slightly salty... dare I say buttery?

The thing about macadamia nut butter is that it's scarily addicting. In fact, the both of us stopped just short of simply taking out a couple of spoons and finishing up the batch right then and there. But, we refrained. And, as painful as it was, our burgers were far better for it.

We distracted ourselves by finishing up the brioche rolls. Gorgeous, aren't they?  (seriously, you must try this recipe at least once... it was particularly perfect with these burgers)

After the chicken had marinated for a couple of hours, we hauled out the KitchenAid meat grinder attachment that we got from my parents for Christmas and slopped the chicken bits right into it, along with about one-fourth of a large red bell pepper (which added both color and flavor).

We probably should have drained off more of the marinade, since the resulting ground meat was a little bit damp.  But, we solved that problem by adding a few crushed saltine crackers to the mix.  We formed the chicken into patties and put them on a plate in the refrigerator to give them a bit more time to firm up before we grilled them, along with a few slices of pineapple.

And then it was time to feast...
A homemade hamburger bun, a slathering of fresh macadamia nut butter, a perfectly grilled teriyaki burger, and a slice of grilled pineapple -- there's something for everyone on this burger. The freshly ground meat was tender, the burger was juicy, and the flavors were outstanding. A little bit of sweet, a little bit of salty... and all kinds of great synergy between the pineapple, red peppers, macadamia nuts, and soy sauce.

Seriously one of the best burgers we've had in a very long time.  And totally worth every last bit of effort. Especially that 30 seconds we spent on the nut butter. *wink*

Light Brioche Buns
Teriyaki Chicken Burgers with Pineapple & Macadamia Nut Butter

The July 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by Margie of More Please and Natashya of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make their own nut butter from scratch, and use the nut butter in a recipe. Their sources include Better with Nut Butter by Cooking Light Magazine, Asian Noodles by Nina Simonds, and Food Network online.

And don't forget to check out other Daring Cooks' Challenges!  Lots of creative folks out there whipping up nut butter.


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