Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken for Your Inner Manly Man

I think I have a problem. I may be morphing into some weird version of a stereotypical manly man. I’ve always had tendencies, but this is getting ridiculous. Stay with me.

I hate doing my nails. I’ve perfected the art of tuning people out, as necessary. If you offer me a beer, I’ll take Guinness over Mich Ultra any day. And if you don’t have Guinness, a little bourbon or some brandy neat will do just fine.

I don’t own a hairdryer. I don’t really like Madonna. And given the choice, I’d pick Shark Week over a What Not to Wear marathon. Every time. (Though I realize this comparison is a bit of a stretch: both species can be pretty ruthless.)

So the aforementioned evidence, plus my burgeoning—borderline unhealthy—relationship with my grill has elicited slight concern. (Take away my tongs and I may throw you into a headlock.) I figure while I deal with these Y chromosome traits, I might as well enjoy some grilled chicken. And as part of my new Sunday summer night grilling series, the chicken this week did not disappoint. It was extraordinary.

I should also mention that I spent some time on Saturday with said chicken, breaking it down into legs, thighs, wings and breasts. After letting it hang out in a spiced yogurt marinade overnight, it charred to juicy perfection on the grill. While you could certainly buy the bone-in pieces, the inner guy in me was looking for a task to conquer.

It was worth it. This chicken was like nothing I’ve tasted in a very, very long time. Said in a bad Barry White impersonation: baby, you’ll love this chicken. So go ahead, make the chicken. And maybe smash a beer can over your head. No, you are probably too smart for a cheap party trick like that. But on the off chance that you aren’t, come over: we can bond over beer and flame-grilled chicken.

Yogurt Marinated Spiced Grilled Chicken

Adapted from David Lebovitz

1 cup low fat Greek yogurt

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1/4-1/2 tsp ground ginger (depends on your preference)

5 cardamom pods, seeds ground and pod shells discarded

Ground pepper (about 10 turns with the peppermill)

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

Juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp saffron threads

1 whole chicken*, cut into 8 pieces (2 thigh, 2 wings, 2 legs and 2 breasts)

Combine the first 14 ingredients (all ingredients up to the saffron threads) in a large bowl. Heat 1 tbsp of water in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds and add saffron to water; let saffron sit for a few minutes and then add to yogurt spice mixture.

Meanwhile, break down a whole chicken into 8 pieces, discarding the backbone (or saving it for chicken stock). (Alternatively you could just buy a total of 8 chicken pieces, e.g. breasts, thighs, etc. Cook's choice: see note below.) Add chicken to yogurt marinade and chill in the fridge overnight.

Cook chicken on a medium-hot grill until done. (Internal temp should be 165 degrees.)

Yields 2 each of thighs, breasts, legs and wings

Notes:

-* You could easily buy already cut up chicken pieces; Lebovitz used 4 thighs and 4 legs. Regardless, buy skin-on chicken if you can. It keeps the chicken unbelievably moist on the grill: even the breast pieces.

-The leftovers of this have been insane: I've been feeding myself spiced chicken all week. Sometimes, multiple times per day.

-I'm thinking this would be perfect with a deep Lagrein rosé or the Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon rosé from South Africa that's chilling in my fridge. (This may be the only redeeming feminine note of my post.)

Habanero Honey Pepper Jam, You Can Take the Heat

Some like it hot. From time to time, I linger on the side of scorching. It makes me feel alive. I prefer an extra glug of hot sauce in a cold michelada. And a jar of chili flakes could probably be fashioned at my hip in a red pepper holster when I’m in the kitchen.

This is not to say spicy mistakes haven’t been made. I’ve even been a hot mess on occasion. But life lessons have been learned along the way. (And relearned.)

Lesson one: If someone—particularly an ex-boyfriend—dares you to do a shot of habanero hot sauce after drinking a cluster of margaritas, do not oblige. And do not oblige twice.

Lesson two: If a waitress warns you that the “Armageddon wings” you’ve ordered are so hot that she can’t be in the kitchen while they are being prepared, don’t be a blockhead and eat them. Especially if they come with a menu disclaimer.

It does not matter that you are in a tiny mountain town in the Adirondacks: they’ll be the hottest thing you have ever put in your mouth. In fact, being in a remote location (where cell phones don’t even work) also means there are no hospitals in proximity should you need one, you idiot. And you might.

Best case scenario: the wings will haunt you for days, sometimes multiple times per day, if you get my drift. And for god’s sake woman, don’t order them again to make sure they are as hot as you remember.

In contrast, this spicy sweet pepper jam will not cause a four-alarm fire. While it has some sneaky underlying heat, the sweetness from the honey and orange peppers help to tame its intensity. I’m well aware of the reputation I’ve just cast, but believe me when I say this jam is not as hot as it sounds. It’s also brightened with the addition of vinegar. I imagine a little squeeze of lemon wouldn’t hurt a bit, either.

You’ve probably noticed there is also a big, bright blossom perched on top of the glaze of orange jam. I recently bought a nasturtium plant at the farmers’ market solely for its fiery orange flowers. (Sometimes I’m shallow.) I had grand plans to add a few blossoms into the jam, but they were immediately swallowed whole, in one syrupy stir, never to be seen again.

Instead the blossoms work much better on top, with the sweet jam and salty feta cheese underneath. This lets nasturtiums shine as nature intended, as they are mildly peppery themselves. Arugula would probably work equally as well in this supporting roll.

The jam would also be complimented by a number of soft cheeses. I haven’t tried cream cheese, but that seems to be the classic pairing consensus from the online pepper jam chatter. A number of people have also recommended that spicy pepper jam serves as a nice stand-in for the traditional fruit spread in peanut butter and jelly sandwich or as a topping for shrimp. Let’s just say I’m game.

After all, I have a whole jar to myself. Which I will not consume in one sitting. No matter how much you dare me.

Habanero Honey Pepper Jam

4 orange bell peppers, cut into thin strips

3-4 habanero peppers, seeded

3/4 cup vinegar

2/3 cup honey

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups chardonnay (or water)

Salt to taste

3/4 cup green apple pectin (recipe here)

Combine the first 6 ingredients with a pinch or two of salt in a medium sauce pan on medium to medium high heat, stirring occasionally and watching that the mixture doesn't burn. Cook for about 1 hour, or until peppers soften. (If the mixture reduces too quickly add a little more wine or simply a little water, the mixture should never become extremely syrupy.)

Once the peppers are fully cooked and have softened, strain them out, but reserve them as you'll eventually be adding them back in. (Before straining out the peppers, you may also want to taste the jam and add a little more salt, sugar, or vinegar depending on your preference. I wanted a nearly equal balance of acid and sweetness so the proportions above worked for me.) Add the pectin to the liquid and continue to cook the mixture for 15 minutes. After about 15 minutes, add back the peppers and cook until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes more.

You will see the consistency of the jam if you stick it on a plate in the freezer for a few minutes; it should be done when it's no longer extremely runny on the plate.

The jam will keep quite well in a jar in the fridge for weeks.

Makes about 2 cups.

Notes:

-If you, like me, are a chronic over-reducer you may find that you've cooked your jam so long that it resembles hardened jam caramel once it has cooled. If this happens, heat it in the microwave until it becomes semi-edible again and then put it into a sauce pan with a little water and cook it for a few more minutes until it's not quite as syrupy as last time. If needed, repeat.

-Add 4 habaneros if you like a little more heat and 3 if you like a little less, but don't forget to remove the seeds before adding the peppers to the jam or you probably won't like me very much. Also don't rub your eyes, or any other sensitive areas, after you've handled the habaneros.

-I removed the peppers for a bit because I wasn't sure if they were going to turn to mush. You could always chance it and just leave them in.

-I used the chardonnay instead of water because I needed to use it up.

-You may also be able to use store bought pectin, but I had some leftover from the fall in my freezer.

The Adult Side of Molasses Cookies

Ah the classic comfort of cookies and … a good beer. In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger: “milk is for babies, when you grow up you have to drink beer.” And with that, I suppose I should start from the beginning …

I am always in search of good recipes from local restaurants. And Maura Kilpatrick, pastry chef of Oleana and Sofra Bakery and Cafe, has yet to let me down. Consequently, her spicy molasses cookies are perfection. They are crispy and chewy, with enough spice to remind you that the molasses cookie is a cookie that means business.

I'm quite serious when it comes to molasses. I like to use blackstrap; it’s earthy and slightly bitter. It's also a good source of iron. (Try to rationalize yourself out of a cookie that will make you stronger the more you eat it: I dare you.) Perhaps it’s the 80 year-old woman in me, but I love molasses cookies; they seem equal parts medicinal and decadent. But whereas grandma might pour you a nice glass of milk to wash yours down, I’ll offer up beer instead.

It may sound like an odd combination but these spicy, saucy little numbers can take the booze. And while I don’t tend to keep gallons of milk in my fridge, I do keep beer. And I did have a growler of Harpoon UFO in there. (A gal’s gotta have a port in the storm.) So Sunday I took my—not for the meek—molasses cookies and my handle of beer and headed off to a Super Bowl party. (When you are up against hot wings, you really have to bring it.) The citrusy orange notes in the UFO worked off the spices in the cookie. As did the fruitiness of the Magic Hat #9, that followed.

I thought I was really on to something. It turns out, this combination of beer and molasses is not a new one. The sticky stuff actually landed itself in George Washington's beer making recipe. Our first President was really on to something, apparently.

So, will I go out on a ledge and say that beer compliments molasses cookies better than milk? Yes, I think I will. Especially, if I am in the company of one beer-swilling Washington. This is a grownup molasses cookie that needs something adult to hang with. This is a cookie with personality, perhaps the Schwarzenegger of cookies. They are not to be missed. You might even find yourself echoing, “I’ll be back.” Especially, if there is a good beer involved.

Spiced Molasses Cookies with Candied Ginger

Adapted from Sofra Bakery & Cafe

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated if possible

1/2 tsp cloves, freshly ground if possible

pinch of ground ginger

3/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup blackstrap molasses

1 cup sugar, plus an additional ~1/4 cup before the cookies are baked

1 large egg

~3 tbsp finely diced candied ginger

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a bowl. In the bowl of a mixer, combine oil, molasses, sugar and egg and beat with paddle attachment for about 15-20 seconds, until well combined, but not too airy. Slowly add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Mix in candied ginger by hand (this also helps to ensure the dry and wet ingredients are fully combined).

Chill the dough for 2 hours and allow to come to room temperature before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Use a small ice cream scoop or melon baller to scoop the dough (about 1 tbsp or so) and then roll dough into a small ball with you hands and lightly coat about about 1/2 of the ball by rolling it in a bowl with ~1/4 cup sugar.

Place onto a cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes. (They will appear undercooked, but will continue to set as they cool).

Makes about 3 dozen

Notes:

-I am a sucker for cloves, and I ground them with a mortar and pestle just before adding them in. Just lovely.

-In addition to iron, blackstrap molasses also has calcium, potassium and magnesium. Oh, and it's delicious.

-These cookies will really spread as they cook, so be sure to space them far enough apart on your cookie sheet, between 9-12 cookies per sheet worked for me.