culinary flights of fancy

Home Cooking Adventures in Berkeley Heights

Author Archives: Craig


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Roasted Chicken with Wilted Spinach, Corn Hash, and Ancho and Guajillo Chile Sauce/Salsa

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Every once in a while, I get a serious craving for Mexican or Tex-Mex food.  I spent a long time living in Texas and definitely developed a taste for that general cuisine.  Unfortunately, I have yet to come across a decent Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant in Berkeley Heights or the surrounding areas.  So, sometimes my wife and I head into NYC and go to Toloache, our favorite Mexican restaurant in the area and my craving is curbed.  (Yes, google it and go immediately if you live in the area!)  At other times, I take matters into my own hands and attempt to create something unique and tasty.  This dish turned out very well.  I’m not sure just how unique it is, but it is certainly in the general ballpark of good Mexican and Tex-Mex.  It’s also a very versatile dish.  If you don’t have time to roast a chicken, try grilling a chicken breast.  If you don’t feel like chicken, try it with beef, pork, or even shrimp.  If you want to make it vegetarian…go for it.  Serve grilled eggplant or other grilled veggies with it.  At any rate, you get the idea…you can do what you want with it.

The sauce is interesting and turned out super tasty.  It utilizes common Mexican chile peppers and borrows some techniques from Spain (using the dried bread and not cooking it).  It gets better as it sits in the fridge as the flavors can mingle together better (it should last a couple weeks in the fridge in an airtight container).  It tastes sweet and jam-like with a mild heat that lingers.  You can definitely taste the garlic and the depth of flavor you get from the dried chiles and combination of other ingredients is pretty incredible for such a simple sauce/salsa to put together.  Hope you enjoy it!  Recipe and additional picture after the jump. Continue reading →

Roasted Corn with Citrus Honey Cilantro and Queso Fresco

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Roasted Corn with Citrus Honey Cilantro and Queso Fresco

This simple dish is a great side dish during a meal or eaten as an appetizer the same way you would at a street fair.  Loaded with flavor, this sweet and savory dish, should please children and adults alike!  Since Jersey corn is plentiful, inexpensive, and delicious, this is a great option to feed the family a budget friendly dish that tastes great.  It’s also a great little side dish for the upcoming long weekend.

Ingredients:

4 ears of Jersey Corn (husked, silks removed)

4 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter

Zest of one lime

1 generous tablespoon honey

1 bunch fresh cilantro- chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder (ancho or chipotle is ideal)

6 Tablespoons queso fresco

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Kosher Salt and Fresh Pepper

Instructions:

  • Preheat grill to 450 (or so) about 20 minutes if using a gas grill.
  • Gather all ingredients as the grill comes to temperature.
  • Remove husks and silks from ears of corn.
  • Cut each ear of corn in half.
  • Combine zest of one lime, with softened butter, honey, and a touch of salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine. (If the butter is not soft enough to easily combine, simply put it in microwave on 15 second intervals until it is virtually melted and can be whisked).  Set aside.
  • Take a handful of the cilantro and chop coarsely.
  • Take queso fresco and grind it up between your fingers leaving small to medium sized balls or chunks. Set aside in bowl.
  • Take vegetable oil and rub all over hands. Then use hands to rub the ears of corn to coat all sides.  After that, add salt and fresh pepper to coat.
  • Take Corn and bring to grill. Place the seasoned corn halves on grill and grill for around 10 minutes turning occasionally so that it doesn’t burn.  However, you want there to be grill marks and a small amount of blackening as it brings out the natural sugars in the corn and makes for a beautiful presentation.
  • Once ten minutes have elapsed, check the corn for doneness. You can either poke the corn to see if a fork easily enters the corn or simply taste an ear.  Remember that the corn will continue to cook even after it is taken off the grill so cooking this just through is fine.  If corn is done, take off and bring inside.  If not done, continue to cook, testing every couple of minutes for doneness until completely cooked through.
  • When done, take the corn and bring to your prep area with remaining ingredients waiting. Take honey lime butter mixture and whisk again, reincorporating ingredients that may have separated.
  • Place each half ear of corn on a small piece of tin foil (enough so that it can fold across the top of each ear).
  • Take a brush and brush butter, honey, lime mixture over each ear of corn. You don’t need a lot for each individual piece of corn; you just need enough to coat each piece.
  • Take the chili powder and sprinkle across the top of the corn. If you like it spicier, you can sprinkle the powder on all sides of the corn.
  • Add a little cheese across the top of each piece of corn.
  • Finally, sprinkle cilantro over each piece of corn and serve corn half wrapped in foil so that the ingredients stay in the foil as the corn is picked up and eaten.