food.jdspc.com

Ingredients

1 chicken
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Preparation

Loosen up skin from body and rub butter underneath.
Mix spices and spinkle some inside the cavity and rub the rest all over and underneath the skin of the bird. Sprinkle lightly with salt, place in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-24 hrs.
Remove from frig and let get to room temp (about an hour)

This will smoke a lot in a cast iron skillet! I used a Faberware Stainless 18/10 the next time and got the same results except for the thighs didn’t cook through. But no smoke. I had to carve chicken and place them in a glass dish and heat @250 for about 30 minutes. I might lower the rack next time to get closer to the heat.

Preheat a 12 inch iron skillet in the oven to 450 degrees.
Tie up legs, tuck the wings, and place in the skillet breast side up. Be very careful because the skin will pop and explode so wear glasses or turn head or something just know this so it doesn’t freak you out.
Roast until temp gets to 120 in the breast and turn off oven. Continue to roast until temp rises to 165 then remove and rest 25 minutes before carving.

Ingredients

1 lb (4-5) roma tomatoes
4 serranos
1 habanero
1-2 cloves garlic
2 green onions
juice of 1 lime

Method

Roughly chop peppers and along with pods of garlic drop into a running food processor. Dropping them in while running chops them better.
Cut tomatoes in half and place into the food processor (stopped) and pulse until chunky but salsa like.
Spoon into a Pyrex Mixing Bowl
and add lime juice and onions. Add salt if you want.
Best after letting sit out for about 30 minutes but good luck…this is good.

Corn Chips

6 corn tortillas stacked and sliced like a pizza and deep fried in 375 degree canola oil for about 1.5 minutes.
Remove on wire rack and salt immediately.

This is adapted from a Michael Symon recipe. I jumped on it to do something different with sweet potatoes, because I like them and the nutritional properties are awesome, but straight taters are boring.
One of the keys is a good melting cheese. He uses Gruyere but I also like Gouda so I found a Smoked Chipotle Gouda. The cheese sauce this makes is a technique that is very useful for other things.
Very Very Easy!

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb Sweet Potatoes equal in circumference
1 1/2 cup Melting cheese of choice
1 lb ham, cooked and cubed
1 small red onion, minced
2 tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 tbsp dried
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 serrano (optional)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter (half stick)
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup milk
4 scallions for garnish

Method

Wash and cook taters. Either boil them for 20 minutes or roast in the oven for about 35 minutes @ 350 until fork tender. Roast is better. Boil is easier.
Let cool, peel and slice into 1/4 inch slabs.
Brown up the ham and set aside as well.
Melt butter and saute onion until tender. Stir in herbs and garlic.
Remove from heat and stir in flour. Cook over low heat for about 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat and add milk. Cook over med heat until boiling, stirring constantly for about 1 more minute.
Remove from heat and add ham and 1/2 of the cheese.

Removing from heat is just a means to control heat in pan. Just off to the side, add ingredients and back to cooking. Or not…

Layer 1/2 taters slices in a Glass Casserole Dish. Spoon the ham cheese mix, top with remaining taters. Bake 25 minutes @ 350. Sprinkle remaining cheese and scallions over the top and bake another 4-5 minutes or until top cheese melted and crusting. (Pizza like)

Let stand uncovered for about 20 minutes or so to let cheese set.

Options would be: russet potatoes, lasagna pasta or even a penne.