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Mmmm the best chicken
This weekend is Arnold's celebration of life, on Sunday, his birthday. M. arrived today, from Amherst, and his wife and brother and brother's significant other all arrive tomorrow. We had M. and my mom over for dinner this evening. I hardly ever do a "dinner party" sort of event, with food I've cooked myself and a tablecloth; usually when guests are here for dinner we get pizza or other to-go food and sit around the livingroom. I felt like cooking this time, though. We had Jamaican jerk chicken (grilled in the back yard), spicy rice (I made a ridiculous mountain of it), asparagus, mixed fruit (peaches, bananas, and raspberries), and sliced baguette (which I did not make; it was from Metropol Bakery). This all took way more prep work than I anticipated, but was actually perfectly timed, as it was on the table just before they arrived, so that I wasn't in a whirlwind in front of them. Note for next time: 3 hours.
The recipe for the chicken actually comes from a Betty Crocker booklet, the little kind sold at supermarket checkouts. I always worry I'm going to lose the little book, so it's worthwhile to put it here.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
2T vegetable oil
1/2 sliced green onions
1/2 chopped red bell pepper
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1t dried thyme
1t curry powder
1/2t salt
1/2t cumin
1/2t ground ginger
1/4t black pepper
1/4t red pepper flakes (they use cayenne)
enough chicken pieces to serve 2-4 people, skins removed
Heat oil in a 6" skillet over medium heat, and cook everything in the oil except the chicken, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Cool this marinade. Place the chicken pieces in a shallow glass dish and coat them (both sides) with the marinade). Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes but not more than 3 hours. Remove chicken from marinade and either discard it or use it to cook with (see below). Grill the chicken over covered coals, turning occasionally, until it's cooked through. If you're using boneless pieces, this is about 15-20 min. If you're using pieces with bones, note that cooking time will vary by thickness.
Source: Betty Crocker Picnics, Potlucks & Special Occasions, c.1994, with my own minor adaptations.
I accompany the chicken with "spicy rice," which I make by stirring long-grain rice into the glass dish with the marinade after the chicken is taken out of it, so that it's all coated with the marinade, and then cooking the rice in the electric skillet with the lid on. One part rice per one-and-a-half parts water, as usual.
Another note: If I want to sit and read on the sunny hillside overlooking the middle school, with the view of the butte, precisely the wrong time to do this is 3:20-4:00 p.m. on a school day, unless of course I actually want to hear all those young people upon their release from being cooped up all day.
The recipe for the chicken actually comes from a Betty Crocker booklet, the little kind sold at supermarket checkouts. I always worry I'm going to lose the little book, so it's worthwhile to put it here.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
2T vegetable oil
1/2 sliced green onions
1/2 chopped red bell pepper
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1t dried thyme
1t curry powder
1/2t salt
1/2t cumin
1/2t ground ginger
1/4t black pepper
1/4t red pepper flakes (they use cayenne)
enough chicken pieces to serve 2-4 people, skins removed
Heat oil in a 6" skillet over medium heat, and cook everything in the oil except the chicken, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Cool this marinade. Place the chicken pieces in a shallow glass dish and coat them (both sides) with the marinade). Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes but not more than 3 hours. Remove chicken from marinade and either discard it or use it to cook with (see below). Grill the chicken over covered coals, turning occasionally, until it's cooked through. If you're using boneless pieces, this is about 15-20 min. If you're using pieces with bones, note that cooking time will vary by thickness.
Source: Betty Crocker Picnics, Potlucks & Special Occasions, c.1994, with my own minor adaptations.
I accompany the chicken with "spicy rice," which I make by stirring long-grain rice into the glass dish with the marinade after the chicken is taken out of it, so that it's all coated with the marinade, and then cooking the rice in the electric skillet with the lid on. One part rice per one-and-a-half parts water, as usual.
Another note: If I want to sit and read on the sunny hillside overlooking the middle school, with the view of the butte, precisely the wrong time to do this is 3:20-4:00 p.m. on a school day, unless of course I actually want to hear all those young people upon their release from being cooped up all day.