Chicken Chao Fen (炒粉)

Chinese humor is largely pun-based, probably due to the language being full of homophones. Give a Chinese person a command of English, and the pun-ssibilities are endless. I remember many lunches at my grandparents' house, where grandpa would come out of the kitchen with two huge platters of noodles and ask if we wanted "mean" or "fun." He thought this was hilarious.

Of course, what he meant was chao mian (stir-fried egg noodles, already covered here) and chao fen, stir-fried rice noodles. The central ingredient is shahe fen (沙河粉). These are relatively wide rice noodles, common in various Asian cuisines, most famously Cantonese. I have had a hard time finding these, even at the local Chinese market, and have stocked up in Chicago. Recently, though, they started carrying them. Note that the word is sometimes transliterated as "ho fun." This dish is a simple application of these noodles, using chicken as the main protein. The marinade is easy, came out great, and shows the versatility of fermented beans!

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried shahe fen (Chinese rice noodles)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 cups chopped cabbage
• Several green onions, chopped
• Salt
• Vegetable oil

Chicken and marinade

• 2 lb chicken breast
• 2 Tbs bean sauce
• Five spice powder
• Black pepper
• Soy sauce
• Sherry (I used fino, but go with whatever you have)

Instructions

This dish requires some prep ahead of time. About 2 hours before cooking, start soaking the noodles in warm water. Cut the chicken into small chunks, and combine with marinade in a bag or bowl. The marinade is not an exact science. Give it a good dollop of bean sauce, a few splashes of sherry and soy sauce, and a good dusting with pepper and five spice. Mix well and refrigerate.

After about 90 minutes, chop up the cabbage. Put the cabbage in a bowl and salt liberally. Let this sit for 20-30 minutes, then squeeze out the water (regular readers may have noticed how much I have come to love this technique).

Heat some oil in a wok on high heat. Stir fry the chicken until well-browned and cooked through. Set aside. Add more oil and fry the onion until lightly browned. Add the cabbage and cook for about one more minute, and set all this aside.

Add more oil. This is important to avoid sticking. You don't want the noodles to end up really oily, but stuck noodles means burned noodles and broken noodles. Add the noodles and green onion. Stir fry these on their own for a minute or two, then thrown in the chicken, onion, and cabbage. Briefly cook these together and serve. Although I did not do this, you could also prepare a sauce with some bean sauce, chicken stock, and corn starch.

Shrimp Fajitas

A few months ago, we picked up a bag of "Argentinian Red Shrimp" from Trader Joe's, noticing that, at only $9 a pound, they were priced well below the other varieties available. As it turns out, the things are delicious. They have a stronger flavor than most shrimp and can easily become the star of any dish. Last weekend, we took home 4 pounds for long-term enjoyment.

This dish is a nice way to let the shrimp speak for themselves. You can, of course, use whatever shrimp you like and have available.

Ingredients

• 1 lb frozen shrimp
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 lime
• Cumin
• Smoked Paprika
• Black Pepper
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Tortillas and your choice of accompaniments

Instructions

Defrost the shrimp ahead of time. The easiest way to do this is to put them in a bowl, fill the bowl with cold water, and let it sit on the counter for a while. Once defrosted, peel completely and de-vein as needed. Dust the shrimp with cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper, then squeeze the lime over it. Toss to coat and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions and saute until softened and lightly browned. Add garlic and shrimp, cook until shrimp is just cooked through. You can also add the juice from the marinade.

Serve with warm flour tortillas and your choice of accompaniments. Avocado, chopped cabbage, and corn salsa are shown in the picture. This recipe will make about six fajitas.

Panko Crusted Salmon

Today, dear readers, you bear witness to one of my proudest culinary moments: how I was able to introduce salmon into our home. Until recently, Ariel was not much of a fish eater. I have  been experimenting with cooking various kinds of fish, and many have met her approval. Catfish, tuna, and the delightfully named swai (a sort of Vietnamese catfish, a steal at $3.99 a pound) have become dinner staples. Yet one remained off limits, the elusive salmon.

My first attempt, grilled, met a lukewarm response, but it was this panko breaded fillet that sealed the deal. So, anyone trying to convince a friend or loved one to see the fishy light, give this a try. This recipe is easily adapted to many other fish. It can also be done with steaks as opposed to fillets. I used this technique recently for albacore tuna steaks, and it turned out great. Credit goes to Serious Eats' Food Lab for the original inspiration for the dish.

Ingredients

• Salmon fillets
• Salt and pepper
• Flour
• 1 egg
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil

Instructions

Begin heating vegetable oil in a frying pan, about halfway between medium and medium high heat. Use just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.

Cut the salmon into serving portions. Salt and pepper each side. On skinless fillets, we can identify the "skin side" of the fillets by the grayish strip that runs down the center. I bread this side because it tends to be more uniformly flat. You can bread the other side, but the coating may not brown as evenly.

Beat the egg in a bowl. Dredge the skin side of the fillets in flour, dip in egg, and press firmly into the panko. Make sure the skin side is well coated.

Once the oil is hot, carefully place the fillets in the pan, breaded side down. Cook for about 2 minutes, turn over, and cook for 2 more minutes. The breading should be well browned. If the fillets are relatively thick, you may want to cover the pan for part of the cooking. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Japanese Potato Salad

Potato salad has never been a food that got me excited, and I don't think I'm alone in that. The average grocery store potato salad is just not all that good. This was before I discovered Japanese potato salad. We are lucky enough to have a Japanese restaurant a few minutes from our house that serves bento boxes all day, and potato salad is an ever-present component. It also occurs to me this is the first time I've posted about a Japanese dish, and this popular item is a great place to start. The crunchy cucumbers and colorful carrots provide a great contrast to the potato base, and it works well as a side to any dish.

The unusual ingredient here is Japanese mayonnaise. From what I've heard, mayo is a highly popular condiment in Japan, where they put it on everything, including pizza. Kewpie is the brand you will likely encounter. For more information about exotic ingredients, I have created a new page with an ever-growing list of ingredients used or mentioned on the blog, discussing usage and where to buy them.

Ingredients

• 2 lb potatoes (gold or red)
• 2 large carrots
• 3 hard-boiled eggs
• 1/2 large cucumber (approx), thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 Tbs rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup Japanese mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Get some water boiling in a pot. While the water heats up, peel the potatoes and carrots. Quarter the potatoes and cut the carrots into similar-sized pieces. Cook until soft and can be pierced easily with a fork. Use a potato masher to partially mash the potatoes. You want to leave some chunkiness to it. Cut up the carrots into coins or half coins for the bigger end. Set these aside to cool.

If you have not previously boiled the eggs, you can toss them in the water now, turn the heat down to low, and they will be done in 10-12 minutes. Transfer eggs to a cold water bath. Once they have cooled off, peel and dice.

To prepare the cucumber, slice as thinly as you can. I used this as an opportunity to try out our new mandoline from IKEA, but a sharp knife will also do the job. Put the slices into a bowl, salt thoroughly, and mix to coat the pieces. Let this stand for 15-20 minutes. This quick pickling has a similar effect to what I did with the cabbage in the fried rice recipe in September. The water is drawn out of the cucumber (there will be a lot of it!). Squeeze the cucumber to release as much as possible and discard the water.

Assemble the potato salad in a large bowl. Combine potatoes, carrots, eggs, cucumber, and diced onion. Add vinegar and mayonnaise, and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and let the mixture chill in the refrigerator for about an hour. It also stands up well the next day.

This recipe is pretty flexible. The potatoes, carrots, and eggs for the pictured batch were actually cooked the day before and it turned out fine. You can also adjust the amount of mayo to your liking, or add more of those tasty cucumber slices. As for the potato variety, I have used both red and gold, and both were good.

The Potsticker, Part II

Almost two years ago, I wrote a post about potstickers, which a faithful commenter called the "walk version." Since then, I have made a lot of them, and learned quite a bit from the experience, and we're ready to "run." The entire process is now done from scratch, from dough to filling, to sauce.

The shaft of light clearly shows divine inspiration at work

Dough

At the time of my initial post, I was content with buying frozen wrappings. These are easily available at any Chinese grocery or even many general supermarkets. While these do work and let you save a lot of time, you can bring these to a whole new level with homemade dough. I also felt there was something a little off about them, but never bothered to try it. It was Ariel who put her foot down and declared the frozen wrappers unfit for use. We tried making our own, and never went back. Like chive pancakes, potstickers employ a hot water dough. In fact, I first started out using the pancake dough, but found it a bit too wet to handle. The recipe here is my adjustment. I make about two of these for a big batch.

Potsticker Wrapper Dough

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup boiling water 
• 1/3 cup cold water

Mix the flour and boiling water, and let stand for 3 minutes. Add cold water and knead into a smooth dough. Roll out on a floured surface. To work as a wrapper, the dough needs to be very thin. Cut the dough into circles using a glass. I find a standard pint glass or similar glassware does the job well. Closing the dumplings requires only water around the edge of the wrapper, and I don't find an egg wash necessary.

Filling

Over the years, my grandparents always have seemed to regard the filling as an afterthought, as if it was just meat and that was it. This is certainly not the case. Properly proportioned and seasoned filling can make or break your potstickers. 

The base will always be some kind of ground meat. Pork is the standard, but this can certainly be swapped or mixed with beef, lamb, or anything else. You can certainly add some chopped shrimp to the mix, as well. A good amount of vegetables is important to prevent the filling from becoming too dense. My usual choice is green cabbage. For additional flavoring, I add either green onions or chives plus soy sauce, black pepper, a touch of sesame oil and salt to taste. Minced garlic is another good option. Finally, add an egg to tie it all together. As with any meat mixture (as for burgers, meatballs, and the like), mix gently and avoid overworking. 

You can test out your filling without much commitment by forming a small patty and frying it. 

Sauce

My go-to sauce formula is about half soy sauce and half Chinese black vinegar. This is another somewhat "exotic ingredient" that I honestly don't know any other use for. However, if you make a lot of potstickers, it's definitely worth picking up a bottle. 

This basic sauce works very well, but you can always experiment with variations. A drop of sesame oil (don't overdo it), grated ginger, garlic powder, or a bit of mustard can work. Adventurous sorts might try some chili oil.

Cooking

The first thing you need is the right pan. The pan should fulfill four criteria: broad size, non-stick, flat bottom, and a good lid. I've found this in our trusty nonstick pan from IKEA (see photo). It didn't come with a lid, but the one from one of my other pans fits perfectly. 

The all-important second frying

It was not until reading Pei-Mei's technique for cooking potstickers that I feel I really nailed the crunchy texture on the bottoms. Here's how it's done: First, on medium heat, heat up vegetable oil in the pan. Add the potstickers and briefly brown the bottoms. Next, add water and cover. Let them steam until the meat is cooked. Carefully drain out any water that did not absorb. Finally, splash some more oil into the pan and fry until the bottoms are well browned and crisp. To serve, you can line up an inverted plate on top of the pan and then flip the whole thing so the dumplings fall onto the plate. I have found that you can cook potstickers just fine either freshly made or frozen. Frozen dumplings will, of course, require a longer steaming time.

Emerald Fried Rice

I have been making fried rice for a long time. Not only was it my first-ever blog post, it was one of the first dishes I taught myself how to make. So why are we here now, looking at the fourth fried rice recipe on No Free Lunch? Not long ago, I realized my fried rice was getting increasingly complex, usually incorporating lots of soy sauce, mustard, hot sauce, and Worcestershire into the cooking process. When I looked at Pei-Mei's standard fried rice recipe, it had none of that. Just rice, vegetables, ham, egg, and regular old vegetable oil. This prompted a back-to-basics approach one night that had excellent results.

Today's dish is based on Pei-Mei's second fried rice recipe, "emerald fried rice." This does something I had never considered -- adding lots of cabbage to the dish. This was immediately appealing to me. I buy cabbage frequently, for use in fish tacos, potsticker filling, "tongue depressors," and more, but I always end up throwing some away. Emerald fried rice is the answer to all your leftover rice and cabbage woes. After years of making and eating fried rice, new ideas continue to surprise and excite me -- this recipe was quite a hit!

Ingredients

• 1 lb green cabbage
• 1/2 Tbs salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 lb shrimp, shelled and de-veined (equivalent of 10 U-15 shrimp)
• 5 Tbs green onions, finely chopped
• 5-6 cups cooked rice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Chop up the cabbage into small pieces and combine with 1/2 Tbs salt in a large bowl. Toss to coat and let stand for 15 minutes. This will draw water out of the cabbage. 

Cabbage after the first chopping

Next, squeeze the water out. I used paper towels to do this. Finally, chop the cabbage again and set aside.

Cabbage after the second chopping

Beat the eggs and lightly season with salt and pepper. Heat a bit of oil in a wok or large frying pan on high heat. Cook the eggs and set aside. Add more oil to the pan and stir fry the cabbage for about 1 minute. Set the cabbage aside. If using larger shrimp, chop these into smaller pieces. Toss with a bit of salt and pepper, add more oil and fry these briefly, until just cooked through. Be careful not to overcook.

This blog clearly needed another picture of rice frying

Put more oil to the pan and add the green onions and rice. Stir fry until heated through and salt to taste. Add the cabbage, eggs, and shrimp. Toss a few times to combine and serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe is essentially a 1.5 times scale-up of Pei-Mei's original, though with some changes. I have  also increased the proportions of both egg and green onion and used shrimp instead of ham. I am confident this dish will work just fine with whatever protein you like.

As a final note, I want to mention that Pei-Mei's instructions on the cabbage simply say to pickle the cabbage in the salt. I was really not familiar with this technique and found little on the internet. The closest thing I could find was a Japanese dish called tsukemono. I think what I did was correct, but if anyone knows otherwise, let me know in the comments!

Chive Pancakes

Chive pancakes are very long overdue on No Free Lunch. Flaky, crunchy, and altogether delicious, these treats were a staple childhood snack for me. Despite this, I went through well over two decades having no idea how they are made. Now that we have an abundance of chives growing in the garden, I've been making them myself. It takes some time to prepare the dough, but they are well worth the effort; it is the rolling of the dough that creates the unique, layered texture of the pancake.

This recipe is a modified version of the "Green Onion Pies" from Pei Mei's Chinese Cook Book. I've lowered the salt a bit, replaced the green onions with chives, and doubled the amount. The technique is the same, though my instructions are less vague!

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/3 cup cold water
• Vegetable oil
• 6 Tbs fresh chopped chives
• 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• Lots of extra flour for dough handling

Instructions

Place flour in a large mixing bowl, add boiling water, and mix. Let stand for 3 minutes. Add cold water and knead into a smooth dough. I find that the dough is very wet at this stage, and flour should be added at your discretion to make the dough easier to knead. Cover and let rest, about half an hour.

Divide the dough into six equal pieces. While working with each piece, make sure to keep the others covered to prevent drying out. On a well-floured surface, roll out each piece into a round shape about 10 inches in diameter. The dough should be very thin. Continue to flour as needed. Brush oil over the whole piece, dust with 1/3 tsp salt (more or less to taste -- Pei Mei recommends 1/2 tsp, but this is a bit too much for me). Finally, spread 1 Tbs chives evenly across the dough.

Next, for each dough piece, roll the dough up as tightly as possible into a long tube and close up the ends. Form the tube into a snail shape and tuck the loose end into the center. With a rolling pin, roll each snail shape out into a flat pancake about 1/4 inch thick. This should be 5-6 inches across.

On medium heat, heat vegetable oil in a nonstick frying pan, enough to cover the bottom. Fry each pancake, covered, a few minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Periodically jiggle the pan. According to Pei Mei, this promotes flaky pastry.

Mapo Doufu (麻婆豆腐)

My first offering from Pei-Mei's cookbook is Mapo doufu (tofu), one of the most iconic dishes of Sichuan province in western China. It is also one of the more popular Chinese dishes in general, and I ate it with some frequency in Shanghai. My grandparents also made a less spicy version of the dish quite often. The dish is, essentially, tofu and ground meat with a spicy sauce. The word mapo refers to a pockmarked old woman who, according to folklore, invented the dish. I enjoyed making (and eating) this dish, and it reminds me that I really should feature tofu more often on this blog.

As with some of my previous Chinese recipes, it is necessary to discuss some of the more exotic ingredients used. This dish uses two. The first is "hot bean paste," a Sichuan specialty that combines fermented beans and various spices. In Chinese, it is called la dou ban jiang (辣豆瓣酱). The best way to make sure you have the right Chinese product is to compare the actual Chinese words on the can or jar with what you're looking for (incidentally, I also recently used this technique to order dimsum). The second ingredient is Sichuan pepper, sometimes called brown pepper. This spice gives the dish a distinct aroma. I was able to find both of these at the local Chinese grocery.

Hot bean paste and Sichuan pepper powder

Ingredients

• 2 packages extra-firm tofu, 400 grams (14 oz) each
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs Hot bean paste
• 2 Tbs soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp corn starch
• 2 tsp water
• 1 tsp Sichuan pepper powder
• 1 Tbs green onion, chopped
• Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Tofu is packaged with water, and the more you can get out of it before cutting, the better. Slice the tofu into small cubes, about 3/4 inch a side. I cut each big slab into 8 long rods and then each of these into 6 pieces, for a total of 48 cubes. Heat some oil in a wok on high heat, enough to coat the surface. Add the tofu and stir fry for a few minutes. Remove the tofu and set aside.

Full tofu slab and cut-up cubes

Adding more oil as needed, fry the pork. As the pork begins to brown, add the minced garlic. Once the pork is browned, add the hot bean paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken broth, and the previously cooked tofu. Boil the whole mixture for three minutes, which will reduce the liquid.

Mix the corn starch and water into a paste, and stir this into the mixture. Stir in the Sichuan pepper powder, and transfer everything into a serving dish. Finally, sprinkle the green onion on top. Serve with white rice.

Notes

I made a few changes from Pei-Mei's original recipe. She recommends deep frying the tofu rather than stir frying at the beginning. I did not think it necessary to use so much oil, and I also don't think this changed compromised the dish in any way, since the sauce is so strongly flavored anyway. The original recipe also includes 2 tsp salt. I did follow this, and the dish was too salty. As such, I don't recommend this, and have omitted it from the ingredients list. If in doubt, taste at the end and then make the decision. Finally, I doubled the amount of pork, and since this was intended as a main dish, I liked the proportion.

My version of mapo doufu ended up being a little spicy, but not overwhelming at all. The brand of hot bean paste you happen to get will be the determining factor, but you can also crank up the heat by adding chili oil, as recommended by Pei-Mei.

Pei-Mei's Chinese Cook Book

When my grandparents came to the United States in 1980, they left behind a whole universe of food. To their credit, they have taken well to the land of hotdish and its delights (see Macaroni Casserole). Also to their credit, they started making lots of Chinese favorites at home, dishes that are commonplace restaurant fare in Hong Kong. 

Luckily, I have been able to glean a number of these recipes over the years, although the instructions are always vague. As it turns out, a lot of these recipes were derived from the 1960s Taiwanese celebrity chef Fu Pei-Mei. Pei-Mei's three volume set sat in their kitchen for decades... until now. I am proud have these books passed on to me.

Each of Pei-Mei's recipes has a Chinese version and an English version (at times clumsily translated, but gets the job done) on facing pages, as well as a glossy, full-color photo of every dish, beautifully plated. For such a comprehensive collection, this is all rather impressive. Although Pei-Mei uses a lot of exotic ingredients (pigeons, sea cucumbers, various crabs, and more), much of her output is quite accessible, and you can expect to see some Pei-Mei inspired dishes soon on No Free Lunch.

Lemon and Herb Grilled Chicken

At the time I was writing what we might call "classic" No Free Lunch, I did not marinate much. Back then, I did not plan my meals far enough in advance. Additionally, marinating is a lot harder to experiment with, as you can't make adjustments partway through. Because of this, knowledge of flavor combinations is essential to crafting a good marinade. Recently, though, I've been playing around with marinades a lot more, to some pretty tasty results. Looking at other recipes before starting is always a good idea. I like to begin by consulting the mighty Bittman, then heading to Google.

Today's recipe employs a Mediterranean-inspired marinade that is a great way to use fresh summer herbs from the garden. The marinade is by no means an exact science, and you can easily substitute other herbs or ingredients to your liking. The finished chicken is quite versatile, and can go well with pasta, potatoes, or in a sandwich. Today, I ate them with some sautéed spinach and onions.

Ingredients

• 8 pieces bone-in chicken (recommended: thighs)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lemons
• Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley and basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Assemble the marinade in a gallon-size bag. Mince the garlic, roughly chop the fresh herbs, and squeeze out the lemons into the bag. After combining all ingredients, mix it up a bit and add the chicken pieces. You can do this either leaving the skin on or taking it off. Leaving the skin on will give you some crunch on the chicken, so I left it on this time (see grilling tips below for caveats). Marinate in refrigerator for a few hours.

Several minutes ahead of cooking, preheat the grill. Removing from the marinade, place the chicken on the top rack. Grill until cooked through, about 30 minutes, with the cover closed, turning over once.

Tips for Grilling Chicken

Grilling chicken provides a unique challenge, quite different from grilling pork or beef. With red meats, the trick is essentially to char the outside before the inside gets overcooked, but with chicken, it is the opposite. Especially with skin-on chicken, a lot of grease will drip down and cause big fires in the grill that shoot up even to the top rack. This can turn your chicken an unappetizing black in a hurry.

There are a few techniques you can use to prevent this. The first thing to do is simply to check the grill frequently, monitoring both for fires and the interior temperature. I like to keep it around 350 degrees; to cool it off, just leave the top open for a short time. The best way to prevent, or at least mitigate fires is to push all the chicken over to one side and turn the gas off on that side, as shown in the photo. You can leave the grill like this for a while, and then turn the heat on under the chicken later to get some char on the outside as desired. Note also that grilling sausage, such as bratwurst, has largely the same pitfalls as chicken.

Learning to grill is all about being flexible, and requires a lot more attention and adjustment than using the oven, so you always need to be ready to move the meat around or adjust the heat. Learning the quirks of a particular grill is also important. Mine, for example, is hotter in the back-left area. Finally, remember that there's no shame in burning a few; it's all part of the process. I will admit that even today, not all of them turned out as nicely as the two in the photo!

Easy Chicken Cassoulet

It's that time of year again, folks, and of course, I mean it's Bastille Day. Is there any better way to celebrate than by storming our hunger? Non. This dish is essentially a simplified and easy-to-make version of cassoulet, with inexpensive and relatively easily found ingredients. Along with some variants, it has become one of the most common and favorite meals in our house, where it is simply known as "beans." 

The basic formula lends itself to variation, substitutions, and experimentation for many bean-based dishes; the recipe here is really just a suggestion. Swapping the mustard for some garam masala and coconut milk puts an Asian spin on the dish, for example. Different meats (duck, of course, among others) or different types of beans can work well, too. If changing the bean type, you should be careful to stick with beans that hold their shape well after a long cooking time. Any type of kidney bean, as well as chickpeas fit the bill nicely.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs, skin removed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced
• 1/2 tbs butter
• Olive oil
• 2 cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 tbs Dijon mustard
• 1/2 large lemon
• 1 sprig fresh parsley, removed from stem
• 1 bay leaf
• Herbes de Provence
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Flour or Wondra for thickening

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat a bit of olive oil on medium-high heat. Rub both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides, then remove from the pot and set aside. Add butter and more olive oil as needed. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and sausage. Cook the mixture until the vegetables become soft. Salt and pepper to your preference.

Next, add the chicken back in, along with the beans and chicken stock. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into the pot, then stir in mustard, parsley, Herbes de Provence (a few good shakes), and bay leaf. Finally, add the thickening agent. If using Wondra, a few generous shakes is sufficient; if using flour, mix with water first. Stir thoroughly. I have also had some success with, in addition to the lemon juice, putting a piece of lemon rind in the pot before baking. I used the rind from a quarter of the lemon here. 

Ready to reduce

Put the pot in the oven and bake for about 1 hour. It is recommended to stir a few times and taste during baking. If the dish is not thickened to your liking after 1 hour of baking, you can remove the chicken and then reduce the liquid on the stovetop on high heat. I generally do this for at least 5 minutes. At the end, you should always be sure to taste and add salt or pepper if needed.

Blended Coffee Drinks

Those who know me well probably think I am something of a coffee purist. They are probably right, but these same people also know how much I love slushies, and so we have my secret summer weakness, the blended coffee drink. They have certainly been the object of more than a few Starbucks runs the last few months, and I eventually started experimenting with making them myself. I have begun to appreciate having control over the strength of the coffee, and even more so the amount of sugar. This is a basic recipe that I have nailed down over a few tries, and it certainly lends itself to variations, if that's what you're into. It's a great way to enjoy relaxing outdoors in the warmer months.

This blog is not affiliated with the
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company.

Ingredients

• 6 ice cubes
• 1/2 cup espresso or very strong coffee
• 2 tbs half and half
• 2-3 tsp sugar, to taste

Instructions

Prepare the coffee ahead of time and chill in the refrigerator. The coffee needs to be very strong, as the ice dilutes it quite a bit. I use my Vesuviana espresso maker, and it works great for this. A Moka pot would likely also give the strength you need for this. Another option would be to cold brew a long period.

Place the ice cubes in a blender and pulse on "ice crush" until the cubes are pulverized into a snow-like texture. Pour in the coffee and half and half. Add sugar to taste. This will, of course, vary to your liking, but I like about 3 teaspoons for this drink. This is still a lot less sweet than the commercial drinks. Blend to a smooth consistency, which does not take long.

Pour into a glass and serve with a straw. This makes enough to fill a large tumbler, about the same as a can of beer. One thing to watch out for is separation, as the ice will naturally float towards the top. Finely pulverizing the ice seems to mitigate this problem, but I do recommend stirring frequently or drinking it "like a trombone."

Grilled Back Ribs

No Free Lunch is back, and today, we're cooking with gas. With summer upon us, I've decided to return with one of my favorite outdoor meals, ribs. I recently got wind that Ariel's mom was looking for my barbecue rub, and was disappointed to find there was not a post about it. So, dear readers, ask and you shall receive.

I have been a lifelong rib lover, and have been making them regularly since we got a grill about a year ago. I have even shoveled out the deck to get my fix in the chillier months. I have also done this same basic recipe with pork spare ribs. Another good way to use the rub is on thinly sliced boneless pork loin.

Ingredients

Dry Rub

• 3 parts paprika
• 2 parts black pepper
• 2 parts ground cumin
• 1 part garlic powder
• 1 part onion powder
• 1 part turmeric
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Everything else

• Racks of pork back ribs
• Salt
• Barbecue sauce

Instructions

Slice each rack into pieces of about 4-5 bones each. This will give us more browned "edge" pieces while grilling them, as well as making it easier to manipulate them on the grill. Salt both sides of the ribs.

The proportions of the dry rub are approximate, and you should feel free to adjust it to your preference. The base rub is not spicy at all, so if you desire some heat, add a little cayenne pepper. Assemble the rub and apply liberally to both sides.

Fire up the grill and cook the ribs on indirect heat with the cover down until mostly cooked. You can do this either by lighting half of the grill and placing the ribs on the unlit side, or by using the upper rack (if your grill has them). Using the second method is quicker, and you will want to monitor them and flip occasionally. The pictured ribs spent about 35 minutes on the unlit side, and then about 15 on the upper rack of the lit side to get some color on them.

The ribs immediately before saucing

Next, brush both sides of the ribs with barbecue sauce, then move them onto the direct flame (lower rack). Grill for a few minutes on each side, until some char develops. The result will be tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Serve with more barbecue sauce. I used Trader Joe's Kansas City style barbecue sauce today, but have often made my own. It's easy to do and includes mostly ingredients you will have around the house. See below for my barbecue sauce recipe.

Barbecue Sauce

• 2 c ketchup
• 1 c water
• 1/2 c vinegar
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1/2 tbs onion powder
• 1/2 tbs paprika
• 1/2 tbs ground mustard
• 1/2 tbs black pepper
• 1/2 tbs garlic powder
• Liquid smoke (optional)

Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally to integrate. Transfer to an airtight container. The sauce keeps well in the refrigerator.