Last Call

Shandygaff Beer Cocktail

Besides too many cookbooks and a few boxes of recipes, I have a few old food magazines that have weighed me down over the years, as I've lugged them from state to state, apartment to apartment. Some dog-earred pages feature amazing photographs, some appear to mark mouth-watering dishes, and others are just dated, yet nostalgic, pictures that remind me of Grandma's stuffing or what green bean casseroles and lasagna's used to look like.

I spent a long weekend on Long Beach Island, NJ this past Labor Day, the sort of unofficial end to summer, and toted a few of these magazines with me in the hopes of making a little something from one of them. What transpired was a refreshing beer cocktail along with a juicy, peanuty chicken satay, a supposed favorite of travelers visiting The Flame Tree Restaurant in Muri, Rarotonga, an island in the Cook Islands in the South Pacific (well, according to the October 2004 issue of Bon Appetit magazine). 

The marinade requires a mix of acidic and savory ingredients, a wonderful way to tenderize and flavor the slivered chicken breasts. The chicken marinates for an hour, while covered in the fridge, and is then skewered and placed on the grill. While on the grill, the skewers begin to give off a sweet, fresh gingery smell; in your mouth, all the flavors come together- the ginger, the peanut, even a subtle hint of garlic-in a well-balanced, bright, tangy mix.

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

The peanut sauce was not as thick as those I have made in the past, but was still a delicate, nutty dressing for the chicken. With water and coconut milk called for, it's not heavy, yet provides a light, caramel-colored compliment to not only the chicken, but brown rice, vegtables, or even salad, whatever you choose to serve along with the dish. This makes a great main dish or quite a few appetizer skewers, perfect for easy outdoor grilling. It's also a wonderful introduction to this style of food, if you've never had it.

And to wash it all down? For those of you who have had your fill of beers this summer, sometimes a fun little addition can breathe new life into your standard brew. Herein lies is a two-ingredient beer cocktail called the Shandygaff, a refreshing drink with a bold, spicy bite. Feel free to add more ginger beer if you want more kick.

Indonesian Chicken Satay
(adapted from the October 2004 issue of Bon Appetit magazine)

SATAY SAUCE
*1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
*3/4 cup roasted salted peanuts
*1/2 cup water
*1/2 cup finely chopped onion
*2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
*2 Tbsp. soy sauce
*2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
*2 garlic cloves
*1 tsp. crushed dried pepper
*1 tsp.fish sauce
*1 Tbsp. peanut oil

CHICKEN
*1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
*1/4 cup soy sauce
*2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
*2 Tbsp. vegtable oil
*2 Tbsp. grated fresh peeled ginger
*4 tsp. ground coriander
*2 garlic cloves, crushed
*2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswine into 1/4-inch-thick slices

*bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling.

FOR SAUCE: Puree the first ten ingredients in a blender until the mixture is smooth. Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-heat. Add sauce and simmer until thickened and reduced to 2 cup, stirring frequently. I found this takes about 6-7 minutes. The mixture also continues to thicken once off the stove and placed in a bowl, as well. This sauce can also be made one day ahead. Just over and refrigerate.

FOR CHICKEN: Combine the first seven ingredients and a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto soaked swekers. Brush half of the remaining marinade over all the skewers and bring the other half to a simmer over low heat. Grill chicken until cooked through, turning frequently and basting with leftover, simmering marinade, about six minutes total.

Serve chicken with brown rice, vegtables or salad, with the peanut sauce alongside.

Shandygaff Cocktail
*6 ounces IPA or Pale Ale
*5 ounces ginger beer

Pour beer in a glass and slowly top off with a ginger beer (ginger beer can be found in any international aisle at the grocery store, I enjoy the Goya brand, but whatever you can find will do. Ginger ale would be a decent substitute, but you won't get the spiciness that this drink is known for.

Blogs require more than one post!

So, soon after I posted my first post I continued to fiddle around, made a few dishes, wrote up a few things to include...but just never posted. And then about a million things got in the way- number one being my motivation.

Its funny becuase I've talked about writing a blog  forever (mostly becuase all I talk about is food and cooking and I figured I would soon need an entirely new audience secondary to completely tiring out or boring my first audience to tears) and the minute my first post goes up...bam, it takes me over a month to post anything else!

Another reason I wanted to do this was becuase it would hold me accountable. Accountable for documenting and photographing the dishes I make (or WAS making) as well as to keep up with and make the many things I see in magazines, online, that I tear out of the newspaper, or that scribble down qucickly.
Well, anyway...I AM BACK . Even if this is just for me and my closest confidants to read...here I am...AGAIN.

Beef Tenderloin with Picon Cheese

What I have pictured here is a dish I decided to make this past friday night. It is adapted from Jose Andres' Made in Spain television series and cookbook. It was a fun dish to prepare. I would normally use white wine or stock to deglaze, but this calls for cider. I think the cider, shallots and cheese really gave the sauce (which was already a beautiful creamy, silky addition to the meat) a bit more bite.

While shopping, I did go for the filet mignon, but a cheaper blue cheese. There are a few lovely cheese shops in the Alexandria area where I live, as well as in DC, but I ended up going with a Danish blue (right from the grocery store). Jose calls for a Spanish blue called Picon. This dish turned out well, so I will probably end up attempting to find Picon, or another spanish blue, at some point...but perhaps then I will go with a cheaper cut of meat? I guess that all depends on who's coming for dinner!

Also, please forgive the pictures-  from the placement and size of the chives to the amount of sauce- we were deleriously famished and I just quickly snapped a few shots. ENJOY!

Beef Tenderloin with Picon Cheese

* 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

* 1 lb. beef tenderloin

* 3 garlic cloves, peeled

* 1/2 shallot, thinly sliced

* 2 fresh thyme sprigs

* 1/4 Sidra (a Spanish cider, or any hard cider)

* 1/2 c. heavy cream

* 2 oz. Picon, or any good quality blue cheese

* sea salt to taste

* chopped chives, for garnish

Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large ovenproof skillet over high heat, heat oil until smoking. Add beef tenderloin and sear for 2 minutes on all sides. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 10 more minutes (or until meat registers at 130 degrees on meat thermometer, for medium-rare). Transfer tenderloins to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm.

Return pan to stove and heat over medium-high heat. Gently crush garlic cloves and add to pan juices, along with the springs of thyme and sliced shallots. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the hard cider, as well as 2 Tbsp of water to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits.

Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cream and 1 oz. of the blue cheese. Stir to melt cheese, as well as to thicken the sauce. Remove pan from the heat.

Slice the beef tenderloin into 1/2 inch thick medallions, or arrange as you please. Season with salt and pepper and spoon the creamy blue cheese sauce over and arond the beef. Crumble the remaining blue cheese on top of the beef, and garnish with chopped chives. Serves 4.