Paleo Lemon Rosemary Grilled Chicken

I have some lemons.  I mean, a LOT of lemons.  My parents live in Palm Desert and have some incredibly prolific citrus trees so they're always giving it away.  Don't get me wrong, I can handle my fair share of lemons, and here are some ideas if you find you have a plethora of these tart, oval fruits

1) Can we say cocktails?

2) Squeeze the juice into ice cube trays and freeze for later use

3) Keep wedges cut up in your fridge to throw in a glass of water -  instant spa water at home

4) Squeeze it in your hair, sit in the sun and grab some highlights

5) Clean your yoga mat

6) Make a big batch of salad dressing (2 parts oil to 1 part lemon juice + fresh herbs)

7) Put them down your disposal to make your kitchen smell fresh

9) Slice them up and use them in a floral arrangement

10) Make twists for your double espressos

11) Make this delicious lemon rosemary chicken on the grill

 

8 small chicken thighs

Zest from 1 lemon

Juice from 3 lemons

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tbs fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a large plastic bag and marinate your chicken in the fridge for a few hours (up to about 4 - any longer and the acid from the lemon juice will slowly start to cook your chicken).  Preheat your grill to medium and grill chicken about 12-15 minute on each side.

If you get inundated with amazing citrus like we do in Southern California, grilled lemons really add a lot of wow to your plate, they'll take about 10 minutes on medium heat.

Paleo Breadcrumbs

When I was growing up my parents owned a restaurant, so we'd eat there most nights (great food and a chance to see Dad!), but when we did eat at home, my mom would make a dish that has become my ultimate I'm-homesick-want-comfort-food.  She would pan fry sole (or tilapia, or snapper), and sometimes I totally crave it.  She'd use bread crumbs, but this is substitute that even the most discerning palates can't tell the difference.  It's a very flavorful way to cook mild fish, all you need is a lemon wedge to complete the meal.

Paleo Breading (can be used for fish, chicken or pork)

1 c almond meal

1/2 c flaxseeds (pulse in a food processor)

1 tbs sea salt

1 tbs fresh cracked pepper

1 tbs fresh flat leaf parsley

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 tsp red pepper

Dredge fish in egg then coat both sides with breading, fry in a large saucepan in 2-3 tbs olive oil (1/2 tbs ghee can be added for flavor).  

Poulet Roti, Roast Chicken

My oven sucks. It's true, cooking times are always a bit vague in my kitchen anyways, and in the oven it's a total crap shoot. The chances of me getting a new oven are about as good as me getting a pony for Christmas (Dad, are you reading this?) since my landlord is quite the penny pincher, I'll just have go zen and carry on.  

Roast chicken is something anyone (top chef, wannabe, home cook, microwave extraordinaire et al) who ever sets foot in a kitchen should be able to do.  It's a very simple, low maintenance, cost effective, delicious way to feed yourself and your loved ones.  Heck, it's even great to feed those you can't stand.  It also has many uses - you not only get dinner for the night, but you can use leftovers for chicken salads the next day, or shredded in soup, and you can make stock with the carcass (I suppose I should talk about that in another post).  I like the poulet roti recipe from the Les Halles cookbook, partly because I laugh every time I read it, but also, it lends itself to be sophisticated and simple at the same time.

Wash and dry your chicken - including the cavity - trim off any excess fat and truss that baby up. (This might be the BEST part of Anthony Bourdain's commentary, which includes a Betty Page reference and involves you getting down on the floor, I kid you not). Stuff 1/2 an onion, 1/2 a lemon, salt & pepper and whatever fresh herbs you have on hand inside the bird.  Lay the giblets down with the other 1/2 the onion in your roasting pan (think of this as your flavor 'rack') with a heavy pour of white wine.   Slip a couple pads of butter between the breasts and the skin, but take care not to tear the skin.  Rub the outside of your bird with olive oil, a little melted butter and chop up some of those herbs.  Roast for 30 minutes at 375, then an additional 25 minutes at 450.  You can baste if you like...and if your oven is anything like mine, add 15 minutes and 10 minutes to your cooking time, and rotate that chicken every time you remember. 

Rainy Days & Butternut Squash

I woke up to gray.  Not marine layer gray, which always feels like a billowy curtain ready to break up at any moment, but a deeper, heavier gray.  The gray that makes you want to stay home in a hoodie and socks and watch movies and drink tea. We just had a heat wave, what was this??  Summer really never arrived, much to my chagrin, and the oven blasting type of heat we'd been having the past week had set my spirits on such a high...so what the eff was this?  And then it rained.  And I'm not talking the normal sprinkle we usually get - which sends all of us running for cover, a laughable action to most other climates - this was RAIN.  Rain that would make even a Seattle native pull out an umbrella, and they never do that.  So from elevating heat, to dark and stormy seas, the kitchen had to make a change...

I must capitalize on this soup weather.

Fall is one of my favorite seasons for one reason - squash.  When I start seeing squash at the market I get excited for fall.  Granted, I'm usually still in shorts and sandals, but there's a chill in the air!  I can eat squash any way but this (in my opinion) the most delicious, simple dish there is.  Butternut squash has such great no-fuss flavor, and you can make this dish in a flash.  There's something about warm soup that is very comforting to me, and during the cold months - well cold for coastal California - I eat soup most days of the week.  Another thing I love about this is the ingredient list:  butternut squash, onion, salt, pepper, chicken broth.  A few simple, wholesome items can make a big bowl of comfort on a chilly night.

Peel the butternut squash and cube it, removing the seeds.  Put the squash cubes, 1 large diced yellow onion, a little olive oil or butter, and a couple tbs of the chicken stock in a pan and simmer.  Let everything get soft, and the onions get sweet.  Transfer to a food processor or blender* and pulse while adding chicken stock until you get your desired texture.  My favorite garnishes are crumbled turkey bacon and green onions. I also like my soup pretty hot, so I usually put it back in the pot to simmer for a bit.

*if using a blender you may have to batch it, and be careful as the steam can cause the top to pop off and that will equal a major mess