A View to a Grill » Curry in (Too Much of) a Hurry
Ok,So the local supermarket had a special on boneless chicken breasts, so I stocked up as I had a couple of cookouts and the Revs tailgate coming up. Thinking of what I had in my pantry and in my fridge along with what recipes I'd done previously for Revs games, I figured it was time to break out an old favorite - Tandoori chicken.Now my go-to recipe is from one of those cheap cookbooks that I found on the discount rack at Borders a few years ago. But you know what, it's got a lot of great stuff in it, particularly when it comes to Asian and Indian food.Being late on a Friday night, I made an impromptu shopping list and dashed out to Stop … [Link]
A View to a Grill » Umami Dearest - Beer & Miso Sirloin Tips
No wire-y hanger steaks, ever!With apologies to Joan Crawford (sorry, couldn't resist using that line), I've been on an umami kick recently. For those who don't know the term, umami is considered the fifth taste people sense on their tongue (along with sweet, salty, bitter and sour). Often, this is best described as "savoriness". Usually, it is the presence of chemical compounds known as glutimates that lends foods this savory quality.Ingredients such as mushrooms, tomato paste and parmesean cheese are naturally high in glutimates. Fermented sauces such as Vietnamese Noc Cham and soy sauce are full of them as well. Ever wonder why monosodium glutimate (C5H8NNaO4) is added to processed food or Chinese take out? Think about it. That's right, its pure flavor enhancement (provided … [Link]
A View to a Grill » Four Sliders, One Big Home Run
Ok,I know I'm wicked late in getting this post done. Blame it on the Bruins' Stanley Cup Run. It pretty much consumed my life for most of the month of June.But amidst my numerous forays into the North Station area, I did manage to make time for another special sporting event. This one happened to be in Foxboro, though: A rematch of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup semifinals between the United States Men's National Team and the reigning world champions from Spain.This was going to be a big game. The USMNT has become a decent draw unto itself. But with Spain the opponent, it was a given that this would be a near-sellout at Gillette. In fact, one could make the case that this was … [Link]
A View to a Grill » Barbecue it Like Beckham - Lemon Miso Chicken
….And we're back!!!Hello again. I know it's been a while, but such is the life of a multi-sport season ticket holder in New England. With the Bruins making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, most of my free time has been spent at the TD Bank Garden (and the Four's). It's not that I don't care about the Revs - far from it. It's just that Jon's rule of conflicting sporting events has had to be invoked more than ever in the last month and a half.For those unfamiliar with this edict, it's quite simple: When you have tickets to two or more sporting events that take place at the same time, the game with more on the line always takes precedence. … [Link]
Asphalt Kitchen » Vegetable Kabobs: Revs 1, Whitecaps 0
My attention this week was focused on making a (very rich and filling) birthday cake for Chris, so I went into this tailgate intending to keep things simple. When it comes to vegetarian grilling, there are few meals simpler than kabobs. Well, maybe frozen veggie burgers, but I'm trying to avoid those until I'm desperately scrambling on the day of some unbearably hot home game. Oh, to imagine the possibility of a hot day at Gillette…Instead we got more chilly rain.Bean's keys to the game (of grilling good vegetable kabobs):Fresh vegetablesA good marinadeProper arrangement of the veggies on their skewersNumber one is self explanatory. Don't buy crummy looking vegetables. Choose whatever veggies you like. And some fruits, too. Fruits are great on kabobs. Buy what's … [Link]
Asphalt Kitchen » Camp Bananas Foster(ish)
I can't lie. There is no true recipe to this dessert. I've made many versions of fried, caramelized, or otherwise fattened bananas. For some reason my brain wants me to use different ingredients and a different cooking approach each time I make the dish. I've also never once measured the ingredients. Not that this is a bad thing. Experimentation has taught me much of what I know about cooking. (It has also brought on its fair share of kitchen disasters.)Usually when I get an idea, I just can't seem to let it go. This Saturday I was dead set on keeping ice cream frozen in the trunk of our car for two and a half hours. I don't know whether I wanted ice cream that … [Link]
Asphalt Kitchen » Thai Crunch Salad + Shrimp Skewers: Revs 0, Rapids 0
This weekend, our tailgate festivities were once again threatened by the elements. Thanks to all the folks who helped protect us from the rainstorm! Especially Julie, who, as per usual, came better prepared than I did (with a tent).Fortunately, the clouds parted long enough to permit our first go-round with the Coleman grill stove I bought for Chris's birthday. Well, actually, Steph tested out the grill with some delicious shrimp and pineapple skewers. I used only the burner to cook camp-style Bananas Foster in a small saucepan. More on that next post…Our new grill stove was great addition to the tailgate. It's quite small, so it wouldn't be useful for a large group, but it suits our needs perfectly. The grill surface heated up quickly … [Link]
Asphalt Kitchen » Tangy Mustard Coleslaw: Revs 3, Sporting KC 2
Finally, a week filled with excitement and anticipation for Revs fans! Between the addition of USMNT player/heartthrob Benny Feilhaber through the MLS allocation process and the unveiling of a new jersey sponsor, the parking lot (and the internet) were buzzing in the lead-up to this game.To cap off the week, we were treated to a big win at home. And, miracle of miracles, the rain held off long enough for us to savor the win. This may be coming from the swooning teenage girl inside of me, but I'd say that both Benny Feilhaber and Rajko Lekic made an instant positive impact on the Revs' offensive energy. Considering both were involved in scoring plays, my impish giddiness can't be totally misguided. Expecting heavy rain and … [Link]
A View to a Grill » Victory in Defeat, Part II: Pork Ain't Just a Verb
As I mentioned in Part I of my postgame recap, I had a whole lotta pork loin, courtesy of Mandy. I halved it into two equal 28 once portions and decided to go with a West Indian spiced marinade for the first half.But what to do with the second?When I'm in bind as far as finding a recipe, my go-to cookbook has often been Steven Raichlen's "The Barbecue Bible". Perhaps it's because this book is stocked with a myriad of recipes with influences from all around the world. Maybe it's the fact that it has separate sections devotes to marinades, sauces and rubs. Or it could be the fact that Raichlen is a fellow member of the tribe who loves to barbecue and grill … [Link]
A View to a Grill » Victory in Defeat: Revs get Porked, Riders get Pork
Saturday was my first chance to actually tailgate before a Revs game this year. I made it to the home opener, but I went to the Bruins-Rangers game at the Garden earlier in the afternoon. But with the Revs starting at 4:00, I just barely made it down to Foxboro in time to see kick-off.I pulled another double-header, having attended the Bruins-Senators game in the afternoon. But this time I knew I'd have plenty of time to spare as the Revs game had a 7:30 kickoff. So, as soon as the horn sounded signaling the end of the Bruins 3-2 victory, I hightailed it out of the Garden and onto the Orange Line at North Station to get my car at Sullivan Square.As I got … [Link]
Asphalt Kitchen » Grilled Lemon-Basil Tofu Burgers: Revs 0, RSL 2
I am not typically a fan of dishes that feature tofu as centerpiece. In fact, for someone with a pseudo-vegetarian diet, I am not a big fan of tofu altogether. It's a texture thing. Unless it's fried and masked by delightful other flavors (as in Pad Thai), tofu often seems mushy, spongy, and sort of flavorless to me. So I was skeptical about grilling a "burger" made entirely of tofu.But in the spirit of trying new things, I gave grilled lemon-basil tofu burgers a shot for this Saturday's match vs. Real Salt Lake. To my delight, the result was both crispy and flavorful. Dousing the tofu slices in garlicky, basily, lemony marinade certainly helped. Slathering the bun with a roasted garlic mayonnaise and tomato slices … [Link]
A View to a Grill » A New Season Awaits…
I started a cooking blog about a year ago to chronicle my various charades in my my kitchen. I was inspired by a good number of friends, most notably my friend Kaela and her Local Kitchen blog, who wrote about all sorts of tasty treats with innate detail and supplemented with wonderful photography.It was my first ever attempt at blogging and while I thoroughly enjoyed the concept, the execution left much to be desired, at least in my mind. I tried having a design formula so that each post would be nothing more than updating a template that I had laid out with various categories with witty titles. Having had no prior blogging experience, I had to learn how to navigate Blogspot's website and design … [Link]
Asphalt Kitchen » Julia's Moosewood Chili: Revs 1, Timbers 1
I don't have much to say about last night's game. I guess at least we didn't lose? Aside from rookie Stephen McCarthy netting his first career goal for the Revs, the game was decidedly unremarkable. Attendance at Gillette was an abysmal 7,144. Giving up two points at home against an expansion team was kind of a bummer.But hey, it was great to see some of my favorite familiar faces in the lot! Our new tailgate location will take some getting used to (supporters groups were moved this year), but I quite enjoyed myself. And I stayed warm, thanks to a little mulled wine…I mulled the wine at home on my stovetop and brought it to the game in a thermos. To my delight, it was … [Link]
Asphalt Kitchen » Grilled Pizza: USA 1, Argentina 1
Update 4/3/11: I forgot to mention the importance of using fresh pizza dough. I am far too lazy to make my own, but a pre-baked dough (such as Boboli) will just burn on a hot grill. Most grocery stores sell bags of pre-made raw pizza dough, usually kept in a refrigerator somewhere near the bread. This is what I used.______________________________~ predicted, Leo Messi dribbled through defenders. And, as predicted, Argentina saw the majority of possession. Just before halftime midfielder Esteban Cambiasso netted a goal for La Albiceleste. But Coach Bob Bradley's halftime changes made all the difference for the US. 18-year-old Juan Agudelo came off the bench and equalized in the 59th minute. It was his second goal in only his third appearance.And we can't … [Link]
Asphalt Kitchen » The Tricky Thing About Away Game Tailgates…(plus a recipe for pineapple salsa)
…is that you really have to plan ahead. This is especially difficult if you, like me, are inexcusably forgetful. I make lists. I leave myself post-its. I pack a day in advance. I double check my lists. Yet I inevitably manage to leave some essential item at home. There was the time I spent an hour preparing Strawberry, Pistachio, and Goat Cheese Pizza, only to discover upon opening the trunk of our car that I'd left the crust on my kitchen counter. Or the time I made lovely veggie kabobs but forgot to check the propane tank. It was, of course, empty. For this weekend's tailgate, I have the luxury of access to my father's kitchen day of game. If you've been to an away … [Link]
Asphalt Kitchen » The Cookies That Might Kill Me.
We have a little competition going on at work known fondly as "Cookie Madness". It is essentially a single-elimination cookie baking contest a la NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. The seemingly harmless idea was devised out of boredom, but it quickly spiraled out of control into an intense competition.As it turns out, my homemade oreos (adapted from Deb's recipe at Smitten Kitchen) have made it through to the semi-finals of competition. Yay me! Right? But what winning really means is I spent the last two hours mixing, baking, and frosting oreos for the third time in as many weeks. I have gone through eight sticks of butter and three bags of powdered sugar. Needless to say, I am tired of making homemade oreos.What does this … [Link]
Asphalt Kitchen » Disclaimer
I am not a vegetarian. I eat cheese. And eggs. And, occasionally, fish. I suppose technically that would make me a “pescetarian”. But when I describe myself as such, someone inevitably makes the joke: “What church do you go to?” The more polite folks ask “Oh, really? Why?”, but usually aren’t all that interested in hearing the answer. The ‘why’ mostly has to do with sustainability, my concerns with America’s meat production, and the health benefits of eating a plant-based diet. But I am not interested in preaching (and my guess is you’re not interested in my preaching either). You can ask me if you’d really like to know. Or you can refer to Michael Pollan’s article Unhappy Meals from The New York Times. He’s … [Link]
Monty's Musings » Just saying “Thanks”
I need to post more often, I know this. I’ve already been yelled at often enough about that … and so when I sat down to do my first blog post of 2011, I realized what I really wanted to say at this point wasn’t so much about the upcoming season, but more … much much more, to say thank you. You hear the phrase “Time flies when you’re having fun” so often that at times … it becomes meaningless. It’s like a random “Hello” to a stranger, just something to say as you’re going about your day. And then you work in a position for 11 years, and realize … “Holy Crap, it’s been 11 years?” As most of you know, at the Midnight … [Link]
Monty's Musings » Catching up
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