BBQ Showdown: 3 Ways to Grill Sweet Corn

When summer rolls around, there’s nothing that sings out delicious home-sweet-home more beautifully than a perfect ear of sweet corn.  It’s those those Midwestern roots of mine that invoke powerful cravings for fresh corn on the cob.  (Though I’m sure pregnancy likely plays a contributing roll as well.)  There’s quite truly no better place in the world that grows sweet corn as deliciously tender and sweet than right in the heart of the Midwest.

So, when these Midwestern cravings are sandwiched amidst the culinary haven of the Pacific Northwest, perfection is sure to be just around the corner… that is, with a little help from a bit of home-spun scientific taste testing.

SWEET CORN GRILLED 3 WAYS

Nearly everybody has their tried-and-true “perfect” way to grill sweet corn.  Oh, you’ve gotta try it this way, one person says.  The next person you talk to about grilling sweet golden deliciousness tells you, oh no… this way is much, much better. Trust me.

Well, last night, my husband Paul and I began a quest to set aside our biases and put a few methods to the empirical taste test.  Here are our methods…

• Husks On. Plain and simple. Just grab your ear of corn and place it right on a hot BBQ. Grill for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
• Husks On + Pre-Soaking. Soak ears of corn in salted water for about 20 – 30 minutes. Then grill for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
• Shucked and in Foil. Shuck sweet corn, cover in foil and grill for about 20 minutes.

TASTE TEST RESULTS

Husks On. This method resulted in sweet corn with a delicate smoky flavor throughout the ear.  Kernels were cooked well and retained their juiciness.  Multiple spots of kernels along the cob also had a toasted flavor that emerged above the smokiness.  (These spots are the lighter brownish kernels in the photo above.)

Shucked and in Foil. This method produced the least desirable effects.  Kernels cooked unevenly compared to the two husks-on methods.  Uneven cooking is likely due to inconsistent layers of foil between the corn and grill grates.  When I wrapped the corn in foil, one side had a little more foil than the other due to slight overlap.  This slight overlap was enough to cause a noticeable difference in doneness.  However, the most disappointing result of this method was that kernels turned out more chewy than juicy.

Husks On + Pre-Soaking. This method produced corn that was, overall, pretty similar to the straight husks on method.  However, the delicate smoky flavor tended to be limited to the very tips of the cob and did not permeate throughout the length of the ear.  Also, the base-half of the ear (closest to the stock) completely lacked both toasted overtones and smokiness which were characteristic of the straight husks on method.

THE VERDICT

Husks On was definitely the winner. Just place that beautiful ear of sweet corn straight on the grill.  No soaking and no pre-husking necessary.

The Story of Beast Feast

Over the course of hundreds and thousands of years, the original Beast Feast villagers scattered across the globe. Eventually their culture and heritage — including this festive celebration — faded into the lost annals of history.

…until now, when Molly Johnson (aka @piratemolly) brings to us The Second Annual Beast Feast — a momentous revival of a lost tradition.

And, as designated historian, I am obligated to tell the story of The Beast Feast…

Long ago, a horrible beast creature was gobbling up people. I mean really gobbling them… Like ultra hungry ogres herding lambs to the uber-commercialized-disassembly-line-style slaughter house.

Not a pretty sight. The beast made man kabobs, deep-fried man, grilled Sam and Sally sandwiches w/ a side of slaw… the list goes on. Its culinary creativity was rivaled only by its insatiable blood lust.

Some have theorized that the beast had an eating disorder. And, being the only one of its kind, had succumbed to binge eating as a way to mask its painful isolation. That it binged on humans is thought to be merely a matter of coincidence, as the village was conveniently located next to the beast’s lair. Others have proposed that the beast’s man-flesh carnage was due to a physiological drug-induced addiction. The theorized culprit: the human pituitary gland. All it took was one. Just one little pituitary gland. After that, there was no curbing the craving.

In a desperate and rather unsophisticated act of defense, the villagers resorted to beating the man-eating beast with long sticks. This startled the creature. But it was eventually the beast’s severe allergy to sap from the Juniper tree which was its ultimate undoing. After many beatings with sticks plucked from the village Juniper trees, the beast finally fell (as did the overly and brutishly pruned Juniper trees).

After destroying the beast, the people feasted – bare handed – on its magnificent meat, both tender and juicy. (It’s suspected that the juniper helped flavor and tenderize the beast flesh – not to omit the likely tenderizing effect of the beatings.)

Since the villagers’ victory, the people vouched to commemorate the slaying and the feasting on the beast with an annual celebration. A reenactment of slaying the beast with sticks is carried out. And, true to the people’s barehanded consumption of roasted beast, the commemorations always called for feasting merrily on foods using no silverware.

Hence, the piñata and sans silverware convivium at the annual Beast Feast.

2nd Annual Beast Feast is Upon Us

The 2nd Annual Beast Feast is slated to kick off tonight, right here in Portland, Oregon! Be prepared to consume a delectable array of food stuff — all with your bare hands.  Oh yes, and channel those aggressive tendencies because you’ll need them when it comes time to ferociously whack at the traditional Beast Feast piñata — which very well may be filled with little plastic army guys, carrots and random paying cards.

But really, what is Beast Feast you ask? Here’s the official event notice pulled straight from the Beast Feast event page on FaceBook…

The Second Annual Beast Feast…!!

Food without utensils (meat! pie! meat pie!), yummy jello-shooters, Beast Feast Cake, a piñata with mystery prizes, 2nd quarter resolutions, and the Beast Feast activity (TBA). Other ridiculous Beast Feast holiday rituals to be announced…or not.

Please bring:
1. Food item to share that can be eaten with fingers but isn’t necessarily meant to be. No stews or soups, please, unless you bring your own tarp.

2. A beer/alcoholic liquid/cola if you don’t like two buck chuck or coors. Or jello.

3. A friend. Or three. Just RSVP–or you may not get your treat from the Beast.

*Suggestions for activities this year’s festival holiday are welcome though the committee will make all final decisions.

To give you a better idea of Beast Feast, here are a few windows into last year’s celebration…

WELCOME

RULES OF BEAST FEAST

BEAST FEAST FESTIVITIES

THE Piñata

~

Many thanks to Molly for organizing last year’s and this year’s Beast Feast!

Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Alright, so the Space Room Lounge isn’t at the end of the Universe, but the ambiance of this Portland classic still manages to pack a pretty unique punch.

The first out-of-this-world visual to greet you is a massive, brushed metal UFO perched just above the brunch counter. Another wall is adorned with overly sized alien prints.

But wait, that’s not it… Every table at the Space Room Lounge sports its own scifi-themed decoupage tabletop.  Table themes range from full-on Trek, to Star Wars, to pulp scifi, to a large center table covered with newspaper clippings of UFO sightings.

Paul and I had the distinct pleasure of sitting at the pulp scifi table.

The only thing that could improve upon this spectacular atmosphere is their choice of programs airing on four big-screen TV’s.  While we were dining, a football game was airing in the background.  I’ve gotta say… It was the one inconsistency in this otherwise spot-on Space Lounge.

My recommendation: Keep those tellies glued to the SyFy channel.  Or better yet — much better — run back-to-back classic scifi flicks.

So clearly, I was much taken in by the look and feel of this lounge. But what about the food… Right???

Well, their Space Menu consists of Out of this World Entrées and All-Day Breakfast plates as well as Extraterrestrial Appetizers and Fresh from the Starship Deli items.

Paul ordered the Ciabatta Chicken Burger — chicken breast, onion, tomato, lettuce, Havarti, and pesto sauce.  He gives this burger a 3.5 out of 5 intergalactic stars.

I ordered the Chicken Pannini — chicken, sun dried tomatoes, cheese, and pesto on grilled ciabatta bread. I give this sandwich a 3 out of 5 intergalactic stars.  With that said, a couple strips of bacon and ciabatta bread that was actually grilled is all it would take for a full 5 stars.  (The bread tasted as though it was lightly toasted on a griddle.)

The fries, on the other hand, were truly out of this world! The battered French fries were served up golden and wonderfully crispy.

Escape from Abhorrent Arborio Prices

Home cooked risotto was on the menu last night.  So earlier that afternoon, I decided to jaunt on over to the local grocery store with a quest for arborio.

But what I found left me flabbergasted.

$8.89 for a little over two pounds of rice!!! Now, I knew arborio sold for a pretty penny, but I didn’t think I’d have to shell out eight hundred and eighty nine of them.

Despite how badly I wanted risotto, $8.89 was a price point that I just couldn’t justify for rice. After a scan of the rice selection, I quickly found short grain rice (aka pearl rice) at $2.39 for two pounds and decided to use it a substitute for the overpriced arborio.

Here’s why I knew it would be okay to use short grain white rice as a substitute for arborio:

• Arborio is a short grain rice.  It’s an Italian short grain variety with a crazy-high starch content.  This starch content is what makes risotto so creamy. (btw… Never, ever rinse your arborio. You’ll wash away some of that great starch.)
• Pearl rice, or short grain white rice, also has a pretty impressive starch content. It too can absorb massive amounts of liquid without becoming soggy.

Differences that lead me to proceed with caution:

• While pearl rice does have a high starch content and it absorbs massive amounts of liquid, it does neither quite as supremely as arborio.  So, I knew I’d have to scale back my liquid – slightly.  And, I would have to push these little rice grains to their liquid holding capacity, without causing them to become soggy.

And the result? Absolutely fabulous!

Our Mushroom Risotto was velvety smooth, rich and creamy.  The pearl rice held up wonderfully well… one cup of rice absorbed about four cups of broth and the integrity and texture of individual grains were perfect (no soggy rice here).

The recipes…

Mushroom Risotto

• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/3 lb shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 cup short grain white rice
• 1/2 cup port
• 3 – 4 cups chicken broth, simmering (Mis en place: Keep a pot of hot chicken broth and a ladle on your back burner)
• Season w/ salt & pepper

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add thyme and mushrooms.  When mushrooms are cooked through, add port and reduce till pan is nearly dry. Add rice and sauté.

Now, the painstaking dedication comes in. Finish the risotto in the traditional, arm-numbing way: Add one ladle of hot broth to the rice; stir till absorbed; repeat until rice is cooked.

Braised Chicken with Figs

• 2 chicken breast, boneless & skinless
• 3/4 cup Port
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• salt & pepper
• 12 Mission Figs
• Additional olive oil for braising

Combine all ingredients together in a zip lock bag. Marinate for 2 – 4 hours.

Heat heavy pan (preferrably cast iron) on high heat. Pat chicken breasts dry. Add olive oil to pan. Add chicken and sear both sides. Add marinateing liquid (including figs). Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until internal temp on chicken is 165 degrees.

Remove chicken from pan and set aside to keep warm. Thicken remaining juices in pan with cornstarch slurry. Serve sauce and figs over chicken.

Singapore Noodles on the Brain

Last week, I had Singapore Noodles on the Brain.  More precisely, my daydreams of these yellow curried noodles inevitably lead to tingling taste buds, conditioned salivation, and yes, a stomach rumble.

One problem. Singapore Noodles are on my cooking nemesis list.  Meaning, despite my tenacity, a straight out flop (or something less than perfection) is often the ending result.

My problem with Singapore Noodles?

Well, it’s those super thin rice stick noodles. After I’ve reached that final point of adding soaked noodles to my wok, the whole thing goes down hill.  I inadvertently overcook the poor things.  So, what should be a delectable dish of beautifully seasoned noodles is instead a very tasty clump of noodles.

But I had a craving, and that craving needed a solution.  The solution:

Singapore (inspired) Fried Rice

• 1 c white rice + 2 c water
• olive oil for sautéing
• 1/2 c carrots, small dice
• 1/2 c celery, small dice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 dried shrimp, ground
• 2 tsp Madras curry powder
• 2 tbs soy sauce

First step is to cook the rice.  Then, sauté carrot and celery over high heat. You want some nice color to those veges; a little caramelization goes a long way. Then, add garlic, dried shrimp, and curry powder. Turn the heat down to medium so those spices don’t go up in smoke.  After the spices have bloomed, add the soy sauce.  At this point, I added a little bit more olive oil and then added the rice.

Whatever you do, don’t skip the dried shrimp. They really are the “secret” ingredient, and fresh shrimp are terrific but won’t yield the same flavor.  I know, dried shrimps aren’t the easiest things to come by and you may have to make a special trek to your local Asian grocery store. But it’s definitely worth it!

Full disclosure…

Okay. Okay, so in all honesty, my solution was a complete bastardization of Singapore Noodles.  But then again, “Singapore Noodles” aren’t even Singaporean! Besides, creativity is fueled by inspiration. And Singapore Noodles were certainly an inspiration.

Thanksgiving: Gut-Loading Gratitude

For Thanksgiving  this year, Paul and I are fortunate enough to have Peter & Hanne (Paul’s parents) and Carl & Anna (Paul’s brother and his girlfriend) cozy up in our home for a wonderful holiday celebration.  And, with turkey day right around the corner, I figured it was due time for me to finalize the menu.

Here’s the line-up…

Starter Courses

• Beggars’ Purses filled w/ Shrimp, Spinach and Artichokes
• Crostini w/ Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade
• Candied Nuts (A special, sweet and salty creation made by Paul’s father that’s balanced with the perfect amount of spice.)
• Spinach & Arugula Salad w/ Roasted Beets

Main Course and Sides

• Roast Turkey Breast w/ Prosciutto-Hazelnut Crust
• Homemade Mushroom and Brie Ravioli w/ Brown Butter Sauce
• Peter’s Sage Dressing with Chicken Sausage
• Asparagus w/ Toasted Garlic
• Maple-Sweetened Cranberry Sauce w/ Jalapeño

Dessert

• Pumpkin Pie
• Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream  (Big thanks to Carl & Anna for our new ice cream maker!)
  

Peanut Butter Jelly Time

PB&J = simplicity, no refrigeration needed, cheap, and just down right yumminess.

This, we already know.  And most of us already know how to assemble a PB&J.  BUT… just in case there’s any confusion, you can rest assured because eHow has saved the day with a PB&J How-To video.

<Really?  REALLY???>

And, after you’ve mastered the art of PB&J, you might be ready for broad, new territory.  Unleash those unstoppable PB&J Master Jedi skills and delve into a whole new realm of peanut butter and jelly – well, mostly peanut butter.

• Grilled Peanut Butter, Jelly and Banana

• Fluffernutter — Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Fluff

• Peanut Butter & Mayonnaise [and Shrimp!] — Yup. According to Epicurean.com, “The Southern Housekeeper listed recipes for Peanut Sandwiches, using ‘roasted peanuts chopped up into a fine paste and well mixed with mayonnaise or thick cream.’  In 1968, Ladies Home Journal offered fearless eaters a recipe for a Siamese Sandwich, which combined peanut butter with mayonnaise, shrimp, raisins, apple, celery, onion, powdered ginger and lime or lemon rind.”

• Asian Curry Spice Peanut Butter, Pickles, Coconut & Potato Chips — This concoction was whipped up by B.P. Loco and is appropriately called  The Wacko.

• Organic Peanut Butter & Thick-Cut Bacon — At Portland’s own Peanut Butter Ellies, you can order up your very own PB&Bacon.  But it doesn’t stop there.  The Build Your Own option offers a wild array of toppings for your peanut butter cravings ranging from banana and gummy worms to guacamole and BBQ sauce.  (The cafe closed, but adventurous PDX’ers can still order their wild sandwiches to-go.)

And, while creating your masterpiece sandwich, rock out to…

…a good meme dies hard.

Smokin! On my stove top.

A friend of mine recently left me a FB message with a tantalizing insight into his diner menu… tea-rubbed tenderloin, beer potatoes, and spinach salad.  (Thanks, Evan, for the mouth-watering visions that danced across my palate!)

Anyway, it was his tea-rubbed tenderloin that got me thinking about all the wonderful options for using tea as a flavoring agent.  Its been years since I’ve played around with tea-smoked duck.  And, since Evan’s message, I’ve had a killer craving for a tasty tea-smoked fish.  But it’s October. And, it’s Portland.  So, unless I’m prepared to crouch outside next to my portable grill with an umbrella, I’ll need a back-up plan for smoking.

Now, I could go out and spend 40 – 50 bucks on a brand new stove top smoker.  But why would I do that when I’ve already got a wok?

Jill Santopietro blogged about transforming an everyday wok into a stove top smoker.  She’s also posted a helpful video demonstrating easy to follow steps for stove top smoked ribs.

The Kitchen Butterfly blog offers Four quick facts about Tea-smoking

It is a Chinese Technique, also known as wok-smoking

You don’t need a BBQ…you can do it perfectly on the stove-top

Traditionally, the ’smoke’ is created by mixing raw rice, sugar, Jasmine tea leaves and Star Anise and heating it up till smoking

It could result in a very smoky kitchen so ensure all windows are wide open and your extractor is on!

Mmmm! Let the smoking begin!

Confessions of a Junk Food Junkie

… a potato chip junkie, to be precise.

I could, in all honesty, be perfectly content in the above photo if only the tub was filled with these

…instead of Cheetos.

Cheetos.  Pfft.  Gormogons sums up the edible, orange-dye-No.1 packing puffs quite nicely: “Cheetos are clearly corn based life forms, with glowing orange skins.”  Potato chips, on the otherhand, are nothing short of crisp, golden-fried perfection.

Like any junkie, I am uncontrollable.  Do not leave me alone with a bag of chips, or I promise… they’ll be gone. Down to the last finger-licking crumb. None for you (or at least very few for you, given you’re able to strong-arm me into sharing).

But, to prevent my rear end from busting out the seams of my pants, I’ve gotta have a strategy.

1. Don’t buy chips.
2. Okay. Realistically, number one doesn’t work very well.  So, whenever possible, purchase small individual snack bags.  This prevents gut ache and offers potential for greater variety over time.
3. Never, never purchase a full bag without the presence of a co-consumer.
4. Explore “healthier” options.  (No. Not an apple silly.)

Yeah, a “healthier potato chip” is an oxymoron and borders on sharing the same universe as my pet unicorn.  But still, there are a few less dangerous options out there.  (And I’m not talking about the unorthodox GI cleansing ingredient that is Olestra.)

The variety of baked chips has come a long way.  Among my favorites are Lay’s Baked Southwestern Ranch.  Also Archer Farms’ Jamaican Jerk Baked Potato Crisps pack a pretty delightful punch.

But for something more akin to tradition… I go for Baked Ruffles and plunge those babies straight into a thick French Onion dip.  The trick is, you’ve gotta make the dip at home.  And make it with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.