Tuesday, May 20, 2008

I am the Bobby Flay of my Neighborhood


Anyone who is more than a passing viewer of the Food Network knows who Bobby Flay is. His style of cooking has taken French technique and combined it with regional cuisines (especially SW United States) to come up with dishes that are almost uniquely American. Fresh, seasonal and often cooked on a grill. What I appreciate about the dishes Bobby does is that when you look at your plate you can identify everything you are eating-tomatoes,corn, cilantro, red onion. He lets the food speak and his choice of seasoning is typically a spice rub or a marinade.
So, with that information in hand I just want to issue a "throw-down" and say:

" I am the Bobby Flay of my neighborhood" (minus the curly red hair and the hot blond ex-model wife). If you don't believe me ask my neighbors. They will tell you that I probably grill 150 days a year. Lamb, beef, pork, turkey, chicken, buffalo, quail, goat...basically anything that moo's, oink's, crows, chirps or bleets is fare for my table.
Clouds, rain, sunshine (I live in Portland so there is much of the first two and little of the third) I am outside getting my "Bobby Flay" on.
So, dinner last night:

Menu

Dry Spice Rub Grilled Chicken Thighs

Chopped Salad w/ Lime Vinaigrette


Grilled Asparagus & Grilled Red Onions &Garlic Toast

2002 Provenance Cabernet
These thighs are fantastic-moist, succulent and flavorful. While I cooked this bone-in, I think they actually are better boned (save the bones for stock). Make sure you cook the chicken just to the edge of the coals. If you want some grill char put over the coals directly and stick by the grill.

Spice Rub
1 Tbsp Coriander seed
1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard seeds
2 tsp Fennel seeds
3 Tbsp Spanish Paprika (pimention dulce)
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Kosher Salt

Grind all the seeds and add the remaining ingredients-you can easily scale this up to keep on hand in an airtight container.

Chopped Salad
1-2 cup Tomatoes-heirlooms, pear, cherry-coarse chop
1 cup Corn (in season you can grill the corn in the husk and then cut off the cob)
1/2 Red Onion chopped
1 can Pinto Beans (rinsed & drained)
1 handful cilantro -chopped
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
1 Lime juiced

4 comments:

Heather said...

Bah, I shoulda busted out the grill last weekend. I made some nice soba with maitake, pea shoots and crab last night. Will post later.

Don't you love inspiring player-hatred from the neighbs? I know you do.

Norm Schoen said...

Heather-
I hear it all the time from my neighbors: "That smells so good!" Since my condo has an interior courtyard all 16 households have to pay homage to my grilling superiority.

Heather said...

And you're like "Hate on, haters." (If my street speak ever gets too strange just ask your kid.)

I think I'm the Gordon Ramsey of my neighborhood. Except that I only call my neighbors stupid wanks behind their backs.

Norm Schoen said...

Not to worry- the urban dictionary has done much to increase my comprehension : )