A Summer Meal or Two....

Summer meals.

Last night I think we had a perfect meal.  P E R F E C T!  Ernie had bought a nice free rangechicken from Triple S at the farmers’ market and so we just did our standardgrilled whole chicken thing with it. Lots of salt and pepper and then set it breast side up on the indirectside of a hot fire.  Cover it andlet it go 30 minutes.  Then turn itso the side that’s been away from the heat is closest to the heat and cover itfor another 30 minutes. Perfect.  Owen startedeating it and his eyes got huge and he moaned (uh, well…the boy IS a bitdramatic, you know) and said, “this is the BEST chicken I have every had in mylife.  PLEASE buy this kind ofchicken again….they treat them better and don’t keep them in tiny cages andthey TASTE better!”  I swear to God….wheredoes he get this stuff?  I asked him how he knew all that and he just shrugged kept moaning about it.  Then I told himit was a lot more expensive than regular chicken and he said we could save ourmoney and not have it as often.  Iask you?  Is that boy brilliant orwhat?  My sweet pea.

Rounding out the meal was a salad of green beans (from OUR GARDEN I might note) and some pretty little red potatoes Ernie had got at themarket as well.  I just blanchedeverything and let it cool.  Then Ilayered the sliced potatoes and beans on a platter and poured a lemon/tarragon vinaigrette over them.  Oh MY.  And MY again.  Isuppose a tomato slice or two would have been colorful and nice but the mealwas perfect as is.  No picturesbecause I was too hungry.  Here arethe beans after harvesting yesterday evening though (Ernie was beside himself with pride)

 

 
And Tracy asked me about my chili verde recipe.  As  you know, I’m not great with recipes…but here’s what Idid.  I (read: Ernie) cut a porkshoulder into one inch chunks and then tossed them with lots and lots of ground corianderand cumin seed, some salt and pepper and some masa harina.  Browned the hell out of it all anddumped it in a dutch oven.  I addedchicken stock (too much in retrospect as I never got it thickened up as much asI would like) and then the puree of about 2lbs of tomatillas that had beenbroiled until a bit black on the top. Grilling probably would have been even better.  Then I also broiled about half a dozen serranos and the sameamount of jalopenos, as well as a few Anaheim and poblanos.  It sounds as though it would be reallyhot but the peppers we get at the supermarket just aren’t that hot so it justhad a nice bite.  What else….whatelse?  Oh, I think I added somemore cumin and salt and pepper and then about ¼ cup of honey to just smooththings out.  Lots of simmering andit was done.  Oh, a good handful ofchopped cilantro and fresh oregano went in as well. I might remember somethingelse but that was it. Simple...just meat...pepper...and some herbs and spices..... Oh, I think there may have been some onion involved...oh that's right....I browned them in the pan after the meat and then deglazed it with some beer.

Tonight I think it's going to be shrimp....any suggestions?