A great meal

Steve Miller

Every now and then I get a meal that blows me away. Tonight I had one of those.

We’re at the lake - Vermilion. Tiny town, 6 table restaurant, empty, off season. We’ve had good food there before but tonight really stood out. Solid Midwest menu but tonight they had a special.

“Pork Veloute”. Pork belly cooked perfectly - fat rendered nicely, hard crisp top. A helping of grits and sautéed summer vegetables with a mustard veloute sauce.

What made it spectacular was that every component was perfectly prepared and the sauce was completely over the top!

$19. You could spend $250 at French Laundry and not get a better meal. I’ll never forget it.

Got any particular memories?

Mik

Yeah I have. Tonight. I made Peruvian chicken with green sauce. Even though I had to tone the heat WAY down for my bride, it was the best thing I’ve made in a few years. Delicious. NYT recipe. I got the pepper pastes fro Amazon.

Peruvian Roasted Chicken With Spicy Cilantro Sauce
By Melissa Clark

Burnished-skinned, deeply flavored and more than just a little spicy, it’s no wonder that Peruvian chicken has become something of an obsession here in the United States. There are dozens of way to make this dish, but most recipes call for two different kinds of Peruvian chile pastes — aji amarillo and aji panca — to add the necessary complexity and heat. You can find them at South American markets and online. But in a pinch, you can substitute a red chile paste (like sriracha or sambal) for the aji amarillo, and ground pasilla chile powder for the aji panca. The flavors won’t be traditional, but the chicken will still be tasty — especially when slathered with the irresistibly creamy, spicy cilantro sauce that goes alongside.

Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
For the Chicken

6garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
3tablespoons soy sauce
1tablespoon aji amarillo paste or another chile paste such as sriracha or sambal
1tablespoon lime juice
1teaspoon aji panca paste or 1 teaspoon pasilla chile powder
1teaspoon Dijon mustard
1teaspoon ground cumin
1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½teaspoon fine sea salt
1(3½- to 4½-pound) chicken, halved (see Note) or 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

For the Sauce
1cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
3 to 4jalapeños, seeded and diced
¼cup/1 ounce crumbled feta cheese
1garlic clove, chopped
1½tablespoons lime juice, more to taste
2teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or basil
¾teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste
½teaspoon Dijon mustard
½tablespoon aji amarillo or other chile paste (see headnote)
½teaspoon honey
½teaspoon ground cumin
½cup extra-virgin olive oil
Lime wedges, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1
For the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together garlic, soy sauce, aji amarillo paste, lime juice, aji panca paste, mustard, cumin, pepper and salt.

Step 2
Add chicken halves, turning to coat them all over with marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.

Step 3
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with oil.

Step 4
Roast until skin is golden and chicken is cooked through, 35 to 45 minutes (if using chicken parts, remove the breasts after 25 to 35 minutes). Remove from oven and let sit, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

Step 5
While chicken is roasting, make the sauce. In a blender, blend cilantro, jalapeños, feta, garlic, lime juice, oregano, salt, mustard, aji amarillo paste, honey, and cumin until smooth. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in oil until mixture is emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt or lime juice or both.

Step 6
Carve the chicken and serve with the sauce and lime wedges on the side.

Jodi

@Mik I love Melissa Clark recipes. We’ve been cooking a lot of meals from the NYT cooking app - and I just ordered the pastes to try this one! Our favorites are some of the roasted chicken ones on a sheet pan (we usually do thighs).

Mik

Next adventure is Basque chicken. I ordered the Espelette pepper at the same time.

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/poulet-basquaise

wtg

My friend brought back some piment d'Espelètte when she was in the Basque region last year. I love sprinkling it on eggs.

@Mik said in A great meal:

I ordered the Espelette pepper at the same time.

I ran out. The Spice House doesn't carry it. Have a link to the one you got on Amazon?

That Peruvian chicken sounds fabulous.

Mik

Amazon.

Peruvian: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GAPHZL0?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Espelette: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015ESK9RQ?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Mik

The leftover green sauce is killer on scrambled eggs.

wtg

@Mik said in A great meal:

Amazon.

Peruvian: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GAPHZL0?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Espelette: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015ESK9RQ?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Thanks!

The leftover green sauce is killer on scrambled eggs.

Scrambled eggs are one of my go-to foods, especially when I want something quick and easy. Good by themselves, but you can ratchet them up by adding veggies and/or sauces.