Garlic Chicken Spiedies

It's funny, I spent the first 3 years in Binghamton wishing I was back downstate. I missed the city, the faster-paced life. I missed the downstate bagels and pizza. I missed the good Jewish challah bread, the babka and the black and white cookies that New York is so famous for.

I loved Manhattan, I was always a city girl but recently I find I'm overwhelmed by the crowds. I still love the exceptional ethnic foods available here but Binghamton had it's own perks too. There was a peacefulness to the open space, something calming in the knowledge that country and farmland were less than 20 minutes away. There was a stillness to the morning and a comfort in the stars at night. Most of all there was a sense of pride and community among the locals and a growing interest and effort to better the area. 

Although it has become an economically depressed area, Greater Binghamton (also known as The Triple Cities) was once a thriving area bustling with immigrants. It is home to numerous corporations, authors, screenwriters and even some local foods. 

The most notable of which, may be the Spiedie.

A Spiedie is a sandwich made of cubed meat in some combination of olive oil, vinegar and Italian spices known as Spiedie sauce. It's marinated for at least 2 days, grilled on skewers and served in a fluffy white submarine rolls. It's a dish local to the Binghamton area and the Southern Tier region of New York. The concept originated from Italian immigrants in the area in the 1920s but there is some debate over who served the first Spiedie. 

BBQ chicken and grilled sandwiches may not be unique to the area but, never the less, it is home my favorite pit that serves chicken so delicious - I count the days until it's seasonal opening every March. Next door is the best ice cream shop and 7 miles east, across the river is Lupo's Char Pit which serves chicken or pork Spiedies and some really great french fries.

I know what you are thinking, that sounds like a kebab, right? Wrong. The locals would skewer you if they heard you say that. The concept is similar but the spices are different and the sandwich has nothing but meat in it. The roll is used like an oven mitt to hold the chicken while the other hand pulls out the skewer. It's then served hot and sometimes drizzled with fresh marinade before serving. 

Garlic Chicken Spiedies

Instead of using the traditional white sub roll I decided to go with a multigrain baguette for something a little less refined and more flavorful. I used dried spices but if you have fresh on hand go ahead and use them. You could even mix it up and use some fresh some dried but don't leave out the onion and garlic powder in favor of more fresh garlic or onion. Even though I used hot paprika (I brought a jar back from Budapest!), it was not spicy at all so don't worry if you are sensitive to spicy food. If you are still concerned, replace it with sweet paprika. 

Serves 8-12 as sandwiches or over salad.

3-4 pounds chicken breast, cubed

2 multigrain baguettes

3 small shallots or 1 red onion

2-3 large cloves of garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

1- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon hot paprika

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon basil

Peel the garlic and shallots or onion. Trim the ends and place in a blender. Add the oil, vinegar and all of the spices. Blend until smooth.

Toss the chicken with the marinade and refrigerate for 2-4 days.

When you are ready to grill the chicken, slice the baguette open length wise. 

Cut into two pieces horizontally and set aside.

Place the cubes on metal skewers and pack it tightly. Depending how long your skewers are, each will probably hold more than one serving of chicken. Mine each made enough for two sandwiches.

Grill the skewers over medium to medium high heat until the inside is white and juices run clear - about 8 minutes. The outside should be crisp but the parts where the chicken cubes touch will be soft and the marinade will collect there and stay moist.

Remove the skewer (with tongs, don't touch the metal!) and place in side one piece of the baguette and use the bread to hold the chicken while you remove the skewer. Repeat with the other chicken and baguette pieces. 

You should now have 4 baguette halves filled with chicken. 

Cut each in half to make 8 sandwiches. 

Enjoy!

Getting used to the idea.

Everywhere I turn someone likes to point out that I only have 11 days of classes and 3 weeks until I graduate. Whoa.  

Put another way that's 38 hours at my internship, 11 days of class, 3 weeks, 3 short assignments, 1 take home final, 1 online final, 3 regattas, 1 banquet, 2 excessively long ceremonies, 1 BBQ, and 1 camping trip until I'm done with this city. Whoa. 

I guess I'm ready for it. When all is said and done I actually do like Binghamton, but I'm kind of done here.  A new city would be nice, one on the west coast maybe, or Boston or of course good old New York City. Preferably Manhattan but I'll settle for Brooklyn. I don't actually have a job so I guess I'm headed back to Long Island, back to my Dad's house. Sigh. At least it's free...and I don't have to clean it.

Actually, I've been getting used to the idea - just for the summer. It won't be so bad, there is a backyard where I can plant tomatoes, herbs, lettuces, spinach, cucumbers and whatever else I can fit into the dirt; and I'll have time, lot's of time. Time to row, time to run, time to apply for jobs that I actually want, and of course time to write.

Oh writing, I haven't felt like doing very much of it lately. I've been cooking, sometimes even taking pictures of what I make but it hasn't been the same. I haven't been motivated to create an attractive plate or set up a shot. I haven't been in the mood to carry my camera with me; In fact I haven't really felt like taking pictures of anything at all. Mostly, I've just been tired. 

Cooking and baking is like stress relief for me, but sometimes blogging takes away that release. When I know I have term papers and presentations to write, when I'm on the computer all day, that's when I want to focus on the soothing noises of a skillet sizzling, the whir of my KitchenAid or the feeling of warm water rushing over my hands. That's when I don't want to be distracted by having to stop for photographs or write about a recipe when I'm done. I probably don't want to spend any extra time on the computer, I don't want to sort through pictures and I most definitely don't want to organize my thoughts. Instead I want to go outside, I want to ride my bike, I want to do yoga and I want to read in the grass. I want to let other people do the talking, the writing. I want to just listen, read - take in someone else's thoughts.

With that finally out in the open, there are things I have made that I haven't told you about; like this delicious un-photographed cheesecake that I made at 1am Saturday morning, as a last minute dessert for Saturday night. There were also various salads and a new favourite yogurt mixed with poppy seeds and blueberries (on multiple occasions). There were more nights out than I really wanted, and more five minute meals than I generally like, but then there was also a BBQ at my house. A BBQ for which I made turkey burgers.

Turkey Burgers with Feta and Parsley

I came up with this recipe a few summers ago and I've been making them frequently ever since.

Makes 4 Burgers.

For Burgers:

1lb 99% lean ground turkey

1/2 of a small white onion, chopped fine

2 oz Feta

1 handful fresh parsely, chopped

garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste

For Serving:

whole wheat hamburger buns (I like Martin's Whole Wheat Potato Buns or make you're own Brioche Buns)

1/2 of a small white onion sliced in rings

arugula

mustard

sour pickles

In a large bowl, mix all of the burger ingredients  until combined. Shape into 4 burgers and grill until cooked through. Serve on a bun with arugula, onion and mustard or over a salad. 

Burgers can be frozen raw to be grilled at a later date, no need to defrost first just leave on the grill a few minutes extra. Cooked burgers are also good cold the next day over salad.

Grilled Grouper

I finally cooked fish. Finally.


Remember way back in January when I said I wanted to try it? Well, I've been putting it off and putting it off but no more. Last night, Colin and I grilled a giant red grouper filet and now I'm addicted. It was so easy and didn't taste even a little bit fishy. We ate it with grilled asparagus and big bowls of salad. I feel healthy just writing about it.

Grilled Grouper and Asparagus
I really don't need to write out a recipe for this, it's that simple, but I'm so excited about it that I will anyway. Serves 2 

3/4 lb. fresh red grouper filet

2 tsp olive oil

Paul Prudhomme Seafood Magic to coat

1 Bunch Asparagus

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

garlic powder

salt and pepper

Break the woody ends off and place in a glass or tupperware container. Add the vinegar, oil, garlic poweder, salt and pepper. Cover, shake to coat, and let marinate 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Prepare a charcoal grill, add a metal fish/vegetable grate, and while it's heating up; brush fish with the olive oil and season generously with Seafood Magic. When the grill is ready, spread the asparagus on the grate and close the cover. After about 3-5 minutes flip the asparagus and add the fish. In another 3-5 minutes flip the fish and roll the asparagus off the direct heat. Cook fish until it's cooked through and the asparagus until they are crunchy with blackened bits but not mushy. Serve immediately with big green salads.