Ingredient: parsley,

Oktoberfest Roasted Half Chicken – Wiesn Hendl

CELEBRATING OKTOBERFEST (SEPT 21-OCT 6 /2024)

The first Oktoberfest took place in 1810 as part of the celebrations of the wedding between Crown Prince Ludwig, the later King Ludwig I. of Bavaria, and Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen.

On October 17 the five-day celebrations ended with a public horse race at a meadow between Munich and Sendling.

Due to the great success of this great conclusion of the ‘October Fest’ the formerly nameless meadow below the Sendling hill became the name ‘Theresens Wiese’ (Therese’s Meadow) in honor of the bride.

After 1815 this name was simplified as ‘Theresienwiese’. As it initially only served the Oktoberfest, besides some agricultural cultivation, the name of the event and its location merged.

As people from Munich like merging syllables just as they like to merge names, sometime later, they would simply go to ‘Wiesn’. Hence, in Munich you literally say, ‘I’m going out to the meadow’ (naus auf d’Wiesn), when you visit the Oktoberfest.

To many Munich locals the focus of the world-famous Oktoberfest isn’t the beer at all, but rather the huge number of rides, rollercoasters, ghost trains, and other funfair attractions that line the festival’s many avenues.

Certainly, of equal importance to the beer is the food, and most beloved of all is the recipe for the famous Oktoberfest Chicken.

‘Wiesnhendl’ means Wiesn chicken which is not a breed in itself. The name actually only indicates the ultimate fate of the chicken – for example to be eaten at the Wiesn.

Not every chicken can be a Wiesn chicken, as it must be born in the second week of August in order to reach the necessary weight for butchering. Only chickens whose star sign is Leo end up at Oktoberfest!  I understand, it’s reasonable to estimate that around 700,000 chickens will meet their golden-brown fate at the Wiesn.

The chicken makes a good choice: it’s easy to prepare in large quantities, can be served in seconds (chicken on the plate, moist towelette on the side) and the diner generally eats it with their fingers, saving on loads of washing up.

The chicken also contains a fairly generous proportion of fat, which helps to extend diners’ beer consumption time by slowing down the absorption of alcohol by the body. Another trick the hosts have is brushing the chicken skin with a salty brine solution to make the skin extra-crisp – as well as making guests extra-thirsty. So, everyone wins.

‘Hendl’, the Bavarian word for chicken, is non-gendered so can refer to a rooster or a hen. The right size and weight to feed two hungry people should be around 1300 grams (about 2.86 lbs.).

Another thing to keep in mind is that you can’t have Oktoberfest without pretzels. Large and soft, they’re the perfect accompaniment to chicken and beer.

Print Recipe
 Oktoberfest Roasted Half Chicken - Wiesn Hendl
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine German
Keyword Wiesenhendl - roasted half chicken
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken
Spiced Butter/Oil
Course Main Dish
Cuisine German
Keyword Wiesenhendl - roasted half chicken
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken
Spiced Butter/Oil
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. Wash chicken & pat dry with a paper towel. Stuff the cavity with thyme, parsley, garlic & lemon.
  3. Melt the butter, mix in the olive oil & the spices. Place the chicken breast side up onto the rack of a roasting pan. Brush it with the spiced butter/olive oil.
  4. Place in the oven & brush with spiced butter/olive oil again in about 20 minutes. (If the chicken is browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum oil.)
  5. In 40 minutes check the temperature with a meat thermometer. Brush with more spiced butter/olive oil.
  6. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165 F. If you want crisper skin, turn the heat up or broil for the final few minutes (keep an eye on it).
  7. Place the cooked chicken onto a cutting board with a lip of a cutting board inside a baking sheet (to contain the juices). Allow to rest 5-10 minutes. Cut across lengthwise with a heavy knife, pressing down firmly. Remove the herbs and lemon and serve.

Orecchiette w/ Cheesy Chicken Meatballs

One thing Italians share with the rest of the world is their love for pasta. Pasta remains part of a rich tradition that impacts every corner of Italy, meshing with regional cultures and influencing local cuisine.

Orecchiette is a pasta specialty from the beautiful southeastern region of Puglia, down in Italy’s southern ‘heel’. It’s one of the country’s flattest and most fertile regions, with wheat and olive oil produced in abundance.

Orecchiette translates to ‘small ears’—a fitting name for a dome-shaped pasta that looks like tiny ears. This pasta has a thin, concave center, chewy edges, and a rough surface texture. Orecchiette require only three ingredients: hard wheat flour, water and salt.

Their particular shape, combined with the rough surface, makes it perfect for any kind of sauce, especially vegetable sauces.

With its deep-rooted history in the region, use of simple ingredients, and its convenient versatility, orecchiette has become a defining part not only of Puglia’s cuisine, but its culture, as well. And its popularity extends far beyond the region of Puglia.

I absolutely love orecchiette with its chewiness and nice ‘cupping’ ability. Pared with some cheesy meatballs, this meal is so good!

Print Recipe
 Orecchiette w/ Cheesy Chicken Meatballs
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Keyword orecchiette w/ cheesy chicken meatballs
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Meatballs
Pasta Sauce
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Keyword orecchiette w/ cheesy chicken meatballs
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Meatballs
Pasta Sauce
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Pasta
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta & cook until tender but still firm to the bite., stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Transfer pasta to a bowl & add the parmesan. Toss to lightly coat orecchiette, adding reserved pasta water, if needed to loosen pasta.
Meatballs
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with foil & rub with oil.
  2. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley, egg & garlic. Season with salt & pepper. Form into 30-40 meatballs, then place on prepared baking sheet & bake until browned & cooked through about 25 minutes.
Pasta Sauce
  1. In a large pot, add chicken broth & tomatoes & bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer until tomatoes are soft. Remove from heat & add meatballs & pasta/cheese mixture. Combine grated mozzarella cheese with basil paste.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter a 9-inch baking dish.
  3. Place meatball/pasta mixture in baking dish & top with mozzarella cheese/basil mixture. Bake only until cheese is melted.

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings

Truly, chicken wings are part of the North American culture. Its hard to imagine that chicken wings have only been on the scene for that last fifty + years and that they were originally considered a throw-away part of the chicken. Prior to 1964, chicken wings were scraps leftover when the chicken was cut up. They were either discarded or sold for mere pennies to be made into soup.

I guess the answer to the question as to why we love chicken wings so much is simple. Their ability to mesh with just about any flavor combination or maybe its just the finger liking goodness that comes from eating with your hands.

A while back, Brion & I bought some new appliances for our home. The stove has numerous features I didn’t have on the previous one such as an air fryer. Today I thought I’d give it a whirl with these chicken wings … Yum!

Print Recipe
 Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Cuisine American
Keyword garlic parmesan chicken wings
Servings
Ingredients
Cuisine American
Keyword garlic parmesan chicken wings
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. In a large, heavy plastic bag, combine parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, paprika & salt; add chicken wings. Seal bag tightly & briskly shake to coat chicken wings well. Spray air fryer with cooking spray. Spread out wings in basket, keeping them apart to allow for the air flow. Air fry for 12 minutes; use tongs to turn wings & fry an additional 12 minutes. Serve.

Sage-Dijon Pork Tenderloin w/ Pistachio Couscous

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Many cultures around the world believe the key to a happy, healthy, prosperous & productive year begins with eating certain lucky foods on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The theory is ‘do good, eat good’ on the 1st day of the year, to begin the New Year right.

It hard to believe we have arrived at the end of another ‘complicated’ year and its time to reflect and assess the year it was. The word ‘new’ brings thoughts of hope and makes us realize how precious time is.

The tradition of eating pork on New Year’s dates back to …. well, no one really knows when. If your a meat eater, chose pork over chicken or beef on New Year’s Day because pigs dig with their snout, representing forward movement or progress, while chickens or turkeys scratch backward, the cows stand still. That’s it, that’s the folklore behind the tradition!

Many European countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland & Ireland, eat pork not only because of the belief of moving forward but because fatty meat is also symbolic of ‘fattening’ their wallets. Germans feel that pigs are so lucky that they give marzipan pigs known as ‘Glucksschwien’ or lucky pigs, as gifts to bring good luck in the coming year. They can also be given in other forms, such as little wooden or glass figurines.

With the pandemic situation that seems to be never ending, I think anything that will help in the good luck department is a good thing.

Print Recipe
 Sage, Dijon Pork Tenderloin w/ Pistachio Couscous
Votes: 2
Rating: 4.5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Middle Eastern
Keyword sage-Dijon pork tenderloin w/ pistachio couscous
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Pork Tenderloin
Pistachio Couscous
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Middle Eastern
Keyword sage-Dijon pork tenderloin w/ pistachio couscous
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Pork Tenderloin
Pistachio Couscous
Votes: 2
Rating: 4.5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Cook the couscous according to package directions. Add parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper, and pistachios. Stir to incorporate. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Cover and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 350º. Spray an 9” x 13” baking dish with cooking spray.
  3. Using a knife poke several holes in the tenderloin about a half-inch deep so marinade can penetrate.
  4. In a small bowl whisk together the shallots, garlic, soy sauce, mustard, honey, juice, sage, salt and pepper, and olive oil.
  5. Pour the marinade over the tenderloin.
  6. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes basting every 10-15 minutes.
  7. Transfer the tenderloin to a large cutting board and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
  8. Slice the tenderloin and transfer to a serving dish placing atop warmed couscous. Drizzle the marinade from the pan over the sliced pork medallions & couscous.

Corned Beef & Potato Cabbage Rolls

Stuffed cabbage is a humble food and probably originated , as most comfort food has, from leftovers. Common place in Russian, German, Irish, Hungarian and Slovakian cooking, cabbage is an ingredient that is filling and inexpensive.

Readily available, this cold season crop is the under-appreciated cousin of brussel sprouts. There’s nothing particularly mysterious, alluring or exotic about it. Cabbage’s distinctive odor might have something to do with its unpopularity. When cooked, it has a pungent and pervasive, slightly sour, sulfur-y smell.

All that aside, cabbage becomes buttery soft when cooked. This allows its wide and sturdy leaves to be used as wraps for soft fillings. Any type of ground meat can be used, seasoned with garlic, onions and spices. Additional ingredients may include rice, breadcrumbs, barley, eggs, dried fruit, nuts, veggies, dried or fresh mushrooms, etc. The ‘sauce’ for baking stuffed cabbage, varies widely by cuisine.

These cabbage rolls are the ‘full meal deal’, all rolled up in one …. corned beef, cabbage, mashed potatoes and cheese. Yum!

Print Recipe
 Corned Beef & Potato Cabbage Rolls
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, European, German
Keyword corned beef & potato cabbage rolls
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Cabbage
Filling
Sauce for Baking Cabbage Rolls
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, European, German
Keyword corned beef & potato cabbage rolls
Servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
Cabbage
Filling
Sauce for Baking Cabbage Rolls
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Cabbage
  1. Place about 1-inch of water in a large kettle. Using a sharp knife, Cut the thick stem out of the bottom of the cabbage head leaving all of the leaves intact. Place the cabbage head into the pot of water. Cover the pot & bring the water to a boil. Steam the cabbage for 15 minutes. Once the cabbage is steamed, remove it from the pot & place it on a plate to cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease an 8 X 8-inch baking dish.
Filling
  1. In a large bowl, combine 'pulled' (cooked) corned beef, mashed potatoes, egg, mustard, parsley, salt & pepper. Mix well & set aside.
  2. Gently remove 15 (there will be a few extra in case of any that tear) cooled outer leaves from the cabbage head. Set them aside. Chop a cup of the remaining cabbage & add it to the filling mixture. Mix well.
  3. Lay a one cabbage leaf on a cutting board, with the stem facing towards you. Cut out the tough bottom section of the vein in the leaf, creating a V-notch. Place roughly 1/4 cup of the filling at the center of the leaf (around the tip of the notch). Roll the bottom (cut side) of the leaf up over the filling. Fold the two sides in. Continue rolling away from you to wrap the filling tightly in the remaining leaf.
  4. Place roll in baking dish. Continue with the remaining filling & leaves, creating two rows of 5 rolls each in baking dish.
Sauce
  1. In a small dish, whisk together beef broth & flour until no lumps remain. Pour over cabbage rolls. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil & bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
  2. Remove from oven & sprinkle top of the rolls with Swiss cheese. Cover & allow to sit for 5 minutes. Nice to serve with some RYE BREAD STICKS.
Recipe Notes
  • If you prefer not to cook your own corned beef, just purchase a thick piece of 'deli' corned beef, using forks you can easily 'pull' the meat apart that's needed in this recipe.

Chicken Cheese Burgers w/ Portobello Fries

CELEBRATING CANADA DAY!

In Canada, July 1st marks the day for Canadians to show pride in their nations history, culture and achievements. From coast to coast the country’s birthday is marked with various events.

This is the date of the historical event in which Canada gained its independence from Great Britain in 1867.

Barbecues are definitely the preferred choice of food event for the day. Although we are experiencing some rainy conditions this Canada Day, nothing says you can’t modify the traditional barbecue with cooking indoors. For something different, I decided to try making some portobello ‘fries’ to accompany our chicken cheese burgers. Technically, they are not really fries at all, but they’re crispy and dip able and that is all anyone expects from a fry.. right? Sliced and breaded with crumbs and cheese then baked makes these portobello fries super tasty.

Of course, the staple at most barbecues, tailgates and picnics is the classic burger. But a burger doesn’t have to be just a burger and cheese isn’t just cheese. For ours, I’m making chicken burgers ‘infused’ with shredded Gruyere cheese. Then taking it to the next level and adding caramelized onions and guacamole.

What a nice ‘Canada Day’ meal it makes!

Print Recipe
 Chicken Cheese Burgers w/ Portobello Fries
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Portobello fries
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken Cheese Burgers
Caramelized Onions
Guacamole
Portobello Fries
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Portobello fries
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken Cheese Burgers
Caramelized Onions
Guacamole
Portobello Fries
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Chicken Cheese Burgers
  1. In a large bowl, combine chicken, Gruyere, bread crumbs, parsley, egg & garlic. Season with salt & pepper. Form into 4 patties & place in refrigerator until ready to grill.
Caramelized Onions
  1. Heat oil in skillet until hot. Add onion & sprinkle with salt. Cook & stir about 15 minutes or until moisture is evaporated & onion is soft. Reduce heat; sprinkle with vinegar. Cook & stir until golden. Stir in brown sugar; cook & stir until caramel brown in color. Place in a dish; set aside.
Guacamole
  1. In a bowl, coarsely mash avocados with lime juice & salt. Stir in garlic, onion & cilantro; blend well. Cover with plastic wrap & place in fridge until needed.
Portobello Fries
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet lined with foil.
  2. In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, spices, salt & pepper. In another shallow dish, lightly beat eggs with 1 Tbsp water. In the third shallow dish, combine panko/butter mixture with the Parmesan cheese.
  3. Gently toss mushroom slices in the flour mixture. Coat evenly & shake off any excess flour. Then, dip the floured fries into the eggs, drip off any excess eggs & then place them into the panko mixture. Gently press the panko mixture onto the mushrooms.
  4. Place the fries onto the wire rack, leaving an 1/8-inch space between each. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown & crispy. If you wish, you could serve fries with marinara sauce, ketchup or a roasted garlic mayo.
Assembly
  1. Once you have all the various components to this meal this far all that is left is to barbecue the chicken burgers over a medium heat for about 5-6 minutes per side or until cooked thru. Instead of baking the mushroom fries you can alternately grill them on the BBQ as well.
  2. Slice & lightly grill Ciabatta buns. Top each bottom half with a chicken burger, a slice of cheese, some guacamole, caramelized onions & a tomato slice, ending with the other half of the bun. The big question is, how to get your mouth around it!
Recipe Notes
  • Whether you bake or grill, either way its all good!

Stuffed Burgers

RESHAPING THE BASIC BURGER

It’s only mid May and the enticing smell of the neighborhood barbecues drifts through the air. Spring has felt more like summer due to the high temperatures we are having.

Burgers have long been a summer barbecue staple so why not put a new spin on it. My first thought goes to using the same spice combination for a variety of ground meats such as beef, chicken/turkey, or pork. Next make a filling that would taste great in whatever meat you feel like serving or better still use a variety.

Over the last couple of weeks I did some recipe development  on seven different ideas to simplify  making  ‘Stuffed Burgers’.   In my next few blogs I would like to share these recipes with you.  Here is the list:   > Moroccan            >  Apple-Zucchini Bacon            > Savory-Herb                               > Seafood/Avocado &  Spinach/Cheese Portobello Mushroom Burgers                                                  > Mushroom-Cheese Stuffed Ground Salmon    > Garden Grain Burgers    

The focus of my blog is very often on the ‘Taste of a Memory’  so I decided to start my stuffed burger series with a memory from Morocco.

In 2014, my husband Brion and I enjoyed a holiday travelling Spain, Morocco, and Portugal. I had never really paid to much attention to the interesting flavor of the Moroccan spices before that trip. Since then I have made numerous dishes that included them as we have come to really enjoy that flavor.

Key Moroccan spices include aniseed, black pepper, cayenne, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, paprika, parsley, saffron and turmeric.      

Morocco is like a tree whose roots lie in Africa but whose leaves breath in European air. This is a metaphor that has been used to describe a country that is profoundly traditional and strongly drawn to the modern. It is this double-sided, seemingly contradictory disposition that gives Morocco its cultural richness. The country is slightly larger in area than California. Unlike most other African countries, it produces all the food it needs to feed its people. Located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the country is rich in fish and seafood. Beef is not plentiful, so meals are usually built around lamb or poultry. Another Moroccan staple is couscous, made from fine grains of a wheat product called semolina. It is served many different ways with vegetables, meat or seafood.

In today’s  Moroccan Burgers, I used beef and turkey patties, stuffing them with a spicy fruit filling. Strange as it seems, Brion and I found mustard   to be a great condiment to use on them.  In keeping with the Moroccan theme, couscous makes a nice side dish however you choose to prepare it. Your comments are most welcome.                                       


Print Recipe


Stuffed Burgers

I used the same spice combination in the basic meat patty recipe for whatever meat I chose to use ( beef, chicken/turkey, pork), to keep it simple.
These meat patties were then used to prepare the SAVORY-HERB, APPLE-ZUCCHINI BACON, & MOROCCAN burgers.

Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!

Servings


Ingredients
Basic Meat Patties

Moroccan Spicy Fruit Filling

Easy Couscous Side Dish

Servings


Ingredients
Basic Meat Patties

Moroccan Spicy Fruit Filling

Easy Couscous Side Dish

Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!


Instructions
Basic Meat Patties
  1. Place ground meat in a large bowl & combine with spices. Mix well. Shape into 8 - 1/4" thick patties. Place equal amounts of prepared filling in center of each of 4 patties. Top with remaining 4 patties & press gently to seal, enclosing filling completely.

  2. Place burgers in a greased foil disposable pan. Preheat barbecue grill to a medium heat, place pan on grates & close lid. Turn burgers once during cooking time, (do not overcook as the meat is only 1/4" thick on each side).

  3. Serve on a Ciabatta bun (or hamburger bun of your choice).

Moroccan Spicy Fruit Filling
  1. Combine dates, apricots, raisins, apple & orange juice in a small bowl. Season with spices. Mix well; set aside to let marinate for a few hours. Divide between 4 burger patties & complete as above.

Couscous Side Dish
  1. Heat 1/2 tsp olive oil in small saucepan. Add next 4 ingredients. Cook & stir until green onion is softened. Add honey. Heat & stir until onion is coated.

  2. Add broth. Bring to a boil. Add couscous & 1 tsp olive oil. Stir. Cover. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes without lifting the lid. Fluff with fork; stirring in remaining ingredients adding a bit of butter if it seems to solid. Makes about 2 3/4 cups.


Recipe Notes
  • I found it really made this whole burger idea easy if I made 908 grams (2lbs) of each of the 3 types of ground meat into patties. Portion the meat with a scoop into 56 grams (2 oz.) balls, flatten & place in a plastic container, layered singly between a non-stick waxed paper to freeze.
  • When it comes time to use, take out the number of patties you require for the meal. Prepare the filling of choice, stuff & cook. What could be easier than that for a quick & easy great tasting meal!