Month: November 2011

But Chickens Don’t Have Lips!

~ The Blind Guy Cooks ~ 1 Comment

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Here is a recipe for Chicken Lips that I received from Peter Harman, chef and owner of Martini’s Grille in Burlington, Iowa many years ago. Peter also started a carry out store called Lips To Go and a restaurant in Iowa City, Iowa called Graze.

Here is Peter’s fantastic Chicken Lips:

Ingredients

2 pounds voluptuous chicken breasts
2 pounds flour
1 quart buttermilk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons black pepper

Directions

Buy fresh boneless chicken breasts, big, jumbo babies, wash thoroughly then place on a cutting board, use a sharp knife to remove any fat or skin. Cut chicken into long strips about as thick as your thumb. Put the flour into a bowl and season it with salt and pepper. Pour the buttermilk into a bowl. Make sure the bowls you use are large enough to handle the chicken when it is added. Dip the chicken a few strips at a time into the flour, then buttermilk, then back to the flour. Coat well in each stage. Place them on a platter as they are breaded and reserve until cooking.

Heat frying oil in a large skillet or pot, fry daddy or outdoor cooker to 350 degrees. Fry the lips in batches and place them on a platter lined with paper towels. Dip the lips into the hot lip sauce and put onto a serving platter. Serve immediately with Budweiser Blue Cheese Dressing on the side.

Hot Lip Sauce
1 pound butter
2 cups hot sauce
1 tablespoon granulated garlic

Melt the butter in a pan large enough to hold it, do not allow it to boil. Pour the butter into a blender. Turn blender on to high, hopefully remembering to put the cover on first. Slowly pour in in hot sauce until it is incorporated, the sauce should be bright orange and become emulsified or slightly thick, add garlic and blend for about 30 seconds. This is Hot Lip Sauce.

Peter’s Budweiser Blue Cheese Dressing

1 pint heavy mayonnaise
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 large swig of Bud Fat
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 pound Maytag blue cheese crumbles

Put everything except the blue cheese into a large bowl, mix well. Add the blue cheese and lightly stir in. Some recipes are just that simple.

A Different Flavor of Pesto — Linguine with Walnut Pesto

~ The Blind Guy Cooks ~ Leave a comment

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Most people think of a green sauce made primarily of basil when they hear the term pesto. Pesto is a generic Italian term for anything that is made by pounding and hence pesto can be made from a wide variety of base ingredients. Another favorite of mine that I may have to blog about at a later date is red pesto made with a base of sun-dried tomatoes. Here is a very simple, very tasty pesto made with a base of walnuts.

Ingredients

½ cup walnut pieces
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
½ tsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp walnut oil (or extra-virgin olive oil if walnut oil is not available)
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1 cup whole cow’s milk ricotta cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb dried linguine

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.

While the water is heating, put the walnuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor and process to a coarse paste. With the motor running, dribble in the olive oil and walnut oil and process just until combined. Transfer the puree to a bowl and stir in the parsley, Parmigiano, and ricotta. Add a few grinds of pepper and stir the mixture until it is well combined and creamy.

Add the pasta to the boiling water, stir to separate the noodles, and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and spoon in about three-fourths of the pesto. Add a little of the cooking water and toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.

Transfer the dressed pasta to warmed shallow individual bowls, top with a dollop of remaining pesto and sprinkle a little Parmigiano and black pepper over each serving. Serve immediately.