Vanessa's Birthday!

Well, the 19th was Vanessa's birthday. We actually celebrated it all weekend long up in London pictured below)

Where we stayed in the lavish Athenaeum Hotel (credit crunch be damned!) and enjoyed many good meals out and Vanessa had a long and luxurious spa treatment.



Also, we FINALLY made it out to the London Eye, which we had on our 'must do' list before we leave here:

By the time Monday rolled around, it seemed as though the birthday part had already passed. Not before we could lay a dinner down here at the house. During our time in London, I frantically ran around trying to find pomegranate molasses and eventually found it at Harvey Nichols. It is an awesome ingredient that I had been waiting to use and I needed it for this dinner.

Let me just say that the chicken was wonderful, but would have been even better on the grill (as the recipe was written). The potatoes were absolutely fabulous, and the best ones I've had in recent memory. We WILL be having them again!

Oven-Roasted Potatoes and Oyster Mushrooms

2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon ham or bacon fat, diced
¼ cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, peeled and cut into strips (about 1 cup)
½ lb. Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 2 large potatoes)
2 teaspoons salt
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons white wine
6 ounces oyster mushrooms (see tips), cleaned
½ cup Chicken Stock (page 222)
½ teaspoon chopped chives

Heat the oven to 350F.

Split the garlic cloves open by placing them on a chopping board and pressing down hard with the base of your hand or the flat side of a knife. Combine the fat, olive oil, and split garlic cloves in an ovenproof saute pan over medium heat. Cook until the fat is rendered, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook until they are brown and soft, around 20 minutes. If the onions start to get too dark, add 1 tablespoon of water to cool things down and soften the onions. Add the potato slices, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and half the rosemary sprig. Toss together so the potatoes get coated in the oil.

Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove it from the oven, add the wine, return it to the oven, and bake for 10 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

Remove the pan from the oven, and place the mushrooms on top of the potato-onion mixture. Add the chicken stock, and spoon some of the liquid from the bottom of the pan over the mushrooms. Return it to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, basting as needed to make sure the potatoes and mushrooms don't dry out.

Remove the pan from the oven. Chop the remaining rosemary leaves and sprinkle them on top, along with the chives and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Serve immediately.

Spanish-Spiced Chicken with Tangy Pomegranate-Mustard Glaze


RUB
¼ cup sweet Spanish paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

GLAZE
1 cup pomegranate molasses
½ cup prepared horseradish, drained
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt

CHICKEN
2x3 lbs. chickens, butterflied
2 tablespoons olive oil

RUB
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid. (The rub keeps well for months stored at room temperature in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.)

GLAZE
Whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl. (The glaze can be made a few days in advance, covered, and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.)

CHICKEN
Heat your grill to medium. Set aside a few tablespoons of glaze for brushing the cooked chicken.

Rub the chickens all over with the spice rub. Drizzle the chickens with oil and place skin side down on the grate. Grill, without moving the chicken, until the skin forms a crust and pulls away from the grate, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn the chickens over, close the grill hood, and grill until just cooked through, about 15 minutes more. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, brush the chicken often with glaze.

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and brush with the reserved glaze. Let rest for 5 minutes. Cut each chicken in half, using poultry shears or a heavy knife, and serve immediately.