Monday, May 12, 2008

The "Grilled Spring Chicken with Blood Orange and Rosemary" Polka - Perfect for Weddings!

I knew it was only a matter a time before I'd set a video recipe to the Chicken Dance. This spring and summer, millions of inebriated people will be joyously flapping their elbows, and bobbing their heads, to this tune at weddings all over the county. I have no problem with them, they're drunk, what do you expect? It's the sober ones that go out there to "get their Mick Jagger on," I wonder about. They really should know better! That's right, I'm talking to you Tom and Katie (see photo below).
Anyway, this video is a recipe for the game hen (aka Spring Chicken) I posted a picture of a few weeks ago. It was so delicious and beautiful I promised to film it the next time I made it, and I did. The key ingredient here is the erotic, exotic blood orange. They're Spanish in origin I believe, and add a wonderful sweet/tart flavor that's just perfect with the spicy chili sauce and aromatic rosemary.
I know what you're thinking, "this jerk just used another ingredient I can't buy where I live!" "So much for that $1,000 donation I was just about to send him…now I'm sending it to Ralph Nader instead." Hey, I don’t blame you. I'm sure it's frustrating trying to find some of the stuff I use. Sometimes I even make up fake ingredients to mess with you. But, when it comes to the blood orange, there is a solution.

Some dude named Jeff, suggested in a comment on the Game Recognize Game Hen post, that blood orange juice could be simulated with regular orange and a splash of pomegranate juice. Brilliant! In fact, it may be even better. Give this a try, and enjoy!




Ingredients:

2 game hens

2 tbsp olive oil

1 blood orange

1 tbsp Asian garlic chili sauce (hot)

1 tsp minced fresh rosemary

6 sprigs rosemary leaves

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste


View the complete recipe

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, a recipe video AND tomkat doin the chicken dance! See, that's why this is my favorite blog!

Chef John said...

thanks!

Anonymous said...

mmmm that looks deelish!

Anonymous said...

Is the hot sauce more like Sambal Oelek or Sriracha? ;)

I need to buy me a grill with a cover just for this recipe.

Chef John said...

It's more like sambal. but Sriracha with some garlic will work nicely!

Yes, everyone needs a little Weber grill. Cheap and makes for a great grill/smoker.

Chef John said...

It's more like sambal. but Sriracha with some garlic will work nicely!

Yes, everyone needs a little Weber grill. Cheap and makes for a great grill/smoker.

Anonymous said...

I didn't know Tom Cruise sweated!

Chargeorge said...

I know we wouldn't be able to get that be-ee-eee-autiful color in the oven, but if we say, lived in a tiny Manhattan apartment, what process would work.

My current thought would be 500 deg oven, get a Cast iron pan really hot. Put the breast down to get a cover. Keep in there for 5-10 minutes, then flip it over, and drop the oven to 350 for another 30 minutes.

Man that looks good, might be a special dinner in a couple of nights here.

Chef John said...

Yes, that sounds about right. Or, finish under the broiler? Or, ...wink...wink...hit it with the creme brulee torch when no one's looking!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this great recipe! Gonna try it out on saturday.
Would love more grill-based recipes now that the sun is starting to shine here in Norway!

Thanks for getting me into foodmaking!

Chef John said...

No problem, I have lots of grilled recipes planned. BTW, I hear I'm big in Norway, is it true?

Anonymous said...

When I was growing up in commie Czechoslovakia we only got those bloody red oranges (no pun intended) and we hated them because they dont peel so they are very hard to eat (unles you want to make juice from them). We were imported on a barter basis from Cuba - whereas normal spanish oranges would have to be paid for in hard currency. One of many marvels of "advanced socialism."

Thanks for the recipe, it looks like something easy to try & hard to mess up

Chef John said...

It is...comrade. :)

Anonymous said...

Ha! I've been sited on a major food blog-take that...whoever!

The orange with a splash of pomegranate worked great BTW. I also gave it a little smoke from the rosemary stems for good measure, and everyone loved it.

Thanks again for the recipe Chef.

Some dude named Jeff

Chef John said...

enjoy your 15 minutes, dude! ;-)

Anonymous said...

TOMKAT must have been dancing for hours doing the Chicken Dance...Look at TOM, he's sweating...Anyway, love that Spring Chicken..

Anonymous said...

Ha, ha. Now we need a tutorial video on how to cut the whole bird properly!

Talk of creme brulee torches reminded me of someone I knew in Mexico who made a flan that had almost a cake like consistency and was incredibly delicious. All flans I eat in the U.S. seem too soft and gelatiney, almost slimey. It'd be great if you could provide a good one.

Thanks!

=)

Unknown said...

Chef John,

Great Recipe. Love it. Love your site. This one came out great. The blood orange thing is kinda strange at first.

10-Q Chef John

Roger