Thai-ing One On

Still daydreaming of my meal last night, I went to the grocery store to pick up what I needed for today.  Sundays, until summer rolls along, are my days to cook chicken recipes that require a long marinade.  In looking at the recipes that had such a requirement, and after confirming with The Bride, I purchased what I needed for the Butterflied Thai Chicken on page 244.

For this recipe I got to use a toy I picked up during the holidays: my mortar and pestle.  

In went all of the marinade ingredients except for the fish sauce (a REALLY smelly but terribly good and essential ingredient in Thai cooking).

Pound, pound, pound...

With the paste created, I added the fish sauce until I had the consistency I desired.

With the paste ready, it was time to butterfly the chicken.

This is rather gross, but you have to solider on.  First, use your shears to cut along one side of the backbone.

Then cut along the other side to remove the backbone.  Wipe away any "goodies" that have now been liberated.

Turn the bird over, and press down to flatten the chicken as much as possible.

As this will be resting in the fridge skin-side up, I rubbed the paste on the bottom first.

I then placed the chicken on its tray and rubbed in the rest of the paste.

Eight hours later, I started the coals and began my side, the Black Rice and Snow Pea Salad on page 369.

Cook the rice according to the directions, and when it is ready you can begin boiling the snow peas.  They will only boil for a minute.  

After boiling for only that one minute, you will need to transfer them to an ice bath to "shock" them.  This stops the cooking and keeps the snow peas at that desirable bright green color.  If you don't do this step, they will continue to cook and turn a duller green.  

I measured out what was necessary for the dressing.

Then I whisked like mad.

I chopped up the snow peas, along with the other salad ingredients.  I added everything to the bowl and stirred.  I had a salad!

The chicken was done in just under an hour, and looked good.  In fact, it was a little difficult to remove from the grill because it wanted to come apart, which is a good sign.

Normally I would plate the dinner and describe it a little.  Today, however, The Bride and I went out to lunch and I ate way too much.  Neither of us were hungry enough for dinner, so I cut up the chicken and arranged it and the salad for lunch tomorrow.  I did taste a wing, and from what I ate this was nice.  The flavor is subtle, and frankly, when I eat Thai food I want it to punish me a little, capsicum-wise.  I will have to add a little tomorrow during lunch.  The rice is nice, but a little oily.  If I make it again, I will probably use about half of the recommended oil.  Otherwise, it has good depth of flavor and a nice brightness to it.  Lunch should be good tomorrow!