Breaking In the Weber and Smoking Some Chickens

First of all, many thanks go out to Chris for his amazing wedding gift, a Weber One-Touch Gold. Also to Nathan for the sweet set of BBQ tools. Seriously -- bottle opener built into the spatula? That should be a requirement.




I had a chance to break it in this weekend: grill-roasted red potatoes with hot banana peppers, marinated grilled yellow squash and zucchini, and grilled mahi-mahi (rubbed with a spicy brown sugar dry rub). The fish was for Kate and the potatoes and veggies accompanied a chicken I smoked earlier in the day.






I did the chicken using an Aussie Walkabout as a smoker:





The square shape and ample side vents are excellent for having coals and meat at opposite ends and keeping the temperature steady. I use a mix of Kingsford Charwood and hickory chunks -- bottom line, you need to use 100% wood to get the flavor right:



At around 225 - 250 degrees, a 4 pound chicken takes about 6 hours.

The dry rub was a mix of brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic and onion powders, black and cayenne peppers, ground cumin, and dried parsley. I rubbed the chickens down about an hour before smoking, and also placed sliced fatback across the top for extra moisture during cooking. During the 6 hour process, I had to light and add new coals twice, and added new hickory chunks about every 90 minutes. For the initial batch of coals, I filled the chimney; the refill batches were only about half full. I also basted every hour or so with a vinegar mop: cider vinegar, vinegar from banana peppers, and a handful of the dry rub.

For the potatoes, dice 3 large red potatoes, 3 cloves of garlic, and 2/3 cup hot banana pepper rings. Mix with olive oil, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and dried parsley. Wrap into an aluminum foil pouch and grill for around 60 minutes.

Marinate squash halves in a mix of Italian salad dressing, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and onion powders, black and crushed red peppers, and dried parsley for one hour. Grill 7-10 minutes on each side.



Rub the mahi-mahi with the dry rub about an hour before grilling. Grill 7-10 minutes on each side. I recommend using a fish basket or vegetable grid as mahi-mahi is a delicate fish and can fall through normal grill racks.



Everything turned out fabulous, and with the exception of the chicken, is relatively easy and avoids the stove.

The Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train

My wife and I just returned from our honeymoon in Lincoln, New Hampshire, and although this blog is dedicated to cooking in North Carolina, this experience is definitely worth sharing. The Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train is a 20-mile train ride through the New England countryside, accompanied by a fabulous 5-course meal and a full bar.



The salad, sorbet, and dessert courses are standard; there are three options each for appetizer and main course. In addition to fabulous food, the staff creates a wonderful, enjoyable atmosphere. Our car was a restored Pullman coach, and for an extra $10, we dined in the upper-level dome. When making reservations, we had mentioned it was our honeymoon, so a red rose was waiting on our table, and the waitress also brought bride and groom toy ducks -- a little cheesy, but a fun gesture none the less. Kate definitely got a kick out of the ducks. Lastly, our waiter, David, was not only a great server, but a jovial, friendly, and animated character. His presence undoubtedly added a nice touch to the evening.



We started the evening off with homemade bread and cocktails, Elijah Craig on the rocks for myself and the house red for Kate. For the appetizers, she had Butternut Squash Soup with Cinnamon Crème Fraîche:



and I had Smoked Nova Scotia Salmon with the usual trimmings - onion, cream cheese, boiled egg, dill, etc:



The salads were locally grown greens and herbs, with homemade croutons. Kate had the vidalia onion vinaigrette and I the creamy bacon dressing:



Main courses were fresh Scallops in Tarragon-Pernod sauce with steamed rice:



and Seared Filet of Beef Shoulder and Almond-Encrusted Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry-Pecan Demi-Glace:



And finally, desert was Pumpkin Roulade with Sweetened Cream Cheese and Bourbon-Pecan Sauce:



The Cafe Lafayette is one of the few dinner trains operating in the US, and is well worth the visit. If you are ever in the White Mountains area, I highly recommend making a reservation and taking the ride.

More to follow on the fabulous honeymoon feasts....

Rustic Whole Wheat Bread

This bread isn't entirely whole wheat, but uses a 50/50 mix of of whole wheat and unbleached white flours. My previous attempts using all whole wheat yielded a very dense bread that wasn't much to my liking. By making a couple substitutions to the bread recipe from the previous post, the whole wheat variety is just as easy and good for the heart.


Instead of using 6 cups of unbleached flour, use 3 cups each unbleached and whole wheat. Also substitute vegetable oil for the olive oil - when I have used olive oil, the flavor is a little odd. You may also need to add a little moisture to the dough during the kneading process, and if using a mixer with dough hook, be sure the dough doesn't collect around the top of the hook as this may make the mixer stick during rotation.


This loaf baked for 10 minutes at 425 and an additional 45 minutes at 350. It made a great accompaniment to a stuffed roast chicken and some cajun butterbeans.