What I'm Eating | Balsamic Tiger Blood Chicken

In honor of what was apparently National Charlie Sheen Week, I decided to make a dish powerful enough to fuel an F-18, bro.  The flavors, I might add, were a “winning” combination.  Okay, I’m done.

"I've got Tiger blood, man."

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (the marinade can support another)
• 1/3 cup, plus 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (a few turns of the handle)
• About 8 fresh strawberries

Instructions:

1. Create the marinade by combining 3-4 roughly-chopped strawberries with 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl.  To facilitate the flavor extraction, mash the strawberries with the back of a fork.  Let this macerate for a moment as you mince the garlic and collect your other ingredients.
2. Combine the remaining marinade ingredients (salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic, yogurt, cinnamon, lemon juice) and mix well.  Pour the marinade into a zip-top bag containing 1 (or two) chicken breasts, remove the air, seal and massage to coat.  Refrigerate for 2-24 hours.
3. When ready, lay the chicken breasts on a hot grill (I used a panini press) and begin the glaze.
4. Add 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar and the remaining chopped strawberries to a small skillet over med-high heat, bring just to a “boil” and reduce the heat to medium.  Stir occasionally as you simmer the mixture until it reaches a consistency thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5-8 minutes.
5. Optional:  Garnish.  Take your best-lookin’ strawberry and make several near-through slices from the apex to the base (i.e. toward the stem) and fan them apart; top your chicken with it, or rest it on the plate in a bit of glaze.
6. Spoon the glaze over the finished chicken, and drizzle some around your plate(s) for dipping.

And because it wouldn’t really be a tribute to Charlie Sheen if it weren’t “bi-winning,” I modified the remainder of the balsamic glaze to make a delicious topping for ice cream:

Be sure to share this one with your goddesses.

Instructions:

1. Begin with the remainder of your glaze, as I did, or use a smaller amount of balsamic – about 3 tablespoons – for the base.
2. Add two tablespoons of brown sugar and 2-3 chopped strawberries to the skillet as you reduce the balsamic (see above).
3. If you are more patient than I am, allow your ice cream to soften a bit before trying to scoop it.  Spoon over and enjoy (looks like chocolate sauce, doesn’t it?).

I loved this over ice cream.  I let two of my roommates try it – one loved it, and the other hated it.  Know your audience.

About these ads

Tagged: Charlie Sheen, Cooking, humor, random, recipes, Tiger blood

Posted in: Cooking, Humor