Forget the store bought spice rubs! This is definitely a much better option, for two simple reasons. First, it doesn’t have all those preservatives and stabilizers found in mass produced rubs, and secondly, it comes together in mere minutes. Given how much is used when doing ribs or a pulled pork, the store bought options can get a bit pricey. This is an easy, versatile alternative, that also happens to be cost effective. To ensure that I always have it on-hand and ready for the next yummy recipe, I often make a double batch.

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbs chipotle powder
2 Tbs smoked paprika
1 Tbs garlic powder
1 Tbs cumin
1 Tbs coriander
2 Tbs salt
2 Tbs dark brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients in a bowl, stir well, and transfer to a glass jar for storage. It’s as simple as that.

Try this the next time you make baby back ribs or when slow roasting a pulled pork. Although I haven’t tried it on chicken just yet, I think it would definitely be a worthy option.

This is a wonderfully flavored dish that I’ve adapted from a Milk Street recipe. Don’t be intimidated by the spatchcock chicken, most supermarkets now carry them, usually in the frozen meat section. However, if you can’t find it there, you can usually just ask the butcher to spatchcock it for you. Alternatively, you certainly could use chicken thighs or chicken pieces and keep it super simple and it is just as delicious. The choice is yours.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds, toasted and ground (see notes below)
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
3-4 lb. chicken, spatchcocked (see notes below)
1 Tbs. canola or vegetable oil
2 Tbs. butter
2-3 garlic cloves, grated
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS
First, toast the coriander seeds in a dry skillet for a few minutes or until lightly golden. Set aside to cool slightly and then put in a small ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush the seeds. In a small bowl, combine the crushed coriander, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Next, pat dry the chicken with a paper towel and then season all over (mainly the top) and rub into the skin. Let sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450º, with the rack in the lowest position. Again pat the chicken dry (it will release some liquid after standing with the dry rub) with a paper towel, this ensures a crisper skin. Add the oil to a 12″ oven-proof skillet (cast iron works best) and heat to medium-high, until the oil is glistening and just smoking. Carefully place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down. Then, place a piece of tinfoil over the chicken and place another heavy (slightly smaller cast iron skillet is perfect) skillet on top of the foil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the skin is a deep golden color, usually 10-15 minutes. Half way through the searing, check to make sure the chicken is browning evenly.

Using tongs, carefully turn the chicken over, so the skin side is up and place in the preheated oven. If, when you turn the chicken, there is an excess of oil, wipe it out with a paper towel, before placing it in the oven. Cook the chicken for about 30-40 minutes or until the breast temperature reaches 160º. Carefully transfer the chicken to a platter (try not to tear the skin) and let it rest while you make the sauce.

Then, set the skillet (beware, the very hot handle!) over medium-high heat and briefly sauté the butter and garlic. Next, add the broth and simmer to reduce the liquid by about half, 10-15 minutes. Finally, remove from the heat and add the cayenne, lemon juice and cilantro. Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl, cut the chicken into pieces and serve with the sauce.

NOTES
The original recipe called for ground coriander, I only had the seeds and that’s why I toasted and then crushed them. However, feel free to use the ground coriander and keep it simpler. Also, if you only have garlic powder, by all means use it. However, if you have the granulated garlic, it is a bit courser than the powder and works a tad better with the high heat when searing the chicken. Regarding the “brick” versus a heavy cast iron skillet, the original recipes for brick chicken really did use a brick (wrapped in tin foil) and that is still a great alternative in a pinch. It really is just the weight of the object that you need to press the chicken into the pan, to create that wonderfully crispy skin.

My favorite sides, thus far, with this dish are just sautéed carrots and some basmati or jasmine rice. The sauce is a delightful addition to the rice and you really don’t need much more.

This is a dangerous dish to have around. Between the intoxicating aroma filling the house and the mouthwatering flavor, this is a tough one to stop eating. Yes, I think I may have a problem, but this is so delicious! Although this takes about 4-5 hours (depending on the size and your oven) and may seem overwhelming, it is actually quite simple. So few ingredients, very little tending or fussing and the oven does all the work.

INGREDIENTS
3-5 lb. boneless pork shoulder (sometimes called Boston Butt)
1-2 large sweet onions, thickly sliced
1/2 cup spice rub, I use Bad Byron’s Butt Rub or my homemade rub
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS
The night before or early on the day of cooking, prepare the roast. First, if your pork shoulder has one side with a heavy layer of fat, you want to score that before cooking. Just make shallow cuts, first in one direction and then again in the opposite direction, forming a diamond pattern. No need to be fuzzy here, you are just allowing the fat to render out, without curling the meat. Next, sprinkle the spice rub on all sides of the pork, using your hands to rub it in and coat it completely with the rub. It will seem like a lot, but that’s okay, it should be, it needs to be quite heavily coated. Place the roast on a large plate and cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate, hopefully for a solid 3-4 hours, preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300º
Remove the roast from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking. Put the onions in your roasting pan, in one close layer. This will be the “bed” that the roast sits on and it adds great flavor to the pan juices. Place the roast on top of the onions and pour the cider vinegar into the pan around the onions. Cook the pork for 4 – 5 hours or until it shreds easily with a fork. After the first hour, baste the roast with the pan juices. If the pan juices dry up, add a small amount of water, to ensure the onions don’t burn. Continue to baste, about once an hour.

When the meat is cooked, use two forks, pulling apart the meat and shredding it into bite-sized pieces, discard any large pieces of fat and add some of the pan juices, to keep it moist until serving.

NOTES
Serve the pulled pork with buns of your choice, a drizzle of pan juices, and some Lime Cilantro Slaw. If you’re feeling energetic, you could try these, no-fail, delicious buns from King Arthur’s website. You won’t be disappointed! Alternatively, I have added potatoes, carrots and parsnips to the pan and served it more as a roast. That is a great cold weather, comfort food meal, that also never disappoints.

I know, I know, who needs a recipe for a roasted chicken. It is the easiest, no-brainer, staple for a family dinner and everyone can and has done it. However, there is nothing wrong with trying to knock it out of the park and amp it up a bit. I’m hoping this is one of those recipes that does just that for you. An added bonus, this is unquestionably a company worthy dish. Everyone loves a bit of comfort food and this is a relatively healthy one. Your guests will be gushing with compliments and you’ll want to add this to your regular rotation of simple, delicious meals.

INGREDIENTS
1 roasting chicken
fresh thyme, rosemary, sage and parsley
1 lemon
2-3 large onions
1 lb. carrots, cut into sticks
1 lb. parsnips, cut into sticks
fingerling potatoes
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425º
First, pat the chicken dry, with paper towels. I know there are opposing views regarding rinse, don’t rinse the bird. Personally, I no longer do rinse before roasting. Ina doesn’t, Julia Child didn’t and that’s good enough for me!

Next, drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil over the chicken, sprinkle generously, inside and out, with the salt and pepper. Then, take one of the carrots, cut it into chunks, one of the onions and quarter it, then place them into the chicken cavity. Next, quarter the lemon, squeeze some juice into the cavity and place two of the lemon wedges into the cavity. Finally, add a few sprigs of each of the herbs into the cavity as well.

Next, thickly slice one (two if you like a lot, like me) of the onions and add to the bottom of a roasting pan. Then, place the chicken on top of the onions, add the white wine, place some herb sprigs over the chicken (save some for garnish, when serving) and place it into the preheated oven.

Worth noting, placing the chicken on the onions, adding the white wine, veggies and herbs to the cavity, they all flavor the chicken and ultimately your sauce or gravy. With very little effort, this amps up the overall flavor immensely.

Finally, bake for the recommended time on your packaging. Depending on the size of your bird, that is usually anywhere between one and two hours. Meanwhile, about 40-45 minutes shy of being done, add the vegetables and potatoes to the pan. Worth noting, you can use any type of potato that you prefer, just make sure you cut them to a size comparable to that of the other vegetables. Additionally, when adding the vegetables, baste them with the pan juices, season with salt and pepper and roast them until tender. If the chicken is done before the vegetables, just remove the chicken to rest while the vegetables finish cooking.

Finally, slice the chicken and sprinkle the vegetables with a bit of chopped parsley. Given that this is a classic comfort food, I prefer to serve it family style.

Here is a terrific, week-night meal, that definitely does not disappoint. Additionally, it is also quite suitable as a company worthy meal. So, what’s not to love about a quick, healthy, one pan meal, that honestly, comes together in minutes?! Conveniently, you can also prepare this earlier in the day and pop it in the oven when ready.

INGREDIENTS
2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans or any small white bean, rinsed
1 pint grape tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, optional
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425º.
First, combine the beans, tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, garlic, one tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Stir to fully combine and coat the beans and tomatoes. Pour the mixture into a large cast iron skillet or any large baking dish.

Next, pat the chicken dry and then place the pieces on top of the bean mixture, skin-side up. Then, rub the chicken with the remaining tablespoon of oil and season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Additionally, if you like a bit more of a kick, sprinkle the chicken with a pinch more of the crushed red pepper.

Finally, roast the chicken until it is golden brown and cooked through. That should be approximately 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken thighs. If the top of the chicken doesn’t brown as much as you would like, put them under the broiler for a minute or two, until you get the browning that you like.

NOTES
Just an aside, the herbs can be swapped out, depending on what you have on hand. The one staple that I rely on with this recipe is thyme, and rosemary would be my second choice. Even if you don’t have the fresh herbs, still make it without them and I assure you that it will still be delicious. However, with the fresh herbs, it is a bit better.

This is the ultimate comfort food. You will be swooning with the aroma that permeates the house. And because the bulk of the work is done ahead of time, it also happens to be a perfect dish for entertaining. You really can’t go wrong, it is a very forgiving recipe and well worth your efforts. Trust me, this will become an instant favorite for anyone that tries it!

INGREDIENTS
12 beef short ribs
1/2 cup flour, seasoned with kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large onions, chopped
1 lbs. carrots, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
6 shallots, whole or cut in half if large, peeled
2 cups of good red wine
Fresh sprigs rosemary
Fresh sprigs thyme
6-8 cups of beef or chicken stock
1 Tbs. brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325º.
First, pat the ribs dry, with a paper towel, and rub them with a dusting of flour that has been seasoned with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, preheat a Dutch oven (or other heavy, covered ovenproof pan), with some of the oil. Then, brown the ribs on all sides at medium-high heat, for about 7-8 minutes. Remove them to a plate, add the additional oil and continue to brown the remaining ribs. Most importantly, do not to crowd the pan and do take the time for multiple batches, to ensure adequate browning. Then, put the browned ribs aside.

Next, with a little oil, add the onions, carrots, celery and shallots to the pan. Season with salt, fresh ground pepper and sauté, on medium-high heat, until browned and translucent. Then, add the wine to the vegetables and simmer for 10-15 minutes, to reduce the liquid.

Once the liquid has reduced, with kitchen twine, tie the rosemary and thyme together, and add it to the pot. Finally, place the ribs on top of the vegetables and herbs, and add enough stock to cover the ribs by and inch or two.

Then, roast in the oven for about two hours. After the two hours, test the meat for doneness, by piercing the meat with a fork or paring knife and it should give easily. Remove the ribs to a plate, and let the sauce cool a bit. When the sauce is cooled enough that the fat has come to the top, skim the fat off. However, if you’re cooking this the day before serving, the fat will have congealed and therefore, you can more easily lift the fat off. After defatting the sauce, use an immersion blender (if you prefer a chunky sauce, you can omit this step) to smooth the sauce. Then, add the brown sugar and put the ribs back into the pot. Cover and continue cooking for about another hour.

When ready to serve, plate the ribs, one to two per person, depending on size and spoon the sauce over the ribs. This is perfect with horseradish mashed potatoes, sautéd carrots, and some additional sauce on the side. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or chives, to add some color.

NOTE:
If you have the time, this is actually best if done the day before serving. That gives the flavors more time to meld and makes the job of defatting the sauce much easier.

Should you have any leftovers, this makes a terrific pasta dish. Simply shred the remaining meat over penne, ziti, or rigatoni, and add some of the sauce (you will have much more sauce than meat), to get the consistency you prefer and mix well. Serve with a nice salad and some crusty bread. It will be one of the best leftover meals you’ve ever created.

Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s roasted chicken with clementines and arak. This is such a great choice for entertaining a crowd. With all the prep work done ahead of time, that makes for a very relaxed hostess. In addition, you’ll find the flavors are intense and anything but ordinary. You and your guests will love this dish. I often serve some jasmine rice, a slice of good bread and a simple salad.

INGREDIENTS
6 1/2 Tbs. Pernod (Anise liquor)
4 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. orange juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tbs. whole grain mustard
3 Tbs. light brown sugar
2 medium fennel bulbs
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2-3 lbs. chicken thighs or 1 large chicken, cut into 8 pieces
4 clementines, unpeeled, sliced into 1/4″ pieces
1 Tbs. thyme leaves
flat leaf parsley, chopped for garnish

DIRECTIONS
First, place the first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add 2 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper, whisk together and set aside. 

Next, trim the fennel, cut each bulb in half lengthwise, and then cut each half into 4 wedges. Add the fennel to the liquids, along with the chicken, sliced clementines and thyme. Mix well, transfer to a ziplock bag (or 2) and marinate for a couple of hours or overnight. You could just marinate this in the large mixing bowl, however I actually find it is easier to mix and rotate throughout the marinating process, as a result, all the goodness will reach all parts of the chicken.

If you are very short on time and still want to make this dish, you could certainly shorten the marinating time. On the other hand, know that you may be compromising the intensity of the flavors. Consequently, I would  shoot for at least a full hour of martinating.

Preheat oven to 425º
Transfer the chicken and marinade mixture to a baking dish or a rimmed sheet pan, large enough for everything to be in one layer. More importantly, make sure the chicken is skin side up, to ensure proper browning/crisping of the skin. During the cooking, check to ensure the chicken pieces are getting browned and move things around a bit if needed.

Roast for 35-45 minutes, until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through.

Next, remove chicken, fennel and clementines from the pan and arrange nicely on a large serving plate, cover and keep warm. Meanwhile, pour the cooking liquid into a small saucepan, place over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Simmer the sauce until it is reduced by about one third, you should end up with about 1/3 – 1/2 cup. Finally, pour the hot sauce over the chicken, garnish with the parsley and serve.