It’s the last day for 2011! What are you doing? How are you spending it? Over here it is much of the same, nothing
fancy in the works, although lots of little and big joys are realized and
enjoyed. C is out biking up some
mountain, as he has so happily been doing these holiday mornings. I have gloriously slept in, as I haven’t in a
very long time. I am breakfasting on a simple
cheddar cheese toastie slathered with my favorite guava jam, coffee ever
present of course. Little C is playing
with her stuffed carabao (water buffalo) – a sighting of a live carabao
yesterday has her suddenly in love with the animal.
fancy in the works, although lots of little and big joys are realized and
enjoyed. C is out biking up some
mountain, as he has so happily been doing these holiday mornings. I have gloriously slept in, as I haven’t in a
very long time. I am breakfasting on a simple
cheddar cheese toastie slathered with my favorite guava jam, coffee ever
present of course. Little C is playing
with her stuffed carabao (water buffalo) – a sighting of a live carabao
yesterday has her suddenly in love with the animal.
It will be a relatively simple eve as well. We are spending the evening with my mum,
although C’s mum will be at a party nearby and may pop in for a drink after
dinner. Mum will be roasting a chicken,
steaming some green beans, and putting together her prawns and feta pasta. She also bought a few noise makers for little C
(and us as well!). I’ll be making
another one of these cakes (yes, it is truly a favorite in my family) and
bringing over some nibbles: chorizo, C’s cheese and spicy sardine dip, dulong
(tiny local fish) in olive oil and chili…and I’m thinking of walking over to my
neighborhood delicatessen to see what interesting cheeses I might still be able
to pick up. Bottles of wines and cava
will soon be a-chilling. And after
midnight it will be time for a bowl of my mum’s potent sopa seca (with bread,
not rice or noodles).
although C’s mum will be at a party nearby and may pop in for a drink after
dinner. Mum will be roasting a chicken,
steaming some green beans, and putting together her prawns and feta pasta. She also bought a few noise makers for little C
(and us as well!). I’ll be making
another one of these cakes (yes, it is truly a favorite in my family) and
bringing over some nibbles: chorizo, C’s cheese and spicy sardine dip, dulong
(tiny local fish) in olive oil and chili…and I’m thinking of walking over to my
neighborhood delicatessen to see what interesting cheeses I might still be able
to pick up. Bottles of wines and cava
will soon be a-chilling. And after
midnight it will be time for a bowl of my mum’s potent sopa seca (with bread,
not rice or noodles).
I was going to spend this morning, and this blog post,
reflecting on the year that was, the humble list of ambitions I set out in
January, and how I’ve been able to, more or less, plow through them. This would have also been the time to put
together a new list of, I won’t say resolutions, but directions, for the coming
2012. But the sun is shining through my
window, little C is smelling extra yummy, and there is food to be cooked and
enjoyed!
reflecting on the year that was, the humble list of ambitions I set out in
January, and how I’ve been able to, more or less, plow through them. This would have also been the time to put
together a new list of, I won’t say resolutions, but directions, for the coming
2012. But the sun is shining through my
window, little C is smelling extra yummy, and there is food to be cooked and
enjoyed!
So let me leave you instead, for now, with another roast
chicken we enjoyed.
chicken we enjoyed.
Sambal Roasted Chicken
- 1 whole chicken
- 1/3 cup sambal asli
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 lemon
- 1small bunch lemongrass
- Canola oil (or any other vegetable oil)
- Sea salt
– Mix sambal asli, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, parsley,
honey, and the juice from the lemon (keep the lemon halves) in a small bowl
until thoroughly blended. Set a couple
of tablespoons of this aside for basting.
honey, and the juice from the lemon (keep the lemon halves) in a small bowl
until thoroughly blended. Set a couple
of tablespoons of this aside for basting.
– Put a few spoonfuls of the sambal mix into the cavity
of the chicken and rub throughout the cavity. Stuff the cavity with the
lemongrass and the leftover lemon halves.
Rub the whole outside of the chicken with the sambal mix generously,
getting some in between the skin. Tie
the drumsticks together with kitchen string.
of the chicken and rub throughout the cavity. Stuff the cavity with the
lemongrass and the leftover lemon halves.
Rub the whole outside of the chicken with the sambal mix generously,
getting some in between the skin. Tie
the drumsticks together with kitchen string.
– Place the chicken on a rack in a baking pan. Pour some water onto the base of the pan,
making sure it doesn’t touch the chicken.
Cover the whole thing with foil and place in a pre-heated 400F
oven.
making sure it doesn’t touch the chicken.
Cover the whole thing with foil and place in a pre-heated 400F
oven.
– Roast the chicken for 40 minutes covered. Remove the foil and baste the chicken with
your reserved sambal mix and a little canola oil and a sprinkling of sea salt. Roast for 40 minutes to 1 hour more, or until
chicken is cooked (when the juices run clear when pierced in the meatiest part),
basting with the sambal mix a few more times in between.
your reserved sambal mix and a little canola oil and a sprinkling of sea salt. Roast for 40 minutes to 1 hour more, or until
chicken is cooked (when the juices run clear when pierced in the meatiest part),
basting with the sambal mix a few more times in between.
– When the chicken is done, let it rest about 10 minutes
before carving.
before carving.
This is another dish born of the lovely sambal asli
gifted to us by my brother-in-law. I am
quite certain there will be a few more dishes in this same theme down the road so I hope you don’t
mind. We love all things spicy in
general, and this sambal asli in particular.
Keep basting the chicken to develop a fierce red-golden crust on
it. I like to sprinkle salt at this
point as well because intensely flavored, salty chicken skin is really a big
part of the whole point of roast chicken in the first place, in my opinion at
least.
gifted to us by my brother-in-law. I am
quite certain there will be a few more dishes in this same theme down the road so I hope you don’t
mind. We love all things spicy in
general, and this sambal asli in particular.
Keep basting the chicken to develop a fierce red-golden crust on
it. I like to sprinkle salt at this
point as well because intensely flavored, salty chicken skin is really a big
part of the whole point of roast chicken in the first place, in my opinion at
least.
I will leave the reflections and resolutions for January. I will share one with you now though: Enjoy
the show. Whether it be a bone-melting
hot shower, a devilishly rich cake, or the sweetest smelling bundle of energy in my life…I will enjoy
every moment! Hard times come, that is
for sure, but there is beauty and joy all around for those who take the time to
enjoy them. So I will sign off now to do
just that!
the show. Whether it be a bone-melting
hot shower, a devilishly rich cake, or the sweetest smelling bundle of energy in my life…I will enjoy
every moment! Hard times come, that is
for sure, but there is beauty and joy all around for those who take the time to
enjoy them. So I will sign off now to do
just that!
Wishing you all the best for the New Year! See you in 2012!
Fabulous looking roast Joey. Happy new year.
Happy 2012 to you and yours, Joey! Another year of great posts 🙂
Happy new year joey! thank you for inspiring me to start my cooking ventures this 2011 and hopefully pursue it on 2012 and beyond 🙂
That's a magnificent-looking chicken, Joey. Here's to another scrumptious year ahead for all of us!
Scrumptious looking!
Best wishes for 2012!
Cheers,
Rosa
Ah yes there's a whole year left for those directions..;) and that chicken looks pretty amazing. Happy new year to you!!
that chicken looks beautiful! 🙂
This dish looks simply mouth-watering– thanks for sharing! And happy new year to you and yours!
Thanks Barbara! A very happy new year to you as well!
Hi Ling! All the best for 2012 to you as well! 🙂
Hi Kitchen heiress! I am sure you will have a wonderful and rewarding 2012 in you kitchen! 🙂
Hi Midge! Thank you! I'll cheers to that! 🙂
Hi Rosa! All the best to you as well!
Hi Simone! Happy New Year to you!! Yes, will be getting to those resolutions soon 😉
Hello Munchers and Nibblers! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Happy New Year to you too Miri! 🙂
oh my! I would love this!
Do u have the recipe for the sambal too?
The chicken looks very yummy 🙂 Happy New Year!
Hey, gorgeous!
Happy New Year! To you and your family (special hug for little C). 😉
That chicken looks so golden, that is exactly how I like my chicken to be. Yum!
Lots of love,
Patricia.
I just found your site and this chicken looks absolutely beautiful.
Hi Anh! No, I don't have a recipe for the sambal but would love to know if you have one to share 🙂 I use sambal asli here though not sambal oelek…
Hi Anne! Thanks! Happy New Year!
Hi Patricia! Thank you and a very Happy New Year to you and yours as well!! 🙂
Hi Carrie! Thanks for stopping by 🙂 Hope to see you here again!
That's a gorgeous chicken! Happy New Year – playing in the sunshine is always better then pondering the future….
::gasp:: This chicken is amazing and I’ve been inspired to feature it in my Friday Food Fetish roundup. If you have any objections, please let me know. Moar, moar, MOAR please 🙂
wow..sounds scrumptiously tasty..
just found your space..amazing space you have..
very interesting posts with great presentation..
happy following you..:)
do stop by mine sometime..
Tasty Appetite
Hi Katiez! I agree on the sunshine! 🙂 Happy new year to you too!
Hi Javelin Warrior! Glad you think this is fetish worthy! 🙂
Hi Jay! Glad you enjoyed your visit 🙂
"Hard times come, that is for sure, but there is beauty and joy all around for those who take the time to enjoy them." Well said (what an understatement!)Joey, I hope "publish a cookbook" would be part of your to do list for this year =)
Happy New Year to you Joey! Pineapple upside down cake is a family fave here as well… 🙂 Your site is looking gorgeous!
Hi Cathy! Oh wow…how I wish that “publish a cookbook” was indeed part of my list!! 🙂 Maybe one day!
Hi Kellypea! Thank you!! This case is such a family favorite…”good vibes” cake 🙂
Sopa Seca with bread, my Dad and I just loved it, my sibs don't. They're usually fideos or rice but the one I grew up with uses bread and it's nice to hear someone else does too.
Hi Kulasa! Yes, that is the way we've been having it since I was a child 🙂
I HAD to make this even if I didn't have sambal asli! 🙂
Check out my improv attempts and results on my blog. Thanks, Joey!
Hi Jo! Glad the recipe inspired you to make your own version! I think this would be good with any and all kinds of sambal 🙂
wow i can imagine how delicious it is. Can see how hot it is…but i like it so much…hmmm yummmyyyyy