Toasted Spice Rub Michael Chiarello Recipes

FENNEL SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Put the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat. Watch carefully, tossing frequently so the seeds toast evenly. When light brown and fragrant, pour the seeds onto a plate to cool. They must be cool before grinding, or they will gum up the blades.
• Pour the seeds into a blender and add the salt. Blend to a fine powder, shaking the blender occasionally to redistribute the seeds. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.

PORK CHOPS WITH TOASTED SPICE RUB AND APPLE DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and toasted spice rub.
• Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat and sear the pork chops until golden brown, about 4 minutes on 1side and 1 minute on the other side. Place pork chops on baking sheet. Remove excess oil from skillet.
• Bake the chops until just cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a serving platter.
• Over medium heat, add the wine to the skillet, stir, and reduce to 1 to 2 tablespoons; add the apple sauce and bring to a simmer. Spoon over each chop.
• Toasted Spice Rub
• 1/4 cup fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup pure California chili powder
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. When the fennel begins to turn light brown, add the red pepper flakes, and toss several times. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool.
• Put in a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients.
• Keep the spice mix in a glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.
• Note: If you have an exhaust fan over your stove, turn it on before you start toasting the spices. Be careful not to inhale the fumes once you add the red pepper flakes.
• Yield: 1 cup
• 12 apples, Gravenstein or McIntosh
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground sea salt, preferably gray salt
• 1/3 cup honey
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Peel the apples with a vegetable peeler, remove the core and cut into 1-inch chunks, place in a large bowl. Heat a large skillet or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter. When the butter begins to brown, add lemon juice, then add the apples and salt. Cook until the apples just begin to color, about 4 minutes. Stir in the honey. Roast the apples in the oven until soft and lightly caramelized, about 12 minutes. Fork mash for a chunky version or puree in food processor for a smoother sauce.
• Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

YAMS WITH TOASTED SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Put sweet potatoes in a glass or stainless steel bowl.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in brown sugar and lemon juice. When sugar is completely melted, stir in Toasted Spice Rub and gray salt. Pour mixture over sweet potatoes. Toss well.
• Arrange sweet potatoes in a baking dish, cut side up. With rubber spatula, scrape all the butter and spice mixture over the top of the sweet potatoes, and then add a sprinkling of Toasted Spice Rub on top of each one. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees F until easily pierced with a knife.
• Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put in a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients.

ROASTED GARLIC SPICE - MICHAEL CHIARELLO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice the garlic cloves very thin.
• Place sheets of parchment paper on a baking sheet, then place the sliced garlic between the sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees F until the garlic slices are dry, about 15 minutes.
• Remove baking sheet from oven and allow garlic to cool.
• Transfer the cooled garlic to a grinder, then add the salt, peppercorns, mustard powder, and chili powder, and grind all into a powder.
• Serve over popcorn, added to potato chips, or as a dry rub on meats and seafood.

TOASTED SPICE RUB - MICHAEL CHIARELLO

Steps:

• Read this recipe all the way through before beginning, get your spices and equipment (skillet, plate, blender, alternate method grinder, and storing container) ready.
• In a small, heavy skillet over medium heat, toast the fennel, coriander, and peppercorns.
• Watch carefully, because when the fennel turns a light brown you're going to work quickly: turn on the hood exhaust fan on your stove, then add the red pepper flakes and stir well for 30 seconds.
• Turn the mixture onto a plate to cool.
• When cool, place mixture in a blender together with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon; blend until all are evenly ground.
• (Alternately, you can use a spice mill/coffee grinder/mortar and pestle to grind the fennel, coriander, peppercorns, and chili flakes, then toss resultant powder with the remaining ingredients).
• Transfer the spice rub into a glass jar and store in a cool, dry place; you can also freeze the mixture.
• Note: if you prefer a mixture that is less spicy-hot, make sure you use mild California chili powder and/or begin with fewer red pepper flakes, then add to your preference; California chiles in powder are generally less hot and more sweet.
• On chicken: sear a chicken in a little olive oil, let cool, pat the rub generously over the bird, then roast it.
• Use as dry rub or dry marinade: rub into meat or poultry, refrigerate 4 hours, bring to room temperature, then roast, pan-sear, or grill.
• Finishing rub: blend with just enough olive oil to make a paste, then use as a marinade or to finish grilled steaks and seafood.
• Other uses: toss with vegetables before pan-roasting, or add to soups and stews.

FENNEL SPICE RUB FOR TURKEY (MICHAEL CHIARELLO)

Steps:

• Put the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat.
• Watch carefully, tossing frequently so the seeds toast evenly.
• When light brown and fragrant, pour the seeds onto a plate to cool.
• They must be cool before grinding, or they will gum up the blades.
• Pour the seeds into a blender and add the salt.
• Blend to a fine powder, shaking the blender occasionally to redistribute the seeds.
• Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.
• Note: There's a chicken salad recipe by Michael Chiarello that uses up some of the leftover spice mix:.
• n a large bowl, combine shredded cooked chicken, celery, red onion, 6 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons Fennel Spice, and salt and pepper to taste. Taste and add more oil, lemon juice, or Fennel Spice, if desired. Add the basil and serve.

MICHAEL'S BRINED AND SPICED CHICKEN COOKED IN BUTTER WITH SHERRY VINEGAR SAUCE

Steps:

• For the spice rub: Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small heavy pan over medium heat. When the fennel turns light brown, add the cinnamon, salt, chili powder, and red pepper flakes and toss. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put into a food processor with the small bowl attachment and blend until the spices are evenly ground. Makes about 1 cup.
• For the brine: Combine all the ingredients, except ice, in a stockpot, bring to a boil, and stir to dissolve the solids. Remove from the heat, add ice, and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
• Put the chickens in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours. Turn the chickens once half way through brining. Remove the chickens from the brine and pat them dry. Remove the backbones and split the chickens in half. Coat with 1/2 cup toasted spice rub on all sides, pressing into the skin. Put the chickens on a cookie sheet and put them into the refrigerator, uncovered, overnight to dry.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat a 14 to 16-inch saute pan or roasting pan over medium-high heat and add the butter. When it is melted place the chicken halves in the pan, skin side down. Cook on the stove for approximately 5 minutes, basting with the pan juices. Put chickens into the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the chickens over on a cookie sheet to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter.
• Put the roasting pan back on the stove, heat the pan juices to simmering, add the thyme and vinegar, and reduce by half. Spoon some of the vinaigrette over the arugula. Serve with tomato slices and Olive Oil Braised Potatoes. Spoon the rest of the sauce over the chicken and dig in.

TOASTED SPICE RUB ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Blanch the almonds in boiling water, until the skins peel off.
• Melt the butter in a large ovenproof skillet over moderate heat and cook until it turns light brown and smells nutty. Add the almonds and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, over moderate heat until the almonds begin to color, about 5 minutes, coat and toss in the spice mix thoroughly. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the almonds are medium-brown, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, taste for flavor, add more spice mix or salt, if necessary. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a sheet pan; they will crisp as they cool. Store the cooled almonds in an airtight container at room temperature. (See Cook's Note)
• Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put in a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients.
• Toasting freshens spices, releases their oils, and makes them more fragrant, as well as adding a new dimension of flavor. Keep the spice mix in a glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.
• Taste your chili powder and, if too spicy and hot, cut back the amount. California chiles are almost sweet, not hot.

MICHAEL CHIARELLO TOASTED SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. (Toasting freshens spices, releases their oils, and makes them more fragrant, as well as adding a new dimension of flavor.) When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan; add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put in a blender with the sweet chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill blender or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. Keep the spice mix in a glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.