Tonight I was thinking for someone who doesn't drink alcohol, I sure can cook with it! haha! Cami made pesto tonight and I prepped some chicken breasts to grill. I love it when you gotta throw some stuff together. So covered the chicken breasts in olive oil, lemon juice and zest, mexican oregano, basil, garlic and onion powder, and of course salt and pepper. However the piece de resistance, came when I looked under the bar and found some citron absolut vodka. I added a some of that too and let those suckers marinade for a couple of hours. The vodka added a really subtle flavor. I have to play a little more with different vodkas now.
Cooking with alcohol adds a completely different dimension to food. Wine in tomato sauces heightens the sugars in the tomatoes. Brandy with meats does something similar. So does tequila. Contrary to what Emril sometimes says, you can actually over do it with the alcohol in food. I had an idea for marinating some peaches and apricots in either peach schnapps and/or triple sec, with a little lime juice and brown sugar and then grilling them.
Ps. Cami, hands down, makes the BEST pesto I have ever had! One time I asked where she had bought her pesto, and she cooly replied that she makes it from scratch every time. So, so gooooood!
Posted by tony at August 21, 2003 11:44 AM