Secrets of the Tulalip Chefs

 

The award-winning chefs who design and oversee the restaurants at the Tulalip Resort Casino share their favorite recipes and tips with our readers. Although the dishes look and taste like gourmet treats, even household cooks can follow these instructions to put the wow factor back into family dinners.

 

Summer has arrived! For this chicken dish I wanted to do something with a summertime theme and barbecue came to mind. I have a favorite BBQ recipe, which I modified to make it more seasonal and unique.

Blackberries grow prolifically here so I decided I'd make a good Spicy Blackberry Barbecue Sauce for the chicken. Then, of course, I would need to infuse the chicken with some blackberry flavor, so I created the Blackberry Marinade.



To prepare the Chicken:

8 - 10 oz Chicken Breast (Free range chicken recommended)

1-1/3 cup Heavenly BBQ Sauce

2 cups blackberry flavored coffee syrup

2 Tbsp kosher salt

1/4 cup hot tap water



Using hot tap water, dissolve the salt completely. Add BBQ sauce and syrup, mix well.

Place in 1-gallon freezer zip-lock bag, add chicken breasts, marinate for 12 hours in refrigerator.



To cook the Chicken:

Pat chicken dry. Pan-sear in olive oil over medium-high heat with the skin side down first until deep brown. Turn over, sear for 1 minute, and finish in 350° oven until chicken reaches 165° (about 20 minutes). Let rest for 2 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat, then slice the chicken on the bias.



To prepare Blackberry BBQ Sauce:



First build the Basic BBQ sauce:

2 cups Masterpiece BBQ sauce

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup apricot jam

3 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 Tsp granulated garlic

1 Tsp coarse black pepper

3/4 Tsp lemon pepper

1 Tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 Tsp Liquid Smoke



Combine all the Basic BBQ Sauce ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Chill.



For Blackberry Gastrique:

1 1/2 Tbsp shallots, minced

1/2 cup Merlot wine

3/4 cup fresh blackberries cut in half

2 Tsp sugar

2 Tsp honey

Pinch of sea salt

1/4 Tsp black pepper

3/4 Tsp sherry vinegar



Sweat shallots over low heat in a small amount of olive oil until translucent. Add merlot and reduce over medium heat until almost dry. Add berries, sugar, honey, salt and pepper to reduction. Simmer until juice is slightly thickened. Remove from heat, add vinegar.



To create the Blackberry BBQ Sauce for topping, combine 1/2 cup Basic BBQ Sauce and 2 cups Blackberry Gastrique.



Recommended serving presentation:

1 Chicken Breast, cut on the bias

1 1/2 oz. Blackberry BBQ Sauce

8 oz. Succotash or other favorite vegetable

8 oz. Tillamook Cheddar Mashed Potatoes or other favorite starch

blog comments powered by Disqus