Late spring weekend BBQ

Spring is on its last gasp here in Houston and we've been determined to enjoy the (relatively) mild weather while it lasts. For Sunday dinner, Matt graciously agreed to grill (I haven't the faintest idea how to grill, so I'm completely at his mercy) and we chose one of our tried-and-true cookout menus to enjoy for an evening meal on porch, two of Matt's family recipes: chicken "bombs" (spicy bacon-wrapped chicken thighs smothered in cheese) and quinoa salad.

We often make these dishes when hosting a crowd because they are inexpensive and easy to mass produce, but it's just as easy to scale down for two (with plenty of leftovers for lunches during the week).

Quinoa Salad

These days, you can't drop a food magazine without it falling open to a recipe for a quinoa or other heritage grain salad, but my mother-in-law has been singing quinoa's praises long before anyone in the U.S. even thought to wonder how, exactly, "quinoa" is pronounced. In the mid-1990s, Matt's family lived in Quito, Ecuador and my mother-in-law has been cooking with quinoa ever since. This recipe is adapted from a photocopied recipe pamphlet she brought home called "The Art of Cooking with Quinoa."

For the salad

1 cup dry quinoa, thoroughly rinsed

1-2 cans black beans (to taste), drained and rinsed

1 cup corn (freshly cooked or, if frozen, thawed and rinsed)

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/4 cup green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

For the dressing

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup minced cilantro

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

freshly ground pepper (to taste)

Note: this salad is best cold, and the mistake we always make is not starting it early enough for the cooked quinoa to cool down fully. It's also best after the dressing has had time to absorb. I'd recommend starting the salad in the morning if cooking for the evening, or even the night before.

Bring 2 cups water to a boil; add quinoa and simmer until water is fully absorbed. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and cool in the fridge. To make the dressing, combine all ingredients into a mason jar and shake until fully combined. Once quinoa has cooled, add the beans, vegetables, and dressing, mixing until evenly distributed. Salad is best if dressing is allowed to absorb for at least a couple hours while cooling in the fridge.

Chicken "Bombs"

10 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)

5-10 Serrano peppers (freshly roasted or canned) (or other green chiles)

10 slices thick-cut bacon

Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

5 pepper jack cheese slices, cut in half (if pre-sliced), or 10 slices shaved from a block, large enough to cover one rolled chicken thigh

In a baking dish, cover 10 bamboo skewers (the half-size ones are easiest to work with) in water and let soak while you prepare the chiles. This will help keep the skewers from catching fire while on the grill.

If using fresh Serranos, slice in half lengthwise and remove the stems and seeds (Note: I keep a box of latex gloves in my pantry for working with chiles; if, like me, you've ever absently rubbed your eyes after slicing jalapeños or Serranos, you'll see the wisdom of the idea). Roast skin-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until chiles start to brown. (Note: I just made this up off the top of my head. When I asked Matt, who always roasts the chiles, what temperature he puts the oven and how long he roasts them, his answer was basically ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Just keep them in the oven until they start to brown, it'll be fine). As soon as the chiles are removed from the oven, seal them in a plastic bag and let sit about 15-20 minutes. The trapped steam helps loosen the skin from the chiles. Once the chiles have cooled enough to handle, rub the bag between your hands before removing the chiles, which will also help loosen the skins. Remove the chiles and clean off any remaining skins under running water. Set aside the skinned roasted chiles.

Set up your skewers, chicken thighs, chiles, Tony's Creole seasoning shaker, and bacon slices around a flat workspace. Liberally season both sides of a chicken thigh with Tony's Creole seasoning. Lay the thigh out flat and place some roasted chiles towards one end of the thigh, rolling the thigh around the chiles. Once the thigh is rolled, tightly wrap one bacon slice around the thigh. Work the skewer through the thigh a few times so that the thigh remains rolled and the bacon is secured. Repeat.

Grill the chicken "bombs." As previously mentioned, I know nothing about grilling, so Matt has provided the following guidance: Prepare the grill ("hit it with oil") and create two heat zones (apparently this means to pile more coals on one side and just a few one the other). Make sure coals are washed over before adding chicken bombs to the grill. Sear each side of the chicken bombs, turning frequently, and cooking for a total of about 15-25 minutes, moving the chicken bombs around the grill periodically to prevent them from burning or catching on fire. Take care, as burning grease will cause flare ups; when this happens, cover the grill with its lid or move chicken bombs away from the flames. Bacon should look crisp when finished.

Once the thighs are cooked through, move them to the cool side of the grill and place cheese slices over each thigh. Cover the grill for a couple minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Your chicken bombs are ready to serve.

Matt wanted me to make sure to get a picture of the "roll" inside the chicken bomb, so I obliged, and then our dog Chali photo-bombed our chicken bomb, which I think wraps things up rather nicely. Enjoy.