Grilled Birdcage Sandwich
Today's Dinner:
Grilled Chicken with Pesto Mayo, Sorry no Sweet and Sour Peasant Soup.
You'll need
1/2 cup of fresh basil
4 cloves of garlic.
2 tbls pine nuts
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
salt
pepper
lemon juice
4 chicken thighs, boneless skinless
Fresh Mozzarella
Roasted Red Pepper
Ciabatta bread
First prep the chicken. Lay out the chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste. Smash 2 of the garlic cloves. Grab a ziplock bag and toss them all in. Fill the bag with the lemon juice until it just covers the chicken. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal it. Pop it in the fridge.
Next we can start the pesto mayo while the chicken marinates. Basically this is a pesto sauce without oil. If you have a pesto recipe that you like go right ahead and use that just stop at the point when you would add the olive oil. First toast the pine nuts. You can drop them on a frying pan on medium heat and keep them moving until they turn light brown. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THEM. These will burn fast if you are not looking. Now grab your food processor and toss in the basil, pine nuts, the other 2 cloves of garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste and a splash of lemon juice. Take em them for a spin. Break everything down until it's like a gritty paste then pour into small bowl. Add the mayo and stir together.
Slice up the bread and FIRE UP THE GRILL! We're going to cook the chicken on high heat with the lid open. The boneless thighs cook great this way. They are thin enough to cook through with the lid up and give a nice char on the outside. Let the grill heat up and toss them on. You want to do this for about 10 minutes per side but each grill will be different so keep an eye on it. With about 5 minutes left toss the bread on, crust side up to toast. You can use chicken breast for this if you like. I know some who would insist on this ;)
Let's put it together. Smear (that's right Men Smear) the pesto mayo on the both pieces of bread. Place a slice of roasted pepper on the bottom, then the chicken and the mozzarella on top. Enjoy!
Today's Movie:
The Birdcage
This 1996 comedy is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Staring Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, Diane Wiest, and most especially Hank Azaria who steels the show. Our story begins, as most love stories do, at a drag club. Young Val Goldman sneaks home from college to tell his father, Armand, he is getting married. The subterfuge was needed to break the news to his "mother" Albert, the hyper emotional star of the drag show. The young bride to be, Barbara Keeley, has also gone home to tell her parents the good news. Daddy dearest is ultra-conservative Republican Senator Kevin Keely. How conservative? He feels that Billy Graham is less controversial than the Pope and that Bob Dole is too liberal. Needless to say Barbara is a little worried about introducing her new fiance's gay, cross dressing, drag club owning, screaming queens, family to her parents, go figure.
Let the games begin! As the Goldman's try to get ready for the impending visit we get to enjoy a group of drag queens work to redecorate the house so as to best fit for the church, their "loyal house boy" Agador tries to pull off being straight, and attempts to play off Albert as Val's uncle. The dinner guests arrive and the awkwardness begins. The greatest part of the evening is Agador Spartacus. He flops around half the time as a fish on deck and speaks like an over the top Ricardo Montalban. He can't actually cook but serves them his Sweet and Sour Peasant Soup in bowls with naked Greek boys humping on them. Oh yeah and did I mention that Albert feels the best thing to do is to just act naturally and decides to dress up to be Val's mom? Have fun.
Best Lines:
Armand: So this is Hell. And there's a crucifix in it.
Armand Looking up at said crucifix : Look I know I'm not religious and I'm Jewish but if things could go smoothly tonight I'd really appreciate it.
Val: Oh yeah about the Jewish thing, Barb told her parents our name is Coleman.
Armand looking back at the crucifix: Thanks
Albert: Whatever I am, he made me! I was adorable once, young and full of hope.
And now look at me! I'm this short, fat, insecure, middle-aged THING!
Armand: I made you short?
Armand describing dinner: It's like riding a psychotic horse toward a burning stable.
Agador: Armand, why won't you let me be in the show? Are you afraid of my Guatemalaness?
Armand: Your what?
Agador: My Guatemalness my natural heat. You're afraid I'm too primitive to be on the stage with your little estrogen Rockettes, right?
Armand: Yes, I'm afraid of your heat.
Armand to Agador: Pull yourself together! Because you have to cook dinner. And I'm going after fucking Albert. (then leaves)
Val: You can cook, right?
Agador looking worried: Your father seems to think so
Armand: What the hell are you serving us?!
Agador: Sweet and Sour Peasant Soup what you say it's Seafood Chowder for?
Armand: What they hell is Sweet Sour Peasant soup?
Agador: I don't know, I made it up. I made it up!!
Armand: It's a nightmare (takes a drink of whiskey)
Agador slips and falls
So there you have it. I hope you all enjoy. Also if anyone has anything they would like to see on here please let me know and remember. Eat, drink and go see a movie.
