Mortar & Pestle Chicken Seasoning Blend

in food •  7 years ago  (edited)

My mother being from Thailand made me familiar with a mortar and pestle since I was young. She would have me pound herbs and spices together to make a wonderfully infused culinary art piece. If done correctly, the herbs can have a multiplier effect on each other causing just a small amount of the seasoning blend to have an explosion of flavors.

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Herbs can be expensive so growing them yourself will help your bottom line and is also fun. Below is a picture of sage, rosemary, chives, oregano, and thyme growing in my windowssill. Behind it is an outdoor planter I am growing herbs in, starting with seeds.

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This post features a seasoning blend I call, Chicken on the Ranch. This classic blend calls for thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, olive oil, an onion, and garlic.
Below I have:
3/4 ounce of fresh sage
3/4 ounce of fresh rosemary
3/4 ounce of fresh thyme
1 onion
1 garlic
course sea salt

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First, we want to peel and chop the onion and garlic finely. You only need about 1/4 of the onion and 1/4 of the garlic. Then, we want to finely chop the herbs removing any thick woody, stems.

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Then, evenly divide the herbs, (thyme, rosemary, sage) in six different units. Below I put about 2 teaspoons of each herb in the containers. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic and 1 teaspoon of onion to each unit. (Notice I did not use all the garlic or onion).

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Next, add 1 teaspoon of salt to each unit. You can add more or less depending on your preferences.

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Now, pound each portion one by one. It is important not to pound too much at one time, for evenness and consistency.

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After about 60 seconds of hard pounding, it should look like this.
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Your kitchen will fill up with the aroma of deliciousness. After, the pounding, place a thin layer evenly on aluminum foil and put it in the oven on warm for a few hours.

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Yeah baby!
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The leaves should be pretty dry by now.
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Next, put it in a jar or container. IMG_0118.JPG

Transform a boring, chicken and rice dinner... IMG_0123.JPG

into a gourmet delicacy! Add a sprinkle of the seasoning blend along with olive oil and ground pepper for a night to remember.

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Chicken on the Ranch, Seasoning Blend
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  • 3/4 ounce of fresh thyme
  • 3/4 ounce of fresh rosemary
  • 3/4 ounce of fresh sage
  • 6 teaspoons of coarse salt
  • 6 teaspoons of finely chopped garlic
  • 6 teaspoons of finely chopped onions
    *Follow proper food handling and safety precautions.
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