Sunday, July 8, 2007

Give me a crusty


Coconut Chicken, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

The first time I had coconut-crusted anything was in Hawaii. I went there for a dental convention, so in between classes on gum disease we toured the sites and ate good food (including coconut chicken). A must visit restaurant is Top of Waikiki. The rooftop restaurant spins as you eat so you can see the scenery.

I was in college my first and only time I went to Hawaii, and once I found out I was going to Hawaii with my boss (also my Uncle) and his "computer guy" and his wife I decided it would be to my advantage to bring along my boyfriend, S., now my husband. S. was dirt poor (his paleontology job didn't pay much), so I offered to pay for half his ticket and he was able to share a room with my uncle/boss. He consented (after I twisted his arm) and we had a memorable time that October.

Fast forward three months. I am in London. I move into this amazing row house. I hang a picture of S. and me on my bulletin board right by my bed. A new roommate sees the picture and asks why I have a picture of S. I reply, "Um, he's my boyfriend." (All the while thinking, "And YOU are?") She said, "Are you the one who paid for him to go to Hawaii with you?" I corrected her and told her that I only paid for half the ticket. Really, I wasn't buying my boyfriend, but I must have done something right because he proposed 8 months later.


Mango Raspberry Salsa

1 1/2 mangos, peeled and diced
2 scallions, white parts chopped
1/2 serrano pepper, seeds removed
5 raspberries
juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process till finely chopped, but not completely pureed.

Coconut Chicken

Serves 4

4 chicken breasts
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup coconut flakes
1 cup Panko bread crumbs (in Asian section)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Marinate chicken in coconut milk with red pepper flakes for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight. Combine coconut flakes and bread crumbs in a separate bowl. Place marinated chicken in coconut and bread crumb mixture, turning to coat. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cook for 35-40 minutes, until cooked through.

Serve with mango salsa and rice.

Definition for Crusty: a dirty look.

This was a word some friends and I made up. We would always say, "She gave me a crusty." This is something crusty I would want unlike those dirty looks.

8 comments:

Amanda said...

Great story! I wonder if Ben would have come to visit me in France if I would have paid for half his ticket. Doubt he would have proposed or anything. It only took him 10 months after I got back for him to propose anyway. It must be something about going on a Semester Abroad that does the Mudrick boys in.

Sydney said...

I love looking at all of your YUMMY food! I'm going to make something from here one of these days. Carrie did a while ago and said it was divine! So how did your roommate know S?

Tracie said...

Funny, Jules....this is a word used by the masses in Hawaii, and it means exactly what your friends and you used it for. Weird.

Jules said...

I would like to note that S. did visit me in London, too--and I didn't pay for his ticket. Oh, but he got a buddy pass from Mark's mom. And Syd--the roommate knew S. from his ward at BYU. I was legend.

Carrie said...

Crusty! Good word. Sometimes, if you speak friends language around those who were not in on the common vocabulary usage, they get confused. That happened to me today, when I mentioned my "happy time." Confused?

Morgan Moore said...

This looks delish!!

xoxo

Joy said...

Hate to tell you this....but I'm pretty sure you and your friends didn't invent the word crusty....I've been using that word in that context since I was a kid...and so have a lot of people I know.

Jules said...

Sherpa--I guess it's in the eye of the beholder. I am really, can Al be serious that he invented the internet?