Janis Callon, Founder and CEO of the Community Spice Company, is out to save the world with flavor using heart healthy, low sodium, gluten free spices. Her goal is to get people to make slow food fast, using her spice combinations and in my opinion, she accomplishes this beautifully. A friend of hers who had a long tenure at Chez Panisse helped her develop the amazing flavors in her line. As a MARY’s secret ingredients box purchaser, you would have received one of these four blends: SNP 400, Mz. Curri, barbi Q, or ka Bobbii. (cute names, right?) I made scallops and roast chicken with two of her blends. Specifically I used Mz. Curri to make a roast chicken with a sauce that my husband said tasted like a complex, fine French sauce! It was so good! You can use any one of these spice rubs on a huge variety of meats, poultry, fish and even vegetables. Anything goes and it will taste great with CSC creations!
With Janis’s Save the World philosophy, when you make an online purchase, you get to decide which charity to support from a list of about 35 different ones they give assistance to. The charities range from food banks to national parks to Doctors Without Borders to Habitat for Humanity to the 911 Foundation. Visit their site for more info and even ways you can use her spices to raise funds for your kid’s school or club, which is a very nice idea.
On to my recipes!
SNP 400 SCALLOPS AND PANCETTA – serves 2 as a first course
4 scallops
2 – 3 tsp. SNP 400 rub from Community Spice Company
1/2 of a 1/4” thick slice of pancetta
3 tbs. dry white wine
1 tsp. unsalted butter
Thyme leaves
Wash and dry the scallops. Sprinkle and rub one side with the SNP 400 and pat down on the top of the scallops. Dice the pancetta into 1/4” pieces and sauté in a small skillet on medium-high heat. Push the pancetta off to the side in the skillet and saute the scallops, rub side down first, about 3 minutes. Turn the scallops over and sauté for one minute, then add the white wine and finish cooking for 2 more minutes or until scallops are just a bit firm and done. Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the butter. Pour sauce over scallops and garnish with the fresh thyme leaves. Serve with a slice of a good baguette so you can mop up the wonderful flavorful sauce, and be in heaven!
Mz. Curri roast chicken with some leftover asparagus risotto
MZ. CURRI ROAST CHICKEN – serves 4 – 5
1 3.75 lb. organic chicken
Fine grind sea salt
½ package Mz. Curri spice mix from Community Spice Company
1 – 2 parmesan cheese rinds
1/2 cup dry white wine
1.5 tsp. unsalted butter
2 tbs. chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 450 degrees with a cast iron skillet or heavy ovenproof skillet in the center of the oven. Thoroughly wash and dry your bird, inside and out. Salt the bird all over the outside and inside the cavity. Place the Mz. Curri mix in a bowl and sprinkle it generously all over the outside of the bird and sprinkle some on the inside as well. Place the parmesan cheese rinds inside the cavity.
When the pan and oven have preheated, take the pan out of the oven and leave a hot pad on the handle immediately so you don’t forget and grab it. Quickly put the bird in the pan, breast side up (it will not stick). Remember this pan is blazing hot so be careful.
Shove the hot pan with the chicken back into the oven and roast for 35 – 40 minutes, undisturbed. Test with a meat thermometer – it should reach 155 degrees. Remove the chicken immediately from the hot pan by grabbing the cavity with long tongs and let it rest on a platter, for at least 10 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, deglaze the pan juices with ½ cup of dry white wine. Simmer briskly for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the butter and chopped parsley. Top the cut chicken pieces with the sauce.
Serve with LOVE and enjoy!
Leftover Turkey or Chicken with Butternut Squash, Asparagus & Persimmons
Pretty plates
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Happy New Year to you!
Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint
Nice idea doe scallops.Right up my alley.
Jovina Coughlin recently posted…Summer Seafood – Italian Style
Me too!! I LOVE scallops, Jovina!
scallops and pancetta are such a favourite of mine…only made it recently when our son was visiting…the asparagus risotto looks good too:)
Roger Stowell recently posted…Time rich…
Thanks Roger!! The risotto was a leftover so the asparagus wasn’t as green and pretty as it was the first time out.
Those scallops look amazing!
Kati Davenport recently posted…Homemade Pork Tamales
Thanks Kati!! – they were delish!
Love the scallop and pancetta combination I will have to look into those spice blends. Mz Curri I find particularly interesting, Both dishes look amazing.
apuginthekitchen recently posted…Em-i-lis – A Guest Post And How To Make Jam!
Thanks Suzanne. i think you would LOVE Mz. Curri – my fave!
Scallop and pancetta is a match made in heaven! I never thought about roasting chicken with curry but this sounds fantastic!
The curry on the chicken was a really good move Olivia. Get some and give it a go!
This curry roasted chicken looks so juicy with that sauce! Gosh I wish I can have that for lunch!
Ami@NaiveCookCooks recently posted…Pineapple & Marshmallow Blondies
Good choice Ami! Thanks!!
Scallops followed by chicken – I dont know if I could imagine a more perfect meal. These must be two of my all time favourite foods.
Well they didn’t really follow each other in one meal – but that’s a spectacular idea!
Scallops and pancetta! No words! It’s absolutely delicious!
Mila recently posted…Salad with sauteed vegetables
My sentiments exactly, Mila!
Both dishes look amazing! I don’t know which I’d choose! I think scallops for me and chicken for the hubby 🙂 YES!
Liz recently posted…Raspberry Mango Salsa #SkinnyTip
🙂 🙂 🙂 Nice – make everyone happy Liz!!
Look at those scallops, I wont mind that as mains just adjust the serving size 🙂
Raymund recently posted…Mapo Tofu
Exactly – and I did that just the other night – with some steamed jasmine rice – delish!
Those scallops look divine! I love that the spices are low sodium 🙂
Tandy | Lavender and Lime recently posted…Recipe For Egg Nest Ravioli
Yes – low sodium – truly a great benefit!
Everything looks picture perfect good. John will eat the scallops and I’ll devour the chicken.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef recently posted…How to Make Pickled Beets or Beetroot
So everyone’s happy!! The way it should be!
Both photos and recipes are absolutely gorgeous. Scallops are my favorite seafood and when presented in a wonderful sauce, priceless.
Fae’s Twist & Tango recently posted…Sour Cherry Rice • Albalu Polo • آلبالو پلو
Thanks Fae!!