Caribbean flair, and drama too

Dear SOS: We recently took our family to Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego. The Barefoot Bar & Grill there served one of the best chicken dishes. It was a free-range chicken breast with a citrus and rum glaze. Any chance they’d share the recipe?

Rob Yarak

Rolling Hills Estates

Dear Rob: Igniting the rum is the dramatic technique at the center of this otherwise simple dish. Chef Aaron O’Mara suggests serving it with Caribbean-flavored side dishes such as mashed sweet potatoes and grilled plantains.

Total time: 1 hour

Servings: 4

Note: Anejo rum is aged rum. Use caution when igniting the rum; remove the pan from the heat before doing so. Have a pot lid close by; if necessary, cover the pot to smother the flames.

Glaze

2 cups anejo rum

2 tablespoons minced shallot

1/4 cup grapefruit juice

1/4cup lemon juice

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4cup molasses

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

3 star anise

14 peppercorns

1. Place the rum and shallot in a skillet and warm over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Carefully (with a safety lighter) ignite the rum to burn off the alcohol. It will take about 6 to 8 minutes for the flames to die down. The rum will be reduced to about 1 cup.

2. Add the grapefruit juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, thyme, molasses, cinnamon stick, star anise and peppercorns, and heat over medium heat to reduce slightly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain; discard the solids. Keep warm until ready to use.

Chicken

1/3cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Zest of 2 large oranges

4 free-range bone-in chicken breasts (skin on)

1. Combine the oil, salt, pepper and zest. Thoroughly rub the mixture on the chicken breasts just before grilling.

2. Grill over a medium flame. When the chicken is just cooked through, baste generously with the rum sauce. Drizzle the plates with the remainder of the sauce and serve.

Each serving: 684 calories;

30 grams protein; 20 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 26 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 82 mg. cholesterol; 315 mg. sodium.

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