Don't Go Breaking My Heart!

Fire-grilled (ok, BBQ'd, but damn if "fire-grilled" doesn't sound sophisticated) are not exactly common fare for most westerners. For the more adventurous Singaporean palette however, these iron rich little gems might be just what you're looking to snack on over a icy-cold beverage of your choice. Being salty and mildly gamey, they go great with beer, a robust red wine, or tiger blood, depending on how paleo you like your drunk up to be.

Step 1: Hearts Ahoy!

Get some chicken hearts, and cut off those nasty-ass chunks of fat, tubes, ventricles, veins and what-not. You're dealing with an organ here, so there's gonna be some what-not. If you're squeamish, brace yourself, there will be blood.

Something I suspect most churrasco and yakitori places don't do is squeeze out the little pocket of coagulated life-juice in the middle of each heart. Once you've removed the fat and tubes, run each heart under a tap, and squeeze that stuff out like purple toothpaste. It's strong and metallic tasting, and personally, I do not like it.

Step 2: Smashing Hearts

Ok aspiring cave-man and cave-woman, it's time to go beast mode and smash some hearts. With a standard tenderizing hammer (mine's name is Mjölnir), give each heart a light beating. Maybe three or four wacks on each side. Don't over do it, as they are pretty soft, and you could end up with liquefied raw chicken heart. I know, appetizing!

Dress the cleaned hearts in sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder, and add them to a marinate of the following:

Equal parts olive oil and apple cider vinegar

Chopped garlic and shallots
More sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder

Let it sit at least an hour, although overnight is better.

Step 3: Shot Through the Heart

Stick each little slice of love on skewers. Everybody says you need to soak the skewers in water for an hour before putting them on the grill, but since I'm habitually forgetful, and frankly, kind of lazy, I never do, and so far, nothing has caught on fire or been charred beyond edibility, so screw it. Save yourself some time and don't bother

Dust with more sea salt, pepper and garlic powder, and cook each stick on medium-low area of the grill for 4 minutes or so per side. This is the only tricky part, as under cooking will taste like you think a heart is gonna taste like; that is, blood, and an overcooked heart will be a flavourless ball of rubber in your mouth.

Now get your drink, take hearts in hand and go to work!

- Mr. Paleoporean