Eye for a Recipe

This recipe, adapted from Real Simple, is perfect for a barbecue. Drizzle pepper and onion with oil and salt. Sprinkle chicken with oil, salt and shawarma spice. Thread chicken and veggies onto skewers and grill for about 15 minutes. Serve with grilled pita bread. Cook’s note: A recipe to make your own shawarma spice blend is below. You could serve the skewers and pita with yogurt flavoured with minced garlic, chopped mint and lemon juice. If you are using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for pita with no preservatives added. To make your own shawarma spice blend, combine 1 ½ tbsp. (22.5 ml) each of cumin, turmeric, coriander, garlic powder and paprika with 1 tsp (5 ml) each of cloves and cayenne pepper. Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Chicken shawarma skewers

Ingredients:

1 bell pepper (any color), cut into 1-inch/2.54-cm chunks

1 small red onion, cut into large chunks

2 tbsp. (30 ml) olive oil, divided, plus more for grill

1 ½ tsp. (7.5 ml) kosher salt, divided

1 lb. (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, patted dry and cut into 1 ½-inch/3.8-cm chunks

2 tsp. (10 ml) shawarma spice blend

Finely chopped fresh dill and/or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Grilled pita for serving

Preparation:

Pita

Preheat grill or a grill pan to medium. Lightly brush both sides of 4 pocketless pita rounds or pieces of naan flatbreads with olive oil. Working in batches if necessary, place pita on grates; grill until grill marks appear, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Stack and wrap in a clean kitchen towel until ready to serve.

Skewers

Place bell pepper and onion in a medium bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt; toss to coat.

Place chicken in medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) shawarma spice blend to each bowl. Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt to chicken; toss to coat.

Preheat grill or a grill pan to medium-high and lightly oil grates. Thread chicken onto 4 (12-inch/30 cm) wooden or metal skewers, alternating chicken with 1 pepper chunk and 2 onion chunks.

Place skewers on grates; grill, uncovered, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

Transfer skewers to a large platter. Garnish with dill and/or parsley. Serve with grilled pita. Serves 4.

From Real Simple

This delicious pasta salad from Food and Wine is a great way to use summer herbs, cherry tomatoes and zucchini. Combine herbs, lemon juice, garlic and spices in a food processor and pulse into a paste. Add oil to form an herb sauce. Marinate shrimp in one-third of the sauce and toss tomatoes and zucchini with the remaining sauce. Grill the shrimp and cook the pasta. Rinse the pasta under cold water and add to the tomato-zucchini mixture. Serve the pasta salad topped with the grilled shrimp, drizzle with a little olive oil and garnish with parsley.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I use thawed frozen shrimp with only salt used as a preservative.

Pearl couscous salad with grilled shrimp

Ingredients:

2 cups (500 ml) loosely packed fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, plus more leaves for garnish

½ cup (125 ml) loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

6 tablespoons (90 ml) fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh mint leaves

3 large garlic cloves, smashed

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground coriander

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed red pepper

1 ¼ teaspoons (6.25 ml) kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

2/3 cup (165 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grill and for drizzling

1 pound (454 g) peeled and deveined raw jumbo shrimp, tail-on

2 small zucchini, very thinly sliced lengthwise into ribbons

2 cups (500 ml) multicolored cherry tomatoes, halved

1 ½ cups (375 ml) uncooked pearl couscous

Preparation:

Pulse parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, mint, garlic, cumin, coriander, red pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt (5 ml) in a food processor until a coarse paste forms, about 5 pulses. With processor running, slowly pour olive oil through food chute, and blend until just combined, about 15 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Divide herb sauce between 2 bowls, placing 1/3 in a medium bowl and 2/3 in a large bowl. Add shrimp to medium bowl and toss to coat; cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Add zucchini and tomatoes to large bowl and stir to coat; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat grill to very high. Place shrimp on oiled grates; discard marinade. Grill, uncovered, turning occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate, and sprinkle with remaining ¼ (1.25 ml) teaspoon salt; set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta. Rinse cooked pasta under cold water and drain well. Fold pasta into chilled zucchini mixture until well coated. Season with additional salt to taste. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with shrimp and drizzle with additional olive oil; garnish with parsley. Serves 4-6.

From Food and Wine

This vegetarian dish from NYT Cooking is colourful and delicious. Slice the vegetables and halloumi and toss with oil, salt and pepper. Grill until the vegetables are tender and the halloumi is softened and has grill marks. Serve sprinkled with fresh herbs and sumac, if you are using. Cook’s note: You can make this inside using a ridged grill pan. The vegetables will require more cooking time. I used a regular eggplant and omitted the sumac. I drizzled some vinaigrette on the vegetables before serving.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used President’s Choice halloumi, which is free of additives. Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Grilled halloumi and vegetables

Ingredients:

¾ pound (340 g) halloumi

2 sweet red peppers

1 large zucchini

1 Japanese eggplant

1 bunch scallions, trimmed

Salt and pepper

About ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh thyme or crumbled dried mint

½ to 1 teaspoon (2.5 to 5 ml) sumac (optional)

Preparation:

Prepare a hot grill. Cut halloumi into 8 to 12 slabs, about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick. Cut peppers into wide pieces, slicing from top to bottom along the natural indentations. Discard seeds. Cut pieces in half crosswise. Slice the zucchini and eggplant on the diagonal, into ¼-inch (0.6-cm) rounds.

Season all vegetables with salt and pepper. Brush vegetables and halloumi with olive oil.

Grill vegetables until tender and nicely charred, turning occasionally. If you’d like, use an outdoor grill pan to keep them from slipping through the grate. Scallions will be ready after 3 to 4 minutes. Peppers, zucchini and eggplant take about 10 minutes. Arrange on a platter.

Grill halloumi, turning occasionally, for 2 to 6 minutes, until grill marks appear. When you press on the cheese, it should give but it should not be runny.

Remove cheese to the platter with vegetables and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle cheese and vegetables with herbs and sumac, if you’d like, and serve. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This recipe from Martha Stewart is a great take on eggplant Parmesan. Grill tomatoes and shallots and then roughly chop. Grill eggplant slices until tender and then top with mozzarella slices and grill for a few minutes more. Top the eggplant with the tomato mixture, drizzle with oil, garnish with basil and serve with crusty bread.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Tre Stelle bocconcini slices and Ace Bakery bread, which are free of additives.

Grill tomatoes and shallot

Grill eggplant until almost done, then top with cheese and grill another few minutes

Grilled eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:

4 medium tomatoes (1 ½ pounds/680 g total), halved

1 shallot, halved lengthwise

¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 large eggplants (2 pounds/900 g total), cut lengthwise into 1-inch/2.5-cm planks

1 pound (454 g) fresh salted mozzarella, sliced into ¼-inch/0.6-cm rounds

¼ cup (60 ml) thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1 loaf rustic bread, such as ciabatta, for serving

Preparation:

Preheat grill; brush tomatoes and shallot with oil. Grill until charred, 4-5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until vegetables soften slightly, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop. Transfer to a bowl; season with salt and pepper.

Brush both sides of eggplants with remaining 3 tablespoons (45 ml) oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until lightly charred in places and almost tender, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Top eggplants with mozzarella. Return to grill and cook, covered, until cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to serving platter or plates.

Top eggplant evenly with tomato mixture, sprinkle with basil, drizzle with oil and serve with torn rustic bread. Serves 4.

From Martha Stewart

This recipe from NYT Cooking is tasty and colourful. Melt butter in pan and add soy sauce, vinegar, ginger and pepper. Top with the fish and steam until it is almost done. Add the peas and continue steaming until the peas are bright green and the fish is fully cooked. Garnish with cilantro before serving.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use butter that contains only milk or cream with no colour added. Use tamari instead of soy sauce. I used Marukan rice vinegar, which is free of additives.

Soy butter fish and peas

Ingredients:

1 ¼ pounds skinless white fish (such as cod, hake or halibut), cut into 4 equal pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter

3 tablespoons (45 ml) soy sauce

3 tablespoons (45 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar

1 (2-inch/5-cm) piece (unpeeled) ginger, thinly sliced into rounds

3 cups (750 ml) snow peas or snap peas (or a mix)

1 cup (250 ml) coarsely chopped cilantro

Preparation:

Season the fish on all sides with salt and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, stir in the soy sauce, vinegar and ginger. Season with about 6 cranks of pepper (or ½ teaspoon/2.5 ml, if you’re measuring).

Using tongs, gently lay the pieces of fish in the pan. Cover the skillet and steam until the fish is almost fully opaque, 3 to 5 minutes.

Uncover and sprinkle the snow peas over the fish. Cover the skillet again and continue to steam until the fish is fully opaque and cooked through and the peas are bright green, 1 to 2 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro and serve directly from the pan or transfer to a platter. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This recipe from NYT Cooking is quick, easy and so tasty. Cook cherry tomatoes in butter and oil for a few minutes. Add garlic, shallot, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes and cook for a few minutes more. Meanwhile, cook the pasta and drain it. Add the cooked pasta, herbs and some pasta water to the tomato mixture and heat through. Serve topped with Parmesan. Cook’s note: I used spaghettini for the pasta.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use butter that contains only milk or cream, with no colour added. Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Genuine Parmesan is free of additives; check for the name on the rind.

Angel hair pasta

Ingredients:

Salt

¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons (45 ml) butter

1 pound (454 g) cherry tomatoes, halved

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, minced

Freshly ground black pepper

Crushed red pepper (optional)

1 pound (454 g) angel hair pasta

2 tablespoons (30 ml) minced fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons (10 ml) dried parsley

2 tablespoons (30 ml) minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons (10 ml) dried basil

Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Preparation:

Heat a large pasta pot of salted water to a boil.

To a large pan over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. Allow the butter to melt, then add cherry tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are beginning to soften and the skins are a little blistered, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add garlic, shallot, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) each of kosher salt and black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper, if using, and toss to combine with the tomatoes. Cook for about 6 minutes, until the shallots are translucent and the tomatoes are fully softened yet still intact. Meanwhile, add pasta to the boiling salted water and cook until al dente according to the packaging directions, about 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup (250 ml) of pasta water, then strain the pasta.

Add the cooked pasta, herbs and a bit of the reserved pasta water to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine, until you have a glossy pasta sauce; add more pasta water slowly, if needed. Serve topped with plenty of Parmesan. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This recipe from NYT Cooking is an easy weeknight dinner. Marinate chicken thighs in mayonnaise, basil, garlic and pickled jalapeno brine. While the oven is preheating, toss together corn, pickled jalapenos, olive oil, salt and scallions. Roast the chicken on a sheet pan for about 12 minutes, then add the corn mixture. Roast for another 15 minutes or so, or until the chicken is cooked. Broil for a few minutes until the chicken and corn turn brown in places. Serve garnished with scallions, jalapenos, jalapeno brine and lime juice.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Green Giant frozen corn and La Costena pickled jalapeno slices. All are additive-free.

Sheet-pan chicken thighs with spicy corn

Ingredients:

2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 ¾ teaspoons (8.75 ml) fine sea or table salt

2 tablespoons (30 ml) mayonnaise

¼ cup (60 ml) finely chopped basil, plus more for garnish

2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

1/3 cup (82.5 ml) chopped pickled jalapeños, plus brine from the jar

4 cups (1 L) fresh or frozen corn kernels (from about 4 ears)

3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, plus more for drizzling

5 scallions, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, sliced into rings

1 lime, halved

Preparation:

Season the chicken all over with ¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) of salt. In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, basil, garlic and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) jalapeño brine. Add the chicken to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.

Heat oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). In a medium bowl, toss together corn, pickled jalapeños, olive oil, remaining 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt and half of the scallions (save remaining scallions for serving).

Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet, spacing it out. Roast for 12 minutes. Spoon the corn mixture onto the empty parts of the baking sheet. Drizzle chicken and corn with oil. Continue to roast until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes longer, stirring the corn once while roasting.

Turn the broiler on high and broil the chicken and corn until golden brown in spots, 2 to 4 minutes (watch carefully so it doesn’t burn, though a little blistering is nice).

Garnish chicken and corn with basil, remaining scallions and fresh jalapeño slices. Sprinkle with more pickled jalapeño brine and squeeze with lime juice. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 4-6.

From NYT Cooking

This potato salad from Nigella Lawson is a nice change from the mayo-based version. Steam small potatoes and make the dressing. Slice the cooled potatoes in half and toss with the dressing. Add pickles, capers and herbs and toss again. Serve topped with more fresh herbs.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Sunshine Farms organic dill pickles, Unico capers, Allen’s cider vinegar and President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon mustard. All are free of additives.

Nigella's favourite potato salad

Ingredients:

2 lbs (900 g) small potatoes

3 1/3 tbsp (50 ml) canola oil

4 tbsp (60 ml) sliced dill pickles, plus 2 teaspoons (10 ml) liquid from the jar

3 tablespoons (45 ml) capers, plus 1 teaspoon (5 ml) liquid from the jar

1 teaspoon (5 ml) apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon (5 ml) mustard

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons (30 ml) roughly chopped fronds of dill, plus some more little fronds left whole

2 tablespoons (30 ml) chives (finely chopped)

Preparation:

Steam the potatoes for about 45 minutes, or until soft when pierced with a small fork. Tip the water away and sit the cooked potatoes over the still-hot pan beneath, without a lid on top of them, to dry out for 5-10 minutes, though you can easily leave them there for longer.

While the potatoes are steaming, get on with the dressing by pouring the oil, the liquid from the jars of pickles and capers, the vinegar and mustard into an empty jar and shaking together. Do whisk together in a bowl if you prefer.

Get out a large mixing bowl and transfer the cooked potatoes to it, cutting them in half lengthways as you do so. Then grind pepper very generously on top. Give your dressing a good final shake before you pour it over the potatoes and then toss gently to mix and leave the potatoes for 10-15 minutes, until just about warm but certainly not hot.

Add the sliced pickles and capers, plus most of the chopped dill and chives and toss again. Taste for seasoning. Add more vinegar, pickle or caper liquid if you want more sharpness.

Turn out into a serving bowl and scatter the rest of the dill and chives on top. Serves 6.

From Nigella Lawson

This tasty recipe from NYT Cooking tosses shredded cabbage with a citrus dressing and tops it with succulent grilled shrimp. Marinate the shrimp briefly in some of the dressing before grilling. Reserve more dressing and toss cabbage, mango, cilantro and scallions with the remaining dressing. Transfer to the slaw to a serving platter and top with shrimp. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top. Cook’s note: I omitted the mango.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed orange and lime juice, pure honey and shrimp that has been preserved with salt.

Grilled shrimp with spicy slaw

Ingredients:

¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1 orange)

3 tablespoons (45 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 limes)

¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil

2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey

2 tablespoons (30 ml) thinly sliced jalapeño (or more, to taste)

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) kosher salt

1 pound (454 g) large (16 to 20 count) peeled and deveined shrimp

4 packed cups (1 L) thinly shredded green cabbage

1 mango (optional), peeled and julienned

1 cup (250 ml) chopped cilantro

2 thinly sliced scallions

Preparation:

Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, oil, honey, jalapeño and salt. Taste and add more jalapeño if you’d like more heat.

Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the dressing to a medium bowl and toss with the shrimp; let the shrimp marinate while you heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high.

Reserve 2 tablespoons (30 ml) f the dressing from the large bowl, then add the cabbage, mango (if using), cilantro and scallions to the large bowl; toss to coat.

Grill the shrimp until lightly charred and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

Transfer the slaw to a serving platter. Set the shrimp on top and drizzle shrimp with the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of dressing; serve immediately. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This dish from Food and Wine is a great casual supper. Brown chicken thighs and set aside. Make the pan sauce and set some aside. Add beans and tomatoes to pan and heat through. Place the bean mixture on serving plates and top with the chicken. Cook’s note: I omitted the garnish.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used a white wine from Frogpond Farm with a sulfite content below 10 parts per million. Blue Menu beans are additive-free, or you could soak and cook 1 cup of dried beans.

Crispy chicken thighs with lemony white beans

Ingredients:

6 small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

2 ½ teaspoons (12.5 ml) kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) black pepper

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) crushed red pepper

¼ cup (45 ml) water or white wine

2 teaspoons (10 ml) grated lemon zest

3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh oregano

2 (15-ounce/425 g) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups (500 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

Baby arugula, for garnish

Preparation:

Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) salt and black pepper. Place chicken, skin side down, in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high, undisturbed, until skin is rendered and crisp, about 12 minutes. Flip and cook until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F (74°C), about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a large plate, reserving drippings in skillet.

Add oil to skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring often, until mixture is fragrant and garlic begins to brown, about 30 seconds. Add ¼ cup (60 ml) water (or wine); cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet, until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat; stir in lemon zest and juice and oregano. Transfer 2 tablespoons pan sauce to a small bowl, and season with additional salt to taste; set aside.

Add beans, tomatoes, and remaining 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt to reserved pan sauce in skillet; cook over medium, stirring often, until beans are heated through and tomatoes begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Divide bean mixture evenly among plates, and top with chicken thighs. Garnish with arugula and drizzle with reserved pan sauce. Serves 4-6.

From Food and Wine