Sun 29 Jun 2014

Grilled Marinated Chicken Thighs

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Recipes usually suggest marinating chicken before grilling, but this recipe from Martha Stewart Living suggests coating the chicken with a marinade afterwards. It’s quick, easy and tastes great. Any mixture of herbs would work well. You can also use skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, as the concentrates contain sodium benzoate.

Place marinade ingredients in shallow dish

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper

Grill the chicken until crispy and cooked through

Toss the grilled chicken with the marinade and serve

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 cup lightly packed mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, and chervil, finely chopped

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 3/4 pounds), pounded to make even (optional)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Preheat grill to medium-high. Combine lemon juice, oil, garlic, and herbs in a baking dish.

Season chicken with salt and pepper and grill, turning frequently, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to baking dish and turn to coat with marinade. Serve immediately, or refrigerate chicken in marinade up to 1 day, turning to coat a few times. Serves 6.

From Martha Stewart Living

 

Sun 22 Jun 2014

Grilled Potato Salad with Scallion Vinaigrette

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It’s great to be back at our house for the summer and great to be barbecuing again. One of the first things I made was this grilled potato salad with scallion vinaigrette from the June 2014 issue of Food and Wine. Parboil some small potatoes and then grill them with some scallions until lightly charred. Toss with a refreshing vinaigrette and top with slice jalapenos and red pepper. The recipe called for piment d’Espelette, a mildly spicy ground red pepper from France, but I used cayenne.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use a rice vinegar with no preservatives; I use Marukan brand. Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Parboil small round or fingerling potatoes

Grill scallions until lightly charred

Cover scallions with plastic wrap and steam for a few minutes

Grill the potatoes until lightly charred

Grilled potatoes with scallion vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds fingerling potatoes

Kosher salt

10 scallions, trimmed

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

Ground black pepper

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Piment d’Espelette

1 small jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt and simmer over moderate heat until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly, then halve lengthwise.

Meanwhile, light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Brush the scallions with oil and season with salt and black pepper. Grill over high heat, turning, until lightly charred, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate, cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 10 minutes. Cut the scallions into 1-inch lengths.

Brush the potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill cut side down over high heat until lightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

In a large bowl, whisk the 1/3 cup of olive oil with the vinegar and lemon juice. Add the scallions and potatoes and toss well. Season with salt and piment d’Espelette and toss again. Scatter the jalapeño slices on top, garnish with a large pinch of piment d’Espelette and serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 6.

From the June 2014 issue of Food and Wine

 

Sun 15 Jun 2014

Singapore Noodles

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These noodles from the July/August 2014 issue of Cook’s Illustrated are absolutely delicious. Stir curry powder and cayenne pepper in oil to “bloom” the flavours and then toss with softened rice vermicelli noodles, soy sauce and sugar. Cook shrimp, egg, and vegetables and place in a separate bowl. Add the noodles to some stock to finish cooking them and then toss them in with the shrimp, egg and vegetables. Add bean sprouts, lime juice and scallions and serve. Cutting the softened noodles into thirds makes them easier to eat.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Curry powder may contain colour, so I make my own; the recipe is below. Check the cayenne to make sure it does not contain colour or anti-caking agents. Use tamari instead of soy sauce and frozen shrimp that use only salt as a preservative. I use Imagine brand chicken stock, which is free of preservatives. Be sure to use freshly squeezed lime juice.

Warm the spices in oil to bloom their flavours

Cut the softened noodles in thirds to make them easier to eat

Toss the noodles with the curry-oil mixture

Cook the egg and shrimp

Singapore Noodles

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons curry powder (see recipe below)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

6 ounces rice vermicelli

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

12 ounces large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, tails removed, and cut into ½ -inch pieces

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Salt

3 garlic cloves, minced to paste

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks

2 large shallots, sliced thin

2/3 cup chicken broth

4 ounces (2 cups) bean sprouts

4 scallions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 teaspoons lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

Curry Powder

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp crushed or ground fenugreek seed

1 tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp crushed dried dill

¼ tsp ground mace

¼ tsp ground cardamom

¼ tsp dried mustard

1/8 tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix ingredients together.

Preparation:

Heat 3 tablespoons oil, curry powder, and cayenne, if using, in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.

Bring 1 ½  quarts water to boil. Place noodles in large bowl. Pour boiling water over noodles and stir briefly. Soak noodles until flexible, but not soft, about 2 ½ minutes, stirring once halfway through soaking. Drain noodles briefly. Transfer noodles to cutting board. Using chef’s knife, cut pile of noodles roughly into thirds. Return noodles to bowl, add curry mixture, soy sauce, and sugar; using tongs, toss until well combined. Set aside.

Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shrimp in even layer and cook without moving them until bottoms are browned, about 90 seconds. Stir and continue to cook until just cooked through, about 90 seconds longer. Push shrimp to 1 side of skillet. Add 1 teaspoon oil to cleared side of skillet. Add eggs to clearing and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Using rubber spatula, stir eggs gently until set but still wet, about 1 minute. Stir eggs into shrimp and continue to cook, breaking up large pieces of egg, until eggs are fully cooked, about 30 seconds longer. Transfer shrimp-egg mixture to second large bowl.

Reduce heat to medium. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in now-empty skillet until shimmering. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add bell pepper and shallots. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with shrimp.

Return skillet to medium-high heat, add broth to skillet, and bring to simmer. Add noodles and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add noodles to bowl with shrimp and vegetable mixture and toss to combine. Add bean sprouts, scallions, and lime juice and toss to combine. Transfer to warmed platter and serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately. Serves 4 to 6.

From the July/August 2014 issue of Cook’s Illustrated

 

Sun 8 Jun 2014

Pesto Chicken Wings

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We love chicken wings and this recipe from the LCBO is a new favourite. Toss the wings in dried basil, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper and then coat them with a mixture of Parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs and lemon zest. Bake them for 30-40 minutes and serve. They are savoury, crunchy and addictive! Cook’s note – be sure to zest the lemon before squeezing it.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Check the ingredients for the dried spices to be sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Look for panko and Parmesan with no artificial ingredients. I use President’s Choice Parmesan and ShaSha brand breadcrumbs, which are similar to panko in texture but are made from spelt.

Toss the wings with basil, oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper

Toss with panko and Parmesan and place on baking sheet

Pesto chicken wings

Ingredients:

2 tbsp (30 ml) dried basil leaves

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice

2 tsp (10 ml) garlic powder

½ tsp (2 ml) salt

½ tsp (2 ml) pepper

2 lbs (1 kg) chicken winglets and drumettes

½ cup (125 ml) finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup (80 ml) panko bread crumbs

2 tsp (10 ml) lemon zest

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick foil.

In a large bowl, whisk together basil, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add wings and toss well.

In a second large bowl, stir together Parmesan, bread crumbs and lemon zest. Toss wings in Parmesan mixture to coat well.

Spread wings out on baking sheet and sprinkle with any remaining Parmesan mixture. Roast, turning once, until golden brown and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes. Serves 2-4.

From the LCBO What’s For Dinner publication

 

Sun 1 Jun 2014

Egg and Salmon Potato Salad

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Now that the weather is warmer, I’m craving potato salads and fresh herbs. This recipe from the May 2014 issue of Canadian Living includes both. Boiled baby potatoes, roasted salmon, hard-boiled eggs, chives, dill and sliced pickles are combined with a lemon-mustard dressing. Delicious!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice and a grainy mustard with no sulfites or sodium benzoate. I use President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon. Instead of cornichons, I used dill pickles. Strub’s Kosher Pickles contain no preservatives.

For perfect hard-boiled eggs, cover eggs with cold water, bring to boil, remove from heat, cover and let stand 18 minutes

Boil baby potatoes until tender

Roast the salmon and flake it with a fork

Add herbs and pickles

Egg and salmon potato salad

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 pkg (680 g) baby yellow-fleshed potatoes, scrubbed

400 g skinless salmon fillets

1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper

2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice

4 tsp (18 mL) olive oil

4 tsp (18 mL) grainy mustard

2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh chives

1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh dill

8 cornichons, sliced

Preparation:

Place eggs in saucepan; pour in enough cold water to cover by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 18 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool, about 2 minutes; drain again. Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Peel off shells; cut eggs into quarters.

Meanwhile, in large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes; drain. Let cool just enough to handle; cut into quarters.

Meanwhile, place salmon on parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet; sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper. Bake in 350 F (180 C) oven until fish flakes easily when tested, 12 to 15 minutes. Flake with fork.

In large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, mustard and remaining salt and pepper. Add potatoes, salmon, chives, dill and cornichons; gently toss to coat. Scrape onto serving platter; top with eggs. Serves 6.

From the May 2014 issue of Canadian Living

 

Sun 25 May 2014

Soy-glazed Chicken Thighs with Asparagus and Scallions

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Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are among my favourite things to make for dinner, because they are inexpensive, tasty and easy to cook. In this recipe from the May 2014 issue of Bon Appetit, the thighs are marinated in a mixture of garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, honey and aniseed for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Then just pop them in the oven. Halfway through the cooking time (about 20 minutes after putting the thighs in the oven) add asparagus and scallions. The chicken will caramelize into a lovely deep brown colour. Garnish the finished dish with cilantro and lime wedges. The recipe calls for aniseed but I used fennel seed and it worked well.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed lime juice and tamari instead of soy sauce, as it is preserved with alcohol instead of sodium benzoate.

Marinate the chicken thighs

Add asparagus and scallions when chicken is partially cooked

The thighs will caramelize

Soy-glazed chicken thighs with asparagus and scallions

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons aniseed

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¼ cup fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving

¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

8 chicken thighs (about 4 lb.)

1 bunch asparagus (about ¾ lb.), trimmed

2 bunches scallions, trimmed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems

Preparation:

Toast aniseed in a small dry skillet over medium heat, tossing, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool; finely chop.

Whisk garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, and aniseed in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Let sit at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°. Transfer chicken and marinade to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, placing chicken skin side down. Roast until fat begins to render, 15–20 minutes. Turn chicken skin side up and continue to roast, basting occasionally with pan drippings, until chicken is cooked through and deeply browned, 15–20 minutes longer.

After turning chicken, toss asparagus and scallions with oil on another rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, shaking pan halfway through, until tender, 10–15 minutes (thinner stalks will cook more quickly).

Transfer chicken to a platter. Pour any pan juices into a glass measuring cup. Let sit a few minutes, then spoon off fat from surface.

Spoon pan juices over chicken and serve with asparagus, scallions, cilantro, and lime wedges. Serves 4. Do ahead: Chicken can be marinated 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

From the May 2014 issue of Bon Appetit

 

Mon 19 May 2014

Panko-crusted Salmon with Curried Yogurt Sauce

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This recipe from the June 2014 issue of Canadian Living can be made in less than 30 minutes. Simply spread a mixture of yogurt, mayonnaise, onion and cilantro on salmon fillets, pat panko crumbs on top, and bake. The salmon stays incredibly moist, while the panko adds a satisfying crunch. Paired with a curried yogurt sauce, this would be great for a casual dinner party. One note – depending on the thickness of the salmon, the baking time may be closer to 15-20 minutes.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use all-natural yogurt and mayonnaise, and butter that contains only cream. Check the label on the panko and the curry powder to make sure they do not contain preservatives, colour or anti-caking agents. If you would like to make your own curry powder, I’ve included a recipe below. I used ShaSha brand breadcrumbs, which are similar to panko in texture but are made from spelt and are all-natural.

Salmon, spread and panko

Spread the yogurt-mayo mixture on the salmon

Top with the panko and bake until the salmon is cooked through

Panko-crusted salmon with curried yogurt sauce

Ingredients:

2 tbsp 2% plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp light mayonnaise

2 green onions, chopped

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

4 skinless salmon fillets (about 680 g total)

Pinch each salt and pepper

½ cup panko crumbs

2 tbsp butter, melted

Curried Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp liquid honey

1 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp curry powder (to make your own, see recipe below)

Pinch each salt and pepper

Curry powder

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp crushed or ground fenugreek seed

1 tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp crushed dried dill

¼ tsp ground mace

¼ tsp ground cardamom

¼ tsp dried mustard

1/8 tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix ingredients together.

Preparation:

In bowl, stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, green onions and cilantro. Arrange salmon on lightly greased foil-lined baking sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread yogurt mixture evenly over top of fillets.

Combine panko and butter; sprinkle on top of yogurt mixture, pressing lightly to adhere.

Bake in 425F (220C) oven until fish flakes easily with fork and panko is golden, about 10 minutes.

Curried Yogurt Sauce: Meanwhile, in bowl, stir together yogurt, cilantro, ginger, honey, lemon juice, 1 tsp of water, curry powder, salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days). Serve with salmon. Serves 4.

From the June 2014 issue of Canadian Living

 

Sun 11 May 2014

Chicken with Daikon Radish

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I had never tried daikon radish before, but this recipe from Lucy Waverman inspired me to give it a try. It looks like a large, white carrot, but tastes like a mild radish. It added great flavour and crunch to this chicken stir-fry.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use tamari instead of soy sauce, because it uses alcohol as a preservative, not sodium benzoate. Look for a balsamic vinegar with only naturally occurring sulfites.

Daikon looks like a large white carrot

While the chicken marinates, prepare the daikon, carrots and bok choy

Brown the chicken

Cook the daikon and carrots until tender-crisp

Cook the bok choy until it wilts and return the chicken to the pan

Chicken with daikon radish

Ingredients:

2 tbsp soy sauce

½ tsp minced ginger

½ tsp sugar

8 oz (250 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast

Finishing Sauce

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 cup chopped shallots

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp black or balsamic vinegar

½ tsp sugar

Stir-Fry

1 lb (500 g) daikon radish, peeled

2 medium carrots, peeled

6 cups baby bok choy

2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil

¼ cup finely chopped green onions

Preparation:

Combine soy sauce, ginger and sugar in a bowl. Slice chicken in half horizontally and then into thin strips. Add chicken to the marinade and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain chicken and discard remaining marinade.

Stir together ginger, garlic, shallots, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar in a small bowl and reserve. Cut daikon in half lengthwise, if large. Slice in thin slices (1/8 inch) on diagonal.

Cut carrots the same way. Divide bok choy into leaves.

Heat a wok or skillet over high heat until pan is very hot. Add oil and heat again. Add chicken and cook, stirring until slightly undercooked, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and reserve. Add daikon and carrots. Stir-fry until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add bok choy and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes longer – until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Return chicken and toss with vegetables. Pour sauce over, tossing everything together.

Bring to boil and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately scattered with green onions.

From Lucy Waverman

 

Sun 4 May 2014

Arctic Char with Couscous and Citrus Salad

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I like the recipes in Real Simple magazine because 1. They are real simple, and 2. They combine ingredients in imaginative ways. I would never think to make a salad of oranges, endive, chopped almonds and chives, but it was delicious. Topped with simply prepared artic char and served with couscous on the side, this is a quick, easy and tasty supper.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use a wine vinegar without sulfites added, and check the label on the almonds to make sure they have no preservatives added.

Chop almonds and chive for the salad

Separate the endive heads into individual leaves

The recipe calls for Arctic char, but almost any fish would work

Mix the salad ingredients together

Arctic char with couscous and citrus salad

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 ml) couscous

4 clementines or 2 small oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds

2 tablespoons (30 ml) sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

kosher salt and black pepper

1 head endive, leaves separated

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped roasted almonds

2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh chives

4 6-ounce (170 g) pieces boneless, skinless arctic char or salmon

Preparation:

Cook the couscous according to the package directions.

Combine the clementines, vinegar, 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the oil, and ¼ (1 ml) teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the endive, almonds, and chives and toss to combine.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Season the fish with ½ teaspoon (2 ml) salt and ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Serve the couscous topped with the citrus salad and fish, drizzled with any remaining dressing. Serves 4.

From the April 2014 issue of Real Simple

 

Sun 27 Apr 2014

Pork Tenderloin with Asparagus and Warm Citrus Sauce

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This recipe from the May 14 issue of Canadian Living would be great for a casual spring dinner party. Pork tenderloin and asparagus are roasted, served over rice, topped with a warm sauce of ginger, garlic, chicken broth, orange juice and mustard, and garnished with almonds and parsley. It’s healthy, tasty and looks nice too. One note: if your asparagus is thin, it may be done before the pork is cooked. Either remove it and keep it warm, or add it to the pork after it is partially cooked.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the label on the almonds to make sure no preservatives have been added. Use fresh lemon juice and orange juice and an all-natural chicken stock, such as Imagine brand. Many Dijon mustards contain sulfites; I use President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon, which is additive free.

Roast the pork and asparagus

Prepare the almond parsley garnish

Reduce the warm citrus sauce

Pork tenderloin with asparagus and warm citrus sauce

Ingredients:

¼ cup (60 ml) natural almonds, chopped

2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice

400 g pork tenderloin, trimmed if necessary

¼ tsp (1 ml) each salt and pepper

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

2 bunches (each 450 g) asparagus, trimmed

1 tbsp (15 ml) grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

¾ cup (175 ml) sodium-reduced chicken broth

½ cup (125 ml) orange juice

1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard

½ tsp (2 ml) grated orange zest

¾ cup (175 ml) basmati rice

Preparation:

Stir together almonds, parsley and lemon juice; set aside.

Sprinkle pork with half each of the salt and pepper. In nonstick skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown pork all over, about 6 minutes. Transfer pork and asparagus to foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle asparagus with remaining salt and pepper. Bake in 400 F (200 C) oven until just a hint of pink remains inside pork or instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part reads 160 F (71 C), about 15 minutes. Transfer pork to cutting board; tent with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Add remaining oil to skillet; heat over medium heat. Cook ginger and garlic, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in broth and orange juice; bring to boil. Stirring often, reduce sauce to ½ cup, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in mustard and orange zest. Cook rice according to package directions; serve with pork, asparagus and sauce. Sprinkle with almond mixture. Serves 4.

From the May 2014 issue of Canadian Living

 

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