Eye for a Recipe

The June 2012 issue of Bon Appetit ran a multi-page spread on homemade tacos that made my mouth water. In addition to homemade corn tortillas, the recipes for fillings included homemade chorizo, shrimp in adobo, seared short ribs and roasted poblano chiles. But I really wanted to make the corn tortillas, since I have not been able to find any that are additive-free. The first challenge was finding the masa flour. It took some searching, but I found it at a health food store. The second challenge was finding a tortilla press. But my local kitchen store just got some (having been sold out in June, probably because of the Bon Appetit story). I was finally ready! And it was worth it. The dough comes together in a jiffy and the low-tech tortilla press is amazing. The results bear no resemblance to those taco shells that come in a box with a chemical-laden seasoning mix; homemade corn tortillas are pliable, tasty and perfect for a whole range of fillings. I made them with fried shrimp last week (a recipe from Real Simple magazine), but will be trying all kinds of things – including enchiladas – with them soon. I made half the recipe, which yielded nine four-inch tortillas.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients to check in the filling are the beans (PC Blue Menu brand black beans are additive-free), the sour cream (light sour cream often contains chemicals) and the hot sauce. I used Tabasco original brand.

This is the masa flour I used for the dough

The dough is very easy to make - it should be fairly dry

Place a heaping tablespoon of dough in press lined with plastic wrap or a freezer bag cut into two circles the size of the press

This press makes four-inch tortillas

Brush with oil and cook for 1-3 minutes on one side

Turn and cook for a few seconds on the other side

Dredge and fry up some shrimp

Shrimp tacos with fresh corn tortillas

Ingredients:

For tacos

2 cups (or more) masa (corn tortilla mix; preferably Maseca brand)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Vegetable oil (for brushing)

For filling

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

4 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated

2 15.5-ounce cans black beans, rinsed

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 pound peeled and deveined small shrimp

1 large egg white, beaten

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cornmeal

8 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed

Cut up avocado, salsa, cilantro, hot sauce, sour cream, and lime wedges, for serving

Preparation:

For tacos

Whisk masa and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water; knead in bowl until dough forms. The dough should feel firm and springy and look slightly dry (think Play-Doh). Add more water by tablespoonfuls if too crumbly; add a little more masa if too wet.

Measure 1 heaping Tbsp. dough and roll into a ball. Flatten on a tortilla press lined with a plastic bag. If tortilla crumbles, dough is too dry (add more water); if it sticks to the plastic, dough is too wet (add more masa). Repeat, pressing out 2 more tortillas. Don’t press them too thin, or they will stick.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat; lightly brush with oil. Cook 2–3 tortillas until charred in spots and edges start to curl, 1–2 minutes. Turn; cook through, about 15 seconds. Transfer to a kitchen towel; fold over to keep warm. Repeat, in batches, with remaining dough.

For filling

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and cook, stirring, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beans, ¼ cup water, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the scallion greens.

In a shallow bowl, toss the shrimp with the egg white. In a second shallow bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the shrimp and toss to coat.

Heat the remaining ½ cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the shrimp until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve in the tortillas with the avocado, salsa, cilantro, hot sauce, sour cream, and lime wedges, alongside the beans.

From the June 2012 issue of Bon Appetit and from Real Simple magazine

I’m usually wary of scallops, because they are often pumped full of water and phosphates to make them weigh more and appear snow white. These scallops are sometimes called wet scallops and are difficult to sear properly. Dry scallops, on the other hand are untreated and sear well. Scallops are now in season, so we were able to find some nice ones recently. I used them in this recipe from the September 2012 issue of Bon Appetit and they were excellent. The scallops are seared in butter and thyme and then topped with an almond vinaigrette. Don’t overcook the scallops or they will be tough – two to three minutes a side should be fine. A smear of peach or apricot preserves on the plate makes a very pretty presentation. This dish could be served as either an appetizer or main course.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

In addition to the scallops, the almonds, vinegar, butter and preserves may contain artificial ingredients. Check the label on the almonds to makes sure nothing has been added. Look for unsalted butter with a single ingredient: cream (if you don’t use much butter, store it in the freezer). I didn’t have sulfite-free white vinegar on hand, so I used Eden Organic brand red wine vinegar and it was fine. I also didn’t have peach preserves, so I used Greaves peach apricot jam, which contains only sugar and apricots.

This vinaigrette uses finely chopped almonds

Sear the scallops for 2-3 minutes on one side

Add butter and thyme and sear the other side

Seared scallops with almond vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1/4 cup roasted almonds, preferably Marcona

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon (or more) Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

8 large sea scallops (about 9 oz.), side muscle removed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 sprigs thyme

2 tablespoons peach preserves

Fresh herbs, baby arugula, or microgreens

Preparation:

Finely chop almonds into small pieces but not into a powder. Mix almonds and 4 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 Tbsp. vinegar and chives; season vinaigrette with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if desired.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Add to skillet. Cook until deep golden and caramelized, 2–3 minutes. Turn scallops; add butter and thyme. Cook, frequently tilting skillet and spooning butter over, until scallops are deep golden and just cooked through, 2–3 minutes longer. (Basting adds extra flavor.)

Stir preserves and 1/2 tsp. water in a small bowl to loosen. For an appetizer, smear about 1/2 Tbsp. preserve mixture in center of each plate. For an entrée, smear 1 Tbsp. preserve mixture. Top with 2–4 scallops each. Drizzle some vinaigrette over. Garnish with herbs.

From the September 2012 issue of Bon Appetit

We love all kinds of pasta salads, and this one from the July 2012 issue of Bon Appetit is a keeper. It is made with buckwheat soba noodles, which are a nice change from regular spaghetti or vermicelli. The other good thing about this recipe is that you can use whatever vegetables you like—I used radishes, cucumbers, and red, yellow and hot banana peppers. Cilantro adds great flavour, but not everyone likes it; substitute parsley if you wish.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients that may contain artificial ingredients include the rice vinegar, Sriracha and sesame oil. I used Marukan brand rice vinegar and Eden brand toasted sesame oil. I have not been able to find an all-natural Sriracha—a hot chili sauce—so I used a teaspoon of Tabasco sauce instead.

Use whatever vegetables you like in this salad

Cilantro and scallions add flavour

Try buckwheat soba noodles or use regular long pasta

Cold Sesame Noodles with Summer Vegetables

Ingredients:

1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Sriracha (hot chili sauce)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

8 cups matchstick-size pieces mixed summer vegetables (such as carrots, radishes, cucumbers, and bell peppers; about 1 1/4 pounds)

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

8 ounces buckwheat soba (Japanese-style noodles) or vermicelli noodles

1 cup (loosely packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon black or white sesame seeds

Preparation:

Whisk first four ingredients in a large bowl. Add vegetables; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain. Run noodles under cold water to cool them; drain well and add to bowl with vegetables. Add cilantro and scallions; season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle sesame seeds over and serve. Serves 4-6.

From the July 2012 issue of Bon Appetit

This beautiful salad from the July 2012 issue of Bon Appetit is a perfect way to use late-summer corn, tomatoes and basil. Grilled corn is combined with red onion, fresh tomatoes and basil, and then dressed with lime juice and thyme. The tangy lime juice with the sweet corn and tomatoes is divine! The strong flavour of the red onion is tamed by rinsing the onion slices in water. Use a chef’s knife to cut the kernels from the cobs of corn; if you stand up the corn in a rimmed baking sheet, the kernels won’t go flying across your kitchen counter!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Be sure to use fresh lime juice in this recipe, as concentrates are bitter and usually include sodium benzoate.

Rinse the onion rings in water to mellow their flavour

Grill the corn until the kernels are charred and tender

Charred corn salad with basil and tomatoes

Ingredients:

12 ears of corn, husked

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup thinly sliced red onion

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 cup (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves, large leaves torn

1/3 cup (or more) fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Rub corn with 1 Tbsp. oil. Grill, turning frequently, until corn is charred and heated through, 10-12 minutes. Remove from grill; when cool enough to handle, cut kernels from cobs and transfer to a large bowl. Corn can be made 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Place onion in a strainer and rinse with cold water to mellow its flavor. Drain well. Mix onion, remaining 5 Tbsp. oil, tomatoes, basil, 1/3 cup lime juice, and thyme into corn. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lime juice, if desired. Salad can be assembled 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Serves 8.

From the July 2012 issue of Bon Appetit

If you are looking for a special meal for the Labour Day weekend, look no further than Bon Ton chicken—a recipe from the July 2000 issue of Gourmet magazine, based on the fried chicken served at the Bon Ton Mini Mart in Henderson, Kentucky. I’ve been making this recipe for 12 years, and it is, hands-down, the best fried chicken recipe I have ever tried. It’s also my most-requested recipe for special dinners! Chicken pieces are brined in a spicy mixture of water, salt, cayenne, garlic powder, white pepper, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce for 24 hours, then dredged in seasoned flour and allowed to sit for 10 minutes until they become doughy. The chicken is then fried; you can use a cast iron pot or a deep fryer. I use the latter, and fry the chicken in two batches for about 20 minutes per batch. The brining seasons the chicken all the way through and makes the meat moist and delicious. The coating is crunchy, spicy and addictive. You can serve the chicken hot or cold—it stays crisp.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients to watch for in this recipe are the spices, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Make sure the spices do not contain additives, colour or anti-caking ingredients. Use tamari instead of soy sauce, as it does not contain sodium benzoate. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce uses all-natural ingredients.

Brine the chicken pieces for 24 hours

Dredge the chicken in seasoned flour and let it stand for 10 minutes

Deep fry in a cast iron pot or deep fryer

Enjoy Bon Ton chicken hot or cold

Ingredients:

For marinade:

1 qt. water

2 tbsp. salt

2 tsp. cayenne

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 ½ tsp. white pepper

1 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

One chicken, 3-4 lbs., cut up (cut breasts in half), with skin on.

For frying:

About 12 cups vegetable oil or prescribed amount of oil for your deep fryer.

For dredging:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. salt (or less – this amount makes the chicken quite salty)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. white pepper

Preparation:

Marinate chicken

Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a large bowl

Add chicken, making sure it is covered with marinade. Chill, covered, stirring twice, about 24 hours

Dredge and fry chicken

Heat 2 inches oil in a wide 8 – 9 ½ quart pot over moderately high heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 365 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or use a deep fryer

Meanwhile, whisk together all dredging ingredients in a large bowl. Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Dredge each piece of chicken in seasoned flour and put on a large baking sheet. Let stand about ten minutes.

Fry chicken (in two batches if necessary), turning a few times, 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on rack. Serves 4.

From Gourmet magazine – July 2000

I shouldn’t watch cooking videos. Especially cooking videos that feature barbecuing recipes. However, while idly surfing a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a video of chef Adam Perry Lang making “Man Steak”, the signature recipe from his new cookbook Charred and Scruffed. It was mesmerizing. He took an absolutely huge piece of prime rib, pounded it flat with a baseball bat, rubbed it with a seasoning blend and then moistened the rub into a paste. He then proceeded to cook it over open flame on an unoiled charcoal grill with an elevated grate, basting it frequently using a brush made of fresh herbs tied to a wooden spoon. He also turned the meat frequently, meaning parts stuck to the grill, creating what Lang calls “scruffing”—increasing the surface area of the meat and enhancing flavour. The meat was then moved closer to the flame and cooked until done. After the steak had rested, Lang sliced it and doused it with a tangy sauce flavoured by the herbs from the herb brush.

I had to make it.

My butcher quailed when I told him what I had planned for the gorgeous two-rib roast I bought from him, but I was determined, and I did enjoy the pounding part. The baste and rub are easy to make, as are the herb brush and board sauce. The grilling takes a while, so, from start to finish, you may want to set aside two hours to make this recipe. Was it worth it? Yes and no. The rub, baste, herb brush and board sauce are fabulous, and I will use them again when making regular steak. However, I’m not sure it was worth it to pound the roast – I will use a thick steak next time. Anyway, it was lots of fun to do with friends on the deck and the meat was delicious. If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes! Visit YouTube If you want to see Adam Perry Lang making this recipe with Jimmy Kimmel.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients to check in this recipe are the butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, wine vinegar and dried spices. Look for an unsalted butter that lists one ingredient: cream. I use Gay Lea brand. Use tamari instead of soy sauce, because it does not contain MSG or sodium benzoate. Use fresh lemon juice and a wine vinegar with no sulphites added, such as Eden Organic brand. Check the labels on your spices to be sure they do not contain colour or anti-caking agents.

You can make the baste ahead of time and refrigerate it.

Grind the spice blend in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

Tie herb sprigs to a wooden spoon to create a basting brush.

The roast, pre-pounding.

The roast, post-pounding.

Rub the spice blend into the meat, then moisten it to form a paste.

Use bricks and an extra grill to elevate the grilling surface.

The meat is starting to become "scruffed".

Baste frequently, using the herb brush.

After the meat rests, douse it with a tangy board sauce.

Ingredients:

Note – the quantities below make enough baste and rub for two large roasts, so you may wish to halve the recipes.

Baste

1 ¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cups rendered fat from meat being cooked (optional, especially if preparing ahead)

2 tablespoons finely grated garlic or garlic mashed to a paste

2 tablespoons finely grated onion

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup white wine vinegar

Four Seasons Blend

1 cup sea or kosher salt

2 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Beef

A 4 1/4–4 1/2-pound 2–bone rib roast, pounded to flatten it. Cut between the bones and twist them apart; this increased the surface area of the meat.

6 tablespoons Four Seasons Blend

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

Herb Brush

Assorted herb sprigs (such as rosemary, sage, and thyme), tied together with kitchen twine, then tied to the end of a wooden spoon.

Board Sauce

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Grated garlic or grated shallot, finely chopped fresh chiles, finely chopped scallions (optional)

Preparation:

Combine first 11 ingredients of baste in a 2-qt. saucepan. Bring just to a simmer; remove from heat. For the best flavor, refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for 1–2 days. Reheat over low heat to melt butter before using.

Whisk in lemon juice and vinegar just before using.

For Four Seasons Blend, combine the salt, black pepper, garlic salt and cayenne in a small bowl. Transfer to a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder and pulse to the consistency of sand. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Makes approximately 1 cup

Set up grill with an elevated grate and preheat grill to high. I used bricks to do this.

Season the beef all over with Four Seasons Blend and pepper, then lightly moisten your hands with water and work seasonings into the meat. Let stand for 10 minutes to develop a “meat paste” coating.

Put beef on the clean (unoiled) grill grate and cook, without moving it, for 1 minute. Turn, making sure to grab “eye” portion of each steak with your tongs, and cook for 1 minute. The meat may stick and tear a bit, but this is fine, as it creates what Adam Perry Lang calls “meat scruffing.”

Put the foil-wrapped brick on the grill grate to be used to steady the meat. Lean meat, cut side down, up against brick and cook for 4 minutes. Turn meat and repeat until all 4 sides have cooked for 4 minutes each.

Move brick to one side and continue cooking meat, turning every 3–4 minutes and basting with the herb brush and the basic baste each time meat is moved, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 105°, 25–30 minutes.

Transfer meat to a platter, brush lightly with the basic baste, and let rest for at least 5 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

Remove brick from grate and carefully remove elevated grill grate.

Put meat on hot grill and cook, turning every 3–4 minutes and basting lightly each time meat is moved, until instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 120°. Transfer meat to cutting board and let rest for 5–10 minutes.

Combine oil and parsley in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add garlic or shallot, chiles, and scallions, if desired. Set aside.

Finely chop herbs at the end of herb brush. Mix herbs into dressing. Cut meat from bones, then cut bones into individual ribs. Cut meat into 1/4-inch slices. Turn each slice in dressing to coat; place on a platter. Pour juices from cutting board over meat. Serve with bones alongside. Serves 6.

Adapted from the “Charred and Scruffed” by Adam Perry Lang

This recipe from the June 2012 issue of Bon Appetit is a delicious side dish that is also a great way to use garden-fresh vegetables and leftover rice. The recipe calls for assorted vegetables, such as radishes, tomatoes, peas, summer squash, herbs and carrots; I used radishes, tomatoes, summer squash, red onion, and yellow and green beans (which I blanched for a few minutes in boiling water to make them tender-crisp). Tender herbs, such as parsley, basil, cilantro, mint, summer savoury, oregano and dill, would work better in this dish than sage, rosemary or thyme.

It’s important to use cold rice in this recipe; you can cook it in advance and either keep it in the fridge for a day or in the freezer indefinitely. A minute or so on high in the microwave will thaw the frozen rice. To make the rice, stir a cup of basmati rice into a teaspoon of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat for a minute or two to toast the rice. Then add 1½ cups of water, ½ tsp of salt and bring the mixture to a rapid boil. Cover the pan, turn the heat down to very low and cook for 17 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, but leave the lid on for another 10 minutes. Then fluff the rice and refrigerate or freeze to use in the salad.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients in this recipe that may contain additives and preservatives are the rice and red wine vinegar. Use a good-quality basmati rice—nothing that has been converted or has had flavour added. Look for a red wine vinegar with only naturally occurring sulphites, such as Eden Organic brand.

The salad is tossed with a thyme, parsley and shallot dressing.

I used tomatoes, summer squash, radishes, blanched beans and red onion.

This salad is a great side dish or vegetarian entree.

I served this salad with grilled salmon.

Ingredients:

1 small shallot, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups cooked basmati rice, cooled

2 cups bite-size pieces assorted vegetables (such as radishes, tomatoes, peas, summer squash) or carrot ribbons

¾ cup torn mixed leafy greens, sprouts, and herbs

1/3 cup chopped red, yellow, or white onion or scallions

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)

Preparation:

Pulse first 4 ingredients in a blender until combined; season with salt and pepper. With blender running, slowly drizzle in oil. Process dressing until well blended.

Place remaining ingredients in a large bowl; drizzle with 3 Tbsp. dressing and toss to coat. Pass remaining dressing alongside for drizzling over. Serves 2-4.

From the June 2012 issue of Bon Appetit.

Good news for everyone concerned about food allergens, including gluten and sulphites. As of August 4, 2012, new regulations take effect in Canada to enhance the labelling of food allergens, gluten and added sulphites.

According to Health Canada, the new regulations mean that when protein, modified protein or protein fractions from the following foods are present in prepackaged products, these allergens will need to be declared using plain language. The foods are:

1. almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios or walnuts;
2. peanuts;
3. sesame seeds;
4. wheat and triticale;
5. eggs;
6. milk;
7. soybeans;
8. crustaceans (common name of the crustaceans);
9. shellfish (common name of the shellfish);
10. fish (common name of the fish);
11. mustard seeds.

Also, gluten sources will need to be declared when a food contains gluten protein, modified gluten protein, or gluten protein fractions from barley, oats, rye, triticale or wheat (or a hybridized strain of any of these cereals).

Sulphites will still have to be declared at any level of use when directly added to a food as a food additive or when indirectly added to a food as components of an ingredient that is not exempted from component declaration. In addition, the new regulations will require that sulphites added as components of an ingredient exempted from component declaration will have to be declared when the total amount of sulphites contained within the food is 10 parts per million or more in the finished product.

More information is available at the Health Canada website.

The best part about this recipe from the July 2012 issue of Bon Appetit is the fantastic cilantro-chile-ginger-lime sauce. It is fresh and fiery and was delicious on the shrimp. It was so delicious that I served the leftover sauce the next day over grilled Mediterranean sea bass and the day after that with grilled steak fajitas! If you make the shrimp, you might want to cut back on the amount of fish sauce in the marinade, as I found it to be very salty.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients to check are the fish sauce and turmeric. Look for fish sauce that lists only anchovies, water and perhaps alcohol as ingredients – many brands include MSG. Make sure the turmeric does not contain colour. Also, be sure to use fresh lime juice, as concentrates tend to contain preservatives such as sodium benzoate.

I pureed the other sauce ingredients before adding the cilantro

The sauce is terrific with seafood, fish and grilled steak

The shrimp is marinated in fish sauce, oil and turmeric

Grill the marinated shrimp until just cooked through

Grilled shrimp with chile, cilantro and lime sauce

Ingredients:

16 jumbo shrimp, unpeeled, preferably head-on

6 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nuoc nam or nam pla), divided

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided, plus more for grill

2 teaspoons turmeric

30 cilantro sprigs, chopped

10 long red chiles (such as Holland or Anaheim), stemmed

8 garlic cloves

2 1″ pieces ginger, peeled

¼ cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons palm sugar or (packed) light brown sugar

Preparation:

Combine shrimp, 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, 2 Tbsp. oil, and turmeric in a large bowl; toss to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes.

Purée 4 Tbsp. fish sauce, 2 Tbsp. oil, cilantro, and remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor until a coarse mixture forms; transfer dipping sauce to a small bowl and set aside.

Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Oil grill grates. Shake excess liquid from shrimp and place shrimp on grill. Cook, turning occasionally, until shrimp are charred and cooked through, 5-6 minutes.

Serve immediately with sauce. Serves 4.

From the July 2012 issue of Bon Appetit

The spicy-sweet sauce in this recipe from the July 2012 issue of Canadian Living is a real winner. It comes together in a jiffy and has great flavour. The trick with this recipe is to not overcook the pork, which dries it out. Use a meat thermometer or cut into the pork – if just a trace of pink remains in the centre of the meat, it is done. Loosely tent the pork with foil and let it rest for five or 10 minutes before slicing. This will allow the juices to redistribute through the meat, making it more juicy. The recipe includes grilled asparagus as a side dish, which I’m sure would be very good. I opted for sautéed corn instead.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Peach jam, white wine vinegar and chipotle peppers may contain artificial ingredients. I used Smucker’s jam, Spectrum Naturals white wine vinegar and La Costena canned chipotles in adobo sauce. These products don’t contain colour, sulfites or additives/preservatives.

Peach jam and chipotles combine to make a sweet and spicy sauce

Grill the pork until just a trace of pink remains in the centre

Drizzle reserved sauce over the sliced pork

Ingredients:

1/3 cup (75 mL) peach jam

3 tbsp (45 mL) white wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, drained, seeded and chopped

1 lb (454 g) pork tenderloins

¼ tsp (1 mL) salt

¼ tsp (1 mL) pepper

1 bunch (9 oz/255 g) asparagus, trimmed

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil

Preparation:

In small saucepan, bring jam, vinegar, garlic and chipotles to boil over medium-high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until jam is melted, about 2 minutes. Remove 2 tbsp glaze to bowl and set aside.

Sprinkle pork with pinch each of the salt and pepper. Brush pork all over with glaze. Place on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning occasionally, until digital rapid-read thermometer inserted into thickest part reads 160°F (71°C), about 18 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before carving. Drizzle pork with reserved glaze.

Meanwhile, toss together asparagus, oil, and remaining salt and pepper. Add to grill and cook, turning occasionally, until tender-crisp, about 7 minutes. Serve with pork. Serves 4.

From the July 2012 issue of Canadian Living