Eye for a Recipe

Kebabs, satay, skewers – whatever you want to call them, they are fast to make and fun to eat. The June 2010 issue of Everyday Food includes three very easy glazes for kebabs, all made with orange marmalade. I made the soy-ginger glaze last night for beef kebabs and it was great.

If you are using wooden skewers, soak them for at least 30 minutes so they won’t burn up on the grill. Be sure to brush the kebabs with the glaze for just a few minutes before they are done; otherwise the sugar in the glaze will burn. You can also brush some on after the kebabs have been removed from the grill. If you are trying to avoid additives and preservatives, be sure to read the label on the marmalade carefully, as many include artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. I used Robertson’s Golden Shred orange marmalade (which is also great on toast!). If you try the other glazes, be sure to use tamari soy sauce, fresh lime juice, and additive-free mustard. For chipotles in adobe sauce, try Herdez brand, which is additive-free.

I served the kebabs with jasmine rice and, of course, vegetable kebabs. You can use any vegetable, but I used red pepper, yellow pepper and Vidalia onion.

Glazes for Kebabs

Orange-mustard (good with shrimp kebabs)

Stir together ¼ cup orange marmalade and 1 ½ tsp grainy mustard

Soy-ginger (good with beef kebabs)

Stir together ¼ cup orange marmalade, 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp grated peeled ginger

Chipotle-lime (good with pork kebabs)

Stir together ¼ cup orange marmalade, 1 ½ tsp liquid from chipotle chiles in adobo and 1 tsp fresh lime juice

From the June 2010 issue of Everyday Food

This new find from the June 2010 issue of Everyday Food is perfect for a quick, easy and tasty weeknight supper. The recipe calls for chicken cutlets, but I substituted skinless, boneless chicken thighs, which worked very well. The orzo is a great side dish; I omitted the hazelnuts, but added dill, parsley and chives to the oregano. If you are trying to avoid additives and preservatives, be sure to use fresh lemon juice, as concentrates usually have sodium benzoate or other preservatives added. I served the chicken and orzo with a three-bean salad from the latest issue of Cook’s Country.

Grilled Chicken with Oregano and Lemon

Ingredients:

4 large chicken cutlets or 8 small (about 1 lb.)

2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

2 sprigs plus 2 tsp chopped fresh oregano

1/2 lemon, quartered, plus 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving (optional)

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 tbsp olive oil plus more for the grill

1 cup orzo

1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Directions:

In a medium bowl or resealable bag, combine chicken, garlic and oregano sprigs. Add lemon quarters, squeezing juice into bowl or bag as you go. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Heat grill pan or grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and grill until cooked through. Transfer to platter and tent with foil for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain and transfer to medium bowl. Stir in chopped oregano, 1 tbsp lemon juice, oil and hazelnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken and orzo with lemon wedges, if desired. Serves 4.

From the June 2010 issue of Everyday Food

Sometimes when you make new recipe, you know it’s a keeper – one that you will make over and over again. This grilled Asian chicken with grilled vegetables and ginger-cilantro rice is one of those. The mango-sesame dressing is fabulous on both the chicken and the veggies. And you can use the leftover chicken and dressing to make a chicken and noodle salad for another meal.

Grilled Asian chicken & vegetables with ginger-cilantro rice

The original recipe called for Major Grey’s Chutney. To avoid additives and preservatives I used Sharwood’s Bombay Club Mango Chutney, which is additive- and preservative-free. To avoid additives in the soy sauce, use tamari instead. I couldn’t find bok choy or shiitakes this week, so I used radicchio and a portobello mushroom.

Mango-Sesame Dressing

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup mango chutney

6 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

3 large garlic cloves, peeled

6 3/4 teaspoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper

Combine all ingredients in blender. Cover tightly; blend until dressing is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

Chicken and Vegetables

Ingredients:

8 1/3-inch-thick rounds red onion

8 large shiitake mushrooms, stemmed

8 red radishes, trimmed, halved

4 baby bok choy, halved lengthwise

1 large orange bell pepper, cut lengthwise into 8 strips

1 1/4 cup mango-sesame dressing, divided

6 boneless chicken breast halves with skin

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Preparation:

Arrange all vegetables on large rimmed baking sheet. Brush vegetables lightly on both sides with 1/3 cup Mango-Sesame Dressing; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Arrange chicken on sheet of foil. Brush both sides of chicken with 1/3 cup dressing, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Vegetables and chicken can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Coat grill rack generously with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill vegetables until just tender, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes for onion rounds and 4 minutes for mushrooms, radishes, bok choy, and pepper strips. Return all vegetables to same baking sheet.

Grill chicken until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to cutting board. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Arrange chicken breasts and vegetables on platter. Serve with remaining dressing. 4 servings plus leftovers.

Ginger-Cilantro Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 1-inch-long pieces fresh ginger, peeled, each cut into 4 rounds, plus 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1 2/3 cups low-salt chicken broth

1 1/3 cups chopped fresh cilantro

1 green onion, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

1 teaspoon (or more) unseasoned rice vinegar

Preparation

Combine rice and ginger rounds in large saucepan. Add broth; sprinkle with salt. Bring to boil, stirring often. Cover; reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is tender and broth is absorbed, about 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine chopped cilantro, green onion, and minced ginger in mini processor. Add both oils and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Blend until almost smooth. Season cilantro oil to taste with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if desired.

Transfer rice to bowl. Remove ginger rounds. Mix in cilantro oil and serve.

From the June 2010 issue of Bon Appetit

If you’ve been reading my blog over the past week or so, you may think that I only make recipes from Bon Appetit and Food and Wine. It’s not true! But the June issues of both magazines have several grilling recipes that have been great new finds. This Jerk Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple Salsa from Food and Wine is no exception.

This is a delicious jerk marinade. I couldn’t find Scotch Bonnet or Habanero peppers this week, so I used a Jalapeno pepper and included the ribs and seeds, to boost the heat. Jicima was also unavailable, so I substituted radishes, which worked fine in the salsa. To avoid additives and chemical preservatives, be sure to use fresh lime juice and tamari soy sauce with alcohol listed as the preservative.

Don’t overcook the pork or it will dry out. I grilled it for 20 minutes over a hot fire, which brought the internal temperature to 135 degrees; then I let it stand for 10 minutes, loosely tented with foil.

I served the pork and salsa with yam frites and steamed broccoli.

Jerk Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:

Marinade for the pork

1/4 cup canola oil

2 scallions, thickly sliced

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, stemmed and seeded

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger

2 pork tenderloins (14 ounces each)

Salt

Directions:

In a blender, combine 3 tablespoons of the oil with the scallions, garlic, chiles, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, allspice, black pepper, thyme, nutmeg and ginger. Puree until smooth. Transfer the marinade to a resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins, turning to coat. Seal the bag, pressing out the air, and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Remove the pork from the marinade. Brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and season generously with salt. Grill the pork over moderately low heat, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer reaches 135 when inserted in the center of the meat, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice the pork and serve with the salsa. Serves 4.

Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1 1/4 pounds peeled pineapple, cut into 1/2-inch dice (3 cups)

2 tablespoons fresh pineapple juice, squeezed from the rind

5 ounces jicama, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)

3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 jalapeño—stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

1 scallion, thinly sliced

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the red onion with the lime juice and let stand for 10 minutes. Add the pineapple, pineapple juice, jicama, cilantro, brown sugar, jalapeño and scallion to the bowl and toss. Serve with the jerk pork tenderloin. The pineapple-jicama salsa can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

From the June 2010 issue of Food and Wine

If you love olives, rosemary and oranges, you must try this new find from the June 2010 issue of Bon Appetit. A stuffing of olives, garlic, rosemary and orange zest goes under the skin of the chicken breasts, which are then drizzled with a similarly flavoured dressing. Be sure to ask your butcher for boneless chicken breasts with the skin on, or bone them yourself. Grilled orange wedges are another nice addition to the finished dish.

If you are trying to avoid additives and preservatives, it can be a challenge to find olives. If you buy your olives from a grocery store olive bar, ask to see the ingredients. I couldn’t find additive- or preservative-free jarred olives for many years, but now use Pilaros green olives stuffed with garlic, which are available at Costco. If you use garlic-stuffed olives, you can omit the garlic called for in this recipe.

I grilled some asparagus, zucchini and eggplant along with the chicken and oranges and tossed the vegetables with a simple balsamic vinaigrette before serving.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Rosemary-Orange Dressing

Ingredients

Chicken and stuffing

1 cup pitted brine-cured green olives

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large garlic clove, peeled

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

6 boneless chicken breast halves with skin

Dressing and oranges

6 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

4 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup chopped pitted brine-cured green olives

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

2 large unpeeled oranges, each cut into 6 wedges

Preparation

Chicken and stuffing

Blend first 5 ingredients in mini processor until olives and garlic are chopped. Transfer stuffing to small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Using fingertips, gently loosen skin on 1 chicken breast, leaving 1 long side attached. Spread 1/6 of stuffing over flesh under skin. Pull skin flap over to cover; secure flap with metal pin or toothpick. Repeat with remaining chicken and stuffing. Arrange chicken on large rimmed baking sheet. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Dressing and oranges

Combine first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in oil, then olives. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer 3/4 cup dressing to small bowl; reserve for serving.

Coat grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Divide remaining dressing between 2 small cups. Drizzle chicken with dressing from 1 cup. Arrange orange wedges on sheet of foil; brush oranges with dressing from second cup.

Grill chicken until cooked through, drizzling with dressing from first cup and turning occasionally, 12 to 14 minutes. Grill orange wedges until heated through and slightly charred, turning and brushing often with dressing from second cup, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken and orange wedges to platter. Serve with reserved 3/4 cup dressing. Serves 6.

From the June 2010 issue of Bon Appetit

Strawberries aren’t in season yet, but I couldn’t wait to make these strawberry shortcakes. The balsamic vinegar and black pepper add a lovely depth of flavour to the berries.

I cut the recipe in half, which worked well for the biscuits. But if you cut the number of berries in half, don’t reduce the amount of vinegar, sugar and pepper or else you won’t have enough syrup.

As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, look for balsamic vinegars labelled “no sulfites added” or “contains naturally occurring sulfites”. Also be sure that your butter does not contain artificial colour (if it says “may contain colour” it probably does) and that your vanilla extract is pure, not artificial.

Strawberry Shortcakes with Balsamic and Black Pepper Syrup

Ingredients:

Biscuits

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

5 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1 large egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)

Filling

2 pounds fresh strawberries (about 8 cups), hulled, quartered if small, sliced if large

6 tablespoons sugar, divided

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 large pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Biscuits

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, process to blend. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until butter resembles large peas, about five 1-second intervals. Add cream; using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface. Gather dough into ball; flatten into 8×4-inch rectangle (about 1 1/4 inches thick). Cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 4 equal strips, forming 8 square biscuits. Transfer biscuits to prepared baking sheet and chill 20 minutes. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Brush top of biscuits with egg glaze; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until biscuits are golden brown and tester inserted horizontally comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Filling

Mix strawberries, 5 tablespoons sugar, vinegar, and black pepper in medium bowl. Let macerate 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Using electric mixer, beat cream, vanilla, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another medium bowl until peaks form.

Cut biscuits horizontally in half. Place bottom half of each biscuit, cut side up, on plate. Using slotted spoon, divide strawberries among biscuits. Spoon dollop of whipped cream atop strawberries. Cover each with top half of biscuit. Drizzle some of juices from strawberries around shortcakes. Serves 8.

From Bon Appetit,  June 2010

This grilled miso shrimp is another great new find from the June 2010 issue of Food and Wine. It is a very fast meal to make; the shrimp marinate for 30 minutes before going on the grill for about 5 minutes. I served it with a refreshing Thai noodle salad that included cucumber, red pepper and cilantro.

Grilled miso shrimp with Thai noodle salad

To avoid artificial additives and preservatives, be sure to use fresh lime juice, as concentrates usually contain sodium benzoate. The sambal oelek available in my grocery store contains artificial ingredients, so I substituted Tabasco hot sauce.

Grilled Miso Shrimp

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons yellow miso

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined

3 scallions, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sambal oelek

Sorrel is a is lovely, leafy plant that is one of the first things to appear in the garden each spring. It has a lemony flavour and can be used to add zing to salads.

Sorrel is one of the first things to appear in the garden each spring

If you cook sorrel, it wilts very fast and turns a rather unappetizing shade of green. However, it is wonderful spring soup ingredient. I recently made this sorrel and chive soup recipe from A Year in Lucy’s Kitchen and it was a big hit. I did not have time to make the chive oil, but I’m sure it would be a great addition. This soup can be served hot or cold.

To avoid additives, preservatives and artificial flavours/colours when making this, either make your own chicken stock or purchase one without additives, such as Imagine Organic Chicken Broth. Also be sure to use fresh lemon juice. Concentrated lemon juice contains sodium benzoate, which is a preservative that many people, including my husband, are allergic to.

Sorrel and Chive Soup with Chive Oil

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup peeled and cubed Yukon Gold potatoes

1 cup chopped leeks (white and light green parts only)

4 cups chicken stock

3 cups torn sorrel leaves

1/2 cup chopped chives

1 to 2 tbsp lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Chive oil

Directions:

Heal oil in a pot over medium heat. Add potatoes and leeks and saute for 2 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add sorrel and chives and simmer gently for 4 minutes, or until sorrel has dissolved. Puree soup. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and reheat. Sprinkle with dots of chive oil. Serves 4.

Chive Oil

Combine 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup chives, 1/4 cup chopped green onions (green parts only) and a pinch of salt to blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Heat mixture in a small pot over medium heat until it simmers, about 3 minutes. Cool and strain. Makes about 1/2 cup. Keeps in fridge for a month. Use to garnish plates, soups, fish and poultry dishes.

From A Year in Lucy’s Kitchen by Lucy Waverman

If you’re looking for a tasty variation on lamb souvlaki, try this new find from the June 2010 issue of Martha Stewart Living. The feta sauce is lovely (for those of you who want to avoid additives, be sure to read the label on the feta to make sure it contains only natural ingredients). The suggested side dish for the kebabs is a green salad with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, olives and red onions, dressed with a balsamic-honey dressing. I can’t find white balsamic vinegar without sulfites added, so used regular balsamic with no added sulfites.

Lamb-and-Cucumber Kebabs with Feta Sauce

Kebabs
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
3 1/2 lbs lamb, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise then cut into 24 pieces
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Feta Sauce
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)
4 ounces Greek yogurt (1/2 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Make the kebabs: Combine oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and lamb; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make the feta sauce: mix all ingredients and refrigerate until serving.

3. Heat grill to medium-high. Thread lamb and cucumbers onto 8 skewers finishing with a lemon wedge. Season with salt and pepper. Grill 10 to 12 minutes for medium-rare, flipping halfway through. Serve with sauce.

From Martha Stewart Living, June 2010