Eye for a Recipe

This is the first recipe I’ve made out of The Barbecue Collection from Canadian Living and it is a great new find. This recipe includes an unusual marinade that contains warmed sesame oil and hot balsamic vinegar, but it infuses the wings with lots of heat and flavour. If you barbecue often, you may want to consider picking up a copy of this new cookbook, which, at 550+ pages, has recipes that will appeal to everyone. I also haven’t noticed much duplication from Canadian Living’s earlier barbecue cookbooks. The Canadian Living Barbecue and Summer Foods Cookbook, published in 1989, is the most tattered cookbook in my collection and remains the source of my favourite gazpacho, cornbread and potato salad recipes. If you ever see a copy of it, grab it – you won’t be sorry.

To avoid additives and preservatives, check the labels on your sesame oil and balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar labelled “no sulfites added” or “contains naturally occurring sulfites” should be fine.

I served these scrumptious wings with raw veggies and dip for a perfect Friday night meal.

Three-Pepper Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup sesame oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or Chinese black vinegar

2 lb chicken wings (drumettes and winglets)

Directions:

In a large heatproof bowl, mix together garlic, ginger, the three peppers and salt. In a small skillet or saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat until a haze forms over the surface but before it begins to smoke. Pour over the garlic mixture. Add vinegar to skillet or saucepan and bring to boil – this will happen almost immediately – and pour into the bowl. Add wings, tossing to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes or, refrigerated, up to 1 day. Reserving the marinade, remove wings and place them on grill over medium heat. Grill, turning every 5 minutes and brushing with marinade for two turns, until wings are crisp and no longer pink at joints, 15-20 minutes.

From Canadian Livings’ The Barbecue Collection

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

We love all kind of grilled vegetables during the summer, and this is a recipe I make often. It is served at room temperature so can be made ahead. And you can make it even without the grill; just broil the zucchini and eggplant or cook them on a ridged grill pan. Feel free to add asparagus, radicchio, onions – the vinaigrette is delicious with everything. You can also used red pepper instead of yellow or orange.

To avoid additives and preservatives in this recipe, make sure your balsamic vinegar has no sulfites added or is labelled “contained only naturally occurring sulfites”.

Grilled Zucchini and Eggplant Salad with Sweet Pepper Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini, sliced on an angle to ¼ inch slices

1 medium eggplant, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼ inch slices

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for brushing

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons finely chopped red pepper

3 tablespoons finely chopped yellow or orange pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ tsp sugar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

Preparation:

Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush zucchini and eggplant slices lightly on both sides with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill 1 to 2 minutes per side, until nicely coloured but still firm/tender. Transfer to a platter and cool to room temperature.

Arrange zucchini and eggplant slices in slightly overlapping rows on the platter.

Combine the 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Salad and dressing can be prepared to this point several hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Warm both at room temperature for 5 minutes before finishing off the salad.

Spoon dressing over the vegetables. Let zucchini and eggplant be flavoured by the dressing for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

From the August 9, 2006 issue of The Ottawa Citizen

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