Eye for a Recipe

Chicken on the grill is a summer staple. But if you’re tired of the same old chicken pieces with barbecue sauce, try this recipe from Epicurious.com, which includes two great grilling tricks — butterflying the chicken and using a board sauce. Removing the backbone from the chicken and flattening it means the chicken cooks more quickly and evenly. Tossing it with an herb-infused sauce on the cutting board allows the warm chicken to soak up the flavours.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The only ingredient that might contain preservatives are the red pepper flakes, so check the label.

Chop cilantro and oregano for the sauce

Set aside some sauce for basting and use the rest on the cooked chicken

Removing the backbone means the chicken will cook for quickly and evenly

Baste the chicken when it is almost done

Toss the cooked chicken with the rest of the sauce on the cutting board

Ingredients:

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes

¾ cup (180 ml) chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil plus more for grill

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1 4-pound (1.8 kg) chicken, halved, backbone removed

Lime wedges (for serving)

Preparation:

Combine red pepper flakes, cilantro, oregano, lime zest, and ¼ cup (60 ml) oil; season dressing with salt and pepper. Dressing can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Prepare grill for medium indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on 1 side of grill; for a gas grill, leave 1 burner turned off). Brush grill rack with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place, skin side down, on grill. Grill chicken, turning occasionally, until skin is crisp and browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165° F (74° C), 10-15 minutes per side (move chicken to cooler part of grill if it’s cooking too quickly). About 5 minutes before chicken is done, baste with some of dressing.

Pour remaining dressing onto a carving board (or platter, if you don’t have a large board) and place chicken, skin side up, on top. Let sit at least 10 minutes to rest and absorb flavor from dressing before carving. Drizzle chicken with some dressing from board and serve with limes. Serves 4.

From Epicurious.com

This beef stir-fry from Canadian Living gets dinner on the table in a hurry. Whip up the sauce stir-fry the beef and bok choy, toss and serve. Cook’s note: When stir-frying, cook the meat in batches instead of all at once. If you crowd the pan, the meat will steam instead of browning.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use tamari instead of soy sauce, because it uses alcohol as a preservative instead of sodium benzoate. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and an all-natural peanut butter.

Slice beef into strips

Chop bok choy

Combine sauce ingredients and warm on top of stove

Beef and bok choy satay

Ingredients:

3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil

Half onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp (15 ml) sodium-reduced soy sauce

2 tsp (10 ml) smooth peanut butter

1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice

1 tsp (5 ml) packed brown sugar

400 g beef eye round oven roast, cut in scant ¼ -inch (0.6 cm) thick slices

¼ tsp (1 ml) salt

2 heads Shanghai bok choy, cut in 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks

1/3 cup (75 ml) torn fresh cilantro

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped unsalted peanuts

Sliced red finger chili pepper (optional)

Preparation:

In small saucepan, heat two-thirds of the oil over medium heat; cook onion, garlic, soy sauce, peanut butter, lemon juice and brown sugar, stirring, until smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Sprinkle beef with salt. In large nonstick skillet or wok, heat half of the remaining oil over medium high-heat; sauté half of the beef and bok choy until golden, about 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining oil, beef and bok choy.

In large bowl, toss beef mixture with sauce to coat. Sprinkle with cilantro, peanuts and chili pepper (if using). Serves 4.

From Canadian Living

This is a new take on traditional salade Niçoise from Bon Appetit calls for halibut instead of tuna and a variety of seasonal vegetables. I used garlic scapes, green beans, baby potatoes and cherry tomatoes. The Green Olive Tapenade is great on fish or as a dip or spread.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the anchovies, olives and capers for additives. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Grilled halibut Niçoise with vegetables and olive tapenade

Ingredients:

4 large eggs

1½ pounds (675 g) skin-on halibut fillets

2 tablespoons (30 ml) plus ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

2 pounds (1 kg) mixed vegetables (such as scallions, garlic scapes, Romano beans, halved small eggplants, halved baby or new potatoes)

4 cups (1 L) torn lettuce leaves (such as romaine, red leaf, or butter)

1 cup Sun Gold tomatoes, halved

1 bunch small breakfast radishes, trimmed, halved lengthwise

1 cup (250 ml) Green Olive Tapenade

Green Olive Tapenade

10 oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped

2 cups (500 ml) green olives, pitted, crushed

1 cup (250 ml) coarsely chopped parsley

1 cup (250 ml) olive oil

¼ cup (60 ml) coarsely chopped, drained capers

2 tablespoons (30 ml) finely grated lemon zest

¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Green Olive Tapenade

Mix anchovies, both olives, parsley, oil, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large jar or medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.

Tapenade can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

Fish and salad

Place eggs in saucepan of water, covering them by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring water to rolling boil, then cover and remove pan from heat. Let eggs stand in water 18 minutes.  Drain and place in a large bowl of ice water; let cool.

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Rub halibut with 2 tbsp. (30 ml) oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, skin side down, until skin is charred and fish is nearly cooked through, 5–8 minutes. Turn and grill just until cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer halibut to a plate and remove skin.

Toss vegetables with remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender. Time will be different for each vegetable (about 2 minutes for scallions and garlic scapes, 4 minutes for Romano beans, 8–10 minutes for eggplants, 10–15 for potatoes). Transfer to a plate as they are done.

Carefully peel and halve eggs. Arrange lettuce leaves on a platter and place halibut, grilled vegetables, tomatoes, radishes, and eggs in separate areas on top. Spoon some Green Olive Tapenade over; serve remaining tapenade alongside. Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit