Eye for a Recipe

This recipe from NYT Cooking is a great summer salad. Cook shrimp and couscous. Make the dressing and add the cooked couscous, vegetables and fresh herbs. Top with the shrimp, more herbs and feta cheese. Cook’s note: I did not add the feta cheese.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used defrosted frozen shrimp preserved with salt and Tre Stelle feta, which is free of additives and preservatives.

Pearl couscous salad with shrimp and feta

Ingredients:

1 pound (454 g) large shrimp (16 to 25), peeled and deveined, tails on or off

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon, plus more as needed

1 cup (250 ml) pearl couscous

1 teaspoon (5 ml) minced garlic

3 Persian cucumbers, diced (about 2 cups/500 ml)

2 ears corn, kernels cut off of the cob (about 1 cup/250 ml)

½ cup (125 ml) thinly sliced radishes

½ cup (125 ml) crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup (60 ml) thinly sliced cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnishing

¼ cup (60 ml) thinly sliced mint leaves, plus more for garnishing

Preparation:

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. In a medium skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the olive oil. Sauté the shrimp until opaque and just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and zest half the lemon over top (about ½ teaspoon/2.5 ml or to taste), then juice the lemon into a large bowl, sprinkle about one-fourth of the juice over the shrimp and set the bowl with the remaining juice aside.

Cook the couscous in a pot of heavily salted water until al dente, according to the package directions. Rinse with cool water and drain well.

While the couscous is cooking, make the dressing. In the bowl with the lemon juice, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, the garlic, ½  (2.5 ml) teaspoon salt and ¼  teaspoon (1.25 ml) pepper.

Add the cooked couscous to the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine. Add the cucumbers, corn, radishes, feta, cilantro and mint. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings by adding more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice as needed.

Top with shrimp and a sprinkling of cilantro and mint. Enjoy immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Serves 6.

From NYT Cooking

Grilled chicken wings are a great summer meal and this recipe from NYT Cooking is excellent. Grill the wings until cooked, toss with the sauce and return the wings to the grill to brown them. Cook’s note: I added hot pepper flakes to spice up the sauce.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Heinz ketchup, tamari and Marukan rice vinegar. All are additive-free. Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

BBQ chicken wings

Ingredients:

3 pounds (1.36 kg) of chicken wings

½ cup (125 ml) ketchup

2 tablespoons (30 ml) water

1 tablespoon (15 ml) wine or rice vinegar

1 teaspoon (5 ml) soy sauce

1 teaspoon (5 ml) chili powder

1 teaspoon (5 ml) cumin

2 tablespoons (30 ml) finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon (5 ml) minced garlic

Preparation:

Cut chicken wings into three sections; save the wing tips for stock. Toss the wings with a little neutral oil to keep them from sticking.

Heat a charcoal or gas grill; the fire should be moderately hot and the rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat. Leave one side of the grill cooler for indirect cooking.

Put the wings on the cool side of the grill. Cover the grill and cook, checking and turning once or twice, until most of the fat has been rendered and the wings are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

While the wings cook, combine ketchup, water, wine or rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili powder, cumin, finely chopped onion and minced garlic in a large bowl.

When the wings are cooked, add them to the bowl with the sauce, and toss to coat. Now put the wings on the hot part of the grill, and cook, uncovered, turning as necessary, until they’re nicely browned on both sides. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This recipe from NYT Cooking combines grilled chicken and corn with a delicious lime-basil butter. Marinate the chicken thighs in garlic, oil and lime juice. Combine butter, lime zest, basil, salt and pepper and whirl in a food processor until blended. Grill the chicken and corn, remove the kernels from the corn and top with some of the butter. Place the chicken on top of the corn and top with more butter, basil leaves, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use fresh limes and butter that contains only milk or cream, with no colour added.

Grill the corn and the marinated chicken

Remove kernels from corn and top with butter, then top with chicken and more butter

Grilled chicken thighs and corn with lime-basil butter

Ingredients:

2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

Juice and zest of 2 limes

4 tablespoons (60 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup (250 ml) basil leaves

4 ears of corn, shucked

Flaky sea salt, to finish

Preparation:

Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and season with the garlic, olive oil, 1 ¾ teaspoons (8.75 ml) salt and juice of 1 lime. Toss to coat. Let marinate at room temperature while the grills heats up or, ideally, refrigerate, covered, overnight.

To make the lime-basil butter, place the butter, lime zest, ¾ cup (187 ml) basil leaves, ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper in a food processor and whizz until basil is chopped and incorporated. Refrigerate overnight or leave out of the fridge if you’re ready to grill.

When ready to cook, light the grill to medium-high. If needed, remove the chicken and lime-basil butter from the fridge and place the butter near the grill so it softens. Place the ears of corn on one side of the grill, turning every 3 minutes or so, until cooked through and lightly charred, 10 to 20 minutes total. Pull the corn off the grill and slice off the charred kernels. Place them on a serving platter and top with some of the basil butter.

While the corn is cooking and being sliced, place the chicken on the grill flat sides down. Char until it releases from the grates easily, 5 to 7 minutes. Rotate the chicken slightly, without flipping, to get more color on the first side. Pay attention to how the color develops and when areas of the first side become chestnut in color and look delicious, flip the chicken and grill for another 3 to 5 minutes. Continue rotating and flipping every few minutes until the chicken is cooked through. To check if the chicken is cooked, poke a knife into the thickest part of the meat. The juices should run clear and the meat should no longer be translucent.

Remove the chicken from the grill, slice each thigh in half across its widest part and place slices on top of the corn. Spoon the remaining basil butter on top of the hot chicken and sprinkle over remaining basil leaves, the remaining lime juice and flaky salt. Grind some extra black pepper over the top. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This delicious pasta salad from NYT Cooking uses halloumi to make the croutons instead of bread. Cook the pasta and toss it with the tomatoes, oil and vinegar. Cook cubes of halloumi until golden brown. Add the halloumi croutons, cucumbers, arugula, herbs and red onion to the pasta-tomato mixture and toss to combine. Cook’s note: I used small shells instead of orecchiette and omitted the arugula.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Eden Organic red wine vinegar and Saputo halloumi.

Orecchiette salad with halloumi croutons

Ingredients:

1 pint (500 ml) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

4 tablespoons (60 ml) olive oil, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons (30 ml) red wine vinegar, plus more as needed

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

8 ounces (227 g) orecchiette or other small pasta

8 ounces (227 g) halloumi cheese, chopped into ½ -inch (1.25-cm) pieces

3 Persian cucumbers, chopped into ½ -inch (1.25-cm) pieces

2 cups (500 ml) baby arugula (optional)

½ cup (125 ml) chopped fresh cilantro

½ cup (125 ml) chopped fresh mint

¼ cup (60 ml) finely chopped red onion

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, the vinegar, ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta well and add it to the tomato mixture while still warm. Stir gently to combine, then let the mixture cool slightly.

While the mixture cools, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil over medium-high. Pat the halloumi dry with paper towels, then cook it until golden-brown, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the cucumbers, arugula (if using), cilantro, mint and red onion to the pasta; stir to combine. Top with the halloumi, then add more salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar to taste. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

From NYT Cooking