JUNE-JULY 2010

SUMMER GRILLING & DESSERT RECIPES

 



Grilled Rosemary-Salmon Skewers

If you can find (or grow) them, use sturdy rosemary branches, stripped of  leaves, as skewers for these Italian salmon kebabs; they’ll add a subtle, smoky flavor that hints of pine. Oil your grill well to prevent sticking, don’t move the kebabs around unnecessarily and keep a close eye on the fire to avoid flare-ups.

Recipe Ingredients

 

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

 

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

 

2 cloves garlic , minced

 

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

 

1 teaspoon lemon juice

 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

 

1 pound center-cut salmon fillet , skinned (see Tip) and cut into 1-inch cubes

 

1 pint cherry tomatoes

Recipe Directions

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high.

  2. Combine rosemary, oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add salmon; toss to coat. Alternating the salmon and tomatoes, divide among eight 12-inch skewers.

  3. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the skewers, carefully turning once, until the salmon is cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Serve immediately.

Prepare the skewers (Step 2), cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Proceed with grilling (Steps 1 & 3) when ready to serve. | Equipment: Eight 12-inch skewers

Tips: How to skin a salmon fillet: Place skin-side down. Starting at the tail end, slip a long knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either. To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Don't use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

 

 



Frozen Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Retro, creamy and delicious, this cake is the frozen version of the beloved classic.
This takes a bit of extra time to make - but it's worth it.

Recipe Ingredients

 

1 20-ounce can pineapple rings in juice , drained, juice reserved

 

5 fresh cherries, pitted, or raspberries

 

3 large egg yolks , at room temperature

 

6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

 

2 large egg whites , at room temperature

 

1/2 cup sugar

 

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

 

1/2 cup heavy cream

 

7 ounces angel food cake

Recipe Directions

  1. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; set it on a large plate. Blot 5 pineapple rings dry with paper towels; arrange in a circle in the bottom of the pan. Place a cherry (or raspberry) in the center of each pineapple ring.

  2. Place the remaining pineapple and the reserved juice in a blender; blend until smooth.

  3. Beat egg yolks and brown sugar in a 3-quart stainless-steel bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until thick, pale brown and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the pineapple puree, scraping down the sides as necessary.

  4. Bring 1 inch of water to a slow simmer in a large saucepan. Place the bowl of pineapple mixture over the simmering water and beat on medium speed until thick, doubled in volume and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat (be careful of the escaping steam) and continue beating on medium speed until room temperature, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

  5. Clean and dry the beaters. Beat egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in another 3-quart stainless-steel bowl on medium speed until foamy. Bring the water in the saucepan back to a slow simmer, set the bowl of egg whites over it, and continue to beat on medium speed while moving the mixer around, until the mixture is glossy and thick, about 3 1/2 minutes. Increase the speed to high and continue beating over the heat until very stiff and glossy, about 3 1/2 minutes more (the eggs will be at a safe temperature, 160°F, at this point). Remove from the heat (be careful of the escaping steam) and continue beating on medium speed until room temperature, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk the meringue into the reserved pineapple mixture until smooth.

  6. Clean and dry the beaters one more time. Beat cream in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until soft, droopy peaks form, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Fold the whipped cream into the batter. Pour the batter over the pineapple slices in the pan.

  7. Cut angel food cake into nine 3/4-inch-thick slices. Lay the slices over the batter, completely covering the top. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours.

  8. Remove the cake from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges. Invert the pan onto a large serving plate and rap gently on the counter to loosen the cake. Remove the pan sides, then carefully remove the pan bottom. If the bottom does not release easily, place a towel soaked in hot water on it for a minute, then try again.

Tightly wrap and store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks (do not refreeze).
Equipment: 9-inch springform pan

Kitchen Tips: To get the most volume from beaten eggs, it's best for them to be at room temperature. Either set the eggs out on the counter for 15 minutes or submerge them in their shells in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for 5 minutes.

To make it easier to thinly slice the angel food cake (Step 7), place it in the freezer while preparing the filling.
 

 



Raspberry Iced Tea

Here's a simple and refreshing way to showcase fresh raspberries.

Berry Care 101
Don't wash the berries until you're ready to eat them. They'll keep for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator but are best eaten right away.

If you want to save some for later, spread unwashed berries in a single layer on a cookie sheet, freeze for a couple of hours, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for a day or a year.

Ingredients

5 decaf tea bags
2 cups raspberries
Sugar
Orange wedges

Directions

  1. In a large heat-resistant pitcher, pour 5 cups boiling water over 5 decaf tea bags and 2 cups raspberries. Let steep 5 minutes, then add sugar to taste, and chill. Serve with orange wedges (and maybe paper umbrellas).
     

Grilled Asparagus

Ingredients

 

1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat grill for high heat
2. Lightly coat the asparagus spears with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Grill over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or to desired tenderness.
 


 

 



Classic Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

    1 pound whole-wheat elbow macaroni, boiled until tender in heavily salted water, drained, rinsed in cold water, and drained again
    1 1/2 cups coarsely grated carrots (about 2 large)
    1 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
    1 fat scallion, sliced in half lengthwise and slivered
    1 cup Hellman's or Best Foods mayonnaise
    1/4 cup white vinegar
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 tablespoon hotdog relish
    1 tablespoon yellow mustard
    3 teaspoons kosher salt (or half as much table salt)
    Freshly ground black pepper
    2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Directions

1. Combine the pasta and vegetables in a large bowl.

2. Whisk together the mayo, vinegar, sugar, relish, mustard, salt, and pepper, pour this over the salad, add the parsley, and stir together gently. The salad is good like this -- but it's even better if it gets a chance to sit in the fridge, covered, for an hour or two.
 




Margarita Chicken

This fresh and light dish, flavored with limes, chile and a splash of tequila, is perfect for summer entertaining. The chicken is wonderful served hot off the grill, but it also tastes great cold or at room temperature, sliced and tossed into a salad of mixed baby lettuces. I often double the recipe so I have plenty of leftovers, assuring me delicious lunches in the days to come. Make sure you use freshly squeezed lime juice, which has a much better flavor than the bottled kind.

Hands-On Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes, plus at least one hour marinating time
Yield: 6-8 chicken breast halves

Ingredients

Zest from one lime
1/3 cup fresh lime juice, from about 4 limes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons tequila, optional
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon of chile powder
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6-8)

Directions

1. Place all ingredients, except for the chicken, in a gallon-sized zip top plastic bag. Squish to combine. Add chicken, seal bag, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for one hour or overnight.

2. Coat grill pan (or grill) with cooking spray. Heat pan (or grill) to medium-high. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side, turning breast a quarter turn after two minutes if cross hatch marks are desired. Serve immediately.
 

 



Finger-Licking Ribs

Ingredients
2 large, meaty racks of babyback ribs
(Serves 8; Of course, if there had been more, we would have eaten them,
but we were more or less sated.)

Rib Rub:
1/4 cup regular (not smoked) paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon celery seeds
2 teaspoons garlic powder (fresh garlic will burn)
1 tablespoon chili powder (I used a mix of chipotle powder and new Mexican chili powder; if you use a blend that has other seasoning in it such as salt, cumin, and oregano, just cut the salt back a bit)

Barbecue Sauce:
2 slices bacon
1 large sprig of fresh thyme
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
1/2 tablespoon dry mustard (I used Coleman's)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika (I used smoked)
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 275.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients of the rib rub. I smashed the celery seeds and salt together with a mortar and pestle until the celery seeds looked pretty powdery; alternately, you could use celery salt and cut back on the Kosher salt a bit. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir together well. (Note below)
3. Lay the ribs on a large, rimmed baking sheet, then rub them all over with the rib rub and pop them in the oven to bake for 3-4 hours -- the longer the better. If at any point the ribs seem to be browning excessively, turn the heat down to 250.
4. Make the barbecue sauce while the ribs are baking: Fry the bacon in a pot over medium heat until it has given off most of its fat, then add the thyme, onions, and garlic and fry, stirring, until the onions are translucent and golden. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down and simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. Fish the bacon out before using.
5. Finish by barbecuing the ribs: Heat a gas grill to medium (you can add hickory chips for a nice, smoky flavor), or else let a nice wood or charcoal fire burn down to coals.
6. Slather the ribs with sauce and then grill them for about five minutes a side, until the sauce is burnished but not burned; the sugar will make the sauce inclined to burn, so watch them carefully and err on the side of not blackening them too much (you could do this under the broiler in a pinch -- they would still be good).
7. Use a sharp, heavy knife to cut the racks into individual ribs, and serve with the rest of the barbeque sauce and lots of napkins.

Note:
I made only half this rub recipe, and it seemed like enough for 2 racks. (But the leftovers are great as a seasoning for black or pinto beans!) By all means use your favorite rub recipe instead, but beware of sugar, which will predispose the ribs towards burning during their slow bake.
 

 



Tasty BBQ Corn on the Cob

1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pinch onion powder
cayenne pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 ears corn, husked and cleaned

Directions

Preheat grill for medium-high heat.

In a medium bowl, mix together the chili powder, oregano, onion powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Blend in the softened butter. Apply this mixture to each ear of corn, and place each ear onto a piece of aluminum foil big enough to wrap the corn. Wrap like a burrito, and twist the ends to close.

 Place wrapped corn on the preheated grill, and cook 20 to 30 minutes, until tender when poked with a fork. Turn corn occasionally during cooking

     

Chicken Fingers on a Stick

Breaded chicken is a good bet for finicky eaters, and this variation, grilled and served on a skewer, makes it even more appealing to kids. Add your child's favorite dipping sauce, and there might not be any left for the adults!

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
Salt and pepper
24 (10-inch) bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 1/4 cups plain dried bread crumbs
 

Instructions

1. Cut each chicken breast lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold the chicken strips slightly and weave them onto the skewers.

2. Prepare a charcoal fire or set a gas grill to medium-high, close the lid, and heat until hot -- about 10 to 15 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the oil and the barbecue sauce. Spread the bread crumbs on a sheet of waxed paper. Lightly brush the sauce mixture over the chicken strips and then roll them in the bread crumbs.

4. Grill the chicken fingers uncovered until they're no longer pink inside, about 2 to 4 minutes per side on a gas grill.

5. Serve with the dipping sauce of your choice

 

 

 

Brownies in a Jar Recipe - Classic Cocoa Recipe

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