Grilled mushrooms on a cedar plank

Posted on February 23, 2019 by Chatty Kathy

As the snow drifts by the window I’m dreaming of making these again ….. smoky from the grill and cedar plank, and bursting with creamy cheesy goodness.

25 to 30 small cremini mushrooms (about 650 g), stemmed
2 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup water-packed artichoke hearts (about 2), drained, finely chopped and patted dry
1/4 cup cream cheese , softened
1/4 cup finely chopped green olives
1 egg , lightly beaten
1 clove garlic , grated
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley

To take these over the top, sprinkle with toasted and chopped hazelnuts, they add such a delightful crunch …. as you can see in this photo I didn’t have any handy this time!

Soak one 12- x 7-inch untreated cedar plank in water for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Meanwhile, using tip of spoon, gently scrape out mushroom gills to widen cavities.

In bowl, stir together Asiago, artichokes, cream cheese, olives, egg, garlic and pepper. Spoon 1 tbsp filling into each mushroom cap, pressing to flatten slightly.

Arrange on cedar plank, filling side up. Top with hazelnuts, if using, or you can always substitute toasted Panko crumbs. Place plank on grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill until mushrooms are tender and filling is bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley. Serve on plank on heat-resistant surface or transfer to platter.

If barbecuing isn’t an option for you this can also be done in the oven …. 425 for 20 minutes.

Grilled Cauliflower & Shrimp with Romesco Dipping Sauce

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Chatty Kathy

Grilling the shrimp in the shell protects them from the searing heat of the barbecue, and is definitely worth doing. Serve this as an appetizer and nobody minds getting in with their hands!

Go ahead and make a big batch of this, it goes really well with any cooked fish or chicken dish.

Romesco Sauce:

1 jar (300 mL) roasted red peppers , including juices
1/4 cup prepared tomato sauce
3 tablespoons almond butter or 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Romesco Sauce: In blender, purée together red peppers including juices, tomato sauce, almond butter, vinegar, paprika and cayenne pepper until smooth. Season to taste with salt, if needed. Transfer to small saucepan, and set aside.

1 head cauliflower , cut in large florets
1/4 teaspoon salt
450 g unpeeled jumbo shrimp (21 to 25 count)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 bunch green onions

Shrimp and Vegetables: Plunge cauliflower pieces into boiling salted water for just about 2-3 minutes, and then immediately drop into ice water bath.

This can easily be turned into a vegetarian dish by omitting the shrimp, just use an assortment of vegetables.

In bowl, toss together shrimp, oil and remaining salt.

Thread shrimp onto metal or soaked wooden skewers. Place shrimp and cauliflower on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until shrimp are pink and cauliflower is charred, about 8 minutes. Add green onions during last 3 minutes of grilling.

Heat Romesco Sauce, stirring frequently until warm, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve cauliflower, shrimp and green onions on large platter with sauce on the side for dipping. Add some crusty fresh French bread and you’ve got a great appetizer!

Roasted Marinated Sweet Red Peppers

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Chatty Kathy

It’s true, going through all the steps to grill and prepare these peppers does take a little bit of time. Pick a sunny day and the sweet smell of them grilling will be enough payback. Do enough for a dinner side dish also! In the middle of winter when you open a jar you will immediately be transported back to that summer day. I love using these in so many different appetizers, slivered in a salad or pasta or just served with a grilled steak.

These sweet peppers are an amazing way of capturing the tastes and smells of summer in a jar.

4 pounds firm, fresh and cleaned red bell peppers

Lightly oil peppers and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until charred in spots and softened. Put in bowl, cover tightly and allow to sit for 15 minutes until you can easily slip the skins off. If you don’t have a barbecue you can also do this over an open flame or in your oven with the broiler unit.

Red pepper 1

MARINADE

1 cup bottled lemon juice
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, quartered
1 1/2 tsp salt

Bring all marinade ingredients to boil in a saucepan.

In most cases I would suggest squeezing fresh lemon juice, but in this instance the consistency and acidic content of bottled lemon juice is what you need.

If you want to use these within a few weeks, just fill the jars with peppers and pour the boiling marinade over.

Red pepper 3

Seal and keep in the fridge.

SEALING AND PRESERVING

Scald jars in boiling water and heat canning lids and sealers in boiling water. Fill jars with peppers, immediately fill to within 1/2 inch of the top. Quickly close the jars with lids and sealers and boil in canner for 15 minutes.

Thai Grilled Chicken

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Chatty Kathy

Thai grilled chicken should be moist, flavourful, and make you want more …. this is it.

This chicken. So moist and delicious. The dipping sauce takes it over the top!

2 lb / 1 kg chicken thigh fillets (skinless, boneless)

Use whatever chicken you have, or prefer, this amount of marinade worked with 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into pieces and pounded equal thickness. I reserved some of the marinade and kept it to serve as a dipping sauce, it was incredible.

Marinade

1 large lemongrass stalk , white part only very finely chopped (about 2 tbsp) If you live in an area like we do, fresh lemongrass is not always easy to come by, and in that case, I use 1 tbsp lemongrass powder)
1 tbsp garlic , minced
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp chili flakes
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar
1/2 cup coconut milk

Mix all marinade ingredients together, reserve 1/2 of it, and and add chicken to the rest. Marinade overnight, or for at least an hour …. (I had an hour and it turned out really well!)

Serve the chicken with the reserved marinade.

put all the marinade ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, and give it a good whiz ….

Grill chicken until just cooked through, and serve with dipping sauce.

Spicy Sweet & Sticky Asian Pork Chops

Posted on July 24, 2018 by Chatty Kathy

Grill just until cooked through, these juicy pork chops hit all those notes of spicy, sweet and sticky – get out the napkins!

8 thin cut pork chops, pounded lightly until uniform thickness
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger grated
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp Thai red curry paste
1 chilli finely chopped (seeds removed if needed)
juice of 1 lime

To make the pork chops, combine the soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, curry paste chilli & lime juice in a bowl and mix well. Taste, and adjust if necessary – especially for heat. If you like it hotter, add more!
Place the pork chops in a ziploc bag and pour over the sauce. Close the bag and allow to marinade for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Grill over high heat until just cooked through.

Noodles 2

We served these with a crunchy Thai noodle salad.

Summer Mexican Cobb Salad

Posted on May 16, 2018 by Chatty Kathy

Chipotle Chicken and Cilantro Vinaigrette give this one dish dinner a real taste of Mexico.

Combine the taste of cilantro dressing with fresh and lively salad crunch, and top it with grilled spicy chipotle chicken – you’ll have the best summer salad … this one will be on repeat.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN MARINADE

3-4 chicken breasts, or 8 boneless, skinless thighs
2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Blend all ingredients until smooth, and pour over chicken. Marinate for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight.

Grill until cooked through, and set aside. Do not slice until chicken has rested at least 15 minutes.

CILANTRO VINAIGRETTE

1 huge bunch cilantro – chopped up
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 loved garlic, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dijon mustard

Put all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

This vinaigrette is delicious! Use it on a salad, or as a topping for your steak ….. dip your prawns into it …. the list is endless.

SALAD

include any number of ingredients to create texture, bright, crispy crunchy fresh vegetables as well as creamy avocado, tasty fruit and toasted nuts

salad greens
spinach
cucumber
sweet peppers
snap peas
corn, grilled and sliced off the cobb
avocado
sliced strawberries
cooked bacon
toasted nuts

Toss salad ingredients together, and drizzle with cilantro vinaigrette.

Top with sliced chicken and drizzle a little more vinaigrette over the chicken.

Korean Bibimbap

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Chatty Kathy

Quick disclaimer here …. this is unapologetically inauthentic! At Fat Boy Moves in Mexico City we ate Bibimbap a couple of times and this is my version of trying to replicate that in my own kitchen, minus of course the stone bowl to serve it in….

What’s missing you say? Any authentic Bibimbap will have a soft egg on top!

In terms of recipes, this is more of a guideline. I’m sure you can find lots of real, true Korean Bibimbap recipes out there, but for my own preferences, in my kitchen, this was pretty delicious. I think it is key to have either a cast iron frying pan or a stainless steel pan to get the rice nice and crusty.

First, make a sauce:

1/4 cup soya sauce
2 tbsp roasted sesame oil
1 tbsp chile garlic sauce
1 tbsp gojuchang

Taste the sauce, I can’t say that enough, make sure it is delicious …. each of those components will be slightly different by brand so hit a balance you like.

Second, make pickled cucumbers:

cut about a 4 inch piece of cucumber in half, lengthwise
scoops out seeds and slice very thinly

Put cucumbers in a bowl, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp each of salt and sugar. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp rice vinegar and mix well. Set aside.

To assemble you will need:

cooked rice
protein (if you like, easy to just make it vegetarian also)
stir fried veg
pickled cucumbers
sesame seeds
cilantro
slivered chives

Thinly sliver nori sheet and toast until crispy

If you are using a protein, cover your steak, chicken or prawns with a light bit of gojuchang and allow to marinade for an hour. Grill, and once rested, slice into bite size pieces.

Prepare the vegetables you are going to use, today I used coloured sweet peppers, onions, snow peas, bok choy and cabbage.

Heat fry pan until very hot, add neutral oil and sauce some ginger and garlic. Add in vegetables and stir fry just until tender. Set aside.

Reheat the pan, barely cover the bottom with sesame oil and then cover the bottom with the rice. Allow to sit undisturbed until the rice is heated through and the bottom develops a nice golden brown crust.

Centre your cooked vegetables on the rice, scatter the protein around the edge and garnish with the pickled cucumber, toasted nori and sesame seeds. Drizzle over the prepared sauce and enjoy!

Almost Shake Shack sauce!

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Chatty Kathy

Almost famous all right …. Make your own Shake Shack sauce.

This creamy sauce will take your home made burger right to the level of that famous burger at Shake Shack.

In order to replicate the burger all the way – make sure you use good beef, 1/4 pound of it per burger, and cook it on a flat surface … without greasing the pan! That creates the crisp exterior.

Use soft potato buns, lightly butter and grill or toast.

Lettuce, tomato, pickles and this amazing sauce will complete the deal. And you may never buy another burger!

Sauce Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
4 slices kosher dill pickle
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper

Maybe not the best presentation photo, but this creamy, slighty tangy sauce takes your burger to lip smacking, napkin required level.

Hawaiian Pork Bowl

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Chatty Kathy

All the fresh vegetables in the garden inspired me to create this Hawaiian Pork bowl with a combination of raw and grilled vegetables. The recipe originated from a Food and Wine magazine but I couldn’t resist tweaking it a bit, and definitely adding more vegetables.

Pork Bowl 4

1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup sugar
2 English breakfast tea bags
One 1-pound pork tenderloin, butterflied and flattened
4 slices cooked bacon
Three 1/2-inch-thick  slices of fresh pineapple—peeled, quartered and cored
1 red onion, cut through the core into 1/4-inch wedges
1 red pepper, quartered
1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Kosher salt
Pepper
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 a jalapeno, seeds removed, minced
2 tablespoons soya sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon raw sugar
2 tablespoons minced cilantro, plus sprigs for serving

(I can’t say this enough, TASTE your jalapeno for spiciness, and add as much as you enjoy.)

Steamed rice, crisp bacon, diced avocado  and thinly sliced  jalapeño, for serving

In a large bowl, combine the boiling water, sugar and tea bags and let stand for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags and stir the tea to dissolve the sugar. Let cool completely, then add the pork and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Pork bowl

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Drain the pork and pat  dry with paper towels. Brush the pork, pineapple, zucchini and red onion with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill  the pork over high heat, turning once, until lightly charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the pork registers 135°, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a carving board and let  rest for 5 minutes, then slice the pork against the grain. Meanwhile, grill the pineapple and vegetables, turning until charred, about 4 -8 minutes.

Pork bowl 2

In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice with the minced cilantro, sugar, garlic, soya sauce, minced jalapeno, sesame oil and the 1/3 cup of olive oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

Serve the pork, and vegetables over steamed  rice with crisp bacon, diced avocado, thinly sliced jalapeño  .Drizzle with dressing and enjoy!

Pork Bowl 3

Grilled Shrimp and Cauliflower with Romesco Dipping Sauce

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Chatty Kathy

The first thing you need to know is that this sauce is A M A Z I N G. Put it on your sandwich, toss hot pasta with it, fresh veggie dip or meat skewer dip …. it wins every time. Today’s appetizer included these grilled cauliflower florets, lightly marinated shrimp and green onions.

1 1/2 CUPS SERVINGS

1 large roasted red bell pepper from a jar
1 garlic clove, smashed
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup tomato purée
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pulse first 8 ingredients in a food processor until very finely chopped. With motor running, slowly add oil; process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Romesco can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

romescu

To use as a dipping sauce, heat through until easy to stir and warm.

Shrimp and Vegetables

1 head of cauliflower – cut into florets
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb jumbo shrimp – tails and shells on
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp lime juice
1 bunch green onions

Lightly steam cauliflower until just tender crisp – be careful not too overcook it.

Season with salt.

In a large bowl, toss shrimp with vegetable oil and lime juice. Allow to sit for 20-30 minutes.

Grill cauliflower, shrimp and green onions just until heated through (and shrimp is fully cooked) – try to get some pretty grill marks on there!

Arrange on a serving platter with the Romesco and dip merrily away.

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