Tag Archives: grilling

Sweet Basil Pesto

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I think one of my favorite herbs is basil – always makes me think of summer and freshness – drinking Holy Basil Tea right now in fact!!

Basil Pesto

3 cloves garlic

4 cups packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1/3 cup finely grated best quality parmesan cheese

2 tbsp lemon juice

2/3 cup olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

drop garlic cloves into food processor while it is running, continuing with basil, pine nuts, parmesan, lemon juice and salt.  Pulse after it is finely chopped, and with motor still running slowly add oil – scrape down the side of the bowl a few times. Do another couple pulses just to make sure it is all finely blended.

This keeps easily in the fridge for up to a week, and will store well in freezer also.  Either freeze in small containers, or in ice cube trays.  Once they have frozen in the trays, pop them out and store in a ziplock bag.

This makes an amazing pasta dish – toss it with freshly cooked pasta, adding either a bit of the pasta cooking water or heavy cream, whichever is your preference that night!  

Other suggestions:

Pizza topping, with prawns and carmelized red onions – sprinkle with fresh spinach

Blend with butter and spread on french bread for an alternative to garlic bread

Top a grilled steak with a tbsp of pesto

blend 1 tbsp with 2 tbsp red wine vinegar & 5 tbsp olive oil for a salad dressing

Grill Roasted Pasta Sauce

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I love the flavour that comes out of the vegetables right out of the garden – give them a grill before simmering this pasta sauce and you will be treated to that flavour all winter long.  

30 roma tomatoes, halved

12 cloves garlic, peeled

5 small onions, unpeeled and sliced very thick

3 sweet red peppers, whole

Grill all vegetables until you get nice grill marks and the garlic and onions are soft, lightly browned.  As soon as the sweet peppers are charred, put them in a ziplock bag or a tightly covered bowl and allow to steam for 15 minutes – remove the skin and seeds.

Put all tomatoes with the vegetables in a large pot and simmer until tender. 

Add:  

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp chopped fresh or dried oregano

3 tsp white sugar

3 tsp salt

Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer just until all flavours have had a chance to blend well.  Make sure to taste it and adjust seasonings if you need a little more.Image

Either freeze in freezer safe containers, or process in hot water bath.

 

To preserve in hot water, canning bath – fill jars to within 1 inch, cover with hot seals and rings.  Process in hot water bath 35 minutes for pints.

This recipe makes about 7 pints.

Italian Salad Dressing

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P1110070

4 tbsp. minced red onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 cup good quality olive oil

Soak minced red onion in cold water for 15 minutes, and drain well

Combine all ingredients except olive oil.  Using blender or immersion blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.  Gradually add the oil until creamy – taste for seasonings.

This keeps well in the fridge to use on anything from salad dressings to grilled vegetables – try brushing it over grilled steaks after removing from the grill.

 

Greek Style Pork Baby Back Ribs

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Greek style ribs in Phoenix

Every so often I crave a simple rib without barbecue sauce ….. yes it is true, ribs can be fabulous minus the barbecue sauce (even one as great as mine!)  Try these, very easy to do and fall off the bone tender.  Serve with a greek salad, some grilled vegetables and garlic toast – pretty darn yummy.

2 racks baby back ribs (membrane removed from back)

olive oil

juice and zest of 1 lemon

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

basil

rosemary

oregano

dry mustard powder

dry garlic powder

Combine all the dry ingredients, mixing well.  In season I like to use fresh herbs, but in the winter when we just can’t get them I use either dried or frozen herbs.

Give the ribs a nice little massage with the olive oil – drizzle lemon over top.  Now generously sprinkle herbs with seasoning and the lemon zest, and give it another little rub to make sure all these seasonings are covering every surface.

Cover tightly and allow to marinate.  A couple of hours will do the trick, but I really prefer to do this the night before so the flavours go right through and the lemon has a bit of time to make those ribs even more tender. 

I find it easiest to do this right on a foil covered baking sheet, with the ribs covered in another sheet of foil – that way you can just put the whole thing in the oven without any further fuss.

Bake in a slow oven – about 300 degrees for 2 1/2 – 3 hours – until they are tender but not off the bone.  Finish on the grill just to crisp up the edges – drizzle lemon over top and serve!

Grilled Pizza

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P1110050

When the sun is shining, and the weather warm I can’t get enough of grilling.  One of our favorites is grilled pizza.  Once you get the hang of it you won’t be happy with doing it any other way.

I’m a bit of a nut – preferring to do everything from scratch – but you could easily purchase any part of these recipes ready made.  We have an Italian Deli right next to my work, and when I am pinched for time I buy ready made pizza dough from them when I pick up the cold cuts. 

If however, you like the process – then go ahead and give the whole thing a whirl. 

One thing I find really helpful is to pre-cook all the toppings.  For example, carmelized red onions taste way better than raw!  Thinly sliced, roasted potatoes make a great topping, as do roasted sweet peppers or sauted mushrooms.  Experiment with toppings you already love and try some new ones.

Pizza dough:

3 cups flour

1 packet instant (or Rapid Rise)  yeast

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp good quality olive oil

1 cup warm water

Lightly sift together flour, salt and instant yeast.  Combine olive oil and warm water – slowly pour into flour blend.

If you have a stand mixer, allow it to do all the work for you – kneading for about 10 minutes.  If not, go ahead and dig in there – something therapeutic about kneading dough after spending the day at a desk.

Once the dough has reached a nice soft workable mass (adding either flour if it is too wet or water if it is too dry) allow it to rest for a bit before forming pizza.

SAUCE

I like my sauce simple – toss grape tomatoes (1 packet) with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper – allow to roast in a 350 oven just until the skin starts to burst.  Blend well with some olive oil, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Adding a bit of tomato paste gives it more body.

To grill pizza, get your grill nice and hot.  Either oil one side of the pizza dough, or your grate.  Cook pizza without touching for 1-2 minutes, then lift and rotate to get great grill marks.  Do not flip.  Once you have rotated, close the lid and don’t peek – let it cook for 2-3 minutes.  This will take some experimenting with your grill to know the temperatures – you want it crispy but not burnt.

Once the grilled side is nicely done, it is time to put it in a cookie sheet, cutting board, or plate to dress.  DRESS THE GRILLED SIDE.  Don’t worry, the uncooked side will not stick to the surface.  Once you have dressed the grilled side, return it to the grill and allow it to cook for another few minutes until the uncooked side is grilled perfectly and your toppings have warmed through. 

A few suggestions for toppings:

Spicy hot capicolla, red peppers, olives, mozzarella and feta cheese

ham, sauted mushrooms, carmelized red onion and applewood smoked cheddar cheese

thinly sliced roasted red potatoes, thinly sliced zucchini, fresh rosemary and mozzarella

(try the potato pizza without the traditional tomato sauce – roast a garlic bulb, add enough olive oil, chili flakes and fresh basil to get a smooth paste – smooth over pizza before adding the toppings

salami, fresh tomato, sun dried tomato and basil

Pork Tenderloin with Cumin Chile Marinade

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P1110015

This is MOST excellent served with Sesame Peanut Noodles and Spicy Cilantro Salad.  That trio will make a meal complete.  Maybe a few steps, but WELL worth it! Our house is filled with tree planters right now, and I had to fight to get a few leftovers for lunch!

2 tbsp cumin seeds

4 scallions – 3 roughly chopped, 1 thinly sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, roughly chopped  (remove seeds if you prefer mild flavor…)

1 2 in piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp oil, plus more for grilling

1 tbsp light brown sugar

2 tsp soy salt (plus 1/4 cup soy sauce for dip)

1 tsp chinese 5 spice powder

 kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

2 pork tenderloins

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

If you want to do these on skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling.

To serve family style, simply slice pork tenderloin lengthwise, then in half – ending up with 4 pieces per tenderloin.

Toast cumin seeds untily lightly browned – set aside.

Combine scallions, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, 1 tbsp oil, brown sugar, 2 tsp soy sauce, 5 spice powder, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in food processor or blender.  Pulse until a smooth paste forms.  Add cumin seeds and pulse lightly until seeds are cracked.

Lightly season pork with salt and pepper.  Rub well with about 3/4 of the paste.

Cover with plastic wrap, or do this in a ziplock bag and seal in fridge for at least an hour.

Sauce:  Combine 1 tsp of cumin paste with 1/4 cup soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and 1 tbsp water. Set aside to drizzle after meat is cooked and to serve at table. Stir in sliced scallion and set aside.

Preheat grill to medium high heat.  Add 1 tbsp cumin paste to 2 tbsp oil and set aside to brush on while grilling.

Grill pork and brush with oil/cumin paste. 

Serve with sauce on the side, drizzling some of it lightly over the meat just before serving.

 

Sun Dried Tomato Brie

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brie two ways

Brie is a favorite appeitzer, whether served hot and oozing, or cold on a cheese platter.  This is one of our favorites – always a hit to take when you need a quick easy appetizer.

minced sun dried tomatoes

generous sprinkling of fresh herbs, minced  (parsley, oregano and basil work well)

finely chopped fresh chives

finely chopped fresh fresh garlic

salt and pepper

lemon

olive oil

Depending on the size of the brie wheel you have – mince up enough of the toppings to generously cover the cheese.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, squeeze a bit of lemon over, and top with salt and pepper.

Heat in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes, just until the cheese starts to bulge against the rind.  Serve with fresh baguette, toast rounds or your favorite cracker. 

This also works really well on the grill if you have a good heat resistant container to both warm and serve in.

Thai Style Grilled Pork

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Tonight I felt like a Thai inspired meal – which started with Vegetarian Penang Curry – I wanted a protein to grill that would complement the sauce and flavour of the curry.  This was perfect – my only disappointment was that as it was ready – the skies opened up with crazy rain, hail, thunder and lightning.  Nope, no grilling going on here.  So – it was grill pan.  Second best always, but it turned out quite delicious!
Thai Style Grilled Pork

DIPPING SAUCE

1/3 cup white sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper, freshly ground

Blend well and set aside for serving.

PORK

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp low salt soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp freshly ground ginger

1 tsp chili flakes

1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper

3 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely minced

1 pound pork steak, or tenderloin

(be flexible with the pork – tonight’s was pork steak on a grill pan – but this would be great threaded on to skewers)

I let this marinate for an hour before grilling, but up to 24 hours would be even better.

This is easiest if you mix the marinade in a ziplock bag or tightly closed container, add the pork and allow to marinate until ready to cook.

Grill pork, sprinkle with fresh cilantro and green onions – serve with dipping sauce.

The meat is great all by itself, but served with the dipping sauce it is over the top yummy.  

We served it tonight with Penang Curry and Jasmine rice.

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Red Wine Vinaigrette

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P1090588

1 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp pepper

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

7 tbsp good quality olive oil

Whisk together dry ingredients and slowly drizzle olive oil until incorporated.

This dressing is my basic house dressing – used for everything.  Salads, marinades, dressing up a bit of grilled baguette …. use your imagination…

(I also love this for tossing vegetables in it before and after grilling)P1100664

Grilled or Wood Fire Barbecue Chicken PIzza

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Either make your own pizza dough, or buy some ready made from an Italian deli – make sure it is really good quality if you aren’t making your own. Come up with your own favorite toppings, or use this version – it was a real hit at our good friend Karli’s wedding stagette!  I think the wood fire oven made all the difference, but not everybody has one of those in their back yard.  We have had great pizzas just off our grill too – so try it!  Of course, you could buy BBQ sauce too – but I just like making it so I have included that recipe.

BBQ SAUCE

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/2  cup cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp molasses
  • 1 can or bottle beer
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1/4 cup hot sauce
  • zest & juice of 1  lemon or lime
  • 4 tbsp maple syrup
  • 4 tbsp soya sauce

Heat oil in heavy saucepan and saute onions until soft.  Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil – allow to simmer until it has reduced and is nice and thick.  Taste to adjust for seasoning.  Sometimes just a bit of salt and pepper is all you need – but taste, taste, taste!  Get it just the way you like it.

Grill chicken breasts over indirect heat, basting with bbq sauce until cooked through, and juices run clear – allow to cool, then shred.

Grate jalapeno havarti cheese – set aside

Thinly slice red onions and cook over moderate heat until carmelized – allow to cool

Cook one side of the pizza on your grill – or in your wood fire oven – turn over and dress with:

BBQ sauce

shredded chicken

slivers of green and yellow peppers

grated cheese

carmelized onion

Return to grill or oven and cook just until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden and crunchy.