BY GWEN KENNEALLY
My daughter is out of school and I now have fantasies of the lazy days of summer! Hmmm… not so much! We have kids to schlep to camp, out of town guests, constant events and super busy work schedule. The one great thing is that you can grill with a tremendous amount of ease. I love the cedar plank and I love quick grilling that requires minimal preparation and some that can be done the night before so you can roll in and fire up the grill. I always throw some extra vegetables and a few extra pieces of meat for a grab and go on the way to the next activity. Hopefully with these recipes you will be able to lounge and enjoy a little more summer.
Caribbean Chicken with Avocado Relish
5 pounds chicken
(12 small pieces or 6 large pieces)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 3 oranges
1 cup peanut oil
1 7-ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1-cup cilantro leaves
Peel the garlic and put in food processor work bowl. Squeeze in 1 cup orange juice and remaining marinade ingredients; process until pureed; transfer to a heavy bag. Rinse chicken, pat dry and add to marinade insuring chicken is covered completely; cover and refrigerate 12 hours or up to 2 days. Remove chicken from marinade and let drain; grill turning once during cooking until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a skewer, about ten minutes. Transfer chicken to serving plate; spoon 1/4 cup relish along side chicken.
Avocado Relish
1 large tomato, diced
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1 red onion, diced
2 clove garlic, minced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno seeded and minced
1 lime
1 orange
1/2 bunch cilantro, minced cilantro
Splash red-pepper sauce
Splash worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black
Pepper to taste
Put tomato and avocado in medium bowl; squeeze lime and orange juices; add remaining ingredients; mix well and set aside.
Grilled Tuna Steaks with Pineapple Salsa
¼ cup of olive oil
Juice of one lime
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tuna Steaks, 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick.
Prepare the grill. Mix the oil and lemons, lime, salt and pepper in a small bowl and brush over both sides the tuna generously. Grill the tuna steaks 5 inches over the heat for about 6 minutes per side until they are firm to the touch. Remove from grill and serve immediately with a generous amount of salsa.
Pineapple Mango Salsa
1 medium sized pineapple, diced
2 mangos, diced
Juice of 2-3 limes
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
1/4 cup very finely slivered fresh ginger
1 red onion, cut into thin slivers
1 to 2 small jalapeños, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely cut cilantro
Gently toss together. Taste for the intensity of flavors. The heat intensifies the longer it stands. Let stand for 20 minutes to one hour for the flavors to gel. If you want to get a head start, cut the fruit the night before and place in zip locks.
Cedar Planked Salmon
1 – 2 1/2 to 3 lb salmon filet rinsed and patted dry
5 cloves garlic
3-tablespoon olive oil
Rosemary sprig, chopped
Thyme sprig, chopped
1-teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 18″ cedar plank, soaked in water 2 hours
Make small slits on the side of the fish. Slice garlic into slivers, and press into these slits. Coat fish with oil. Sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper. On a hot gas grill or over very hot charcoal briquettes heat the plank for 5 minutes each side. Place fish on plank and return to the grill. And cover. Close vents 1/2 way and don’t open for 15 minutes. Check for doneness in middle of fillet…pink and flaky. Serve immediately.
Asian Grilled Pork Tenderloin
4 pound pork tenderloin
2/3-cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup limejuice
2tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
In a small bowl, combine all marinade ingredients; mix until well blended. Place pork tenderloin in a plastic bag; pour marinade over pork in bag. Close bag tightly; marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour or up to overnight. Remove pork from marinade; reserve marinade. Grill over medium coals 20 to 25 minutes for medium doneness, turning after first 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place reserved marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Serve with sliced pork; garnish with cilantro.
Grilled Colossal Shrimp with Coconut Milk Curry
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons shallots , minced
2 teaspoons lemon grass, finely minced
1 teaspoon garlic , thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoons green curry paste
14-ounce can coconut milk
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
20 basil leaves, chopped
Juice and zest of three limes
1/2 teaspoon salt
40 colossal shrimp (about 4 pounds)
Salt and pepper
Canola oil for brushing shrimp
Basil and cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish
To make curry sauce: Heat oil in medium saucepan over high heat. Add shallots, lemon grass, and garlic sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add curry paste and sauté for 2 minutes longer. Add coconut milk, basil, cilantro, limejuice and salt Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Reserve. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Lightly brush shrimp with oil and place in centre of cooking grate. Grill 4 to 8 minutes until shrimp turn pink and opaque in thickest part, turning once halfway through grilling time. To serve, spoon some sauce on serving platter. Arrange shrimp on sauce and sprinkle with the basil and cilantro. Serve with remaining sauce.
Grilled Corn with Chili Lime Butter
8 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, softened
1/2-teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
4 teaspoons fresh limejuice
1/2 teaspoon jalapeño, minced (or to taste)
8 ears corn on the cob in the husks
Place the butter in a small bowl; add the chili powder, lime peel, limejuice, jalapeño and salt. Mix well. Shape the butter into a log and slice into 8 even pieces. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Heat grill to medium-high. Place corn (in husk) on the grill, rotating the corn so you cook on all sides, for approximately 15 minutes total. Remove from grill and cool slightly (so you are able to peel the husk). Place corn back on grill over the same flame for about 4 minutes, once again rotating the corn for even grill marks.
Gwen Kenneally is the owner of Back to the Kitchen, Full Service Catering and Party Planning. She is the co-founder and master baker at Magpie Gourmet Mini Pies. Check out her websites www.Backtothekitchen.net and http://magpieminipie.vpweb.com. Her Sweet and Savory Cookbook is available through AMAZON .
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