travel, eat, cook and repeat
GRILLED (BBQ) CAULIFLOWER 2 WAYS This year thanks to my wife’s green thumb, we have a bounty of vegetables from our small garden. Last summer, we had so many tomatoes that we ended up making sun dried tomatoes, as well as canning tomatoes. We …
THE BEST JERK CHICKEN I love Jerk chicken and have been making it for many years, however it never ended up tasting as good as what I had in the Caribbean or in an authentic Jamaican restaurant. After a ton of research and after …
GRILLED SMASH(ED) BURGER
I have been craving burgers for a while, especially the crispy thin meat patty commonly called the smash burger.
The key to having the thin crispy meat patty is a higher fat content of the meat and high heat which quickly cooks the meat.
After trying out various recipes, I ended up with the recipe below which was quick, easy and really tasty, in fact it was so good that I made it back to back 3 days in a row.
Use a heavy spatula to flatten the meat.
Ingredients:
Coarse ground meat with at least 20% fat (beef/lamb or combo)
Brioche bun (or potato bun)
Red onions, thinly sliced
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Garlic powder
Kosher salt (to taste)
Fresh ground pepper (to taste)
Spicy aioli (or combine 1 cup Mayo with 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce)
Pepper Jack cheese slices
Method:
Form small round balls with the meat (each ball should be about 2-3 oz – 1” diameter)
Place a grill pan on the grill.
Add olive oil to coat the surface.
Turn the grill to high (500*F)
Add the sliced onions and cook by tossing.
Add salt and pepper.
Once nicely browned, remove and set aside.
Grill the buns, inside down on the grill for 1-2 minutes.
Apply a thick layer of aioli on the bottom half of the bun.
Now you have to act quickly.
Place the balls of meat on the grill and using the heavy spatula – flatten the meat.
Don’t worry if it is irregular, just make sure that it is as thin as possible.
Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper on the meat.
Turn after 2 minutes (it should be crisp and well browned on the other side).
Place slices of cheese on top.
Remove from grill pan as soon as the cheese melts.
Build the burger by adding 2 meat patties to the bottom half of the bun.
Top with grilled onions and the other half of the bun.
Note: If you can’t grill, you can easily make this on a heavy bottomed frying pan, just make sure that it is hot and well oiled.
THAI STYLE GRILLED FISH I have been craving fish for the last month or so, ever since returning from traveling to the Northwest US and Alaska and then on to South Asia. Usually I crave meat and veggies, but all of a sudden my …
GRILLED WHITE FISH (CHILEAN SEA BASS) IN FOIL I have always been fascinated by fish marinated in spices and wrapped in a leaf (usually banana) and then steamed or cooked over a griddle. This type of cooking is popular in South East Asia (Thailand, …
GRILLED TANDOORI CHICKEN
Tandoori chicken has been one of the most popular and well known Indian dishes worldwide and I am still trying to find the best restaurant Tandoori Chicken in the USA.
I have grilled this many times and though the marinade is easy, getting the chicken to be perfectly cooked has always been a challenge, either it is undercooked or overcooked.. Recently, I was invited to my friend and master-griller David’s home for an end of summer party, where he grilled chicken. I watched him intently and learned a great deal, which I incorporated into my own recipe. When I made this at home, it turned out perfectly. Follow these simple steps to make your own juicy, crunchy and tasty tandoori chicken.
I have been traveling a lot lately and so have not been able to post regularly. I am again leaving on a trip next week, but after I am back, I plan to post every week again.
Ingredients:
1 lb skinless (bone-in) chicken breast ( 2 large pieces)
2 tbsp Greek style yogurt
½ tsp ginger paste (or mince)
½ tsp garlic paste (or mince)
½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or Paprika)
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp garam masala (available in Indian and specialty stores)
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp kasuri methi (dried Fenugreek leaves, available in Indian stores)
½ tbsp besan (chickpea flour or use corn flour)
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp oil (preferably mustard)
Method:
Make the marinade by mixing all the ingredients together.
Make deep gashes in the chicken, down to the bone.
Place the chicken in a ziplock bag, add the marinade and rub the marinade all over the chicken.
Refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.
Before grilling, take out of the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
Oil the grill grate and turn to high.
When hot (over 500* F), open the grill to let out the hot air and turn the burners to low.
Place the chicken on the grill and cook at 250*F, turning every 5-6 minutes.
Using a grill thermometer, check the temperature in the deepest part of the meat. The chicken is cooked and well done when the core temperature is 180-190*F.
Take out of the grill, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes to seal in the juices before serving.
No grill no problem, sear the chicken on a pan on the stove and then let cook in the oven, following the same directions.
GRILLED BLOOMING ONION A perennial restaurant favorite, this is my version which can be made in minutes and cooked on a grill or oven for a much healthier version which is equally tasty. No frying! Enjoy! On a side note, my posts have been …
GRILLED PANEER OR TOFU TIKKA WITH MINT & CILANTRO SAUCE Grilling isn’t limited to meat and seafood lovers. If you are a vegetarian and want to grill or is someone who wants to eat healthier, here is a recipe for you. I made this …
MOJITO MARINATED CHICKEN KEBABS
Summer is finally here and it’s time to fire up the grill and sip cocktails while enjoying the warm air. What if you could combine the cocktail with the grilled food? I came across this recipe in the latest issue of ‘Eating Well’ and had to try it.
This was quick (less than 30 minutes from start to finish) and easy but really flavorful and delicious, as well as healthy and light.
Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1” pieces
1 red onion, cut into a thick 1” round and chopped into 4
For marinade:
½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white rum
2 tsp agave syrup (or honey)
¼ tsp kosher salt plus more for sprinkling
¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
Method:
Place all the marinade ingredients in a blender and mix for 15-20 seconds.
Reserve 2 tbsp for drizzling and marinate the chicken in the rest for 10 minutes.
Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto metal skewers.
Thread the onion pieces into separate skewers.
Turn the grill to medium high (400*F) and oil the grate.
Place the skewers directly on the grill and cook covered.
Turn the onions after 4 minutes.
Turn the chicken after 8 minutes.
Baste with excess marinade.
Cook onions for 4 minutes and chicken for another 8 minutes.
Serve warm with lime wedges.
Drizzle with ¼ tsp kosher salt and reserve marinade.
GRILLED CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH TOUM (GARLIC SAUCE) (LEBANESE) Spring is in the air and summer is almost here, what better way to enjoy the great weather than to grill some chicken outdoors. I opted for this Lebanese grilled chicken recipe with an intensely flavorful …