Category: Grilling

Greece, Grilling, Lamb, Main Course, Meat

Leg of Lamb with Feta, Mint, and Blood Orange Sauce

by Lynda Balslev3 Comments on Leg of Lamb with Feta, Mint, and Blood Orange Sauce

Lamb Mint Feta

Lamb, mint and feta are a match made, if not in heaven, then at least in Greece. One of my favorite preparations of lamb is to simply butterfly a leg, smear it with olive oil, garlic and salt and roast it in the oven or on the grill. In this case, I have taken the simplicity of this recipe one sweeping step further to integrate feta, mint and blood orange. A mixture of feta, mint, garlic and blood orange zest is spread on the inside of the leg, which is then rolled up and seared before roasting in the oven. While the lamb finishes in the oven, a sweet-tart reduction is made with blood orange juice, red wine and balsamic vinegar. The final flourish is a garnish of fresh mint and blood orange zest, brightening the entire dish. The angels are singing.

Mint and Feta Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Balsamic Blood Orange Sauce and Pistachio Gremolata
Serves 6

2 1/2 pounds boneless half leg of lamb, butterflied, excess fat removed
3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, divided
XX ounces crumbled feta cheese, about 1 1/2 cups
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated blood orange zest
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 thyme sprig
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 thyme sprig

Pistachio-Mint Gremolata:
1/2 cup (packed) mint leaves
1/2 cup (packed) Italian parsley leaves
1/3 cup shelled pistachios
1 small garlic clove
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely grated blood orange zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Arrange lamb, fat-side down, on a work surface. Place a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment over lamb. Pound with a mallet or heavy skillet to the flatten lamb in the thickest parts. The goal is to have as uniform a thickness as possible. Remove the parchment and make shallow incisions with a small knife in the fat. Cut 2 garlic cloves in slivers and insert a sliver in each incision.

Whisk 2 tablespoons oil, the cumin, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the oil mixture all over the lamb. (The lamb may be prepared to this point up to 12 hours in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before proceeding.)

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Combine the feta, mint, thyme, orange zest, 1 minced clove garlic, and the 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a medium bowl.

Place the lamb on a work surface, fat-side down. Spread the feta over the lamb, leaving a 1 to 1 1/2-inch border clear on all sides. Starting with a long side, roll the meat up to enclose the filling, tucking in the ends if possible. Tie with kitchen string in 1 1/2 to 2-inch intervals.

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb, seam-side down. Sear until well marked on all sides, turning as needed, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a baking pan and roast in the oven until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reads 140 F, about 40 minutes, basting occasionally. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil, and let rest 10 minutes.

While the lamb is roasting, deglaze the skillet. Add the red wine to the pan, scraping up any bits from lamb, and reduce by half. Add the blood orange juice, balsamic vinegar, thyme, and brown sugar. Simmer, stirring, until slightly reduced, about XX minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste and strain (optional).

Combine the mint, parsley, pistachios, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop. Add the oil, zest, salt, and pepper, and pulse to blend without forming a paste. The consistency should be finely chopped with a crumbly consistency.

Discard the strings from lamb. Cut in 3/4-inch thick slices. Serve on warm plates, drizzled with the balsamic blood orange sauce and sprinkled with the gremolata.

Grilling, Parties, Pork, Poultry, Roasted Chicken, Summer, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Healthy BBQ’s for Labor Day

by Lynda Balslev4 Comments on Healthy BBQ’s for Labor Day
Healthy BBQ’s for Labor Day

OK, so it’s not Julie and Julia,  but I am still very excited to share with you a video I made, courtesy of BlogHer’s The Juice with Jory Des Jardins.  In honor of the approaching Labor Day Weekend, Jory asked me to share some healthy tips for grilling.  Healthy grilling?  You bet!

Grilling is a subject I am passionate about.  Grilling makes almost anything taste great, it gets you cooking outdoors, and it’s very social and interactive.  During the summer, it’s the cooking method of choice, keeping the heat out of the kitchen, and putting the bounty of summer on the grill.  That’s right – those fruits and vegetables ripe in the garden and piled high in the markets at this time of the year?  They taste great on the grill, and they are healthy to eat.

Grilled vegetables can be tossed in salads, salsas or side dishes. Grilled Ratatouille takes the traditional summer veggie stew and elevates it with a charred smoky flavor for a delightful grilled salad. Or grill just one component of the salad or dish to add a crisp and smoky bite.  Fattoush Salad includes grilled pita bread, which adds a distinctive toasted flavor and crunchy texture.

If you want to wow your guests, yet still keep it easy, make Grilled Eggplant and Heirloom Tomato Sandwiches with Goat Cheese and Tomato Coulis. The eggplant is the star of the show and adds a creamy, charred flavor to the “sandwiches.”

As for grilling fruit, many types of fruit grill well.  Remember that grilling fruit is not about cooking but flavoring.  The heat of the grill caramelizes the natural sugars of the fruit, enhancing their flavor, leaving you wondering how anything can taste so sweet, so delicious and be so healthy, as with Grilled Nectarines and Apricots with Honey and Thyme.

And what about meat?  Grilling doesn’t just mean burgers, dogs and heavily sauced meat cuts (as much as we love them!)  Go with leaner pork and chicken.  Instead of sweet, sticky sauces, try a dry rub on Barbecued Pork Spareribs or smoke roasting a salted, whole chicken for savory, spicy, succulent results. Fish is another healthy winner on the grill.  Keep it light and simple with a Lemon-Dijon marinade for Grilled Halibut and Salmon Skewers.

The bottom line? Grilling is delicious and inspiring.  It’s communal and primitive, perfect for entertaining and enjoying the outdoors.  You can keep it down, dirty and simple, with paper plates and beer, or all dressed up with a decorated picnic table, cut flowers and posh cocktails.  The important thing is to have fun, invite friends and enjoy fresh, seasonal food when you fire up that BBQ this Labor Day!

Barbeque, Desserts, Fruit, Grilling, Summer

Grilled Nectarines and Apricots with Greek Yogurt, Honey and Thyme

by Lynda Balslev3 Comments on Grilled Nectarines and Apricots with Greek Yogurt, Honey and Thyme

Grilled Nectarines and Apricot

It’s the final stretch of summer, and the month of August is digging in its heels as autumn approaches.  The days are slow and lazy, as the summer sun falls a little lower in the sky, casting lavender and peach hues in the steamy horizon.  Life is simple, and food is easy, cool and sweet, especially in the fruit department.  Eliptically shaped watermelons, weighing more than a stuffed picnic basket, are cut up and slurped for their refreshing liquid and sweetness. Ripe cantalope melons vie for attention, equally sweet and easy to eat – either dressed up, all fancy, on a plate with salty prosciutto or simply eaten by the wedge.  Stone fruits stack our bowls: Nectarines, peaches, apricots and plums mingle in teetering piles, perfumed, tangy, and juicy, begging to be eaten with the promise of a quick pick-me-up when the heat wilts our energy and appetite. Summer eating doesn’t get better than this with no fuss and no kitchen heat.  In fact, the only heat action, beyond the sun, is on the barbeque, where, not surprisingly, many of these fruits are quite compatible with our favorite summer activity: grilling.

Grilling fruit is not about cooking, but intensifying the flavor and sweetness of the fruit.  The grilling process enhances the fruit as the natural sugars begin to caramelize while the fruit browns.  Many types of fruit can be grilled, such as melon, stone fruit, pineapple, mangoes, apples and pears.  Have fun experimenting, remembering to lightly oil the fruit before grilling and not to let the fruit blacken too much, because it will become bitter.  Grilled fruit can be used with sweet and savory dishes, incorporated into salads and salsas or starring in a dessert such as this:

Grilled Nectarines and Apricots

Grilled Nectarines and Apricots with Greek Yogurt, Honey and Thyme
Serves 6

3 nectarines, halved, pitted
6 apricots, halved, pitted
Vegetable oil
Whole milk Greek-style yogurt, room temperature, stirred to soften
Honey
Thyme sprigs

Prepare grill for medium-hot heat. Halve the fruit and remove the pits.  Lightly oil the cut side of the fruit.  Place cut side down over direct medium-hot heat.  Cook until char marks appear, 3-4 minutes. Arrange fruit, cut-side up, on plates.  Serve with a spoonful of Greek yogurt.  Drizzle yogurt and fruit with honey.  Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Grilling, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Grilled Ratatouille Salad

by Lynda Balslev2 Comments on Grilled Ratatouille Salad

Grilled Ratatouille

Grilled Salad?  You bet. This version of ratatouille is perfect in the summer when the season is lobbing a kaleidescope of Provençal vegetables our way. Instead of simmering eggplant, squash, onions and peppers with tomatoes on the stove in the traditional Niçoise fashion, try grilling all of them on the barbeque.  Bright, colorful, and pleasantly charred, this salad is a healthy, summery side dish or salad.  Serve as an accompaniment to grilled meats and fish or as a smoky, crunchy stand-alone salad with crusty pain paysan. Alternatively, head further south in the Mediterranean for inspiration: Add feta cheese and kalamata olives to the grilled vegetables for a twist on Greek salad.

Grilled Ratatouille Salad
Serves 6 as a side dish

2-3 bamboo skewers

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1 large, firm eggplant/aubergine, cut horizontally in 1/2″ thick slices
2 large red onions, cut horizontally in 1/2″ thick slices
2 thin zucchini/courgettes, halved lengthwise
2 thin yellow squash, halved lengthwise
2 red peppers, halved, seeded, stems removed
1 poblano pepper, halved, seeded, stem removed

Extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves minced
1 small bunch Italian parsley leaves, stems removed, chopped
1 small bunch basil leaves, ripped in half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soak skewers 30 minutes before grilling.  Preheat grill or oven. Thread tomatoes on skewers.  Arrange all the vegetables and tomato skewers on a large baking sheet.  Lightly drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat thoroughly.  Sprinkle with salt.  Grill vegetables on barbeque until nicely browned and just cooked through. (Or grill in one layer in oven, turning once.)

Allow vegetables to cool slightly. Remove tomatoes from skewers and place in large bowl. Cut eggplant, onions, zucchini, squash and peppers in 1″ pieces. Add to bowl with tomatoes.  Toss vegetables with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with extra parsley and basil leaves.

Barbeque, Grilling, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Roasted Potatoes with Garlic, Mint and Lemon Zest

by Lynda Balslev2 Comments on Roasted Potatoes with Garlic, Mint and Lemon Zest

 

Roasted Potatoes
Roasted potatoes are meat’s best friend.  I serve these potatoes frequently when it’s summer and fresh mint is abundant. The grill is always going, and this recipe is a perfect accompaniment with grilled meat, chicken and fish.  Toss the warm potatoes when they come out of the oven with the crushed garlic, lemon zest and mint, and let the heat of the potatoes coax the aroma out of the garlic, lemon and mint.  Serve immediately or allow to cool slightly before eating.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Garlic, Mint and Lemon Zest

2 lb. (1 kg.) baby red potatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves,
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C.)
Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.  Arrange in one layer in a baking pan.  Roast in oven one hour.  Transfer potatoes to serving bowl.  Toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and mint.  Serve immediately or slightly cooled.

Barbeque, Condiment, Grilling, Vegetarian

Harissa

by Lynda Balslev4 Comments on Harissa

Harissa

It’s the little things that can sometimes make a big difference.  Harissa is one of my favorite “little” condiments that features on our table, especially during grill season.  Until now, I have only referred to it as a link in other recipes, but it’s high time that harissa gets its own post.

Harissa is a Middle Eastern condiment that is a blend of roasted peppers, chiles, garlic and ground spices.  Savory, sweet, and hot, it adds a fresh and fiery component to grilled meat, fish, and chicken.  Mix it in with rice dishes and tabbouleh, soups and dips, or simply eat it with a spoon.  It elevates anything it garnishes and is guaranteed to fire up your tastebuds.

Harissa
Makes about 2 cups

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded, coarsely chopped
2-3 small red serrano chiles, stemmed, minced with seeds
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Fresh coriander and/or mint leaves

Toast cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and caraway seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until aromatic, about one minute. Transfer to a mortar with pestle.  Grind seeds to a fine powder.
Combine ground seeds, red peppers, chiles, garlic and olive oil in bowl of food processor.  Process until smooth, adding more olive oil, if necessary, to desired consistency.  Add sea salt and pepper to taste.
Let sit at least one hour and up to 24 hours before serving.  (Refrigerate before use.)
Serve garnished with coriander or mint leaves.

Tip:  Adjust the heat to your taste by omitting or adding the seeds and membrane of the chiles.  Remember that there should be some heat to Harissa.

Barbeque, Farmers Market, gluten-free, Grilling, Main Course, Meat

Grilled Steak with Rosemary, Shitake Mushrooms and Garlic Scapes

by Lynda Balslev

Steak Shitake

In honor of Mother’s Day I purchased some beautiful New York strip steaks at the market. At home, I made a paste of garlic, sea salt and olive oil and smeared the steaks all over with the paste. While they marinated, I prepared a stir-fry of shiitake mushrooms and garlic scapes which was a perfect accompaniment to the grilled steaks.

Elephant garlic scapes resemble an oversized chive with a bulbous flower at the end.  The stalks are firm with a peppery bite and mild garlic flavor.  They are wonderful in a stir-fry, because they retain their crispness, and impart a mellow, garlicky flavor.  The flowers are edible and, when cooked, have a somewhat astringent and earthy taste.  With the shitakes I used the scape stalks and saved the flowers for another use – perhaps in a decorative context.

Elephant Garlic Scapes

New York Strip Steak with Sautéed Shitake Mushrooms and Garlic Scapes

Serves 4

For the Steaks:
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt, such as Maldon
1 sprig rosemary
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

4 New York or Ribeye steaks, about 2 lbs. (1 kg.)

Combine garlic, salt and rosemary in a mortar with a pestle and smash together. Mix in the olive oil and black pepper. Rub the oil all over the steaks.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours (can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance.)  Remove from refrigerator one hour before grilling.

Grill the steaks over a hot fire, 5 minutes per side for medium-rare or to desired doneness.
Remove from grill and place on cutting board.  Cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving.

For the Shitake and Garlic Scape stir-fry:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
6 elephant garlic scapes, bulbs removed, stalks cut in 1/4″ pieces
1 sprig rosemary
4 oz. (125 g.) shitake mushrooms, wiped clean with paper towel, ends trimmed, sliced
1/3 cup (80 ml.) beef or chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet.  Add garlic clove and sauté one minute.  Add garlic scapes and sauté 1 minute.  Add rosemary sprig and shitake mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms release juices and turn golden brown.  Add stock and deglaze pan.  Add soy sauce.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove and discard rosemary sprig. Serve alongside or on top of grilled steaks.  Garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Steak Shitake Garlic

 

 

Appetizers, Barbeque, Fish and Shellfish, Greece, Grilling

Easy Entertaining: Grilled Salmon and Halibut Skewers

by Lynda Balslev3 Comments on Easy Entertaining: Grilled Salmon and Halibut Skewers
Easy Entertaining: Grilled Salmon and Halibut Skewers

It’s mid-April, Easter vacation, and when it rains it pours – luckily and figuratively – in the houseguest department.  Who needs to go away during a school vacation, when you live in the San Francisco Bay area?  There is no shortage of beaches and nature to explore, food and wine to taste, museums and city to walk, and it can’t get any better than with the streak of brilliant weather we have had this week.  Besides, if we don’t go away, then those who do go away, come to us.

We are reaching the end of a week of playing tourist in our own backyard, hiking Pacific coastal trails, tasting Napa wine, window shopping in Union Square, and having our senses titillated in Chinatown.  My brother and his family have come and gone and return again this evening after visiting Yosemite National Park for a 3 day excursion. While they were gone, the kids have had friends sleep over, and a good friend from our Geneva days came round for a dinner – she was in town for business and we had the chance to catch up after 10 years over good wine and food.  Next week when we are back to our usual routine I will rest.

As you might imagine, the kitchen chez nous has been busy and continually re-stocked.  And for last night’s dinner I prepared these lovely fish kabobs for easy, elegant entertaining.

Grilled Salmon and Halibut Skewers
Serves 6

For the marinade:
1/4 cup (60 ml.) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml.) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 medium yellow onion, grated, with juices
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

3 lbs. salmon fillet and halibut filet (thick pieces), cut in 1″ chunks
1 large red onion, cut in 1″ pieces
1 large red pepper, cut in 1″ pieces
1 large yellow pepper, cut in 1″ pieces

Italian flat leaf parsley for garnish

Soak 12 wooden skewers in hot water 30 minutes before using.

In a large bowl combine marinade ingredients.  Whisk together.  Add fish to marinade and toss gently to coat.  Refrigerate at least one hour and up to 4 hours.
Preheat grill or oven grill.
Remove skewers from water.  Thread 4-5 pieces of fish on each skewer, alternating with pepper and onion pieces.  Grill, turning, until fish is brown and just cooked through, 6-8 minutes.
Arrange on a platter, salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with parsley sprigs.

Barbeque, Chicken, Grilling, Main Course, Poultry

Moroccan Spiced Chicken under a Brick

by Lynda Balslev6 Comments on Moroccan Spiced Chicken under a Brick

Morroccan Chicken

In the mood for a crispy, spicy, succulent chicken?  Look no further.  This recipe combines the aromatic spices of North Africa with a, er, brick. Chicken under a Brick is an easy way to get a crispy grilled chicken on the stovetop. Or, in my case, chicken under a Dutch oven, but I’ll get to that in a moment.

Every week we roast a chicken in our house for dinner.  It’s easy, flavorful, and resourceful; one chicken feeds a family and then some.  Stock is made from the carcass, and any left over meat can be used later for lunches, a light dinner, salad or soup.  This week, I bought a chicken, but decided not to roast it the way I usually do.  I was craving something a little different – something crispy and spicy to launch us into a new rainy week.  I asked my butcher to butterfly the chicken, which entails removing the backbone, and flattening out the chicken so it can cook evenly.  This is where the brick comes in.  The brick will weigh down the chicken, keeping it flat while it cooks, ensuring that more surface area will be in direct contact with the cooking element (grill) or pan.  Why a brick?  Because it’s heavy and can withstand the heat.  In my case, I don’t have a brick, but I do have a heavy Le Creuset Dutch oven, that I placed directly on the chicken, which did the trick.

As for the spicing, I realize I am having a bout of wanderlust, because lately I have been dreaming of the far-flung destination of Morocco and its cuisine.  While I don’t foresee a trip to North Africa in my immediate future, I can at least bring its flavors and spices to my kitchen table.  Using lots of garlic, fresh coriander leaves, saffron, lemon zest and olive oil, I made a paste that I smeared all over the chicken and under the skin.  Then I made a dry rub of paprika, dried cumin, cayenne, and freshly ground black pepper and sprinkled it all over the chicken.  The spices and flavors cooked into the skin and meat lending a subtly exotic flavor and heat to the meat and a vibrant color to the crisp-cooked skin.

Serve this dish with couscous or rice.  Accompany with a green salad, or a Middle Eastern Salad consisting of chopped tomatoes, onion, cucumber, mint, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.  No, we are not in Morocco, but close your eyes and picture yourself far away while you smell the aroma and enjoy the flavors of this delightful chicken.

MorroccanChicken

Moroccan Spiced Chicken under a Brick
Serves 4

1 whole chicken (3-4 lb.), backbone removed, butterflied
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander/cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or to taste

Make the Paste:
Combine garlic, coriander, one teaspoon salt, lemon zest and saffron in a mortar with pestle.  Smash to a paste.  Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and stir to combine.  Alternatively, mince garlic and add to a small bowl with coriander, one teaspoon salt, lemon zest, saffron and 3 tablespoons olive oil.  Mix together with a fork.  Rub chicken all over with paste, including between skin and breast meat.  Place on tray or platter, skin side up and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.  Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting.

Prepare Chicken:
Preheat oven to 450 F. (225 C.)
Mix one teaspoon salt, paprika, cumin, black pepper and cayenne together.  Sprinkle over both sides of chicken. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat.  Place chicken, skin-side down, in skillet.  Place brick wrapped in foil (or cast iron pan or Dutch-oven over chicken.)  Cook chicken over medium-high heat without moving brick until nicely browned, 10-15 minutes, occasionally rotating skillet to ensure even cooking. Remove from heat and remove brick. Carefully turn chicken over in the pan with a large heavy weight spatula or thong without piercing the skin. Transfer chicken to the oven without the brick, skin side up. Bake until done, about 20-30 minutes, depending on size of chicken. Let rest, covered with foil, 10 minutes before carving.