Grilled Asian Pork Chops

Pork combined with fruit is a special and unique combination. This dish has all the great components of Asian cooking,sweet ,tart , spicy and a little sour. How can you go wrong with a recipe from the great C.I.A  of America.

Serves 6

MARINADE

2 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon Aniseed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons Dark sesame oil.

 

6 Pork chops

1 cup chopped bottled pimientos,drained

6 fresh apricots,halved and pitted

1/4 cup ketchup

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves,crushed

1/4 cup chicken broth

salt to taste

TO MAKE MARINADE

In a large mortar ,crush the garlic  cloves,aniseed, and salt together to make a paste. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Put the chops in a shallow baking dish. Rub the pork chops with the marinade. Cover and refridgerate for 2-3 hours.

Light a fire in a charcoal or gas grill. remove the pork chops from the marinade.

In a small saucepan,combine the pimientos,apricots, ketchup,lemon zest, garlic, and chicken broth and simmer for 30 minutes. Puree and strain through a fine meshed sieve. The consistency should be that of a syrup. Adjust it ,if necessary by reducing it furthur or adding more broth. Season with salt. set aside and keep warm.

Grill the chops over medium -hot fire for 5 minutes on each side. Serve with rice and the sauce on the side.

Red Snapper with mint and garlic

Recently several people have asked me for quick,easy on time,delicious,nutrious recipe suggestions. Now,that may see like a tall order but check out this recipe for red snapper with mint and garlic from Antonio’s La Fiamma in Maitland Florida. It covers all basis…and may I add ,is also good for you.

Serves 2

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon Balsamic or red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons minced fresh mint

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 lb Red Snapper or Orange Roughy fillets

Prepare barbecue or broiler to medium high heat. Mix first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. place fish on baking sheet. Brush generously with mint mixture. Turn and brush with more mint mixture. Place fish on grill or broiler and cooked until cooked through. Brushing frequently with mint mixture,about 3 minutes per side. Divide fish between plates and serve.

Grilled Vegetable and Tempeh Fajitas

Finding a good flavorful way of getting protein for vegans and vegetarians is challenging. I love to use my fancy,stainless steel grill but as a vegetarian I am often at a loss. Here is a recipe I found for Fajitas using Tempeh,a delicious non animal form of protein. I love to place a well seasoned cast iron skillet in a very hot oven or grill till extreemly hot then place all the marinated ingredients in. Careful as you handle the pan it will burn if not carefully handled.

In a steamer basket,place the whole blocks of tempeh,steam for 10 minutes,and set aside.

In a bowl,combine the orange juice,cilantro,olive oil,lime juice,zest,vinegar,liquid smoke,oregano,thyme,garlic,cumin,cinnamon and pepper and whisk well to blend.

Place the steamed blocks of tempeh and vegetables in a zip top bag and pour on the marinade. Shake to combine. Zip.Place in the refridgerator for 4 to 6 hours or more..

Preheat a cast iron skillet on a barbecue or oven at 450 degrees. Pour on the contents of the zip top bag onto the cast iron skillet and cook until well browned,abot 10-12 minutes. Sliced Tempeh into strips.

Fill each tortilla with tempeh,vegetables,sour cream and salsa. Roll and eat.

 

2 8oz packages Tempeh

1 Jalapeneo stemmed,seeded,minced

1/3 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons lime juice

Zest of 1 lime

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons Liquid Smoke

1 tablespoon each fresh oregano,thyme and minced garlic

1 tablespoon

11/2 teaspoons cumin

Freshly ground black pepper

1 of each,sliced into 1 inch wide strips Red Pepper,Green Pepper,Orange pepper ,Red onion, and Zucchini

8 or more 8 inch tortillas

Garnishes

Shredded cheddar or soy cheese

Cilantro and sour cream or Tofu cream

Salsa,Mild or spicy

Grilled Chicken with three Mustard Sauce

Years ago I found this recipe for a low fat ,great tasting chicken from the chef at The Boston Park Plaza Hotel. as I have mentioned previously not only is Boston one of my very favorite cities but I also often stay at the Park Plaza,just thinking about my visits there reminded me of this dish…Enjoy and feel good doing it.

Serves 4

3 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons dry vermouth

2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

1 teaspoon whole-grain Mustard

1 teaspoon creole mustard or spicy brown mustard

4 skinless boneless chicken breast fillets

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Combine stock and vermouth in a heavy medium saucepan. Boil over high heat until reduced to 3/4 cup,about 25 minutes. Add all mustards and whisk to blend. Simmer until slightly thickened,about 3 minutes. Season sauce to taste with pepper(can be prepared 1 day ahead.Cover and refridgerate. Bring to simmer before serving)

Preheat barbecue(medium high heat)or preheat broiler. Rub chicken breasts with garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Grill chicken until cooked through,about 4 minutes per side.

Transfer chicken to plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.

Spanish grilled herbed baby lamb chops

This is a recipe from the renounded chef Mario Batali, printed in Food and Wine magazine. This is great grilled on an barbeque or in the winter on an indoor grill. Please note that in Spain the lamb chops are about the size of lolipops, you may need additional grilling time for chops available in the U.S.

12 4 oz baby lamb rib chops

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons chopped dried lavendar buds

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Light a grill. Rub lamb all over with the olive oil and drizzle on the vinegar. In a small bowl combine the sugar, rosemary and lavendar and season with salt and pepper. Rub the herb mixture over the lamb and grill over high heat, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes for medium rare -meat. Transfer to a platter, season with salt and pepper and serve.

GRILLED CORN ON THE COB WITH SWEET AND SALTY OIL

my husband is a fan of Corn on the cob. As soon as the fresh corn hits the stores we are grilling. This recipie is unlike most of the buttery toppings we are accostomed to. The inspiration for this came from Joyce Jue.

6 ears of corn, husks and silk removed

2 tablespoons Vegetable oil, plus some for grilling

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoonswater

11/2 tablespoons sugar1 teaspoon salt

2 green (spring) onions, white parts only, thinly sliced

preheat grill and smear corn with oil. Grill turning frequently, 10-15 minutes till tender and nicely warm.

meanwhile prepare the sauce. In a ceramic bowl stir together fish sauce,water , sugar and salt. Stir till sugar dissolves. In a small saucepan heat the 2 tablespoons of oil till almost smoking. Pour the fish sauce mixture into the hot oil,stir in the spring onions. Simmer sauce for 30 seconds to a minute till sauces starts to bubble and thicken. Turn off heat and cool sauce.

As soon as the corn is cooked, brush with the sauce.

Serves 6

Balsamic Grilled Baby Bellas

1 lb Baby Bell Mushrooms,Stemmed and Cleaned

2 Tablesppons Sherry Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

2 large garlic cloves minced

Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

1/4 cup virgin olive oil

1 tablespoons minced parsley

1 tablespoon minced Chives

place Muchrooms in a glass dish

Combine rest of the ingredients whisking well to combine. Pour over Mushrooms and leave to Marinade for 5-10 minutes at room temperature.

Heat grill till hot. Add Mushrooms and grill for 2 minutes on eac side, basting with Marinade.

serve hot

Serves 4-6 as a side or appetizer