Grilling Recipes

Flank Steak with Cilantro-Almond Pesto

3/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Prepare grill. Combine first 6 ingredients in a blender; process until finely chopped (about 15 seconds). Add yogurt and juice; process until smooth.

Grill steak 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve steak with pesto. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired. Makes 4 servings

Baby-Back Ribs

2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
4 pounds baby-back pork ribs (2 racks)

Light a grill or heat oven to 300°. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, chili powder, salt, mustard powder, and thyme. Rub the mixture on the ribs, coating each side.

If grilling, cook the ribs bone-side down over medium-low heat or when the coals are well covered with ash. Adjust the flame or add coals as necessary. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. If oven roasting, place the meat in roasting pans bone-side down and cook for 1 1/2 hours. The ribs are done when you can insert a fork between two ribs and separate them. Makes 4 servings

Grilled Chicken with Whiskey-Ginger Marinade

4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/3 cup bourbon
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Combine bourbon and next 9 ingredients (bourbon through garlic). Reserve 1/3 cup marinade. Pour remaining marinade into a zip-top plastic bag; add chicken. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally. Preheat grill to medium-hot using both burners.

Turn left burner off (leave right burner on). Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Coat grill rack with cooking spray. Place chicken on grill rack over right burner; grill 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Move chicken to grill rack over left burner. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until done. Slice each breast diagonally into thin strips; place chicken on a platter. Cover loosely with foil.

Combine water and cornstarch, stirring well with a whisk. Place reserved 1/3 cup marinade in a small saucepan; stir in cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Drizzle sauce over chicken; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Makes 4 servings

Asian Flank Steak Salad

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (1-lb.) flank steaks
1 (1 3/4-lb.) napa cabbage, chopped
1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
Soy-Sesame Dressing

Combine teriyaki sauce and oil in a shallow dish or large zip-top plastic freezer bag; add steaks, turning to coat. Cover or seal, and chill 1 hour, turning steaks occasionally. Remove steaks from marinade, discarding marinade.

Grill steaks, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 5 to 7 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes; cut diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Toss steak slices, cabbage, and next 5 ingredients together; drizzle with desired amount of dressing, tossing gently to coat. Makes 8 servings

Soy-Sesame Dressing
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
1 to 2 tsp. Asian garlic-chili sauce

Whisk together all ingredients. Makes 3/4 cup

Pork Tacos with Slaw and Spicy Pepitas

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ancho or chipotle chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
Cooking spray
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, divided
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper
1/2 (16-ounce) package coleslaw (about 3 cups)
12 (6-inch) white or yellow corn tortillas
6 tablespoons light sour cream
6 tablespoons Spicy Pepitas

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Lightly coat pork with cooking spray; rub spice mixture over both sides of pork. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat grill.

Place pork on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 1 minute on each side or until done. Cut pork into 1/4-inch slices. Combine pork and 2 tablespoons juice in a medium bowl, tossing to coat. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons juice, bell pepper, onions, jalapeño, and coleslaw in a large bowl, tossing well.

Heat a nonstick griddle over medium heat. Coat griddle with cooking spray. Arrange 6 tortillas in a single layer; cook 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Repeat procedure with cooking spray and remaining 6 tortillas. Divide pork mixture evenly among tortillas; top each tortilla with 2 tablespoons coleslaw mixture, 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream, and 1 1/2 teaspoons Spicy Pepitas. Makes 6 servings

Spicy Pepitas
1 cup unsalted pumpkinseed kernels
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ancho or chipotle chile pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add kernels to pan; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove from pan; cool completely. Makes 1 cup

Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast with Watermelon-Jalapeno Salsa

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed seeded watermelon
1 cup (1/2-inch) cubed peeled ripe mango
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper (about 1 small)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator up to 4 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until done. Combine watermelon and remaining ingredients. Serve watermelon mixture with chicken. Makes 4 servings

Grilled Italian Meatball Burgers

1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
8 kaiser rolls, split
1 cup roasted garlic Parmesan spaghetti sauce, warmed

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture and mix well. Shape into eight burgers.

Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear.

Sprinkle burgers with cheese; cover and grill 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Remove and keep warm. Grill rolls, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until toasted. Serve burgers on rolls with spaghetti sauce. Makes 8 servings.

Grilled Beef Tenderloin Sandwiches

1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beef tenderloin roast (1 pound)
1 whole garlic bulb
1/2 teaspoon canola oil
1/4 cup each mayonnaise and plain yogurt

Onion Topping:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 slices French bread (3/4 inch thick)
1 cup fresh arugula

Combine the first four ingredients; rub over meat. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove papery outer skin from garlic (do not peel or separate cloves). Cut top off of garlic.

Brush with canola oil. Wrap bulb in heavy-duty foil. Bake at 425° for 30-35 minutes or until softened. Cool for 10-15 minutes. Squeeze garlic into food processor; add mayonnaise and yogurt. Process until smooth; chill.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil and saute onion for 5 minutes. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 10-12 minutes or until onion is golden. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until tender. Add next four ingredients; cook until reduced slightly

Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill beef, covered, over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into 4 slices. Serve warm on bread with garlic mayonnaise, arugula and onion mixture. Makes 4 servings.

Grilled Tilapia with Smoked Paprika

Polenta:
4 cups milk
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

Fish:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Cooking spray

To prepare polenta, bring milk to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually add polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat, and cook 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese; cover and keep warm.

To prepare the fish, heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine oil, paprika, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a bowl, stirring well. Rub fish evenly with oil mixture.

Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Makes 4 servings

Bourbon-Marinated Pork Tenderloin

1 (1 1/4-lb.) pork tenderloin
6 tablespoons Lea & Perrins Original Worcestershire Sauce
3 tablespoons bourbon
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons honey-Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Remove silver skin from tenderloin, leaving a thin layer of fat covering tenderloin. Whisk together Worcestershire sauce and next 5 ingredients in a small bowl until blended. Pour marinade into a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; add pork, turning to coat. Seal bag, and chill 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Remove pork from marinade, reserving marinade. Grill pork, covered with grill lid, 10 to 12 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 150° to 155°. Remove pork from grill, and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, bring reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil 2 minutes. Drizzle sauce over pork before serving. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Mojito Shrimp

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. peeled, deveined shrimp (21 to 30 per lb., tails on)
Mojito Marinade
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Mint sprigs

Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for high heat (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 in. above cooking grate only 1 to 2 seconds). Meanwhile, put shrimp in a 1-gal. resealable plastic bag and pour in marinade. Seal and marinate at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes. Remove shrimp, reserving marinade. Thread shrimp onto 6 or 7 (10- to 14-in.) metal or bamboo skewers.

Arrange shrimp on grill and baste with marinade (dab some mint and shallot onto shrimp); close lid. Cook until shrimp are just beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn shrimp over, baste again, and close lid.

Cook 1 to 2 minutes until browned but still moist in center (cut to check). Transfer shrimp to a platter, drizzle with lime juice, and garnish with mint sprigs. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Mojito Marinade
20 chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup sugar
1 thinly sliced shallot
1/3 cup light rum
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

In a medium bowl, combine mint leaves, sugar, and shallot. Pound with a wooden spoon to crush coarsely. Whisk in rum, lime juice, oil, lime zest, and salt. Whisk until salt dissolves. Makes about 1 cup, enough for up to 1 1/2 lbs. shrimp

Grilled Sirloin Strip Steaks

1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 (8-ounce) sirloin strip steaks
Cooking spray

Prepare grill. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub mustard mixture over both sides of steaks. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand 30 minutes.

Place steaks on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 6 servings

Lemon-Ginger Barbecued Ribs

8 pounds pork baby back ribs, cut into serving-size pieces
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
3/4 cup canola oil

Place the ribs in two shallow roasting pans; add water. Cover and bake at 325° for 2 hours. For sauce, in a blender, combine the lemon juice, corn syrup, garlic and seasonings; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream.

Drain ribs. Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Spoon some of the sauce over ribs. Grill, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or until browned, turning occasionally and brushing with sauce. Serve remaining sauce with ribs. Makes 8 servings.

Slow cooker chili recipes are one of the easiest ways to enjoy the benefits of spicy fresh food cooked using a variety of spices.

Many amateur chefs or home cooks are scared by the prospect of cooking spicy food. Such cuisine is often perceived to be the domain of professionals or cooks that have grown up in regions famous for spicy foods such as Asia or south America. This could not be further from the truth.

Spices such as chili, turmeric, garam masala, all spice and cumin offer a very simple way for the inexperienced or amateur cook to liven up an otherwise bland dish. Take for example a tin of chopped tomatoes: place them in a pan with some garlic, fresh chili and some cumin and you immediately have a lively sauce that could form the base to many Indian dishes.

So assuming chili peppers and other spices offer the cook a simple way to liven up simple cooking, adding a slow cooker simplifies the process of putting dishes together such that the chef can focus more on flavour combinations and taste rather than cooking methodologies.

Using a slow cooker chili recipe simply involves choosing a nice selection of base ingredients that can be used in most dishes; chili peppers, potatoes, carrots, courgettes, onions, garlic. In addition the cook can then add other more specific ingredients such as chicken, beef, red or white wine, fish, liver etc. Once these two elements have been combined and are cooking slowly the chef has little to worry about.

Slow cookers therefore remove the need to be concerned about timings, browning onions, searing, crisping etc and instead let the chef free to concentrate on the 3rd element to a successful slow cooker chili recipe; spices. Once the first two elements are cooking, you should taste and experiment by adding different varieties of chili, turmeric or other spices and herbs in order to perfect the blend of flavours in your dish.


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turkey chili recipes