It's the start of the barbecue season and that means the usual fare - burgers- dogs and salads. The problem is that they can be boring. It's time to liven up the Q and change up those traditional recipes. Replace the ho-hum with something exciting.
Hamburgers are standard grill fare. Most home chefs usually buy the premade patties then slap them on the grill to cook up. Instead a more interesting option is buying ground beef and adding to it. Try the classic hamburger recipe that mixes ground chuck with beaten egg, breadcrumbs and Worcester sauce. This not only makes for a more flavorful bite but a thicker burger. Bacon makes anything taste better so think about creating a burger with a bacon center (get the already cooked bacon for this or make your own). It's the same with cheese. You can make cheddar burgers with the surprise of the sharp Vermont kind or pizza burgers with a mozzarella center. Serve the last with tomato sauce. Jalapeno burgers are always a crowd pleaser too. Add four chopped and seeded peppers to a pound of ground meat. Homemade burgers usually made with chickpeas can get an exotic spicing up with everything from cumin to turmeric. Hot dogs are a little more difficult to change up yet they can be amped up with cheese or any kind of filling. Before cooking ,slit the hot dogs lengthwise so they'll cook up with a gash. Fill the gash with melted cheddar or better yet pulled pork.Vegetarians can have their soy dogs filled with ratatouille or a hot onion chutney.
One of the most predictable barbecue dishes is salad, namely macaroni. It's usually the elbow kind mixed with Hellman's, Sometimes celery is added for color but that's it. Try tricolore rotelli instead of the traditional.and for a healthier spin olive oil instead of the mayo. Sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts round it out. For a real eye opener make a spaghetti salad.It will create both memories and smiles. Add some chopped salami and ham, along with peppers and tomatoes in an Italian dressing to a bowl of cold pasta. Make a veggie salad fun by using a spiralizer. These are great gadgets that turn veggies into long strands or "noodles". Think of making a cucumber noodle salad with sour cream and fresh dill. Sub in Greek yogurt for a healthier dish. Chickpeas and their liquid can have double use at a cookout. Use the first along with parsley and chopped onions in a Mediterranean style salad with za'atar dressing. Za'atar is a mix of sumac , oregano, marjoram along with toasted sesame seeds and thyme. Sea salt rounds this easy to make spice. The accompanying liquid has the same composition as egg whites and can be transformed into a vegan mayonnaise, along with adding lemon juice, Worcester sauce, dry mustard and a pinch of sugar. This can also be used as a condiment too.
Don;t have a boring barbecue. Liven it up with unique homemade burgers and fancily filled dogs along with some wild salads. It'll be not only tasty but fun - exactly what a cook out should be.
Showing posts with label Mediterranean. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mediterranean. Show all posts
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Monday, December 14, 2015
Your Holiday Roast Your Way
With Christmas and New Year's only weeks away , its' time to think of the the man dish, the roast..Many home chefs freak out at the idea of it. There;s so much prep, and pressure to cook it correctly and give family and guests , moist juicy slices. The best way of dealing with this is picking a roast that fits the skill level. That way there's a delicious roast, with little or no mistakes.
Neophyte home chefs should look into roast chicken for their first holiday meal. It's the simplest meat to roast and the finished product is always a good one.It only takes an hour to make and prep time is almost nil. You can just rub it with butter, salt and pepper and then pop it into the oven. Herbs such as rosemary and thyme accentuates the flavor even more and you can also add a squeeze of fresh lemon or orange juice before adding the seasoning. If you're having more than five you could get two chickens or better yet a capon or gelded rooster.An eight pound one does take two hours to cook and there is some basting required. Yet it's not that difficult and a first time roaster can do it.Fish is another easy roast. Go for a bronzino or a trout, s slim fish that cooks up easily. It can be seasoned with ginger, garlic and Asian sesame oil for an Oriental flavor, Give it a Mediterranean flair with chopped parsley, and red peppers along with salted capers and garlic. Bring the Caribbean to the holiday table by giving the fish a paste bath of ginger, garlic clove and allspice.Roasting time is only thirty minutes so there's no worry about it drying out or constant basting.
Intermediate home chefs may want to try leg of lamb for their Christmas or New Year's dinner.Again it's an easy roast of only thirty minutes. Most cooks usually make it with a rub of garlic and rosemary. There's even a thin gravy of red wine, diced onions and chicken stock liberally laced with rosemary, chives and parsley.It can also be made Greek style with lemons and oregano. It should be bone in roast so you can get that extra taste/ If you want a more well done meat then roast for another half an hour or hour more.Roast beef or London broil is another good main dish for intermediate chefs to make.It's an easy seasoning of just salt and pepper, and olive oil. Small slits are made throughout the meat for garlic cloves. Roasting takes two to three hours. The meat is cooked in a very hot oven at 375 degrees F for the first half hour to brown it, then at a lower 225 degrees F for the last ninety minutes.This gives you enough time to make the sides and gravy too.Intermediate and experienced chefs may want to try something grander for Christmas dinner such as turkey.It's an elegant way to celebrate even though it can be a bit of work. Home chefs should roast the bird breast side down for a moister meat.It should be roasted on a bed of layered celery for a more delicious and flavorful gravy. Butter should be rubbed all over the outside for tender meat.It should be basted every so often. This makes the skin cracklier and crispier and then it should be tented with aluminum foil.The bigger the turkey the more times it needs to cook. A small eight to twelve pound bird takes three hour, one double the size at sixteen pounds takes a whopping six to six and a half hours to thoroughly cook.
Don't freak out at making the holiday roast. Pick the one that fits your experience level and run with it. You'll come out with a memorable and delicious Christmas or New Year's dinner that will be perfect.
Neophyte home chefs should look into roast chicken for their first holiday meal. It's the simplest meat to roast and the finished product is always a good one.It only takes an hour to make and prep time is almost nil. You can just rub it with butter, salt and pepper and then pop it into the oven. Herbs such as rosemary and thyme accentuates the flavor even more and you can also add a squeeze of fresh lemon or orange juice before adding the seasoning. If you're having more than five you could get two chickens or better yet a capon or gelded rooster.An eight pound one does take two hours to cook and there is some basting required. Yet it's not that difficult and a first time roaster can do it.Fish is another easy roast. Go for a bronzino or a trout, s slim fish that cooks up easily. It can be seasoned with ginger, garlic and Asian sesame oil for an Oriental flavor, Give it a Mediterranean flair with chopped parsley, and red peppers along with salted capers and garlic. Bring the Caribbean to the holiday table by giving the fish a paste bath of ginger, garlic clove and allspice.Roasting time is only thirty minutes so there's no worry about it drying out or constant basting.
Intermediate home chefs may want to try leg of lamb for their Christmas or New Year's dinner.Again it's an easy roast of only thirty minutes. Most cooks usually make it with a rub of garlic and rosemary. There's even a thin gravy of red wine, diced onions and chicken stock liberally laced with rosemary, chives and parsley.It can also be made Greek style with lemons and oregano. It should be bone in roast so you can get that extra taste/ If you want a more well done meat then roast for another half an hour or hour more.Roast beef or London broil is another good main dish for intermediate chefs to make.It's an easy seasoning of just salt and pepper, and olive oil. Small slits are made throughout the meat for garlic cloves. Roasting takes two to three hours. The meat is cooked in a very hot oven at 375 degrees F for the first half hour to brown it, then at a lower 225 degrees F for the last ninety minutes.This gives you enough time to make the sides and gravy too.Intermediate and experienced chefs may want to try something grander for Christmas dinner such as turkey.It's an elegant way to celebrate even though it can be a bit of work. Home chefs should roast the bird breast side down for a moister meat.It should be roasted on a bed of layered celery for a more delicious and flavorful gravy. Butter should be rubbed all over the outside for tender meat.It should be basted every so often. This makes the skin cracklier and crispier and then it should be tented with aluminum foil.The bigger the turkey the more times it needs to cook. A small eight to twelve pound bird takes three hour, one double the size at sixteen pounds takes a whopping six to six and a half hours to thoroughly cook.
Don't freak out at making the holiday roast. Pick the one that fits your experience level and run with it. You'll come out with a memorable and delicious Christmas or New Year's dinner that will be perfect.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Mediterranean Dining
Summer is here and it's hot - too hot for cooking. What to do? Look to the Mediterranean for inspiration. Despite the soaring temps , cooks from this region create some of the world's best dishes. You can too without all the fuss and bother of a hot stove.
Salads are big in the Mediterranean diets Italians, Spaniards, French and Greeks are known for their delicious mix of greens and dressing. Think about adding provolone along with salami and capacola to mixed field greens. For a Gallic twist replace the cheese and meats with black and green olives and tuna . Both types can be served with crunchy sliced baguettes. A good Greek salad is also a hearty way to have supper. Add already made stuffed grape leaves, along with creamy chunks of feta and salty anchovies to arugula and bitter greens. Spain is a big seafood country and its' salads reflect that. Add some salted cod or shrimp along with avocado and herbs to create a tasty, good for you one. Morocco has an easy carrot salad that just has carrots along with lemon juice, spicy paprika and garlic.
Grilled meats are also popular thanks to the North African influence on Mediterranean cuisine. You could easily grill beef, and lamb kabobs along with cut peppers and onions. Serve with minty yogurt sauce for a true Moroccan treat. Couscous is a great side to this and it's ridiculously easy to make. You can add some chopped parsley, olive oil or even lemon juice for some variety. Orzo , another staple, can be made hot or cold as a salad with artichoke hearts and cucumbers.
Don't fret if the weather interferes with your cooking. Look to the Mediterranean region for delicious easy dishes to for your summer time dining. They're simple to create and can be made no matter how hot it gets.
Salads are big in the Mediterranean diets Italians, Spaniards, French and Greeks are known for their delicious mix of greens and dressing. Think about adding provolone along with salami and capacola to mixed field greens. For a Gallic twist replace the cheese and meats with black and green olives and tuna . Both types can be served with crunchy sliced baguettes. A good Greek salad is also a hearty way to have supper. Add already made stuffed grape leaves, along with creamy chunks of feta and salty anchovies to arugula and bitter greens. Spain is a big seafood country and its' salads reflect that. Add some salted cod or shrimp along with avocado and herbs to create a tasty, good for you one. Morocco has an easy carrot salad that just has carrots along with lemon juice, spicy paprika and garlic.
Grilled meats are also popular thanks to the North African influence on Mediterranean cuisine. You could easily grill beef, and lamb kabobs along with cut peppers and onions. Serve with minty yogurt sauce for a true Moroccan treat. Couscous is a great side to this and it's ridiculously easy to make. You can add some chopped parsley, olive oil or even lemon juice for some variety. Orzo , another staple, can be made hot or cold as a salad with artichoke hearts and cucumbers.
Don't fret if the weather interferes with your cooking. Look to the Mediterranean region for delicious easy dishes to for your summer time dining. They're simple to create and can be made no matter how hot it gets.
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