Greek!

Today I felt like making Greek food. I hope you enjoy my menu!

Kabobs
Cut chicken into cubes and placed them in a bowl with a few cloves minced garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and juice from half a lemon. Cover and put into fridge to marinate for 2 hours or longer. Affix to a metal skewer and grill until done.
Greek-Style Green Beans

2 cups fresh green beans (2-inch pieces) 1 T. olive oil 1 clove minced garlic1/2 t. dried oregano 1/4 t. saltDash pepper

In a small skillet, sauté beans in oil for about 5 minutes or until tender. Reduce heat. Add oregano, salt and pepper; and sauté a few minutes more.

Greek Potatoes
http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=3105
2 t. fresh lemon juice 1 T. olive oil 2 T. water 1 T. fresh Greek oregano
4 small russet potatoes, peeled, cut in half coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 F. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, water, and oregano in a small bowl to blend. Toss potatoes with mixture and then put a small roasting pan(don't forget to use non-stick spray on the pan).
Season potatoes with salt and pepper. Roast potatoes until tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 40 minutes.

Salad-
I sliced about ½ c. tomatoes, ½ c. cucumber and 1 T. freshly chopped dill. I put these into a salad bowl and then add the dressing (see below) and then add ½ c. cow feta (from Granville Island).
The dressing is equal parts of white wine vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. I use about 1 T. of each.

Dessert-
I went to West Broadway on the way home from downtown and purchased baklava and pitas from a Greek Bakery (Serano - 3185 Broadway W.).I just didn’t think it was worth making them myself today.

Lamb Chops on the grill

Above...June 29th's dinner!
It's the end of June and another sunny day in Vancouver.
I thought it would be nice to buy some ingredients on Granville Island.
Today's menu is oriental salad with a soy sesame dressing, fresh apricot couscous and lamb chops.

Oriental Salad
Fresh leaf lettuce from the garden (washed and shredded)
1/2 cup blanched and sliced snowpeas
3 Tablespoons toasted almond flakes or slivers
about one satsuma mandarin orange slices (fresh or canned)
Shake together the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid.
3 Tablespoons light soy sauce, 3 Tablespoons sesame oil, a pinch ginger powder
Toss the salad ingredients with the dressing and add a few toasted sesame seeds.

Couscous with fresh apricots
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups water
1 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup couscous (6 ounces)
3 fresh apricots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Bring water, olive oil, and salt to a boil in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in couscous then cover pan and remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
Fluff couscous with a fork and stir in apricots, parsley, and freshly grind salt and pepper to taste.

Lambs Chops on the grill
Lamb Rib chops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ a lemon, first take the lemon rind off and then juice it
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper. In a pie plate, stir together the oil, rosemary and lemon rind and juice. Add lamb chops, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
Prepare grill to high heat. Again use the 10 and 2 positions to get the grill marks on the chop. Turn the heat down to medium.
Grill until medium-rare, about 6-8 minutes.
Serve with the couscous and salad.

We had fresh cherries for dessert.

Yam Fries and dip

Okay so today's BBQ was all-beef sausages.
Not a lot of skill required to heat them up on the grill but I had a great idea to have yam fries with dinner.

Heat a conventional oven to 450F.
Peel a large yam. Cut it into the yam into "steak or ranch" sized fries which are thick, flat-cut french fries, about 1 inch (0.6 cm) ½ inch (1.3 cm).
In a large bowl add about 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper and 1/2 teaspoon paprika and stir together.
Add the sliced yam pieces and toss.
Add 2 teaspoons of parmesan cheese and toss again.
Put onto a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper and bake 10 minutes.
Rotate the fries and bake 5 to 1o minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving.
To make the dip for the fries mix together---1/2 c. mayo, 1/2 c. sour cream, 1 teaspoon paprika and 2 teaspoons honey.

Very yummy indeed!

Stuffed Tenderloin

Now with the roast leftover from the beef tenderloin. I needed to come up with something yummy to use the roast up. Back to Alton for my inspiration and part II of "Tender is the Loin".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKMJMS9k9xo
I sliced the roast open and stuffed it with bread stuffing. I made it with mushrooms, celery sauted in butter, then added shredded bread. I spread the bread stuffing and then the goat cheese onto the meat. I closed it up with a bamboo skewer.

I set the grill to heat on high. I placed the roast on the grill and slowly rotated it. I then turned the grill temperature down and then slowly roasted it until the correct food safe temperature!

Steaks and Teriyaki Salmon

I was cooking for 11 people and decided to make two main dishes. Salmon and Steaks.
I used the recipes supplied by my friend's husband Allen Lehman. Thanks Allen!

I went with an entire Tender Loin from Costco. I followed Alton Brown's Good Eats show called "Tender is the Loin" now available on You Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7-_ka3DAuY
I learned how to cut the loin into very yummy steaks and into a roast (I will make a stuffed tenderloin) as well as into a small chunk called the "chain of bull" too (I'll use it for fahitas later). We also had corn, potato salad (http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/creamy_potato_salad_radishes.aspx), green salad (the lettuce fresh from my edible garden) and strawberry shortcake. All recipes follow.
Steaks
After you have cut the steaks....
Use Keg seasoning on both sides of steak. Heat grill on to the highest setting; then put steaks on and reduce to medium.
To get the perfect grill lines on your steak place the steaks in the 10 and then 2 o'clock position.
Cook approximately 5-6 minutes on each side, flipping once.

Salmon
Foil line cookie sheet suitable for BBQ (one that will only be used for the BBQ).
Lightly coat salmon with olive oil (about 1/8” high on cookie sheet)
Squeeze generous amount of fresh lemon (one lemon).
Season with garlic salt and freshly ground pepper.
Brush on about 1/3 cup of teriyaki sauce on top of the salmon.
Slice a lemon and and place on salmon too.
Leave the foil edges up but don't seal them.
Heat grill on high; then put pan on grill and reduce to the lowest temperature setting
Cook for about 20 minutes. The salmon will flake when done.

Strawberry Shortcake
Berries -Wash and then cut strawberries. Place into a bowl and add a small amount of sugar to draw out the juices. Whip some whip cream add a small amout of icing sugar to sweeten and then add flavouring -vanilla or an orange liquor.
To make the shortcakes I use my favourite scone recipe.
Ingredients-
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/4 cups whipping cream

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Mix 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon peel. Add whipping cream and stir just until dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently just until dough holds together. Form the dough with your hands into 10-inch-diameter, 1/2-inch-thick round.
Cut into 12 wedges or use a biscuit cutter.
Transfer biscuits to large baking sheet, spacing evenly.
Bake scones until light golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Transfer to rack and cool completely. Slice each one.
Use a plate and put the bottom layer on the plate. Add strawberries, some whipping cream and then the top of the biscuit. Add a small amount of whipping cream more and the top with an unsliced berry!

the Summer of Grilling - Babyback ribs

I am so excited that summer is here and I am really excited about the new BBQ I bought.
After shopping at a lot of stores in Vancouver we ended up at Johnstone's in North Vancouver. We bought one of their cheapest models.

I bought a Broil King Crown 40 it has 44,000 BTUs and a 10,000 BTU side burner.

My first BBQ menu was Alton Brown's ribs, corn, buns, salad and a pineapple blueberry cobbler. All recipes follow!

I was watching Food Network on their Ask the Food Network show and saw this great ribs recipe.

Alton Brown's Babyback Ribs
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/backyard-baby-back-ribs-recipe/index.html

Ingredients
2 full racks/slabs (about 4 1/2 pounds) baby back pork ribs
Kosher salt
6 tablespoons Rub Number Nine, recipe follows
1/2 cup orange juice (not fresh squeezed)
1/2 cup margarita mix
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
Place each rib rack on a sheet of extra-wide, heavy-duty aluminum foil. (The foil should be 4 inches longer than the ribs on either end.) Season racks liberally with kosher salt and sprinkle each rack with 3 tablespoons of the rub. Turn the ribs, meat side down, and tightly seal each foil pouch. Place on a half sheet pan and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Combine the orange juice and margarita mix in a liquid measuring cup. Open 1 end of each pouch and evenly divide the liquid between the 2 pouches. Reseal the pouches and place the sheet pan in the oven for 2 hours. Remove the ribs from the oven, carefully open 1 end of each pouch and pour the braising liquid into a heatproof measuring cup. Reseal the pouches and place them and the measuring cup of liquid into the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.
The fat in the braising liquid will have solidified on the top and can be removed at this time. Transfer the liquid to a small saucepan and add the honey, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper. Whisk to combine. Set over medium high heat and reduce to a glaze, approximately 10 minutes.
Set a gas grill to medium-high and allow to heat for 10 minutes. Cut each slab in half and place them on the grill, flesh side down, close the lid and decrease the heat to medium. Leave alone for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Flip and cook for 3 minutes on each side 1 more time or until each rib has a nice char. Remove the ribs from the grill to a cutting board. and cut into 2 rib portions, using kitchen shears. Add the ribs and half the glaze to a large serving bowl and toss to thoroughly coat. Serve the remaining glaze on the side.
Rub Number Nine:
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
3/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground thyme
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon allspice
Place all of the ingredients in an airtight container and shake to combine. Store for up to 3 months.
Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

It will be hit at your next BBQ quaranteed! It was at mine.

I adapted the recipe (I'd used fresh pineapple) I grew up loving from the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook. I use cinnamon and nutmeg on the topping.

Peach-a-berry Cobbler
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cobbler/peach-a-berry-cobbler/
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
3 cups sliced fresh peaches
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons coarse granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream
Directions
1. For topping, stir together flour, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and the baking powder. Add milk and the 1/4 cup butter or margarine all at once. Stir until smooth; set aside.
2. For filling, in a medium saucepan stir together brown sugar and cornstarch; stir in water. Add peaches and blueberries. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add the 1 tablespoon butter or margarine and the lemon juice; stir until butter melts. Pour into an ungreased 1-1/2-quart casserole. Spoon topping in mounds over hot filling; spread evenly over filling. Sprinkle with a mixture of the 2 tablespoons coarse sugar and the nutmeg or cinnamon. Place on a shallow baking pan in oven.
3. Bake cobbler in a 350 degree F. oven about 35 minutes or until bubbly and a toothpick inserted into topper comes out clean. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired. Makes 6 servings.