Weeknight Gourmet

Entries tagged as ‘Barbecue’

Garlic-Mustard Grilled Beef Skewers with Moroccan Couscous

January 30, 2010 · 2 Comments

Tim and I are back after a wonderful trip to Grand Cayman.  We were sad to come back to the frigid weather but very happy we were able to get away to somewhere tropical before the baby comes.

After reuniting with Angus yesterday, we drove up to the Berkshires.  It was 5 degrees as we crossed the Becket border!  Brrr…  The roads were not in great shape late yesterday afternoon when I was planning to go grocery shopping so I decided I’d have to make due with what was in the house.

I defrosted some kabob cubes from the half-steer and planned to cook them on a grill pan.  I was looking for a good marinade when I found this Bobby Flay recipe.  The garlic-mustard glaze was super flavorful and very easy.  It was tasty on the grill pan but I can’t wait to try it out on the grill this summer!

I didn’t have much in the house to accompany the kabobs other than couscous.  To make some plain couscous more interesting, I followed this Barefoot Contessa recipe.  I didn’t have any dried currants (or other dried fruit) on hand so I added some roasted red peppers which would at least have some sweetness.  The couscous was very tasty!  I plan to make it again with the dried currants.

Overall a great meal for something whipped up with only ingredients in the house.

Garlic-Mustard Grilled Beef Skewers
Bobby Flay

  • 1 (2-pound) beef tenderloin, halved and cut into 1-inch slices
  • 6-inch wooden skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
  • Garlic-Mustard Glaze, recipe follows

Heat grill to high. Skewer 2 pieces of the beef onto 2 skewers so that the meat lies flat. Brush the meat liberally on both sides with the Garlic-Mustard Glaze. Grill the meat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked to medium-rare doneness, brushing with the remaining glaze while grilling. Remove from grill and serve.

Garlic-Mustard Glaze:

  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup grainy mustard
  • 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.

Moroccan Couscous
Barefoot Contessa

  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup chopped shallots
  • 3 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, recipe follows, or canned broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups couscous
  • 1/2 cup pignoli nuts, toasted
  • 1/4 cup currants

Melt the butter in a large saute pan, add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, raise the heat to high and bring the stock to a boil. Off the heat and add the couscous. Cover the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Add the pignoli nuts and currants to the couscous, stir and serve.

Homemade Chicken Stock:

  • 3 (5-pound) chickens
  • 3 large onions, unpeeled and quartered
  • 6 carrots, unpeeled and halved
  • 4 celery stalks with leaves, cut in thirds
  • 4 parsnips, unpeeled and cut in 1/2, optional
  • 20 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 15 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 20 sprigs fresh dill
  • 1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot with 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Skim the surface as needed. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander, discarding the chicken and vegetables, and chill. Discard the hardened fat, and then pack the broth in quart containers.

Yield: 6 quarts

Categories: Barbecue · Beef · Pasta
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Grilled Pork Tenderloin

September 11, 2009 · Leave a Comment

In case you are grilling this weekend, here is a great rub I used last weekend for pork tenderloin.  I adapted it from an Everyday Food recipe for pork chops on the grill.

The rub provided great flavor to grilled pork!

Rub for Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Adapted from Everyday Food

4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until a paste forms.  Rub all over pork tenderloin and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 3 hours) before grilling.

Categories: Barbecue · Pork
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End of Summer BBQ: Barbecue Chicken

September 8, 2009 · Leave a Comment

We had this delicious barbecue chicken on Sunday.  Everyone loved it!  It is definitely more work than using a store-bought sauce but I think it is worth it.  The rub imparts some spice and the sauce has sweetness from the molasses.

No changes to the recipe other than only using bone-in, skin-on breasts.  And, next time I might make the sauce a day in advance because the leftover chicken tasted even more delicious!

Tim cooked the chicken perfectly — very moist.  We served the chicken with grilled corn, tomato & mozzarella salad, and tri colore orzo.  A great end of summer combination!
Best Barbecue Chicken
Everyday Food

  • Vegetable oil, for grates
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 chicken (about 3 pounds), cut into 10 pieces
  • 2 cups Simple Barbecue Sauce (recipe below)

Heat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. In a small bowl, combine paprika, chili powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; sprinkle spice rub all over chicken. Reserve 1 cup barbecue sauce in a bowl for serving. Keep remaining sauce in another bowl for basting.

Grill chicken, turning often, until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes (if browning too quickly, move to cooler part of grill). During final 5 minutes of cooking, baste chicken with barbecue sauce. Serve chicken with reserved sauce.

Simple Barbecue Sauce

Everyday Food

  • 3 cups ketchup
  • 1 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced by a third (about 30 minutes).

Let cool to room temperature before using.

Makes 3 1/2 cups.

Can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Categories: Barbecue · Poultry · Sauce
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150th Post!! Skirt Steak, Tri-Colore Orzo, Tapas-inspired Chickpea Salad, and Grilled Peaches with Honey & Mascarpone

August 11, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Hard to believe I have posted 150 times since late January!  There have been so many delicious meals, wonderful dinner guests, and fun meal-time conversations.  Plus, I have received so much positive feedback on the blog.  Overall, the Weeknight Gourmet has been a fun and rewarding undertaking!

As I mentioned in my Blueberry Pie post, we had some guests in Becket this weekend.  Here is the meal we had on Saturday night.  File this as another great barbecue menu!

Mark Bittman’s Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Tri-Colore Orzo

Tapas-inspired Chickpea Salad

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Pound Cake & Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone & Honey

Categories: Barbecue · Beef · Dessert · Pasta · Salads
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50 Simple Salads: Tapas-Inpired Chickpea Salad

August 11, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Similar to Mark Bittman’s 101 Simple Summer Salads, the Food Network Magazine published 50 Simple Salads in their most recent issue as a mini pullout booklet.

I thought the Chickpea Tapas recipe would accompany the skirt steak nicely:

“Mix chickpeas, capers and green olives with chopped chorizo, celery, red onion, parsley and cilantro. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper; top with manchego.”

I used shaved manchego — utilizing a vegetable peeler to make thin slices.  I also added a splash of red wine vinegar.  Don’t forget to drain and rinse the chickpeas.

Categories: Salads
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Pound Cake & Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone & Honey

August 11, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Here is a quick and easy summer dessert.  It would have been a healthier dessert except I baked a pound cake (thanks to Betty Crocker).

Make sure the peaches are ripe but not too ripe — it’s easier to cut them.

The peaches were even sweeter and more delicious thanks to a little grilling and the honey!

Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone and Honey
Emeril Lagasse

  • 6 large ripe peaches, halved and pits removed
  • 6 tablespoons honey, plus more for serving if desired
  • 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

Preheat a grill to medium-high.

Place the peaches cut-side down onto the grill and cook until lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the grill. Transfer the peaches, cut sides up, to a grill-proof baking dish or baking sheet and drizzle evenly with the 6 tablespoons of honey. Place the dish on the grill and cover the grill.

Continue to cook until the peaches are soft, about 5 minutes, again depending on the grill.

Remove the baking dish from the grill and divide the peach halves between 6 dessert plates. Divide the mascarpone evenly among the plates and drizzle with additional honey, if desired.

Serve immediately.

Categories: Dessert · Fruit
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Mark Bittman’s Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

August 11, 2009 · 1 Comment

My friend Judy made this recipe several years ago.  I really enjoyed it and have made it for many dinner guests since!

I love skirt steak and, as you know, I love a little spice so this is a great combination for me.  The chimichurri sauce provides a great fresh taste — thanks to the fresh parsley and lemon juice — and is a nice alternative to more traditional steak sauces.  Guido’s had some beautiful skirt steaks so the meat was just delicious.

Judging by how few leftovers there were, I think the steak was a hit!
Mark Bittman’s Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Food & Wine

  • 2 cups chopped parsley
  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 4 pounds skirt steak

Light a grill. In a bowl, mix the parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and crushed red pepper; season with salt and pepper.

Season the skirt steak with salt and pepper and grill over a hot fire until the meat is charred on the outside and rare within, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.

Thinly slice the steak across the grain.

Serve right away, passing the chimichurri sauce at the table.

Serves 8.

Categories: Barbecue · Beef
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Great Summer Side: Tri-Colore Orzo

August 11, 2009 · 1 Comment

I have made this orzo dish several times and everyone loves it!  It’s just a great combo of flavors — sweetness from the cherries, saltiness from the ricotta salata, some freshness from the basil and arugula, and little crunch from the pine nuts.

A couple of quick notes, I use baby arugula because I prefer the flavor and you can buy it pre-washed in a clamshell.  I have made the recipe with dried cranberries and feta when I cannot find dried cherries and ricotta salata.

To toast the pine nuts, just cook them in a small frying pan over medium heat for a few minutes.  The nuts will start to darken in color.  Keep an eye on them — I have burned many nuts and sesame seeds by forgetting about the toasting in progress.

Overall, a great summer side!

Tri-Colore Orzo
Giada De Laurentiis

  • 1 pound orzo pasta
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
  • 2 cups fresh arugula (about 3 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup crumbled ricotta salata cheese (or feta cheese)
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 12 fresh basil leaves, torn
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and put the pasta on a large cookie sheet. Drizzle the pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil, toss, spread out, and set aside to cool.

Once the orzo is cool, transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine. Serve.

Categories: Pasta · Salads
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Grilled Sausages and Polenta with Marinated Peppers

August 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Here is a weeknight barbecue meal that’s a quick and easy version of sausage and peppers. We had this last week in the Berkshires and it couldn’t have been quicker or easier.  Plus it was quite tasty!

The precooked polenta in a tube cooks up nicely in a frying pan so it was not a surprise that it was good on the grill.

Make sure to let the onions marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Overall this was an easy summer weeknight meal!

Grilled Sausages and Polenta With Marinated Peppers
Real Simple

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 8 small links Italian sausage (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
  • 1 pound store-bought cooked polenta, sliced into thick rounds
Heat grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, oil, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until the honey is dissolved. Add the bell pepper and onion and let sit, tossing occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, grill the sausages, turning occasionally, until charred and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. During the last 6 minutes of cooking, oil the grill and add the polenta. Grill until charred and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Serve with the sausages and vegetables.

Categories: Barbecue · Pork
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Great Summer Side Dish: Watermelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad with Balsamic Glaze

August 2, 2009 · 1 Comment

It’s another rainy summer day but that doesn’t mean we can’t dine on quintessential summer foods like WATERMELON! To me, there are few foods that encapsulate summer better than a juicy slice of watermelon.

Here is a great salad with watermelon, feta, and baby arugula.  Simply dress it with a little balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze (reduced balsamic vinegar).  If you are using a well-aged balsamic, I don’t think there is any need to reduce it but if you are using a basic balsamic I would suggest reducing it.

I served this salad as a side last weekend when we cooked ribs for Tim’s family.  YUM!

Watermelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad with Balsamic Glaze
Bon Appetit

  • 1 5-ounce package baby arugula
  • 8 cups 3/4-inch cubes seedless watermelon
  • 1 7-ounce package feta cheese, crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze

Arrange arugula over large platter. Scatter watermelon, then feta over. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with pepper.

Ingredient tip: Balsamic vinegar glaze can be found in the vinegar section at many supermarkets. If unavailable, boil 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan until reduced to 3 tablespoons, 6 to 7 minutes.

Categories: Barbecue · Salads
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