Asian Barbecue Chicken

During the hot summer months, it's rewarding to have a number of easy and delicious grilled chicken recipes to have in your culinary repertoire to make the most of barbecue season. I must admit though, that I fall in love with my favourite recipes, and love to make them over and over again. Quite aware that it's important to spread one's 'wings' and explore new poultry territory, I tried this fabulous Asian Barbecue Chicken for family this weekend, and was absolutely thrilled with the flavour and final presentation. Every dish needs a wow factor, and this one definitely has it! 

Chicken breasts marinating 

Although I used chicken breasts, chicken thigh, drumsticks or wings would work just as well, and perhaps more appropriate given certain party considerations: wings for party appetizers; thighs for a large buffet; or drumsticks for an impromptu picnic. The Asian-inspired marinade of brown sugar, soy sauce, fresh lime juice, sesame oil, vegetable oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, chopped cilantro and an aromatic combination of spices including Garam Masala, cayenne, ground cumin and coriander, are all whisked together to form a moist paste, into which the chicken pieces are tossed and coated. Covered and chilled for a few hours, the chicken is simply grilled on the barbecue until it's nicely marked and cooked through. As a final flourish, a portion of the reserved marinade is then poured over the grilled chicken once the dish is plated, and garnished with chopped green onions, sesame seeds and wedges of fresh lemon or lime. Delicious!

Asian Barbecue Chicken
Serves 4

6 tbsp dark brown sugar
6 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp fresh lime juice 
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp Asian sesame oil
1 tsp Garam Masala 
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or 4 bone-in breasts
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish


In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients except for chicken, scallions and sesame seeds. Set 1/4 cup of the marinade aside and cover for later use in the sauce, then place the remainder in a zip-lock freezer bag with the chicken. Be sure chicken is evenly coated, then place bag in the refrigerator and let marinate for 3-4 hours.

Preheat grill to high heat. Place the chicken on the grill; cover and cook 3-5 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned and cooked through. To serve, place the chicken pieces on platter and drizzle with the reserved marinade. Garnish with the sliced scallions, sesame seeds, and some wedges of fresh lemon or lime. Serve hot.

Blue Jasmin & The Bloor Street Diner: Whine + Dine

What better to spend a rainy weekend afternoon than enjoying a leisurely lunch and seeing Woody Allen's latest film, Blue Jasmine, in which Cate Blanchett plays a pompous New Yorker on the brink of a breakdown after falling from high society. The exquisitely dressed "chasm of need" at the centre of Allen’s misanthropic comedy, Jasmine has become unmoored from the relationships and belief systems that have kept her tethered to reality, as she narrates her anxious inner monologue to whomever will listen. Jasmin washes down her Xanaxes with vodka martinis, or in a pinch, and Jasmine gets into a lot of pinches, a straight shot of vodka — good thing we ate first, because any later in the day, we would have needed a martini too!

Cate Blanchett and Alec Baldwin, who play Jasmine and Hal French, in Blue Jasmine

As it turns out though, we headed to The Bloor Street Diner for a light lunch, and took advantage of the restaurants great movie deal, where diners can purchase 2 cinema tickets for $15 rather than the regular $28 charged upstairs at Cineplex, conveniently located upstairs where Blue Jasmine was playing. A special treat for passing a phenomenal 1,000,000 hits on Scrumpdillyicious the night before, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to celebrate the auspicious event with a meal out and afternoon at the movies.

The interior of The Bloor Street Diner, 

located off the main concourse of Toronto's Manulife Centre

A cold Stella Artois is always a refreshing way to start a weekend lunch

The Bloor Street Diner's menu features lots of Bistro favourites

The special omelette of the day with Chicken, Pesto & Feta

The ever popular Fish & Chips with homemade tartar sauce and piping hot frites

Cineplex Odeon Varsity and VIP Cinemas with 8 screens and 4 VIP screening rooms

What would a movie be without a bag of popcorn?

Blue Jasmin Vodka Martini

Serves 4

    

6 oz Stolichnaya vodka

3 oz dry vermouth

1 lemon

Shake vodka and vermouth together with several ice cubes in a cocktail shaker, and strain into a chilled martini glasses. Garnish each martini with a curl of lemon rind and serve.

Grilled Eggplant, Zucchini & Peppers with Feta

Simple, colourful and delicious, a medley of summer vegetables grilled on the barbecue and finished with crumbled feta and fresh mint, is a celebration of glorious Mediterranean flavours. A perfect side dish for al fresco dining, this recipe for Grilled Eggplant, Zucchini & Peppers with Feta and Mint is light, heart healthy and best of all, can be prepared in just minutes. Although I featured eggplant, zucchini and red pepper, any combination of your favourite veggies will work too: red onion, asparagus, mushrooms, corn on the cob, even fennel or brussels sprouts — more the merrier. Served with some Curried Couscous and Hummus for a vegetarian feast, this dish is also excellent with Grilled Prawns, Chicken Souvlaki or Lamb Chermoula — just don't forget the Tzatziki!




Grilled Eggplant, Zucchini & Peppers with Feta and Mint
Serves 2

1 eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch diagonal slices
1 red pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 6 pieces
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped and whole for garnish
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp herbes de Provence
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Maldon sea salt, for garnish


Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on a tray or plate and lightly brush both sides with olive oil. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat and grill the vegetables until both sides are tender and nicely browned, about 3-5 minutes per side. Once done, transfer the grilled vegetables to a platter and garnish with crumbled feta, fresh mint and a sprinkling of Maldon sea salt.

Tzatziki: A Cool & Creamy Classic Greek Meze

Cool and creamy, this tangy cucumber dip flavoured with garlic and fresh dill is one of Greece's most famous dips. Made with strained thick Greek yogurt, mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, and sometimes lemon juice, dill, mint or parsley, Tzatziki is best made a few hours in advance and always served cold. Delicious as a condiment for souvlaki, grilled lamb, seafood, vegetables or luscious simply served with warm pita bread, Tzatziki is a classic part of any Mediterranean meze.




Tzatziki
Makes 2 1/2 cups

2 cups Greek yogurt
1 English cucumber, unpeeled and seeded
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh dill
Pinch freshly ground black pepper


Box grate the cucumber and toss it with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Place it in a sieve and set it over a bowl. Place both bowls in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours so the yogurt and cucumber can drain. Transfer the thickened yogurt to a large bowl. Squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as you can and add the cucumber to the yogurt. Mix in the sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. You can serve it immediately, but letting the tzatziki to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours allows for the flavours to blend. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Creamy Cauliflower & Gorgonzola Soup with Chives

Inspired by the quintessentially English side dish of Cauliflower & Cheese, this luxuriously creamy Cauliflower & Gorgonzola Soup with Chives is a new spin on the traditional British classic. Hearty, rich and satisfying, this soup is as simple to make, as it is unbearably delicious. An elegant start to any meal, this soup is comfort food in a bowl.

Creamy Cauliflower & Gorgonzola Soup with Chives
Serves 6

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 leek, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 baking potato, diced
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry

1 tsp grated nutmeg
2 tsp white pepper
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 oz Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, leeks and celery and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the diced potato, chicken broth, cauliflower florets, nutmeg and sherry. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally until both the potatoes and cauliflower are tender, then remove from heat.

Purée the cauliflower mixture in batches using a food processor or blender, then transfer back to the pot, and warm over medium-low heat. Season with white pepper and salt to taste. Stir in the milk and cream, then crumble in the Gorgonzola. Heat the soup through until the cheese melts, stirring frequently, but don't it to boil. To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls, and garnish with chopped chives.

Orange Lemon Poppyseed Cake with Citrus Drizzle

Bursting with flavour and infused with the sweet, slightly tart flavours of fragrant orange and lemon zest, melted butter and studded with poppy seeds, this luscious Orange & Lemon Poppyseed Cake is a classic tea time favourite. The fresh grated lemon and orange looks like confetti sprinkled throughout the cake, and as it bakes, permeates the kitchen with an intoxicating scent, making this dessert hard to resist. The crowning glory is the sweet sugary lemon and orange glaze that's brushed over the cake while it's still warm, infusing the cake with a sweet and tangy flavour that will keep it moist and delicious for days, and add some extra sunshine to your day.



Orange & Lemon Poppyseed Cake
Makes 1 loaf size cake

3 large eggs
2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp coarsely grated lemon zest
1 tbsp coarsely grated orage zest
3 tbsp poppy seeds
12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Lemon Orange Syrup:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2/3 cup granulated white sugar


Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, and milk, then set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, orange zest and poppy seeds until well combined. Add the softened butter and half the egg mixture and mix on low speed until moistened. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining egg mixture and beat well.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55-65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. When the cake is done, remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool slightly.

Plum & Blueberry Coffeecake with Streusel Crumble

After playing nine holes of golf at Spring Creek in Markham-Stouffville last week, we stopped by Reesor's Market, just north of Toronto, and picked up a pint of ripe Ontario prune plums and blueberries to bring home and made this delicious Plum & Blueberry Coffeecake with Streusel Crumble. Chopped and whisked with a silky batter of eggs, ground almonds, all-purpose flour and Greek yogurt, these delectable summer fruits were topped with a sweet buttery streusel of brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter, to create a moist and delectable Plum & Blueberry Coffeecake — the perfect sweet conclusion to a warm summer Labour Day weekend.

Reesor's Market plums and nactarines

The streusel is a crumble made with brown sugar, white sugar, butter, cinnamon, 

ground almonds and all purpose flour

The batter begins with whisking together eggs, egg yolk, Greek yogurt, 

vanilla and almonds extract 

In another bowl, ground almonds, all purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking powder 

and baking soda are mixed together until blended

The wet and dry mixtures are then combined and blended together in a standing mixer 

until the batter is light and fluffy

Half of the batter is poured into a greased springform pan

Chopped plums and fresh blueberries are layered on top of the batter, 

then topped with the remaining batter

The buttery streusel is then scattered over top as the final layer

Plum & Blueberry Coffeecake with Streusel Crumble
Serves 8-10

For the streusel:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cups flour
1/4 cup almond flour (ground almonds)

For the cake:
2/3 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp almond extract
1 1/3 cups flour
2/3 cup almond flour (ground almonds)
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter, cut into 8 pieces
3 tbsp cornstarch or flour for dusting the plums
4-5 medium to large plums, sliced into 8 wedges

1 pint blueberries

1/4 cup icing sugar, for garnish


Preheat oven to 335°F. Grease a round 9-inch spring form pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper and greasing the bottom and sides with softened butter, then set aside.

To make the streusel, mix the sugars, cinnamon and salt into a bowl of melted butter until smooth. Then add the almond and all purpose flour, and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon. Set aside.

To prepare the cake, whisk together the sour cream, 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk, almond extract and vanilla in a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. In another bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt and stir until combined. Add it to the sour cream mixture along with the softened butter and mix until it becomes a batter. Scoop out about 1 1/2 cups of the batter and set aside, and spread the remaining batter into the bottom of the cake pan.

Toss the sliced plum wedges with the cornstarch and then spread the plums over the batter in the pan. Scatter the blueberries over top. Spoon the remaining batter over the fruit, spreading it evenly to the edges of the cake pan. Then using your fingers, crumble the streusel mixture evenly over the cake, and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Cover with foil and continue to bake if the streusel begins to get too brown on top. Cool the cake completely in the tin before turning out onto a cake plate. To garnish, dust with icing sugar and serve with whipped cream and fresh fruit, but it's delicious all on its own!