Listen, people, it's time to get the grill out and start chillin' in the backyard. So brush all that blackened crud off the grate, invest in couple of bags of charcoal and start grilling. ***image1***There's a new cookbook out this month that will help inspire you.
The Sunset Grill
is like a 250-page spread in Sunset magazine (yes, the two are related). It's heavy on recipes for grilled chicken and other meats but light on vegetables-an unfortunate imbalance for vegetarians. But the recipes are accompanied by big, bright pictures of the food in carefully styled backyards and chic kitchens. This is obviously a grilling book marketed to women, which is really only to say that this wouldn't be the grilling book I'd choose to give as a gift to a guy. (There are plenty of grilling books out there specifically for men. Consider:
Patio Daddy-O
, etc.)
Sticky Coconut Chicken
Makes 6 to 8 servings
- 6 to 8 boned, skinned chicken thighs (1¼ to 1½ pounds total)
- ¾ cup canned coconut milk (stir before measuring)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 or 5 green onions, ends trimmed, cut lengthwise into thin slivers
Glaze
- ¾ cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Rinse the chicken and pat dry. In a large bowl, mix the coconut milk, ginger, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add the chicken and mix. Cover airtight and chill at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
Prepare a grill for cooking over high heat. First, oil the grill rack. If using a charcoal grill, prepare a solid bed of hot coals. If using a gas grill, preheat to high (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above the grill level for only 2 to 3 seconds).
Lift the chicken from the bowl. Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan, bring it to a boil and cook for 22 minutes. Pull the thighs open and lay them flat, skin side down, on the grill rack. If using a gas grill, close the lid. Cook, turning once and basting frequently with the marinade, until the meat is no longer pink in the center of the thickest part (cut it to test), about 6 minutes on each side.
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: In a 2-to 3-quart pan, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the mixture is reduced to ½ cup, 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the thighs to a warm platter and pour the glaze over the meat. Garnish the platter with the green onions and serve immediately.
Grilled Artichokes with Green Olive Dip
This is the peak of artichoke season, so take advantage of big, beautiful 'chokes and low prices by making one artichoke for each person. Baby artichokes work well, too; however their leaves are particularly tender so you'll need to steam them for a shorter period of time.
Makes 6 servings
- 6 artichokes
- 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Green Olive Dip
- ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped green olives, such as Picholine
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
Slice the tops off of the artichokes, pull off the small leaves, trim the stems and snip off the thorny tips. In a large pot, bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and the artichokes; cover and steam until the artichoke bottoms pierce easily, 20 to 40 minutes. Drain the artichokes. When they're cool enough to handle, cut each in half lengthwise and scrape out the fuzzy center.
Meanwhile, prepare a grill for cooking over medium heat. First, oil the grill rack. If you're using a charcoal grill, prepare a solid bed of medium coals. If you're using a gas grill, preheat it to high and close the lid, then open the lid and lower the heat to medium (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above the grill level for only 4 to 5 seconds).
Prepare the Green Olive Dip: In a blender, mix the parsley, olive oil, chopped green olives, capers, lemon juice, mustard, pepper and salt until chunky. Spoon it into a bowl and set it aside.
In another bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt and the pepper. Brush the artichokes with the garlic mixture and set them, cut side down, on the oiled grill rack. Grill them, turning once, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes on each side.
Serve the artichokes immediately, with the Green Olive Dip alongside.
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