Recipe(tried): This Weeks Winners

Here they are...*** This Weeks Winners ***

#1 - Caribbean Grill

I decided it was so hot I didn't want to grill outdoors
today so I broke out the GF Grill (as if it ever leaves
my kitchen counter!) I adapted a Bobby Flay recipe from
Boy Meets Grill - Jerk Chicken with Mango-Cilantro Relish.

I made his relish, my own jerk sauce and grilled it on
the GF. Fantastic.

First, I will give you the recipes for what I actually did
and then I will give you the actual recipe that I adapted.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Jerk Chicken w/ Mango-Cilantro Relish (Adapted)

Recipe By : Boy Meets Grill by Bobby Flay & Joan Schwartz
Serving Size : 3 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Chicken &Turkey Chiles
Grilling & Bbq

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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Mango-Cilantro Relish:
2 ripe mangoes -- peeled & diced
1/3 red onion -- finely sliced
2 tbsp cilantro -- finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
2 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Marinade:
1 cup bottled Jerk Sauce
splash red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 inch piece fresh ginger -- coarsely chopped
2 scallions -- coarsely chopped
3 hot peppers (whatever you have on hand) -- coarsely chopped
Chicken:
6 pc chicken thighs (with or without skin)
jerk seasoning mix -- dry mix

For relish: Combine the mangoes, onion, cilantro, citrus juices, and olive oil in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let sit 30 minutes at room temperature. May be refrigerated up to 1 day, serve at room temperature. Makes 4 cups.

To make marinade: In food processor, place all ingredients and process until smooth.

To marinate chicken: Pierce chicken all over with a fork. Place in a large shallow dish or baking pan. Cover with marinade and marinade 24-48 hours depending on how flavorful and hot you want the chicken to be. Refrigerate during marination.

To cook, preheat GF Grill. When hot, let excess marinade drip off chicken. Place on GF Grill. Cook 6 minutes on each side, or it might need more. When you think it is done, take it off the grill and let it sit for a moment or two then cut into it. If it bleeds a bit, return to the grill for 1-2 minutes. If clear juices run, take off and leave off.

To serve: Place chicken on plate, surrounded by the relish. If you like, serve with white rice or a rice pilaf and something to tame the fire of the hot peppers like sour cream or plain yogurt. Also maybe some Jamaican beer.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook *

Easy Rice Pilaf

Recipe By : Risa Golding
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups cooked brown rice -- or other rice
1 scallion -- chopped
2 cloves garlic -- sliced
assorted leftover vegetables -- chopped
herbs of your choice -- chopped
salt and pepper -- to taste
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When hot, spray with some cooking spray (off the heat). Put the scallions and garlic in the pan and saute until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Then add leftover veggies and cook until heated through. Add cooked rice, herbs and seasonings and saute until combined and heated through. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THIS IS THE RECIPE I ADAPTED MINE FROM:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Jerked Chicken w/Mango-Cilantro Relish & BBQ Red Onions

Recipe By : Boy Meets Grill by Bobby Flay & Joan Schwartz
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Grilling & Bbq Poultry Entrees

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Mango-Cilantro Relish:
2 ripe mangoes -- peeled & diced
1/3 red onino -- finely sliced
2 tbsp cilantro -- finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
2 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Jerk Marinade:
2 cups vegetable oil
2 lg yellow onions -- coarsely chopped
4 scallions -- coarsely chopped
3 scotch bonnet peppers or habaneros -- stemmed & seeded
3 tbsp ginger -- peeled & grated
6 cloves garlic -- coarsely chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme -- finely chopped
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
2 tsp ground allspice
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
Chicken:
8 chicken thighs
8 chicken legs
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
For Red Onions:
16 slices red onion -- 1/3" thick
Mesa Barbecue Sauce -- or your favorite
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the relish: Combine the mangoes, onion, cilantro, citrus juices, and olive oil in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let sit 30 minutes at room temperature. May be made 1 day ahead; refrigerate. Serve at room temperature. Makes 4 cups.

For the marinade: Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. May be refrigerated, covered, for 1 day. Makes about 3 cups.

For chicken: Pierce the chicken with a fork all over. Place it in a large shallow pan or baking dish. Cover with the marinade and rub it in well. Refrigerate, covered, for 24 or up to 48 hours, depending on how intense you want the flavor to be.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium.

Remove the chicken from marinade, shaking off the excess (discard the used marinade). Season with salt and pepper and grill the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 5-6 minutes per side.

For the red onions: Brush the onions on both sides with the sauce and season with salt and pepper.

On the preheated gas or charcoal grill, cook slightly, just to obtain grill marks, about 3 minutes per side.

Arrange the chicken and red onions on a large platter and serve the Mango-Cilantro Relish alongside.

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#2 - Microwave Italian

Too hot to cook - too hot to stay in the kitchen for too
long so the only solution is actually cooking (yes, cooking)
in the microwave. I found a wonderful book 1 year ago,
The Well-Filled Microwave and it is the best. I actually
cook, not re-heat, not defrost, cook in the microwave. Here
is a basic risotto recipe from the book and I accompanied
it with a wonderful green bean dish I found on the 'net
somewhere and I put my own twist on it.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Risotto Milanese

Recipe By : The Well-Filled Microwave, Wise/Hoffman
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Busy Day Entrees Rice Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 med onion -- finely chopped
6 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups Arborio rice or other superfino rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups chicken stock
lg pinch saffron threads -- no substitute
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese -- freshly grated

Place the onion and butter in a large bowl (or microwaveable container or Corningware) and microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 3 minutes, or until the butter melts and the onion wilts.

Stir in the rice and microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 3 minutes, or until the rice begins to turn translucent. Stir in the wine, stock, saffron, and salt, cover and microwave on HIGH for 15 minutes, or until boiling.

Remove the cover (take it off facing away from you), stir, and continue to microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 12 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through but still chewy. Stir in the cheese and serve right away.

Book note: Risotto is meant to be moist, creamy and almost soupy. The starch of the rice thickens the liquid so that the grains of the rice are suspended in a saucy emulsion. The kernels should be soft but still firm and whole, never mushy.

Risotto is not a dish to stand and wait. Serve it very shortly after it's ready. If there are leftovers, they prefer that you use it for a stuffing, like stuffed peppers or stuffed tomatoes where you won't notice the gluey texture.

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NOTES : I served it with a vegetable side dish but you can serve it after soup or with salad. Plus some warm bread is always a nice addition to the meal.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Green Beans & Mushrooms Caesar

Recipe By : Unknown
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beans/Legumes/Pulses Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 lb green beans -- cut in 1" pieces
1/3 10 oz pkg button mushrooms -- sliced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar -- or flavored vinegar
2 tbsp onion -- minced
1/4 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic -- sliced
1/8 tsp crushed black pepper
2 tbsp Panko crumbs -- or other light crumb
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese -- freshly grated
1 tsp fresh basil -- or 1/2 tsp dried
1 tsp fresh thyme -- or 1/2 tsp dried
1 tsp fresh oregano -- or 1/2 tsp dried
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Heat the oven to 350 F. Toss beans & mushrooms with vegetable oil, white wine vinegar, onion, salt and garlic. Stir together Panko crumbs, Parmesan, herbs and olive oil and sprinkle over beans and mushrooms. Bake 15-20 minutes until topping is a bit crispy and browned.

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# 3 - Mexican

This is from a great book that I don't use all that often -
The Grains Cookbook by Bert Greene. A very easy and quick
version of enchiladas - his version is quite fatty because
he fries the tortillas in oil. I didn't fry them and I used
flour tortillas, I didn't make the ones he makes in the
recipe. He calls them "Phony Tortillas". So my version is
a little lower in fat and just as good I think.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Over-Easy Green Chile Enchiladas

Recipe By : The Grains Cookbook by Bert Greene
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Chicken &Turkey Chiles

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion -- chopped
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 tbsp canned jalapeno peppers -- chopped
2 4 oz cans mild green chiles -- chopped
2 tomatoes -- peeled/seeded/choppe
1/2 tsp cumin seeds -- ground
1 tsp fresh cilantro -- chopped
1 cup cooked chicken or pork -- shredded
vegetable oil
10 Phony Tortillas -- recipe included
1 cup Monterey jack cheese -- grated
sour cream
shredded lettuce
PHONY TORTILLAS:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup bread flour
1 egg -- lightly beaten
2 cups water

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion; cook 2 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno peppers; cook 3 minutes longer. Stir in the mild peppers, tomatoes, cumin, and cilantro. Raise the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in the meat; cook 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in another large ksillet over medium heat. Carefully dip each tortilla into the hot oil for a few seconds only. Transfer the fried tortillas to paper towels.*

Fill each tortilla with the meat mixture and roll up. Place them in a lightly greased baking dish. Sprinkle with the cheese, and bake 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream and shredded lettuce. Makes 10 enchiladas.

For Phony Tortillas: Combine the cornmeal, salt, and flour in a large bowl. Stir in the egg and water until smooth.

Heat a lightly greased 6" nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spoon 3-4 tbsp batter into the hot pan. Turn and twist immediately to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook 30 seconds, then flip and cook the other side. Do not brown the tortilla. Place the cooled tortilla on a sheet of paper towels. Continue the process, layering the cooked tortillas in paper towels, until all the batter is used up.

Makes about 20 tortillas.

Note: These tortillas may be stored for several days in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

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* I didn't make the Phony Tortillas. I used flour tortillas
that were low in fat. I didn't fry them at all. I just used
them straight out of the package because they were soft.

I served it with some pink beans & tomatoes with some
ground coriander seed and some ground cumin seeds and a touch
of cayenne pepper that I zapped in the microwave on 70%
power for 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. I did not
mash them altho' you can.
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# 4 - Quasi-Risotto

Another form of risotto, only this time with barley. We love
barley in our family (I hope little one does when he tastes
it) and so I made this specifically for DH (who really
loves it). So here it is:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Wild Mushroom & Barley "Risotto"

Recipe By : The Grains Cookbook by Bert Greene
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Mushrooms Grains

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp olive oil
1/3 lb fresh shiitake or other exotic mushrooms -- sliced
1 lg shallot -- minced
1 small clove garlic -- minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup pearl barley
3 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock -- or vegetable stock
fresh parsley -- chopped
Parmesan cheese -- freshly grated

Melt 1 tbsp of butter with the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, cook, tossing constantly, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, using a slotted spoon, and set aside.

Reduce the heat under the skillet to low. Add the remaining 1 tbsp butter and stir in the shallots; cook 1 minute. Add the garlic; cook 4 minutes longer. Stir in the wine, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan. Heat to boiling; boil until slightly syrupy, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the barley and mushrooms, and stir until well coated with shallot mixture. Stir in 1 cup of the hot stock. Cook, stirring frequently, until all liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. (If the liquid absorbs too quickly, reduce the heat.)

Stir in another cup of stock and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until all liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Add another cup of stock and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until all liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Add the remaining 1/2 cup of stock and continue to cook until the barley is tender and all liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Raise the heat slightly if the mixture is too wet. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve with Parmesan cheese if desired. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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# 5 - Fish

Another adaptation from a cookbook but it came out fabulous.
The fish is smeared with a paste that has lebanese flavorings
in it and then either marinated or just cooked in it. I cooked
it in the GF Grill to save time (the rice was cooking in the
microwave) and I cut up some beautiful cherry tomatoes as the
vegetable and the garnish, all in one. Really tasty.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Lebanese Fish Grill

Recipe By : Risa Golding
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Fish & Seafood

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 white fish fillets (sea bass, turbot)
Paste Mixture:
1/4 small onion -- chopped
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1/2 tbsp hot paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds* -- ground
1/2 tbsp fresh parsley -- chopped
1/2 tbsp fresh cilantro -- chopped
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
Garnish:
lime wedges

For paste: Mix the onion, garlic, paprika, cayenne, cumin, fenugreek, parsley, cilantro and lemon juice in a food processor. Add the oil and salt. Process for another moment until fully combined. Then put the fish in a dish large enough to hold it in one layer. Smear the paste on both sides of the fish fillets.

For fish: Preheat the GF Grill. When hot, spray with some nonstick spray. Then place one fillet across the grids and close the top. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove the fish and place the 2nd fillet on. Cook for another 3 minutes. Unplug. Serve the fish.

Serve: Put some cooked rice on the plate. Top with one fish fillet. Garnish with lime wedges and any seasonal vegetable cooked lightly or not at all.

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NOTES : * I am sure there are many mail order sources that sell fenugreek seeds. I buy them in bags at the Indian markets.

Original recipe is from The Well-Filled Microwave by Victoria Wise & Susanna Hoffman and the fish is cooked in the microwave for 5-7 minutes until the fish flakes easily. Let the fish stand for 2 minutes. Then serve right away. I cooked it in the GF Grill because I could cook it while the rice was in the microwave. But if you wish you can wait until the rice is done and then put the fish in and cook it the allotted time.
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