Monthly Archives: July 2014

Fish

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There are lot of different grilling options for fish—cedar plank, basket, right on the grate—but whichever method you chose, it’s important to know when your fish is fully cooked and ready to be served. And it’s not as easy as it sounds! Many cooks are overwhelmed when working with delicate and temperamental pieces of fish. Here are a few tips for fish grilling that will help you steer clear of too dry or too raw and land on ‘just right’!

 

Watch the clock

There’s no magic grilling time for anything, but the rule of thumb for fish is to cook it for eight minutes per inch of thickness for steaks and fillets and 10 minutes if you’re grilling a whole fish. Sticking close to that time frame will remove some stressful guesswork from the equation.

Check the colour

There are certain colour cues you can watch for when working with fish. If you’re cooking it with the skin on, wait until it browns and pulls slightly away from the flesh before you flip it to cook the second side. When the fish turns slightly opaque it’s ready to come off the grill completely.

Use the “flip and poke” test


If you’re nervous about judging from colour alone, you can get a little more physical with your fish. Lift the corner with a metal spatula and if it doesn’t stick, it’s ready to be flipped. If you feel resistance, your fish needs more time. When you’ve cooked the second side, poke it carefully with a fork or the tip of the knife. The flesh should flake apart easily. Just make sure you test the thickest piece so you know it’s cooked all the way through.

Check the temperature

You can also insert a meat thermometer into the fish to check if it’s cooked. It should be about 140 degrees. But be careful that you don’t split your fillets—fish is much more delicate than meat when cooked and can easily fall apart on the grill.

Take it off early

For superior results, pull your fish off the grill a few minutes before it’s completely done, when it’s still slightly translucent. It will continue to cook as it cools down, achieving the perfect texture. You can always toss your fish back on the grill if it’s slightly underdone, but you can’t salvage a dry, overcooked product.

 

Nothing says summer like throwing an entire fish on the barby; especially if you caught it yourself. It’s arguably the best tasting way to cook a fish and it’s one of the easiest way to cook it. Here’s how to take all the guesswork out of it.

Slash it

Cut a few diagonal slashes on each side of the fish and place on the grill grate for anywhere from 5-15 minutes per side depending on its size and thickness. A fish that’s stuffed with vegetables or grains will generally take long than plain fish.
Stuff it

Put some salt and pepper on the fish as well as a bit of salt inside the cavity. Then stuff the cavity with whatever your recipe calls for: sliced lemons, limes or oranges, thinly sliced fennel, fresh herbs, chilis—just about anything you want can go in there.
Oil it

Now coat the fish with a tablespoon of olive oil—this will prevent the fish from sticking to the grill. It’s equally important to make sure the grill is clean and to brush some oil on it as well.

Grill it

When the skin is crisp and brown, poke the thickest part of the fish with a small knife. When the knife goes in without any resistance, use a spatula (brushed with oil on both sides) to gently flip it. Grill for another 5-15 minutes until the meat on the second side is just opaque and cooked to the bone.

Curried Chicken and Apple Wrap

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1/3 cup mango chutney
1/3 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
1 tbsp. curry powder
chopped apples
lime juice
n a large bowl, combine the chutney, yogurt, curry powder, apples, lime juice, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined.  Add the green onions, chicken, hot sauce, if using, lettuce and apples.

Spoon the filling into the center of each wrap, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border. Fold the bottom flap of the wrap up and over the filling. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly to enclose the filling.

Hot Sweet Mustard

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1/4 c. dry mustard
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. water
1/3 c. vinegar
Mix mustard with a little water. Allow to stand. Mix cornstarch, sugar, salt with remainder of water until smooth. Add vinegar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add mustard and mix well. Makes 1 cup.

Mint Jelly

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1-3/4cups  mint infusion (buy about 1-1/2 cups firmly packed fresh mint leaves with stems)
2-1/4cups  water
2Tbsp.  fresh lemon juice
2drops  green food coloring
3-1/2cups  sugar, measured into separate bowl
1/2tsp.  butter or margarine
1pouch  CERTO Fruit Pectin

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CERTO® Mint Jelly

photo by:kraft
Water steeped with fresh mint leaves, lemon juice, sugar and pectin are cooked briefly then processed in a canner for jars of refreshing mint jelly.
time
prep:
1 hr
total:
3 hr 30 min
servings
total:
About 4 (1-cup) jars or 64 servings, 1 Tbsp. each
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What You Need

1-3/4
cups  mint infusion (buy about 1-1/2 cups firmly packed fresh mint leaves with stems)
2-1/4
cups  water
2
Tbsp.  fresh lemon juice
2
drops  green food coloring
3-1/2
cups  sugar, measured into separate bowl
1/2
tsp.  butter or margarine
1
pouch  CERTO Fruit Pectin

Make It

 

BRING boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.

WASH mint leaves and stems; finely chop or crush. Place in saucepan; add water. Bring to boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 min. Place three layers of damp cheesecloth or a jelly bag in large bowl. Pour prepared infusion into cheesecloth. Tie cheesecloth closed; hang and let drip into bowl until dripping stops. Press gently.

MEASURE exactly 1-3/4 cups prepared infusion into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. (If needed, add up to 1/2 cup water for exact measure.) Add lemon juice and food coloring. Stir in sugar. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

LADLE quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly.

Kale Pasta Salad

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  • 1 pound Bowtie Pasta
  • 3 Tablespoons Pine Nuts
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 6 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2 teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
  • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper, More To Taste
  • 1 bunch Kale, Finely Sliced
  • 4 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Shaved
  • 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and add to a large bowl. Set aside.

Add pine nuts to a small skillet over low heat. Toast slowly over the course of 8-10 minutes, tossing regularly. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and garlic over low heat so that the garlic slowly infuses the oil. When the oil starts to cause the garlic to sizzle, stir around so the garlic doesn’t get too brown. When garlic starts to turn golden, add salt and pepper, stir, and set aside for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, pour the oil mixture (scraping the salt, pepper, and garlic) all over the bowtie pasta. Toss to combine and set aside.

Set the same skillet (without cleaning it) over medium-high heat. Add the kale and cook for 5 minutes, or until partly wilted.

Add kale and pine nuts to the pasta and toss it all together. Check to make sure it’s no longer warm, then add Parmesan shavings and toss. Taste for seasonings and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

(Optional: May add 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar if desired.)

Spicy Ribs

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  • 1 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 can Dr. Pepper
  • 1 can (5 Ounces) Chipotle Peppers Packed In Adobo
  • 1/3 cup Brown Mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
  • 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2 packages Pork Baby Back Ribs

Prepare the marinade by gently boiling the first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan until reduced and thick, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Divide into two containers and refrigerate one container for later.

Place ribs on a large baking sheet lined with heavy foil. Brush half the marinade all over the ribs on both sides. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 8 hours to marinate.

When you’re ready to cook the ribs, preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Place the pan, still covered in foil, into the oven for 2 hours. Remove the foil and increase the temperature to 300. Using the other half of the sauce, brush another generous layer all over the ribs. Return the pan to the oven and continue cooking for another 30 to 40 minutes, brushing on another layer of sauce as it cooks.

Remove the ribs when they’re fork tender (keep cooking until they are). Slice and serve!