Broad Reach – a Maine Windjammer Blog

It’s May and the smell of grilling throughout a neighborhood during the dinner hour is a smell that lets me know that we’ve firmly arrived in summer.  Grilling is easy and healthy and we Americans just love it.  There are a few simple techniques that can make your grilling almost foolproof.  I have also included a few websites should you be looking for even more information.

A few tips for successful summer grilling:

1. Clean the grates well either after each use or before beginning to grill.  They are easier to clean when still warm so you may want to get into the habit of brushing the grill just after you’ve finished cooking.  In either case, use a stiff bristled grill brush to do the job.
2. Gauging the heat is easy.  If you can hold your hands two inches above the grates for less than two seconds, your grill is on high heat, seven seconds for medium and somewhere in between for medium rare.  If you are building a charcoal fire or have a grill with more than one temperature gauge, give yourself an area with lesser heat so that you can transfer food if it starts to cook too fast.
3. There are several ways to insure your food doesn’t stick to the grill.  One is to clean it well as mentioned above.  Another is to oil it by lightly oiling a kitchen towel or paper towel and while holding the towel with tongs, rub it on the heated grate just before placing your grill items on.  The oil will burn off if you do this too early.  Also, if your food sticks to the grill, it may be that you need to leave it on longer before turning it.
4. Food safety is important when grilling.  When basting with a sauce, reserve some at the beginning and do not serve the sauce that has been touched with the basting brush.  When basting with a marinade, stop basting 5 minutes before you are done grilling.  When using any grill utensils that have touched raw meat or fish, either use a new utensil or clean the original one well with hot soapy water.  Do not transfer grilled food to the same platter that touched raw meat or fish, but again, either use a new one or clean it well.
5. For a comprehensive list of grilling techniques go to www.barbequen.com.

Grilled Chicken, Red Onions and Potatoes with Dill 

If you are like me, and can’t find the grill the first time you decide at 5:30 that you’ll be grilling, planning on dinner at 6 and then searching all over the shed and barn for the grill, finally finding it and don’t have a fresh canister because your husband used it for some such boat project in December and can’t find any more new canisters, then broiling is also a good option.

4 chicken breasts, trimmed (7 if you are planning on the salad recipe)
1 large red onion, sliced into 1 inch wedges
4 to 8 small or medium red-skinned potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mustard and Dill Marinade:
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
2 tablespoons minced garlic or 3 cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh dill, minced

In a medium bowl whisk all of the marinade ingredients together.  Divide the marinade in half and place the chicken and 1/2 of the marinade in a zip lock.  Marinate for at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours.  In a medium stockpot boil the potatoes in salted water until the potatoes are almost cooked through.  Gently drain the potatoes and cool completely.  Sliced the potatoes in half and toss gently with onions in the rest of the marinade.   Preheat grill to medium-high heat and grill the chicken, potatoes and onions until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes and onions are tender.  About 5-8 minutes each side for the chicken.  The chicken will take the most time and the potatoes the least.  Salt and pepper while on the grill.  Remove from heat and let the chicken sit covered for 5 minutes before serving.  To broil instead, heat broiler on high heat and place chicken breasts, potatoes and onions on broiler pan 4 inches from heat.  Broil for 4-6 mi

nutes each side for chicken and remove potatoes and onions when they are tender inside and dark golden on the edges.

Serves 4

Chicken and Asparagus Salad with Dill

This is a great recipe to use with the leftovers.  Plan on extra chicken and add any leftover potatoes or onions if you wish.

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, lightly packed
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, lightly packed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, ends removed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1/2 half head of Romaine lettuce, chopped and cleaned
juice from 1/2 lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk parsley, dill, lemon juice, mayonnaise and Worcestershire.  Heat a medium sized skillet over medium high heat.  Add the olive oil and then the asparagus.  Cook the asparagus until almost tender and add the minced garlic.  Cook for another 30 seconds to one minute.  Combine asparagus with the chicken and dressing and chill.  Dress the lettuce leaves with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Serve the chicken salad on a bed of the dressed lettuce.

Serves 4-6

Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

There are so many chocolate chip cookie recipes out there, but I’ve tested quite a few and this one is really good.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups dark chocolate, cut into chunks
6 to 7 cups vanilla ice cream approximately, softened

Garnish:
Chocolate or rainbow sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a medium bowl, cream together the sugars and butter.  Add the eggs one at a time until the mixture is fluffy.  Add the vanilla.  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and add to the creamed mixture.  Add the chocolate and stir only until mixed.  Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop 1/4 cup of dough into a ball and place six balls per baking sheet.  Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are golden.   When the cookies have cooled, scoop the softened ice cream onto the bottom of a cookie and top with another.  Roll in the sprinkles and wrap in waxed paper.  Repeat with the rest of the cookies.  Freeze for at least 30 minutes.

Makes 12-14 cookies or 6-7 sandwiches

From Windjammer News /It’s All About the Food™: May 2011
Copyright © 2006 Baggywrinkle Publishing, Anne Mahle
For more recipes from Chef Annie visit her food blog at www.AtHomeAtSea.com