Dining in style on a budget
Published: Thursday | August 20, 2009
When money is an issue, don't stress yourself over eating in style. Try these attractive, but nutritious alternatives with chicken or other meats you buy every week. Get the creative juices flowing and make your presentation pleasing to the eye and earn you rave reviews from family and friends. How about giving these a try this Sunday?
Chicken Kebabs with Cilantro-Lime Chutney
Ingredients (for chicken)
4 tbps lime juice, divided
1 tbps vegetable oil
1/4 cup plain yoghurt
11/2-inch piece fresh ginger (about one-inch thick), peeled and sliced into coins
3 large cloves garlic
1 tbps ground coriander
11/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp garam masala (spice blend)
1 tbs salt
21/4lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 11/2-inch cubes
3 tbps melted unsalted butter (ghee or clarified butter are best)
Fresh cilantro or mint leaves for garnish
The authors suggest that when using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before placing the meat on them. They also suggest wrapping the exposed ends of the skewers in foil before grilling. These steps help prevent the skewers from burning.
Method
1. In a food processor, combine three tablespoons of lime juice, oil, yoghurt, ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, garam masala and salt. Process until smooth, or nearly so.
2. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the chicken, turning it to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least four and up to 12 hours, turning the chicken in the marinade once or twice.
3. When ready to cook, thread pieces of chicken on skewers, using about four per skewer, clustering the pieces together. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking.
4. Meanwhile, combine the melted ghee or butter and the remaining one tablespoon lime juice. Set aside.
5. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium. Oil the grill or pan just before cooking.
6. Grill the kebabs, turning as needed to grill all sides, until just cooked through, about nine to 12 minutes total. If the chicken starts to burn, reduce the heat or move to a cooler part of the grill.
7. During the final seconds of cooking, brush the kebabs with the reserved lime butter and arrange on a platter or serving plates. Garnish with the cilantro or mint leaves and serve with cilantro-lime chutney spooned over the kabobs or on the side.
Yield: Four entrées or eight appetisers.
Cilantro-Lime Chutney
Ingredients
1-inch piece fresh ginger (one-inch thick), peeled and sliced into coins
2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded
6-inch lengths of scallion greens (tops), chopped
2 cups very tightly packed fresh cilantro, with thin stems (about two very large bunches), coarsely chopped.
1/2 cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp garam masala (spice blend)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 to 3 tbps vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Method
1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients except the lime juice. Process until finely chopped, pulsing and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. Add the lime juice and process until a bright green paste forms. It should be spreadable but not quite fluid.
3. Serve or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Yield: About 1-1/4 cups
Honey-mustard chicken drumstick
Ingredients
8 chicken drumsticks, slashed
6 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbps honey
2 tbps Dijon mustard
2 tbps soy sauce
1 tbps lemon juice
1/2-1 tsp black pepper
Method
1. Combine garlic, honey, mustard, soy sauce, lemon juice and pepper in a bowl.
2. Add the drumsticks and toss to coat evenly.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (can marinate for up to six hours in advance).
4. Pre-heat grill to medium-hot, for outdoors medium-hot coals.
5. Grill turning every three minutes and basting with any leftover marinade until the chicken is opaque with no trace of pink, for about 15 minutes.
6. Serve hot on its own or with a sweet-chilli dip
Source: Lobel's Meat Bible by Stanley, Evan, Mark and David Lobel (Chronicle Books)
Summer vegetable casserole. Making use of the abundant crop of vegetables from the garden can sometimes be challenging. When serving them at breakfast, think beyond the omelette with this egg-topped summer vegetable casserole.
Cilantro-Lime Chutney
Ingredients
One-inch piece fresh ginger (one-inch thick), peeled and sliced into coins
2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded
6-inch lengths of scallion greens (tops), chopped
2 cups very tightly packed fresh cilantro, with thin stems (about two very large bunches), coarsely chopped.
1/2 cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp garam masala (spice blend)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 to 3 tbps vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Method
1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients except the lime juice. Process until finely chopped, pulsing and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. Add the lime juice and process until a bright green paste forms. It should be spreadable but not quite fluid.
3. Serve or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Yield: About 11/4 cups
Honey-mustard chicken drumstick
Ingredients
8 chicken drumsticks, slashed
6 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbps honey
2 tbps Dijon mustard
2 tbps soy sauce
1 tbps lemon juice
11/2 tsp black pepper
Method
1. Combine garlic, honey, mustard, soy sauce, lemon juice and pepper in a bowl.
2. Add the drumsticks and toss to coat evenly.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (can marinate for up to six hours in advance).
4. Pre-heat grill to medium-hot, for outdoors medium-hot coals.
5. Grill turning every three minutes and basting with any leftover marinade until the chicken is opaque with no trace of pink, for about 15 minutes.
6. Serve hot on its own or with a sweet-chilli dip
Source: Lobel's Meat Bible by Stanley, Evan, Mark and David Lobel (Chronicle Books)
