In any case, today is a beautiful day and I am so happy to be relaxing. I am however going away another trip next week; I will have the means to update my blog while on vacation, but probably will not have the time to do so... it's quite an eventful trip I have planned. So, please bare with me because once I get back I will have the time to update every day again! And I will bring back loads of delicious new recipes or at least fun stories.
Now, let's get to the main part-the recipes.
Summer is a season of out door activities, BBQs, pools, and cocktails. I have gathered up some delicious new rubs, marinades, and plenty of foods that will be sure to receive many praises from your friends and family.
First on the list is the Gazpacho, this sassy appetizer is sure to bring a punch of summer flavour to any meal.
Summer Gazpacho:
Ingredients:
1 English cucumber
4 tomatoes, quartered
Half sweet green pepper, coarsely chopped
Half red onion, cut into wedges
2.5 cups low-sodium vegetable cocktail
1 small hot pepper, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Half teaspoon each salt and pepper
Fresh chives and parsley (optional)
Method:
- Cut the cucumber in half crosswise; chop 1 half and set aside. Scoop soft core out of the remaining half; chop coarsely and set aside.
- In a food processor, in 3 batches, pulse chopped cucumber, tomatoes, green pepper, onion and vegetable cocktail until slightly chunky.
- Transfer to a bowl. Add hot pepper, garlic, vinegar, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper.
- Pour into chilled glasses. Garnish with reserved chopped cucumber, chives and parsley (if desired).
**You can skip out on the hot sauce or the hot pepper if you don't really enjoy spicy foods**
Now, time for the BBQ marinade recipes!
Tandoori Yogurt Marinade:
Really mellow with exotic spices gives a kick of Indian flavor to lamb or chicken.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup 2% plain yogurt
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsbp grated fresh ginger
1tbsp garam masala
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
Method:
In a bowl whisk together yogurt and all the spices.
Lemon-Herb and Garlic Marinade:
A fantastic flavor- perfect for seafood. But be sure to not let the delicate fish or seafood stand in the marinade for any longer than 30 minutes, otherwise the acid will start to "cook" the fish.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsp each chopped fresh thyme and fresh oregano
4 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp each salt and pepper
Method:
In a small bowl combine all the ingredients and whisk together until well blended.
Apple Cider and Shallot Marinade:
This marinade is perfect for pork. If you can't find apple cider you can use apple juice. This marinade also works well with ribs and turkey.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup apple cider
2tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 shallots, sliced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp whole allspice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Method:
In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients until combined.
And now we are getting closer to the last part of this entry, just after the spice rubs! These are a sure fire way to spice up any BBQ meat.
The Spice Rub (universal rub for any meat):
This simple all-purpose rub is great fora last-minute flavor boost.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Method: Mix all together and keep in a cool dry place and airtight container. Can stand for up to 3 months.
Caribbean Seasoning:
This seasoning is phenomenal on mild-flavoured fish or chicken. Add a squeeze of lime juice just before serving to bring out all the flavor.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Method: Mix all together and keep in a cool dry place and airtight container. Can stand for up to 3 months.
The basting sauces, the last but most important part of all cooking.
Honey Ginger Basting Sauce
Perfect for wings, ribs, or salmon.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp veg oil
6 shallots, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup liquid honey
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
2 tsp cornstarch
Method:
In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook shallots, garlic and ginger, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the hoisin sauce, honey, 1/4 cup water, vinegar, sesame oil, and hot pepper flakes; bring to boil. Boil until thickened slightly, 2-3 minutes.
Whisk cornstarch with 1/4 cup water, whisk into sauce and simmer until thickened...about 1 minute.
Then use as basting sauce for you dish.
Sweet Smoky Tomato Basting Sauce:
This sauce mellows out quite a bit when used as a basting sauce. However, used as a side sauce on the table it packs a lot of flavor.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp veg oil
1 small onion, minced
1 cup bottled strained tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 tbsp apple cider or water
3 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp fancy molasses
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tbsp adobo sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (it's a bottled product most grocery stores carry)
Method:
In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes.
Add strained tomatoes, tomato paste, apple cider, vinegar, molasses, chipotle peppers, brown sugar, adobo sauce, mustard and liquid smoke; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until thickened...about 15 minutes.
Transfer to food processor; puree until smooth.
Bitter mood makes bitter food. So fucking smile! :D
P.s. No pictures this time because it is quite a long post. Sorry!
Really mellow with exotic spices gives a kick of Indian flavor to lamb or chicken.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup 2% plain yogurt
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsbp grated fresh ginger
1tbsp garam masala
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
Method:
In a bowl whisk together yogurt and all the spices.
Lemon-Herb and Garlic Marinade:
A fantastic flavor- perfect for seafood. But be sure to not let the delicate fish or seafood stand in the marinade for any longer than 30 minutes, otherwise the acid will start to "cook" the fish.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsp each chopped fresh thyme and fresh oregano
4 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp each salt and pepper
Method:
In a small bowl combine all the ingredients and whisk together until well blended.
Apple Cider and Shallot Marinade:
This marinade is perfect for pork. If you can't find apple cider you can use apple juice. This marinade also works well with ribs and turkey.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup apple cider
2tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 shallots, sliced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp whole allspice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Method:
In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients until combined.
And now we are getting closer to the last part of this entry, just after the spice rubs! These are a sure fire way to spice up any BBQ meat.
The Spice Rub (universal rub for any meat):
This simple all-purpose rub is great fora last-minute flavor boost.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Method: Mix all together and keep in a cool dry place and airtight container. Can stand for up to 3 months.
Caribbean Seasoning:
This seasoning is phenomenal on mild-flavoured fish or chicken. Add a squeeze of lime juice just before serving to bring out all the flavor.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Method: Mix all together and keep in a cool dry place and airtight container. Can stand for up to 3 months.
The basting sauces, the last but most important part of all cooking.
Honey Ginger Basting Sauce
Perfect for wings, ribs, or salmon.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp veg oil
6 shallots, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup liquid honey
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
2 tsp cornstarch
Method:
In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook shallots, garlic and ginger, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the hoisin sauce, honey, 1/4 cup water, vinegar, sesame oil, and hot pepper flakes; bring to boil. Boil until thickened slightly, 2-3 minutes.
Whisk cornstarch with 1/4 cup water, whisk into sauce and simmer until thickened...about 1 minute.
Then use as basting sauce for you dish.
Sweet Smoky Tomato Basting Sauce:
This sauce mellows out quite a bit when used as a basting sauce. However, used as a side sauce on the table it packs a lot of flavor.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp veg oil
1 small onion, minced
1 cup bottled strained tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 tbsp apple cider or water
3 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp fancy molasses
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tbsp adobo sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (it's a bottled product most grocery stores carry)
Method:
In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes.
Add strained tomatoes, tomato paste, apple cider, vinegar, molasses, chipotle peppers, brown sugar, adobo sauce, mustard and liquid smoke; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until thickened...about 15 minutes.
Transfer to food processor; puree until smooth.
Bitter mood makes bitter food. So fucking smile! :D
P.s. No pictures this time because it is quite a long post. Sorry!
