Tag Archives: marinade

Grilled Tandoori Lamb with Cilantro Chutney

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Here, ‘tandoori’ refers to the yogurt-based, aromatically spiced marinade that can be used on grilled, broiled, or baked meat. You can adjust the spices to your own personal preferences. Serve with flatbread or rice and cilantro chutney (recipe below).

It becomes an easy weeknight meal if you prep the lamb in the marinade the night before.

As a side, you may want to pair the lamb with steamed rice, red onion slices, and or grape tomatoes for a pop of color. Since fresh corn was available, we opted for that as our starch. Although optional, the cilantro chutney also adds additional color and a welcome fresh, citrusy taste.

Grilled Tandoori Lamb with Cilantro Chutney

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • ¼ cup finely minced onion
  • 2 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
  • 2 tsp. garam masala
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 2 lbs. boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
  • 4 small fresh lemon wedges

Directions

  1. Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl until combined.
  2. Toss lamb and salt into marinade; mix until lamb pieces are coated evenly. Cover mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 hours.
  3. Skewer lamb pieces so they barely touch. Wipe off excess marinade with a paper towel. Brush with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt.
  4. Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
  5. Grill skewers on medium heat until lamb springs back to the touch, about 5 to 7 minutes on each side.
  6. Garnish with red onions, lemon wedges, and chopped cilantro as desired.

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Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com

Spicy Cilantro Chutney

Spicy Cilantro Chutney

  • Servings: 2 cups
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 bunch cilantro (about 2 cups), thick stems removed
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded, coarsely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Kosher salt

Directions

Pulse cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and oil in a food processor until very finely chopped; season with salt. Chutney can be made 2 days ahead.

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Recipe courtesy of Bon Apétit

Huli Huli Chicken

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To transport yourself back to the tropics, try this grilled Huli Huli Chicken dinner, made with a minimum of everyday pantry ingredients.

Aloha my friends! As the story goes: “In 1955, Ernest Morgado, a Honolulu businessman, served a group of farmers grilled chicken that had been marinated in his mother’s teriyaki-style sauce. It was such a hit that he decided to market it with the name “huli huli.” Huli means “turn” in Hawaiian and refers to how it’s prepared: grilled between two racks and turned halfway through cooking.”

This simplified version from NY Times Cooking calls for chicken pieces and a standard grill. The original recipe is a trade secret, but you can find many slightly different variations on the internet, most all containing ginger, garlic, soy sauce, something sweet (honey, brown sugar or maple syrup) and something acidic (vinegar, white wine, lime juice or pineapple juice).

This recipe is adapted from “Aloha Kitchen: Recipes from Hawai‘i” by Alana Kysar. It also works beautifully with boneless chicken thighs, but adjust your cooking time accordingly.

We deconstructed a whole chicken, ending up with unused body parts (back, neck, etc.) for our “body bag” of poultry pieces kept in the freezer for making homemade chicken stock. To add another layer of flavor, grill some pineapple slices. Buy them already sliced, and grill for about 3-4 minutes each side with a bit of the marinade brushed on.

To complete the meal, spoon some warmed baked beans onto your plate.

Huli Huli Chicken

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
  • 3½ to 4 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
  • Grapeseed or canola oil, for brushing the grill grate

Directions

  1. In a large bowl or a gallon-size resealable plastic bag, combine the ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger and garlic, and stir or shake until combined. Reserve and refrigerate ½ cup of the mixture for basting the chicken later.
  2. Add the chicken to the remaining mixture, and stir or shake until evenly coated. If using a bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours, turning the chicken at least once.
  3. When you’re ready to cook, oil your grill grates well. Heat the grill to medium (for charcoal, the grill is ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the coals for 5 to 7 seconds). Add the chicken to the grill, cover, and cook 25 to 35 minutes, turning every 5 minutes to keep the chicken from burning, and basting it with the reserved marinade after you turn it, until cooked through. (Cook times will vary depending on sizes and cuts of chicken pieces, so be sure to check for doneness: Meat should not be pink and the juices should run clear.)
  4. When the chicken is pretty much to temperature, move the meat to the indirect side of the grill, and place the pineapple slices over the direct heat. Baste with the marinade and cook for 3 minutes each side to show char marks. Plate with the grilled chicken.
  5. Serve immediately.

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Recipe adapted from Alana Kysar for NYTimes Cooking

Citrus Rosemary Chicken

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Roast chicken with citrus and herbs? It has my name written all over it! As far back as I can remember, Sunday supper with Mom’s Orange Juice Chicken was a meal I looked forward to all week—and I was one picky eater back then.

Crisp, tangy, and succulent citrus rosemary chicken, seasoned Mediterranean-style with garlic, rosemary, and oregano, and covered in a bold wine and orange marinade. I mean, what’s not to like? This simple twist on roast chicken makes a dish with the perfect balance of savory, tangy, and warm flavors! Delicious and impressive with little work involved. Who’s not with me now?

The citrus marinade in this recipe is made of a combination of wine, orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, tomato paste for color and umami, and fresh garlic, onions, rosemary, and other Mediterranean spices.

We served ours with a Near East rice pilaf dish and a side salad.

According to chef Suzy Karadsheh of The Mediterranean Dish food blog, “The key to great flavor here is to allow the chicken a good 1 to 2 hours in the marinade (refrigerated), and make sure to lift up the chicken skin to spoon some of the garlicky, citrus marinade underneath. If you only have a few minutes, leave the chicken to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or so.”

Now you can use a whole chicken and cut it up saving the neck, back and wingtips for homemade stock—which is our typical rodeo—however, this time we purchased precut bone-in, skin-on breasts and thighs. They were well-salted inside and outside the skin, left uncovered in the refrigerator overnight, and marinated for 2 hours prior to cooking.

Once the chicken is out of the oven, allow it 10 minutes to rest before slicing and serving. Then get ready to be amazed! This dish definitely evokes warm, childhood memories, but at a more advanced level, and with more depth of flavor.

Citrus Rosemary Chicken

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken, split in half through the backbone; or pre-cut parts (about 3 ½ pounds)
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 cup Pinot Noir
  • 1 orange zested and juiced plus 1 sliced orange
  • 1 lime juiced, plus 1 sliced lime
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp. sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper
  • 7 to 8 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 yellow onion halved and sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • Salt chicken inside skin and all around
  • Refrigerate uncovered overnight
  • Prepare citrus marinade
  • Add chicken to mix and marinate for 2 hours
  • Let chicken sit at room temp in braising pan for 30 min

Directions

  1. Season the chicken with kosher salt on all sides, making sure to season underneath the skin as well. (You can do this one night ahead of time and keep the chicken in the fridge to air-chill uncovered.)
  2. Prepare the citrus marinade. In a large bowl, add the wine, orange juice and zest, lime juice, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, tomato paste, spices, and a good dash of kosher salt. Add the garlic and onion. Whisk to combine.
  3. Add the chicken and toss to coat, making sure to lift the skin up and spoon some of the marinade underneath (this will give you more flavor). Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate for an hour or two. (For best results, take it out of the fridge and leave the chicken at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before cooking.)
  4. Preheat the oven to 425°F and adjust a rack in the middle.
  5. Transfer the chicken and the marinade to a braising pan. Roast uncovered for 30 minutes, then carefully turn the pan 180 degrees and roast for another 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender (juices should run clear).
  6. In a small bowl, mix together the honey with 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Carefully remove the chicken from the oven and brush the top with the honey and olive oil mixture.
  7. Switch the oven to the broil function. Return the chicken back to the oven about 6 inches away from the broiler and cook briefly for 3 to 4 minutes, watching for the skin to turn a nice golden brown.
  8. Remove from the heat and finish with lime juice. Add slices of fresh orange and wedges of lime.

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Recipe from The Mediterranean Dish

Citrus Basil Shrimp Kebabs

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These babies are lickety-split fast, extremely simple, and so freakin’ yummy! In fact, keep this marinade in mind for poultry as well. You may decide to try other herbs in place of the basil, like oregano, tarragon or chives; or also give them a sprinkle of fresh herbs at the end.

It was the perfect appetizer to bring for a small dinner party at our friends, Mr. and Mrs, Z. The evening could not have been lovelier as we were sitting outside sipping some wine and marveling at the well-manicured gardens. We transported the soaked wooden skewers, marinating shrimp and a sprig of basil leaves along with the perfect sized platter. All that needed to be done when the four of us were ready for a nosh, was to preheat the grill and thread the 20 shrimp onto the skewers—evenly distributed at 5 apiece.

Within minutes on the grill, the shrimp were done and the feast could begin… Speaking of feast, I have to give a shout out to our hosts for the fantastic meal! Mrs. Z. made a leg of lamb that was to die for, accompanied by a tasty potato salad, an incredible watermelon and arugula salad, asparagus, green bean and tomato salad, and a wonderful summery dessert of nectarines over blueberry compote topped with vanilla ice cream all artfully presented in parfait glasses. A dinner to remember for sure…

But I digress, back to the original post which is the featured shrimp kebabs…

Citrus Basil Shrimp Kebabs

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
  • ½ tsp. grated fresh orange zest
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 lb. peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp, tails left on

Directions

  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2.  Soak four 12-inch wooden skewers in water to cover for at least 30 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together the orange juice, lemon or lime juice, orange zest, garlic, olive oil, basil, and salt and pepper until well blended. 
  4. Add the shrimp and mixture to a large ziploc bag, seal and mush around to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
  5. Preheat the broiler or grill. Skewer the shrimp, dividing them evenly between the skewers. Discard any remaining marinade. Broil or grill for about 4-6 minutes total, turning once as they brown, until they are just cooked throughout.

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Adapted from a recipe by Katie Workman

Marinated Beef Kebabs and Veggie Skewers

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The beauty of this marinade recipe is that it is used for both the meat and vegetable skewers. We almost always thread the meat on separate skewers from the vegetables because the cooking times are so drastically different. The veggies will take about 20 minutes, while the beef is done in 5-8 minutes, depending on your preference.

And while you can get away with only marinating the meat for one hour (that’s the time limit for your veggies), the flavor penetrates the beef at a much more satisfying taste if you leave it in a ziploc overnight—or say, at least 8 hours.

If you’re not counting carbs, tri-colored couscous makes a fine dining companion for the skewers of meat and vegetables. Make it with beef bullion instead of water for an even beefier taste!

Marinated Beef Kebabs and Veggie Skewers

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. top sirloin beef, cut into 1 1/2″ cubes
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper (or 1/2 of each), cut into 1 1/2″ chunks
  • 1 onion, peeled with root intact, cut into 8 wedges
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1″-thick rounds
  • 12 large button mushrooms, stems removed

MARINADE

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • Sriracha, a few dashes to taste

Directions

  1. Mix all marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl, then divide into two ziploc gallon-sized bags.
  2. Add the chunks of beef to one bag, seal and refrigerate overnight. Reserve the other bagged marinade for the veggies, store in refrigerator until ready to use.
  3. One hour before preheating grill, put cut vegetables into remaining marinade. If using wooden skewers, soak in water for one hour.
  4. Preheat grill to high on all burners.
  5. Thread beef chunks onto 3-4 skewers. Alternate the vegetables on 4 skewers. Place all skewers on a large rimmed baking sheet. Reserve leftover marinade for basting purposes.
  6. Grill the veggie skewers for 15 minutes, turning and basting occasionally with leftover marinade. Leave on grill until meat is done, continuing to baste with marinade.
  7. Now place beef kebabs on grill, turning and basting occasionally. With an instant-read thermometer, check after 4 minutes for doneness. Ours were perfectly medium-rare after only 4 1/2 minutes!
  8. Remove skewers from grill to baking sheet and cover loosely with foil for 5 minutes allowing the juices to redistribute.
  9. The meat can be removed from skewers onto a platter and passed around the table, while each diner gets one skewer of vegetables.

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Garlic-Ginger Chicken with Cilantro and Mint

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Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a go-to for many home chefs because they are so versatile. BUT, they can also be extremely bland and dried-out if not cooked and seasoned properly. In Garlic-Ginger Chicken with Cilantro and Mint, both the marinade and the cooking method have a huge payoff resulting in charred, slightly spicy, really juicy chicken that is equally wonderful by itself. Add a pan sauce and now you’re in “amazing” territory.

It’s not often that we run into a spice that we don’t have on hand, let alone never heard of! But amchur, used in this marinade, wasn’t even a twinkle on our horizon. Unfortunately, we did not have any on hand when we decided to try this recipe so I researched a substitution, which by the way is 2-3 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice. Because there was already lemon juice in the marinade, we forwent any replacement.

For a bit of background, “aam” is a hindi word for mango and amchoor is nothing but powder or extract of the fruit. It is also referred to as ‘mango’ powder and is a spice made from green, unripe mangos, which are sliced, sun-dried and ground into a fine powder. Amchur has a pleasant sweet-sour aroma of dried fruit, astringent, but also sweet fruity flavor. The spice adds sour taste like tamarind.

For sides, we paired the chicken with sautéed broccolini and rice topped with a prepackaged lentil dish. A friend of my husband raved about these Tasty Bite brand Indian madras lentil packages from Costco and gave a few to him. I have to admit, I was smitten. Oh, and we decided to make a pan sauce from the remaining liquid. It was sooo worth it!

Garlic-Ginger Chicken with Cilantro and Mint

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
  • 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 3 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped mint leaves, plus more for garnish
  • 1 Tbsp. ground coriander (freshly ground is best)
  • 1 tsp. amchur (dry mango powder), optional
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. red chili powder
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (½–¾ lb. each)
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • Make the initial paste.
  • Add the seasonings.
  • Marinate the chicken breasts.
  • Brown the chicken in batches if necessary,
  • Add all chicken to pan, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes.
  • After cooking in residual heat for 15 minutes, check the temp.
  • Reduce the pan liquid.
  • Melt in butter.
  • Strain and discard solids.

Directions

  1. Mix garlic, lemon juice, ginger, 3 Tbsp. oil, 1 Tbsp. cilantro, and 1 Tbsp. mint in a medium bowl to form a paste.
  2. Mix coriander, amchur (if using), turmeric, salt, and chili powder in a small bowl. Add spice mixture to garlic-ginger paste and stir well to combine. Transfer marinade to a large resealable bag.
  3. Place chicken breasts in marinade and seal bag tightly. Using your hands, gently massage marinade onto chicken, making sure to evenly coat each breast. Chill 2 hours, or overnight. (Ours marinated for 23 hours.)
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Once pan is quite hot, add remaining 1 tsp. oil, swirling pan to coat the entire surface. Reduce heat to medium. Remove chicken from marinade and cook, undisturbed, until lightly golden on one side, 1–2 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook until golden brown on the other side, 1–2 more minutes.
  5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 10 minutes. DO NOT lift the cover! (Since our breast pieces were large, we cooked for 12 minutes.)
  6. Remove pan from heat and let chicken sit, covered, 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness of the breasts. Don’t uncover, or you’ll release the hot steam that cooks the chicken.
  7. Check to make sure the breasts are cooked through—there shouldn’t be any pink in the middle, and if you have an instant-read thermometer, the chicken should register 165°.
  8. Transfer chicken to a bowl and cover while making the pan sauce.
  9. Turn heat to medium-high and reduce the liquid in the pan for several minutes to thicken.
  10. Reduce heat to medium, add the butter until fully melted stirring constantly. Pour liquid through a strainer into a bowl, discard solids. Add any accumulated juices from chicken into sauce.
  11. Transfer chicken pieces to a platter, pour pan sauce over breasts and garnish with cilantro and mint. Serve immediately with sides of choice.

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Adapted from a recipe by Priya Krishna