Grilled Fruit Skewers

You can use any combination of fresh fruit to prepare this dish; just be sure the pieces are sufficiently large and firm enough to stay on the skewers. Strawberries, pineapple, cantaloupe  peaches and plums are some of my favourites. Brushing them lightly with a seasoned butter mixture adds a lovely extra dimension of flavour to the fruit. The skewers can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated until you are ready to grill them.

Perfect for a summer party, grilled fruit is a tasty tapas-style dessert.

Ingredients

16 – 24 pieces of fresh fruit, each about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in size
8 wooden skewers (use the two-pronged ones if you can find them*)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

* you can improvise by using two wooden skewers side-by-side, about 1.5 cm (1/2″) apart

Method

• Thread two to three pieces of fruit on each skewer; place them on a plate or tray as you assemble them and refrigerate if not grilling within the hour.
• When ready to grill them, preheat barbecue to 375F (medium-high heat).
• In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, honey or maple syrup and nutmeg.
• Brush one side of each skewer with the butter mixture; flip the skewers over on the plate or tray and brush the other side.
• Grill for approximately three minutes per side until fruit is just beginning to turn golden brown in places.

Serves 4.

Shrimp with Rum and Pineapple

The combination of rum, pineapple and shrimp always makes me think of vacations in the Caribbean. Done up as little skewers, these two-bite treats are perfect for a cocktail or garden party or, if you’re like me, you can just eat a whole bunch of them and call it dinner! It’s worth it to buy larger shrimp if you can, as the smaller ones will cook too rapidly before the pineapple has had a chance to get seared on the grill. You can thread the skewers up to 4 hours ahead of time and keep refrigerated until you are ready to quickly grill and serve them.

Smaller skewers of pineapple and shrimp are quick to grill and easy to eat at a backyard cocktail party.

Ingredients

16 large or jumbo shrimp, shelled
¼ cup rum
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro
16 one-inch pieces of fresh pineapple

wooden skewers (can also use firm, thin stalks of lemongrass)

Method

• In a shallow dish, combine rum, garlic, lime juice, pineapple juice and cilantro.
• Add the shrimp and gently stir to coat.
• Cover dish and refrigerate for one hour, stirring occasionally.
• Thread each skewer with one or two shrimp and one piece of pineapple.
• Refrigerate the skewers until ready to grill.
• Preheat grill to medium high (approximately 375F).
• When ready to serve, place skewers on the hot grill and cook for about 2 – 3 minutes per side. Shrimp should turn pinkish and pineapple should get a few golden brown grill marks. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as an appetizer. 

Grilled Halloumi Cheese and Flatbread

It’s a lot of fun to watch people’s reactions when they see you putting pieces of cheese directly on your barbecue grates. Halloumi, a cheese that originally comes from Cyprus but is now found throughout the Middle East, has a higher melting point than many other cheeses which means it can be grilled or fried until it’s crispy and brown on the outside yet just semi-soft on the inside. You can skewer it with meats or vegetables but I particularly love serving it on flatbread that’s been brushed with a seasoned olive oil and lightly toasted on the grill. You can add a dusting of fresh herbs if you like; mint is particularly lovely with halloumi’s salty, slightly tangy taste.

Halloumi is a delicious cheese that holds together beautifully when heated.

Ingredients

6 mini flatbreads (slider size) or 2 large flatbreads
1 block (approximately 250g) halloumi cheese
1 tablespoon seasoned olive oil (e.g. roasted garlic)
1 tablespoon regular olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
½ fresh lemon
chopped herbs (optional)

Method

• Preheat barbeque (grill) to approximately 375F.
• Split flatbreads in half so you have 12 small rounds or 6 large ones.
• Brush the interior (cut) side of the flatbreads with the seasoned olive oil.
• Slice the halloumi into ¼” thick slices – you will need about 12 slices.
• Lay the halloumi on a clean plate and drizzle the slices with the regular olive oil, flipping them over so they are evenly coated on both sides.
• Grill the flatbreads, oiled side down, for 2 – 4 minutes until they are just beginning to turn golden and get a few grill marks. Remove to a clean plate.
• Grill the halloumi for about 3 – 4 minutes per side, until they are getting nicely browned and have grill marks.
• When both sides are grilled, remove the halloumi from the grill and place on top of the grilled flatbreads.
• If using larger flatbreads, cut them into thirds, each with one piece of cheese on them.
• Squeeze the fresh lemon over the cheese then add a dusting of fresh pepper and herbs, if using. Serve warm.

Serves 4 as an appetizer.

Spicy Baked Plantain Chips

Plaintains, sometimes called cooking bananas, are a starchy cousin to the more common sweet or ‘dessert’ bananas. High in potassium and fibre, green plantains must be cooked before eating though more ripe yellow ones can be consumed raw. Plantains are a staple food in many parts of the world including Africa, Central America, the CaribbeanIslands and northern, coastal parts of South America. Many cultures have similar recipes for deep-frying thinly sliced plantains; this version bakes them for a slightly healthier take on this popular snack or side dish.

Starchy plantains have a milder flavour than sweet bananas. They make tasty chips that are a great side dish with Caribbean, African or South American meals.

Ingredients

2 plantains – look for ones with green skins, not yellow with black spots
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder

* note you can play around with the seasonings; cumin, cinnamon and cayenne are all good on these chips

Method

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Peel plantains by cutting across the stem end then peeling down with a knife.
• Slice thinly (1/8”, if possible). A mandoline may make this job easier, if you have one.
• Put plantain slices in a bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over top. Sprinkle seasonings over and toss gently with your fingers so each slice is well coated.
• Drizzle the remaining teaspoon of olive oil on a baking sheet and rub around to spread evenly.
• Spread plantain slices in a single layer on the prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turning slices after about 6 minutes.
• Watch the chips closely after you turn them as they can burn quickly. Remove from oven when they are uniformly golden and transfer to a cooling rack.
• Chips are best eaten immediately. If you need to make them a day or two ahead, underbake them slightly then re-crisp in a 375F oven for 3 – 4 minutes on a baking sheet.

Makes 2 – 3 cups of chips (depending upon the size of your plantains).

Barley Primavera

Each spring, the sight of the first new crop of vegetables sets my heart all a-flutter. My head swims with recipe ideas as I spy freshly-harvested asparagus, fiddleheads, wild garlic and more at local farmers’ markets. One of my favourite ‘first veggies’ dishes is pasta primavera, blending a garlicky, cheesy cream sauce with loads of lightly-sautéed vegetables. It occurred to me the other day that cooked barley might make a great base for primavera sauce, and, as it turns out, I was right! I’ve written before about barley’s great nutritional benefits and I have to say, I actually enjoyed this dish more than the linguine version I fed to my doubting family. The tender barley lapped up the sauce beautifully and I felt happily full for many hours afterwards. It would be delicious with any combination of sautéed vegetables – the more, the merrier!

The combination of barley, cream sauce and fresh vegetables makes this dish a stunner both in looks and in taste! As a bonus, the barley makes it hearty and nutritious.

Ingredients

1 cup pot barley, rinsed
2 shallots, minced *
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons white wine
2 cups heavy (35%) cream
½ cup freshly grated parmesan
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
8 small mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
12 spears asparagus, tough ends removed; cut remainder in ¾ inch pieces
½ cup fresh or frozen green peas
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon white wine
additional parmesan for grating or shaving as a garnish

Note: this dish is best made with true shallots, not green or cooking onions

Method

• Put the barley in a sieve and rinse with cold water. Put barley in a large pot and add several inches of cold water (enough to cover the barley by at least 2 inches). Cover and place over high heat; as soon as it comes to a boil, turn it down so it is just barely simmering.
• Simmer the barley until it is tender; about 45 minutes. Drain and return to the pot and cover to keep warm.
• While the barley cooks, make the primavera sauce. Start by melting the butter on medium heat in a medium pot then add the minced shallots and garlic. Sauté until just tender, about 3 minutes.
• Add the white wine to the pan and let it bubble away till the wine is almost gone (3 – 5 minutes).
• Add the cream and adjust heat so it boils gently for a few minutes; the cream should thicken slightly.
• Add the grated parmesan; taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
• When sauce is complete, sauté the vegetables. Start by heating 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan.
• Add asparagus, carrots, mushrooms and zucchini. Sauté over medium heat till all vegetables are just barely tender (3 – 4 minutes), stirring often.
• Add ¾ of the cooked vegetables to the cream sauce, reserving the rest for garnish.
• Add peas and white wine; sauté for 1 minute more, increasing heat so wine evaporates.
• To serve, divide barley among four serving bowls (broad soup bowls are ideal).
• Top with sauce and then divide reserved vegetables among the four bowls, arranging attractively on top.
• Garnish with shards of parmesan and a bit of chopped parsley.

Serves 4.

C’est Cheese

As a child I really wasn’t a cheese lover, nor was I exposed to very many different varieties of cheese. Sliced orange stuff in a sandwich was the norm until my first trip to Europe as a teen changed everything. I loved wandering into little shops or through open-air markets, smelling the pungent, earthy aromas of strong cheeses and admiring the shiny waxed surfaces of Goudas and Edams. While European products ruled North American cheese counters for decades, that is changing rapidly and it is truly exciting to see the incredible range of cheeses now being produced in Canada. I recently had an opportunity to sample some of our country’s best cheese – winners of the biennial Dairy Farmers of Canada Cheese Grand Prix, a competition held to celebrate the high quality, versatility and great taste of cheese made from 100% Canadian milk.

Category winners Black River 5 year old cheddar and Grizzly Gouda with finalist Celtic Blue from Glengarry Fine Cheese.

This year’s competition received a record number of entries as cheese makers from British Columbia to PEI submitted 225 cheeses in 19 different categories; these were whittled down to 58 finalists that exemplify the world-class cheese being produced in Canada.

The 2013 grand champion is a delightful Ricotta made by Quality Cheese, Inc.; it was also crowned the category winner for fresh cheese. I love ricotta and this one’s creamy texture and milkiness, balanced with an ever so subtle tang are really appealing. I’m looking forward to visiting their Vaughan, Ontario fromagerie.

The Gouda winner is the lovely Grizzly Gouda from Sylvan Star Cheese Ltd. in Alberta. While firm in texture, tasting revealed a creaminess and a nice salty flavour with hints of caramel and nut.

Among my favourites is the 5 Year Aged Cheddar from Prince Edward’s County The Black River Cheese Company Ltd., which has been making cheese since 1901. Winner in the aged cheddar (more than 3 years) category, it is made from fresh thermalized cow’s milk, is naturally aged and offers all the hallmarks of a great cheddar – a pleasing sharpness and crumbly texture.

I’ve made a checklist of all the winning cheeses and am excited to start working my way through it. I’ll probably begin with the dual winner in the Blue and Organic Cheese categories – the Bleu d’Élizabeth from the Fromagerie du Presbytère in Quebec - as I’ve heard such good things about it.

One of the best opportunities to sample the finest in Canadian cheese is coming up soon, courtesy of the Great Canadian Cheese Festival, taking place May 31 – June 2 in Picton, Ontario. It will be a cheese lover’s paradise! Find out more about the festival here.

Grilled Kale Chips

An unseasonably hot spell in early May has me already thinking about doing as much cooking outdoors as I possibly can during the dog days of summer. It’s easy to use your grill as an oven to make all kinds of tasty treats, including nutritious kale chips. A member of the same vegetable family as broccoli and cauliflower, kale is rich in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C and calcium. It’s even a source of natural chemicals which have been proven to have potent cancer-fighting properties and which can lower cholesterol, making kale chips not just delicious but also a heck of a lot healthier than potato chips! Kale comes in lots of pretty colours so if you’re making these for a party, use several different varieties.

Crispy kale chips are incredibly tasty and cooking the kale does not significantly diminish its excellent nutritional properties.

Ingredients

4 – 6 leaves curly kale
1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt (smoked salt is ideal, if you have it)

Method

• Preheat your gas barbecue (grill) to about 350F.
• Prepare the kale by cutting out the centre stem with a sharp knife, thereby cutting each leaf half.
• Cut the large kale leaf halves into segments or mini-leaves, about 3 – 4 inches across. Don’t cut them too small as they will shrink when cooking.
• Wash the kale pieces well in cold water. You’ll need to dry the kale extremely thoroughly before grilling it. I put it in a salad spinner first (you could use a colander instead) to get as much of the moisture off as possible, then I put the leaves on a clean tea towel and gently roll up the towel. Leave them in the rolled towel for 2 minutes, then unroll the towel and let them air dry for a few more minutes.
• Put the clean, dry kale pieces in a large bowl. Add a healthy drizzle of olive oil then rub the leaves gently with your fingers so that both sides of each piece are lightly coated.

Make sure the kale pieces are very dry before you drizzle oil on them, otherwise they won’t crisp up as well.

• Place kale on either a grill tray with small holes in it or on a baking sheet. NOTE:  You must make sure the kale pieces are in a single layer in order to have them crisp up properly. You will need to cook it 2 – 3 batches.

Be sure to spread the kale out in a single layer on your grill pan or baking sheet.

• Sprinkle a bit of salt over the kale pieces and then put the grill pan or baking sheet on the grill.
• Cook the chips until crisp; you’ll hear them making some popping and sizzling noises as they cook. Depending on your barbecue (grill), it might take about 8 – 12 minutes for them to crisp up; you’ll need to watch them carefully as they can get overcooked (turning brown or even black) rather quickly. They will cook faster on a grill pan than on a solid baking sheet.
• When you think they are starting to look done, pick up a chip with a pair of tongs and touch it to see if it feels crispy.
• As soon as they are crispy, remove the grill pan or tray from the grill and transfer the kale chips to a cooling rack or plate lined with paper towel.
• Let the chips finish crisping up for two minutes. While they are cooling, put the remaining chips on the grill pan or baking tray, add a bit of salt, and put them on the grill to cook.
• These are best eaten the day they are made but you can store them in an airtight container for a day or two and they’ll stay reasonably crispy.

NOTE: You can easily follow these instructions to make kale chips on a baking tray in the oven.