Cuisine Eric

Summer grilling doesn't get much better than this.  Make your skewers yours by threading on your own favorites! 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1/2 red pepper, sliced into 1-inch pieces 1/2 yellow pepper, sliced into 1-inch pieces 1/2 orange pepper, sliced into 1-inch pieces 1/2 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces 2-3 jalapeño peppers cut into 7 ~1-inch pieces Basting Sauce: 2 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp sesame oil 1 clove garlic, minced   Cesar dressing: 1 cup good real mayonnaise juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp anchovy paste 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 clove garlic, finely minced through a press freshly ground black pepper 2 heads romaine lettuce, sliced shaved parmesan cheese for garnish 7 6-inch wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes Whisk together the dressing ingredients and refrigerate.   Heat grill to high.   Cut the chicken into about 1-inch chunks.   Thread the veggies and...

This is an easy grilled chicken number inspired by the Entertaining at Home cookbook by Nordstrom published in 2005. Who knew they had restaurants in their stores? They must be good because I want to cook almost every dish in the book; which I bought for $.30 at a library sale! 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 3 small ones) Marinade: 3/4 cup good real mayonnaise 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp honey 1 tsp Sriracha (or other favorite) hot sauce 1 clove garlic, minced through a garlic press 1 Tbsp dried chives 6 wooden skewers Whisk together the marinade ingredients.   Reserve 1/4 cup for final basting. Cut chicken into a total of 6 long strips.   Place chicken in a quart-sized zip lock plastic bag, or a bowl.   Add the remaining marinade and mix well.   Marinate for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, soak the wooden skewers in water.   When ready to cook, preheat grill to high.   Thread each strip of chicken lengthwise onto e...

Kebabs are to lamb like a little wine is to love.  They bring the best tender essence and the promise of romance with a splash of flair. So much richer and complex than just a plain, dependable slice of roast lamb, as good as that can be, kebabs are a very act of summer fling. Consider this marinade/sauce for other proteins on kebabs as well such as beef, pork, chicken or tofu.  While leg or shoulder meat is great for simmered curries and stews, lamb loin chop meat is used here, because it remains ultimately tender even with the limited cooking typical of a kebab.  A sweet, savory and tart mixture is split to act as a marinade and a reserved portion as a sauce (never use the marinade itself as a sauce as it may not be cooked through sufficiently - that's why we reserve some mixture before using the rest as a marinade). Summer is for lovers, so get to it and swoon over this. 4 lamb loin chops Marinade & Sauce: 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves 4 fr...

Shrimp on the 'barbie' can be even better with pineapple on the barbie - a match made in heaven. I often have fresh pineapple in the house and if I have only that - and of course, always some frozen shrimp - I know I have a great meal ahead! Salsa optional, but well worth it - even if store bought. Fresh Red Pepper Salsa: 1/2 red pepper, diced 1 fresh ripe tomato, diced 1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 purple onion, finely diced 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice pinch of sugar 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined 16 1-inch chunks fresh pineapple 4 6-inch wooden skewers 1/3 cup favorite vinaigrette (e.g. see below) Next Gen Vinaigrette Erique ( www.cuisineici.blogspot.com ) 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar 1 generous tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup canola oil 1/4 cup olive oil lots ground fresh pepper 1 tsp dried dill 2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed through a garli...

This mixture of coconut oil and fresh herbs makes a delicious marinade, which you could use for pork, chicken or a sturdy fish. 1 lb boneless country pork ribs (or tenderloin) cut into 16 cubes 20 grape tomatoes 5 wooden skewers fresh mint leaves for garnish Marinade: 1/4 cup liquid coconut oil 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste 2 cloves garlic smashed and minced 1 Tbsp fresh lemon thyme, minced 6 sage leaves, finely minced palmful cilantro leaves, minced 1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar juice of 1/2 good juicy lime, about 2 Tbsp Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a bowl.  Add the pork to the marinade and mix well.   Marinate the pork cubes for at least an hour, even better, overnight in the refrigerator. Soak the skewers in water for 20 minutes. Heat grill to high.  Bring pork to room temperature.  Skewer the pork and tomatoes. Grill kebabs over high heat, about 3-4 minutes per sid...