Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer here in the United States. And as it so happens, last weekend marked a wonderful long weekend in New York City for Marion and me. We returned to Chicago Sunday evening to 90º temperatures, broken air-conditioning and little desire to cook. So this week, I’m raiding the Blue Kitchen archives for five recipes for the grill to get the season rolling.
1. Moroccan-influenced Spicy Grilled Chicken Paillards
Cumin and paprika add plenty of flavor to these quick-cooking chicken breasts, but not much heat. The sauce gets the same treatment from orange juice, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon and red pepper flakes. The dish originated in Paris and is just one of many French dishes that borrows flavors from Moroccan kitchens. Spicy Grilled Chicken Paillards is a great spur-of-the-moment dish, calling for ingredients you’re likely to have on hand and requiring no marinating time. As a bonus, its name has a bawdy double meaning that will make for great dinner conversation.
2. Grilled Sausages with Peppers and Onions
The juices of Italian sausages flavor red bell peppers and onions when they’re all cooked together in a covered foil pan inside a covered kettle grill. Then the sausages are finished directly on the grill. Adapted from a recipe in Cook’s Illustrated magazine, Grilled Sausages with Peppers and Onions consists of just the three ingredients in the name—or five if you count the salt and pepper. But the result is a simple, flavorful meal that’s great on a bun or perfect in a delicious pile, as shown above.
3. Turmeric/Ginger Pork Chops and Grilled Sesame Zucchini
Certain ingredients freely cross borders, especially in Asia. In the case of this Vietnamese pork chop recipe, a marinade seasoned with turmeric, ginger, garlic, Chinese five-spice powder and other spices gives Turmeric/Ginger Grilled Pork Chops big flavor with very little heat. For the side dish, Grilled Sesame Zucchini is delicious, smoky and impressive—and it’s easy to make. I’m proud to say this pair of recipes was featured on Saveur’s website.
4. Grilled Goat Kebabs with Pomegranate-Cumin Glaze
An amazing 70 percent of the red meat consumed in the world is goat, but for some reason, it’s been slow to catch on in the United States. In these flavorful kebabs, it’s a mild-mannered stand-in for lamb. Marinating the meat in cumin, cinnamon, oregano and pomegranate molasses gives it a distinctly Middle Eastern flavor. If you’ve never tried goat, Grilled Goat Kebabs with Pomegranate-Cumin Glaze can be a great way to discover the delicious carnivorous secret the rest of the world already knows.
5. Grilled Spice-rubbed Flank Steak
I suppose I shouldn’t be overly surprised that this is one of the most popular recipes on Blue Kitchen. After all, flank steak is one of the most flavorful cuts of beef around. And slow marinating—in a mix of coriander, cumin, cinnamon, fresh ginger and garlic—and quick grilling make this Spice-rubbed Flank Steak moist, tender and even bigger flavored.
Every recipe screams Yummy and the accompanying photos add just the right touch. As you mention, just in time for the Memorial Day weekend of grill cooking. Nice post!
Lord knows why my meat, sugar, dairy cleanse had to cross hairs with the holiday weekend…poor planning:( But will save these recipes for the following week, when I’ll reverse all the benefits of my cleanse. Oh and congrats on the eBook!
Great easy recipes with tons of flavor. Thanks
Thanks, Cynthia!
The French—That totally sounds like bad timing. Good luck on making it through the weekend! And thanks on the eBook—it was a fun project to be part of.
Ed—I have to admit, I agree with you, he said modestly. I don’t do a lot of grilling, but when I do, I like to make it interesting.
I’m so grateful that everyone seems to be posting recipes for the grill in time for next weekend! I don’t think I’ll be grilling a goat, but I love the sound of that glaze and will substitute lamb instead. (I’d be happy with the goat – I think my friends are a bit more timid.)
Hi, Toni! I’m sure the lamb will work just fine. But personally, while I’m against it in the military, I think a don’t ask, don’t tell policy would work beautifully here if you wanted to serve goat.
Hi,
I just wanted to drop a note to say I love your blog! I read you everyday and you inspire me to cook and write about cooking better. I am a NEW food blogger and I am not sure the protocol on these kinds of things, but I am going to add you to my blogroll because I read you everyday. Anyway, please let me know if you do not want me to place you on my blogroll. Thank you!
Kayla, the nonstick cook
Hi Blue Kitchen,
I just started my own blog and I wanted to let you know. I love the food you post about, especially the gingerbread. I’ve tried to bake other kinds, but I always run to your recipes because it’s so strong. Thank you for the inspiration. 🙂
Wow, two new food bloggers—welcome! Kayla, feel free to add me to your blogroll. As you blog and continue to leave comments and be part of the community, you’ll find people adding you to their blogrolls as well. It won’t happen overnight, but the more people get a taste of your cooking—and your writing—the more you’ll find yourself turning up all over the Intertubes.
Sami—Just from the couple of short samples you’ve already posted, I can tell I’m going to enjoy your writing style. And you’re right—Marion’s gingerbread is wonderfully strong flavored and spicy, isn’t it?