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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

Italian Style Grilled Shrimp

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Shrimps are delicious especially when fresh. They can be eaten as an appetizer, included in soups, salads and served as a main course.

I am not a big fan of peeling shrimp just like everyone else, but it is more advisable to grill it with the shells because it imparts more flavor.  This is a light dish that also goes well with grilled tomatoes and zucchinis.

 

Ingredients:

1 pound large or large shrimp, with shells, deveined

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon basil, chopped

1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped fine

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Lemon slices

 

In a bowl, combine the wine, olive oil, onion, garlic, basil, rosemary and pepper. Mix well.

Place the shrimps in a re-sealable bag and pour in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and turn at least once.

Grill the shrimps for 3-4 minutes on each side, until it turns orange; brush with marinade every 2 minutes. You may thread the shrimp on skewers if desired, but you can also grill it as it. Serve immediately with lemon slices and salad or rice.

Photo Courtesy Of: stu_spivack

 

The ‘Delicate’ Sandwich

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Okay, sarcasm isn’t my strongest point. But I’d still give this bit of advice: wear a bib whilst eating this, and being careful with it.

Sausage Sandwich

Ideal as a Brunch Sandwich, it’s great as a snack at anytime – especially after a late night!

To serve 4
1 Loaf Sour Dough Bread, cut into 8 thick slices
4tbsp Olive Oil
2 Large Red Onions, peeled and sliced
2tsp Sugar
2tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
8 Good Quality Sausages
8 Baby Plum Tomatoes, halved
1tbsp Water
3 Big Handfuls of Rocket
English Mustard

1. Drizzle a small amount of Olive over each slice of bread, before placing on a Griddle pan and toasting lightly on both sides
2. Heat a teaspoon of Oil in a pan, then add the Onions and allow them to sweat a little. When they start to wilt slightly, add half the Sugar, a small pinch of Salt, twist of Pepper and half of the Balsamic Vinegar, then cook for three to four more minutes.
3. In a fresh pan, start to cook the Sausages in a frying pan with a tablespoon of the Oil. When coloured on all sides, turn the heat down and cook for a further six to eight minutes
4. In the pan of the Onions, add the Tomato Halves, with a little Water, the rest of the Water, Sugar, Balsamic Vinegar and then season to taste. Leave to reduce a little over a medium heat.
5. To assemble, cut the Sausages in half lengthways. Spoon the Tomato and Onion mixture onto half the slices of Bread, place the Sausages on top, followed by a handful of Rocket, drizzle with a small amount of Oil, then the other slice of Bread, which has been covered in Mustard.

Photo Courtesy of: bird gc

Grilled Peaches with Chocolate and Marzipan

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Soft, juicy with a nice crisp edge to them – these Grilled Peaches are a great desert, especially after a rustic main course. For an extra crisp, sweet finish to them, sprinkle half a teaspoon of Brown Sugar over the top before grilling.

Grilled Peaches

If you’re not too fond of Peaches, you can always change them for some very ripe Nectarines or Pears – take a thin slice off of them so that they’ll stay flat and cook evenly.

To serve 4
4 Ripe Peaches
150ml Double Cream
125g Plain Chocolate, broken into pieces
1 Lime
50g Marzipan, chopped into small pieces
2tbsp Icing Sugar

1. Halve the Peaches, and cut out the stones. Arrange them, with the cut side facing up, into a shallow flameproof dish.
2. Pour the Double Cream into a saucepan, then heat up until just before boiling. Stir in the Chocolate chunks, and stir over a gentle heat until smooth.
3. Remove thin strips of the rind from the Lime and set aside. Squeeze two teaspoons of Lime Juice and add to the Chocolate Sauce.
4. Squeeze another two teaspoons of Lime Juice and sprinkle over the cut Peaches.
5. Divide the chopped Marzipan between the Peach Halves, and drizzle a little of the Chocolate Sauce over the top of the Peaches, then pour the rest into the cooking dish.
6. Sift some Icing Sugar over the top, then grill for around five minutes under a high heat. The Peaches and Marzipan should be slightly coloured, and crisp on the edges.
7. Transfer to warmed serving plates, and scatter the Lime Rind over the top. Pour a little Cream into the Chocolate Sauce, and mix lightly. Serve still warm.

Photo Courtesy of: mccun934

Grilled Chicken Salad

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Fresh, full of flavour and colour, and very tasty, this dish should appeal to all tastes! It’s very easy to make, but still provides very impressive results.

Grilled Chicken Breast

When making the dressing, try to prepare it as close to preparation as possible, in order to have the freshest flavours.

To serve 4
175g Tomatoes, halved
2tbsp Black Olive Paste
Olive Oil
4 Skinless Chicken Fillets
1 Shallot, peeled and finely chopped
3tbsp Olive Oil
1tbsp Walnut Oil
4tsp White Wine Vinegar
2tbsp Single Cream
1tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped
Salt and Pepper
Mixed Salad to serve – Leaves, Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, Onions, Cucumber, Artichoke Hearts etc.

1. Grill the Halved Tomatoes skin-side up, until black and charred. Puree in a food processor, along with a little Olive Paste and the Olive Oil if required, in order to make a thinnesh Paste.
2. Place the Chicken on a foil lined tray, brush lightly with some Olive Oil, and grill for seven to eight minutes, and turn over, covering with the Tomato Paste. Cook for a further five minutes, or until cooked through, and the outside is browned. Cool, cover, and place in a fridge for at least an hour to allow the Chicken time to firm up.
3. Make the dressing – Mix the three tablespoons of Olive Oil with the Walnut Oil, Vinegar, Cream, Basil in a large bottle, and shake well. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste, and then set aside.
4. Toss the Mixed Salad in a large bowl with the Dressing, and then add the Chicken – sliced into centimetre thick strips, and serve fresh.

Photo Courtesy of: CandyTX

Grilled Sardines in Tomato Sauce

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A true classic Italian dish. These Sardines can be either grilled or barbecued, and personally I say that there’s nothing quite like freshly barbecued Sardines in this dish, especially when combined with the rich Tomato Sauce
Barbecued Sardines
To serve, you can present it in a number of ways – myself, I’d say having it in small chunks, served mixed into a bed of fresh cooked Spaghetti, garnished with some freshly chopped Parsley.

To serve 4
16 Small or 8 Large Sardines, cleaned and rinsed
3tbsp Olive Oil
Sprigs of Thyme
Salt and Pepper
Juice of ½ Lemon
1 Small Onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 Garlic Clove, peeled and finely chopped
450g Ripe Tomatoes, finely chopped
1tbsp Parsley, freshly chopped

1. Heat a tablespoon of the Olive Oil in a medium sized frying pan, and add the Onion and Garlic, frying gently until softened. Add the Chopped Tomatoes and Parsley, before seasoning to taste with Salt and Pepper. Cook without a lid on over a medium heat for ten to fifteen minutes, until the Tomato chunks are tender but not falling apart, and the Sauce is slightly reduced.
2. Whilst the Sauce is reducing, score the underside of the Sardines with a few diagonal cuts on each side. Brush with Oil, before pushing some sprigs of Thyme into each hole.
3. Sprinkle the Fish with Pepper and Lemon Juice, before arranging on a Grill Rack.
4. Cook for three to four minutes on each side, until cooked through, brushing with the Juices and leftover Oil.
5. Arrange on a plate, and serve with the sauce served over the top. Garnish with some Lemon Rind.

Photo Courtesy of: avlxyz

Thai Grilled Caramelized Fish

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Large chunks of soft, flaky fish, with a crisp sweet glazing. The home made Sweet and Sour Chilli Sauce suits this dish brilliantly, and couple it with a bed of Salad leaves as a starter, or with boiled New Potatoes and Fresh Green Beans as a Main course.

Plaice

If you want the Sauce to be a little hotter, add some more Chillies, or leave some of the seeds in before you blend and leave them to marinade for longer.

To Serve 4
4 Whole Plaice Fillets, skinned and halved
1tsp Salt
Juice of 2 Limes
5tbsp Demerara Sugar
400g Red Peppers, deseeded and chopped
50g Red Chillies, deseeded and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
2tbsp Olive Oil
4tbsp Sugar
6tbsp Distilled Malt Vinegar

1. Begin by making the Sauce. Ideally, you’ll leave this to rest and marinade for at least an hour before serving, but you can always do it for longer. Place the Red Peppers, Chillies and Garlic into a blender along with two tablespoons of water, and process until smooth and paste-like.
2. Into a medium sized saucepan, add the Olive Oil, Sugar and Vinegar, and begin heating it, until it begins to boil. Once bubbles begin to form, add the Chilli and Pepper paste and simmer for around twenty minutes, or until the mixture has reduced by half. Pour into a jar or bottle, and then leave until chilled.
3. Sprinkle each half-fillet with a little Salt and Lime Juice, before rolling up and securing with a wooden cocktail stick, and set aside for half an hour. Before grilling, rub some Sugar over all.
4. Cook under a grill for four or five minutes, or until cooked through and the Sugar has caramelized on the outside
5. Serve fresh off the Grill, with the Sweet and Sour Sauce poured over.

Photo Courtesy of: adactio

Pasta with Grilled Asparagus and Broad Beans

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Simple, with a combination of different textures and colours, this dish is a great main dish, and is really quite flexible – if you can’t find Broad Beans, you can replace them with Fresh Peas with some Mint.

Grilled Asparagus

To get the best appearance for the dish, try to lightly char the Asparagus at the tips, it looks great, and adds another texture to the dish.

To Serve 4
225g Shelled Broad Beans
350g Dried Pasta
450g Asparagus, trimmed and halved across
6tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
Grated Rind and Juice of 1 Lemon
3tbsp Chopped Fresh Mint
4tbsp Single Cream
4tbsp Grated Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper

1. Place the Beans in a pan of lightly salted boiling water for two minutes until blanched. Strain the water off into a clean pan. Put the Beans into a dish and leave under running cold water. Carefully remove the hard skins from the Beans, and keep the Broad Beans to one side.
2. Put the Bean water back on the heat and bring to a rolling boil. Add the pasta, and cook for ten minutes, or until cooked as desired.
3. Place the Asparagus pieces onto a grill pan, and brush with a small amount of the Oil, before grilling for three or four minutes on each side, until slightly charred and tender.
4. Whilst cooking the Asparagus, heat two tablespoons of the Oil in a pan, add the Garlic and Lemon Rind, and fry over a medium-low heat until nearly golden. Add the Beans, Mint and Cream, and heat gently.
5. Drain the pasta off, and toss with the remaining Oil. Stir in the Asparagus and Bean mixture, before mixing in the Cheese and Lemon Juice. Season to taste, and serve at once.

Photo Courtesy of: woodleywonderworks

Louisiana Courgettes

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A very eye-catching and appealing Vegetarian Starter, this lightly spiced dish can be used as a starter on its own, or served with Chicken or Grilled Fish. It’s a very easy dish, and it’s great to use as part of a dinner party menu due to using a Slow Cooker to cook it.

Courgette

To peel the tomatoes, score a cross in the bottom of them, and place in a heatproof bowl, then pour boiling water over, and leave to stand for thirty to sixty seconds. Drain, and pour cold water over these, and the skins will peel away easily.

To serve 6
1kg Courgettes, thickly sliced
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2 Red Peppers, deseeded and chopped
5tbsp Hot Vegetable Stock
4 Tomatoes, peeled and chopped
25g Butter
Salt and Cayenne Pepper
3tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley (to garnish)

1.       Place the Courgettes, Onion, Garlic and Red Peppers in the Slow Cooker, and season to taste with Salt and Cayenne Pepper. Pour the stock over the top, and mix well.

2.       Pour the Chopped Tomatoes and Butter over the top, and cook for two and a half hours on a high heat until tender. Garnish with Parsley and serve.

As an alternative to this dish, try replacing some of the courgettes with Squash, and a mix of four tablespoons dried breadcrumbs and four tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese instead of the tomato, and then cook on a low heat for six hours – it’s a great alternative, and adds another layer of taste to the dish

Photo Courtesy of: FotoosVanRobin

Lime Marinated Salmon

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The fresh Lime juice and Mustard add a great tangy taste to this moist, flaky grilled Salmon. It works well on a range of fish steaks – Tuna, Halibut and Swordfish are all good selections, as long as the fish is firm to touch.

Salmon Steak

For a spicier taste, and different texture, try some Wholegrain Mustard. I used this (by accident) once, and was very pleased with the results – it’s got a bit more of a kick to it, but it’s a case of adjusting the amount of it used (instead of two teaspoons, try using only one). Alternatively, mix different mustards together to get a different taste entirely!

To Serve 4
¼ Cup Fresh Lime Juice
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2tsp Dijon Mustard
¼ tsp Ground Ginger
¼ tsp Garlic Powder
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
Pinch of Black Pepper
4 Salmon Steaks

1.       Whish the Lime Juice, Olive Oil, Mustard, Ginger, Garlic, Cayenne Pepper and Black Pepper together in a bowl, and pour into a sealable plastic bag. Carefully place the Salmon Steaks in the bag, and make sure that they are well covered.

2.       Refrigerate the bag for an hour to allow the flavours to infuse

3.       Heat a grill to a medium heat, and lightly oil the tray (or pan). Remove the Salmon from the marinade bag, and drip off any excess marinade, which can be discarded.

4.       Grill for five to ten minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the Fish – it should be until the Fish flakes easily with a fork

Photo Courtesy of: WoodleyWonderWorks

Grilled Marinated Swordfish

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Such a wide range of flavours go very well with Swordfish, but a particular favourite is this dish which is a quick-seller at a restaurant I like to visit. You’ll see why when you try it for yourself!

Grilled Swordfish

When using a griddle pan, heat the pan until the oil is nearly spitting in order to seal the flavours in, before cooking through for more time. With Swordfish, you can cook it to how you prefer – the time specified below is for medium-rare.

To serve 4
4 Cloves Garlic
1/3 Cup White Wine
¼ Cup Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2tbsl Olive Oil
1tbsl Poultry Seasoning
¼ tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
4 Swordfish Steaks
1 tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
4 Lemon Slices (for garnish)

1.       Finely chop the Garlic, and combine it in a large glass baking dish, along with the White Wine, Lemon Juice, Soy Sauce, Olive Oil, Poultry Seasoning, Salt and Pepper. Mix well, and then place the Swordfish Steaks in them, and refrigerate for an hour, turning frequently.

2.       For grilling these, turn the grill on at maximum heat, and leave to heat very well. Oil the grill pan, and grill each steak for five to six minutes on either side. Garnish with the Parsley and Lemon Slices. If you are using a Stove top, oil the griddle pan, and wait until the oil is very hot. Fry on a high heat for one to two minutes on either side, and then lower the heat, before cooking for four to five minutes.

Serve with Jacket Potato, a fresh leafy Salad, some pasta or a traditional Greek Salad.

Photo Courtesy of: Virtual Ern