Grill Interrupted

One of my favourite shows to watch on Food TV is Diners, Drive-ins & Dives. Watching Guy stuff his face across the country is highly entertaining. More often than not I also walk away with some ideas I’d like to try out.

On a recent episode featuring a Chicago Pizzeria, Guy chickened out from trying their breakfast pizza (he’s not an egg fan). I on the other hand thought it looked both interesting and delicious. Turns out Guy didn’t know what he was missing. This pizza was un-be-liev-able! Try it. You might like it.

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‘Ain’t Nothing Shakin’ but the Bacon’ Pizza

Ingredients:

1 homemade or frozen pizza

6 pieces vegetarian bacon

4 eggs, whole

Preparation:

1. To start, the pizza should be assembled, uncooked and ready to go in the oven (i.e. dough, sauce & cheese).
2. Using the back of a large spoon make 4 wells in the pizza. One per quarter.
3. Crack an egg into each well making sure to drag towards the middle of the pizza as the egg releases out of the shell. This will make sure no excess yolk seeps off the pizza edge.
4. Break the bacon into bite size pieces and cover the entire pizza, making sure to cover the eggs so they don’t overcook.
5. Cook pizza as usual until cheese is melted and veggie bacon is crispy.

Filed under: Compilation on November 29th, 2009 | Comments Off on ‘Ain’t Nothing Shakin’ but the Bacon’ Pizza

As many of my friends can attest, I can’t make a hamburger and serve it straight up. Grilling onions, mushrooms, smoked meat, and other tasty treats to take it up a notch has become a bit of bad habit. Sometimes burgers are the easiest thing to grab from the butcher and if you’re short on time they are great. I’m just spoiled… and “hon, let’s keep it simple and make burgers” turns into a whole ordeal.

Anyway, here’s the first one. Just keep in mind – there’s nothing wrong with burgers straight up. I swear.

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Asian Burgers and ‘slaw

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Burgers:

1 lb ground beef

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped scallions

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon wasabi

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

4 hamburger buns

Slaw:

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

Juice of  1/2 lime

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 head Napa cabbage, sliced thin

1 red bell pepper, julienne

1 yellow bell pepper, julienne

1 large carrot, grated fine with a peeler

3 green onions, cut on the bias, all of white part and half of the green

2 tablespoons cilantro, chiffonade

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Salt, to taste

Preparation:

1. In a bowl combine the ground beef, scallions, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil. Mix until combined. Divide into 4 portions and form into burgers. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat grill over medium-high heat and cook the burgers until desired doneness
3. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise and wasabi. Mix well.
4. To assemble, spread the wasabi mayonaisse on both sides of the bun, top with a burger and lettuce. 
5. To make the ‘slaw: In a small bowl combine vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, oil, and peanut butter. In a large bowl, combine all other ingredients and then toss with dressing.

Filed under: Recipe on November 25th, 2009 | 1 Comment »

It’s still November, and I still have a fish recipe or two up my sleeve. I knew this one would be great as I’m a sucker for Thai cooking.

For those of you who assume you don’t like curry because you have tried Indian curry – stop right there! Indian and Thai curry are nothing alike! Curries are simply an amalgamation of intense spices to create a flavour theme for a dish. The flavours of Indian and Thai curries are about as far apart as their respective homelands (700 miles, for those playing along at home).

 In any case, this one is super healthy, tasty and easy to make. Enjoy!

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Thai Red Curry Snapper with Bok Choy and Shitake Mushrooms

Adapted from Men’s Health

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 cup jasmine rice, uncooked

2 fillets (6oz each) red snapper

1 Tbsp red curry paste

1 cup light coconut milk

1 cup shitake mushrooms

4 baby bok choy

1/2 Tbsp brown sugar

Juice of one lime

1 tsp canola oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Rinse rice and place in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
2. In a small saucepan combine the curry paste, coconut milk, and brown sugar. Cook over low heat until it thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Add half of the lime juice. 
3. Chop the bok choy into bite-sized pieces and boil them until they’re tender but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain.
4. Heat the oil on medium in a saute pan. Salt and pepper the fillets and place them, skin side down, in the pan. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin is crisp and golden. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until cooked.
5. Remove the fillets from the pan and immediately add the shitakes, bok choy, and remaining lime juice. Cook for 3 minutes.
6. Divide the rice and vegetables between two plates, place a fillet on top of each, and drizzle the curry sauce around the fish.

Filed under: Recipe on November 17th, 2009 | Comments Off on Thai Red Curry Snapper with Bok Choy and Shitake Mushrooms