Chicagoans (and from what I can gather most of America) place a lot of importance on their grilling. They have a huge selection of barbeques that smoke, rotisserie, chargrill, sear – you name it they have it here. From the classic Big Green Egg through to a more modern infared grill that offers restaurant style searing, they even have a contraption that cooks an entire pig and apparently it is comparable to Kalua pig which is cooked in the ground for an entire day.
So to most of these serious grillers, a mere gas appliance just doesn’t cut it – my little Weber Q is one of these and no matter what a barbeque traditionalist/fundamentalist might say – I love it. This recipe is designed for such a grill or something similar. Having said that, it would also cook tremendously on coal. It appealed to me because it looks sensational, the flavours are wonderful and it had my two daughters fighting over radishes which has certainly never happened before.
So serious grillers, barbeques experts and people who simply enjoy standing over their little gas flames with a beer , next time you fire up your barbie you might want to give this recipe a go. The marinade and the grilling give the vegetables and chicken a lovely caramelized texture, the additional marinade then acts as a sauce. I have also included a recipe for a rice dish that serves as a very flavourful accompaniment.
In the meantime I am going to get serious about grilling, save my pennies for one of those big coal burning machines and barbeque seriously…very seriously. Stay tuned.
8 1/3-inch-thick rounds red onion
8 large shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
8 red radishes, trimmed, halved
4 baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
1 large orange capsicum/bell pepper, cut lengthwise into 8 strips
Mango-Sesame Dressing (recipe below)
4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Arrange all vegetables on large rimmed baking sheet. Brush vegetables lightly on both sides with 1/2 cup Mango-Sesame Dressing; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Arrange chicken on sheet of foil. Brush both sides of chicken with 1/2 cup dressing, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Coat grill rack generously with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill vegetables until just tender, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes for onion rounds and 4 minutes for mushrooms, radishes, bok choy, and capsicum/bell pepper strips. Return all vegetables to same baking sheet.
Grill chicken until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to cutting board. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes.
Arrange chicken breasts and vegetables on platter. Serve with remaining dressing.
Mango Sesame Dressing
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup Major Grey’s mango chutney (or any mild mango chutney will do)
6 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
6 3/4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
Combine all ingredients in blender. Cover tightly; blend until dressing is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ginger Coriander /Cilantro Rice
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 x 1-inch-long pieces fresh ginger, peeled, each cut into 4 rounds, plus 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 2/3 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 1/3 cups chopped fresh coriander/cilantro
1 green onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon (or more) unseasoned rice vinegar
Combine rice and ginger rounds in large saucepan. Add broth; sprinkle with salt. Bring to boil, stirring often. Cover; reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is tender and broth is absorbed, about 18 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine chopped cilantro, green onion, and minced ginger in mini processor. Add both oils and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Blend until almost smooth. Season cilantro oil to taste with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if desired.
Transfer rice to bowl. Remove ginger rounds. Mix in coriander/cilantro oil and serve.
Source: Bon Appetit June 2010
© 2010, Michelle. All rights reserved.
Mmm, looking forward to our ‘grilling season’ starting in a few months. Is Major Grey’s mango chutney available here? If not, can you suggest a substitute? Love the blog – a great idea for one of the most accomplished home cooks I know.
Glad you like it Katie! Your question has just reminded me that I should write something about the chutney on my post. Major Greys chutney isn’t actually a brand but a name given to a mild mango chutney – so really any brand will do. I use Pataks which I get from Whole Foods and Treasure Island. I know that Sharwoods is available in Australia – it is not called Major Greys Mango chutney but more simply Mango chutney.