Hola Mexico! Chipotle Chili Tamarind BBQ Sirloin & Grilled Salmon with Lime, Ginger & Coriander

It’s definitely time to get out the BBQ, it’s been five month since it saw light of day, the only problem is our summer doesn’t seem to be towing the line. Slammed by southerly wind, showers and the odd blink of sun this weekend my great plans of a Mexican BBQ turned into grilling indoors in the cast iron skillet instead. It’s a ritual this time every year, the New Zealand weather turns on a few warm days, we pack away our winter clothes knowing damn well the weather Gods haven’t finished toying with us and it all turns to custard again. Realistically the weather doesn’t truly settle till December , at that stage the jandels (flip flops) are on and no socks for 5 months. I’m just hoping the weather might give me a little reprieve next week when I am running the Mexican BBQ workshop, at least I have a back up plan and plenty cast iron frying pans if doesn’t behave itself.

Mexican Grilled Salmon with Lime, Ginger & Coriander

Ingredients – serves 2-4

• 2-4 salmon fillets (one per person)
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tsp tamarind
• 2 chili, finely chopped
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 small bunch Coriander, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp brown sugar

Method

• Remove skin from the salmon and any pin bones.
• Place all the ingredients except for the salmon in a bowl and mix together.
• In a flat bottom dish place the salmon pieces and pour over the marinade. Marinate for 20 minutes, do not leave it much longer as the lime and tamarind will ‘cook’ the salmon.
• Heat the BBQ to medium high and flame grill the salmon for two minutes on each side or cooked right through if you prefer. Place the salmon pieces onto a serving dish.
• Put the remaining marinade into a small pan and bring to the boil. Pour over cooked salmon on serving dish and serve with corn tacos & tomato salsa.

Chipotle Chili Tamarind BBQ Skirt Steak

Ingredients – serves 4

• 800g Skirt Steaks (or sirloin if you prefer)
• 1tps black pepper corns, ground
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, ground
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1-2 chipotle (I use tinned-La Morena) chili, finely chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 2 Tbsp Japanese soy
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Method

• Combine all the ingredients except for the skirt steak together in a bowl.
• Place the skirt steak into flat dish and pour over the marinade and covering both sides. Marinate the steak for a minimum of one hour (it can be left for several).
• Heat the BBQ to medium high and flame grill the steak on one side for 2 minutes and then turn over and marinate on the other side also for two minutes.
• Remove steak from the heat and wrap in tin foil and let the meat rest for ten minutes.
• Slice thinly and serve with corn tacos and tomato salsa
• Heat the remaining sauce in a pan and serve over sliced steak

BBQ Stuffed Squid & BBQ Stuffed Chicken

Summertime is BBQ time! We decided this week that we would jazz up the BBQ food since summer is fast approaching and everyone wanted a few new ideas to cook on the Christmas BBQ. Although after making the decision the weather turn bandit and rained and rained and rained the whole week prior to our class. But in true Auckland style, the weather changed quickly overnight and the sun shone Saturday morning.

I always love squid on the BBQ so I decided to show the girls how to stuff squid and also how versatile the stuffing could be by just changing a few ingredients. The base stuffing for the squid we adding fennel and ricotta to compliment the squid, although we thought feta cheese would go really well too. For the stuffed chicken rolls we added roasted hazelnuts and parmesan cheese. We also grilled some asparagus to create a salad.

Stuffed BBQ Squid – makes 2

• 2 squid hoods/tubes
• 1 cup of cooked rice (brown or red has a better flavour)
• 1 dessertspoon dill or fennel
• 1 dessertspoon parsley, chopped
• ½ tsp fennel seeds, toasted & crushed
• 1 dessertspoon ricotta
• Zest & juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 spring onion
• pinch of salt & pepper
• 3 cloves roasted garlic

Method

1. Place rice, lemon juice & zest, herbs, seeds & salt & pepper in a bowl.
2. Mash the garlic gloves into the ricotta and add to the rice mix.
3. Finely slice spring onions and mix with other ingredients
4. Clean & dry squid hoods.
5. If narrow end of hood is open close with a tooth pick.
6. Stuff Squid hood with filling, but not too full or it might burst when cooking. Flatten them so the cook evenly.
7. Seal end with another tooth pick.
8. Rub olive oil over outside of squid.
9. Cook on a medium heat BBQ for 4-5 minutes on both sides, do not over cook otherwise it will become tough.

Herb Stuffed Chicken Schnitzel – makes 2

• 2 schnitzel (or slice a chicken breast down the centre and flatten each piece out with a pan to make your own)
• 1 cup of cooked rice (brown or red has a better flavour)
• 1 dessert spoon thyme
• 1 dessertspoon parsley
• 1 dessert spoon roasted, chopped hazelnuts
• 2 dessert spoon fresh parmesan cheese, grated
• Zest & juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 spring onion
• 3 cloves roasted garlic
• salt & pepper

Method

Place rice, lemon juice & zest, herbs, hazelnuts, salt & pepper in a bowl

1. Finely slice spring onions and mix with other ingredients
2. Mash garlic cloves and add to the mix
3. Add parmesan cheese and combine.
4. Put aside.
5. Take a chicken breast and slice in half through the breast long ways.
6. Place a piece of chicken in between Gladwrap and beat gently with a rolling pin to form thin schnitzels.
7. Scoop half the filling onto one end of the schnitzel and roll up the schnitzel to enclose the filling. Secure with a toothpick.
8. Cook on a medium heat BBQ till golden on both sides, it will not take too long to cook since the chicken meat is thin.
9. Serve

Other options: Grated apple & chopped sage for pork schnitzel