Ginger Ale Marinated Pork with BBQ’s Apples

Pork Marinade:

• 2 1/2 cups ginger ale
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup sherry
• honey to taste (a tabelspoon to 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped ginger
• some onion (yellow or white), chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 6 cardamom seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flake

This is enough marinade for lots of pork. Whip it all together and put it in a large zip lock bag.  Add pork.  Refridgerate for at least a day.  Then BBQ it as you like.

BBQ’d Apples:

• 1 granny smith apple per person
• chop into 1/4 - 1/2 inch slices
• brush with olive oil, put on grill
• as apples begin to cook, brush maple syrop on apples. once on each side

Note: cooked apples will be a bit soft.  that’s ok.

Poached Mung Beans, Shoots, and Sesame Fried Tofu Salad

Ingredients:

* 2 cups/500 ml water
* 1/2 cup/125 ml soy sauce
* 2 ½ inch/6 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
* ~8 ounces/225 g sprouted mung beans
* ~8 ounces/225 g mixed sprouted beans
* ~6 ounces/170 g pea shoots
* ~6 ounces/170 g sunflower shoots
* 3 tablespoons/50 ml soy vinegar
* 1 ½ tablespoons/25 ml mirin
* 5 tablespoons/75 ml grapeseed oil
* 3 cups/750 ml vegetable or peanut oil for deep frying
* 14 ounces/400 g firm tofu
* 3 ½ ounces/100 g sesame seeds

Method:

In a medium saucepan, place the water, soy sauce and ginger. Add all the beans and bring the cooking liquid nearly to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the beans. Allow the beans to cool. Discard the ginger. The beans should still be crunchy. Mix the shoots together in a large bowl. Add the mung beans and toss to combine.

Place the vinegar and mirin in another large bowl. Slowly add the grapeseed oil, whisking constantly until the mixture is well blended. Set the salad and dressing aside while preparing the tofu and lotus root. Cut the tofu into 8 finger-length rectangles. Place the sesame seeds in a medium bowl and roll the tofu in the sesame seeds to coat.

Heat the vegetable or peanut oil in a medium saucepan or deep fryer to 375°F/190°C. Deep-fry the tofu in the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden.

Using tongs, transfer the fried tofu to paper towels to drain. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat. Mound the salad in the center of four plates. Top with the tofu and serve.

Comments:

* Rating 3.5/5, impressive… could get you laid, assuming your date doesn’t think tofu is lame
* Based on this original recipe (our take is easier).

Surrey Honey Mustard BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

Ingredients:

* 12 fresh chicken drumsticks skin on, rinsed and patted dry

(note: eating 12 drumsticks in a single sitting is insane! Scale entire recipe for smaller batches)

Marinade…

* 1/2 cup (125 mL) of liquid honey
* 1/4 cup (60 mL) Dijon mustard
* 1 tsp (5 mL) mustard seeds
* 2 tsp (10 mL) chopped garlic
* Juice and zest of one lemon
* 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Oil for brushing

Method:

1. In a medium bowl whisk together all marinade ingredients. Reserve 1/4 cup (60 mL) for basting later.
2. Place rinsed chicken in a large sealable plastic bag.
3. Pour marinade over chicken and toss the contents in the bag so everything is nicely coated.
4. Refrigerate for at least four hours (do this in the morning before you go to work).
5. Bring your barbecue to 350 F/175 C leaving left burners on and right burners off.
6. Oil the grill.
7. Place chicken on the left side (with heat) and grill for four minutes, turning now and then for char marks. Brush with reserved marinade
8. Move drumsticks to right side (heat off ), close lid and continue cooking for about 20 minutes or until skin is golden brown and juices run clear when poked in the thickest part of drumstick.
9. Remove, tent with foil and let rest for five minutes.

Drink this: Cono Sur Gewurztraminer (2008)

I believe I’ve found my cheap and cheerful patio wine for the summer.  This bad boy retails for a whopping $10.99 at the BC Liquor Stores and drinks like a bottle double the value. Refeshing as heck.  Unlike a traditional Gewurz, this one isn’t overly sweet.

Chickpea Hot Pot Recipe

1 large yellow onion, chopped
a splash of olive oil
a couple pinches of salt
2/3 cup uncooked bulgur
1 14-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cup cauliflower, trimmed into small trees
2 cup kale or chard, destemmed and cut into thin ribbons

olive oil for finishing drizzle
red onion, chopped for garnish

In a large pot over medium-high heat saute the onion in the olive oil along with the salt - for a minute or until the onion begins to soften a bit. Stir in the bulgur. Stir in the chickpeas and the stock. Bring the ingredients to a simmer. Cook for another few minutes, it should start to thicken. Taste to see if the bulgur is cooked through, if so add the orange juice. If not, simmer for a couple more minutes before adding the juice. Stir in the cauliflower and the kale as well - simmer another few minutes, until the cauliflower is just tender. If the stew is on the thick side, thin with a bit more water or stock. Taste, and add salt if necessary. Serve garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and red onions.

Serves 4 - 6.

Bacon & Egg Cup

• 6 eggs
• 6 slices bacon
• 1 ounce shredded cheese
• salt
• Cracked black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a muffin/cupcake pan, line the holes with a slice of bacon, pressing the bacon around the sides of the hole, not on the bottom.
3. Crack one egg into each hole (I broke each yolk because my kids don’t like runny eggs).
4. Sprinkle with salt, cracked black pepper and cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or longer for crispier bacon.
6. Pop out of the muffin tins and serve.

Crazy decadent brunch.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Apples Recipe

1 large, crisp apple, cut into bite-sized wedges
1 lemon, juice only

4 ounces extra-firm tofu cut into tiny-inch cubes (see photo)
a couple pinches of fine-grain sea salt
a couple splashes of olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
a scant tablespoon of maple syrup
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted and chopped

12 ounces (3/4 pound). brussels sprouts, washed and cut into 1/8-inch wide ribbons

Soak the apples in a bowl filled with water and the juice of one lemon.

Cook the tofu in large hot skillet with a bit of salt and a splash of oil. Saute until golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, wait a few seconds, now stir in the maple syrup, and cook another 30 seconds or so. Drain the apples, and add them to the skillet, cooking for another minute. Scrape the apple and tofu mixture out onto a plate and set aside while you cook the brussels sprouts.

In the same pan (no need to wash), add a touch more oil, another pinch of salt, and dial the heat up to medium-high. When the pan is nice and hot stir in the shredded brussels sprouts. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring a couple times (but not too often) until you get some golden bits, and the rest of the sprouts are bright and delicious.
Stir the apple mixture back into the skillet alongside the brussels sprouts 1/2 of the pine nuts - gently stir to combine. Remove from heat and enjoy immediately sprinkled with the remaining pine nuts. This isn’t a dish you want sitting around, the flavors change dramatically after ten minutes or so, and I think that is part of the reason brussels sprouts get a bad rap. Even I don’t like them after they’ve been sitting around.

Serves 2 - 3 as a main, 4 as a side.