RECIPES: FRESH AIR, SIMPLE FARE
Barbecue Chicken Salad, Summer Bounty Past and Brie, Oriental Fish Packets, and Grilled Honey-Mustard Ham Steak
BY:BONNIE TANDY LEBLANG, MS, RD
Who doesn’t enjoy the lazy, hazy days of summer? And with summer’s bounty providing an array of colorful choices of foods at their peak, dinnertime options—for you and those in your care—are numerous and delicious. I cook many of these fresh ingredients stovetop or on the grill so I don’t heat up my kitchen. For those without a grill, both of the recipes that need the oven have short cooking times. And if you’re lucky enough to be fully air-conditioned, you won’t even notice!
It’s summertime and the living should be easy—for you and for all your loved ones. Kick back and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
Our Barbecue Chicken Salad makes a delicious light summer fare. With fresh corn available, I always cook up an extra ear or two, then cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife and save them for other meals, including this salad. If you’re grilling, just toss the unshucked cobs onto the grill and keep turning until charred on all sides; let them cool slightly before peeling and enjoying.
If you have time, buy fresh salad greens, which are wonderful at this time of year, instead of the prewashed ones. After cleaning and drying, wrap the greens in a linen towel or paper towels and place in a plastic bag; they’ll keep nice and crisp for a couple of days. This is one salad that needs to be eaten once combined, as the bacon fat will solidify if chilled.
I relish Summer Bounty Pasta and Brie in late summer when tomatoes are at their peak. This is truly a make-ahead recipe, that’s ready when you are. Simply combine the brie, tomatoes, basil and olive oil and let the flavors mingle. When you’re ready to have dinner, cook the pasta and toss with the marinated ingredients. It’s as simple as that, with the cheese partially melting and coating the pasta. If cooking time isn’t a critical factor, use six to eight ounces of dried linguine in place of fresh. Be sure to have bread on hand to sop up and savor the sauce. This is by no means a low-fat recipe, so be sure to eat lighter fare the rest of the day.
Our Grilled Honey-Mustard Ham Steak is perfect for a hot summer night. If you have a few extra minutes, grill fresh pineapple and turn that into a piquant salsa accompaniment. I sometimes toss the scallions I’m using in the salsa onto the grill for a minute or two; that adds a wonderful charred onion flavor. If you find ham a tad too salty, blanche it (cook it a minute or so in boiling water) before grilling to remove some of that saltiness.
Time-starved caregivers can prepare our individual Oriental Fish Packets a couple of hours ahead. You just refrigerate them, then cook them when you—or the person you’re caring for—is ready. You can also toss vegetable favorites other than those in the recipe into the packet if you wish. Just be sure to cut them into tiny matchstick strips so they’ll be also be cooked in time with the fish and other veggies. I often toss in mini carrots or snow peas and use scallions instead of shallots. Be creative and flexible.
Bonnie Tandy Leblang, MS, RD, is an internationally syndicated columnist whose column Express Lane Cooking® was the world’s first syndicated daily food column.
Barbecue Chicken Salad
An Express Lane Cooking® recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
4 servings
Necessities
Bacon (2 slices)
Small onion (1), diced
Boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 pound), cut in 1-inch cubes
Red bell pepper (2), cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
Cooked corn (1 cup)
Prewashed romaine lettuce (1 pound bag)
On Hand:
Garlic cloves (2), minced
Cider vinegar
Sugar
Worcestershire sauce
Black pepper
Not So Necessary:
Dry mustard
Hot pepper sauce
Scallions (2), minced
How to: Cook bacon in skillet until crisp; drain on paper towel. Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Add onion and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, some pepper and, if using, 1/4 teaspoon each mustard and hot pepper sauce. Add to skillet and cook 1 minute more. Serve pepper strips and corn over lettuce, top with chicken mixture, then crumble bacon on top. If desired, garnish with scallions.
More Time?: Use fresh green and red leaf lettuce, cleaned, drained and torn into bite-size pieces.
Go withs: Crusty rolls, watermelon
Summer Bounty Pasta and Brie
An Express Lane Cooking® recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
3 to 4 servings
Necessities
Brie (8 ounces), rind removed
Fresh basil, cut in strips (1 cup)
Ripe tomatoes (4)
Linguine, fresh, refrigerated (9- to 10-ounce package)
On Hand:
Salt
Black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
Not So Necessary:
Minced garlic cloves (4)
Grated Parmesan cheese
How to: Tear brie into pieces; toss into large serving bowl. Add 1/2 cup oil, the basil, garlic (if using), salt and pepper. Cut tomatoes in half, gently squeeze out seeds while holding over the sink; dice. Add to bowl. Let stand 10 minutes while preparing pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add to the bowl; toss, if desired, with grated cheese.
More Time?: Let mixture marinate for up to 2 hours.
Go withs: Crusty bread, sliced peaches
Oriental Fish Packets
An Express Lane Cooking® recipe
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 minutes
4 servings
Necessities
Flounder fillets (four 6-ounce)
Carrots (2), cut into matchstick thin strips
Shallots (2), minced
On Hand:
Soy sauce
Seasoned rice vinegar
Ground ginger
Black pepper
Aluminum foil
Not So Necessary:
Grated fresh ginger
Precut aluminum foil sheets
Sesame oil
How to: Preheat oven to 425ºF or heat the grill. Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon ground or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, if using, and some pepper. Place each piece of fish on a 12 x 15-inch piece of foil or on a precut sheet. Top with 1/4 of the soy mixture, carrots and shallots. Fold the edges of the foil together to create sealed packets. Place on a rimmed sheet pan and bake, or place over indirect heat on a covered grill 8 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes before cutting foil to let steam escape. Serve.
More Time?: Marinate squash chunks in favorite oil-and-vinegar dressing for 20 minutes before threading onto metal or water-soaked bamboo skewers and grilling or broiling 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Go withs: Zucchini and yellow squash, grilled potato wedges, fruit
Grilled Honey-Mustard Ham Steak
An Express Lane Cooking® recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
4 servings
Necessities
Center cut cooked ham steak (1 pound)
On Hand:
Honey
Dijon mustard
Orange juice
Black pepper
Not So Necessary:
Pineapple juice
Fresh pineapple (1/2)
How to: Combine 2 tablespoons each honey, mustard and orange or pineapple juice and some pepper. If using, trim and core pineapple. Cut half into 4 equal pieces (spears or rounds). Grill or broil, brushing each ham steak and pineapple slice with mustard mixture. Cook, turning once and brushing again, for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
More Time?: Make pineapple salsa: Grill pineapple; do not brush with mustard sauce. Cut grilled pineapple into small chunks. Combine with 1/2 cup minced cilantro or parsley, 1 seeded and chopped red bell pepper, 1 seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper, 2 chopped scallions, juice of a lime and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Serve with ham.
Go withs: Sweet potatoes, green salad, corn bread