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Outdoor Fun

ODF – EP 5 BBQ SWEET POTATOES AND MINI-SLIDERS

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BBQ SWEET POTATOES AND MINI-SLIDERS (SHOT ON LOCATION, BRIAN’S BALCONY, OVERLOOKING LAKE ONTARIO)

httpvh://youtu.be/dBEJF_ry6ME

Hello, Culinary Playmates:

It is I, Helenka, your fearless advocate of gustatory creativity (aka I eat weird but really tasty food and think you should, too). Normally (as if anything Brian and I do is normal) we would have released this outdoor episode during the cold winter months. But, as we had a mild winter this year, we didn’t need the psychological boost. However (and that’s a really BIG HOWEVER), we are now in May … so why am I still wearing my winter coat? [Weather update: it warmed up by the afternoon so I’ve been able to upgrade to my spring coat.] Uh … hello? Universe, dear? [It’s always best to be polite with the old thing.] It’s May in the Northern Hemisphere: a time when we should be heading into summer. Not only that, but we who live in North America will be celebrating two long weekends (Victoria Day in Canada and Memorial Day in the U.S.A. at the end of the month). It would be really nice if we could get rid of some of the layers. Perhaps we can remind the universe by unveiling this episode a few weeks in advance. ::crosses fingers; toes, too::

What could be an easier time to combine some unusual flavours than during a barbecue? Indeed! As barbecues are designed to be a casual form of dining, you can take chances with your marinades, herbs and spices. Food choices, too. After all, considering how many times I’ve moaned about my special barbecued yams, it was high time for Brian to recreate the taste sensation. What was most special was mixing sweet (maple syrup) with savoury (garlic and mustard). There are so many cuisines where this is considered to be routine. [I sometimes indulge in buying frozen Sweet’n’Spicy Thai chicken wings.]

What are some other ways you could follow the same principle? I know many people are trying to cut down on beef consumption, so what about barbecuing turkey or chicken burgers, slathering on mango-chipotle sauce on one side and honey mustard on the other? I’d give that combo two thumbs up (and I can see Brian sticking his thumbs into the picture, too). It’s also important to remember that, if you’re using commercial sauces, a salad dressing can be a marinade and a marinade can be a salad dressing. Don’t get boxed in by labels.

If you’d like to move away from burgers and do a fancier meat, what about marinating pork tenderloin in apple cider, olive oil and crushed cloves before barbecuing and serving with barbecued apple and onion chunks. Or a beef tenderloin in pomegranate juice and olive oil and serving it with a glaze of reduced pomegranate juice, balsamico and a few artfully scattered fresh pomegranate seeds. You may as well toss a few of the seeds onto a colourful side salad, too. Or lovely thick salmon steaks onto which you’ll place a slice of chilled rolled cilantro butter. [You can tell my imagination is working overtime just about every waking moment of the day.]

As for sides, you can see what fabulous success we had with sweet potatoes (and yams, previously). You can do the same thing with other root veggies as long as you slice them thinly enough, so that the outside will be crispy and the inside creamy and tender. I still can’t believe how amazing the baby eggplant slices were that we had on a previous episode. So don’t let the otherwise long cooking times for whole veggies derail you from enjoying them outdoors. Slice them thinly enough and they’ll be done very quickly.

The other thing you can do is enjoy the bounty of summer fruits on your grill or barbecue. We’ve already done peaches, bananas and pineapple (if memory serves) indoors and there’s no earthly reason not to savour the best of summer with a touch of heat, altering texture, consistency and taste. That’s what I call practical chemistry!

Well, I hope we’ve given you enough of an inspiration to zoom out of your comfort zone when it comes to barbecues (as if we didn’t do that often enough with indoor cooking, too). Just remember: it’s all supposed to be … (can you guess what the magic word is?) FUN!!!

Enjoy!

B&H =:)

Friends Food Fun

FFF EP-50 PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVyn7ZZNkF4

Too tired to read then click play on the box below to hear the blog read to you by Brian (and occasional comment by Helenka when I screw it up).

Hello, Culinary Playmates:

It is I, Helenka, your fearless advocate of gustatory creativity (aka I eat weird but really tasty food and think you should, too).

This episode had nothing weird in it (well, except for a handful of inventive substitutions). What? Is Brian not playing with his food any more? Not to worry. He chose to make an exquisite Grilled Pork Tenderloin accompanied by a Sautéed Pineapple Salsa. So-so-so yummy! Oh, wait. It was unusual and unconventional which does make it a titch “weird”, so I’m still qualified to write about it!

When people think about grilled meat, they’re usually expecting strongly-flavoured rubs and grilling sauces (containing lots of pepper, garlic, etc.). To be honest, we both like those, too, especially when the zing permeates throughout the meat and we get to play with the gooey tomato-based sauces (which usually involves licking our fingers a lot).

But to treat a gorgeous length of pork tenderloin to not only honey mustard but extra honey was brilliant. I usually don’t expect to be chewing sweet meat, so it was a delightful surprise, followed by the shock to the tastebuds when I swallowed the fruity-veggie (hot-hot-hot) accompanying salsa. Thank goodness there was a sprightly side salad so that I could cool my mouth off … well, until the next bite and swallow. Brian may have had all the fun of playing with the food, but I was on a roller-coaster eating adventure! See me so not complaining.

Variations:
Some of you may wish to have alternatives to cooking pork. In this case, I believe you have many possibilities for substitutions. You could do beef tenderloin (or individual steaks) with an orange zest-honey-honey mustard rub and a mandarin orange-sweet cherry-onion salsa.

Or individual lamb loin chops with a crushed mint-oregano-rosemary-honey-honey mustard rub and a papaya-peach-onion salsa.

Or skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs with a macerated raspberry-honey-honey mustard rub and a green mango-pear-onion salsa.

Or even thick salmon steaks with a mashed ripe apricot-honey-honey mustard rub and a halved red seedless grape-apple-onion salsa.

I can imagine your eyes glazing over because of the repetition of “honey-honey mustard rub” but, in my inventive culinary opinion (not to mention usual bossiness), both the honey and honey mustard are integral to maintaining a sweet taste as well as promoting the natural chemical reaction from the application of direct heat to the grilled surface. As for the salsa, onion is terrific for balancing the sweet fruit as well as complementing any combination of herbs and spices (that I’m leaving up to your imaginations). Just remember to keep the flesh sweet and the salsa spicy hot and you’ll end up with a winner of your own!

Helenka’s and Brian’s Nostalgic Meanderings:
Usually it’s only Helenka who goes meandering through the cobwebs of her mind (until Brian tries valiantly to rein her in). But this time we’re both here with a very simple but powerful reminder of memories that will forever be with us.
H: “I love the sound of sizzle.”
B: “Me, too.”

Well, that’s a wrap for another winter episode for early February, 2012. I don’t know what the weather’s like in your neck of the woods, but we’ve been spoiled with little snow, no wind, lots of sun and blue skies (and an unusually vivid tropical hue of blue in the lake) though – alas – I fear winter’s about to give us an unwanted present tomorrow (snow showers in the forecast). So we think it’s the perfect hint-hint-hint for you to make this recipe and dream of summer. Fruit, veggies and grilling spell instant summer, even if the sizzle is only possible in your kitchen and you don’t look out the windows. Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)

Please note: We prepare, taste and review the recipes in the cookbook. However, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us.