Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals (13 page)

BOOK: Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals
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Preheat a grill pan or charcoal grill to high.

To make the chipotle glaze, in a small saucepot heat about 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste, honey, chipotles, and ¼ cup cider vinegar, and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and cook for 10 minutes, or until the glaze has thickened. Reserve the sauce on low heat.

While the chipotle glaze is cooking, season the sliced veggies, apple, and the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a generous amount of vegetable oil. Place the veggies, apple, and chicken on the grill. The veggies should be cooked for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they are well marked by the grill, then remove to cool slightly. The chicken should be cooked for 6 minutes per side. For the last 2 minutes of cooking time, baste the chicken using a pastry brush with the thickened chipotle glaze. Both sides of the chicken should be well coated with the glaze. Remove the chicken from the grill to rest while you put the rest of the grilled chopped veggie salad together.

Chop the cooled veggies into bite-size pieces and transfer to a salad bowl. Add the coleslaw mix. In a small bowl whisk together the honey mustard, cumin, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar; stream in the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil while you continue to whisk the dressing. Stir in the sour cream or yogurt. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss to coat.

Slice the chicken breasts on an angle and serve them on top of a mound of the salad.

Warm Grilled Chicken Salad with Ginger-Soy Vinaigrette

4
SERVINGS

3-inch piece fresh
gingerroot,
peeled
¼
cup
tamari
(dark aged soy sauce)
6
tablespoons
vegetable oil
Salt
and
freshly ground black pepper
4
portobello mushrooms,
cleaned, stems discarded
6
thin
chicken breast cutlets
2
tablespoons
ground coriander
Juice of 2
limes
1
tablespoon
Dijon mustard
2
1-pound sacks of washed
spinach,
thick stems removed
3
tablespoons toasted
sesame seeds
(on the Asian foods aisle)

Preheat a charcoal grill or grill pan to high.

Grate or mince the ginger, add half to a shallow dish for the mushrooms, and reserve the other half in a bowl for the vinaigrette. To the shallow dish, add about 2 tablespoons of the tamari and about 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper. Flip the portobello mushroom caps around in the marinade in the shallow dish. Place the mushroom caps on the grill and cook on each side for 4 to 5 minutes, until tender and cooked through.

Season the chicken cutlets with salt, pepper, and the ground coriander. Place the seasoned chicken cutlets on the grill and cook for 4 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Add the lime juice, Dijon mustard, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of tamari to the reserved ginger. Combine, then whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Remove the mushrooms and chicken from the grill and slice into ½-inch slices. Toss the sliced chicken, sliced mushrooms, and the spinach with the dressing. Garnish with the toasted sesame seeds.

Grilled Chicken Caesar with Bacon-Herb-Parmesan “Croutons”

4
SERVINGS

½
cup
extra-virgin olive oil
(EVOO)
2
slices
bacon,
finely chopped

cups grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano
2
tablespoons fresh
flat-leaf parsley
(a handful), chopped
4
garlic
cloves,
chopped
Juice of 2
lemons
Salt
and
freshly ground black pepper
8
thin
chicken breast
cutlets
(about 1¼ pounds)
2
tablespoons
Dijon mustard
1
tablespoon
Worcestershire sauce
3
romaine lettuce
hearts, roughly chopped
3
hard-boiled eggs,
chopped (you can get these in the salad bar area of the market, or make your own; see
Tidbit
)

Preheat the oven 400°F. Preheat a charcoal grill or grill pan to high.

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of the EVOO (once around the pan). Add the chopped bacon and cook until really crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain and cool.

In a small bowl combine 1 cup of the grated cheese with the chopped parsley and cooled bacon. Mix to distribute the bacon and parsley evenly. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Pour the cheese mixture out onto the center of the baking sheet and with your fingers, spread out the cheese in an even and very thin layer. Give the pan a little shake to help you even it out. This way you will have a lacy web when the cheese melts. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, turning the pan midway through the cooking. If your oven has hot spots, you will
have to turn it more often than just once to ensure even browning. Once the cheese has melted and is nice and golden brown, remove it from the oven to cool completely.

While the cheese is baking, prepare the chicken and the Caesar dressing. (But a little heads up: Don’t forget about the Parmesan “croutons” because they go from golden brown to black in a blink of your eye.) Like I was saying, for the chicken, in a shallow dish combine half of the chopped garlic, half of the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a generous drizzle of the EVOO. Add the chicken cutlets and toss to completely coat. Place the chicken on the hot grill and cook on each side for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the grill.

While the chicken is cooking, in a mixing bowl combine the remaining chopped garlic, the Dijon mustard, the Worcestershire sauce, the remaining lemon juice, and lots of freshly ground pepper. Whisk in about ⅓ cup of the EVOO. Add the remaining ½ cup of Parmigiano and stir to combine. In a salad bowl combine the romaine lettuce and the hard-boiled eggs. Dress with the Caesar dressing.

To serve, slice the cooled chicken into thin strips and divide among 4 plates. Top the chicken with the dressed romaine and hard-boiled egg. Gingerly remove the baked Parmesan from the pan, pulling on one of the corners of the parchment paper to help you lift it up and out. With your hands, crack the baked cheese into “croutons” or asymmetrical 1- to 2-inch pieces. Garnish the salad with the “croutons” and serve.

Place eggs in a small saucepot and add enough water to cover them. Place over high heat. Once the eggs are at a simmer, turn the heat off, cover the pot, and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes. Drain off the hot water then shake the pan aggressively to crack the eggshells. Run the eggs under cold water, then peel.

Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Puttanesca Salad

4
SERVINGS

¼
cup
capers,
rinsed and dried
Extra-virgin olive oil
(EVOO), for drizzling, plus ¼ cup for dressing

pounds thin
chicken breast cutlets
2
tablespoons
balsamic vinegar
Coarse salt
and
coarse black pepper
3
romaine lettuce
hearts, trimmed and chopped
½
cup fresh
flat-leaf parsley
(3 handfuls), chopped
½
cup pitted
black olives,
chopped
½
cup soft
sun-dried tomatoes
(in tubs or pouches in produce aisle), rough cut
2
garlic
cloves,
minced
3
tablespoons
anchovy paste
2
tablespoons
red wine vinegar

Preheat a toaster oven or conventional oven to 375°F. Spread the capers on a small baking sheet and drizzle EVOO over them. Place the capers in the oven and turn it off. Do not open the door. The capers will roast as the oven cools back down.

Preheat a grill pan, large nonstick skillet, tabletop grill, or outdoor grill to medium high.

Place the chicken on a platter and coat with the balsamic vinegar. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and drizzle with EVOO. Grill for 5 minutes on each side until cooked through.

In a large bowl combine the lettuce, parsley, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. In a small bowl whisk the garlic and anchovy paste with the vinegar into a thick paste and then stream in EVOO to make the dressing. Toss the salad with dressing and season with black pepper to taste.

Chop or slice the chicken and arrange it on a platter. Top with piles of puttanesca salad. Garnish with the roasted capers.

 

Swordfish Bites with Puttanesca Salad

4
SERVINGS

½
cup
capers,
rinsed and dried
Extra-virgin olive oil
(EVOO), for drizzling, plus ¼ cup for dressing
2
pounds
swordfish steak,
trimmed of skin and dark connective tissue, then diced into bite-size cubes
Zest of 2
lemons
4
garlic
cloves,
minced
½
cup fresh
flat-leaf parsley
(3 handfuls)
Coarse salt
and
coarse black pepper
3
romaine lettuce
hearts, trimmed and chopped
½
cup pitted
black olives,
chopped
½
cup soft
sun-dried tomatoes
(available in tubs or pouches in the produce section), rough cut
3
tablespoons
anchovy paste
2
tablespoons
red wine vinegar

Preheat a toaster oven or conventional oven to 375°F. Spread the capers onto a small baking sheet and drizzle EVOO over them. Place the capers in the oven and turn it off. Do not open the door. The capers will roast as the oven cools back down.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet to medium high.

Place the swordfish cubes on a platter. Make a pile on your cutting board of the lemon zest, half of the garlic, a handful of the parsley leaves, and some coarse salt and pepper. Chop and mash together the ingredients. Drizzle EVOO over the fish to coat it evenly and add the mash of garlic and lemon and parsley.
Use your hands to evenly coat the fish. Add the fish to the hot pan and cook for 5 minutes, or until the cubes are opaque and firm.

Coarsely chop the remaining 2 handfuls of parsley and in a salad bowl combine with the lettuce, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. In a small bowl whisk the remaining garlic and the anchovy paste with the vinegar into a thick paste and then stream in EVOO to make your dressing. Toss the salad with dressing and season with black pepper to taste.

Arrange the puttanesca salad on plates or on a platter. Remove the capers from the oven. Top the salad with the swordfish and the roasted capers and serve.

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