Dwight’s Mango Chutney

4 ripe mangoes peeled and diced
3/4 C white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 red pepper diced
1/4 C raisins
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 hot pepper seeded and finely chopped
1 T ginger root microplaned

Bring vinegar and salt to a boil and stir constantly for 1 minute.
Add sugar and boil for 3 minutes stirring constantly.
Add remaining ingredients, return to boil then simmer on low heat for
20 – 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool.

This will keep for up to a month refrigerated.
Do not freeze.

From the great Bamboo Cooks.

Chicken and Coriander Fritters

Chicken and Coriander Corn Fritters

2 C corn kernels
4Tminced cilantro
1 T cornstarch
2 eggs
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 to 2 T fish sauce
9 oz. (250 grams) ground chicken

Combine half the corn with all ingredients except chicken in a food processor until smooth. Add to the rest of the corn and the chicken and mix until well combined. Drop by tablespoons into deep-frying oil (2 to 4 inches at 350 degrees) for 3 or 4 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with:

Sweet Thai Chile Sauce

1/2 C white vinegar
1/2 C sugar
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 T dried red chiles
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine, boil for a few minutes and serve.

(Source: ASIAN TAPAS, Christophe megel & Anton Kilayko, Peripus Books,

Pata Puttana (Hooker Pasta)

This is a variation on Pasta Puttanesca a dish, as legend would have it, that was infamous for being enjoyed by Italian street walkers on cool and rainy nights. This version was taught to me by Joe, a Calabrese chef who ran the kitchen in my restaurant Bella Festa back in the1980’s and came to us by way of Toronto. Apparently street walkers all over the world over love this dish.

As with most tomato based Italian dishes, you must start with a classic tomato sauce. This is Joe’s recipe.

Tomato Sauce

1 large can of Pavoncella tomatoes (not kidding, you MUST use these)
1/3 C olive oil
½ C onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped

Using a large pot, pour the tomatoes in and put on an apron (also not kidding). Using freshly sanitized hands, grab each tomato and pull the “bum end” out of each tomato, including any fibrous material, skin and leaves. Squish each tomato lovingly or angrily depending on your mood.

In a small frying pan heat the oil, add onions and garlic and sauté until transparent. Add to squished tomatoes along with some salt and pepper.

Bring to the boil and then simmer until reduced by half and deep red (approximately 3 hours).

Pasta Puttana (serves 4)

This dish is not for the faint-hearted. While absolutely delicious and full of flavour (we couldn’t make it fast enough), it can pop the top of your head off. At my restaurant we offered this dish mild, hot or nuclear. Use the amount of peppers you are comfortable with.

500 – 600 grams dry spaghetti
¾ C olive oil
4 filets anchovies, diced fine
6 – 8 heads garlic, diced fine
¼ C crushed red peppers or more to taste
¾ C tomato sauce
½ C good parmesan cheese, grated
fresh parsley chopped

Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water. Leave it a little underdone as it will cook further in the sauté pan.

Heat the olive oil in the sauté pan until very hot.
Drop the anchovies and garlic into the oil. The anchovies will dissolve and the garlic will turn dark brown.
Add the chilies (stand back – they give off a lot of aroma!).
Stir in the tomato sauce and simmer while pasta is cooking.
Add pasta and cheese, toss.
Pour into bowls and garnish with parsley.

Doug’s Grilled Duck with Cherry BBQ\Mole Sauce on Field Greens

This is a long recipe, but it is worth it, and most of it can be made ahead of time.

For the Rub, combine the following:

1 ½ C dark brown sugar
¼ C coarse kosher salt
½ C paprika
3 T dried parsley
2 T each of dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried onion flakes
1 ½ T dried Worcestershire Sauce (I used regular – dried is hard to find)
1 ½ T lemon pepper
1 T garlic powder
1 tsp each of allspice and cinnamon

Seal in jar or Tupperware container. If using liquid Worcester, the rub may harden somewhat over time but just throw it in the food processor to break it up. It’s also great on pork.

(BBQ Bible Sauces Rubs and Marinades by Steven Raichlen)

Preparing the Duck

1. Trim excess skin and fat from the breasts leaving a strip of skin about 1 ½ to 2 inches wide down the middle of the breast.
2. Apply generous amount of rub to all sides of the breasts. You cannot put too much of this on. It is gorgeous!

For the BBQMole Sauce

1. Melt 3 T unsalted butter in sauce pan over medium heat.
Add:
½ medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced and
2 C pitted Bing cherries (fresh, canned or frozen), drained.
Cook until onions are soft but not brown.

2. Add:
2 T high-quality, pure cocoa powder
1 tsp pure chili powder (not a blend)
1 ½ C port
½ C sherry vinegar
4 tsp ketchup
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 canned chipotle, minced or teaspoons chipotle chili powder
½ tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp course kosher salt, or more to taste
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
½ C honey
And bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to about 2 cups – stirring occasionally.

4. Correct the seasoning, adding salt, lemon juice or honey, or more to taste, the sauce should be a little sweet, a little sour and VERY flavorful. Use right away or put it in a jar and refrigerate. It will keep several weeks.

(BBQ Bible Sauces Rubs and Marinades by Steven Raichlen)

For the Balsamic Drizzle:

Combine in saucepan:

1 C good commercial balsamic vinegar
1/2 C honey
1/3 C sugar
3 T soy sauce

Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.
Simmer until reduced to 1 cup.
Skim and discard foam.
Strain into a jar and cool to room temperature.
Cap the bottle.
The drizzle will keep for several months at room temperature.

(BBQ Bible Sauces Rubs and Marinades by Steven Raichlen)

For the Tangerine Shallot Dressing for the Field Greens

Mash into a paste:

1 clove garlic
2 or 3 pinches of kosher salt
Remove to a jar with a tight fitting lid.

Add and whisk together,
¼ C fresh tangerine juice
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 small shallots, minced

Add 2/3 C of olive oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth:

Taste and adjust seasoning.
Keep in jar for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

(Joy of Cooking – All About Grilling by Rombauer, Rombauer Becker and Becker)

Bringing it all Together

BBQ rubbed duck breasts to an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Remove and cover with tin foil for five minutes.

Toss field greens in dressing and put a handful in the centre of the plate.

Slice duck breast and fan pieces out on top of field greens.

Spoon a small amount of BBQMole sauce over duck. Place one or two of the Bing cherries beside the duck.
Drizzle the balsamic reduction around the perimeter of the plate.

Bon Appetite!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

(Bon Appetit, May 2006)

Jerk Mixture

Boil
3 T dark rum
2 T water
in saucepan for 3 minutes; transfer to blender.

Add:
½ C malt vinegar
10 scallions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled ; chopped
2 T dried thyme
2 Scotch bonnets, seeded; chopped
2 T oil
4 tsp allspice
4 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp salt ; 2 tsp pepper
2 tsp dark brown sugar

Blend until smooth.

Take 2T of this jerk mixture, mix with 1 C catsup and 3 T soy sauce. Set aside.

Chicken Preparation

Take 2 or 3 chickens, halve lengthwise, rinse and pat dry.
Arrange in baking dish.
Pour 1/2 C lime juice over chickens.
Spoon jerk mixture over chickens and rub in.
Cover and refrigerate for up to one day.

Preheat oven to 350.
Remove chicken from marinade, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast skin side up for about 50 minutes or until juices run clear.
Cut each piece in half and serve with reserved wet jerk sauce.

Thai Barbecue Chicken

Marinade:

2 stalks fresh lemongrass
2T chopped fresh ginger
2 T chopped cilantro
1 ½ C llight soy sauce
1T sugar
1 tsp ground pepper
2 T red curry paste
2 pounds chicken parts, breasts & thighs, bone –in

Remove grassy parts of lemongrass, leaving stalks about 6 inches long and cutting off and hard root section. Using blunt edge of knife, bruise each stalk then chop. Combine marinade ingredients in blender & process until smooth. Pour into nonreactive bowl
and add chicken. Marinate covered in the fridge 4 hours or better yet, overnight.

Remove from marinade and grill chicken over high heat until brown all over then lower the heat and cook through – 20 to 30 minutes.

Serve with:

Sweet and Spicy Sauce

( so good that I recommend you double this recipe)

1 T finely chopped thai chiles
½ C white vinegar
1 tsp salt
2 T sugar
1 tsp finely chopped garlic

Combine in a small saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened.

-Laurie

Habanero Jelly

Remove stems, seeds and membranes from:

3 large orange bell peppers
10 large fresh habaneros

Put peppers and 1.5 C white vinegar into blender and process till smooth.
Combine puree and 7 C sugar and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and strain into another pot.
Add 9 oz. of liquid fruit pectin and bring to a good boil.
Boil for about a minute.
Remove from heat and ladle into sterile jars.

This recipe is thanks to The PepperFool. If you want a darker colored jelly,substitute a red pepper for one of the oranges, or for a lighter put in a yellow. For some people it might be necessary to wear gloves to cut the habaneros (I have never had a problem with this though I found that it is a little dangerous to smell the mixture on the stove too closely). This is a fabulous jelly and is good for the Phenomenal Crabcakes recipe on this blog as well as any roasted poultry or on a toasted bagel with cream cheese.