I'd spent about a week trying to decide what to do with the 2 zucchini and 1 summer squash lurking in our refrigerator, but it wasn't until a particularly hungover Saturday afternoon (oh, Razzy's ... you and your karaoke get me every time) that I was ready to take the plunge.
I rifled through my extensive collection of recipe clippings (organized by category in white envelopes ... what? I don't have a problem) and settled on "grilled zucchini salad with lemon and scallions" from Real Simple magazine. Because my life is one giant carbo-load, I decided to make it into a pasta salad. I also threw in some feta cheese because ... well, do I really need an excuse to add cheese?
This meal clearly needed some protein, so I took 2 chicken breasts out of the freezer and started the defrosting process. Again, I searched through my recipe clippings and found another Real Simple recipe for "sweet and spicy chicken." The recipe was actually intended for roasting a whole chicken, but I figured that the marinade would work just as well for grilling. Fortunately, I was right.
[One note about the brown sugar called for in this recipe: on Ask Aida earlier that morning (GOD I hate her sidekick), a viewer had sent in a question about the difference between light and brown sugar. While I don't remember the explanation regarding the difference, I did catch her saying that when a recipe simply calls for "brown sugar," use light and you can't go wrong.]
I do my best in these posts to link to the original sources of inspiration as much as possible. However, the Real Simple recipes are not available online, and since I don't have a scanner, my options are limited. Also, since I heavily modified each recipe (from a grilled zucchini salad to a pasta salad with zucchini and squash, and from a whole roasted chicken to individual grilled breasts), I figured it would be OK to post my versions as their own. Real Simple, if you're reading this, please don't sue me. I love you.
PASTA SALAD WITH GRILLED ZUCCHINI, SUMMER SQUASH, LEMON, FETA, AND SCALLIONS
(original photo)
INGREDIENTS
2 zucchini
1 summer / yellow squash
6 scallions
1 lemon
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 pkg. farfalle (bow tie) pasta
1 pkg. solid feta cheese
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1. Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Salt heavily. Preheat your grill pan over medium heat.
2. Slice the ends off the zucchini and squash and then halve lengthwise. Drizzle the cut side with olive oil and rub it in with your fingers (or a basting brush if you have one). Grind on some salt and pepper. Once the grill pan is hot, put in the veggies cut-side down.
3. Once the veggies have significant grill marks, drizzle the top sides with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Turn over and cook the other side.
4. Once the water has come to a rolling boil, add the pasta (you should always have significantly more water than pasta). Stir to prevent sticking. When the pasta is al dente (usually around 7 minutes - taste to check), drain and rinse under cold water.
5. When the veggies have grill marks on each side and feel tender but not soggy, remove from the heat and allow to cool.
6. Pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of a large bowl. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl (you can either squeeze them with the cut side up or squeeze them over your hand to catch the seeds in your fingers). Slice the scallions on a bias and add to the mixture. Add the salt and the crushed red pepper flakes and stir.
7. Once the veggies have cooled, slice them into half-moons. Add the cool pasta and the veggies to the large bowl with the dressing. Toss to coat. Break up the feta with your fingers over the bowl. Toss to combine.
NB: This was a pretty mild dish. In the future, I might add a splash of red wine vinegar for tartness or a handful of fresh herbs (parsley, mint, basil, etc.) for brightness.
GRILLED SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN BREASTS
(original photo)
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper
2 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1. Preheat your grill pan over medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium-large bowl, combine a few tablespoons of olive oil with the chili powder, brown sugar, and dried oregano. Add some freshly ground salt and black pepper.
3. Add the chicken breasts and coat well. (NB: I've found that when grilling chicken, it's easier to keep the pieces moist when they are thin. Since the breasts I used were super thick, I decided to butterfly them. This way, by the time you've gotten a nice sear on each side, they're cooked all the way through. When they're very thick, you have to turn the heat down to low and cover the pan with tented aluminum foil in order to cook them all the way through, risking drying out the meat.)
4. Once coated, shake off the excess marinade and add the breasts to the pan. Cook for approximately 5 - 6 minutes on each side until seared and crusty on the outside and just barely cooked through on the inside.
5. Let the chicken "rest" before serving and slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute rather than running out the second they're cut.
This is a great and healthy way to enjoy chicken. The combination of spicy and sweet is a treat for the taste buds. Served with the cool pasta salad, this is a fantastic summer meal.
- M
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