Chef Walter's Grilling Recipes
For more on Chef Walter Staib for Deborah Heart and Lung Center, visit: www.deborah.org or www.staib.com
Spicy Corn Relish
From The City Tavern Cookbook: Recipes from the Birthplace of American Cuisine ©2009 by Walter Staib
After a long winter full of dark, drab dishes made from the contents of the root cellar, colonial cooks tended to splurge a bit when the first fruits of their garden labor came to the kitchen. Fresh, sweet corn was available again, and red and green peppers could be used to make bright, colorful dishes, and fresh herbs and spices brought renewed excitement to their palates.
Makes 6 cups; Serves 12
10 ears fresh white corn, kernels cut from cobs
1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium scallions, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 sprig fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the corn and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Do not overcook.
Drain the corn and place it in a medium-size mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until chilled. Store in a tightly sealed plastic or glass container and refrigerate for up to 8 weeks.
Tangy Chicken Kabobs
A Recipe by Chef Walter Staib
Serves 6 people
2 Red Bell Peppers, cut into 12 pieces
1 Red Onion, cut into 12 pieces
1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
1 pound boneless, skinless Chicken Breast
1 cup plain (not vanilla) low fat Greek Yogurt
1 tablespoon Honey
3 tablespoons Chili Sauce (Sriracha Sauce)
6 large Bamboo Skewers, soaked overnight in water
On a skewer, put one red bell pepper slice, red onion, tomato and then chicken, repeat. Continue to put all the vegetables and chicken on skewers until all ingredients are used and you have 6 skewers.
Combine yogurt, honey and chili sauce in a bowl. Separate the mixture into 2 bowls. With half the mix, brush the raw skewers with mixture. Let marinated for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
Heat a grill to medium heat. Cook skewers on grill until cooked through, about 7 minutes on each side or until vegetables are tender and chicken is completely cooked. Discard marinate. Use the remaining half of sauce to brush on skewers just before serving.
