Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

My grilled vegetable sandwiches can be made mostly ahead of time for those busy evenings. Grill up the eggplant, portabella and red pepper in the morning or the day before so all you need to do is layer up that bad boy and you’ve got dinner. If you’re not into aioli, or don’t feel like taking the time to make it, substitute plain mayo. I had a few pieces of the grilled eggplant left over… If you do to, just use them in a wrap with hummus, red onion, thinly sliced romaine, fresh basil and Dijon mustard.

What You Need:

1 small loaf ciabatta, divided into 3 even pieces and sliced horizontally

1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2” rings

2 portabella mushroom caps, stem removed

1 red bell pepper, cut into 2” strips

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, about 6 large leaves
1 tomato, thinly sliced
¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced

1 recipe aioli, recipe follows

2 Tbs Dijon mustard
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste (optional: salt free grill seasoning)

What To Do:

Drizzle red pepper, eggplant and portabella with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper ( and grill seasonings if desired).

On an outdoor grill over medium low heat, grill red pepper, eggplant and portabella mushroom caps until browned, but still has some crunch (al dente) - about 15 minutes.  Slice mushrooms into 1" strips.

Dig out some of the bread in the center of the ciabatta to make room for all the goodies.

Spread both sides of the bread with the aioli and mustard.  Layer both sandwiches with all remaining ingredients.

Serve immediately.





Serves 3



Bon Appetit!
Mary

How To Make Aioli:

What You Need:

3 Tbs light mayo
2 small cloves garlic, grated
1 ½ Tbs capers
Zest of one lemon
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper



What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a small food processor.

Whirl away until smooth. Set aside.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

This bold marinade can be whipped up in less than 5 minutes, making this dish ideal for those nights when you are looking for something quick and flavorful for dinner. Even if you don’t have the time to marinate the shrimp for an hour or more, I think giving them 20 minutes in the fridge would work out well. Just enough time to impart the essence of the marinade on the shrimp. If you don’t have a food processor, just finely mince the cilantro and combine in a bowl with a wisk. Serve with grilled vegetables and steamed jasmine rice.

What You Need:

1 lb large shrimp, tails removed
1/3 cup cilantro
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp lime zest
Juice of 1 lime
2 tsp honey or agave
Hot sauce to taste (we like it HOT!)
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 skewers, soaked for 30 minutes in water



What To Do:

Combine oil, garlic, zest, juice, honey, hot sauce, pepper and cilantro in a small food processor and whirl away until smooth.

Next, combine marinade and shrimp in a large Ziploc bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-6 hours.

Impale shrimp on soaked skewers.

Grill on an outdoor grill for about 4 - 5 minutes.

Serve shrimp with lime wedges and hot sauce, garnished with freshly minced cilantro.

Serves 2-3

Bon Appétit!
Mary

Lemony Garlic Chicken Kebabs with Herbs de Provence

This non-traditional Easter dinner began with a call to Chicken Dijon, a local Greek restaurant, who was not answering their phone. Closed on Easter! What to do? With my sister in law on her way, I foraged in the fridge for something to serve. I spied a package of chicken, always a staple in my pantry, and some crispy vegetables. After selecting the main components of my meal, I decided I wanted the chicken to have a sweet and herbaceous marinade. Lemony garlic chicken kebabs with herbs de Provence was born. Herbs de Provence is comprised of basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, summer savory and thyme. You can buy it pre-mixed from the market. This quick and easy dinner was perfect for this sunny, warm Southern California afternoon and can be prepared a day ahead, which is perfect for entertaining. Serve with mixed grilled vegetables.

What You Need:

• 
  
  1 recipe marinated chicken, cut into bite sized pieces (recipe follows)
• 
  
  1 ½ red bell pepper, cut into bite sized pieces
• 
  
  1 ¼ red onion, cut into bite sized chunks
• 
  
  1 – 8z package cremini mushrooms
• 
  
  9 skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

What To Do:

Impale vegetables and meat evenly on each skewer.

Grill on an outdoor grill until chicken is no longer pink, about 12 minutes, over medium heat. Serve with grilled vegetables.

Serves 4


Bon Appétit!
Mary


Lemony Garlic Marinated Chicken

What You Need:
1 – 1.25 lbs chicken tenders
1 tsp herbs de Provence

Juice and zest of one lemon
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
3-6 cloves garlic (to taste), grated or minced
2 tsp honey
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

What To Do:

Combine all ingredients, except chicken, in a bowl and wisk until smooth.

Put chicken and marinade in a Ziploc bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours.

Mary's Orange Chicken

The inspiration for this dish was a pound of chicken tenders I picked up from Trader Joe's and a very ripe tangelo.  Keeping it simple was my only game plan and I think a cook of any skill level could make this. :)

What You Need:
1 lb chicken breast tenders
Juice and zest of 1 tangelo or orange (could sub 1/3 cup freshly squeezed OJ)
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2-3 large garlic cloves (or to taste), minced
1 tsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp minced ginger
Freshly cracked pepper to taste
Optional: mango salsa or fresh cilantro and lime

What To Do:
Combine all ingredients, except the chicken and mix well in a gallon sized ziploc bag.  Add chicken to the marinade and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Grill chicken on an out door grill until cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.  If you don't have a grill, bake at 350* until juices run clear.

Serve with mango salsa or plain garnished with fresh cilantro and lime juice.

Serves 4

ENJOY !
Mary