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Menu Plan for the week of June 28, 2013: Day 2 Recipes

Grilled Chicken Satay with Warm Peanut Sauce
Sesame Brown Rice
Crisp Green Beans

Cooking time:  40 minutes for menu     Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

       Grilled gingery chicken breasts with a peanut sauce you can make as hot as you like, served with an Asian-inspired brown rice and a crisp Chinese Bean Salad.  This is perfect to expand for a summer party.

Grilled Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce       Preparation and cooking time:  35 minutes
   Fresh ginger adds a bit of heat and a lot of flavor to this chicken.  You can substitute 1/2 tsp ground ginger if you don't have fresh; and add more if you like the heat.  For a hotter dish you could add crushed red pepper, Asian chili sauce or even Tabasco to the marinade and/or the peanut sauce.

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs brown sugar
2 cloves garlic
1 tbs fresh ginger, peeled and minced about 3 slices the size of an American quarter or 1 euro coin
1 tsp chili powder
2 - 4 skewers

Soak skewers in warm water while preparing chicken and making marinade.
Cut chicken breast into long strips, 3 or 4 from each breast.  Thread the meat the long way onto the skewers, (sort of pleating it).  Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl.  Place chicken skewers into a baking dish and pour marinade over. Allow to marinade for 20 - 40 minutes. When ready, remove from marinade and grill over direct heat for 8 - 10 minutes.  Can also be done under the broiler (grill) for same amount of time.  Or, you could skip the skewers and stir-fry them in 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tsp sesame oil.  Serve with Peanut Sauce on the side.

Warm Peanut Sauce                                                              Time: 10 minutes

1/3 cup peanut butter
2 tbs snipped fresh chives
1 tbs snipped fresh parsley
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp brown sugar
1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken stock

Heat oils in small saucepan. Add chives and chili powder and sauté briefly.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring well to combine.  Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Sesame Brown Rice      Preparation and cooking time:  20 minutes or whatever your package says
    I use 'Uncle Ben's' which is all I can get and it's quick cooking.  It looks like brown Basmati and cooks in 15 minutes.

1/2 cup quick-cooking brown rice   substitute Basmati
1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock   or whatever your rice calls for
1/2 tsp sesame or walnut oil
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Cook rice according to package instructions stirring in the sesame oil, soy sauce and sesame seeds when rice is almost done.  Fluff and serve.

Note: You can toast regular sesame seeds in a small, dry, skillet over medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes, until light brown.

Crisp Green Beans with Soy Sauce                   Preparation and cooking time:  15 minutes
  I originally found this recipe using asparagus in a Chinese cook book but it works well for green beans, too, and is perfect this time of year.

6oz (180gr) green beans
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame or walnut oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbs fresh chives, snipped

Top and tail beans.  Cut in 1 1/2" (3.25cm) lengths.  Bring a medium saucepan half full of water to a boil over high heat.  Add beans and blanch for 4 minutes, until crisp-tender.  Drain beans and immediately submerge in an equal amount of very cold water.  Drain again, spread out on paper towels and pat dry.  Put into a serving bowl.  In small bowl whisk together the oils and soy sauce.  Pour over beans, sprinkle with chives and stir to combine.  Serve.

Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes for menu Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, scissors, small bowl, 2 small saucepans, lids, medium saucepan, medium bowl, dish for marinating, skewers, barbecue grill and grill pan Soak skewers in warm water Toast sesame seeds if needed Make marinade for chicken Slice chicken, thread onto skewers Pour marinade over chicken, turning to coat Put water on high heat for beans Top and tail beans, cut Fill medium bowl with very cold water for beans Blanch beans Whisk oils, soy sauce for beans

Start to cook rice Drain beans, plunge into cold water, drain again Spread beans on paper towels to dry Turn on/light barbecue grill Add beans, chives to dressing, stir Snip all herbs Start to cook chicken Sauté chili powder, chives for peanut sauce Add remaining ingredients for sauce, heat to boiling Cover peanut sauce, remove from heat Turn chicken Check rice, if close stir in soy, sesame oil and seeds Fluff rice, put onto platter Arrange beans around rice Remove chicken, lay on rice Serve all, Peanut Sauce on the side

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By Katie Zeller

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