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Just about anything can be cooked over an open flame. No matter the type of grilling they’re using, cooks who prepare meals over an open flame can’t help but notice the distinctive flavor that’s unique to grilled foods.
Trying something new this grilling season can open cooks’ eyes to a host of flavors they might not instantly associate with grilling. The following recipe for “Ginger Soy Chicken Breasts” from Eric Treuille and Birgit Erath’s “Grilling” (DK Publishing) is one such meal that can open cooks’ eyes to the many wonderful foods that can be cooked over an open flame.
Ingredients — Serves 4
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon medium dry sherry
1⁄2 cup soy sauce
4 boneless chicken breast halves, slashed (see below)
Salt
Black pepper
1 recipe Cilantro Coconut Sauce (see below), optional
Directions
Combine ginger, garlic, sugar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, sherry, and soy sauce. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning once. Grill according to instructions below. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve hot with Cilantro Coconut Sauce (optional).
To slash chicken breasts: With a sharp knife, cut 3 parallel slashes through skin, about 1⁄4-inch deep.
Outdoor grill: Grill skin-side down on medium-hot coals until crisp, about 7 minutes. Turn and continue grilling until chicken is opaque with no trace of pink, another 5 minutes.
Indoor grill: Preheat broiler. Broil skin-side up until skin is crisp, about 7 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until chicken is opaque with no trace of pink, another 5 minutes.
Cilantro Coconut Sauce
Ingredients — Makes 2 1⁄8 cups
1 handful cilantro leaves
1 handful fresh mint leaves
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 green chile, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, peeled, halved and pitted
1⁄2 teaspoon grand cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
11⁄2 cups coconut milk
Salt
Tabasco sauce
Directions
Place cilantro, mint, garlic, chile, avocado, cumin, sugar, lime juice, and coconut milk in a food processor or blender; pulse to a purée. Add salt and Tabasco sauce to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve chilled.
Cooks note: To avoid discoloration, store in a bowl with plastic wrap, pressing directly on the sauce to prevent contact with air.
Pairing
Meiomi Pinot Noir 2016
Meiomi — California
Cooking over an open flame will give you delectable smoky flavors you will want to enhance with your choice of wine. When pairing with ginger, you want to go with a pinot noir. It typically goes well with Asian dishes featuring both ginger and soy. This pinor noir from Meiomi in California provides aromas of ripe strawberries and bright cherries.
Of course, the best pairing is one of your own choosing. Let us know what you think by reaching out to us on Facebook at TheSpot518.com. Please share what pairings you ultimately went with.