Apricot, Rosemary & Garlic Pork Skewers

These apricot, rosemary and garlic pork skewers are the perfect kind of entertainment food and since I was having a party for one tonight, I dove right in. The marinade and marinating can be completed in advance. All that's left when company arrives is putting the pork on skewers and throwing them on the barbecue. I had yams and a green salad as a side and experimented with some gooey and moist chocolate brownies for dessert which I'll save for another post.

Adapted from: http://www.cookingandbeer.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin
• 1 cup apricot jam
• 3 T Dijon mustard
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• Fresh rosemary

Method

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least an hour before using them.

Combine the jam, mustard, soy sauce, garlic and oil and mix well. Add the needles of four sprigs of rosemary in with the marinade. Cut the pork tenderloin into one inch pieces. Add them to the marinade, coating them well and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

Preheat the barbecue to medium-high heat. Barbecue the pork skewers for about 15 minutes, rotating them every 3 minutes. Remove them from the heat and serve immediately.

Chimichurri

Cooking is never simpler when living ingredients are in season. Right about now, I start getting excited for those first sitings of Taber corn and peaches from the Okanagan. Fantasies of backyard meals aren't far behind following a morning perusing the local outdoor market.

Don't think I would appreciate summer as much without our long, often bleak winters.

Anyhow, I roasted a few red peppers last night and while delicious on their own, decided I'd make a sauce to enhance their sweet and smoky flavour: chimichurri.

This one's easy. If you've got a blender or food processor, you're laughing. If not, you'll be mincing for awhile. I'm on a sauce kick this month. Last week I whipped up a batch of marinara sauce and used it on roasted eggplants with melted havarti. The leftover sauce went on steamed snapper. Delicious. Now, chimichurri doesn't have to have kick, but mine does. I tend to be a little over zealous with the heat. This recipe has a manageable amount, so don't be concerned.

Adapted from: http://www.epicurious.com/

Makes 1.5 cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 cups flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 3 T red wine vinegar
• 1 red chili, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Serve on meat, fish or vegetables.

Liquor Cabinet One-Pot Chicken Bake

If you're wondering where the chicken is, it's under there in a booze-induced coma.

See! And because it's been soaking in liquor for 90 minutes, it falls apart like a Robert Hall suit.

I have renamed this gem, the Liquor Cabinet One-Pot Chicken Bake because as the chef, you may take liberties with your choice of alcohol. The chef I pilfered this recipe from opted for white wine, brandy and port. I went with red because I get to drink what I don't cook with and I prefer to drink red. I also don't have brandy on hand. I never have brandy on hand. Vermouth felt like a good trade off.

I went with skinless chicken thighs because they were available and frankly I could benefit from a little less fat. If you're interested in a richer flavour, then get yourself some good quality chicken meat and some with the skin on. I'm adding this to my 'Make Again' list.

From: http://www.supergoldenbakes.com/

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

• 10 skinless chicken thighs 
• 150 ml wine (I had red on hand)
• 2 T dry vermouth 
• 2 T port
• 1 T white wine vinegar
• 1 T dijon mustard
• 100 g prosciutto, sliced in strips
• 200 g cherry tomatoes, half
• 2 cloves of garlic, whole
• 5 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 1 pepper (yellow, orange or red), thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup of sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
• 1 T oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
• coarse salt and ground pepper to taste
• bunch parsley, chopped
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced (use zest if preferred)

Method

Preheat the oven to 340F. Combine the wine, vinegar, port, vermouth and mustard and stir until blended. Place the chicken on the bottom of a large, lidded casserole dish. Add the prosciutto and all vegetables overtop. Season the surface with salt and pepper and add the sun-dried tomatoes. Cook covered for one hour. Remove the lid and cook another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with parsley and lemon. Serve over pasta or rice.