Summertime snacks, salads and sippers

Posted on June 20, 2017 by

Easy treats for casual entertaining

Who’s ready for summer? I sure am!

Although developing flavourful new dishes is definitely my favourite food-related activity (other than eating, of course!),  I also really enjoy the process of crafting easy-to-follow recipes and sharing them with my readers across the globe. I also enjoy having a chance to showcase my creations on television, whether it’s appearing on local lifestyle shows here in Ottawa, or through my solo show, Paula Roy’s Favourite Foods, which airs several times each week on Rogers 22 Ottawa. We’re putting the finishing touches on six new episodes which will air throughout the summer and I’m excited for you to see the tasty treats I’ll be serving up. Let me know if you try any of them at home, OK?

In the meantime, I’ve got an appearance on Rogers Daytime today and here’s what I’ll be serving up (click on the titles to access the recipes). Wishing you a happy and delicious summer!

Marinated goat cheese with pickled blueberries

Zucchini ‘noodle’ salad with lemon-thyme vinaigrette

Summery strawberry salsa

Grown up floats with vodka coolers and gelato

Posted in appetizer, Berries, cocktails, Drinks, Salads, Vegetables, vegetarian | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Tex-Mex style steak and cheese sandwiches

Posted on June 15, 2017 by

All the flavours of fajitas – on a bun!

My menfolk had requested Philly cheesesteak sandwiches a week or so ago, but I just couldn’t oblige. I didn’t want anything to do with the state of Pennsylvania after the Pittsburgh Penguins bounced my team – the tenacious Ottawa Senators – out of the NHL playoffs. My solution to their bun-steak-cheese request was to come up with this Tex-Mex version, which was a huge hit. If you’re like me and love to plan ahead, you can put the meat in the marinade and toss it in the freezer; it will start to get infused with flavour as it freezes, and finish marinating when you take it out to thaw before grilling.

Ingredients

Beef

  • 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) flank steak
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) pineapple juice or white wine
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoons (45 mL) olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons (10 mL) each ground cumin and chili powder (or more to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) each salt pepper

Vegetables

  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil
  • 1 cup (250 mL) thinly sliced Spanish or white onion **
  • 2 cups (500 mL) thinly sliced red, green or orange bell peppers **
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) beer, chicken stock, white wine or water

** I cut the thin slices into 1 inch pieces to make them easier to eat

Buns

  • 6 hoagie-style or submarine buns
  • 1/3 cup (90 mL) mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) chili powder
  • 6 slices Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese
  • 1 ripe avocado, sliced and sprinkled with the juice of 1 lime
  • Salsa

Method

  • Start by marinating the beef. Put the flank steak in a large zip-sealed bag. In a small bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients, whisking together. Drizzle over meat, then seal bag, pressing air out as you do so. Refrigerate for at least four hours (or overnight), flipping bag occasionally. Remove from fridge 45 minutes before cooking.
  • When ready to start cooking, start by preheating your grill (barbeque) to medium-hot (about 375F).
  • While grill heats, slice peppers and onions. Put olive oil and sliced onions in a large, heavy duty frying pan. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring often, until onions are translucent. Add peppers, salt and pepper and beer and cook 2 – 3 minutes more, stirring often, until peppers are tender-crisp and liquid has mostly evaporated. Remove from heat.
  • Remove flank steak from marinade (discarding marinade) and grill for about 7 minutes per side, until meat registers 135F in the thickest part. Remove from grill and place on a tray or plate; cover loosely with foil and let rest for 7 – 8 minutes.
  • While steak is grilling, slice buns lengthwise. Combine mayonnaise and chili powder and spread on the cut sides of the buns. As soon as you remove the meat from the grill and tent it with foil, quickly toast the cut sides of the buns on the grill.
  • Slice cooked beef very thinly across the grain. Cut slices in halves or thirds to create bite-sized pieces. Place on a platter or plate.
  • To assemble sandwiches, put a layer of the cooked peppers and onions on the bottom bun, followed by the cheese, sliced steak, avocado and salsa. You can make them open faced or closed, according to your preference.

Serves 4 – 6

 

 

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Grown up floats with vodka coolers and gelato

Posted on June 11, 2017 by

A perfect summertime drink and dessert in one!

My two favourite flavours of floats when I was a kid were orange soda with vanilla ice cream and root beer with chocolate. I know the latter combo might sound a little weird, but trust me – it is delicious. I don’t drink pop (as many Maritimers call it – aka soda, soft drinks or soda pop) anymore, but I was thinking about how much I loved those floats and I had to start playing around with a few ideas.

Here’s the best part: these are the easiest drinks ever to prepare. All you need to do is grab your favourite flavour of gelato (or ice cream) and scoop it into tall glasses. Pour the vodka cooler over top and add a sprig of mint to garnish.

Fruit-flavoured, vodka based coolers are ideal – I like Blackfly’s Sour Grape and Sour Raspberry in particular because it’s not too sweet; it was delicious paired with the homemade lemon-mint gelato recipe below. There are loads of different flavours in the Blackfly cooler line so I plan to do some serious experimenting this summer.

 

LEMON MINT GELATO

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Method

  • In a microwave safe bowl or glass measure, heat milk until just barely steaming. Add mint leaves and let sit, covered, to infuse flavour for 15 minutes.
  • Strain mixture into a medium-sized heavy duty pot, discarding mint leaves. Over medium heat, gently warm until the milk reaches 175F then add sugar and stir until dissolved.
  • While milk is heating, separate eggs and put the yolks in a small bowl. Reserve the whites for another purpose such as meringues or Pavlova.
  • Whisk a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks then transfer the yolk and milk mixture back to the saucepan, whisking constantly. Cook over low heat until mixture is just thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 160F, stirring constantly and making sure it does not come to a boil.
  • Remove from heat and if mixture looks a bit lumpy, strain through a fine-meshed sieve before proceeding to the next step.
  • Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and whipping cream. Place in a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap onto surface of custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate several hours or overnight until mixture is thoroughly chilled.
  • Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer two-thirds full; freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer gelato to freezer containers (pack to within 1/2 inch of the top). Freeze 2-4 hours or until firm.
  • Note: if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can also pour the chilled custard into ice cube trays and freeze until firm.

Yield: 1 quart

 

 

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Grilled asparagus with za’atar and creamy harissa sauce

Posted on June 7, 2017 by

Three cheers for asparagus season!

I’m always thinking about new ways to serve vegetables because I find switching things up usually means I can often get my family to eat more of them. We love grilled asparagus and typically I just coat it with a little oil and finish with a squeeze of lemon, so today I decided to try something new. The results? Delicious. The creamy, mayonnaise-like harissa sauce was so flavourful and this recipe makes a good quantity so you can use it for up to three days on other things such as broccoli, cauliflower or even as a hollandaise substitute for eggs Benedict! Za’atar is so popular now you can find it in the ethnic foods section of most large grocery stores or from online spice retailers like Cardamom & Cloves; it’s a Middle Eastern blend of dried herbs, sumac and sesame seeds. If you haven’t used harissa before, you’re in for a big treat. This spicy paste, which hails from North Africa, adds a subtle kick of heat that enhances rather than overpowers everything it touches. You should be able to find it at most specialty food stores.

Ingredients

  • 24 stalks asparagus, woody ends snapped off
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons (10 mL) of za’atar spice
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 3 tablespoons boiling water
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons (10 mL) Dijon
  • 2 teaspoons (10 mL) harissa paste (or more, to taste)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  • Place asparagus spears on a clean baking tray. Drizzle with oil, then lemon juice and toss with your fingers to coat evenly. Sprinkle with za’atar and toss again.
  • Preheat grill (or cast iron frying pan) to medium-high heat.
  • While it’s heating, make harissa sauce. Put egg and egg yolk in a blender. Blend for 10 seconds, then with the blender running, add the boiling water to partially cook the egg.
  • Add lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon, harissa paste and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Blend again, then taste and adjust lemon, harissa and salt to suit your tastes.
  • Grill (or fry) asparagus, turning often, until tender and just beginning to char.
  • Put cooked asparagus on a clean plate and drizzle with a little bit of the harissa sauce. Serve a bit more of the sauce little dishes for dipping; refrigerate remaining sauce for up to three days.

Serves 3 – 4.

 

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Going further to celebrate Canada’s 150th

Posted on June 1, 2017 by

Where will the open road take you this year?

For 2017, Ford Canada wants people to be inspired to #GoFurther, which I did recently in this 2017 Ford Focus Titanium. I’m planning lots more road trips to celebrate Canada’s 150th!

It is no exaggeration to say that road tripping is one of the constants of my life. Growing up in a military family, we moved often and travelled constantly, always by car. When I was really young, my parents regularly piled all six kids plus the family dog into our nine-passenger 1964 Ford Country Sedan station wagon – with its rear-facing third row bench seat, essential for our large tribe – to set off on adventures, either with our without our camping trailer in tow, but always with a great picnic. Then, as now, I found the idea of heading out on the open road absolutely thrilling and I loved the idea of exploring new places and enjoying edible treats along the way. We definitely embraced the mantra of “going further”, as we clocked tens of thousands of miles which often included winding our way down narrow dirt roads to check out unique landmarks or scenic vistas. It’s a tradition which I have happily maintained with my own little family and I am extraordinarily proud of our kids’ familiarity with some of Canada’s most obscure destinations.

Two of my five siblings, our beloved Boxer Winky, and the 1964 Ford Country Sedan station wagon that  had both the capacity and stamina for our large family to enjoy countless road trips. Please disregard the fact that I have reverted to the same hairstyle I had as a young child. At least my fashion sense has improved (I think).

Oh Canada!

I wonder how many millions of road trips Canadians have taken in Fords during the 113 years the company has been in business in our country? I couldn’t help but reflect on that impressive legacy, and my family’s road tripping history, when  Ford Canada offered me a recent opportunity to have some adventures in a beautiful new 2017 Ford Focus Titanium. I was invited to participate in a neat cross-Canada campaign (look for #GoFurther150 on social media) which involves sending selected bloggers out to explore our beautiful country and share some of the sights we discover along the way. What a great way to celebrate our nation’s 150th birthday!

In my case, I chose to venture deep into the Ottawa Valley with my favourite co-pilot. We know parts of this area well yet much of it was new-to-us territory we couldn’t wait to explore. In the days leading up to the excursion, I spent a lot of time thinking about landmarks and their significance. Sometimes they are attractions that draw attention, other times a landmark is something that becomes a reference point for giving directions. I zipped around town in my Focus visiting some of my favourite close-to-home landmarks, just to whet my appetite for the upcoming road trip.

Visiting favourite local landmarks whetted my appetite for a road trip.

One awesome auto

The Ford Focus was the perfect vehicle for adventuring. Let me tell you a bit about this sweet ride before my road trip ‘show and tell’. I had so much fun testing out the many features such Active Park Assist which uses sensors to help you locate a parking spot of the appropriate size; you then let go of the steering wheel and let the system take over and park the car for you, which is just the most amazing thing to experience. I tell you, this just never gets old, even for someone like me who is pretty good at parallel parking the old fashioned way. I also appreciated the Blind Spot Information System that a illuminates a little yellow light on the outside of the driver’s or passenger’s side mirror whenever there’s a vehicle in your blind spot.  This same utility includes a cross-traffic alert that provides an audible warning if a vehicle is approaching from either side when you are reversing out of a parking space with obstructed views. I sure wish I’d had the use of this feature last winter when my driveway’s snowbanks were six feet tall!

Another great safety feature is the Lane-Keeping System which has several components to alert a driver who is not maintaining the correct lane position. A camera monitors lane markings and if the vehicle strays out of the lane or if the driver’s behaviour gives the impression of drowsiness, the system will issue an alert. It can also be set to apply gentle steering pressure to guide the vehicle back into its lane. I had a scary experience a few months ago, tailing a driver who was weaving all over the highway at night, so I hope useful technology like Ford’s lane keeping system becomes standard equipment on all vehicles one day, to make the roads safer for all.

The Ford Focus was lots of fun to drive, offering an incredibly smooth ride and super comfortable seats. I also loved the satellite radio and may or may not have been singing at the top of my lungs on some of my solo excursions. I found it super helpful to have two smart-charging USB ports which recharged our phones twice as fast as conventional ports; this became especially useful when I was stopping often to take and post a lot of photos.

Purposeful pit stops

While the main purpose of our road trip was to explore some interesting landmarks, of course food featured prominently in our adventure. We’d barely left home when I decided a stop at Wes’ Chips in Arnprior for a mid-morning snack was in order. Their chips (French fries) are truly among the best in the world.

When I was a kid, I liked ice cream stops the best. Now when I road trip, I am always on the hunt for savoury treats.

After Arnprior, we took side roads to wind our way to our next destination of Pembroke. It was fun to drive at a leisurely pace along the Ottawa River and we could certainly see evidence of the recent spring flooding. A few detours for roadwork took us down some charming country lanes too. Our first stop in downtown Pembroke was for – you guessed it – lunch! A popular little spot called The Nook had come highly recommended and I can confirm that they serve fantastic Parisian-style crepes. Our choice – a shared order of an Italian crepe with Caesar salad – was absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to go back and try some of their sweet creations.

The Nook Creperie in Pembroke was  the perfect spot to refuel before our hunt for landmark murals.

History comes alive

Properly refuelled, we set off on a hunt to find all 34 of Pembroke’s Heritage Murals.

This was one of my favourite landmark murals as it beautifully depicts Pembroke’s  storied history.

Painted in a variety of styles on the sides of buildings, primarily in the downtown core, the murals are an intriguing way to celebrate the people, experiences and industries that have shaped this Ottawa Valley community. An online map was useful as we strolled along side streets, popped down alleyways and drove to the fringes of town to find them all.


Another favourite Pembroke landmark! It’s a 360º mural painted on the old railway water tower, highlighting the vibrant history of the Canadian Pacific Railway’s steam locomotives and the local Consolidated Lumber Company Ltd.

Going further

True to the theme of this adventure, once we’d found all the murals, we decided that it was time to go further! We love getting off the beaten track, so we took the nearby bridge across the Ottawa River and headed into the Pontiac region of Quebec, a place we’d heard so much about but had never visited. Aside from the extraordinarily high water levels in this low-lying area, what really struck me on this part of our drive were the roadside forests’ gorgeous carpets of trilliums, extending as far as the eye could see. The sight made me remember going on excursions with my Mom many years ago (in that same Ford Country Sedan station wagon) to look for and photograph wildflowers.

One of the best things about driving down little side roads is seeing carpets of wildflowers in the woods.

One of the must-see highlights of the Pontiac region is Chutes Coulonge Park. Just 40 minutes from Pembroke or 90 minutes from Ottawa, it’s a spectacular not-for-profit natural park that offers incredible scenery thanks to a magnificent waterfall that makes venturing a little further off the highway so worthwhile. In addition to loads of artifacts celebrating the region’s proud logging heritage, the park offers a well-maintained network of trails, a picnic area, an aerial park, an elevated obstacle course and two giant ziplines through the canyon. Also available is a unique feature of which there are very few in Canada – a via ferrata, consisting of steel cables which run along the rock walls of the canyon, with iron rungs (stemples) for foot and hand holds. Harnessed and helmeted climbers use these aids to ascend the steep canyon, with three courses of increasing difficulty available. We arrived late in the afternoon so only had time for a short visit but I cannot wait to return to explore the park in all its glory.

The Chutes de Coulonge are one of the highlights of Quebec’s Pontiac region.

The next landmark I couldn’t wait to find was Fort Coulonge’s Pont Marchand, locally referred to as the red bridge. Built entirely of pine in 1898 for $6000, at 151.59 metres (497.3 feet), it’s the longest covered bridge in Quebec and was designated a historic monument in 1989. We found it closed for repairs; had it been open, I’m sure I could have happily driven back and forth across the bridge a dozen times!

Who knew Quebec’s longest covered bridge was in Fort Coulonge?
I can’t wait to drive across the Pont Marchand when it reopens.

Just a short drive from the bridge, we found the charming Spruceholme Inn, a stone mansion in the heart of Fort Coulonge. It’s run by Jane Toller Pitfield who is the great-granddaughter of the original owner of Spruceholme, George Bryson Jr.  She is also the great-great-granddaughter of George Bryson Sr., one of the original logging barons of the Ottawa Valley. Spruceholme is located just a few blocks from The George Bryson Heritage House, George Sr.’s Georgian-style home built in 1854, now a museum. Jane serves as chair of the Pontiac Tourism Association and has built an impressive conference centre on the grounds of the Inn, with cabins, a guest house, meeting rooms and a lovely little pub called Bryson’s Bistro du Bucheron. To create the pub, she dismantled her great-great-grandfather’s circa 1850 hay barn, then reassembled it adjacent to Spruceholme. The pub was packed on Friday night with a crowd that appeared to be mostly locals and our meals of fish and chips were absolutely delicious. A peaceful night’s sleep in the tranquil country stillness left us refreshed for a morning walkabout to see the other Bryson family homes in Fort Coulonge and after a cheerful breakfast at Spruceholme, we set off to go still further into the region’s back roads.

Fort Coulonge’s Spruceholme Inn, with its delightful pub, was a great road trip discovery!

Fascinating Finds

One of the things I love most about road trips is that you usually learn a thing or three thanks to unexpected discoveries enroute. I’m a big history buff so it was exciting to meander through the little town of Campbell’s Bay and find a small park that boasted two great landmarks. One was a breathtakingly beautiful war memorial inscribed with the names of all the Canadian Forces soldiers who died during the war in Afghanistan. The second got me thinking a lot about how much automobiles and the driving experience have changed over the past century. It was a plaque which described the feat of townsman George McLean, whom we should all honour as the grandfather of road tripping. He was the first person to drive a self-propelled motor vehicle across North America; his 1911 trip from New York City to San Diego, a distance of 2300 miles, took more than four months. Today, that same trip takes just 41 hours of driving time!

History comes to life in a little park in Campbell’s Bay, QC.

We wound our way back to Ottawa as slowly as we possibly could, spotting lots of pretty things along the way like beckoning beach chairs in Norway Bay, colourful beehives in a farmer’s field and an unexpected Elvis billboard in Quyon. The car’s easy-to-use navigation system was especially helpful as we kept venturing WAY off the beaten track and sometimes needed help to find our way back.

Getting off the beaten track in and around Quyon yielded lots of pretty discoveries.

On a whim, we decided to take the ferry from Quyon to West Carleton, fulfilling a longstanding local travel wish list item. We meandered along back roads to make our way to Carp for a visit to Alice’s Village Café where we enjoyed an exceptional lunch of a bacon-avocado-lettuce-tomato sandwich with a side of poutine and some local craft sodas. It was impressive to see not only the lineups for Alice’s great food but also the large number of spandex-clad cyclists who had made their way to Carp on backroad tracks.

Alice’s Village Cafe in Carp, just west of Ottawa, is popular for many delicious reasons.

I knew it had been a great getaway as we approached home and I brought up a previous discussion on the trip, referring to it as having happened ‘the other day’. My husband corrected me, reminding me that it was actually ‘yesterday’, and I realized I felt as though I’d been away for much longer than one overnight. It’s amazing how even a short road trip can feel as invigorating as a longer vacation. And all of this on less than one tank of gas thanks to the Ford Focus’ great fuel economy!

I can’t wait to #gofurther on a regular basis this summer and hope to find more Canadian landmarks that are as unique and interesting as the ones we found on this journey.

Are you a road trip aficionado? I’d love to hear what you enjoy about heading out on the road.

Disclaimer: I am grateful to have been the guest of Ford Canada on this excursion; opinions expressed are my own.

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Spaghetti with creamy avocado sauce

Posted on May 30, 2017 by

If you like guacamole or avocado toast, this dish is for you!

Pasta is definitely a go-to meal in our house but after a winter’s worth of rich, heavy sauces, I wanted to lighten things up a little for spring and summer. This delicious dish takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and is so packed with flavour and goodness that we’re now craving it often. The secret trick of adding some of the starchy pasta water to the guacamole-like mixture is what makes it the sauce super creamy; it also serves to keep the avocado from going brown. While we enjoy eating it warm, the leftovers are just as delicious right out of the fridge and keep well for several days. I highly recommend making a double batch.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces (225 g) uncooked spaghetti
  • 1 large or 2 medium ripe avocadoes
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1/3 cup (90 mL) good quality olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 mL) chili powder (or to taste)
  • 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of freshly-squeezed lemon juice (or more, to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) white sugar
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup (250 mL) halved cherry tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons (10 mL) olive oil
  • freshly ground Parmesan (omit for vegans)
  • minced fresh chives or parsley

Method

  • Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of salt, then add spaghetti. Cook until al dente (tender-firm).
  • While the pasta cooks, put the minced garlic and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the olive oil in a small, microwave safe bowl. Heat on medium power for 45 seconds to partially cook the garlic.
  • Scoop out the avocado flesh and put in a food processor or blender. Add the minced garlic in oil, remaining 4 tablespoons (60 mL) of oil, chili powder, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Process or blend until smooth, scraping down sides once or twice, then taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.
  • Also while the pasta cooks, put the halved tomatoes in a small bowl. Drizzle with the 2 teaspoons (10 mL) of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to combine and set aside.
  • When the pasta is cooked, scoop out 1/4 cup (60 mL) of the cooking water then drain the noodles.
  • Add the reserved pasta water to the avocado mixture and blender until smooth.
  • Place hot cooked spaghetti in a serving bowl and pour the sauce over it and then toss to coat evenly.
  • Scatter seasoned tomatoes on top and sprinkle with Parmesan and chives. Serve immediately.

Serves 3 – 4 and can easily be doubled.

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Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

Posted on May 25, 2017 by

Tangy condiment perks up a family-favourite meal!

I bought my first barbeque – a rickety little thing – when I was a starving student simply because I love grilled chicken. While my grilling appliances have definitely improved over the years, my love for grilled chicken has never waned. I’m constantly dreaming up new ways to serve it to my family and this week’s experiment was a real winner. The tangy pineapple salsa added so much bright, fresh flavour to the smoky chicken; I’m certain it would be equally delicious with grilled fish or pork. I paired this recipe with La Crema Sonoma Coast 2014 Pinot Noir. The beautifully balanced wine’s soft, rich fruitiness, with notes of spice, was the perfect match.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (500 mL) diced fresh pineapple
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) finely minced red onion
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup (250 mL) diced red pepper
  • 1 large lime, juiced
  • Salt, to taste
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8 boneless chicken thighs
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  • Make salsa by combining in a medium-sized bowl (I use a 4 cup / 1 litre glass storage container with a lid) the pineapple, red pepper, cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, and lime juice. Stir until well combined. Season with salt, to taste. Cover and refrigerate if not using within two hours.
  • Preheat grill to medium-high (375F). Brush the chicken lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Grill chicken (or bake in a 375F oven) until it is golden brown on the outside and internal temperature is 165F.
  • Serve hot, with salsa spooned over top, or on the side.

Serves 4.

 

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