Zimmy's Nook

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Mains

Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala

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A plate of Chicken Tikka Masala served over rice with naan. Surrounding this plate is the pot filled with chicken, a pot full of rice, wine glasses and chopped cilantro.

Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala.
I marinated the chicken thighs in yogurt, spices, ginger & garlic for 20 hours before grilling them. Made the sauce of onions, garlic, ginger, long chilies, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, hot paprika, fresh Methi leaves, tomatoes & cream, then added the chicken in to finish cooking.
Served over basmati rice, topped with fresh cilantro, alongside naan. It was so good!

Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
  • 2 cups whole milk yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger 
  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt 
  • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder 
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala  
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs 
Sauce
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 1 medium cooking onion, diced
  • 1 medium red onion, diced
  • 3-4 long chilis, red &/or green, seeded and chopped 
  • Kosher salt 
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated ginger 
  • 8 cloves garlic, finely grated 
  • 1/3 cup fresh methi leaves, picked from stems & washed *(see note)
  • 4 teaspoons garam masala 
  • 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder 
  • 2 teaspoon hot paprika 
  • 1 x 28 oz can, whole peeled tomatoes 
  • 2 cups tomato passata
  • 1/2 cup 15% cooking cream  
For Serving
  • Chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems 
  • Basmati rice
  • Naan (my easy and delicious naan recipe is linked here)

Note: If fresh methi leaves are not available, substitute 4 teaspoons dried whole fenugreek leaves (Kasoori methi)

Preparation
Chicken marinade

Whisk together all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a large bowl until combined. Toss the chicken in the marinade until well coated. Pour chicken and marinade into a resealable bag and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.

Sauce

Heat the oil in a 5 quart covered pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and chilies, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to caramelize, 8-10 minutes. Next add the ginger & garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant, 2-3 minutes (lower heat if garlic browns to quickly, don’t let it burn). Add the methi leaves, garam masala, chili powder and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes & passata, breaking the tomatoes into pieces with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.  

Remove from heat and let the sauce cool slightly (5 minutes). Transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway. (Work in batches if required or alternatively use an immersion blender.)  Place lid on blender and remove the center cap. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel, and blend starting low and work speed up slowly, until smooth.  Add cream and blend to incorporate. Pour into the cleaned pan and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.    

Meanwhile, preheat the grill or grill pan on med-high. Cook the chicken (without overcrowding) until the chicken gets some charred spots, 4-5 minutes per side (raise heat slightly if needed to char) Note: chicken will not be fully cooked at this point. Remove from the grill and cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 10-12 minutes. 

Serve over rice, top with cilantro and accompany with naan. 

This recipe was adapted from a Food Network Kitchen Recipe.

Hope you enjoy my Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala! I would love to hear your feedback if you tried this recipe in the “comment box” below!

Have a delicious day! James (aka Zimmy)

This recipe was made (and served) in my Hestan ProBond Forged Stainless Steel 5qt Sauté Pan and 2qt Sauce Pan and on my Hestan Dual Fuel Range and grill.

Proud Hestan Culinary  & Hestan Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.


Spicy Mussels and Shrimp “Soup”

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A beautiful copper pot filled with mussels, shrimp, lemons and kale. This pot is surrounded by a bowl filled with this soup, a wooden bowl of chili peppers, wine, wine glasses, lemons and a loaf of bread.

Spicy Mussels and Shrimp “Soup”

Have a little fun around the dinner table as you get your hands dirty digging into bowls full of deliciousness! We LOVE mussels in a flavourful sauce, but it’s sad to see the sauce left in the bowl or pot, then discarded. So, I’ve added broth, kale & shrimp and turned mussels, into “mussels & shrimp soup!” No one ever leaves soup in a bowl, so problem solved!

Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 shallots, diced
  • 2 long chilies, thinly sliced (red or green)
  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
  • 1 bunch curly kale, chopped
  • 2 cans (398 ml/13.5 oz) diced tomatoes (or 1 can 796ml/27 oz)
  • 2 1/2 cups stock (chicken, vegetable or seafood – no salt or low sodium)
  • 2 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed, de-bearded*
  • 12 large wild shrimp, shell on, deveined (see cook’s note)
For serving
  • Crusty bread, 1/2-inch thick slices
  • 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
  • Hot sauce (optional)
Preparation

Heat a 5 quart pot, pan or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add oil and lower heat to med-low. Next, add the shallots, salt, chilies and cook until soft. Add fennel seeds, crushed red pepper and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Raise heat to med-hi, add wine, cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and chicken stock, bring to boil. Next, add cilantro & kale, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add mussels, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add shrimp, nestle them into the liquid. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes more. Discard any mussels that do not open. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Bring the whole pot to the table and let everyone scoop small portions at a time. Serve mussels with bread for dipping, lemon wedge and hot sauce (if using). Don’t forget a bowl for the discarded mussel & shrimp shells.

Cook’s note:

I like using shrimp with the shell on as it adds additional flavour to the broth. Since we eat the mussels off the shell, scooping up broth, we are getting our hands dirty anyway, so we peel the shrimp as we eat. If preferred, peel shrimp before cooking.

*De-bearding simply means removing the seaweed-like fibers found sticking out of the shell. I pull them off when scrubbing them clean.

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serves: 4

Hope you enjoy my Spicy Mussels and Shrimp “Soup”! I would love to hear your feedback if you tried this recipe in the “comment box” below!

Have a delicious day! James (aka Zimmy)

This recipe was made (and served) in my gorgeous Hestan CopperBond Induction Copper 5qt Essential Pan and on my Hestan Dual Fuel Range.

Proud Hestan Culinary  & Hestan Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.

Asian Inspired Roasted Chicken Thighs

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At top down image of glazed and roasted Chicken Thighs with mushrooms and vegetables on the side.

Asian Inspired Roasted Chicken Thighs.

This sticky, slightly sweet & spicy glazed chicken dish is sure to be a hit with the entire family. I use thighs because they are my favourite part of the chicken for tender flavourful meat… and I have finally converted Elaine to join me on the dark (meat) side!

When cooking thighs, I always make extra to share with family, then use a few on salads or grain bowls for lunch the next day!

Ingredients
  • 14-16 chicken thighs (bone-in and skin on)
  • 2/3 cup rice wine vinegar
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • 6 tablespoons smoked honey
  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons of hot chili sauce
  • 8 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 3 teaspoon crushed fresh ginger (grated on a fine grater)
  • Zest & juice of a small lime
  • Fresh cilantro – finely chopped

OPTIONAL

  • 10 -12 mushrooms, halved
  • More lime zest for plating
Preparation

Preheat oven to 410°F convection roast (or 425°F bake)

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and set aside.

Combine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, sesame oil, chili sauce, garlic, ginger, lime zest & juice together in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a slow boil; reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (I do this so the skin will not stick to the pan, but the parchment must be removed before broiling or it will burn.) If using mushrooms, place in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of sauce, toss to combine. Place chicken thighs on parchment lined pan and pour 1/2 of the sauce mixture over the chicken, toss until chicken evenly covered.

Place the chicken skin side down, and roast for 30 minutes.

Flip thighs skin side up, brush chicken skin with 2 tablespoons of reserved sauce (add mushrooms if using) and continue to roast until skin begins to brown. (about another 15 minutes).

Remove sheet pan from oven, turn oven to broil, then carefully remove parchment, leaving chicken skin side up and mushrooms and drippings on tray. Place tray into lower 3rd of oven and cook until the skin is a deep golden colour (about 5 minutes). Watch this part carefully as oven broilers cook at different intensity and you do not want to burn the chicken!

An image taken in a kitchen with the range open with a sheet pan of roasted chicken inside and a tray of colourful roasted vegetables on the top.
This recipe was made in my Hestan Dual Fuel Range.

Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro (and lime zest if using). Serve with roasted or steamed vegetables, and remaining sauce.

A very colourful sheet pan of roasted vegetables and glazed chicken thighs.

Hope you enjoyed my Asian Inspired Roasted Chicken Thighs recipe! I would love to hear your feedback in the “comment box” below and don’t forget to tag @zimmysnook if you post yours on Instagram!

Have a delicious day!

James (aka Zimmy)

Proud Hestan Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.

Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb

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Top-down image of a sliced roasted leg of lamb on a cutting board with hassle back potatoes and lemons. As well in this image is a narrow board of antipasto skewers and a platter of roasted carrots and brussels sprouts with pomegranate arils.

Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb

This Holiday Season may look a little different, but just because you are celebrating with a Micro-Christmas Dinner, it does not mean it cannot be festive and incredibly delicious!

How about preparing a tender, juicy, slow roasted leg of lamb, crispy hasselback potatoes, roasted carrots with rosemary and Brussels sprouts with ribbons of prosciutto, then sprinkled with pomegranate arils?

The lamb is carved while the juices flavour a board sauce of rosemary, thyme, garlic, grilled lemon juice, olive oil and s&p, then served with traditional cranberry sauce… because lamb and cranberries are perfect match.

Perhaps you could start the meal with a flavour packed appetizer of antipasto skewers to wake up the appetite… and since you can make the skewers in advance, you will get to sit and enjoy them with your loved ones.

Ingredients

  • 1 x 4.5 lbs local leg of lamb, fat trimmed to 1/8” thick
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive olive
  • Board sauce (see below)
Preparation

Pound garlic to a paste with sea salt using a mortar & pestle, then stir together with rosemary, thyme, pepper and olive oil.

A top down image of a mortar & pestle with garlic, sea salt, herbs and olive oil.

Place an oven safe cooling rack on a sheet pan and wipe rack with olive oil.
On large platter or board, pat the lamb dry, then rub paste all over lamb.

Place the lamb on the prepared rack/sheet pan and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

A leg of lamb on prepared wire rack and sheet pan.

Preheat oven to 215°F convection roast (or 225°F regular oven)

Roast lamb in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat (do not touch bone) registers 115°F-120°F, approximately 1 1/2 hours.

A roasted leg of lamb in the middle of oven.

Prepare board sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

Remove from oven and raise temperature to 450°F (or preheat grill to 450°F).

Return lamb to oven (or place on top rack of grill) and cook for 10-15 minutes until exterior is beginning to crisp up and internal temperature has reached 130°F.

A roasted leg of lamb on the top rack of the grill.

Prepare cutting board with juice grove, by spreading board sauce in middle of the board.

Transfer lamb to cutting board, sitting meat directly on sauce. Cover with foil and let stand 15 minutes (internal temperature will rise to between 135°F -140°F for medium-rare).

Slice the lamb, piling the slices in the mixture of board sauce and lamb juices, so that every slice absorbs the additional flavour, then serve.

Board sauce
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • juice of 1/2 roasted or grilled lemon

Mix all ingredients together and set aside. Prepare at least 30 minutes prior to lamb finishing cooking to allow the flavours to blend.

In addition to this Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb recipe, you can find more of my Holiday Entertaining recipes here.


Halenda’s 5-Ingredient Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

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Two bacon wrapped pork tenderloins. One is sliced showing the juicy interior.

Halenda’s 5-Ingredient Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

5 ingredients (plus salt & pepper), 15 minutes of prep for these delicious Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloins! (Served with Halenda’s 3 cheese pierogi)

The combination of brown sugar, mustard, sriracha and smoky bacon makes this sweet, spicy & savory dinner a real winner with the family!

Ingredients
  • 20 slices Halenda’s double smoked bacon
  • 2 Halenda’s pork tenderloins (about 1 pound)
  • 4 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha (or spicy BBQ sauce)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Halenda’s 3 cheese pierogi (3-4 per person)
  • (Serve with a large green salad)
Ingredient shot for bacon wrapped pork tenderloin recipe.
Tenderloin Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F and set an oven rack to the middle of the oven.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray or wipe on a light coating of oil.

Pat the pork dry with paper towels.

In a small bowl, combining mustard, brown sugar, sriracha, salt & pepper. Then stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Coat each tenderloin with 1 ½ tablespoons of the sauce, then cover the remaining sauce in the bowl and set aside to serve with pork.

Lay the bacon out on the sheet pan, slightly overlapping each slice. Place the tenderloin on the bacon and roll tightly, tucking the ends under the tenderloin. Repeat process with second tenderloin.

Bake for 20 minutes (internal temperature should be 130-135°F). Remove from oven and baste with pan juices.

Return pork to oven and bake an additional 8 – 12 minutes or until done (145-150°F).

Tent with foil and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Serve with reserved mustard sauce on the side.

Pierogi Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the pierogi in the boiling water, stir and cook until pierogi begin to float. Turn off the heat, drain pierogi and return to pot. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to coat.

Pierogi can be served as is or are delicious fried with some bacon fat (pan drippings from the pork tray) and onions.

To fry, place 1-2 tablespoons of bacon fat (or olive oil) in a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add ½ cup of chopped onions to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Move onions to the side and place pierogi in the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until beginning to brown, flip and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Serve with sour cream and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe will serve 4-6. If serving 2-3, divide in half.

Do not forget to serve with the reserved sauce. To avoid contaminating the whole bowl of sauce when you baste the raw meat, remove the 3 tablespoons into another dish for coating pork.

When wrapping the bacon around the pork, be sure the bacon does not overlap itself too much under the tenderloin or it will not crisp up. ½” – 1”is ideal, so use a knife to cut off any excess. (chop excess pieces and add to fried pierogi).

Optional – use toothpicks to hold bacon tightly around tenderloin.

Two bacon wrapped pork tenderloins. (One is sliced showing the juicy interior) A dish of pierogis and salad are also part of the meal.

Disclosure: I have participated in a paid partnership with Halenda’s.  Opinions in this post are my own.

In addition to this 5-Ingredient Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin recipe, you can find more of my recipes I created for Halenda’s here.

Canada Beef Wellington with Madeira Sauce

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Top down image of a medium rare sliced Beef Wellington on a cutting board with a large carving knife and sauce. Carrots, peas and mashed potatoes surround the beef.

Canada Beef Wellington with Madeira Sauce.

Holiday traditions are made of family, friends and delicious food. This year, although holiday festivities will be reimagined, some more intimate, others virtual, the importance of a special meal remains central to our celebrations. 

I’ve partnered with Canada Beef to showcase their Beef Wellington recipe. The ultimate special occasion meal, perfect for Christmas or New Year’s Eve.

Made with centre-cut Canada Beef Tenderloin, mushrooms, paté and readymade puff pastry, then served with Madeira sauce for a classically rich and extremely flavourful dish. 

A show-stopping centrepiece, that is easier to create than it looks. Just 30 minutes of prep time, 15 minutes to rest in the fridge and about 30 minutes to cook. Leaving you plenty of time to whip up the Madeira sauce and a couple of side dishes to boot!

Ingredients
A top down image of ingredients needed for a beef wellington recipe.
Beef Wellington
  • 2 ½ lb (1.13 kg) trimmed centre-cut Canada Beef Tenderloin Premium Oven Roast, about 4-inches (10 cm) in diameter 
  •  1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
  •  Coarsely ground salt and pepper
  •  2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, divided 
  •  1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
  •  2 shallots finely sliced
  •  1 green onion finely sliced
  •  2 cups (500 mL) finely chopped mushrooms
  •  1 pkg (397 g) puff-pastry dough, thawed
  •  2 ½ oz (70 g) chicken or duck liver pâté (foie gras), thinly sliced
  •  1 egg, beaten
  •  Madeira Sauce, recipe follows
Madeira Sauce
  • 4 cups beef broth (or 1 L container)
  • ⅔ cup Madeira
  • generous splash of whipping cream
  • 1 tsp corn starch (optional)
  • 1 tsp cold water (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Beef Wellington

If roast is tied, remove twine. Rub and season all over with olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the butter with the vegetable oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat; brown meat on all sides, about 8 minutes. Set aside.

In same skillet, melt remaining butter; add shallots and onion and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until softened for about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until there is no liquid from the mushrooms remaining, about 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste and set pan aside to use for the Madeira Mushroom Sauce.

Pat reserved tenderloin dry with paper towel; top with paté slices and mushroom mixture, pressing mixture onto tenderloin to hold. Set aside. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; spray lightly with non-stick spray. Set aside.

A process step of a beef wellington in the making.

Roll out the package puff pastry dough on lightly floured board, on its underside, into a 13 x 12-inch (32 x 30 cm) rectangle, rolling over the seam to hold the 2 squares together.

Place over tenderloin and tuck dough around the sides and ends. Gently turn over, wrapping dough around underside and ends of tenderloin to fully enclose; brush some beaten egg along edges of seams where dough overlaps, pressing gently to seal. Place seam side down onto prepared baking sheet.

Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. (If refrigerated 1 hour, let the Wellington sit at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.)

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450°F (230°C) oven. (NOTE: The Beef Wellington is roasted on the lowest rack of a very hot oven to help create a crispy crust.)

Cut 3 slits across the top of pastry to allow steam to escape while baking; brush all over with beaten egg.

Bake Beef Wellington until golden brown (shielding with loose cover of aluminum foil if getting to brown), and digital instant read thermometer inserted into centre of roast reads 145°F (63°C) for medium-rare doneness, about 35 minutes.

Let stand for 10 minutes and transfer to carving platter. Carve into thick slices and serve with Madeira Sauce.

Madeira Sauce

Place skillet used to make mushrooms over medium-high heat; stir in beef broth, stirring up brown bits from bottom of pan.

Bring to boil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce to 1-2/3 cups.

Stir in Madeira and continue to boil until liquid is reduced again to 1-2/3 cups about 5 minutes. Stir in whipping cream to finish.

If desired, thicken by stirring in corn starch mixture; cook 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into gravy boat to serve.

This holiday season make Canada Beef a part of your family celebrations.

Wishing you all a safe, healthy and very happy holiday season!

Top down image of a Beef Wellington on a cutting board with a large carving knife and sauce. Carrots, peas and mashed potatoes surround the beef.

This Canada Beef Wellington with Madeira Sauce recipe and a wonderfully informative instructional video can be found at https://canadabeef.ca/recipes/beef-wellington/

*** I have participated in a paid partnership with Canada Beef. Opinions in this post are my own.

The Ultimate Roast Beef Sandwich

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Roast beef Sichuan sandwich with red peppers, arugula, onions, sautéed mushrooms, horseradish sauce with a side of chips.

The Ultimate Roast Beef Sandwich – Reverse seared & Sichuan marinated!

An overnight marinade, combined with low and slow cooking will turn any roast into rave worthy meal. Although suggested cooking time is a helpful guide, a high-quality digital or instant-read thermometer is the best way to monitor for doneness. Every roast is a slightly different weight and thickness and as such will require a different cooking time. I reverse seared this roast on the grill, but it could easily be done in the oven as well.

This roast is delicious served as a traditional dinner with roast potatoes & vegetables, but even better assembled into these mouth-watering sandwiches!

Roast beef dinner platter with carrots, potatoes, brocolini, roasted red pepers and sandwich fixings.
Marinade Ingredients
  • 3.5 lbs Ontario Beef Top Sirloin Roast (Sirloin Tip, Inside or Outside Round work too)
  • ⅔ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • ½ cup rice vinegar
  • 6 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 3-4 cloves local garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
  • ½ tsp five-spice powder
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
Raw ingredients used for a Sichuan marinade for a beef top sirloin roast.
Sandwich Ingredients
  • Fresh Ciabatta buns or Ciabatta loaf cut into 4-5” portions.
  • Fire-roasted red pepper (store bought in a jar)
  • Marinated red onions (recipe link here)
  • Sautéed sliced cremini mushrooms (sautéed in butter, seasoned with thyme)
  • Horseradish cream sauce (recipe below)
  • Baby arugula
  • Quality blue cheese (optional but recommended)
Preparation

Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, green onions, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns and five-spice powder in a resealable storage bag or bowl.

Place roast in the bag or bowl, turning to coat. Seal bag or cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or for up to 24 hours, turning occasionally if it’s in a bowl.

An image of a beef roast in a sealed bag marinating with a Sichuan marinade.

Preheat the grill to 225°F with a portion of the grill off for indirect cooking.

Remove roast from marinade, reserving marinade. Wipe excess marinade off roast and season all over with salt & pepper.

If use a digital thermometer probe, insert through one end directly in the middle of the roast. Place the roast on the top rack over the portion of the grill that is not on. Place a drip pan on grill under roast. Close lid and cook for 30 minutes.

A (raw) beef roast on the top rack over the portion of the grill that is not on. A drip pan placed under the roast.

Baste with some of the reserved marinade. Close lid and cook for 30 minutes more. Baste again and check temperature (should be approaching 80°F). Close the lid and cook for another 20-30 minutes. Baste again and check temperature.

A finished beef roast on the top rack over the portion of the grill that is not on. A drip pan placed under the roast.

For rare beef (like the one pictured here), remove roast at 100°F (for med-rare, remove roast at 110°F) and transfer to a plate or pan and cover with foil.

An image of grilled roast with a temperature probe reading 101 °F

Heat entire grill on high until temperature reaches about 500°F.
Return beef to hot grill and sear on each side with the lid closed for 2.5-3 minutes per side (assuming 4 ‘sides’). Temperature should be around 108°-110°F (118°-120°F for med-rare).

Remove roast from grill, wrap completely in foil and let rest 10-15 minutes. Finished internal temperature should be 120°-125°F (130°-135°F med-rare)

A rested image of grilled roast with a temperature probe reading 121 °F and ready to carve.

Transfer roast to a cutting board, cut off strings and slice roast thinly across the grain.

Once beef is sliced, toast ciabatta, then layer with a healthy dollop of horseradish cream sauce, a slice of roasted red pepper, a handful of arugula, mushrooms, onions, beef and blue cheese (if using), finish with a little salt and enjoy!

Roast can be made ahead and used later for sandwiches. If making ahead, let whole roast cool, wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Serve sliced at room temperature.

Four open faced roast beef Sichuan sandwiches with red peppers, arugula, onions, sautéed mushrooms, horseradish sauce with a side of chips.
Horseradish Cream Sauce Ingredients
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup fresh hot horseradish
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar (champagne or white wine vinegar)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Horseradish Cream Sauce Preparation:

Place all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to combine.

Make ahead and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

In addition to this The Ultimate Roast Beef Sandwich recipe, you can find more of my favourite beef recipes here.  

In partnership with Ontario Beef. Opinions in this post are my own.

Pan Fried Wild Vermilion Snapper (B-liner) with Green Curry

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Two pan fried wild Vermilion snappers (B-liner) on a simple salad with rice and wine.

Pan Fried Wild Vermilion Snapper (B-liner) with Green Curry.

Serve the snapper with an arugula salad, 10 minute rice and coconut green curry sauce, for a delicious and nutritious weeknight meal that’s ready in less than 20 minutes.

The trick to developing great flavours in such a short time, is a jar of green curry paste. All you need to do is open the jar and scoop out a couple of tablespoons… easy peasy!

Ingredients
  • 2 whole wild Vermilion snapper (B-liner) 14-16 ounces (400-450g) each, cleaned and scaled
  • 4 tablespoons Thai green curry paste, divided
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro (remove a few stems and finely chop enough for 1 tablespoon)
  • 14 oz (400ml) can light coconut milk
  • 2-3 short Thai red chillies slice in half lengthwise (leave attached at the stem)
  • 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce (optional but recommended)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 lime (1/2 for juice, half cut into 4 wedges for serving)
  • Suggested: Make a simple arugula salad with onions, celery, tomatoes, dressed with 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation

In a small sauce pan, combine coconut milk, 2 tablespoons green curry paste, brown sugar, fish sauce, chillies and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro stems, squeeze in juice of 1/2 the lime. Bring to a boil then simmer on low until ready to serve.

Note: if making 10 minute rice, start it now.

Place a large nonstick skillet on a medium-high heat.

With a sharp knife, score the snapper skin at 1 inch intervals, then rub all over with the 2 tablespoons curry paste, inside and out, including the scores.

Place a few pieces of cilantro into the cavities, season with sea salt and black pepper, then place in the hot pan with 2 tablespoon of olive oil.

Cook for 4 minutes per side, until skin in slightly blackened and flesh is cooked through (time varies slightly based on the thickness of your fish and how hot the pan is).

Place salad (or greens of your choice) on a platter.

Sit the snappers on top, spooning over any spicy oil from the pan.

Serve with coconut curry sauce, rice, lime wedges and cilantro.

Two pan fried wild Vermilion snappers (B-liner) surrounded by salad ingredients.
Hestan ProBond Forged Stainless Steel Nonstick 12.5″ Skillet

In addition to this Pan Fried Wild Vermilion Snapper (B-liner) with Green Curry recipe, you can find more of my favourite seafood recipes here.

Proud Hestan Culinary Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.

Cast Iron Lobster Tails & Wild Shrimp

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Lobster tails grilled in a pizza oven on a cast iron pan.

Cast Iron Lobster Tails & Wild Shrimp in the Ooni outdoor oven. It’s a great combination of baking & broiling as the heat rolls down from the top of the oven. Lemon, garlic and honey bring delicious flavours to these succulent seafood treasures!

Ingredients
  • 2 (6-7-ounce) lobster tails

Butter for lobster tails:

  • 1/4 cup butter – melted
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon honey
  • 1 garlic glove minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Combine above ingredients and set aside

Shrimp marinade:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Peperoncini Piccanti (chopped hot peppers in oil)
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon sriracha
  • 1/2 tablespoon honey
  • 1 garlic glove minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Combine above ingredients and set aside

For serving:

  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 lemon, halved
Preparation

Preheat the Ooni gas outdoor oven on high – the hottest part of the oven to 650°F – 700°F when measured with an infrared thermometer.

Butterfly the lobster tails:

Using kitchen shears, cut down the center of the top shell, all the way to the tail.

Use your thumbs and fingers to spread the shell, and gently separate the meat from the shell. Leave the end attached to the tail fin. Pull lobster meat above the shell. Slightly push together the empty shell underneath and place the row of meat on top.

Place the lobster tails (meat side up) on the cast iron pan, and brush lobster tails liberally with butter mixture.

Add the shrimp to the marinade and mix well to coat.

Place the cast iron pan into the hot oven with the tails as far away from the flame as possible and turn the oven down to medium. the hottest part of the oven will hover around 500°F. Cook lobster for 3 minutes. Remove cast iron from oven and turn the tails 180° (meat side still up), brush with more butter.

Add the shrimp to the cast iron pan (closer to the flame). Put cast iron into oven and cook for 2 minutes. Remove cast iron and flip shrimp. Return cast iron to the oven and turn the heat back to high.

Cook until the meat is opaque and slightly browned 2 minutes more. Total cook time approximately 7-8 minutes.

A lobster tail is fully cooked when it turns opaque, white, and the shell turns bright red. If the lobster still looks grey it’s not cooked – if it is white and pink, it’s done. Fully cooked lobster will be 140°F internal temperature.

Finish your lobster tails & shrimp with fresh parsley and serve with a squeeze of lemon.

(No outdoor oven? Make this recipe on the bottom rack of your oven using convection broil.)

Grilled lobster tails and shrimp on a cast iron skillet.

In addition to this Cast Iron Lobster Tails & Wild Shrimp recipe, you can find more of my favourite seafood recipes here.

Proud Ooni Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.

Salmon Niçoise-Style Salad

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A large colourful platter of a salmon Niçoise-Style Salad.

Salmon Niçoise-Style Salad.
Elaine said she was in the mood for salmon, so I headed off to the store, picked up a nice piece of organic salmon, haricots verts, olives and lettuce, came home and made dinner.

The combination of cooked, raw and pickled veggies, with the red wine-Dijon dressing is fantastic! But, that crispy salmon skin… so good!  

Ingredients
For the dressing
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the salad
  • Ice
  • Kosher salt
  • 10 ounces small creamer potatoes (about 15-20) mix of colours – halved
  • 4 large eggs
  • 6 ounces haricots verts, trimmed
  • ½ cup hot kalamata olives (if regular kalamata, sprinkle with chili flakes)
  • 6-8 baby dill pickles
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • ½ bunch radishes (6-8) some quartered, some thinly sliced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes – halved
  • Large stalk of celery – thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red onion – sliced and marinated*
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 skin-on salmon fillet pieces, top loin/loin cut, wild or organic (6-7 ounces each)
  • 8 Boston/bib lettuce leaves – washed and dried
  • 4 lemon wedges
Preparation

Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with cold water and season with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until fork-tender, about 10 minutes.

While the potatoes cook, make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.

Drain and transfer potatoes to a medium bowl; drizzle with about 1/4 cup the dressing and let cool.

Fill the saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Add the haricots verts to the boiling water; cook until crisp-tender and bright green, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into the ice water to cool; drain and pat dry.

Place the eggs in the saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 5 1/2 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water to cool. Peel rinse and set aside.

Toss the tomatoes in a small bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Quarter the hard-cooked eggs.

Place the salmon, skin side up in a dry, cold non-stick pan, place the pan over medium-high heat and cook for 3 minutes, flip the salmon and cook for 5 minutes more.

While the salmon cooks, place the lettuce on a platter, then arrange the potatoes, haricots verts, radishes, onions, tomatoes, baby dills, olives and boiled eggs around the outside of the platter, leaving room in the centre for the salmon. Drizzle everything with the dressing.

Place the cooked salmon in the centre of the platter, skin side up, cut in half, add the lemon wedges and serve.

*Marinated red onions

Slice half a red onion, place in a bowl that fits the onion rings with at least an inch of room to spare. Pour in olive oil to completely cover onion. Add 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp oregano and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Leave onions uncovered on the counter for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Yield: serves 4
Time: 30 minutes

In addition to this Salmon Niçoise-Style Salad recipe, you can find more of my favourite salmon recipes here.