lunaticsinge.com - Outdoor Griddle

Recipes from: Sidoriak, Paul. The Flippin’ Awesome Backyard Griddle Cookbook (Kindle Location 755). Ulysses Press. Kindle Edition.

Chicken Yakitori - serves 8

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari sauce

1 tablespoon black pepper

2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil

cooking oil, as needed

sesame seeds, for garnish

finely chopped green onion, for garnish

Sauce:

1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari sauce

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons mirin

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1. Wisk together the water and cornstarch in a medium bowl to create a slurry. Make sure all the cornstarch has mixed with the water and there are no lumps. Divide in half.

2. Marinate the chicken in one half of the cornstarch slurry, along with the garlic, soy sauce or tamari sauce, black pepper, ginger, and sesame oil. Leave covered in the refrigerator, for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

3. While the chicken is marinating, combine the sauce ingredients in a sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat on a stovetop. Bring to a slow boil, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Slowly boil for about 3 minutes and remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining half of the cornstarch slurry. Return to medium heat and continue stirring until the sauce comes back to a slow boil. The cornstarch should rapidly thicken the mixture. Allow the sauce to simmer, stirring frequently, for another 90 seconds, or until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Divide the sauce in half and set aside.

4. Bring the griddle grill to medium-high heat. Skewer the chicken cubes close together on metal skewers. Discard any leftover marinade.

5. Oil the griddle very well and cook the chicken for 8 to 12 minutes, covered, turning a quarter turn every couple of minutes to promote even browning. If the chicken is browning quicker than it is cooking, or sooner than you had hoped for, squirt some water onto the griddle surface and skewers and allow the steam to assist in the cooking process.

6. Brush half of the sauce on the chicken and allow it to reduce further on the skewer. Pay careful attention to the griddle temperature so the marinade does not burn. Paint each side of the chicken in layers to create a saucy coating on the skewers. Remove the chicken when it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

7. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve with the remaining sauce for dipping.

Veggie Stir-Fry - serves 2 or 3

Ingredients:

3 cups shredded green cabbage

1 cup red cabbage

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced onion

1 cup sliced mushrooms

8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained

8 ounce can baby corn, drained

3 tablespoons minced ginger

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1 cup Asian Griddle Sauce (see in sauce section of this website)

vegetable or peanut oil, as needed

salt, to taste

1. Bring the griddle grill to medium heat.

2. Coat the griddle with your favorite light oil, like vegetable or peanut, and heat until shimmering. Spread all the ingredients, except the salt and griddle sauce, on the griddle in an even layer.

3. Sprinkle a small amount of salt, up to 1 teaspoon, over the vegetables and allow to cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes. The salt will release liquids from the vegetables as they begin to cook.

4. Using one or two large spatulas, flip all the vegetables and allow them to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. The vegetables will begin to wilt as they cook and you can corral them toward the middle of the griddle. Stir in Asian Griddle Sauce and cover to finish cooking, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Shrimp with Cheesy Polenta Cakes - serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

3 cups water

1 tablespoon garlic salt

1 cup fine cornmeal / polenta

2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese, divided

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold butter, divided

1 pound jumbo 21/25/shrimp, peeled and deveined

White Wine Griddle Sauce (see in sauce section of this website), as needed

cooking oil, as needed

1. Make the polenta cake in advance by bringing water and garlic salt to a boil in a medium pot over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and add the polenta, stirring frequently to prevent clumping. Using a long-handled wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula, stir constantly as you allow the polenta to cook at a very slow boil over low heat. Boiling polenta is extremely hot and unpleasant if it hits your skin, so take care to prevent it from splashing on you while cooking. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes until it has thickened to a coarse pudding-like consistency, then stir in half the cheese and butter. Stirring frequently, allow the butter and cheese to melt completely, then add the remaining butter and cheese. Stir until fully melted. Carefully pour the polenta into a square baking pan or muffin tins, in a layer about an inch thick. Allow to cool 4 to 6 hours or overnight, covered in the refrigerator.

2. Bring the griddle grill to medium-high heat. Remove the polenta from the refrigerator and invert it onto a flat surface to take it out of the pan. If you used a baking pan, cut the polenta into squares based on how many servings you intend to make.

3. Grease the griddle grill well with cooking oil, and once it begin t shimmer, add the shrimp on one side and the polenta cakes on the other. Cover the shrimp and allow both the shrimp and the cakes to cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Flip all the shrimp and deglaze with some of the White Wine Griddle Sauce, then cover. To flip the polenta cakes, use a sturdy spatula, and scrape under the cake, making sure all the golden brown crust remains intact. The shrimp should be done when pink throughout and curled from head to tail, after about 6 minutes.

5. Serve the shrimp on top of the polenta cakes.

Asian-Seared Salmon - serves 2

Ingredients:

2 - 4 ounce salmon fillets

3/4 cup Asian Griddle Sauce (see in sauce section of this website), plus more as needed

cooking oil, as needed

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Wash the salmon fillets and pat dry. Check for pin bones by placing salmon skin-side down on a cutting board and gently running your fingers across the thicker parts of the fillet. If you feel any bones, us a pair of tweezers to remove them before cooking.

2. Flip the salmon over skin-side up. Typically, the salmon will resemble the shape of an airplane wing: thick, oval-round on one end, and tapering off to a very thin side on the other end. Make 3 or 4 1/4 inch cuts across the skin on the thickest part of the filet. This will allow the filet to cook a bit more evenly and with less curling when it is on the griddle. Season both sides of the filet with salt and pepper and make sure to get some seasoning into the areas where you scored the skin.

3. Bring the griddle grill to medium-high heat and add cooking oil to the surface. When the oil is shimmering, place the salmon skin-side down and cook for 3 or 4 minutes without disturbing. This develops a crispy crust on the salmon skin that many people find quiet delicious.

4. When you are ready to flip, place spatula on the griddle grill at an aggressive 15-degree angle and scrape under the skin to release and flip the salmon.

5. Shake the Asian Griddle Sauce well and add about 3/4 cup to the griddle near the salmon. Slide the salmon into the sauce, cover it, and allow it to steam cook for another 5 minutes. If desired, flip salmon an additional time and allow it to bathe in the Asian Griddle Sauce before plating.

Scallops and Asparagus Tips - serves 2

Ingredients:

2 cups asparagus tips

8 large dry scallops

White Wine Griddle Sauce (see in sauce section of this website), as needed

butter, as needed

cooking oil, as needed

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Bring the griddle grill to medium-high heat.

2. Coat the griddle with cooking oil, and when it begins to shimmer, place the asparagus on the griddle. Allow to cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Cover the asparagus and place scallops on the griddle with plenty of room between them. Scallops will only cook for 2 minutes per side, so set a timer if needed.

4. Just before you flip the scallops, give the asparagus a squirt of the White Wine Griddle Sauce and pat add a pat of butter. Flip the scallops and allow them to cook another for another 2 minutes until done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Serve the asparagus alongside the scallops.