Monday, 31 March 2014

Loaded with Chips, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every year in April, the staff and everyone at The Wild Strawberry Salon raises money for WaterCan in honour of Earth month. WaterCan is a charity that provides clean drinking water for the world's poorest people. We take pride in doing this by raffling tickets for great prizes that are donated to us and having bake sales. So this year to kick start the campaign, I thought I would make chocolate chip cookies because who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies?

This is one of my favourite chocolate chip cookie recipes ever. I have been making them for years. It's my go-to recipe. They're easy to make, loaded with chocolate chips, not too hard, not too soft and you can use any nut you like. I like walnuts. You can also omit them.

They are from a cookbook I've had on my book shelf for many years called "Cookies Unlimited" by Nick Malgieri, who I used to love watching on the Food Network when it first aired many years ago. I've made quite a few of the recipes in this book and they have always turned out great and I can't say that about many other cookbook recipes that I have tried.


Chocolate Chip Cookies
(recipe by Nick Malgieri from "Cookies Unlimited)

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup nuts, coursley chopped (optional)


Preheat oven to 375F.
In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda; mix well.
In a bowl of standing mixer, beat together the butter and both sugars until combined, then beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth. Reduce the speed of the mixer and add the flour mixture, the chocolate chips and the optional nuts.
Drop teaspoonfuls of the dough on parchment lined cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies 10-12 minutes or until golden and firm. Slide onto a cooling rack.


m xo






Friday, 28 March 2014

One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf

I came across this pilaf on Food52, the site that I absolutely adore! I can't get enough of this site. Some people read novels in their spare time. I read cookbooks and browse food blogs. Is that wrong?

I usually like to bring my lunch from home when I can and so does my husband. While he is ok with a can of tuna and a green salad, every single day, (may I add), I am not. I don't mind having the same thing for a couple days, especially if it's leftovers from dinner, but John CAN and DOES eat the same thing for weeks on end. Remember the granola bar he has every morning? Hahaha!

I saw this recipe and happen to have all the ingredients on hand and thought it would be perfect for our lunches. I tweaked it a little by deleting the green onions, switching up pine nuts for walnuts, feta for goat cheese (not a fan) and I added dried cranberries. Deliscous and easy. Pack in to-go containers and you have healthy lunches. By the way, I got 3 lunches out of it. But depending on your hunger, you might get 2.


One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf

2 cups salted water
1 cup quinoa
1 bunch of kale, washed and chopped into 1/2 inch ribbons
1 organic lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
1/4 cup dried cranberries
salt and pepper, to taste


Bring the water to a boil in a covered pot. Add the quinoa, cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes, then top with the kale and re-cover. Simmer another 5 minutes, turn off the heat and let it steam for 5-10 minutes.
In the meantime, in a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, zest, walnut oil, nuts, cranberries and salt and pepper.
Check the quinoa and kale and make sure the water has all been absorbed. Fluff with a fork and tip in the bowl with the remaining ingredients. Toss to combine. Serve warm or room temperature if you are serving right away. I also liked it cold, from the refrigerator.

m xo

Thursday, 27 March 2014

Throwback Thursday...Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

When I think of this salad, I think of the 80's. I think every restaurant had this on their menu back then. But I never had it until years later when an ex-boyfriends mother would serve this salad as a side with dinner. That's another thing that we never did, serve salad on a separate plate, on the side. Growing up, salad was always at the end of the meal on the same plate. Haha, this was totally new to me. I thought it was really cool.

I finally decided to make it as a main meal for last nights dinner and added a poached egg to it. A nice light meal. I adapted this recipe from Mark Bittmans cookbook, How to Cook Everything. Although I did guild the lily a little by adding some crumbled blue cheese to it.


Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
(adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman)

150 grams baby spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 slices bacon, chopped
1 small shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Crumbled blue cheese
2 poached eggs

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add chopped bacon. Cook until crispy and remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the chopped shallot and sauté until soft. Stir in the Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar and bring to a boil. Take off the heat.
In a large bowl with the baby spinach, pour the bacon vinaigrette over it and toss until well coated. Sprinkle with the crispy bacon and  blue cheese crumbles. Divide in two plates and top with a poached egg on each one.

m xo

Wednesday, 26 March 2014

Quintessential Pasta Dish...Orecchiette with Sausage and Rapini

Who doesn't love pasta? I know I certainly do! For me, when I think of Sundays, I think about sitting around at the kitchen table with my family, a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine. That has always been our tradition, pasta every Sunday lunch. And now with my mom being away this winter, my sisters and I still try to uphold that tradition, the only difference being that we try out not-so traditional pasta dishes. Not that my mom wouldn't like them, but she LOVES her fettucine she makes from scratch every Sunday.

And so when I came across an article a few weeks ago about Italian pasta dishes that they thought were the most quintessential and iconic we all need to master, I thought I'd start a series and share with you some of my recipes of these classic pasta dishes I grew up making and eating.

Some of the dishes they mentioned were, Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Pasta e Fagioli, Penne alla Vodka, Fettucine Alfredo, Marcella's tomato sauce with onions and butter (recipe here), Ricotta Gnocchi (recipe here) and many more (22 in all) I'm hoping to share with you the next few months (or longer).

The first one is, Orecchiette with Sausage and Rapini.

This is one of my favourite pasta dishes because you have everything in one dish. Pasta, vegetables and meat. So comforting! And it's very versatile because you can use broccoli instead of rapini, turkey or chicken sausage instead of pork or you can make it totally vegetarian, and eliminate the sausage completely and I promise you, it is still amazing!

When I usually make this dish, I cook the pasta and the rapini together. I first throw in the pasta and 2-3 minutes before the pasta is al dente, I throw in the rapini. Not sure if that makes anyone nervous, not knowing when the pasta is almost ready, because the last thing you want is pasta that is over cooked. That is the worst. If you're not sure, I say take it out sooner than later. And that goes for any dried pasta. So this way, you cook your rapini first then your pasta. Can't go wrong.


 Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage and Rapini

1 bunch of rapini
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. sweet or spicy pork sausage
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Red chili peppers, to taste
500 grams orecchiette pasta
Salt
Parmesan cheese, grated
Olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In the meantime, cut off and throw away the bottom of the rapini that is a little woody. Cut into 1 inch pieces and wash thoroughly. Cook in boiling water until tender. Scoop out with a strainer spoon or spider, drain and set aside. Do not turn off the heat. Bring the water to a boil again and throw in the orecchiettte pasta and cook until al dente. Drain well. Save some of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, remove the sausage from the casing and crumble it. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until is lightly browned. Add the chopped garlic and the chili peppers and continue cooking until the garlic is soft and fragrant. Add the cooked rapini and pasta and cooking water and toss until it's all combined. Take off the heat. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

m xo






Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Stuffed Zucchini

During the week, I'm always looking for ways to cut down on simple carbs (but not flavour) when I can.This is just a simple recipe for stuffed zucchini that I came up with for last nights dinner. It was very satisfying with a salad.


Stuffed Zucchini 

4 small zucchini
2 tablespoons grape seed oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small red chili (optional)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons tamari
3-4 handfuls of baby spinach
salt and pepper, to taste
feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.
Slice the zucchini lengthwise. With a small spoon, scoop out the flesh but taking care not to pierce the skin. Continue with the rest of the zucchini and place in a baking dish big enough to fit all the zucchini halves in a single layer. Season the inside flesh with salt and pepper. In the meantime, make the stuffing.

In a pan over medium heat, sauté shallot, garlic and chili in oil until soft. Add ground beef and cook until the pink is gone. Add tomato paste and tamari and cook for a few minutes. Add the spinach and combine until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
Stuff the zucchini halves with the mixture. Don't be afraid to pile it on. It cooks down a little in the oven. Sprinkle with feta cheese.
Pour 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of the dish to create some steam. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. The last 10 minutes uncovered. It is done when you pierce the zucchini with the tip of a knife and it is tender.



m xo

Monday, 24 March 2014

The Winter That Broke My Husband

I'm calling this the winter that broke my husband because he, along with a lot of other people, has had enough of winter. The only difference is, prior to moving to Canada when we got married, he lived in sunny Florida. And up until this year, he never complained or understood how every winter we Canadians complained about how long and cold it was. His thinking regarding winter was, it's here, get used to it, get over it!

This year changed all that!  He wants to move back to Florida. I just have to say the word and we would be outta here! Of course I can't leave and he knows that but he keeps trying. Instead of golfing everyday this winter, poor guy has been shovelling snow. Officially, he is a Canadian!!!...no, really. He got his citizenship this past fall.

So in honour of my husband, John, I wanted to make something that reminded him of Florida. What better recipe than an American classic, Key Lime pie?!

Key limes are smaller and sweeter than the Persian limes that are found more often in the grocery stores but you can substitute with them.

After doing some research, I found there were two types of Key Lime pie recipes, condensed milk and non condensed milk versions. And "conchs" as Key West locals are called, call the condensed milk version the official version. Why? Because up until the opening of the Overseas Highway through the Keys in 1930, there was no refrigeration and they had to rely on canned condensed milk.

Another controversy is, meringue or whipped cream. I couldn't find the answer to that so I asked my husband what he preferred and he said whipped cream. But alas, just as I was about to serve it, I forgot to whip the cream and decided to serve it naked. Which I have to say turned out for the best because I found the pie rich enough on it's own.


Key Lime Pie
(a Martha Stewart recipe) 

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled
3 tablespoons sugar
1 can (300ml) sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup freshly squeezed Key lime juice (approximately 15-18 Key limes)
Key lime zest, to garnish
Whipped cream, to garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F.
In a bowl, combine graham crackers crumbs, butter and sugar. Press into a 9 inch pie plate or springform pan (that's what I used). Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
Lower oven temperature to 325F.
In a bowl, gently whisk together the condensed milk, egg yolks and Key lime juice. Pour into the cooled crust and bake for 15-17, until the centre sets. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Before serving, garnish with zest and optional whipped cream.


m xo







Friday, 21 March 2014

Life Changing Loaf of Bread

I really like this bread. I especially like it toasted for breakfast topped it with an egg, whether it's boiled, scrambled or poached. Or with some sliced avocado, sprinkled with salt. But I have to say my favourite is just a shmear of butter and a drizzle of honey, then dipping it my latte. I know weird. But I'm a dipper.

Everything about this recipe screams healthy! Just look at the list of some of the ingredients and a few of their benefits.
Sunflower seeds. Great source of vitamin E, B complex vitamins, folic acid and many essential minerals.
Flax seeds. Great source of fibre.
Hazelnuts and almonds. Rich in dietary fiber, folate, vitamin E and a complete source of energy.
Chia seeds. Rich in fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium and protein.
Psyllium husks. A great source of dietary fibre.

I found this recipe on Pinterest over a year ago and I have been making it ever since. It's from a website called My New Roots by Sarah Britton. She calls it life changing for a few reasons:
1- Easy clean up. She mixes everything in the loaf pan. (I use a bowl to mix the ingredients. I don't mind washing one bowl)
2- No kneading. Just dump everything, stir, wait a couple of hours and bake.
3- You can substitute ingredients with what you have or like.
4- No rising agent.
5- And this really IS a healthy bread!

When I make a loaf of this bread, I slice the whole thing and freeze half of it. Slicing it before freezing it just makes it easier to remove from the freezer one slice at a time if you want.

The recipe calls for a flexible silicon loaf pan but I have read that others used a regular loaf pan, and it turned out fine. But if you want one,(they're pretty cool) I found mine at Fortino's, my local grocery store.


Life Changing Loaf of Bread

1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup flax seeds (I used ground)
1/2 cup hazelnuts or almonds
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 tablespoons chia seeds
3 tablespoons psyllium husk powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1 1/2 cups water

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together and add to dry ingredients. Mix very well until everything is soaked and becomes thick. Put it into a flexible silicon loaf pan and smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Let it sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight. You know the dough is ready to bake if you pull it away from the sides of the pan and it retains its shape
Preheat the oven to 350F. Put the pan in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and place directly on the rack for another 30-40 minutes. The bread is done when you tap it and it sounds hollow.
Store bread in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Freezes well but slice before freezing.


m xo






Thursday, 20 March 2014

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

I didn't grow up with brussels sprouts but now I love them raw in salads and making different variations of them. I alter them a bit each time by adding a different vegetable and/or changing the cheese and oil. I like the vegetables sliced really thin and have tried to do this with a knife but I can never slice them thin enough. So I use a mandolin.  Just be really careful when using one and don't get distracted as I have been known to do and sliced my finger tips many times.

I find the longer this salad sits, the better it is.


Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

1 lb. brussels sprouts
2-3 celery stalks
1/2 cup marcona almonds, chopped
Shaved parmesan cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons walnut oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Remove the outer leaves of the brussels sprouts and slice thinly along with the celery using a mandolin or a knife. Toss with the other ingredients and let sit for at least an hour before serving.


m xo

Wednesday, 19 March 2014

Chicken Chili

I looked out the window the other night and noticed the sun shining…then I looked at the clock…then I looked out again. It was 7:30 and still daylight! Wow, I can't tell you how happy that made me feel. I finally started to see the light (no pun intended) at the end of the tunnel. It's amazing how a little sunshine can make you feel. This winter in particular. It has been so loooong. I'm sure we are sick of hearing ourselves complain about it. I know I am.

Today was a beautiful sunny day…sunny but cold, so I wanted to make something warming and comforting. Chili hits the spot for me. The heat from the spices and peppers takes the edge off a cold night.


I used leftover roasted chicken from last nights dinner, but if I hadn't had leftovers, I would have baked off some chicken breasts and thighs.

I like using poblano peppers for this recipe when I can find them. Poblanos are a mild chili pepper originating from Puebla, Mexico. They have a nice smokey flavour. They can have a little kick sometimes, which is nice for people that don't like it too spicy. They tend to have a tougher skin than most peppers so thats why I roasted and peeled them.

 I usually do this on the grill outdoors, but again, too cold, so I just placed the whole peppers directly on my gas stove flame. Use tongs to rotate and flip the peppers. You want to keep your eyes on them. When they are completely charred and blistered, place them in a sealed plastic bag or bowl covered with plastic wrap to trap the steam inside. Let them sit for 15 minutes. Then peel and seed the peppers. You can use this method with any pepper.


Chicken Chili

Leftover roasted chicken, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 poblano peppers, roasted. peeled and chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
19 oz. can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups chicken stock or water
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
lime wedges (optional)

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, poblano peppers, jalapeño, cumin, chili powder, oregano and salt. Sauté until the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Add the chicken, kidney beans and chicken stock or water and turn up the heat a little. Bring to a boil and lower heat. Cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve each bowl with a wedge of lime.


m xo

Monday, 17 March 2014

Not Your Traditional Salsa Verde

I say this not your traditional Italian salsa verde because I didn't use a bit of parsley. Why you ask? Because I didn't have any. But I did have cilantro, mint and a bit of dill. So why not make salsa verde? But if you wanted to make a more traditional version, just use all parsley.

One of my pet peeves is having to buy fresh herbs in the winter time when I need them for a specific recipe. It's not even so much the cost (although, that does piss me off a bit) as it is that I always end up throwing away a lot of it because it doesn't always end up being used. How many recipes can I make with dill in a week? Or basil? Or cilantro? You get the picture.

I have to say this week, it all worked out and I didn't waste anything because I decided to make this salsa verde for the roasted chicken that we had for lunch on Sunday.

Salsa verde is essentially a green sauce that uses parsley as the main ingredient along with capers, garlic, anchovies and mustard. It is traditionally served with bollito mist. (boiled meat). You can use it for steamed or boiled vegetables, potatoes, roasted or grilled meats or boiled eggs. You can even marinate with it. Anything, really.

I used a mortar and pestle to mash the garlic, anchovies and capers and then added the herbs that I chopped by hand. But you can definitely blend everything in a food processor and then stir in the herbs, mustard and olive oil.


Salsa Verde

1-2 cloves of garlic
2 anchiove filets
1 tablespoon capers
1 cup (packed) combination of fresh herbs, i.e., cilantro, mint, dill, parsley
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Finely chop the herbs. Using a mortar and pestle or a food processor, mash or blend the garlic, anchovies and capers. Stir in the herbs, mustard, vinegar and olive oil until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Can be made ahead of time. If longer than a could of hours, chill and bring to room temperature before serving.


m xo



Sunday, 16 March 2014

Irish Soda Bread

I could tell you that I wanted to make this Irish soda bread for St. Patrick's day and that wouldn't be a total lie. But the real reason I wanted to make this is because I wanted to show off my pretty measuring that I found in NYC this weekend at Anthropologie.
When I saw it, I had to have it. How could I not want to make something that needed a liquid measuring cup?


This is a traditional soda bread that I adapted a little by adding raw sunflower seeds and rosemary. I used dry rosemary because I didn't have fresh on hand but I wouldn't recommend it. The dry had no flavour what-so ever. I would have been better off with maybe anise seeds. They definitely have a lot of flavour. Next time for sure.

If you don't have buttermilk, just make your own as I did by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 1/2 cups of milk and letting it sit for 30 minutes. Voila! Buttermilk. 

This is a really great recipe to have on hand if you want to serve fresh, warm bread but don't have the time that usual bread recipes require because of the yeast. You will literally have this made in an hour. 
This bread is baked in a cast iron skillet to form a nice, crunchy crust.


Irish Soda Bread

3 cups flour
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped (preferably fresh)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400F.
Place the flours, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, sugar, sunflower seeds and rosemary in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and work it in with a fork until completely incorporated. Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk and mix until combined with a fork. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead until it comes together. Form into a round disk and place in a cast iron skillet. Score a deep cross on top and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.


Happy St. Patrick's Day
m xo

Tuesday, 4 March 2014

Almost Salad Nicoise

I had it in my mind this morning that I wanted to make salad nicoise for lunch today. It must be this cold weather that we are experiencing and seems to be going on forever. I wanted to be transported to the south of France for a brief moment even though I've never been but can just imagine! Anything to get me through this winter.

I say this is an ALMOST salad nicoise because I didn't have the namesake of this dish, the nicoise olives.  I could have easily substituted kalamata olives I'm sure, but to be honest, I forgot. The salad was equally delicious without them. But please include them if you have!

Salad nicoise is essentially a composed salad made with green beans, potatoes, eggs and tuna tossed with a vinaigrette. You can either use canned tuna( I use Italian tuna in olive oil) or fresh grilled tuna which would be amazing!!

I left my  heart of romaine lettuce leaves whole because they looked so pretty, even if it was just me eating. Presentation is everything! Lol. But you can definitely tear them into bite size pieces. I used purple baby potatoes but any baby potato will do.

I think this makes a lovely lunch, especially with girlfriends and a bottle(or 2) of white wine.



Salad Nicoise


Vinaigrette
(this makes plenty of dressing, you will definitely have leftover)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, grated with a microplane or minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk all ingredients together and set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad.


5-6 baby new potatoes
a handful of green beans, ends trimmed
a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 hard boiled egg, peeled, halved or quartered
80g Italian tuna in olive oil
5-6 leaves of heart of romaine
1 tablespoon capers

Start by steaming or boiling your potatoes until tender. Set aside. Do the same with the green beans. You want the potatoes and the beans to be warm when you toss with the vinaigrette so they will absorb more flavour.
To assemble the salad, place the romaine leaves on a platter first and then arrange the potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, tuna, egg and capers attractively on top. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.

bon appétit
m xo




Monday, 3 March 2014

Surprise! Chicken Skewers

This recipe simply came about because I found these cute little bamboo skewers in my cupboard that I completely forgot about. I tend to buy things based on what I MAY need. It's a running joke with my family. My thinking is, what if I decided to throw a cocktail party at the last minute and didn't have any bamboo skewers? Well that would be terrible! This way, I'm always prepared. The only problem with that is, I usually forget what I bought and if I do remember, I forget where I put it!

These chicken skewers were tasty not only because of the marinade but also because of the gremolata that I threw on after they came off the grill. Gremolata is typically what you would serve with osso bucco and it consists of parsley, lemon zest and garlic. I basically wanted to mimic the flavours of the marinade. It makes any dish taste fresh and vibrant. It's also really good on roasted potatoes.

BTW, I made these on my stove top cast iron grill. There was no way I was going to stand outside in this polar vortex!

A tip if you are using wooden/bamboo skewers. Soak them in water before threading on the chicken. I forgot and they caught on fire…a little bit. No biggie. I had it under control. Ha!

These would also be amazing to pass around as hors d'oeuvres if you only skewered 1-2 pieces of chicken.


Chicken Skewers

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 pieces
zest and juice of a lemon
1 clove of garlic, minced or grated with a microplane
1 teaspoon herb de provence
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
10-12 skewers, wooden or metal

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.


In the meantime, soak your wooden skewers in water and preheat outdoor bbq or indoor grill.
Thread 3-4 pieces on each skewer. At this point you can refrigerate for a few hours or overnight if you wanted to do ahead of time.


When your grill is hot, cook them for 5-6 minutes on each side or until cooked. Sprinkle with the gremolata and serve.

Gremolata

1/2 cup of parsley
zest of a lemon
1 clove of garlic

Place the parsley on a cutting board and chop. Mince the garlic over it with a microplane grater, add the zest and run your knife over it to combine everything. Set aside.






m xo