MEDITERRANEAN DINNER

• Grilled Octopus
• Lamb Kabobs
• Tzatziki Dip
• Grilled Fresh Sardines
• Steamed & Smoked Artichokes
• Couscous Salad w/ Grilled Vegetables

GRILLED OCTOPUS 2 pounds of cleaned, trimmed octopus 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar (45ml) 2 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice (30ml) 1 tablespoon of dried oregano (15ml) 1 teaspoon of coarse salt (5ml) 1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper (5ml) 8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (120ml) ¼ cup of finely chopped parsley (62ml) Preheat grill to medium high heat. If you can’t hold you hand over the heat for a count of 5 -steamboats the grill is too hot. Lower the heat and let it cool a bit.

Scrape any reddish skin off of the octopus. Leave the legs whole and cut the body into quarters. Rinse the octopus under cold water and blot dry. You can thread the legs onto long metal skewers or place them directly onto the grill

Spritz the grill top liberally with vegetable or grape seed oil. Arrange the octopus on the grill and turn every minute or so until they are nicely charred on all sides (about 3 minutes per side – 8-12 minutes in all)

Cut the grilled octopus into bite sized pieces and place in a bowl. Mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, salt and parsley together. Pour over the octopus and toss. Leave the octopus to marinate for 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve with lemon wedges.

Yield: 4-6 servings

LAMB KABOBS 2 red onions cut into big chunks 2 red peppers cut into strips 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon of paprika 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped oregano ½ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper 4 garlic cloves finely diced ½ teaspoon of salt 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 ½ to 2 pounds of boneless leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 1 inch cubes

Combine all the ingredients except the lamb, red onions and peppers into a large non-reactive (glass or ceramic) bowl. Mix well. Add the cubes of tender lamb meat to the bowl and toss until each piece is well coated. Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinate for 4 to 8 hours.

Place some bamboo skewers into water to soak for a minimum of 20 minutes.

Preheat the grill to medium high heat. If you can’t hold you hand over the heat for a count of 5-steamboats the grill is too hot. Lower the heat and let it cool a bit.

Arrange the lamb on the skewers alternating with a piece of onion and red pepper between each cube of meat.

Oil the grill to avoid sticking. Arrange the skewers on the grill so that the tips are off the heat. Let cook for approximately 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned.

Remove and serve hot with Tzatziki dip.

Yield: Serves 4

TZATZIKI DIP

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 teaspoon of sea salt (15ml)
4 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh mint leaves (60ml)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of sugar (5ml)
1 cup of plain yogurt (250ml)
2 tablespoons of finely chopped chives (30ml)

Peel the cucumber completely and cut into quarters. Using a spoon scoop out the seeds. Dice the cucumber into 1 inch cubes. Place the cucumbers in a strainer and sprinkle them generously with sea salt. Place a bowl underneath the strainer to catch the draining liquid. Leave to drain for 15- 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the mint, garlic, sugar and yogurt together in a medium sized bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Drain the cucumber and rinse well. Pat the cucumber dry with paper towel. Chop and add to the yogurt mixture. Add the chives and mix gently. Leave in the fridge to let the flavours combine until ready to serve. This will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Serve cold.

Yield: 1 cup

GRILLED FRESH SARDINES 12 Fresh sardines, cleaned, head and tails left on 1/4 cup of coarse sea salt (62ml) 2 tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper (30ml) 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (45ml) 12 Lemon wedges

Rinse the sardines under cold water. Drain and blot dry with a clean towel. Pour the olive oil overtop of the sardines and toss them gently to coat. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper on both sides.

Preheat the grill to medium high heat. If you can’t hold you hand over the heat for 5 steamboats the grill is too hot. Lower the heat and let it cool a bit.

Cook the sardines for approximately two minutes per side.

Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Yield: 6 servings

STEAMED AND SMOKED ARTICHOKES 6 fresh artichokes 1 large bowl of cold water Juice of 3 lemons + 6 wedges 2 tablespoon of olive oil (30ml) 1 tablespoon of sea salt 1 cup of Cherry wood chips soaked for 1/2 hour in cold water 2 cups of dry Cherry wood chips

Trim the tough outer leaves from the artichoke until you get to the tender leaves at the center. The colour of these leaves are orange or yellow all the way to the top. Twist the top gently until you can see into the centre of the artichoke. You may need to pull out some of the center leaves to get a good peak. With a teaspoon or a melon baller scrape out all the hairy choke.

As each artichoke is completed, place it in a bowl of cold acidulated water – water with lemon juice and oil. When they are all finished being trimmed, cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 2 hours.

Remove the artichokes from the acidulated water and lightly pat dry. Place them into a steamer and gently steam for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a leaf can be pulled out easily.

Meanwhile, prepare the smoker. Turn one burner to the far side of the grill onto high and heat the barbecue to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (100 ºC). Leave the other burners off.

Prepare your smoke package. Squeeze out the excess water from the cup of woodchips that have been soaking in water. Place them onto a sheet of tin foil. Mix in the dry wood chips. Fold the foil around the wood to create a small package. Be sure that the package is well sealed on all the ends. With a fork, poke several holes in the package for the smoke to escape and flavour the artichokes. Place the package directly over the high heat on the grill.

Drain and refresh the artichokes under cold running water.

Lower the heat slightly on the grill and keep the other two burners off. Place the chokes on the grill overtop of the burners that are off. The artichokes will cook from the indirect heat of the flame under the smoke package. Leave to smoke for 60-75 minutes.

Remove the now golden artichokes and season with salt. Serve with a lemon wedge.

Yield: 6 Servings

COUSCOUS SALAD WITH GRILLED 1 red onion cut into 3 inch wedges 2 medium sized zucchini, cut lengthwise into 4 wedges 3 large leeks, (white and pale green parts only) halved lengthwise and once in half 1 red bell pepper, cut into 3 inch strips 10 large garlic cloves, unpeeled 4 tablespoons plus ¼ cup of olive oil 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh oregano 2 ½ cups of water 1 teaspoon of salt 1 10 ounce box of couscous 1 cup of pitted and halved Kalmata olives 6 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice 4 tablespoons of drained capers 4 tablespoons of thinly sliced fresh basil

Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Place your hand over the heat and count to 5 steamboats. If you need to pull away before reaching number 5 than the grill is too hot. Turn the heat down and leave the lid up for a few minutes until it’s the appropriate temperature.

Cut all of the vegetables and place on a large tray. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and ensure that everything is well coated. Season the vegetables generously with salt and pepper.

Oil the grill on the barbecue. Place the large vegetable wedges on the grill. Cook and char for approximately 2-4 minutes per side.

Place them back on the tray and let them cool.

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Place the dry couscous in a bowl. Pour the boiling water overtop and cover in plastic wrap. Leave to sit for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the grilled vegetables up into bite sized pieces. When the couscous is ready, stir to fluff it up and mix in the vegetables.

Add the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, olives, capers and basil and mix. Cover again with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until ready to serve.

Yield: Serves 6



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