Welcome!

Creating recipes isn't a pastime—it's a passion. And a lot of fun.

The rules are few: Use 99% fresh ingredients (or thereabouts); make the dish simple but flavorful; make the dish flavorful but simple; be creative, not silly.

With this blog, I want to share new recipes, along with tips on ingredients and preparation, and, hopefully, show new cooks (and non-cooks) the pleasure in setting the table with a delicious homemade meal. The Briny Lemon is about fresh, simple, flavorful ingredients and easy cooking methods that help you bring the best to your family table. Your comments are welcome!

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Pan-Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Puerto Rican Mojo Isleño (Islander Sauce)



The signature sauce of Puerto Rico, mojo isleño is made with simple, fresh ingredients, including tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic, olives, and capers, along with an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice.

Some recipes call for tomato sauce, but I think fresh tomatoes cooked down to a chunky texture add flavor and richness that you just can’t get in runny canned sauces. That means this accompaniment for the fish is thick—more like a relish than a sauce. If you prefer a runnier consistency, add a little vegetable broth toward the end of cooking.

And if you can’t find mahi-mahi, another thick, meaty fish—such as yellow-fin tuna or swordfish—will hold up well in the grill pan.

Serves 2 (easily doubled)

Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing and drizzling
  • 1/2 cubanelle pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 small onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise (or cherry tomatoes, quartered lengthwise)
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped green olives
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 5-oz. mahi-mahi filets about 1/2-inch thick each
Mojo Isleno Ingredients
Preparation
  1. Heat a small, nonstick saucepan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the pepper and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, 3-4 minutes.
Pepper and Onion Beginning to Cook

  1. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute.
  2. Add the tomatoes, olives, vinegar, and capers and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a light simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook slowly until the tomatoes have broken down to a chunky consistency, 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Remaining Ingredients Added 
Cooked Sauce 
Mojo Isleno
  1. Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with olive oil. Season the mahi-mahi with salt and pepper and grill until lightly charred and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
Mahi-Mahi Ready to Grill 
Fish Beginning to Grill
To serve, place 1 piece of fish on each of 2 plates and divide the sauce on top of and around each. Drizzle all with a little olive oil and serve right away.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Grilled Chicken Salads with Rhubarb-Blueberry Dressing



Asparagus, rhubarb, blueberries, baby lettuces—the delightful tastes (and pretty produce) of spring and summer. This flavorful grilled chicken makes a light, casual dinner that’s both healthful and satisfying.

The dressing is a bit syrupy when first cooked, so I thinned it with water. Use a little more or a little less to get to your desired consistency. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Dressing
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small shallot, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped rhubarb
  • 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 tbsp honey or white sugar (or 1 tbsp of each)
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Dressing Ingredients
For the Salad
  • olive oil, for brushing
  • 6-7 oz asparagus spears
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 3/4-inch in thickest part
  • 5 oz mixed baby lettuces
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 3 oz crumbled feta cheese (or crumbled goat cheese)
Preparation

For the Dressing
  1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the shallot and rhubarb and cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes.
  2. Add the blueberries, water, honey or sugar (or both), and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook until the rhubarb and blueberries have broken down, 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.
Rhubarb and Shallot 
Remaining Ingredients Added
  1. Pour the mixture into a food processor and process until well blended. (Add water 1 tablespoon at a time if the consistency is still too thick.)
  2. With the processor on, gradually add the extra virgin olive oil. Remove to a bowl and re-season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Cooked Blueberry Mixture 
Blended Dressing
For the Salad
  1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Grill, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender and browned in spots, 6-7 minutes for medium-thick spears. Remove to a cutting board and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Asparagus Beginning to Grill 
Grilled Asparagus
  1. Brush the pan with more oil and add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and grill until golden brown and just cooked through, 7-8 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Cut each breast into thin, diagonal slices.
Grilled Chicken Breasts
  1. Place the lettuces, walnuts, cherries, and grilled asparagus pieces in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss lightly to combine.
To serve, divide the lettuce mixture among 4 shallow bowls or plates. Divide the chicken on top of each. Spoon additional dressing over each salad and sprinkle cheese on top. Serve right away.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Cheese-and-Jalapeno-Stuffed Burgers with Grilled Onions



Here’s another cook-it-all-in-one-pan (grill pan) dinner that’s cheesy from the inside out, with a little spicy kick. Stuffing the burgers is easy and they grill up juicy-tender and packed—literally—with flavor.

You can use additional condiments of your choice but the smoky, caramelized grilled onions are really all these burgers need.

Serves 3

Ingredients
  • olive oil, for brushing
  • 2 jalapeños, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into thin slices
  • 2 small onions, cut into thin, vertical strips
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb ground sirloin
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese (or a mixture of both)
  • 3 large hamburger buns or kaiser rolls
  • pickles, mustard or other condiments, for serving (optional)
Preparation
  1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Add the jalapenos and grill, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly charred, 5-6 minutes. Remove to a small bowl.
Grilled Jalapenos
  1. Brush the pan with more oil and add the onions. Season with salt and pepper and grill, stirring frequently, until tender and golden, 8-9 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
Onions Beginning to Grill 
Grilled Onions
  1. Divide the beef into 6 equal balls and place them spread apart on a sheet of waxed paper. Lay a second sheet of waxed paper on top and press the balls into patties, about 1/4-inch thick each.
Beef Ready to Press
Patties Pressed in Wax Paper
  1. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper. Divide the jalapeños on top of 3 patties. Top the chiles with 1/4 cup of cheese each.
Jalapeno Layer
Cheese Layer
  1. Place the other 3 patties on top of the cheese and press gently to adhere. Crimp the edges of the beef together with your fingers to hold the stuffing inside.
Stuffed Patties Ready to Grill
  1. Re-heat the grill pan over medium-high heat and grill the burgers until just cooked through and the cheese has melted, 5-6 minutes per side.
To serve, place each burger on the bottom halves of the buns and top with grilled onions. Close the sandwiches (or add other toppings) and enjoy hot.  

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Grilled Chicken Skewers with Garlic Scape Dressing



If you’re not familiar with garlic scapes, now is the time to get acquainted. Late spring and early summer are the times of year you’ll find this delectable stem shooting up from growing garlic bulbs, with a tiny bulb of its own and that signature curl in its slender green length.

Garlic Scapes
Scapes are typically snipped off to encourage the garlic bulb’s growth and then, unfortunately, tossed into the compost (or, worse, trash). But now these tasty, garlicky shoots are finding a place of their own at farm markets, in recipes, and on dining tables.

Pesto, sautés, soups, hummus, dressings—just about anyplace you use garlic cloves, the garlic scape can be used as well. It’s milder than mature garlic, so feel free to use a little more in your recipe.

Here, I wanted the dressing to be the highlight of the dish, so I paired it with simple grilled chicken breast, marinated in garlicky olive oil. I used a cast-iron griddle on the stovetop, but you can use a grill pan or outdoor grill, of course—the dressing will still be the star.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Chicken
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for grilling
  • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed, peeled, and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
  • 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (about 1-1/3 lbs total), each cut into 5 chunks
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
Chicken Breast Ready to Marinate
For the Dressing
  • 10 4-inch pieces of garlic scapes, chopped
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 3 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp sour cream
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Scapes Ready to Chop
Preparation

For the Chicken
  1. Combine the olive oil, garlic cloves, and pepper flakes in a heavy, sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken chunks, seal, and turn several times to coat. Refrigerate 2-3 hours.
Chicken in the Marinade
  1. Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread 5 pieces onto each of 4 skewers (if wood, soaked in water 30 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat a grill pan or cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Grill the chicken skewers until lightly charred and just cooked through, turning on all sides, about 15 minutes total.
Chicken Beginning to Grill 
Grilled Chicken
Divide the dressing (recipe follows) among individual dipping bowls and place alongside the skewers, or pass the dressing at the table to let your guests spoon on top of the chicken.

For the Dressing
  1. Place the first 6 ingredients (through mustard) in a food processor and season with salt and pepper. Process until the scapes and scallions are finely chopped.
  2. With the processor on, slowly add the oil until well blended. Pour the dressing into a bowl and set aside. (Cover and refrigerate if not using within an hour. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
Dressing before Adding Oil 
Garlic Scape Dressing