GRILLING RECIPES: Spicy Grilled Chicken with Caribbean Salsa . . . Grilled Strip Steak with Olives and Feta

Spicy Grilled Chicken with Caribbean Salsa

SALSA:

1 medium mango, peeled, pitted and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 cup fresh blanched corn (See cooking tips)

½ red pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces

1/3 cup diced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

3 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons honey

¼ teaspoon extra-spicy salt-free seasoning blend

¼ teaspoon allspice

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into ½-inch cubes

CHICKEN:

3 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ to 1 teaspoon extra-spicy salt-free seasoning blend

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

For the salsa: Place mango, corn, pepper, onion and cilantro in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine juices, honey and seasonings. Whisk to blend well. Pour juice mixture over mango mixture and let stand at room temperature while chicken cooks. Before serving, toss avocado into salsa.

For the chicken: Combine orange juice, lemon juice and olive oil in a zip-top bag. Add chicken; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat grill or allow coals to burn to white ash. Drain chicken (discard marinade) and grill over medium-high direct heat 9 to 12 minutes, until fully cooked and meat thermometer registers 170 degrees, turning midway through cooking. Top grilled chicken with salsa.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 270 calories, 9 grams fat, 66 milligrams cholesterol, 20 grams carbohydrates, 28 grams protein, 81 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.

Grilled Strip Steak with Olives and Feta

4 strip steaks (or other favorite steak), about 6 ounces each

MARINADE:

½ cup canola or olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon minced or crushed garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

TOPPING:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves

½ cup sliced mixed green and kalamata olives

½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Cut several slits on the fat side of the strip steaks so they don’t curl when grilling. Place the steaks in a plastic bag. In a small bowl whisk together all the marinade ingredients. Pour half of the marinade over the steaks in the bag. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Cover and refrigerate the other half of the marinade.

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Remove the steaks from the marinade and discard the marinade. Let steaks sit at room temperature while you make the topping.

In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the onions and saute until soft. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, olives and feta and saute 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Oil the grill grate. Place the steaks on the grill and grill 5 minutes or until you get good grill marks. If desired, turn on an angle and cook 1 to 2 minutes to get nice cross-hatch marks. Turn and continue grilling until the steak is cooked to the desired degree of doneness. For medium-rare, the internal temperature should range from 125 to 130 degrees. Cover with the topping and drizzle with remaining marinade, if desired.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 422 calories, 23 grams fat, 7 grams carbohydrates, 45 grams protein, 641 milligrams sodium, 112 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram fiber.

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