IT’S HOT THESE DAYS IN THE OKANAGAN. DAMN HOT! REAL HOT!
When it’s cookin’ like this you don’t want to be cooking. At least not in the kitchen, that’s for sure.
By mid to late afternoon I have an addictive ritual these days. Sometimes I start craving it at soon as I wake up in the morning, especially when the weatherman is promising temperatures around the sweltering triple digit mark. Sometimes it’s a little easier on me and I can make it to late afternoon before succumbing completely to it’s watery reaches. Sometimes no matter how many piles of must-do work I have in front of me I cannot wait another second to do what it takes to reach those euphoric natural highs.
Beeline time. Beach chair in one hand, tall icy club soda in the other and I’m off. Down our backyard garden path to the cool, clear waters of Trepanier Creek. Not a second is wasted, kicking off my flip flops as I go, within seconds I have my chair plunked into the middle of the creek so that the seat is just underwater…..and plop, I’m down. Aaaaahhhhh! Instant gratification.
Everything else is suddenly inconsequential. AND I’ve beaten the heat. Soothing, renewing waters envelope me in pure pleasure. Granddaddy trees bend over the creek creating a canopy of shade. The gentle flow of the water performs a rhymthic symphony as it murmurs and ambles it’s way to the big waters of Okanagan Lake. A butterfly lazily flutters by and is gone, but not before softly, ever-so-briefly rippling the creek surface for a quick dip.
Giddy relaxation. I am in my Zen place.
That’s exactly where I was the other afternoon before coming back up the path, into the heat of early evening to make my version of SteamyKitchen.com’s planked grilled chicken breasts. I cannot even tell you how many times Jaden Hair, of SteamyKitchen.com fame inspires me to let my creative juices flow. Delicous grilled chicken, scorchin’ summer night – yup, I’m in. Thanks again Jaden.
Besides that, who doesn’t want to play around grilling stuff on wood every once in awhile? I scored some just picked, juicy white peaches and garden fresh zucchini that morning that were crying out for grill marks and happen to be ideal plate-mates with tender, juicy, planked chicken breasts.
I think you’re going to like this one. So next time you’re into a heat wave, fire up the BBQ and have your way with Summer Chicken Grill. It is practically prep-less, easy peasy to pull off start to finish AND tastes like summer.
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Here we go…………. preheat your grill to maintain a heat between 375-400F. Place the marinated chicken breasts two to three inches apart on an untreated, clean cedar plank. Add onions, limes, ginger on top of and around the chicken pieces. Splash everything with a bit of the marinade. Set plank onto grill, close lid and cook for about 35 – 40 minutes.
Put zucchini and peach halves right onto the grill and cook about 7-10 mintues, turning once.
Remove zucchini and peaches from grill as soon as they are tender juicy, and not at all mushy.
Check chicken to make sure it is cooked through – 165F internal temperature.
Serve your Summer Grill with jasmine rice and a tall cool one.
SUMMER CHICKEN GRILL
2 bone-in chicken breasts
1/3 cup dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sambal oelek (hot chile paste)
2 inch piece fresh gingerroot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 lime, sliced
1 medium sweet onion, like Walla Walla or Vidalia, peeled, sliced into 1/4-inch rings
1 cedar wood plank
2 fresh peaches, halved
1 medium-ish zucchini, halved lenthwise, then halved crosswise
Top quality olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, bit of sugar
Plop chicken breasts into a zip-lock bag. Add soy sauce, honey, sambal and gingerroot and mix, mix, massage, massage. Add lime and onion slices and gently mix to coat everything with marinade. Let chicken laze in all these flavours for at least 2 hours or overnight, in the fridge.
Soak cedar plank in water for at least 2 hours.
Remove chicken from fridge 20 minutes or so before grilling so that it comes to room temperature and cooks more evenly. Preheat grill to maintain a heat of approximately 375-400F. Place chicken breasts, two to three inches apart, on cedar plank. Put onions, lime slices and ginger on and around chicken. Splash everything with a bit of the marinade and place plank on the grill. Close lid and cook for about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile coat zucchini quarters and cut side of peaches with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle both with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cut side of peaches with a bit of sugar. Place zucchini and peaches directly on the hot grill and cook for 7-10 minutes until tender and juicy, and not mushy at all. Remove from grill.
Check chicken to make sure it’s tender, juicy and cooked through. Internal temperature should be 165F.
Serve hot with jasmine rice, a little extra soy sauce and a big satisfied smile.