The Shabbat Table: Watching Your Waistline?

Poultry is packed with protein.

The Shabbat Table is the latest CJN column from noted chef and food blogger Norene Gilletz. Click here for last week’s recipes.

Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom! The weather has been hot and humid and eating a heavy, fat-laden meal for Shabbat just doesn’t appeal to me. If you’re watching your waistline, barbecuing is a great choice.

Grilled chicken is at the top of the list for a healthy main dish that is delicious served hot for Shabbat dinner. Why not make a double batch? The “planned-overs” will be perfect for Shabbat lunch the next day added to a large garden salad.

Poultry is packed with protein but without the saturated fat and cholesterol of red meats, which are linked to an increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease. Grilled goodness at its best!

Chick-Information!

  • White or dark? Boneless chicken breasts are leaner than thighs but aren’t as moist. Season them with a pinch of salt and pepper, 2 cloves crushed garlic, and a dash of your favourite fresh or dried herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary). Drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
  • Marin-Aides: You can also marinate chicken pieces in salad dressing (store-bought or homemade). Marinades add flavour and also prevent HCA’s (cancer-causing compounds) from forming during grilling.
  • For maximum flavour, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or two before cooking, or even overnight.
  • The Skinny Truth: If using chicken pieces rather than boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, keep the skin on during cooking to keep them moist. Pull off the skin just before eating.
  • Shortcut! To ensure chicken pieces on the bone are completely cooked, bake chicken first in the oven at 350 F for 45 minutes, or microwave 15 minutes (4-5 minutes per lb). Transfer immediately to a hot grill and cook 8-10 minutes per side, until glazed and golden.
  • Foiled Again! Add veggies to your chicken for a healthy flavour boost. Cut a large square of aluminum foil for each serving, then top with boneless skinless chicken breasts. Top with assorted veggies (zucchini, onions, garlic cloves, mushrooms). Seal foil packets tightly. Place on a hot grill for 25-30 minutes. Open packets carefully to prevent steam burns.

My recipe for Chimichurri Chicken (below) is a winner! There’s also a variation using beef for the meat eaters at your table.

Try some scrumptious grilled chicken recipes from The Joy of Kosher for your summertime Shabbat. Enjoy smoky charred chicken breasts such as Chicken with Peach Barbecue SauceYou’ll also find wonderful ideas for 18 Cold Main Dishes for Shabbat Lunch.

My friend Cindy Beer’s scrumptious Grill ’N Chill Asparagus topped with Raspberry Vinaigrette goes perfectly with grilled chicken and can be made on an indoor or outdoor grill.

A platter of Norene’s Great Grilled Veggies is another easy way to add more plant-based foods to your Shabbat table. Best of all, they taste great, hot, cold, or at room temperature. Have a great Shabbos and enjoy in good health!

CHIMICHURRI CHICKEN

Chimichurri is a bold-flavored herb sauce that is as common in Argentina as ketchup is in North America. Herb-a-licious!

6 boneless, skinless single chicken breasts

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic

1 medium onion, cut in chunks

2/3 cup packed fresh parsley leaves

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar (or sherry
or rice vinegar)

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

  1. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat. Lightly sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then place in a large, zip-top plastic bag.
  2. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process garlic, onion and parsley until minced, about 8 to 10 seconds. Add olive oil, vinegar, oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper; process for 5 seconds to blend. Transfer sauce to a large glass measuring cup.
  3. Pour half the sauce over the chicken in the plastic bag. Seal bag tightly and shake well to thoroughly coat chicken in sauce. Let marinate for 30 to 60 minutes at room temperature or for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator.
  4. Place the remaining sauce in a gravy boat or serving bowl; cover and refrigerate to serve with the cooked chicken.
  5. When chicken is marinated, preheat grill and set to medium high. Remove chicken from marinade in the bag; discard marinade.
  6. Grill chicken over indirect heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until grill marks appear and juices run clear. Serve immediately with the reserved sauce.

Makes 6 servings

Note: Keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and reheats well. Freezes well up to 3 months. Sauce may discolor slightly if frozen.

CHIMICHURRI BEEF

Instead of chicken, use 2 to 3 lbs lean London broil or steak. Grill meat over indirect heat for 8 to 10 minutes per side or until medium (pink juices will come to the surface of meat). Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain and serve with reserved sauce.


NORENE’S GREAT GRILLED VEGGIES

You can “veg-out” at your next barbecue with this easy Mediterranean-style dish.

1 large sweet onion, sliced in rings (e.g. Vidalia)

2 or 3 coloured bell peppers (red, orange or yellow), seeded, cored and cut in chunks

2 cups mushrooms, halved (or sliced portabella mushrooms)

1 zucchini and/or yellow squash, trimmed, sliced 1/2-inch thick

1 bunch asparagus spears, ends trimmed

2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed

3 Tbsp olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

3 to 4 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped (see Note, below)

1 Tbsp fresh oregano (see Note, below)

  1. In a large bowl, combine onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, and asparagus. Add garlic, olive oil, and vinegar or lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper; mix well. Marinate at least 30 minutes (or cover and refrigerate overnight).
  2. Transfer vegetables to a perforated grill basket, reserving any leftover marinade. Grill for 15 minutes, or until nicely browned, stirring 2 or 3 times.
  3. Remove from grill and transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Add reserved marinade, cheese, basil and oregano. Mix well.

Makes 6 servings

Note: If using dried basil and oregano, add them to vegetable mixture before marinating. Thyme and rosemary also make flavourful seasonings.

Norene Gilletz is the leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada. She is the author of eleven cookbooks and divides her time between work as a food writer, food manufacturer, consultant, spokesperson, cooking instructor, lecturer, and cookbook editor.

Norene lives in Toronto, Canada and her motto is “Food that’s good for you should taste good!” For more information, visit her website or email her at [email protected].