Expert: Whitestag - 11/14/2003

Question
I would like to suprise my wife with making a complete meal on the grill (not dessert).  Anyway, we are steak and chicken type people and I was wondering if you have any complete meal recipies for the grill.  I have a weber charcoal grill.  Also, the marinades you mentioned.  I would love to make one from scratch...we like a little bit a spicy (hot).  Thanks for your help in advance!

Answer
I'll give you my favorite chicken recipe, which is not very spicy, but is very flavorful.

Rosemary lemon chicken

1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves (DO NOT USE DRIED!)
grated rind of one lemon
2 t fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 t extra virgin olive oil
2 t fresh ground pepper (a coarse grind is better)
4 chicken breast quarters

Separate the wings from the breasts and trim off all excess fat, but do not skin.

Combine the oil, juice, pepper, and rosemary.  Toss with chicken until well-coated, and allow to marinate refrigerated in a shallow glass or ceramic bowl for at least four hours, preferably overnight.  Grill in a covered grill over direct heat, turning only once, about 10 - 15 minutes per side.  Do not brush off the rosemary leaves!  Try to control the heat so that they don't burn before being cooked through -- this is the hardest part.

For vegetables, I recommend sliced grilled zucchini and potatos (grilled) or rice for starch.

Slice the zucchini lengthwise about 3/8" thick, and brush with olive oil.  Grill over direct heat until done, turning once, about 5-8 minutes per side.

Scrub the potatos, then grease with butter or margarine and prick with a fork.  Place them at the edge of the grill, so that they are not receiving direct heat.  Cook for about an hour, turning frequently.  Eat 'em skins and all.

Proper timing is essential for this to work well, obviously.

Happy grilling!

-- Whitestag