Comfort Cuisine

   One of the finest and most enjoyable things about the warm summer months is grilling outside.  A good waft of grill smoke passing your nostrils has the enticing ability to make any person drool.  Everyone can do burgers and dogs, maybe a barbecue chicken or some sausage on the old char-broiler, but at the restaurant we have to push the boundaries of what one would traditionally think of as standard grill fare. 

   A brochette is a French term generally used for anything cooked (mainly grilled) on a skewer.  Other terms such as shish kabob, satay, or souvlaki describe the same technique in other cuisines.  In this dish, which I’ve created as our special for the month of June, we are preparing salmon brochettes, or in our part of the world, salmon kabobs.

   These brochettes, served over exquisite black rice will be a sure fire crowd pleaser for our guests, or at your next summer backyard barbecue/outdoor event.  I chose this particular rice to accompany our salmon for its smooth and balanced flavor/texture profile.  (A suitable alternative to the black rice would be jasmine rice; it’s a little bit cheaper and may be easier to come by.)

    Black rice is most likely a new item to many of you folks that don’t frequent John Harvard’s Brew House, but I promise it will definitely create a “wow” factor within your tastebuds.  Or, for those who are familiar with black rice, perhaps you’ve also heard it referred to as “Forbidden Rice.”  Interesting fact: In ancient China, black rice was considered the finest grain and only served to the Emperor.  Therefore, it was sometimes called “forbidden rice,” as it was off limits to the general public.

   For those of you that are health conscious, it should be noted that in China, black rice is claimed to be good for the kidneys, stomach and liver, because of its high nutritional value including 18 amino acids.  Since I learned of this rice, it has become very close to my heart as a staple ingredient.  I absolutely love it!

 

 

FOR THE SALMON:

1-1/2 lb. Salmon cut into 1-inch cubes

1 Yellow Squash

1 Red Onion

2 Green Peppers

Enough Button Mushrooms to cap the skewer ends

 

FOR THE MARINADE:

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

1/4 cup Orange Juice

1/8 tsp. Black Pepper

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/3 cup Soy Sauce

1/4 cup Sesame Oil

1 T. minced Ginger

 

   Dice all of the vegetables and the salmon into 1-inch squares suitable for making brochettes. (Obviously, you can substitute vegetables to your liking or what is seasonally available.)  

   Now it gets simple: place the items on your skewers (if using metal skewers be careful not to split the vegetables in half because of the girth of the skewers.)  There is truly no rule to the arrangement of your brochettes. I simply try to make it aesthetically pleasing by alternating between vegetables and proteins. 

   For the marinade, mix all ingredients and place your brochettes in a shallow baking dish or on a large plate and cover with the marinade.  If need be, turn the skewers over every once in awhile to coat evenly.  Two hours ought to do the trick, but the longer your brochettes marinate the tastier they will be. Overnight soaking is optimal, plus it’ll moisten up a wooden skewer to prevent burning on the grill.

 

FOR THE RICE:

1 lb. Forbidden Rice

1 qt water

1/2 Spanish Onion

2 T. Kosher Salt

1 tsp. Pepper

1/2 stick Butter

 

   Set your oven to 350 degrees (325 for convection oven).  In a pan on the stovetop, place butter and onions on medium heat until onions are translucent.  Add the rice, salt, and pepper.  Stir for about 2 minutes, letting the rice soak up all the delicious onion, butter, and seasonings.  Add the water to the pan and stir until you get a decent simmer.  Place a lid on the pan or cover in foil, making sure it is airtight.  Place your rice pan in the oven for about 15 minutes. Bring it out and let it rest for 5 minutes. When you open and stir the rice up, you will be pleasantly surprised at the color and smell of this delicacy.

 

   Place your brochettes on a medium/hot grill (charcoal is preferred, but propane will do in a pinch).  They should only take a minute or two on each side. Place your rice on a plate and the skewers atop the rice, appropriately garnished with some scallions and the freshest edible flowers available to you.  This is a very light and fresh summertime treat that’ll be sure to please most grill fans, and it’s a fun project for our grill connoisseurs out there. 

 

 

   A fine accompaniment to our salmon brochettes is Ellicottville Brewing Company’s Blueberry Wheat.  A light golden brew with Canadian two-row barley, its taste lends itself extremely well to our delicate salmon and flavorful marinade.  The white, wheat, and noble German hops give it a refreshing crisp finish to accentuate the light and warm feel of our grilled vegetables.  The addition of a handful of blueberries to the beer adds a visual appeal that most beers can’t offer.  All around, this dish evokes the feeling of easy, carefree summertime living.  Until next month folks “be safe” in all your ventures and grilling endeavors.