Grilled Maple Teriyaki Chicken

We had friends over this weekend to barbecue and one friend requested that we incorporate my Maple Teriyaki Sauce into the meal somehow. I decided to marinate chicken breast in the sauce and grill it on skewers.

The meat tenderizes and brines as it marinates in the teriyaki sauce. Maple flavor absorbs hints of smoke from the barbecue and fresh ginger adds just a enough spice to make things interesting. A final application of teriyaki sauce caramelizes and thickens, resulting in savory-sweet goodness – a nice change of pace from the usual barbecue players.

Maple Teriyaki Barbecued Chicken – serves  4

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
Yankee Cook’s Maple Teriyaki Sauce (below)

Prepare the sauce as directed and reserve 1/4 cup. Cut the chicken into 2″ pieces and place in a shallow, non-reactive dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the meat so that all of the pieces are well coated. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.

Skewer the chicken, 3 to 4 pieces per stick. Place on a 400 degree grill and allow to cook 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the skewers and allow them to cook for another 3 minutes. Brush with the reserved sauce. Flip again and brush the other side.

Serve with a salad or grilled vegetables.

Yankee Cook’s Maple Teriyaki Sauce – makes about 1 1/2 cups

1/2 C tamari soy sauce
1/2 C mirin
4 T maple syrup
2 T toasted sesame oil
2 T grated ginger

For marinade: Whisk all ingredients together until well blended. Pour over meat or fish in a shallow non-reactive dish. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.

For thick teriyaki sauce: If making just the sauce, continue by simmering over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, thickening to desired consistency.

Maple Teriyaki Beef with Summer Jean

I ran into a vegetable I’d never seen before at the farmers’ market the other day. Lush and green with little yellow flowers, it looked almost like broccolini. I asked the vendor what it was and he replied, “Summer Jean.”

He said that although you could eat it raw, it’s best cooked in stir-fries. He described it as lemony and peppery, and that the stalk has the same texture as a potato, rather than being stringy like other cooking greens and that the flowers also have a lemony flavor.

Let me tell you. The man’s legit. This may be my favorite green. The leaves have a hearty flavor, without any hint of bitterness. The stems are delicate and not at all woody. The flowers have a mild, pleasant flavor and powdery mouthfeel. Only a light saute/steam and they were perfectly tender, without getting completely wilted.

I decided to make a beef teriyaki to go along with the lightly sauteed Summer Jean. I kept the flowers raw, using them as an edible garnish because I just can’t bring myself to cook a flower. Except zucchini blossoms. They’re asking for it.

The teriyaki sauce packs a salty-sweet punch at first, but finishes with a mellow, maple-ginger flavor. Just the thing to prepare the palate for the beef.

I started off making a batch of my teriyaki sauce. I then used one half of the batch to marinate the beef and the other half to make the sauce.

Yankee Cook’s Maple Teriyaki Sauce – makes about 1 1/2 cups

1/2 C tamari soy sauce
1/2 C mirin
4 T maple syrup
2 T toasted sesame oil
2 T grated ginger

In a small saucepan, whisk together all ingredients until well blended.

If making just the sauce, continue by simmering over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, thickening to desired consistency. Be sure not to burn the ginger.

If making Maple Teriyaki Beef, continue as directed below.

Maple Teriyaki Beef - serves 2 – 4

1 1/2 C Maple Teriyaki Sauce, cooled (see above)
1 – 1 1/2 lb sirloin steak tips
1 t sesame seeds

Spread beef evenly in a marinating dish and cover with 3/4 C of the teriyaki sauce.

Marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator, turning the meat halfway through.

Remove from marinade, drain well and dry the meat with paper towels. Discard marinade.

In a small saucepan, simmer remaining teriyaki sauce over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until desired consistency is met. Be sure not to burn the ginger.

Meanwhile, grease the flat side of your trusty cast aluminum griddle with olive oil and heat to medium high. Cook the beef on the griddle, turning occasionally until browned and to desired doneness.

Remove meat from heat and place in a large heat resistant bowl. Toss with 1/2 t sesame seeds.

Plate and drizzle with teriyaki sauce and remaining sesame seeds.

Simple Summer Jean – serves 2 – 4

1 bunch Summer Jean
2 cloves garlic
1 – 2 T olive oil

Remove flowers from Summer Jean, if any. Set aside for garnish.

Rinse Summer Jean. Discard the any browned bottoms and finely slice the Summer Jean from stems up. Peel and slice the garlic.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to soften 1-2 minutes. Add the Summer Jean. Toss to coat in the oil. Lower heat, cover and let steam for 10 minutes until tender-crisp.

Hum Seals and Crofts’ “Summer Breeze” for the next three days…

makes me feel fine…

jasmine…

sigh.

Ingredient origins: Summer Jean – New Hampshire; Maple syrup – Vermont; Organic garlic, beef – New Jersey; Ginger, sesame seeds – California, Olive oil – Italy; Tamari soy sauce, mirin – Japan.