Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

I am in a never ending search to find ways to make chicken into a new and different meal. Cooking Light’s September issue had this recipe for Japanese Chicken Meatballs, or Tsukune, that were mentioned as a great “party snack.” I decided to change the recipe size and pair it with grilled baby bok choy and some rice to make this traditional appetizer/snack into an entrée.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

  • 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
  • 5 ounces sliced shiitake mushroom caps
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger, divided
  • 2 minced garlic cloves, divided
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 1 teaspoon red miso (soybean paste)
  • 1 pounds ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 large egg white

Sauce:

  • 6 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
  • 6 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • The juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced

Remaining ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
  • ½ cup long grain rice
  • 1 cup water or chicken broth
  • 1 baby bok choy

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Gazpacho with Grilled Pickapeppa Shrimp

Cooking Light’s August issue had a recipe for Pickapeppa Chicken and Mango Kebabs (that I plan on making soon) that required me to buy a bottle of Pickapeppa sauce. I had never heard of this sauce before and I was intrigued. It’s a Caribbean condiment referred to as “Jamaican ketchup” that is basically a sweeter A1 sauce, made with tomatoes, onions, mangoes, peppers, and other spices.

I thought this sauce sounded like it would be great on shrimp, so I decided to incorporate it into another Cooking Light recipe from the same issue: Gazpacho with Shrimp.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (10-ounce) container grape tomatoes, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced English cucumber, divided
  • 1 cup diced red bell pepper, divided  (about 2 peppers)
  • 3/4 cup diced Vidalia or other sweet onion, divided
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 5/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes, drained
  • The juice of one lemon
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ cup pickapeppa sauce
  • 20 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 8 ounces)

Continue reading Gazpacho with Grilled Pickapeppa Shrimp

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