We Can Finally Fire Up the Grills!

Memorial Day weekend: time to bring on the grill! After months of cold weather and rain it is refreshing to get back into the back yard and spend some time with your grill! Nothing sweetens the deal like a well marinated skewer of meat and grilled vegetables. This recipe combines the freshness of Basil and Lime with tangy Pork Tenderloin for a super moist and flavorful meat that is easy to make and will please even the most picky eaters (my 2 year old - self proclaimed vegetarian - even loved it!)

Grilled Basil and Lime Pork Kabobs
http://saucyplate.com/Recipes/471.aspx

Serves 6

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin 1 1/2 in. cubes
2 limes - zest and juice reserved
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 oz fresh basil leaves - minced
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey or agave nectar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1/3 cup canola oil

Directions:

Place cubed pork tenderloin in a zip top plastic bag.For marinade: Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour the marinade into the bag with the pork. Toss to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight. Thread meat onto metal or wooden skewers.Heat grill over high heat. Grill skewers 6 minutes per side, or until slightly pink in the center.

Chef's Notes:
** Do not use Olive Oil in place of the Canola oil. Olive Oil flames up too high over an open flame and will cause the meat to be overly charred.

"I just can't cook without a recipe"

I love to teach cooking classes. It is one of my favorite things about being a Chef. It is so fun to bring new people into a kitchen and show them new, exciting techniques. I love to hear the "ooooh, that's how you do that!" and "Wow I always wondered how to do that!" comments when a tip or method really clicks with someone. I find cooking quite magical and I love to share the magic with others.

Eventually in every class someone will make the statement, "Oh I just can't cook without a recipe" and this is where I always throw down the gauntlet, "Yes you can". It sounds like a really lame response but it is the truth. The thing that everyone forgets, and maybe the piece that us Chefs want them to believe is that cooking is a science. Modern food trends like foams and warm peanut butter mousse may even encourage this belief. But the fact of the matter is cooking is magic not science. It is the magic of amazing flavors coming together....and I bet you know more about flavor combinations than you think.

Knowing the rules of cooking will improve your product, but work with what you know.....a hot pan, oil, vegetables and some seasoning. See what happens.

So feel free to substitute ingredients and try your own combinations. Grab a list of ingredients, choose a technique and don't use a recipe...I think you will be surprised. In fact here is a challenge:

The Un-Recipe for a Great Pasta Dish
Tomatoes
Zucchini
Onion
Garlic
Spinach
Fresh Herbs
Some Kind of oil or butter
Some Kind of Cheese
Some Kind of Wine or Vinegar
Some Kind of Cooked Pasta
Additional Items to make the flavor yours (will it have an Italian, Greek, Asian, Caribean, or South American Flair? What spices would you need to make it so?)