July was all about the barbeque. Here’s my favorite meal from this month.
MAIN DISH
BBQ Chicken Breasts
Using free-range chicken, grill two boneless/skinless breasts that have been marinated in sauce for about 30 minutes. We like using the classic Bone Suckin’ Sauce. Ted lightly wraps the chicken in foil, and grills it for about 20 minutes, or until the thickest pieces are fully cooked.
SIDE DISHES
Grilled Scalloped Summer Squash
Chop off the top and bottom of the squash, and then cut it half, top to bottom. Coat the pieces in Jungle’s Red Palm Oil, which is high-heat tolerant and has delicious flavor. Salt the pieces, and grill them on a piece of foil, turning occasionally until done.
Fried Polenta
This requires a bit of foresight. You have to make the polenta the night before, since it requires time to cool and set for frying. I get the polenta-style cornmeal in Whole Foods’ bulk section.
Mix 1 cup cornmeal with 1 cup water, then stir in 3 cups boiling water and 2 tbsp salt. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick. Remove from heat, stir until smooth, and form polenta into an oiled loaf pan, and leave it in the refrigerator all night and the next day.
Turn pan upside down, tap until polenta falls out. Melt a few tablespoons of Red Palm Oil in a skillet. While oil is heating, cut polenta into strips. Coat the strips with organic all-purpose flour, and cook on each side for about 5 minutes, or until brown. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with salt.
DESSERT
Watermelon Slices
Watermelon is delicious this month. All you have to do is cut it into slices, cut the slices in half, and dig in. Keep lots of napkins nearby, this is no tidy task, though certainly a yummy one.
MUSIC
Album of the Month:
Mason Jennings, Boneclouds
I love Mason Jennings. Ever since our friend Jessica introduced us to the song “Butterfly”, I’ve been obsessed with this Minneapolis-based musician. And every time he releases an album, it’s a little different from the last, a little more mature. His recent album, Boneclouds, is seriously good. His voice is unique, and his songwriting is strong. It’s perfect for a relaxed summer evening spent eating barbeque.
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