Who better to enjoy our second Best Dressed Summer Barbecue series with than G's BBQ director and king of the grill Gariel Ferguson. Believe us, the food was delish! Stock up with Best Dressed Chicken, call up a few friends and try your hand at these recipes.

Gariel Ferguson's Tasty BBQ Delights

Wood-smoked Free range Chicken

Asian-glazed Chicken Gizzards

Tamarind-Glazed Crispy Wings

Thai Peanut Satay-style Chicken Tenderloin Skewers

Island-style Mango Salad

Herb-grilled Potatoes

Grilled Seasonal Vegetables

Lychee, Lime and Mint Summer Cooler

Thai Peanut Satay-style Chicken Tenderloin Skewers

Ingredients:

1 package Best Dressed chicken tenderloin

Thai Spice paste

1/2 cup peanut butter

6 oz fresh lime juice

3 stalks fresh escallion

10 cloves garlic

2 tbs fresh ginger, chopped

1tbs lime zest

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Method:

Place ingredients except for salt and pepper in food processor and pulse (scraping down as you go) contents to a paste-like consistency. Reserve any unused marinade for finishing on the grill.

Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry with hand towels. Season with salt and pepper, then rub in spice paste mixture (make sure to rub in properly), allow to marinate for 4-24 hours. Thread on to bamboo skewers before grilling. Preheat grill to medium high and grill skewers in small, manageable batches at a time for four minutes each side, turning to avoid burning or flare-ups. Brush on excess reserved marinade before serving and garnish with slivered escallions or cilantro. Serve immediately.

Tips

Use disposable round chopstick instead of skewers to avoid premature burning of the thin bamboo skewers.

Asian-Glazed Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

1 pack Best Dressed Boneless Skinless Thighs (15pcs)

Asian spice paste

3 stalks scallion

8 cloves garlic

2 tbs ginger

2 tbs lime zest

1 1/2 tbs sea salt

Asian Glaze

1/2 cup premium soy sauce

1/2 cup Stone's Ginger Wine

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbs lime zest

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

Method:

Combine ingredients in a saucepan and simmer on low fire (to avoid boil over) until reduced by half. Cool and reserve.

Combine all ingredients (except for salt) in the bowl of a food processor and pulse into a paste-like consistency. Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry, season with salt, then rub on spice paste mixture and let sit for up to 24 hours to marinate. Chicken can be skewered on round disposable chopsticks.

Set up a two-zone fire (one side medium and the other side hot). Start grilling over medium heat first, approx. 4-6 minutes, per side, then transfer to hot side and finish with Asian glaze. Be sure to watch colour when finishing on the hot side to avoid burning. Serve immediately garnished with orange wedges.

Alternate preparation for extra tender gizzards

preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse and dry gizzards then season with paste and place in a covered baking dish with 1 cup chicken stock . braised in oven for 1.5 hours until tender. Skewer gizzards and grill over high heat basting occasionally with glaze until nicely coated. Serve immediately.

Tangy Tamarind BBQ Wings

Ingredients

2 packs Best Dressed Chicken Wings (tips removed and joint cut in half)

1/2 cup Asian paste rub (see Asian-glazed thigh recipe)

2 tbs sea salt

1 tbs black pepper or pimento powder

Tamarind glaze

1 cup tamarind puree or concentrate

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 tsps pimento powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

Method:

Combine ingredients in a saucepan and simmer on low heat till reduced by half. Save extra glaze for future use.

Procedure

Rinse, drain and dry wings. Season well with salt and pepper first, then rub on seasoning paste.

And let sit 4-24 hours to marinate.

Set up a two-stage heat range on your grill (medium heat and high heat); start grilling wings on the low temperature side until skin and fat starts to render and becomes translucent (6-8 minutes) then transfer to high side to crisp up and finish with tamarind glaze 2-4 min. Serve immediately.

Island style Mango Salad

Ingredients:

2-3 whole Nelson, Hayden or Keith mangoes (peeled and cut in wedges)

8-10 ozs mixed local organic greens

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

3 whole ripe salad tomatoes

Citrus Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Salt and black pepper

Method:

Rinse and dry lettuce leaves. Assemble in a bed allowing leaves to fall randomly, arrange mango slices, tomatoes and red onions within the leaves to create height and volume. Serve with your favourite vinaigrette.

Grilled Vegetables

Ingredients

2 medium-sized zucchini cut in 1/2" slices

2 medium-sized yellow squash cut in 1/2" slices

2 large red bell peppers cut in 2" sections

1 large yellow bell pepper cut in 2" sections

2 large red onions cut in 1/2" thick wedges

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp sea salt

1 medium lime

Method:

Preheat grill to medium high. Toss all ingredients with garlic and olive oil in a large bowl coating evenly, sprinkle with sea salt. Grill vegetables until slightly charred and softened turning occasionally to avoid burning. Transfer cooked vegetables to a bowl and finish with a squeeze of lime juice to brighten flavours.

Herb-grilled Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil

9 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 3 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Sea salt

2 pounds fingerling Irish potatoes (about 18), scrubbed and halved

Ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Method:

Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until very hot, about 15 minutes. Use grill brush to scrape grill clean; oil cooking grate. Leave primary burner on high and reduce other burner(s) to medium.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in small skillet over medium heat until sizzling, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until garlic is light blond, about 3 minutes. Pour mixture through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl; press on solids. Measure 1 tablespoon solids and 1 tablespoon oil into large bowl and set aside. Discard remaining solids but reserve remaining oil.

Place potatoes in single layer on large microwave-safe plate and poke each potato several times with a skewer. Brush with 1 tablespoon strained oil and season liberally with salt. Microwave on high power until potatoes offer slight resistance when pierced with tip of paring knife, about 8 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking time. Transfer potatoes to baking sheet coated with 1 tablespoon strained oil. Brush with remaining tablespoon strained oil; season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Place potatoes on hotter part of grill. Cook; with lid down, turning once, until grill marks appear, about four minutes. Move potatoes to cooler part of grill; and continue to cook with lid down until paring knife slips in and out of potatoes easily, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer to bowl with reserved garlic/oil mixture; add chives and toss until thoroughly coated. Serve immediately.

Lemongrass , Mint and Lychee

Summer Cooler

Ingredients:

1 cup lemongrass syrup (see recipe below)

4 oz fresh lime juice

40 oz Ginger ale or Soda water (optional)

4 oz Lychee Liquor (my favourites are Soho or Kwai fe)

3 cups sliced fresh fruit (oranges, limes, star fruit, etc)

1 cup fresh mint

Method:

In a large glass pitcher combine lemongrass syrup, lime juice and fresh mint then muddle with back of spoon. Fill pitcher halfway with ice and top off with ginger ale. Serve over ice in a tall cooler glass garnished with fresh mint and lime slices, then float a shot of lychee liquor for a nice adult twist.

For lemon Grass syrup

3 stalks fresh lemongrass

3 cups white sugar

1/2 cup warm water

Combine ingredients in a food processor and blend until infused. Strain with fine mesh strainer and reserve in refrigerator.