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Food Forecast? Sizzling Szechuan from Lawry’s

I’ve always found it interesting that some people cook well and have difficulty baking, while others bake well and struggle with gourmet cooking. Of course there are plenty who can do both – but NOT ME! I am of the latter. I can make the perfect cheesecake, yet cooking tends to be a bit more difficult. It’s odd, because baking tends to be scientific (full of measuring), while cooking is more creative. Having considered myself the more creative type – it always bothered me that I have to work HARD when I cook (while my husband, brother and son can put a pinch of this and a handful of that to create the perfect meal).

As a result, I often look for shortcuts. You’d think that I’d be over that by now, with Ben living FAR away and it being just the two of us (plus Clem the mini-bull-terrier) at the mansion, but I’m a lazy cook.

I recently had the opportunity to try Lawry’s newest marinades. I was sent


This week I decided to give the Szechuan Marinade a try over simple chicken breasts. I didn’t get fancy about it. I simply marinated my chicken for about 1/2 hour in the Lawry’s sauce and baked it and served over mashed potatoes. OK – so I was tired and really should have cut the chicken up and skewered it with some nice summer vegetables and put them on the grill – but I’d just returned from evo in Park City, UT and for the first time in YEARS I had jet lag. .


I was expecting a very spicy, hot flavor to the chicken and was surprised at how mild it was for a szechuan style. While it was easy to prepare, I found the flavor to be a bit blander than I like. For those of you who want JUST A LITTLE bit of zing (not too much), you’ll like this. In the future, I’d add some chili peppers to the mix and make it even SPICIER.

I figured, that being lazy just wasn’t working for me. While the plain chicken with the marinade was okay – it wasn’t spectacular and I enjoy eating – especially when there’s a LOT of flavor involved. I surfed over andI found an INCREDIBLE recipe on the Lawry’s site – that uses the Tuscan Sun-Dried Tomato Marinade and I’m going to try it this coming week.

Tuscan Grilled Lamb Chops with Warm White Bean Provençal

Ingredients

12 rib lamb chops (at least 1-inch thick), trimmed
1 cup Lawry’s® Tuscan Sun-Dried Tomato Marinade, divided
1/2 cup fig preserves
1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Rosemary, Crushed
White Bean Provençal:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Rosemary, Crushed
1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Sicilian Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Black Pepper, Coarse Grind
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Thyme Leaves
2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini or white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Place lamb chops in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add 3/4 cup of the Marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor. Meanwhile, mix remaining 1/4 cup marinade, fig preserves and rosemary in small bowl. Set aside.

2. For the White Bean Provençal, mix oil, lemon juice, garlic and seasonings in small bowl until well blended. Place beans in large skillet. Cook on medium heat 5 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add vinaigrette; toss lightly. Remove from heat. Add tomatoes and parsley; toss lightly. Keep warm. Remove lamb chops from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.

3. Grill lamb chops over medium-high heat 5 minutes per side or until desired doneness, brushing with fig mixture during last few minutes of cooking. Discard any remaining fig mixture. Serve lamb chops with White Bean Provençal.

It looks like it has that gourmet flavor that I’d love, with the pre-made marinades to make it easier!

I’ve spent quite a bit of time looking over McCormick® Flavor ForecastTM 2010: Grilling Edition: It’s full of some wonderful flavor combinations that look like they’d be PERFECT for summer.

  • Applewood & Plum – Juicy plums accent smoky applewood and add flair to all-American barbecue.

  • Cilantro & Lime – Cutting across the diverse cuisines, this bright and zingy pair is a refreshing taste of summertime.

  • Rosemary & Fig – Figs are an unexpected and regionally inspired match for aromatic rosemary.

  • Chipotle & Maple – This culinary comingling deliver a fresh take on smoky, spicy and sweet.

  • Brown Sugar & Bourbon – This duo brings a delicious dose of Southern charm to the patio.
  • Cinnamon & Coffee – Bold and confident – with just the right edge of bitterness.
  • Red Chili Sauce & Mango – The flavor of mango takes hot or sweet red chili sauce far beyond mere “condiment status.”

For more recipes and Lawry´s marinades that complement the flavor pairings visit the Grilling Flavor ForecastTM website at Lawry’s.
Visit www.lawrys.com and check-out their full line of products, cooking tips and to find great recipes for grilling season and beyond! 

A pyrex baking dish, skewers and a collection of marinades and seasoned salt were provided by Lawry’s through MyBlogSpark in for this review. I was in no way compensated and all opinions are strictly my own.

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