THE DARK SIDE OF POULTRY

I grill boneless and skinless chicken thighs almost as often as I grill chicken breasts. I find that the more assertive flavor of the dark thigh meat stands up nicely to flavorful marinades like the rice wine vinegar, soy and ginger I use in the recipe below. Without the bone and the skin, there is more meat exposed to the flavors in the marinade, the meat cooks more quickly than with the bone-in, and because the thigh is more muscular the meat stays juicer than the leaner white chicken meat from the breast.

The flavors in this menu -- meat, starch and vegetable -- are all Chinese. The soy and rice vinegar in the marinade go nicely with the toasted sesame seeds that are added to the cooked rice, and the garlic and red pepper used to flavor the baby bok choy.

Baby bok choy is readily available in my market in California, but just in case this smaller version of bok choy is not in your market I have included a variation for using a large head of bok choy or other Chinese cabbage.

Often confusing, bok choy is just one of many Chinese cabbages. It is oblong with full dark green leaves that have a thick crispy white rib up the center. The baby size are usually 5 or 6 inches long (about the size of a hand). I like to simply cut a thin slice from the stem end and then cut it in half lengthwise. I soak them in a large bowl of very cold water for about 10 minutes to crisp before cooking. These can be cooked, cut side down, on a hot grill (with the cover down) or sauteed in a skillet in hot oil that is flavored with garlic and crushed red pepper flakes.

If baby bok choy isn`t available, I buy whatever Chinese cabbage that is available (there is a type sometimes called Napa cabbage that has a pale green, tight, crinkly leaf). I trim the stem and cut the head across in 1/2-inch-thick slices. Stir-fried in oil until wilted and seasoned with garlic and red pepper flakes, it makes a nice side dish with the chicken and the rice.

For dessert, serve fresh pineapple sundaes. If the grill is hot, sear slices of pineapple and place a ring on each of four serving plates. Then top each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds.

MENU

Chicken Thighs Marinated in Chinese Flavors

Baby Bok Choy With Garlic and Red Pepper Oil

Sesame Rice

Grilled Pineapple Sundaes

PREPARATION: Marinate the chicken. Cook the rice. Cook the chicken and the bok choy. Grill the pineapple. Assemble dessert just before serving.

SHOPPING

1 bunch fresh cilantro

8 boneless and skinless chicken thighs

8 baby boy choy (about 1 pound) or 1/2 head other Chinese cabbage

1 pineapple or 4 large fresh pineapple rings

1 pint vanilla ice cream

PANTRY

Vegetavle oil

Rice vinegar

Soy sauce

Garlic

Fresh ginger

Red pepper flakes

Sesame seeds

Sliced natural almonds

Crushed red pepper flakes

Long grain rice (about 1 1/2 cups)

CHICKEN THIGHS MARINATED IN CHINESE FLAVORS

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped packed cilantro leaves and tender stems

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

8 boneless and skinless chicken thighs

Combine oil, rice vinegar, cilantro, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt and red pepper flakes in blender and puree.

Combine marinade and chicken in medium bowl and toss to coat. Marinate at room temperature 20 minutes or in refrigerator up to 1 hour.

Place chicken in center of preheated cooking grate and grill 12 to 15 minutes, turning once. Serve with Sesame Rice and bok choy. Makes 4 servings.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Marinating time: 20 minutes to 1 hour

Grilling time: 12 to 15 minutes

BABY BOK CHOY WITH GARLIC AND RED PEPPER OIL

8 baby bok choy, tip of stems trimmed, halved lengthwise, soaked in cold water and drained (about 1 pound), or 1/2 head other Chinese cabbage

Vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or less, to taste

Salt

To grill bok choy, lightly brush cut side of bok choy with oil. Grill, cut side down, 3 minutes. Turn and grill 2 minutes until crisp tender. Remove from grill.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil and garlic in large skillet just until garlic begins to sizzle. Add red pepper flakes. Remove from heat. Add grilled bok choy and salt and toss to coat. Serve at once.

To cook boy choy on top of stove, heat 2 tablespoons oil and garlic in large skillet just until garlic begins to sizzle. Add red pepper flakes and stir to blend. Add bok choy, cut side down, and cook, covered over low heat until crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Turn to coat evenly with oil. Season to taste with salt and serve.

To cook large-sized bok choy or other Chinese cabbage, trim stem end. Cut head lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and garlic in large skillet just until garlic begins to sizzle. Add red pepper flakes and sliced cabbage and stir to blend. Cover and cook over low heat just until cabbage wilts and is crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 6 to 8 minutes

SESAME RICE

Cook favorite rice (about 1 1/2 cups for 4 servings) according to package directions. Meanwhile, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sesame seeds in small skillet. Turn heat to low and stir until sesame seeds begin to color, about 2 minutes. When rice is cooked, add sesame seeds. Fluff with chopstick or handle of wooden spoon and serve while still warm. Makes 4 servings.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 17 minutes

GRILLED PINEAPPLE SUNDAES

Use trimmed and peeled pineapple available in produce section of many supermarkets.

4 (about 3/4 inch thick) fresh pineapple slices

1/4 cup sliced natural almonds

1 pint vanilla ice cream

Place pineapple slices in center of cooking grate and grill 2 minutes per side or just until golden.

Transfer each slice to dessert plate and let stand at room temperature until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, spread almonds in small skillet and heat, stirring, until almonds begin to toast, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Top each pineapple slice with scoop of vanilla ice cream. Sprinkle with almonds and serve at once. Makes 4 servings.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 4 minutes

(Marie Simmons is the author of ``A to Z Puddings,`` Chapters/Houghton Mifflin.)

(c) 2000, Marie Simmons. Distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: Marie Simmons