Sunset's barbecue cook-off 2000

Sunset, July, 2000 by Elaine Johnson

Grilled Pomegranate Chicken and Cantaloupe

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 1/2 hours

NOTES: Ream the juice from fresh pomegranates or buy canned unsweetened pomegranate juice at a natural foods store or well-stocked supermarket, Thai curry paste is available at Asian food stores and many supermarkets. As a substitute for the Chinese five spice, you can use equal parts ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and anise seed (1 teaspoon total).

MAKES: 4 servings

1 1/2 cups unsweetened pomegranate juice (see notes)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons prepared hoisin sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons Asian (toasted) sesame oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice (see notes)

4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves (about oz. each), fat trimmed

1 cantaloupe (3 1/3 lb.)

3/4 pound jicama

2 teaspoons salad oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 firm-ripe avocado (2/3 lb.), pitted, peeled, and sliced

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

Lime wedges

Salt

1. In a 1-quart glass measure, combine pomegranate juice, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, curry paste, and five spice. Pour all but 1/2 cup of the mixture into a 1-gallon plastic food bag; cover and chill remaining mixture. Rinse chicken and add to bag; seal and turn to coat meat. Chill at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

2. Peel cantaloupe, seed, and cut into 2-inch chunks. Thread melon equally onto 4 thin metal skewers, each about 12 inches long. Run a second thin skewer parallel to each first one through melon.

3. Peel jicama, rinse, and coarsely shred. In a bowl, mix jicama with salad oil and lime juice.

4. Prepare barbecue for direct heat (see page 94). When it is medium, oil grill. Lift chicken from bag and lay on grill. Cook, basting frequently with marinade and turning to brown evenly, for 10 minutes. Add cantaloupe to grill and baste with marinade; discard remaining marinade. Turn foods occasionally until chicken is no longer pink in center of thickest part (cut to test) and melon is slightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes longer.

5. Spoon reserved soy sauce mixture equally onto plates. Mound jicama equally in center, top each portion with a chicken piece, and lay a melon skewer alongside. Garnish with avocado, pomegranate seeds, and lime wedges. Season to taste with juice from wedges and salt.

Per serving: 440 cal., 35% (153 cal.) from fat; 37 g protein; 17 g fat (2.5 g sat.); 38 g carbo (6.6 g fiber); 633 mg sodium; 82 mg chol.

WILD CARDS

Alison Cappuccio

Leavenworth, Washington

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