healthy & light: Cook With Bold Flavor

Southern Living, Jun 2004 by Zacharia, Joy E

Explore new ingredients and freshen up humdrum fare with tempting recipes.

I discovered a cookbook that inspired me so much I just had to tell you about it. Steven Raichlen's Big Flavor Cookbook (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc., $19.95) had my mouth watering by the first page.

Steven's formula is pretty simple: Buy fresh, seasonal ingredients, infuse them with interesting herbs and condiments, cook them perfectly, and then enjoy dishes from around the world or around the corner. Even though some of the ingredient lists may be long, they're easy to toss together. So, if you're longing for a book that'll teach you how to cook healthy and delicious meals, start with these recipes.

GRILLED CORN IN THE STYLE OF OAXACA

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 10 MIN., GRILL: 10 MIN.

It may seem unusual to spread sour cream and mayonnaise over corn, but trust us-it's really good. Sweet corn combined with the creamy mixture, salty cheese, and spicy chili powder is an irresistible union of flavors.

6 ears fresh corn with husks

2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream

3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder

2 limes, cut into wedges Vegetable cooking spray

1½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

PREPARE a hot fire by piling charcoal on one side of grill, leaving other side empty. (For gas grills, light only one side of grill.)

REMOVE heavy outer husks from corn; pull back inner husks. Remove and discard silks. Tie inner husks together with string.

STIR together mayonnaise and sour cream in a small bowl, and set aside. Place Parmesan cheese, chili powder, and lime wedges in small serving bowls, and set aside.

COAT each corn cob lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle corn evenly with salt and pepper. Position corn on food grate of grill so that tied husks lie on unlit side to prevent burning husks.

GRILL corn, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350°to 300°) 10 minutes or until golden brown, turning occasionally. Place grilled corn cobs on a platter.

SPREAD com evenly with mayonnaise mixture, and sprinkle evenly with cheese and chili powder. Squeeze lime wedges over corn.

Per serving: Calories 128 (26% from fat); Fat 3.7g (sat 1g, mono 0.6g, poly 0.6g); Protein 4.2g; Carb 24g; Fiber 3.2g; Chol 4mg; Iron 0.9mg; Sodium 698mg; CaIc 56mg.

EMPANADAS

MAKES 36 SERVINGS

PREP: 30 MIN., COOK: 5 MIN.,

CHILL: 30 MIN., BAKE: 12 MIN.

These little Latin turnovers are irresistible right out of the oven.

8 ounces skinned and boned chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch pieces

½ small onion, minced (about ¼ cup)

½ green bell pepper, minced

½ tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 pimento-stuffed green olives, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons raisins

2 tablespoons chicken broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley

1 garlic clove, minced

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon pepper

Vegetable cooking spray

1 tablespoon dry breadcrumbs (optional)

36 (3-inch) square won ton wrappers

Salt to taste

COOK first 13 ingredients in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat 5 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring often.

PROCESS chicken mixture in a food processor until coarsely chopped. (Mixture should be fairly dry. Add 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs if mixture is wet.) Cover and chill 30 minutes.

ARRANGE 1 won ton wrapper on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush edges of wrapper with water. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in center of wrapper. Fold dough over filling, pressing edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and chicken mixture. Arrange empanadas on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat empanadas with cooking spray.

BAKE at 400° for 12 minutes or until golden brown, turning after 6 minutes. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Per serving: Calories 36 (8% from fat); Fat 0.3g (sat 0g, mono 0.1g, poly 0.1 g); Protein 2.4g; Garb 5.8g; Fiber 0.3g; ChOl 4.4mg; Iron 0.4mg; Sodium 98mg; CaIc 7mg.

SATE MIXED GRILL WITH SPICY PEANUT SAUCE

MAKES 40 APPETIZER SERVINGS

PREP: 30 MIN., CHILL: 30 MIN.,

GRILL: 6 MIN.

8 ounces skinned and boned chicken breasts

8 ounces lean pork loin

8 ounces lean beef sirloin

8 ounces unpeeled medium-size fresh shrimp

1/3 cup life soy sauce

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

40 (6-inch) wooden skewers

Spicy Peanut Sauce

CUT chicken and pork into 3- × ½-inch strips. Cut beef sirloin into thin long strips. Peel shrimp, and devein, if desired. Place chicken, pork, beef, and shrimp in separate bowls.

WHISK together soy sauce and next 5 ingredients. Drizzle evenly over bowls of meat and shrimp; toss to coat. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Soak skewers in cold water to prevent burning.

THREAD chicken, pork, beef, and shrimp evenly onto skewers (10 skewers of each ingredient).

GRILL, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 1 to 3 minutes on each side.

ARRANGE skewers on a platter, and serve with Spicy Peanut Sauce.

Spicy Peanut Sauce: