Broiling Makes for a Quick Meal

Southern Living, Apr 2006 by Draper, Charla

Try these flavorful recipes when company's coming and you don't know what to cook.

When you need a fast main dish, broiling can solve your dinner dilemma. Broiled Herb Chicken With Lemon-Butter Sauce is seasoned with oregano, lemon pepper, and paprika. The sauce adds a splash of citrus. If you fancy fish, try Green Chile Broiled Catfish. The fillets are brushed with a ketchup-based sauce of chopped green chiles, cumin, lime, and hot sauce. For entertaining, consider making Broiled Steaks With Mushrooms. Garlic-rubbed steaks broiled to perfection are hard to beat. The finishing touch to the steaks is mushrooms sautéed in butter. Round out your meal with a side of rice or pasta (to help soak up the delectable sauce) and a green salad. Dinner is ready.

-CHARLA DRAPER

Green Chile Broiled Catfish

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN., BROIL: 18 MIN.

When broiling, keep in mind that ovens can vary. In our ovens, the distance between the heat element and the oven rack measured 7 and 8 inches. The thickness of the fish can make a difference as well. A good test for doneness with fish is to cook it until the fish flakes easily with a fork. If you're not sure how powerful your broiler is, start checking for doneness halfway through the cooking time.

6 (4- to 6-oz.) catfish or tilapia fillets

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles

2 Tbsp. ketchup

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. grated lime rind

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

¼ tSp. ground cumin

1/8 to ¼ tsp. hot sauce

1. Sprinkle fillets evenly with salt and pepper. Arrange fillets on a lightly greased wire rack in an aluminum foillined broiler pan.

2. Stir together green chiles, ketchup, and next 5 ingredients. Spoon half of mixture evenly over fillets, reserving remaining half.

3. Broil 7 to 8 inches from heat 18 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork. (Do not overcook.) Serve fish with reserved green chile mixture.

Broiled Steaks With Mushrooms

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN., BROIL: 14 MIN., COOK: 3 MIN.

4 (1-inch-thick) boneless chuck-eye steaks

1 1/8 tsp. salt, divided

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ cup butter

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

Chopped fresh parsley

1. Sprinkle steaks evenly with 1 tsp. salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place steaks on a lightly greased rack in an aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.

2. Broil steaks 7 to 8 inches from heat 6 to 7 minutes on each side or to desired doneness. Remove steaks from oven.

3. Melt ¼ cup butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; add mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms 3 minutes or until lightly browned; add remaining 1/8 tsp. salt. Arrange steaks on a serving platter, and top evenly with sautéed mushrooms. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

CHARLOTTE BRYANT

GREENSBURG, KENTUCKY

Broiled Herb Chicken With Lemon-Butter Sauce

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 10 MIN., BROIL: 25 MIN.

Broiler-fryers are usually 2'/2 to 4 Ib; larger chickens, known as roasters, usually weigh 4 to 7 Ib.

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. lemon pepper

½ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. ground red pepper

1 (3-to 3½-Ib.) broiler-fryer, cut into pieces

Lemon-Butter Sauce

1. Combine 1 tsp. salt and next 5 ingredients.

2. Arrange chicken pieces, skin side down, on a lightly greased rack in an aluminum foil-lined roasting pan. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tsp. salt mixture.

3. Broil 7 to 8 inches from heat 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is golden brown. Turn chicken pieces, and sprinkle evenly with remaining salt mixture. Broil 8 to 10 more minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion of white meat registers 170° and dark meat registers 180°. Serve chicken pieces with LemonButter Sauce.

Lemon-Butter Sauce:

MAKES ABOUT [fraction one-third] CUP

PREP: S MIN.

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 tsp. grated lemon rind

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley

1. Stir together melted butter and next 2 ingredients until blended. Stir in chopped parsley. JEAN LUMLEY

PFAFFTOWN. NORTH CAROLINA