Grilled Orange Sesame Chicken and Vegetables

Ingredients

3 oranges

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half

2 pounds asparagus spears, trimmed

6 small zucchini cut on the diagonal 1/4-inch thick

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Cooking Directions

Cut 1 orange into wedges (peel intact); set aside. Of the remaining 2 oranges, remove zest of 1 and juice of both; place zest and juice in a glass bowl. Add lemon juice, vinegar, pepper, and mustard; whisk. Slowly whisk in sesame oil; set aside.

Place chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap; pound with a meat tenderizer to 1/2 inch thick. Place chicken in a glass bowl; pour half reserved vinaigrette over chicken. Coat thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap, and chill 1 to 2 hours.

Heat a grill or grill pan until very hot. Coat asparagus and zucchini with olive oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Grill vegetables and reserved orange wedges until tender. Remove chicken from marinade; season with remaining teaspoon salt; discard marinade. Grill until browned on both sides and cooked through. Arrange chicken and vegetables on platter; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with remaining reserved vinaigrette.

Yield: 6 servings

Marinated Zucchini with Bow Ties

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds zucchini, cut in half lengthwise then into 1/4-inch slices

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 pound plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

5 tablespoons wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh-ground black pepper

1 pound bow ties

1/3 cup olive oil

Cooking Directions

In a large frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat. Add the garlic, zucchini, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. 

Transfer the zucchini to a large stainless-steel, glass, or ceramic bowl and stir in the tomatoes, basil, vinegar, the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the bow ties until just done, about 15 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss it with the marinated zucchini and the remaining 1/3 cup oil.

Yield: 4 servings

Still Hungry?

Garden-fresh zucchini and tomatoes make a beautiful pasta, perfect for a warm summer night's dinner. It can be served hot or at room temperature, either for four as a main course or for eight as a side dish--with grilled chicken, for instance.

Notes:

Variation: Balsamic-Marinated Zucchini with Bow Ties For a sweeter dish, you can substitute an equal amount of balsamic vinegar in place of the wine vinegar called for in the recipe.