Chicken with Balsamic BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup balsamic vinegar, such as the Traditional 18-year or Pomegranate Balsamic
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
4-6 pieces of chicken
salt and pepper

For the BBQ sauce
Combine vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper in a small saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For the chicken
Place a grill pan over medium heat or preheat your grill. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly coat with some of the BBQ sauce using a pastry brush. Place the chicken on the grill. Place the remaining BBQ sauce, still in the small saucepan, over low heat or on the edge of the grill and allow to gently simmer while the meat cooks.

Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side. Continually brush the meat with barbecue sauce every few minutes. Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Serve with the heated barbecue sauce alongside.

Serve with grilled vegetables
Drizzle olive oil on fresh vegetables, salt and pepper. Grill until done. Asparagus works well.

by Steven Valenti via http://blogs.rep-am.com/whatsfordinner/2010/09/01/chicken-with-balsamic-bbq-sauce/

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Crab and Tomato Salad with Lemon Aioli and Balsamic Reduction

Serves Two:

2 large vine ripe tomatoes

4 oz. baby lettuce or field greens

6 each red onion rings

2 oz. capers

8 oz. fresh lump crab meat

6 oz. mayonnaise

1 lemon for juice

1 tsp minced garlic

salt and black pepper to taste

chopped fresh herbs to taste

8 oz balsamic vinegar, such as the Traditional 18-year

toasted French bread

Directions:

In a sauce pot heat boil balsamic vinegar to a reduced state, approximately 1/8 original volume. You will know it’s done when the balsamic vinegar’s bubbles become large and the liquid starts to thicken. Once this occurs, remove from heat immediately and transfer to a container that will easily pour anything with a syrup like consistency. (This was the hardest part of the recipe.)

In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chopped herbs. Mix thoroughly and transfer half of the aioli into a zip-lock baggy. Place zip-lock in the refrigerator for later use.

Take the crab meat and fold gently into the remaining aioli. Place in refrigerator and allow to cool. Slice the French bread and toast in oven or toaster, set aside when done. Slice Tomatoes, place one on plate then scoop crab salad atop tomato. Repeat process until three tomatoes are stacked. Stuff baby lettuce inside three rings of red onion. Place on top of stacked tomatoes and crab.

Cut the corner off of zip-lock bag of aioli and squeeze aioli on plate. Sprinkle capers around plate. Drizzle balsamic vinegar reduction around plate and over tomatoes.

Serve, impress and enjoy!

Found at http://www.wcnc.com/charlotte-today/inside/Crab-and-Tomato-Salad-with-Lemon-Aioli-and-Balsamic-Reduction-101968428.html

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