Indoor Grilling

Now that the grilling season has come to an abrupt end, it’s time to take out the broiling pan that came with your range and do some indoor grilling. Do you even still have it? I know that broiling in the oven or broiler/oven is somewhat passé, but it really is a great way to get that crispy, barbequed flavor and texture.


If you have a regular broiling pan with a rack, there are many ways to make complete dinners all at once that are quick, easy and delicious. The bottom of the pan is a perfect place to put partially cooked vegetables or even grains (rice, pasta) that is almost done because it catches the juices from the meat above. You don’t have to worry about over cooking since broiled foods rarely take a long time.

An exception to this is poultry, which is the trickiest of the meats to broil, I think. Aloha Chicken Dinner is not only easy, it looks festive and if you close your eyes, put on some ukulele music, and don a grass skirt, you might think summer isn’t really over. It can be done almost entirely under the broiler, is absolutely delicious and you can assemble everything ahead of time and start the whole procedure at once. Who knows, you might start using that broiler again.

Aloha Chicken Dinner for 4
Broiled Chicken with pineapple sauce
Pineapple and peaches
Orange rice
Sugar snap peas
Peanut Cake

Broiled Chicken with pineapple sauce

4 lbs. cut up, skin-on chicken
¼ cup melted butter
Salt and Pepper
4 slices fresh or canned pineapple (rings)
4 fresh or canned peach halves

Sauce:

¼ cup melted butter
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. lemon peel, grated
¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup pineapple syrup
1/3 cup peach syrup
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
¼ tsp. thyme

Put melted butter, lemon peel, lemon juice, syrups, chopped onion, soy sauce and thyme in a small saucepan and bring to a slight boil. Mix cornstarch in 1 Tbsp. cold water, stir until cornstarch is dissolved and add to boiling liquid. Stir until thickened. Remove from heat.

Orange Rice

1 cup brown rice
1 cup orange juice
2 cups water
Salt

Bring water, orange juice and salt to a boil. Stir in brown rice. Bring back to boil; lower heat to low and cover. Cook 40 minutes. Drain any liquid and set rice aside.

Assembly:

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Line broiler pan with foil, shiny side down. Spray foil with vegetable spray (Pam.) Lay chicken pieces on foil, skin side down (no rack). Brush chicken pieces lightly with melted butter. Broil 5 to 7 inches from heat, 25 minutes or till lightly browned, brushing occasionally with drippings and/or more butter. Remove pan from oven and spoon rice and snap peas around chicken pieces. Lay pineapple rings and peach halves over rice. Pour Pineapple sauce over all. Broil 15 minutes longer. Check chicken frequently and turn as necessary to prevent burning. Arrange chicken, pineapple and peaches on platter, spoon rice at one end. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Peanut-Coconut Cake

1 ½ cups cake flour or 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup shortening (or butter)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Spray 9x9x2 or 8x8x2 inch baking pan. Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl. Blend ½ minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 35 minutes or until cake tests done. While cake is warm, frost with peanut-coconut topping:

¼ cup peanut butter (smooth)
¼ cup light cream
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup flaked coconut
½ cup chopped peanuts

Blend peanut butter, half and half and brown sugar; spread over warm cake. Sprinkle with coconut. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat about 4 minutes or till frosting is lightly browned. Sprinkle peanuts over.