Season Five
NO BIG DEAL episode#: 5104
Smoked Tuna with Ponzu Sauce
Daikon & Carrot Salad
Lamb & Fig Kebobs
Curried Chicken Kebobs
Yogurt-Mint Cucumber Salad
Grilled Pineapple and Sugar Wontons
Smoked Tuna with Ponzu Sauce
Ponzu Sauce: In a bowl combine bonito flakes, soy, mirin, sugar and lemon juice. Allow to sit for 6 hours and up to overnight. Strain through a sieve to remove excess liquid in order to bring the consistency back to a dipping sauce. |
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Tuna
3 cups Apple Wood Chips
1 pound sushi-grade tuna belly (454g)
Marinade:
½ cup sake (125ml)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (15ml)
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce (15ml)
1 teaspoon sesame oil (5ml)
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger (30ml)
Prepare a smoke pouch. Place 2 cups of apple wood chips into a bowl of cold water and soak for 1 hour. Reserve 1 cup of dry wood chips.
In a small bowl combine, sake, lemon juice, ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Mix. Place tuna in a non-reactive container. Cover with marinade. Allow to set for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
To build a smoke pouch, drain 2 cups (500ml) of the wet wood chips and squeeze excess water out. Spread wet wood chips on a large piece of aluminum foil. Place 1 cup (250ml) of dry wood chips on top. Mix them together. Close the foil and use a fork to puncture holes in the top and bottom of the foil pouch
Prepare the barbecue for indirect grilling. Preheat one side of the barbecue to 220ºF/110ºC. Place the smoke pouch directly over the heat source. Close the lid and wait for smoke.
Prepare tuna. Fill a drip tray with ice. Place tuna on top on the ice.
Once the BBQ is smoking, place the drip tray in top of the grill on the indirect side. Close lid and smoke for 20 – 25 minutes for rare.
Remove from grill and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove and slice very thin across the grain. Serve with ponzu sauce.
Daikon & Carrot Salad
| 1 cup daikon, peeled and shredded (250ml) ¼ cup sake (60ml) ¼ cup carrot, peeled and shredded (60ml) ½ cup dried apricot chopped fine (125ml) 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (30ml) 1 tablespoon sugar (15ml) splash sesame oil |
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Chop up dried apricot and soak in a bowl with sake to loosen up for about 15 minutes. Peel and shred daikon and carrots to the same thickness. Add daikon, carrot, vinegar, sugar and sesame oil to the apricot.
Rolls:
2 cups sushi rice cooked (500ml)
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar (10ml)
4 knori sheets
Cook sushi rice following package instructions. Once rice is cooked place on a long tray to cool. In a small bowl mix rice wine vinegar and sugar. Drizzle over rice while still warm. Stir gently with a wooden spoon.
Lay knori sheet down and top with rice leaving a ¼” border around the outside. Spoon rice evenly using about ¾ of a cup. Place the diakon carrot mixture in the center of the rice. Roll up using a sushi roller. Slice and serve with smoked tuna and ponzu sauce. Makes 20 appetizers
Lamb & Fig Kebobs
| 2 ¼ pounds boneless leg of lamb (1.2kg) 15 cippoline onions 10 black mission figs ½ cup port (125ml) 3 tablespoons olive oil (45ml) 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper (10ml) |
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Marinade:
1 cup parsley, roughly chopped (250ml)
1 tablespoon oregano, roughly chopped (15ml)
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped fine (15ml)
1 shallot, minced fine
¼ cup olive oil (60ml)
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 2 lemons, chopped fine
2 teaspoons pepper (10ml)
½ cup red wine (125ml)
Kosher salt to taste
Cracked pepper to taste
Olive oil for drizzling
14 wooden skewers that have been soaking in water for at least an hour
Place the leg of lamb on a cutting board and cut away the silver skin. Remove excess fat to avoid flare-ups. Cut the lamb into ½” cubes and place into a reseal able plastic bag.
Chop and add to the bag, parsley, oregano, garlic & shallot. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, red wine and pepper. Coat evenly and place into the refrigerator overnight.
In a large pot of boiling water add onions. Cook for approximately 4 minutes. Remove and place in an ice bath to cool. Peel skins.
Slice figs in half and cover with port. Sprinkle with pepper and allow to stand for 15 minutes. aside
Remove lamb from the refrigerator. Remove lamb from bag and discard marinade.
Skewer lamb cubes alternating with onion. Place on tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Skewer figs securely onto bamboo skewers. Drizzle with oil.
Prepare barbecue for direct grilling. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Oil grill. Place lamb on grill. Cover exposed skewer ends with aluminum foil. Grill for 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
For figs, place skewers over a medium-high oiled grill for 2 minutes or until lightly charred. Note the high sugar content in the figs can burn easily so watch carefully.
Serves 6
Curried Chicken Kebobs
1 ½ pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1” cubes (2.5cm) (700gr) 1 red onion, cut into 1” cubes (2.5cm) Marinade: |
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Place the chicken in a resealble plastic bag.
In a bowl combine olive oil, cilantro, mint, shallots, curry powder and mix. Pour into bag with chicken. Coat well and then into the refrigerator overnight.
Remove chicken from the refrigerator. Remove the chicken from the bag, discard marinade and season chicken with salt and pepper.
Thread chicken & vegetables onto the skewers alternating between the onion, peppers and chicken. Place the skewers on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil
Prepare barbecue for direct grilling. Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat. Oil and add the skewers so they overhang the edge of the grill. Cook for about 8 minutes, turning once every 2 minutes to get nice char marks on all sides.
Remove the skewers from the barbecue and tent with foil.
Yogurt-Mint Cucumber Salad
| 2 cucumbers sliced in ¼” (6mm)rounds 1 cup low-fat yogurt (250ml) ¼ cup mint (60ml) 2 tablespoons dill (30ml) 1 tablespoon olive oil (15ml) 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15ml) 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped (15ml) salt and pepper to taste |
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Place a colander over a bowl to catch liquid.
Slice the cucumbers crosswise and place in the colander Sprinkle with salt and let sit for at least 1 hour. This draws out the excess water from the cucumbers and keeps your salad crispy. Discard the water and pat the cucumbers dry.
In a bowl combine low-fat plain yogurt, olive oil and lemon juice. Chop and add some garlic and dill. Add mint, salt and pepper to taste and the cucumbers. Toss evenly to coat. Serve well chilled.
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Grilled Pineapple and Sugar Wontons
6 ¾ -inch-thick slices peeled and cored fresh pineapple, inside whole removed. (2cm thickness) 2 cups store made good quality vanilla ice cream |
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In a bowl combine maple syrup, vinegar, rum, lime juice, and mix to combine. Pour over the pineapple slices, reserving some of the mixture for basting. Turn the slices over with your fingers to make sure both sides are evenly coated. Let them marinate for a few minutes.
Line baking tray with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, slice wonton wrappers in half, creating a triangle. Place the triangles on tray and brush with melted butter. Turn over and brush the other side.
Prepare barbecue for direct grilling. Preheat grill to medium–high heat on the left side and medium heat on the right side. Oil the grill and add pineapple for about 2 – 3 minutes a side or until golden brown on the medium-high side. Baste them with the reserved marinade liquid. Turn the slices over and watch carefully they don’t burn. Continue to cook the pineapple until golden char marks are achieved on both sides. Remove from grill and keep warm.
For the wontons oil grill well and keep the heat at medium high. Place the wontons on the grill and cook for about 2 minutes a side or until puffed up and golden brown. Remove the wontons and sprinkle with sugar immediately,
To plate place pineapple slice on plate top with vanilla ice cream and scatter some sweet wontons as a garnish drizzle any remaining marinade on plate. Serve immediately.
Serves 6
ROBERT RAINFORD
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