This Sunday is Father’s Day and a day to honor your dad. In the U.S. we celebrate it on the third Sunday in June, as do Japan, Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka. In Taiwan, Father’s Day is on August 8, the eighth day of the eighth month. In Mandarin Chinese, the pronunciation of the number eight is “ba” and is very similar to the character “ba” which means “pa” or “dad” or “baba.” (August 8 is my granddaughter’s birthday. She looks like her dad. Is that a coincidence?) In some European countries, it is celebrated on March 19 and is called Saint Joseph’s Day. Sikhs celebrate Father’s Day on December 29, which is the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh. In Indonesia, Father’s Day in on November 12.
In Estonia, Samoa, and South Korea, Parent’s Day is a national holiday and is celebrated on May 8.
In Thailand, Father’s Day is on December 5, the birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej or Rama IX. Thais wear yellow on this day to show respect for the late king, because yellow is the color of the day for Monday, the day King Bhumibol Adulyadej was born. We visited Thailand several times when King Bhumibol Adulyadej ruled the country. He was a wonderful king who really took care of his people. There are many fresh produce stores all around Thailand that he created to give his people a living.
Are you smoking the meat for this special day? Here are some guidelines on the type of wood to use.
Alder provides a subtle, all-purpose smoke flavor great for white fish, vegetables, chicken and pork. It also works well in combination with other woods.
Maple is subtle, and its sweet smoke is perfect for chicken and pork.
Apple creates a lightly sweet smoke that works well with all meat, and is especially great for pork and poultry.
Wild cherry imparts a sweet, fruity smoke flavor perfect for chicken, vegetables and fruit.
Oak is an all-purpose smoking chip with a stronger flavor than fruit woods, but not as strong as hickory or mesquite. Oak is great to blend with other woods.
Hickory is strong, smokey and perfect for beef, wild game, bacon and lamb.
Mesquite is bold and best blended with a milder smoking chip. It pairs well with beef and is the choice for Texas brisket.
We want to keep dad healthy, and chicken breasts are a good choice, but it often turns out dry. Here are some tricks for a juicy grilled chicken breast dinner for dad.
• When grilling, add mustard, rosemary, or caper to mayonnaise then brush the breasts with mayonnaise to distribute flavors and keep the meat from becoming dry.
• Brining is a great method of keeping the chicken breast moist. As salt enters the meat cells, it alters the structure of the muscle fibers and proteins, swelling their water-holding capacity. It also draws in the brine’s flavors, seasoning the meat from the inside out. Chicken breasts need only 20 minutes in brine, otherwise they will become too salty. To 4 cups of water, add 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and heat to dissolve the salt and sugar. Cool and then add the chicken breasts. You can add a couple cloves of garlic for added flavor.
Here’s a Mexican inspired recipe for grilled chicken breasts that might please your dad on his special day.
Grilled Chipotle Chicken Breasts with Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa
Serves 6
Place in blender:
Half of a 7-ounce can of chipotle in adobo sauce (3-1/2 ounces)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 large jalapeno, seeded and chopped (reserve rest for salsa)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice from 4 limes
Kosher salt
Puree, then place in large bowl.
Whisk in:
2 cups mayonnaise, more if too hot
Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture for serving.
Add to mayonnaise mixture:
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
Prepare a medium-high (400 degrees to 475 degrees) gas or charcoal grill fire.
Place in a strainer and allow the liquids to drain from:
2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice
Meanwhile, brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil:
2 medium ears corn, husked
Place on grill, turning occasionally, until the kernels are charred in places and crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Let cool briefly and then cut the kernels from the cob.
Transfer the corn to a medium bowl, and gently toss with the tomatoes and:
1-15.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2/3 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few whole fresh leaves for garnish
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Garnish the tomatoes and corn with the cilantro leaves.
Remove the chicken from the mayonnaise mixture, leaving a light coating on it.
Grill the chicken without moving it until grill marks form, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip and grill until just cooked through (160 degrees), another 4 to 6 minutes.
Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes.
Thinly slice the chicken and serve with the salsa, reserved chipotle mayonnaise and lime wedges.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads!