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 BBQ
NEWS RECIPES
Peppered Veggie Side Made Easy
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| Photo courtesy of Kent Whitaker |
By Kent “The Deck Chef” Whitaker
thedeckchef@hotmail.com
Are you tired of the same grilled veggies during cookouts? How many times have you sliced up some veggies, tossed them in foil with a few pats of butter, salt and pepper and tossed them on the grill? There are just so many ways you can grill corn. Granted, there are other veggies that you can choose as a side but sometimes we just get in a rut.
One thing I have done a few times this summer is trying for different variations on the foil veggie pack. I know that foil packs are standard, and pretty basic, for grillers. That’s what makes them great; they are easy. And they don’t burn too much time. I love recipes like that, quick flavor with little effort.
Here are a few ways I showed a group of grillers that they could make the veggie pack something different. Of course I included the standard just in case someone there had missed it. That’s the one I talked about before… butter, salt and pepper.
Here are a few more. For a hot and spicy version I added sliced peppers of different heat levels. One packet had a spoonful of pepper jelly mixed in. Another one had olive oil and Italian seasoning mixed in and one had real bacon bits added in. I guess the whole point of this article is one of my main underlying themes. Look around the kitchen and see what you can do with a plain dish.
You never know what you may come up with. Some things may actually be pretty bad. But many times you will come up with something that you really enjoy. Ally and I love trying new recipes and messing with ones we have. It’s all part of cooking. See ya next time.
Grilled Scallops with Caramelized Rosemary Orange Slices
Fire Up The Grill
By Steve Collins
The Home Chef
stevec@thehomechef.net
www.thehomechef.net
About this time of summer, we start getting tired of the same old things we’ve been grilling. Here is a zesty switch-up. Try a bit of jalapeno pepper for added zip. This recipe will work with shrimp, too. Enjoy the lazy grilling days of summer!
4 oranges for slicing
1/4 cup. dark rum
Zest of two oranges (you can use the zest from two of the slicing oranges)
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
Juice of 2 oranges (reserve 2 Tbsp.)
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c. water
1 jalapeno chile, cut in 1/4-inch slices, optional
Remove the skin and membrane from each of the oranges. Reserve any juice. Cut the oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch slices; pick out seeds as necessary. Arrange overlapping slices in a shallow serving dish. Splash a little rum over the oranges and sprinkle them with the orange zest and minced rosemary. Set aside.
Place the sugar and the water in a small, heavy saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the syrup is pale amber. Swirl the pan gently and continue to cook until the liquid is medium to dark amber in color. Add the rum and orange juice and optional jalapeno slices. Cook until the texture is syrupy. Pour over the sliced oranges.
1 lb. sea scallops
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
2 Tbsp. orange juice (reserved earlier)
8 wooden skewers soaked for at least 30 minutes
Prepare a hot grill. Divide the scallops into four groups. Using two skewers, thread the first group of scallops onto skewers. Repeat until all the scallops are skewered. Mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary and orange juice. Generously brush the skewers with orange juice mixture. Place the skewers directly over the hottest part of the grill. Close the grill lid and cook for five minutes. Turn skewers and cook for five more minutes. Put skewers on a platter and cover them with the caramelized orange slices. Serves 2 to 3.
Grilled Lamb Chops with Lemon and Rosemary
Fire Up The Grill
By Steve Collins
The Home Chef
stevec@thehomechef.net
www.thehomechef.net
This recipe works well with busy summer schedules. The advance prep is simple. More importantly, because there are just a few ingredients, it is easy to do while on vacation or for a tailgating picnic at a music concert. This is a cinch to prepare, but the flavor is huge. Happy July 4th!
4 loin lamb chops, 1” thick
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
4 stems fresh rosemary, leaves removed & coarsely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lemon, sliced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
8 sprigs fresh rosemary
Rub lamb chops with olive oil and season them to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Put the lamb chops in a baking dish or in a recloseable plastic bag and cover them with rosemary, lemon juice and olive oil. Using tongs, toss them well so that all surfaces are covered. Cover the hops with the lemon slices and rosemary sprigs. Cover the dish or seal the bag and refrigerate until ready to cook. The chops can marinate for a couple of hours or overnight. Prepare a hot grill. Put the chops on the grill and place the rosemary sprigs on top of them. Close the grill lid and cook for three minutes. Set chops aside and put rosemary sprigs and lemon slices directly on hottest part of cooking surface. Put the chops on the lemons and rosemary sprigs, close the lid and cook for three more minutes. Remove chops from grill and let them sit for five minutes. Serve with rosemary grilled new potatoes and grilled asparagus or wilted spinach.
Ally’s Quick Creamy Salsa Dip
By Kent “The Deck Chef” Whitaker
thedeckchef@hotmail.com
Sometimes you just get plain tired of normal stuff. Dip can be pretty normal if it’s the afterthought to a menu. The other night we fired up the grill for a rushed cookout, the basics. Burgers, grilled veggies, small salad, some tortilla chips etc. We had very little time to plan ahead and literally grabbed what we had. It ended up being less than what we thought we had. We had no time left in the day and we were hungry!
The busy week left us with no time to go to the grocery store. Our quick menu was eventually reduced to only burgers and tortilla chips. The lettuce had wilted and the veggies had been used in another dish. Our grilled veggies were only grilled onions.
So, in a fit of desperate inspiration Ally had a great idea. “Let’s go modified Tex-Mex. You handle the burgers and I will do something with the chips.” I looked at her with a blank face wondering what she was planning for the chips. “Go make some burgers, go, go.” She said pushing me away from her side of our small kitchen.
My burgers were pretty simple since we are low on just about everything. A combination of lean ground beef and lean ground turkey with fajita seasoning, cilantro and minced jalapeno peppers. I peeked over my shoulder a few times to catch Ally grabbing jars of various items from the fridge and pantry. Before long she had a spoonful of something loaded on a chip and was heading my way as I was flipping burgers on the grill which I had loaded with some mesquite wood chunks.
“Taste this.” I looked over her loaded tortilla chip and had to ask. “What is it?” She pushed the chip towards me and repeated her statement, but a bit sweeter. “Oh, taste this big daddy!” I opened my mouth wide and she pushed in the chip. “Wow, that’s pretty good. What is it?” She smiled and pronounced it “Ally’s Creamy Black Bean Salsa Stuff.” Now to Ally and I the word “stuff” is our code for something we toss together when we have no idea what we are making. ?“Hey honey, let’s make a big pot of stuff for dinner. “Stuff” can be anything. And is rarely the same twice.
In this case the “stuff” was a very tasty dip that worked great with the chips as well as a topping for a spicy Tex-Mex burger with grilled onions. We ended up snacking on it the rest of the weekend.
Ally’s Creamy Black Bean Salsa Stuff
1 can black beans drained
1 small can whole kernel corn
1/1 cup chopped onion
1 cup store brand mild salsa
1 tablespoon chili powder or taco seasoning
Minced jalapeno peppers if desired
1/2 cup sour cream.
Mix and chill before serving. Ally used leftover roasted corn cut from a corn cob. For that flavor you can toast the corn if desired. We ended up adding a bit of lime juice later as well.
Grilled Shrimp with Nut Sauce
Fire Up The Grill
By Steve Collins
The Home Chef
stevec@thehomechef.net
www.thehomechef.net
There are some wonderful sauces that come from Mexico dating from before the arrival of the Spanish. Many are flavorful mixtures of ground nuts or pumpkin seeds, flavored with chiles resulting in some complex tastes. This recipe is a stepchild of that tradition, simplified to accommodate our busy life. Using almond butter and almond milk this is fairly quick to whip together. You can prepare the sauce in advance and warm it at serving time or it can be done quickly while the shrimp are resting after being grilled.
Nut Sauce
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
1 tsp. Ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. ancho chile dried and ground
1 tsp. chipotle chile, ground
? c. almond butter
? c. almond milk, unflavored
Shrimp
1 lb. of the largest shrimp you can afford, peeled and deveined
2 medium zucchini, cut into ?-inch by 4-inch planks
Juice of I lime
1 Tbsp. jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. butter
For sauce: Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and let it heat for a minute. Add the garlic, onion and jalapeno and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to be translucent. Add the cumin, oregano and chiles and cook for another two minutes. Add the almond butter and the almond milk and whisk to create a thin paste. Add more almond milk, if needed, to get a sauce consistency. Refrigerate until needed or serve immediately. (This sauce is great thick.)
Prepare a hot grill. Thread the shrimp, three or four to a skewer. Refrigerate them until ready to grill. Put the limejuice, jalapeno, garlic and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the butter melts. When the fire is ready brush the shrimp skewers and the zucchini slabs with the lime jalapeno butter basting mixture. Put the shrimp on the grill, directly over the fire and cook for three minutes. Flip and cook for three more minutes. Serve with heated sauce (or you can serve the sauce cold and use it as a dipping sauce. Serve with a salad and/or your favorite rice and beans.
Notes: If you can’t find ancho chile, use a good dried red chile. You should be able to find it in the International Foods aisle of most supermarkets.
If you would prefer to substitute other nut butters or nut milks, feel free.
I prefer black with this. If you want my black bean recipe, email me at stevec@thehomechef.net.
Meme’s Less Sugar Peanut Butter Pie
By Kent “The Deck Chef” Whitaker
thedeckchef@hotmail.com
It has been a crazy month. Book deadlines, working with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, writing, yard work, cleaning gutters, killing the weeds in the front yard… which means I have nothing green in my front yard. It has been busy. But, Ally and I did manage to head to my parents for a weekend that included some great barbecue and a visit with my brothers and nieces. And my mother in law even came for a visit.
Every family visit includes food. My brother and his wife love to cook and put me to shame on many levels when it comes to their specialties. My big brother knows the best places for food in town and is never short on an idea of where to get things ranging from barbeque to Mexican, Chinese and of course Southern style meat and threes. Ally’s sisters are masters of everything from chicken wings and deserts to huge pots of greens and my brother in law has mastered grilling huge pieces of pork. We do enjoy our family meals.
However, with Ally’s mom, better known as Meme, watching what she eats because of the “sugars,” some new considerations have been placed on what we can cook for her. It has been getting easier in many ways with the variety of salads, vegetables, lean meats and other better food choices that she has included in her diet. The one sticking point has been a good dessert. She has been craving a peanut butter pie. I was set on a mission. Come up with a better than usual, less sugar than normal peanut butter pie that actually tasted good.
While I do not claim that this recipe in any way healthy, or that it has been approved by any organization working with diabetics, I can say with honesty that I was able to use some common low sugar, or sugar free ingredients to make a pretty darned good pie that did not include a cup of powdered sugar. And with keeping with my whole mind set of making things as easy as possible I tried to use simple ingredients with not much prep time. Hope you enjoy it.
This recipe has been Meme approved, but not by any official health or diet organization.
Kent’s Peanut Butter Pie
(makes two regular size pies)
Read the labels. I was surprised about the differences on sugar, carbs and protein amounts between brands and even between regular and “diet” items especially when it came to peanut butter. Also, I tried using some water during the first round in place of some of the skim milk but the results were not good.
2 boxes of sugar free instant vanilla pudding
Sugar-free whipped topping
2-1/2 c. fat-free skim milk
1 pack fat-free cream cheese
3/4 c. low fat creamy peanut butter or diet
3-4 packs artificial sweetener
2 regular size frozen pie crusts (Optional)
Poke holes in the pie crusts and bake at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. In a bowl cream about three spoonfuls of whipped topping, peanut butter and cream cheese. Next add in the milk saving some in reserve. Next add the sweetener followed by the pudding mix. Beat with a mixer. Allow to begin to thicken. If the mix looks chunky add a bit of the remaining milk. Spoon the mix evenly into two baked and cooled pie shells or into two glass pie plates and then place in the fridge to firm up for about an hour or two. Serve topped with sugar free whipped cream and even some sugar free chocolate shavings if desired.
You can visit Kent online at www.thedeckchef.com for his latest books, info and more.
Tuscan Grilled Pork Chops
Fire Up The Grill
By Steve Collins
The Home Chef
stevec@thehomechef.net
www.thehomechef.net
May is National Barbecue Month. Maybe that’s because for many people, Memorial Day Weekend kicks off the summer grilling season. The foods of Northern Italy always make my mouth water. I’ve shared some of those flavors with you in this recipe. Mediterranean cuisine is proof that delicious food can be good for you. Serve this with a salad of fresh greens; it tastes great and it’s healthy, too.
4 loin pork chops about ? inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 TBS fresh basil leaves, sliced thinly
Marinade
3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic
2 c. extra virgin olive oil
Season the chops on both sides with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix all the marinade ingredients together. Put the pork chops in a one-gallon recloseable plastic bag with the marinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes (can be left overnight). Prepare the grill for a direct fire. When the grill is ready, put the chops on and grill for four minutes. Turn and grill for four more minutes on the other side. Internal temperature should be 160°..Serve on a bed of mixed greens dressed with balsamic vinaigrette or serve with potatoes or rice and a vegetable. Garnish with the fresh basil.
3 cups mixed greens
Balsamic Dressing
3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
Mix the vinegars, mustard and garlic. Whisk in the olive oil. Can be made the day before. Serves 4.
Super Fast, Easy Raspberry Sauce
By Kent “The Deck Chef” Whitaker
thedeckchef@hotmail.com
Sometimes you just have a hard week. Ally and I were pressed for time, we were running late, the projects we had started the last few weeks were dragging on. Work on the new book was in a writer’s block mode, and several events that we loved attending seemed to wear us out more than usual. Even with spring and summer coming on strong, we were in a cooking funk. We have been trying several recipes for the new Mississippi Hometown Cookbook and realized that we wanted something quick and easy for dinner. Nothing special, no fuss, just something easy that could cook away and let us take a deep breath.
The good news was that the day before I had bought a few chicken breasts and stuck them in the fridge. I had olive oil, a pre-mixed jerk seasoning, and a few minutes of daylight with my wife. Ally grabbed a few cold beverages from the fridge, we put on some of our favorite tunes, and we headed for the deck as the chicken soaked in some of the jerk rub. I waited about 30 minutes before I put the chicken on the grill. Before you knew it, Ally and I were looking over a few catalogs, talking about our day, and enjoying each other’s company.
The chicken was doing fine. I grilled it a bit for color, placed it in a foil pan, added some quick diced onion and green pepper, and sprinkled some more jerk seasoning on top, squeezed in some lemon, and covered it with foil while moving it to the coolest part of the grill. I then went back to Ally for some more relaxation. Eventually, we decided it was time for dinner. I headed in with the chicken while Ally picked up our items outside.
As I folded back the foil, I realized that while the chicken looked great, it could use something extra. I decided to raid the fridge and make a quick raspberry hot sauce. I figured I could get it done before Ally came in. I was close. Here is the recipe for a super fast sauce! It’s no substitute for using real raspberries, but it will do in a pinch.
The chicken prep was about five minutes. The sauce literally took five minutes to make or less. The only lengthy amount of time was the few minutes I let the chicken rest with the rub and when it was on the grill staying warm and covered keeping in moisture. Hope you enjoy.
Kent’s Super Fast Raspberry Hot Sauce
2/3 c. raspberry jelly
1/4 c. water
1-1/2 Tbsp. minced onion
1-1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2-3 Tbsp. chipotle hot sauce
1/2 Tbsp. melted butter
Dash of red wine vinegar
Parsley
In a small sauce pan, combine the jelly and the water. Heat until the jelly begins to melt. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir. Add a touch of water to thin as desired. Add additional hot sauce to your taste. Cayenne pepper hot sauce can be substituted but the flavor will not be the same. Stir until well mixed. Serve chicken cubed over a small bed of salad greens with sauce drizzled over the top or on the side.
You can visit Kent online at www.thedeckchef.com for his latest books, info and more.
Tandoor Style Chicken with Raita
Fire Up The Grill
By Steve Collins
The Home Chef
stevec@thehomechef.net
www.thehomechef.net
Tandoor cooking is a style of barbecue that comes from India. The marinade is a yogurt based curry. Typically they use whole pieces of cut-up chicken. Parallel cuts about one half inch apart are sliced into the chicken, not quite to the bone. This allows for the marinade (and later, the smoke) to penetrate the meat and makes for a delicious result. It can marinate for as little as two hours, but I prefer overnight. I cook it on the SmokerPro, but the recipe can be adapted for plank cooking as well. For plank cooking, the times are the same, but you will need to allow an hour to soak the plank in water. It is delicious accompanied by your favorite chutney and raita, which is a yogurt, cucumber and mint sauce. A recipe for raita is included below.
1 whole chicken, 3-4 lbs., skinned & in pieces
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. paprika
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 c. Yogurt
? c. Sour cream
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, finely minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. curry powder
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined, & coarsely chopped
Make deep cuts in several places in each chicken piece. Put the lemon juice, paprika, sea salt, pepper, yogurt, sour cream, ginger, curry powder, ginger, garlic, and jalapeno pepper in the blender and pulse to a paste. Cover the chicken generously with the paste and put it into a recloseable plastic bag. Refrigerate overnight. Prepare a hot fire in the grill. Put two cups of your favorite woodchips into the SmokerPro. When the fire is hot put the SmokerPro directly over the fire. Put the grill grate on and put the chicken on the grate directly over the SmokerPro. Close the lid and cook for 30 minutes. Internal meat temperature checked with an instant read thermometer should read 165?. Serve with raita and your favorite chutney.
If you are using planks, soak two planks. When the fire is hot, put the planks directly over the fire. Spread the chicken pieces on the planks.
Raita
If you want to add heat to the raita, roast and dice some your favorite pepper, such as habanero or serrano, and mix in to the raita.
1 c. yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled seeded diced to one quarter inch
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. mint, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Thoroughly blend all the ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serves 4.
Caraway Smoked Chicken Salad
By Kent “The Deck Chef” Whitaker
thedeckchef@hotmail.com
I needed a light spring dish with some smoked chicken. What could be easier than chicken salad? The problem was Ally and I had been invited to a dinner that was based on an Irish Food. It could be anything as long as it has some traditional Irish ingredients. Thankfully Ally and I have a neice in Ireland and decided to Skype her. Sadly, I am bad at getting Skype to work even though Ally and our son Mace say that it’s a piece of cake. In fact, my mother in law even knows how to do Skype.
Lacking that piece of technology I relied on email and facebook posts. Tiffany emailed me back that as long as we did something with any of the following ingredients we were ok. She said bacon, prawns, potatoes, cabbage, caraway and salt and pepper seemed to be in just about anything.
So Ally knocked out five pounds of red potatoes cubed, drizzled in olive oil and tossed in Rosemary and a few other ingredients and I went to work on the chicken salad. The caraway, just a pinch rubbed in my palm before adding, made a very hearty flavor. But don’t use too much or it may be over powering. I’m pleased to report that everything turned out great. Everyone loved the recipes and nobody made fun of the fact that my Irish beer of choice was actually Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Here is the recipe for Caraway Smoked Chicken Salad with Mary Rose Sauce.
Irish Chicken Salad & Mary Rose Sauce
2 c. cubed cooked & cooled smoked chicken
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
2 tsp. parsley
1/4 c. finely chopped shallot
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1 Granny Smith apple, fine chopped
2 stalks celery, fine chopped
1/2 c. carrots fine chopped
1 c. shredded red cabbage
1/3 c. mayo
1/4 c. crushed almonds
Salt and pepper
Smoke chicken cool and cube small. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl except for the chicken and toss to mix evenly. Stir in chicken, toss to coat evenly adding more mayo if desired. I prefer mine without extra mayo because of the addition of the Mary Rose Sauce. Toss, cover and chill for an hour. Serve on bread, crackers or even Irish Soda bread. The Mary Rose sauce should be served on the side. It can actually be left out as it is traditionally used for seafood. But it does make a neat addition and is perfect with this recipe if prawns or shrimp meat is used instead of chicken.
Mary Rose Sauce
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. ketchup
Caraway seed (SMALL Dash)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Combine, cover and chill for a few minutes before serving.
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