Slow Roasted Tomato Pasta with Grilled Salmon

About this time last year, Cathy at Wives with Knives, shared a recipe for slow roasted tomatoes that she had found in her local newspaper. She mentioned that it was so good that it was now her favorite oven-roasted tomato recipe. I saved the recipe but didn't have a good tomato crop last year.

This year, I have a bumper crop of Chocolate Cherry tomatoes! I knew I needed to do something other than serving them in salads since they are ripening in abundance!

They are the most prolific tomato that I have ever grown and they are bigger than the average cherry tomato and so delicious. I'm not absolutely certain about the name because I bought them last year at the farmers' market, saved the seed from one of the tomatoes, and started plants from that seed early this spring. (I'll be sharing my method of saving seed in a post tomorrow).  Following Cathy's recipe, I halved the tomatoes, but didn't bother scooping out the seeds as she did, because it would have been very labor intensive with small-size  tomatoes.

The tomato halves are tossed with a little sugar and salt and placed cut-side-down on a cookie sheet.  Garlic and onion are sauteed and sprinkled over the tomatoes along with freshly cut basil.  Then, a generous amount of olive oil is added and then the tomatoes are roasted for two to three hours.  I only roasted mine for two hours as they were small.

Two hours later, the lovelies were done.  The skins slipped off so easily after they cooled.  I strained the tomatoes and saved the roasted tomato-onion-basil oil for another use. Cathy suggests using it as a dipping oil for baguettes.  I'm trying that tonight!

The slow-roasted tomatoes made a delicious sauce for the fettucini that I served alongside grilled salmon for our dinner tonight. Oh my goodness, these slow roasted tomatoes are so tasty! I can't wait to harvest enough to make another batch of slow roasted tomatoes for the freezer! The roasted tomatoes would also make a delicious condiment for the grilled salmon.

Your can find the recipe for these delicious slow-roasted tomatoes along with Cathy's tips and suggestions at Wives with Knives here.  Enjoy!

This is my family's favorite recipe for grilled salmon

Grilled Salmon with Garlic Butter
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

4 tablespoons (½ stick) of butter
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp Lawry’s seasoning salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp Mrs. Dash Original blend seasoning
Juice of one lemon, strained

1 large, skinless salmon fillet (about 2 pounds) cut into 4 individual portions

Preheat a cast-iron grill or fish grate on an outdoor grill over medium heat. (I prefer to use a cast-iron grill because the skin gets beautifully crispy).

Stir first 4 ingredients together in a small saucepan and cook on stove until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Spray the pre-heated grill pan or grate with nonstick cooking spray and grill the salmon filets for 3-4 minutes, until nicely browned, then turn over with large spatula and grill another 3-4 minutes.

Remove the filets carefully with the spatula and place on a serving platter. Spoon the garlic butter over the filets. Tent the platter loosely with a large piece of aluminum foil and allow to rest for 5-7 minutes before serving.

Chipotle Pork Cheeseburgers

It's funny how recipes come your way sometimes.  Last week I was working with a friend and he was telling me that his daughter was home for a couple of weeks from school and doing some cooking for he and his wife.  He was raving about the pork and Muenster cheeseburgers that she had made the night before and how the pork was mixed with chipotle, grilled with melted Muenster cheese and served with avocado and tomatillo slices.  Pork cheeseburgers???

But, due to his exuberance about the recipe, I assumed my husband would also like them and immediately got on the computer and did a quick search for the recipe and made them this week.

My friend was absolutely right - they are wonderful!  A great change from the usual beef burgers on the grill with a surprising smokey-spicy flavor.  The mayo and avocado add just enough creaminess to balance the heat of the chipotles and the sliced tomatillo added a wonderful, cool crunch. I didn't add the cilantro garnish - just a personal preference. I added more chipotles than the original recipe called for and even added a little adobo sauce to the mayonnaise.

Chipotle-Cheese Pork Burgers

Adapted from Gourmet

Photo Credit Gourmet.com

Printable Recipe

Serves 2-4 depending on the size you make the burgers and the appetites of those your are serving. I prefer 1/3 pound per person.

1 pound regular ground pork (not extra lean)
3 teaspoons minced chipotle pepper in adobo* plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce (this is more than the original recipe calls for)
2 garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-4 slices Muenster cheese
2-4 hamburger buns, toasted

Garnish:

1/4 cup mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon adobe sauce added
1 large tomatillo (1/4 pound), husked and rinsed, then sliced thin
1/2 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preheat a outdoor grill or grill pan on the stovetop to medium heat. In a medium bowl, add the ground pork, diced chipotles and adobe sauce, minced garlic, and salt and gently mix together just until combined. Form into patties.

Oil grill rack or pan and grill patties, covered, 4-5 minutes. Flip patties over and grill another 4-5 minutes. Top with a slice of cheese and grill just until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes more and remove to a plate.

Spread buns with mayonnaise and assemble burgers with tomatillo, avocado, and cilantro (optional).

Chipotles in Adobo sauce can be found in the Hispanic aisle of your grocery store near the other chili peppers. They have a wonderful, smoky-tangy flavor.

Grilled and Glazed Carrots

I can't believe it's less than a week to August!  While the weather permits, I've been trying to get in as much 'grill time' as I can and tonight was no exception.

Today, I visited our local Farmers' Market and found some beautiful carrots and fresh tomatoes as I am still waiting for my own tomatoes to ripen. 

I decided to try a recipe for Orange-Glazed Carrots that I had found in Weber's Way to Grill which had caught my eye while I was researching recipes for our gourmet group earlier this month. This James Beard award-nominated book is full of wonderful grilled meats and veggies! To round out the menu were boneless chicken thighs, seasoned with fresh herbs from my garden, rolled, tied and basted with my favorite store-bought BBQ sauce.

Everything was delicious but the carrots were the star of the show!  I love my veggies and after reading at article in today's paper about fruits, veggies and eye health, I'm going to keep loving them!

Speaking of orange...did anyone else see the beautiful full moon last night?

My husband and I drove to the lakefront and watched the full moon rise over Lake Michigan. Judging from the many boats we saw on the water, many decided to take in the show from an even better vantage point.

Grilled and Glazed Carrots
Adapted from Weber's Way To Grill
Printable Recipe

Makes 4 to 6 servings (I halved this recipe for my husband and myself)

Note: I have reduced the amount of sodium from the original recipe

1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
12 small to medium organic carrots. about 6 inches long and 1 inch wide
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Prepare a large bowl with ice and fill with water and have the ice bath ready.

Fill a large sauce pan with water and bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and add the carrots. Cook until crisp-tender, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the carrots and plunge into the ice bath to cool. Remove the carrots and drain.

Light the grill and preheat to medium.

In a bowl, combine the melted butter, honey, orange zest, vinegar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add the carrots and toss to coat evenly.

Remove the carrots and allowing the excess butter mixture to drip away. Grill the carrots, with the lid closed, until lightly caramelized, 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally. Return the carrots to the bowl with the butter mixture and toss to coat. Place on a serving plate, drizzle with any remaining butter mixture. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.

Grilled Rack of Veal

Another Goumet Group recipe winner!  This grilled rack of veal was the main course of the dinner party we recently hosted.  We always host our group in the summer and we usually choose something on the grill.  We love to make the most of our short summer season and there is nothing like dining al fresco on a warm, starry night.

This year, I wanted to serve something different. We've done many various on the steak before. After previewing all the new grilling cookbooks, I found a recipe in Serious BBQ by Adam Perry Lang that really caught my eye called "Very French Rack of Veal".  I knew that veal would be expensive and I also knew that I wanted to be serve humanely treated veal.  I was so happy to find that my local meat market only sells Strauss Veal which is humanely raised.

I did my due-diligence and searched the internet for rack of veal recipes to make sure we would cook it for the right amount of time.  We didn't want to make a mistake with an expensive cut of meat.  That lead me to this video.  I actually combined parts of both recipes in my final adaptation.  One thing that is absolutely necessary for this recipe is a digital thermometer with an alarm.  The veal was done to a perfect temperature.  The seasoning paste, glaze and finishing dressing make this an outstanding recipe!

Soooo, how much veal would I need for 10 people?  Exactly two, 6-bone racks of veal in order to get the best price and a healthy portion of leftovers for me and hubby since we knew we'd be too tired to cook for the next couple of days. If you look at the grill photo at the top, you will see the two racks of veal standing up side-by-side with the Frenched rib bones interlocked as they started cooking on our gas grill.

The end result was superb!  Tender, delicious veal with so much flavor that I will most definitely make this again for a special occasion.

Grilled Rack of Veal

Adapted from both Serious BBQ by Adam Perry Lang and this video by Barbecues Galore
Printable Recipe

Serves 10

Two 5-bone racks of veal, bones Frenched and the racks tied, each about 4-1/2 to 5 pounds
Several large onions, quartered.

Seasoning Paste:

1 tablespoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons boiling water
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup thinly sliced garlic
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
2 tablespoons sage, cut in chiffonade
2 tablespoons coarsely ground fresh black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic salt

Glaze:

1/2 cup honey
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Finishing Dressing:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, halved, and seeds removed
¼ cup finely chopped chives
¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Fleur de sel
Finely ground fresh black pepper

1. Place the pepper flakes in a small bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes to rehydrate the flakes. Combine all of the seasoning paste ingredients, including the pepper flakes and the soaking water.

Lay out a triple layer of plastic wrap that will be large enough to completely wrap one of the racks.

Place the first rack on the plastic and rub half of the seasoning blend on all sides of the meat. Wrap completely in the plastic wrap. Lay out a triple layer of plastic wrap and repeat with the second rack and the remaining seasoning paste. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or up to 8. Take the racks out of the refrigerator at least one hour before cooking time.

2. Place the glaze ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine. Set aside.

3. Prepare the roasting pan. Place a rack inside a shallow roasting pan. Place the quartered onions along the sides of the roasting pan outside the rack and then fill the pan with water up to the bottom of the rack so that the water will not touch the meat.

4. Unwrap the racks of veal and place in the prepared roasting pan bottom-sides facing each other with the rib bones upward, standing them up much as possible. Interlock the rib bones so that the roast will cook uniformly. Place a digital, remote temperature probe inside the thickest part of the meat in one of the veal racks, being careful not to touch the bones. Set the alarm to go off at 125 degrees.

5. Preheat the gas grill to 450 degrees and place the roasting pan with the racks of veal inside the grill along with a box of hickory hardwood chips and close the lid. Allow to cook for 10 minutes. Then, turn off the two center burners and reduce the heat to 300 and continue to cook with the lid closed until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees (in about 1 to 1-1/2 hours)

6. Remove the racks from the grill keeping the temperature probe in one of the veal racks (you don't want the juices running out!). Increase the temperature to 350 degrees. Give the glaze a shake to reincorporate any ingredients that may have settled.

7. Place directly on the grill and baste with the glaze. Cook until the racks reach desired doneness, turning over and basting again once. Be careful that the glaze does not make the grill flare up, having a spray bottle of water to put of the flames if it does. Take off the grill when the meat reaches 140 degrees.

8. Place the meat onto a shallow baking pan and cover loosely with foil. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes, then carve parallel to the bones into chops. Place the meat onto a serving platter and drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice finishing dressing and sprinkle the chives, parsley, fleur de sel, and pepper over the top, tossing lightly, if necessary. Season with fleur de sel and pepper.

Brats on the Grill for Father's Day~

A favorite of many dads that you will find on grills and cookouts throughout Milwaukee and Wisconsin today for Father's Day today is the bratwurst.

Quoting from Wikipedia:

The Bratwurst was popularized in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin in the 1920s. In general, each local butcher shop would take orders and hand make bratwurst fresh to be picked up on a particular day. The fat content of the sausages was substantial, making this necessary to avoid spoilage. Much of the fat was removed during the cooking over charcoal. Usually one kept a pan of cold water handy to the grill, so it was easy to dip one's fingers in and fling the water onto the flames caused by the burning of the excess fat.

Though originally brought to North America by German immigrants, it is a common sight at summer cookouts, right alongside the famous hot dog.

To read more about the bratwurst's history and tradition in Wisconsin click here. Just to give you an idea how popular bratwurst are in Wisconsin (due to the Founding Fathers' German heritage) we have several large manufacturers such as Johnsonville, Klements, and Usingers.  Also, every good local meat market makes there own special recipe for bratwurst.

Since brats are a fairly fatty sausage, I like to pre-boil them for about 30 minutes in a pot of beer and onions before putting them on the grill.  This gets much of the fat out and reduces flare-ups when they are grilled.  The beer and onions also give them a great taste.  (Most brats are made from pork but you can also find them made of beef.)

I boil them in the morning and then let them stay in the liquid, refrigerated, until it's time to put them on the grill.  They only need about 15 minutes on the grill to brown on all sides.

Placed on a bed of caramelized onions with a little hearty mustard on a pretzel bun...it doesn't get much better than this for a summertime treat!  Some corn on the cob, fresh tomatoes with EVOO, balsamic and fresh basil not to mention the first harvested peas from my garden round out the meal.  I love this time of year!

I hope whatever you are doing today on Father's Day you have a wonderful day!

Grilled Chicken and Pesto Pizza

Here is another recipe which showcaes the Whole Wheat Bread with Olive Oil recipe for from the book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Zoe Francois and Jeff Hertzberg. The Pesto Pizza with Grilled Chicken on the Gas Grill.  Not only is it fun to be grilling outdoors on a nice, June day, but this recipe also tasted wonderful!

This was yet another reason why I'm so happy I planted lots of herbs in my garden and in containers this spring.  I was able to make the pesto for this recipe by walking outside and grabbing handfuls of fresh basil to make my pesto.  This year, I'm growing three different types of basil...mostly the usual large-leaved basilicum but also the new Pesto Perpetuo that I had read so much about earlier this year and also the petite Pistou basil.

The pesto recipe in the book calls for the typical pesto ingredients, fresh basil leaves, olive oil, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, Sald and Pepper and blended in a food processor into a sauce.  I used only 3/4 of the olive oil called for in the recipe and a little more Parm.  Chicken thighs are first grilled and then shredded or chopped.  I found boneless chicken thighs at my grocer which made them must easier to cut afterward.

The whole wheat olive oil dough is first patted and rolled out to the desired pizza dough thickness, about 1/8 inch. I used the back of a cookie sheet dusted with lots of flour to form my pizza so I could easily slide it onto the hot stone on the preheated 500 degree grill.  Doesn't that beautiful green pesto look wonderful?  I topped the pizza with even more freshly grated Parmesan.

Unfortunately, even the best preparations go awry.  When I tried sliding the pizza onto the hot stone, it still stuck to the cookie sheet.  Next time, I will use even more flour!  Even though it didn't slide off in a perfect circle, it still made it intact with the help of a very large spatula and the dough started bubbling up on the hot stone right away.

Another snafu was, even though the top of the pizza looked perfectly done,  I should have watched the bottom of the crust more carefully, because it burned in the center. Since this was the first time I have ever made pizza on the grill, it was a learning experience and now I feel ready to made the perfect grilled pizza next time! 

Nonetheless, this was a delicious-tasting pizza and crust and I will most certainly be making it again and again this summer!

 

100% White Whole Wheat Bread with Olive Oil

This is half of original recipe
Adapted from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day

3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (or use whole wheat flour)
3/4 T yeast (I used active dry yeast)
3/4 T fine sea salt (original recipe used kosher salt, which I didn't have. I increased the salt a little.)
2 T vital wheat gluten
1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1/4 cup olive oil

In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer if you have one) mix together the flour, yeast, salt, and vital wheat gluten. Then, using the low speed of mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large spoon) mix in the olive oil and water, until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. (The book says use wet hands to mix in all the flour if necessary if you don't have a stand mixer.)

Cover the dough (not air tight) and let sit at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses or flattens out on top (about two hours.) Then you can use the dough right away, or for easier handling, refrigerate for a few hours or as long as ten days.

To prepare dough to bake, sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour, then remove a grapefruit sized piece of dough. Sprinkle with flour again, shape the dough into a ball by folding the sides under and stretching the top to a smooth surface. You can leave it as a ball or make more of a loaf shape like I did. Put dough on a pizza peel, parchment paper, or cookie sheet to rest. (I was supposed to cover it loosely, but I missed that part of the instructions!)

To bake the bread you need a pizza stone or baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat, plus another metal baking dish to pour the water used to make steam. (The steam crisps the surface of the bread. You can put the metal dish anywhere that it won't interfere with the bread rising, and in a regular oven I'd put it on a rack under the bread.) The dough needs to rest for 90 minutes, but after 60 minutes, begin preheating the oven to 450F/230C (and heat pizza stone if you have one. I didn't have one so I heated the baking sheet.)

After dough has rested for almost 90 minutes, use a pastry brush to brush the surface with water, then using a serrated knife, cut parallel slashes into the surface of the bread. Then slide the bread (and parchment paper if using) on to the hot pizza stone or baking sheet, and immediately pour 1 cup hot water into the other baking dish and shut the oven door. (My baking dish would only hold 3/4 cup water, but it seemed to work.) Bake bread for 30-35 minutes, or until firm and nicely browned. If you're baking on parchment paper or silicone mat, remove them after 20 minutes so the bottom of the bread will brown. (I baked the loaf in the photos for exactly 30 minutes and it was perfectly done and even a tiny bit overly brown.)

To Make the Pesto and Chicken Pizza

4 Garlic Cloves
2 cups basil leaves
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 ounces grated parmigiana cheese
1 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 or 4 chicken thighs, brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper

Process the garlic, basil leaves, pine nuts, cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor until a paste is formed.

On a preheated grill, grill the chicken thighs until cooked through.  Allow to cool and shred the meat, discarding the bones.

Place a pizza stone on the grill and allow to heat to about 500 degrees.  

Remove a grapefruit size portion of the refrigerated whole wheat dough recipe above. Directly on a pizza peel dusted with flour or on a piece of floured parchment paper over a flat baking sheet, dust with additional flour and press or roll into a 1/8 inch thick round, making sure there is enough flour to easily slide the pizza off.  

Thinly coat the dough with the pesto and then spread the chicken pieces over that. 

Slide the pizza directly onto the heated pizza stone on the grill - you may need a few shakes or a bench scraper to help remove the pizza.

Check the pizza in 3 minute increments to check for doneness, rotating the pizza, if necessary with a large spatula.  Keep the lid closed whenever possible.  The whole grilling time will be 10 minutes or less. 

Remove from the grill, slice and enjoy!

An Inspired Antipasto Salad

It's interesting how ideas come together for a meal.

We had a huge dinner last night at our favorite Serbian restaurant called Three Brothers with a group of friends.  I ate a delicious Serbian salad and also shared spinach burek for the firest course, had a combination plate of stuffed grape leaves, Sarma with pickled cabbage, Chevapchichi and apple strudel for dessert - oh my happy but aching tummy! Today, I knew that dinner would have to be early and on the lighter side but the taste of those wonderful Serbian Chevapchichi sausages still lingered in my mind and on my taste buds.

This morning, I was looking at an email of the weekly specials from my favorite grocery store and saw that their homemade Italian sausages with provolone, parsley and peppers were on sale...which made me think that they could be mighty tasty in an antipasto salad and also satisfy my continued craving for the Chevapchichi I had last night.

After looking over several antipasto salad recipes, I combined the parts that I liked best from each and came up with my own version of antipasto salad.

Even though it was chilly and rainy outside, it was the perfect end to my weekend!


Antipasto Salad 
Loosely Adapted from Food and Wine and Giada deLaurentis
Printable Recipe

Serves 2 for a main course salad or 4 as a starter salad

1 small head of romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 small head of Boston lettuce (or the lettuces or your choice), same prep as above
1 can of cannelini beans, rinsed and drained on paper toweling
4 Italian sausages with provolone and peppers, grilled, cooled and sliced on the diagonal (or any Italian cured deli meat such as salami cut into bite-sized pieces)
4-6 ounces of Provolone cheese, cubed
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe below

Red Wine Vinaigrette

¼ cup good red wine vinegar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 heaping teaspoon chopped shallot
Pinch of dried red pepper flakes
Pinch of dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Mix the vinegar, honey, shallot, red pepper flakes and oregano and whisk. Gradually blend in the oil until emulsified. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper, to taste.

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl, add enough red wine vinaigrette to coat lightly, toss and serve.

Enjoy!

Grilled, Stuffed Chicken Thighs, Mario-Style

Chicken breasts are wonderful and delicious recipes abound, but, I have a confession. My true love is dark meat. Now that boneless, skinless chicken thighs are readily available, I am one happy chickie. But how to prepare these little boneless, skinless gems of chicken thigh?

I pulled out all of my favorite cookbooks one after another and couldn't find any boneless chicken thigh recipes until I came to Italian Grill by Mario Batali. Thank you, Mario!

 

The recipe includes a combination of bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, anchovies and olive oil mixed together to coat the chicken thighs. The ingredients sounded wonderful. The big problem was that the mixture just wouldn't not stick to the chicken thighs. The skinless meat was just too slick to hold on to the coating. My solution? Whatever wouldn't stick to the outside, I stuffed on the inside! 

Mario's recipe suggests grilling them on an outdoor grill but it was just too cold here so I used my cast iron grill pan instead.



They were so delicious! Serve with your favorite side dishes and you will be chick yourself.

Mario's Grilled Chicken Thighs 

Recipe Adapted from Italian Grill by Mario Batali
Printable Recipe

Serves 4

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1-1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons anchovy paste*
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced

Combine the bread crumbs, olive oil, anchovy paste, parsley and garlic in a food processor and process until nicely chopped and well-combined.

Heat grill (or preheat a cast iron grill pan over medium heat on the stove) to medium high.

On a work surface, unfold the chicken thighs and place about 3 tablespoons of the bread crumb mixture on each thigh. Roll them up tightly and secure with kitchen string. Any remaining bread crumb mixture can be patted onto the outside of the chicken.

Brush the grill pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and arrange the thighs 'presentation side' down first on the pan. Cover the grill pan loosely with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes before turning. Turn and cook the other side for an additional 15-20 minutes until fully cooked.

Cut off kitchen string, serve and enjoy!

*The original recipe calls for anchovy filets.

Grilled Potatoes with Red Wine Mustard Vinaigrette - Ode to a Tuber - Part Nine!

Sunday night, I made a delightful scallop dish that I talked about in this post. As part of that meal, I also made a new recipe for red potatoes from the same Mario Batali cookbook. It was such a good recipe, I thought it deserved a special post. I would guess that roasting them in the oven would also work as long as you can achieve the same crusty, brown surface.

Small potatoes are parboiled and cut into 1 inch slices. Then, they are tossed with extra-virgin olive oil, scallions or chives, and celery seeds and thread onto skewers.

Grilled until they are a delightful golden brown...


...they are then tossed again in a delicious vinaigrette mixture with Dijon mustard, olive oil, more scallions or chives and red wine vinegar. Delicious and a two tubers up rating from DH!


Thank you, Mario!

The recipe~

Grilled Potatoes with Red Wine/Dijon Vinaigrette

Adapted from Mario Batali's Italian Grill
Printable Recipe

Serves 6

2 pounds small potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or other small, firm potatoes (mine were medium-sized reds)
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon celery seeds
6 scallions, thinly sliced (or substitute chives as I did)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup premium red wine vinegar such as Cabernet or Chianti
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

If you are going to use wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the whole, unpeeled potatoes and cook for 6-10 minutes, depending on the size of the potato you are using. Mine needed 11 minutes. You only want them partially cooked. Drain and let cool until easy to handle.

While the potatoes cook, preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium to low.

Cut the potatoes into 3 or 4 slices each, approximately 1 inch thick. Combine 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the celery seeds, and one-third of the scallions or chives in a large bowl. Add the sliced potatoes and turn very gently to coat.

Thread the potatoes onto skewers. Place the skewers on the grill and cook, turning occasionally so as not to burn, until the potatoes are browned and tender, approximately 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

While the potatoes are grilling, in a large bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, vinegar, the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil, the remaining scallions or chives, and salt and pepper to taste. Slide the grilled potatoes off of the skewers into the mixture and toss gently to coat.

Serve immediately (trying not to eat them all yourself!)

Scallops alla Caprese ~

Since I have an abundance of beautiful red tomatoes in my garden right now, I decided to prepare grilled sea scallops with caprese-style tomatoes.

I also grilled some lovely red potatoes :)st! They were wonderful!

The pure white scallops soon became...

beautifully charred on the grill...

...and were tossed with tomatoes, basil and grilled onions for a wonderful, low-calorie dish.

Scallops alla Caprese
Recipe adapted from Mario Batali's Italian Grill
Printable Recipe

Serves 6 (I halved the recipe for my husband and myself)

2 pounds tomatoes, fresh from the garden or Farmers' Market would be ideal
24 fresh basil leaves
3 medium red onions, cut into 1 inch slices
Kosher salt and black pepper, freshly ground
5-6 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
About 2 pounds of sea scallops
Fleur de Sel or Sea Salt
1 lemon, halved

Preheat the grill. Place a flat griddle or grill pan (Mario uses a granite 'piastra') on the grill to preheat.

Slice the tomatoes attractively, leaving the very small ones whole or halved and arrange them on a platter. Tear the basil leaves into strips and sprinkle over the tomatoes. Set aside.

Season the onion slices with salt and pepper and place them on the hot, dry griddle and cook without moving for 7 to 10 minutes or well charred on the first side. Using tongs, carefully turn the slices over and cook for 7 to 10 minutes on the other side. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly, then separate the onion slices into rings and scatter them over the tomatoes and basil. Drizzle the platter with 3-4 tablespoons of the olive oil.

While the onions cook, carve a checkerboard pattern about 1/4 inch deep into one side of each scallop. place the scallops in a bowl and season on both sides with salt and pepper, then toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and gentle stir to coat them.

Place the scallops on the dry, clean griddle, design side down, and cook for 5-7 minutes, without moving, until almost cooked. They should be opaque almost throughout. Flip them over and sear for about 30 seconds and remove from the grill. Arrange them over the tomato and onion salad.

Squeeze the juice from the lemon halves over the scallops and tomatoes, sprinkle with Fleur de Sel, and serve.

Grilled Tuscan Game Hens

Recently, I enjoyed a butterflied game hen at a restaurant and knew it would be high on my list of things to try at home and went to work to find a recipe.  The game hens are first butterflied so they can be cooked more evenly on the grill. This would also work for an oven preparation but it's the middle of summer and peak grilling time! You could serve with this with a side of rice or potatoes but my husband and I were happy with just a side of fresh yellow beans from my garden.

I wasn't organized far enough in advance to marinade them as long as the recipe indicates and they were still very flavorful. This was the first time I've tried to butterfly poultry and it was not difficult at all but you will need a good kitchen shears and a sharp knife. I liked the how the drumsticks are tucked into a little slit in the skin to hold them in place. It made grilling so much easier and it looks nice on the plate.

Tuscan Cornish Hens

Adapted from The Canadian Living Test Kitchen
Servings 4
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (75 mL) Lemon juice
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) Extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) Chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp (10 mL) Fennel seeds, crushed
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) Each salt and pepper
(I also added a little Sarah's Mediterranean Sea Salt which has lavender in it)
• 4 Cornish hens (about 4 lb/2 kg) - Butterflied, See Instructions

Preparation

In shallow glass dish, whisk together lemon juice, oil, garlic, rosemary, fennel, salt and pepper; set aside.

Using scissors, cut hens down each side of backbone; remove backbone. Turn, breast side up. Press firmly on breastbone to flatten; tuck wings behind back. Add to dish, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate, turning occasionally, for up to 24 hours.)

Place hens, skin side down, on greased grill over medium heat; close lid and cook for 15 minutes. Turn and cook for about 20 minutes longer or until juices run clear when thigh is pierced.

Transfer to cutting board; tent with foil and let stand for 10 minutes.

How to Butterfly (Spatchcock) a Cornish Hen or Chicken:

1. Remove any excess fat inside the body cavities of the game hens or chicken, rinse under cold running water, drain and blot dry with paper toweling. One a cutting board, please the hen breast side down and, with a poultry shears, cut through the entire bird on both sides of the backbone from tail to head end and remove.

2. Open the bird by gently pulling the halves apart and, using a paring knife, cut of the breastbone on the inside of the bird. Run your thumbs along and under the sides of the breastbone and attached cartilage and pop them out.

3. Turn the hen over and, with a sharp knife, make a slit in the skin between the lower end of the breastbone and the leg, on each side, approximately 1/2 inch wide for a game hen and 1 inch wide for a chicken. Stick the end of the drumstick on that side through the slit. This will keep the bird together better during grilling and makes a nice presentation.

Grilled Chicken Salmoriglio

I found a recipe for chicken in a lemon sauce that sounded so intriguing...not only because of the sauce ingredients but also because of the method of preparing the dish. It's from a blog called The Italian Chef.

The chicken pieces are first grilled and then transferred to a large saute pan and finished in a lemon sauce.



I used the side burner on the grill, which made it very easy transferring the chicken pieces from the grill into the saute pan.



This chicken and a simple salad made for a wonderful meal with little fuss. My husband even commented on how delicious the chicken tasted. Now that's a successful recipe ;)

I think this would make a great Father's Day entree!

Grilled Chicken with Salmoriglio Sauce

Adapted from The Italian Chef
Printable Recipe

Serves 4

3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Mediterranean seasoning (or oregano or thyme)
1/2 cup light olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon and 2 limes (because that's what I had on hand but it tasted great!)
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
3 1/2 to 4 pounds chicken pieces

Pre-heat the grill.

Meanwhile, combine olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Mediterranean seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl and blend.

Season chicken with salt & pepper and cook on a medium-hot grill turning occasionally for about 25-30 minutes.

If you have a side burner on your grill, heat the side burner with a large saute pan. When the chicken is done grilling, transfer the pieces to the heated saute pan and pour the Salmoriglio sauce over the chicken. Turn the pieces in the pan frequently, for about 5 minutes. This step can also be done on your stove indoors. Place on a large platter and drizzle the sauce over the chicken to serve.

Crosshatch Hot Dogs from Food and Wine

In our family, and among our friends, there's a lot of grilling going on in the summer months.


Given the German heritage of Milwaukee, the sausage is is very much a part of our city's culture. Have you ever watched a Brewers game to see the sausages (people dressed in various sausage costumes) race around the bases? We have several wonderful sausage companies in or near Milwaukee Usingers, Klements and Johnsonville (best known for their brats). Here is a little hot dog history if you are interested.

When I saw this recipe for Crosshatch Hot dogs on Food and Wine, I almost couldn't believe my eyes! A hot dog recipe with complex flavors and topped with a tangy, spicy slaw and served on a toasted croissant with Dijon butter? Oh my! This is not your father's hot dog!

The original recipe calls for cabbage with red chili peppers tossed with in a tangy vinaigrette to be served with the hot dogs.


My personal twist on the recipe was to grill the cabbage and peppers and add some grilled vidalia onions.


After grilling, I thinly sliced the cabbage and peppers mixed them with the vinaigrette.


The croissants are spread with a butter and Dijon mustard mixture and then also grilled:


The sausages (in my case, Usingers All Beef Franks) were then thread onto skewers, with a knife crosshatch marks made around each hot dog, and then they are brushed with a mixture of soy, ketchup and minced garlic. 


...and grilled.  The grilled franks and slaw are then placed on the croissant for one of the best hot dogs you will ever taste - I promise!  My husband declared this recipe "Fantastic"! You may want to treat your father to this flavorful recipe on Father's Day.

Grilled Crosshatch Hot Dogs

Adapted from Food and Wine with my variation on the slaw
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
6 cups finely grilled and sliced green cabbage (I used Savoy)
1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, sliced into thick rounds
3 fresh red chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
Salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 croissants, split
4 large hot dogs
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 large garlic clove, minced

Rinse cabbage and cut in half. Peel and cut onion into thick slices. Cut red chilies in half and remove the seeds. Brush the cabbage, onion and chili peppers with canola oil and grill over high heat until slightly charred on both sides - about 6 minutes on each side. Allow to cool slightly and then slice cabbage and chili peppers and dice onions.

In a large bowl, stir the honey with the sherry vinegar until the honey is dissolved. Add the grilled, shredded cabbage, red chilies and onions, season with salt and toss. This can be prepared in advance.

In a small bowl, blend the butter and the mustard and then spread thinly on the cut sides of the croissants.

Thread each hot dog lengthwise onto a skewer. Using a sharp knife, make shallow cuts at 1/2 inch intervals down the length of each hot dog, three times around. The cuts will look like crescents. Run the knife down the center of the cuts to 'crosshatch' the crescents.

Mix the ketchup with the soy sauce, oil and garlic. Brush each hot dog with he mixture. Any remaining ketchup mixture can be brushed on during grilling.

Grill the cut side of the croissants over high heat until toasted, approximately 30 seconds. Then turn and grill the other side for about 10 seconds.

Grill the hot dogs until charred and the cuts open, for approximately 2-4 minutes, turning frequently. Place the cabbage salad on one half of each croissant, top with a hot dog and serve.

Advance preparation: The cabbage salad and hot dogs (brushed with soy sauce mixture) can be kept, covered overnight, in the refrigerator.