Cilantro Lime Shrimp

To me, shrimp and chicken are like blank slates - they adapt to so many flavors and cooking styles. Both make frequent appearances in my house since they're easy to keep in the freezer and they're relatively inexpensive. Needless to say, I'm always on the lookout for new recipes for both - especially ones that will work on the grill. My friend Sarah is in a cooking club with several of her friends and she told me about this recipe for Cilantro Lime Shrimp. She'd made it for her group and said it's one of her new favorites. The original says to cook the shrimp on the stove, but I skewered and grilled them. The sugar in the marinade caramelized a bit and they were delicious: sweet, salty and just a little bit spicy. Jeff's verdict: make them again! Easily an appetizer or a main course, it comes together quickly, which is just perfect with my little one getting more playful every day. (Fortunately she also naps leaving mommy time to blog.)

Note well: the marinade can be made ahead, but don't add the shrimp until about 45 minutes before you cook them. The citrus in the marinade will start to cook the shrimp and will make them rubbery if left too long.



Cilantro Lime Shrimp

¼ cup orange marmalade
½ cup fresh lime juice
3 large garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1 tsp salt
½ cup fresh cilantro sprigs, chopped fine
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs soy sauce
½ tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
1 pound large shrimp (about 24), shelled and deveined, leaving tail and first shell segment intact




In a small bowl whisk together marmalade, lime juice, garlic paste, cilantro, oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste and reserve 1/3 cup in a ramekin for dipping sauce. In a large sealable plastic bag combine shrimp with remaining mixture and marinate, chilled, tossing occasionally to coat shrimp, 45 minutes.

Drain shrimp and thread onto skewers.  Grill until cooked through, a couple minutes on each side.

Garnish shrimp with cilantro sprigs and serve with reserved dipping sauce.

Butterflied leg of lamb with mint and garlic

Mint is one of those herbs that grows like crazy. When we first moved into our house, I bought a small plant and had it in a window box on my deck along with my other herbs. At the end of the season I planted it in a patch of my yard along with the other perennial herbs. Right now it's competing with the oregano for space - the oregano tends to win since I use the mint more often (see my mojito for the reason why!) I also use mint in a number of Moroccan and Asian dishes.



I typically grill lamb with garlic and rosemary, but I served this with the grilled vegetables with harissa dressing so I thought the mint a better flavor pairing. It's an adaptation of the recipe that appeared in the June issue of Martha Stewart Living. I trimmed the lamb of most of the fat, leaving just enough to keep it juicy. The recipe recommended pounding the meat to a relatively even thickness - this was a first for me with leg of lamb and I'll try it again for sure. I'm not sure if it was the marinade, the meat or the pounding, but this was the tenderest leg of lamb we've ever eaten. (It could also be the way my husband grilled it - perfection!)

Easy to put together and easy to prep ahead, this would make a great party dish.



Butterflied leg of lamb with mint and garlic
adapted from Martha Stewart Living, June 2010

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small bunch fresh mint, coarsely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic crushed and peeled
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• 2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, butterflied

Combine oil, mint, garlic, zest, 3 tablespoons salt, and the red-pepper flakes; season with pepper.



Pound lamb to an even 1-inch thickness. Place lamb in a baking dish, and massage marinade into meat. Refrigerate overnight or at least 4-6 hours.



Let lamb stand at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling. Heat grill to medium-high. Brush grates with oil.  Grill lamb, flipping every 5 minutes for even cooking, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 130 degrees to 135 degrees for medium-rare, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Let stand for 10 minutes. Slice lamb across the grain. Garnish with fresh mint and lemon wedges if desired.

Summer grilling: Mixed vegetables with harissa dressing

Throughout the year, we love to grill. My husband will dig paths through the snow to get to the grill during the winter so we can have lamb chops or a juicy steak. But during the summer, anything and everything goes onto the grill. It keeps the kitchen cooler and it's a fresh, simple way to prepare great meals. I have a number of grilling cookbooks that I love to flip through: Italian Grill by Mario Batali and BBQ USA and the Barbecue Bible, both by Steven Raichlen are at the top of my list.

All of my foodie magazines are full of grilling recipes at this time of year, so there's not shortage of new ideas to try. Veggies are one of my favorite things to throw on the 'cue. We grill asparagus, mushrooms, squash, peppers - you name it. We've even grilled bok choy. Usually they just get a little brush of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper before they hit the heat. But this year I've noticed some more unusual veggie recipes in some magazines. I recently clipped one from Living that is a kebab of lamb and cucumbers. I've never had a grilled cuke, but add lamb and a feta tzatziki and I'm willing to try it. Another I found was in Bon Appetit for grilled vegetables with harissa dressing. I had to try it...



Harissa is a North Africa chili paste. I've made homemade for tagines, but on a recent trip to the Wine Library, I noticed a tube of it on the shelf. It went straight into my cart. It contains hot chili peppers and other flavors like garlic and coriander. The Bon Appetit called for harissa powder - I substituted the paste with no problems. According to BA, if you can't find the powder (or the paste), simply combine 2 teaspoons coriander, 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder, 1 teaspoon each garlic, cumin and paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon paprika. My modified version of the recipe follows...

And if it sounds like a lot of veggies for two people, it is! But the leftovers were delish too. I also made a grilled veggie sandwich with some hummus. Yum!

Grilled vegetables with harissa dressing 
adapted from Bon Appetit, July 2010 issue

1 red pepper, cut into 4 or 6 strips
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise, then halved crosswise
1 yellow squash, halved lengthwise, then halved crosswise
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
3 Tbsp. plus 1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2-3 tsp. harissa paste
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro



Arrange the vegetables on a large platter or baking sheet. Drizzle with the 3 Tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Grill on medium direct heat to desired doneness - typically just a couple minutes per side. Remove to a platter.

Whisk together the remaining oil, harissa and lemon juice. Pour some of the vinaigrette over the warm veggies and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro. Add extra vinaigrette as desired.

Note: for a spicier vinaigrette, add more harissa.

Shrimp and Smokies

Each spring, I have to remember all of our favorite grill recipes. We grill throughout the year - steaks, chicken, etc. - but during the warmer months I make more elaborate recipes for the barbecue. Of course, I picked a cold rainy day for this one, but it still tastes good! This has been a favorite for a few years now. I'm always looking for new ways to cook shrimp and I've found a few good ones in BBQ USA by Steven Raichlen.(Green Lightning Shrimp is another).

Shrimp and Smokies, according to this recipe, are skewers of shrimp and chunks of andouille sausage with red pepper. They're basted with a beer based sauce that has lemon, garlic and a few other surprises. It's easy to make (they taste good without the sauce too). I use D'Artagnan Andouille - It's super smoky and spicy and it's cooked. Uncooked andouille wouldn't work here because the shrimp cook so fast. If all you can find is uncooked, precook the sausage or cook them on separate skewers.

This also makes a great appetizer - cook them the same way, but use smaller shrimp and cut the andouille into smaller pieces.

Give this recipe a try - and let me know you're favorite summertime BBQ recipes. I'm always looking for new ones!



Shrimp and Smokies
adapted from BBQ USA by Steven Raichlen

16 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
12 ounces andouille sausage, cut into about 16 chunks
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares

For the sauce:
1 cup beer
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed with the side of a knife
1 2-inch strip of lemon zest
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. dark corn syrup
1 Tbsp. liquid or dry crab or shrimp boil
4 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter cut into 1 inch chunks
Salt and pepper





Prepare the skewers: Alternate pieces of sausage, shrimp, and pieces of pepper onto skewers until all of the food has been used. Set aside.



Make the sauce: combien the beer, zest and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the crab boil, Worcestershire, lemon juice and corn syrup. Boil until the liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Remove from heat, discard the garlic and zest. Whisk in the butter one piece at a time then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Prepare the grill for direct grilling on high heat. When ready to grill, baste each skewer with some of the sauce and grill for about 3 minutes per side, basting occasionally, until shrimp are cooked to desired doneness.

Serve with the remaining sauce if desired.

Serves 4.

Yucatecan Chicken with Roasted Fresh Chile Salsa

A few years ago for Christmas, my sister gave me Rick Bayless's Mexican Everyday. I've tried a number of the slow-cook recipes, but this is the first grilling one. I marinated the chicken in the morning so all I had to do when I got home was grill it, boil some corn on the cob and make some rice.


For the Yucatecan Garlic Spice marinade:
1 head garlic, broken into individual cloves
1/3 c. olive oil
6 Tbsp. cider vinegar
Pinch of ground cloves
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. kosher salt


4 Chicken breast halves, skin and bones intact
1 cup chicken broth

For the salsa:
4 oz. fresh hot green chiles
4 garlic cloves, peeled
juice of 1/2 lime (about 2 Tbsp)
Salt, to taste


Make the marinade:

• Cut slits in the sides of each garlic clove. Place in a microwaveable bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Cool until you can handle and then slip off the papery husks. Drop them one at a time into a running blender or food processor, letting each get chopped before adding the next. Stop the machine and add the rest of the marinade ingredients and process until smooth.
• Pour half the marinade over the chicken, rubbing it all over. Cover and marinate for several hours. Refrigerate remaining marinade until ready to cook.

Make the salsa:

• Preheat broiler.
• Slice the chiles in half lengthwise, discarding the stems.
• Arrange in a small baking sheet skin side up and toss the garlic among them.
• Broil until the skins start to bubble and turn dark.
• Puree the chiles and garlic in a blender of food processor, adding the lime juice and 1/4 c. water.
• NOTE: Mine was SO HOT I had to add a roasted green bell pepper and 1/2 tsp sugar and we like hot food. I bought my chiles at the Scotch Plains Farmers Market. Who would have known such hot chiles grew in the Garden State!

Cook the chicken:

• Heat the grill and grill according to your taste. We did them on high, 5 minutes per side, then turn the heat to medium and cooked another 5 a side.
• While the chicken is grilling, combine the remaining marinade and chicken broth in a pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes and keep warm.
• Drizzle a spoonful or two of the chicken broth mixture over the cooked chicken.
• Serve with salsa

MMM Lamb!

Tonight we're having grilled loin lamb chops. This morning, I set them to marinade in our favorite mixture... You can't beat the aroma of fresh-picked rosemary!

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1 tsp salt (I used sea salt)
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup EVOO

5 or 6 small loin lamb chops - about 1 inch thick

Mash the first 5 ingredients in a shallow dish with a forsk then stir in the oil. Add the lamb, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to grill. Then cook on a preheated grill according to your taste.

You might wonder why I used fresh and dry rosemary... The fresh adds great flavor to the meat while it marinates, but it doesn't stand up to the heat of the grill. The dried can withstand the heat a bit mroe so you get the flavor from both!

Ribs!

These ribs may seem time consuming, but since they're cooked long and slow, you can throw them in and forget about them. Here's my secret recipe...

1. Rub 'em
   Take a rack of pork spare ribs (3-4 lbs.) and coat them with 1-2 Tbsp. of your favorite rub. I like Williams Sonoma Memphis Rib Rub
2. Smoke 'em
   Use a heaping Tbsp of Hickory chips in a stovetop smoker. (What's a stovetop smoker? Check it out on amazon.com) Smoke them on medium heat for 1 hour.
3. Low 'n' slow cook 'em
   As soon as they're done smoking, transfer them to a slow cooker. Slather them with about 1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce and then slow cook them on Low ehat for 3.5 hours. You can leave them alone or baste them from time to time. If you have to head to work, leave them. Just let your slow cooker turn off after 3.5 hours. (If your slow cooker is like mine, it switches to a keep warm setting. If this is the case, reduce the cooking time to 2.5 hours, then let them keep warm until you get home)
4. Char 'em
   Throw them on a hot grill and baste them with some more sauce to char. About 3 minutes per side on high usually does the trick. Be gentle, they'll be falling-off-the-bone tender!

Enjoy - Serve them with your favorite sides. This week I made potato salad, but cole slaw, corn, a can of baked beans all do the trick too!

This week's menu

Here's what's on the menu at our house this week. There's a lot of grilling with the heat wave that's hitting!

• Sunday
  Grilled New York Strip seasoned with Keg Steakhouse seasoning
  Near East Wild Mushroom and Herb Couscous
  Grilled blue cheese topped tomatoes (find the recipe in this month's Bon Appetit)
  Caesar salad
• Monday
  Penne with carmelized red onions, chicken and goat cheese over a bed of spinach (find the recipe on epicurious. I used grilled chicken breasts and I used only two vine ripened tomatoes. I also added some garlic to the white wine! DELISH!)
• Tuesday
  Girls' night out! Jeff's having leftovers and I'm headed to Khun Thai in Millburn - check back tomorrow to find out what I had!
• Wednesday
  My famous hick'ry smoked ribs
  Homemade potato salad
  Corn on the cob
• Thursday
  Work dinner :(
• Friday
  LOBSTERFEST!
  Steamed Maine lobsters with drawn butter
  Corn on the cob (can't get enough of it!!!)
  Greek salad