Grilled Spring Asparagus with Spicy Lemon Mop

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

No, you can’t use canned or frozen–this recipe only works with fresh asparagus, so take advantage of these spring asparagus months.  This is an excellent accompaniment to grilled seafood, too.  Note: You can reduce the marinade in a small pan and serve it over the grilled asparagus.

Ingredients

Spicy Lemon Mop:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh preferred
2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped parsley or rosemary
Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound fresh asparagus

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients for the mop in a bowl and mix well.
Cut off the tough stem ends of the asparagus, rinse and place in non-reactive, shallow bowl. Pour the mop over the asparagus and marinate, at room temperature, for an hour.
Start the grill or a charcoal fire. Grill the asparagus over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side or until done but still crisp.

Grilled Spring Lamb Chops with Kentucky Rub and Basamic Reduction

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Before advances in livestock husbandry made young lamb available all year long, it was especially popular in the spring, when the lambs were born. Still, spring lamb is particularly tender and non-gamy.  I’m using a rub popular in Kentucky, where they barbecue the lamb. Finally, the balsamic reduction finishes the grilling.

Ingredients

8 spring lamb chops, thickly cut

For the Kentucky Lamb Rub:
2 teaspoons commercial chili powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons dried onion

For the Balsamic Reduction:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, cut in half
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions

Start the grill or build a charcoal fire in the grill.

Wash and dry the chops.

In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the rub. Spread the rub evenly over the lamb chops on both sides.

In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients for the balsamic reduction.  Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer.  Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat and remove the garlic and the rosemary.

Grill the chops over a medium fire (150 degrees internal temperature for medium-rare).  When almost done, brush the chops on both sides with the balsamic reduction.  Heat each side of the chops, remove to a platter, and serve.

Tacos with Shredded Duck and Orange

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

A Recipe From

Mexican Modern:
New Food From Mexico

by Fiona Dunlop 

 

Photographs by Jean-Blaise Hall


Ingredients

2 fl oz (50ml) vegetable oil
3 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
5 1/2 oz (150g) pasilla chilies, roughly chopped
2 medium tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp Mexican orégano (or sage mixed with Italian oregano)
3 1/2 fl oz (300ml) fresh orange juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cooked duck, meat shredded
12 soft corn tortillas
2 large avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced, to garnish 

 

Shredded Duck Tacos

 

Instructions

In a frying pan, heat the oil, and sauté the onion, garlic, and chilies until softened. Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook gently for about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Transfer to a food processor and blend to a purée.

Pour into a saucepan, stir in the vinegar and orange juice, and warm over low heat. Mix in the shredded duck meat, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Heat the tortillas on a griddle or in the oven (they should stay soft, not crisp). Place a tablespoon or two of the duck mixture along the center of each, and fold in the sides to close. Serve garnished with avocado slices.

BBQ Baked Feta Prawns

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

Rick Browne, Ph.B., host of the PBS show “Barbecue America” and the author of The Best Barbecue on Earth and nine other books, is supplying articles and recipes to the Fiery Foods& Barbecue SuperSite.

Ingredients

24 ounces shelled prawns (defrosted if frozen)
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
6-7 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
10 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
3/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and thyme as a marinade and pour over the prawns in a shallow dish. Cover and refrigerate for 1/2 an hour or so.  

Pre-heat the oven to maximum!

Mix the remaining ingredients. Divide the prawns and the marinade into 4 or 5 individual shallow, fireproof dishes.

Sprinkle the remaining ingredients over the prawns. Bake in the oven until sizzling.

Serve immediately with plenty of crusty French bread to mop up the juices.


Bodacious Biscuits & Beans

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Rick Browne, Ph.B., host of the PBS show “Barbecue America” and the author of The Best Barbecue on Earth and nine other books, is supplying articles and recipes to the Fiery Foods& Barbecue SuperSite.

Ingredients

2 cans Bush’s Bourbon & Brown Sugar Grillin’ Beans
2 cans Bush’s Authentic Smokehouse Tradition Grillin’ Beans
1 large can mandarin orange segments, undrained
1 cup golden raisins
1 Pippin apple, minced
1/2 cup cane syrup (or molasses)
1/2 cup Sprite soda
1 small onion, minced
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 (8-ounce) package refrigerated biscuits

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl gently combine the beans, mandarin orange slices, raisins, apple, cane syrup, Sprite, onion, mustard, spices, ketchup and orange juice. Pour mixture into a large cast-iron skillet.

Cover the skillet with aluminum foil and put into a BBQ (or oven) and bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour.  

Remove the aluminum foil cover, then cover the beans with rounds of ready-to-cook refrigerated biscuits and bake about 10 minutes longer, or until the biscuits puff up and are browned.

Serve the skillet at the table, giving each person a spoonful of biscuit and a heaping portion of beans.