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RecipesDemon ToesHeavenly BurgersGrill-Roasted French Fries with Avocado AioliSparkling Watermelon LemonadeGrilling TipsPerfect BurgersGrilled OnionsWe Want To Hear From YouAbout Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet
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Demon ToesI've been grilling these fiery appetizers at block parties and barbecues for more than a dozen years, and they've always been a huge hit. For this issue of Hot Off The Grill, however, they're taking on a new (and more apt) name. I've always called them "Hot Kisses," but frankly they are usually a little ugly coming off the grill, and they don't kiss so much as they bite. So, from this Memorial Day onward, I am calling them "Demon Toes." Keep an eye out for a milder and better looking variation to take over the old "Hot Kisses" name.
Preheat the grill for direct cooking at 400°F to 500°F. Make sure you also have a "safe zone" — an area of the grill with low or no heat where you can move any troublesome Demon Toes to until they settle down and can return to the fire. Wearing latex gloves to protect your hands from the hot peppers, cut off the stem end of each jalapeno and hollow out the pepper to remove ribs and all seeds. I use the handle end of an iced tea spoon for hollowing the peppers. Cut the cheese into wedge-shaped sticks, sized to fit into the point of each jalapeno and fill about half of the cavity. Stuff a piece of cheese into each jalapeno. Follow with crab flakes to fill the rest of the cavity. Capping the cavity with the crab meat helps keep the cheese from melting out. Compress the stuffing into each jalapeno. For food safety reasons, all jalapenos should be stuffed with cheese and crab before handling the bacon. Squeeze a lime over the stuffed jalapenos. Wrap each stuffed jalapeno with a strip of bacon. Start by placing one end of the bacon in the middle of the jalapeno, running lengthwise over the open end. Hold the end of the bacon against the side of the jalapeno and pull the bacon tightly up and over the open end, closing off the opening. Continue down the other side of the jalapeno to the pointed tip, and then wrap around, spiraling back toward the open end. Pierce all the way through the bacon and jalapeno with a toothpick to hold it all together. Squeeze the juice of 2 more limes over the assembled Demon Toes. Transfer the Demon Toes to the grill. Turn ocassionally until the bacon is crisp and fully cooked. Your goal is to achieve crisp bacon on the outside while the jalapeno is still somewhat firm and bright green in color. Remove the peppers from the grill and let cool for five minutes. Cut the remaining lime into wedges and serve with the peppers. Warn your guests that there is a toothpick in each piece. Demon Toes can be served without condiments or accompanied by your favorite ranch dressing, remoulade or sour cream. The Avocado Aioli in this issue is also a great dip for the Demon Toes.
Heavenly BurgersThese burgers are so good, you won't need condiments at the table. Ground round is joined by grilled Vidalia onions, fresh guacamole, Monterey jack cheese, a slice of tomato and grilled garlic buns for a perfect combination of flavors and textures.
A couple of hours before cooking, crush the garlic cloves into about 1/2 cup of olive oil. Let sit at room temperature, stirring once or twice while the garlic infuses the oil. Prepare the grill for direct cooking at 400°F to 500°F. While the grill is heating, brush the garlic-infused olive oil onto the sliced sides of the hamburger buns and then sprinkle with salt. Recess the centers of the ground round patties (see our tip on the perfect burger). Brush the patties on both sides with the remaining garlic-infused olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Slice the onions 3/4-inch-thick (see our tip on grilled onions) and sprinkle with salt. Cut the avocados in half lengthwise, working around and not cutting through the pit. Remove the pit and scoop out the meat into a large bowl. Mash them coarsely. Stir in the juice of 1 to 2 limes, the cilantro and salt to taste. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap down into the simple guacamole to keep oxygen out. Place the onion slices on the grill in a cooler area of the direct grilling zone. Turn after about 7 minutes. Add the burgers directly over the hottest part of the fire after about 3 minutes more. If you have special requests for temperature, start well-done burgers earlier and medium-rare burgers later. For medium burgers, cook, turning once, for about 12 to 15 minutes total. When you turn the burgers over, top each with a couple rings of grilled onion and then add a slice of cheese to melt over the top. As the burgers near completion, add the buns to the grill, cut-side-down. Cook until lightly toasted without drying the buns out. Remove the buns from the grill and spread the simple guacamole onto the bottom half of each. Transfer the cooked burgers to the buns on top of the guacamole. Add a slice of tomato and the top bun to each and serve.
Grill-Roasted French Fries with Avocado AioliWhat goes better with burgers than French fries? How about grill-roasted fries with avocado aioli? An aioli is a garlicky mayonnaise. In this recipe, fresh avocado takes the place of raw eggs to deliver the same texture with a whole new flavor.
Prepare the grill for indirect cooking at 400°F. While the grill is getting ready, slice the potatoes into 8 wedges each. Toss gently in a large bowl with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. While the grill is heating, or while the potatoes are cooking, prepare the Avocado Aioli. Coarsely mash the avocados in a bowl and then transfer to a food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, and a few pinches of salt. Run the food processor until smooth. Then, with the food processor running, drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the mixture takes on a mayonnaise-like texture. Test for taste and add more lime juice and salt as needed. Transfer to a bowl and store in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed tightly into the surface of the aioli. Place the potato slices on the grill in the indirect cooking zone. Cook, turning once, for about 25 minutes. Remove from the grill, sprinkle with salt, and serve with the Avocado Aioli for dipping. Note: The fries can be reheated later over direct heat to make timing easier.
Sparkling Watermelon Lemonade
Directions: Cut the watermelon into chunks, discarding the rind. Juice the watermelon, either by using an electric juicer or by forcing it through a mesh sieve over a bowl. Add 8 cups watermelon juice to a large pot and reduce over medium heat down to 3 cups of liquid, stirring ocassionally. Keep the juice at a simmer during the process. Do not allow it to reach an aggressive boil. This reduction takes quite a while and is best done a day ahead. Stir the sugar into the reduced watermelon juice. Continue stirring ocassionally until the syrup returns to a simmer and the sugar is fully dissolved. Let cool. Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered. Before the party, combine the lemon juice with the watermelon syrup to make the drink base. To make each drink, fill a highball glass 3/4 full with crushed ice. Pour in 2 ounces of drink base, and then top with club soda. Note: For a mojito variation, combine 2 ounces of syrup with 2 mint leaves in the bottom of a glass and muddle together. Add 1 ounce light rum, fill 3/4 full with crushed ice and top with club soda.
Grilling Tip: Perfect BurgersFirst, try to select Choice grade beef. Choice ground round is my favorite way to go, and I think it improves the quality of a burger far more than it increases the price. Ground round is delivered to most markets in a tube-shaped plastic bag. Ask the butcher to cut off 1-inch-thick slices, creating patties that are about 1/2-pound each. This is the perfect thickness and weight for the grill, and I think the lack of handling helps with the texture. Forming the patties rather than slicing them can lead to over-working the burgers, and they can end up a little tough. Chef Bobby Flay offers a tip to compensate for the way a juicy burger plumps up on the grill. By recessing the patty in the middle before cooking, the burger becomes flat when it plumps up. I also think this brilliantly simple tip also helps the burgers cook evenly. Just use your fingers to recess the middle of each patty a bit from both sides. The next step in a perfect burger is to brush it with olive oil. This helps form the flavorful crust that I think is one of the hallmarks of a great burger. Use a silicone brush to coat the burger lightly on both sides with extra virgin olive oil, and then season it with salt. For the best results, try using smoked salt (Check out our November, 2008 tip on using smoked salts). Grill the burgers directly over a medium-hot fire (about 450°F), turning only once, until it is cooked to the desired doneness. When cooking for larger parties, it can be a good idea to cook an extra, sacrificial burger. Break into this burger a couple of minutes before you expect the burgers to be cooked to medium to check your timing. The ground round and the nice crust, aided by the olive oil, will deliver perfect texture and flavor. And, thanks to Bobby Flay, your burgers will be flat and easier to eat.
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About Kalamazoo Outdoor GourmetKalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet™ custom outdoor kitchen equipment delivers the ultimate in performance, luxury and quality. From hybrid grills that cook with any combination of wood, charcoal and gas — to powerful and energy efficient outdoor refrigerators, wine chillers, ice makers, keg tappers and freezers — to countertop pizza ovens — to weather-tight stainless steel kitchen cabinets — to the one-of-a-kind martini bar — the entire line is designed and built from the ground up exclusively for outdoor gourmet cooking and entertaining. You can learn more at www.KalamazooGourmet.com. |
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Hot Off The Grill! Archive
