BBQ Favorites

IT'S THAT TIME!

Time to fire up the grill and enjoy the season's bounty and the warm weather. The population of verandahs, front porches, backyards, decks and neighborhood pools rises exponentially this time of year! I grilled out for the first time yesterday and I can't wait to do it for nearly every meal for the rest of the Spring and throughout the summer!

Clockwise: Grilled kofta (kefta), Grilled nectarine and blueberry cobbler with granola, Fresh carrots at the Piedmont Farmers Market, Grilled carrots with parsley garnish

Blueberry and Nectarine Cobbler
Serves 8-10
For filling:
1 pint blueberries (2 cups)
8 nectarines (or peaches)
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
pinch salt

For Granola topping:
Makes about 3 cups

1 c rolled oats
1/3 c wheat germ
1/3 c sunflower seeds
1/3 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 c raw pumpkin seeds
1/3 c brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Heat the grill to medium.
In a large heavy skillet, toast the oats and seeds over medium-low heat until they begin to just brown, 5 minutes. Add the sunflower seeds and coconut. Stir until they are warmed (but not yet brown) and then add the wheat germ. Stirring continually, toast until everything is nicely golden.

Add the brown sugar, salt and oil. Stir until everything is nicely mixed. The brown sugar will melt slightly and coat the granola. Wash and peel nectarines. Slice each in half. Place the nectarines cut side down on the grill until browned. Remove from the grill, cut into wedges and place into 8 X 8 baking dish.  Wash blueberries. Place fruit into a medium bowl and add 2 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine then pour fruit into dish.

Sprinkle 2 1/2 cups of granola over cobbler. Cover with foil.
Cook for 40-45 minutes, until juices are bubbly and topping is a nice brown color. Let stand for at least 30 minutes before serving to give the juices a chance to thicken and reabsorb.
Serves 6-8.

Compound butter to accompany grilled carrots

1 T sherry vinegar
1 shallot, minced
8 T Smart Balance OR butter (1 stick), softened
1 tsp crushed red pepper
2 T parsley
1 T orange zest

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.



(Greek Meatballs) Kofta
Makes +/- 40 meatballs
4 cloves garlic
1 pound ground beef chuck or lamb (a mix of two is preferable)
3 tablespoons grated onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Freshly ground black pepper

Smash the garlic cloves and mix with meat, onion, parsley, and spices.

Line a pan with aluminum foil. Divide the meat mixture into 28 rough balls. Mold each piece around the pointed end of a skewer (if you use wooden ones, soak them in water for 15 minutes before threading them), making a 2-inch oval kebab that comes to a point just covering the tip of the skewer. Lay the skewers on the pan, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat or prepare a grill. Brush the pan lightly with olive oil. Working in batches, grill the kebabs, turning occasionally, until brown all over and just cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

Grilled new potato salad with bacon & sour cream dressing 
Serves 6 to 8 (1/2 cup servings)

2 lbs new potatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 Tbsp pickle relish
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chives
1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
5 slices pre-cooked bacon, crumbled
3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Start with cold water, add eggs and potatoes in a large pot on high heat. Boil until potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes. Remove eggs from pot around 12 minutes into cooking. Cool and peel eggs. Set aside. Meanwhile, In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, relish, garlic, chives, and mustard. Set aside. Drain potatoes. Place cut side up on rimmed baking sheet and press each gently with a fork to flatten slightly. Coat grill rack with nonstick spray. Prepare grill and grill potatoes cut side down until cut side is crisp and brown, 10-12 minutes. Transfer potatoes to large serving dish or bowl. Pour dressing over potatoes and add crumbled bacon and hard-boiled eggs. Toss potatoes and slightly mash them while combining all ingredients. Serve warm or chill for 1 hr for flavors to develop.

Taste of Carolina

I have a new part-time gig! I am now a tour guide for a company called Taste Carolina. Based in the Triangle, recently expanded to Winston-Salem and Greensboro, we do walking culinary tours of the prospective cities. 

On the tour, you get to meet chefs and owners of five to eight different restaurants, eat food prepared specially for YOU and learn each stop’s story with historical tidbits about the city along the way.

Every Saturday, rain or shine, the tours go on. Greensboro tours started April 30 and Winston-Salem tours started May 21. There are two Winston tours, to fit in all of the farm-to-table goodness that encompasses downtown Winston-Salem and adjoining neighborhood, West End. 

My first introduction to Taste Carolina was Durham. When you think of Durham, you don’t think “Food Capitol of the World!” but this city is transforming itself into a foodie destination, not unlike many of the Triangle’s counterparts (ie. Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough). 

We started the tour with muffins from Scratch, headed to Piedmont for a sample made with house-made creme fraiche and brioche, popsicles from Loco Pops, crostinis from Toast (where we ran into my mom! Ha!), grilled pimiento cheese sandwich fingers from Parker & Otis, more grilled cheese from Rue Cler with a sampling of wine, and last--we enjoyed a sampling of beer and plates of fried pickle chips from Tyler’s Taproom. All the while, our tour guide filled in historical blanks about Durham with tales about tobacco, warring families, and industrialism that attracted populations to the piedmont area.

The chef at Piedmont was suffering from laryngitis and didn't stay with us long but the sample was delicious.

My chocolate-toffee-fig frozen pop. We visited the "World Headquarters" and the owner, Summer, came out to talk to us

Loco Pops headquarters: Where all the magic is made

The back entrance to Parker & Otis. I didn't think to photograph my sample of pimiento cheese, but I liked the ironwork of the entrance.

Even though Durham is no longer a tobacco center of the state, many structures still stand today.

I’ve been training for this new gig for a month now and even though I am confident I will do an excellent job (talking, eating, and showing off the city! OMG! I was BORN to do this!) I am a little nervous I will leave things out or not be able to answer a question asked of me. This is the same feeling I get right before I teach a class at Best Health. My nerves make me tremble and my heart beats fast from the adrenaline coursing through my veins. But when I open my mouth to pronounce the first syllable, all fear and doubt exit with it. I always knock each class out of the park and I need to remember that I will do the same with these tours!