Category Archives: Grill

by | September 10, 2012 · 7:48 am

Grilled Fish with Toasted Coconut Couscous and Spicy Melon Salsa

Last week the hubs came home from a fishing trip to Florida with a stack of fresh saltwater fish including grouper, snapper and mackeral. Living in the Midwest, these fish don’t make it to my table very often and I was too excited about the dish I created to wait to post it.

Back in May, we had taken a trip to Florida together and eaten plenty of fresh catch with bold tropical flavors. Taking a cue from the trip, I made a slightly sweet coconut couscous and a spicy cucumber melon salsa to serve with our lightly seasoned grilled fish. Big and bold yet light and fresh while still playing up the fish…made me wish I had saltwater fish to eat every day!

Grilled Saltwater Fish
1 lb grouper, mingo snapper, mahi mahi or similar saltwater white fish
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
garlic powder
ginger powder
Old Bay seasoning
kosher salt

Form a “plate” with aluminum foil and place fish on foil “plate”. Rub with olive oil so that fish is lightly coated. Season very lightly with garlic, ginger, Old Bay and salt. No need to measure specific amounts here – just lightly dust each piece with the spices. Grill fish for 5-7 minutes. Fish should be flaky and opaque.

Toasted Coconut Rice
1 1/4 C Israeli couscous
1 can lite coconut milk
1/2 C water
1/4 C coconut flakes
1/4 tsp kosher salt

In a large sauce pan, combine couscous, water and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes until liquid is fully absorbed. Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, toast coconut over medium heat until golden brown, taking care not to burn – approximately 6-8 minutes. Add toasted coconut to couscous and season with salt. Fluff couscous with a fork and keep covered until other components are ready.

Spicy Melon Salsa
2/3 C diced cantaloupe
2/3 C diced pineapple
1/2 cucumber, diced
1 Tbsp mint, finely chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp honey
1/2 Tbsp lime juice
red pepper flakes, to taste
pinch kosher salt

In a small bowl, combine cantaloupe, pineapple and cucumber. Mix in mint. In a separate small bowl, combine oil, honey and lime juice, whisking until combined. Toss gently over fruit. Dust with salt and red pepper flakes to taste and mix to combine. Salsa should be the right mix of spicy, sweet and tangy for your taste.

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by | July 24, 2012 · 8:50 am

Campfire Cones

We were invited to Stef’s house for a BBQ last weekend and she asked that I bring a dessert.  It was roughly 105 degrees out, so turning on my oven was not an option.  I had come across the idea for campfire cones on pinterest, and decided to give it a try.  They were quick and easy to make and were a huge hit!  Adults and kids were drooling over these rich and gooey treats.


Campfire Cones
Ice Cream Cones
Mini Marshmallows
Mini Chocolate Chips
Nutella
Chopped Nuts
Peanut Butter Chips

tin foil

Start with a cone and fill with marshmallows and other treats.  Cover with foil and place on inderect heat on a grill or campfire for about 5-10 minutes or until all of the contents are melted.

Unwrap and enjoy!

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by | July 17, 2012 · 8:12 pm

Grilled Salmon Tacos with Watermelon Salsa

With the Salmon-a-Rama fishing tournament (yep, you read that right) in full swing in Milwaukee my fridge is overflowing with fresh fish. Which is a good thing since the drought situation we’ve got going on has left me with a garden that’s struggling to survive.

I don’t usually make tacos with salmon but I figured, why not? Grilled with a simple, spicy dry rub and paired with a crunchy-creamy cool salsa they made for a light and healthy dinner to beat the summer heat.

Grilled Salmon Tacos
1 lb salmon fillets, skin removed and de-boned if needed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp chipotle powder/chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 small tortillas

In a small bowl, stir together garlic, chili powder, cumin and salt. Form a “cookie sheet” of aluminum foil and place on a plate or cutting board. Place fish on the aluminum foil and gently and evenly apply olive oil, then dry rub to fish. Heat grill to 400. Transfer “cookie sheet” to the grill and grill for about 6 minutes. Salmon should be opaque and slightly flaky.


Watermelon Radish Salsa
1/2  C watermelon, diced
6-8 radishes, trimmed and diced
1/2 C cucumber, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 lime, juiced
pinch kosher salt
pinch cumin

Dice watermelon, radishes and cucumber into evenly sized pieces and transfer to a small bowl. Toss together. Chop cilantro and mix into salsa. Season with salt, cumin and lime juice and toss. Dice avocado and gently toss into salsa, taking care not to smush the avocado.

Place salmon in tortillas and top with salsa and hot sauce if desired.


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by | July 13, 2012 · 7:47 am

Grilled Romaine BLT Salad

My trip to Dole in May has inspired many an inventive salad dish in my house. In the past, I had seen plenty of recipes to grill Romaine lettuce, but never tried it. It was no surprise that I loved it upon trying it out in Monterey. Just a little char and a little warmth on the crisp lettuce goes a long way. It makes a salad feel like more of a hearty dinner.

Try this out next time you are at the grill. It is easy, fast and delicious!

Grilled Romaine BLT Salad
4 pieces thick-cut bacon
1 head Romaine lettuce
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 C cherry tomatoes, halved
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 C croutons
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Lite Blue Cheese dressing

Bake bacon in oven. Chop into pieces and set aside.

Preheat the grill. Brush whole Romaine head with 1 TBSP olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on hot grill. Grill 2 minutes on each side, enough to create char marks. Remove from grill.

Heat 1 TBSP olive oil in small skillet. Add tomatoes, oregano and salt and pepper. Saute tomatoes for about 8-10 minutes or until heated through.

Place tomatoes over Romaine. Sprinkle with bacon, green onions, tomatoes and croutons. Drizzle blue cheese dressing over the top.

To serve, cut into chunks and place on plates using a spatula.

If you want to use your grill only, you could skewer the tomatoes, drizzle them with olive oil oregano, salt and pepper and grill them next to the lettuce, until heated through.

If you want to lighten it up a bit, skip the blue cheese dressing. You could add just a small sprinkle of lite blue cheese or gorgonzola.

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by | June 22, 2012 · 8:00 am

{Skinny BBQ Series} Tropical Grilled Chicken with Spicy Strawberry Salsa

Just like Anne, I am no stranger to strawberries. The fam and I went on our second annual strawberry picking excursion out in Cedarburg, WI last weekend. We outdid ourselves this year. With over 20 lbs of strawberries, I’ve been looking for ways to incorporate these delectable juicy berries into every meal possible. I’ve made some less healthy (but delicious) strawberry almond muffins and strawberry rhubarb crisp, but I’ve also incorporated strawberries into fresh salads and this skinny BBQ recipe: tropical grilled chicken with spicy strawberry salsa.

I’ve found pairing strawberries with different flavors (spicy, tangy, etc.) really balances out flavors and brings the strawberries to life in a different way. This strawberry salsa would also be great on grilled fish or fish tacos. Chicken breast is always an alternative for skinny BBQ but so often it comes out over cooked, dry and bland. This simple marinade brings sweet and tropical flavors and keeps the chicken nice and juicy.

Tropical Grilled Chicken with Spicy Strawberry Salsa

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 oz. pineapple juice
1/4 C low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 C fresh strawberries, diced
1/2 large jalapeño pepper, diced
1/4 C cilantro, chopped
cracked black pepper
salt

In a shallow dish, mix pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic, cumin and onion powder. Place chicken breasts in the dish, coating in the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat grill to high.

In a small bowl, mix together strawberries, jalapeño and cilantro. Add a pinch of coarse black pepper and salt to taste. Set aside.

Reduce grill to medium high heat. Place chicken breasts on grill. Cook for 7-8 minutes on each side. Do NOT keep moving and turning the chicken. Remove chicken from grill.

Place chicken breast on plate and top with heaping spoonful of strawberry salsa.

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by | June 18, 2012 · 7:39 am

Pork Chops with Cherry Saison Relish

It’s hard for me to resist the bags of ruby red cherries that abound this time of year. Even though they can be a pain to eat, I’m a sucker for the sweet-tart flavor. To amp up our standard grilled pork chops over the weekend, I put together this easy but complex cherry saison relish using items I had on hand, including a home brewed Belgian saison ale. Sweet, tart, savory and a touch spicy thanks to a sprinkle of chipotle, it has everything you could want in a summer sauce.

Pork Chops with Cherry Saison Relish
serves 2
1/3 C chicken stock
1/3 C Belgian saison ale (or wheat beer)
2 Tbsp stone ground mustard
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp corn starch
small pinch chipotle powder (optional)
kosher salt
fresh cracked black pepper

Remove stems and pits from cherries. Roughly chop cherries and transfer to a saute pan. Begin to heat on medium heat. Add chicken stock and saison ale to cherries, whisking to combine. Whisk in corn starch, brown sugar and mustard so that there are no clumps and let simmer until mixture reduces and begins to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add chipotle powder. Whisk well and let mixture continue to reduce and stay warm while your chops are being grilled.

Season chops on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Grill chops on raised rack of grill at 400 degrees for about 5-6 minutes per side based on thickness. Top chops with cherry sauce.

Recipe for sauce can be increased to support more chops and could also be paired with chicken.

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by | June 11, 2012 · 8:00 am

{GIVEAWAY} Howling Wolf BBQ

This week we are celebrating dads by giving away what dad loves most – BBQ! We have had the honor and privilege of interviewing Ken Wolfe from Howling Wolf Gourmet Foods, who has enlightened us on us culinary BBQ perspective. If reading his story doesn’t make your mouth water for some delicious Father’s Day grilling, we aren’t sure what would! Please take the time to read about Howling Wolf and have the chance to win a BBQ combo pack with a bottle of the Howling Wolf Original BBQ sauce, Land & Sea Rub, and Dry Rub. Giveaway details are below.

Give us the one-minute bio of yourself.

I am a classically trained chef who has always had a passion for sauces, smoked foods, and BBQ. I started my career with a 3 1/2 year culinary apprenticeship in southern California, followed by two years of working as a chef in France. I spent most of my early career as a saucier, before moving up the ranks. Eventually I opened my own restaurant, Cafe Wyoming, in Dubois, Wyoming. At the Cafe, I featured my BBQ sauces and perfected my style of barbecuing. My ribs and sauce were mentioned in Jane & Michael Stern’s Roadfood 2005 edition. After six successful years, I sold the Cafe to focus on my sauces full time. I moved to Wisconsin five years ago and have been in the stores four years.

Tell us a little bit about how Howling Wolf BBQ got started?

I have always had a passion for BBQ growing up and as I progressed in the culinary field I was continually thinking of the possibility of starting a food line to eventually free me from the restaurant business. That line naturally became my own gourmet take on BBQ.

What inspires your BBQ flavors?

I love the diversity of flavors that the spice world offer. Combined with my passion for BBQ, I have been able to create some extra ordinary flavors that are both flavorful and very versatile. For example, My Cranberry Orange BBQ can be used as a glaze for Asian sweet and sour, and my original can be mixed with yogurt and takes on a middle eastern flavor.

Are you a gas or charcoal man?

At times gas is convenient but not only do I prefer charcoal but I prefer to make my own.

Describe your perfect BBQ meal.

I am always happy to devour a rack of perfectly smoked pork spare ribs but nothing beats a beautifully seasoned and smoked pork shoulder sandwich on a homemade roll topped with my homemade aged slaw and a good I.P.A.

How will you be spending your Father’s Day?

I will be doing something outside with my family most likely in the garden and it will most certainly end up with a nice dinner off the grill.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

In order to win the Howling Wolf BBQ Combo Pack, visit the Howling Wolf website and check out the different products and recipes. Leave us a comment on this post telling us how you would like to use a Howling Wolf product to put a smile on dad’s face this Father’s Day.

For an extra vote – like Haute Apple Pie on Facebook and let us know you did!

You must enter your comment by Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 11 p.m. CST. The winner of the giveaway will be announced Friday, June 15, 2012 and will be chosen at random. You must be over the age of 18 to vote and live in the Continental United States.

Happy Father’s Day to all those awesome dads out there!

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by | June 8, 2012 · 8:00 am

{Skinny BBQ Series} Tortilla Chicken Brats with Southwestern Sauerkraut

The grills have been rolled out and dusted off. The propane tanks filled. The charcoals are burning. It is grilling season again. Great news for the taste buds, bad news for the waistline. Enjoying a good brat or burger off the grill is a Midwesterners favorite pastime, but it can wreak havoc on your summer weight loss routine. This summer, we are running Skinny BBQ Series, lots of great grilled recipes from apps, to entrees, to desserts that you will not need to feel guilty about.

My good friend from college hails from the great state of New Mexico. If there are two things he has taught me, they are: tortillas and green chilies. We often grilled in college and never seemed to scrape enough money together to have buns lying around, so we would wrap our hot dogs and brats in tortillas. It cuts back on the carbs and calories and is surprisingly delicious! Now the chilies we are able to buy in cans here in the Midwest pale in comparison to the ones mailed straight from New Mexico, but they still get the flavor across.

When the lovely people at Gold’n Plump sent us some of their new chicken sausages, I was excited to create a meal that mixed my Germanic routes with my taste for Southwestern cuisine. Using Gold’n Plump’s new chicken bratwurst, I made a lean and spicy new twist on an old Wisconsin favorite.

Tortilla Chicken Brats with Southwestern Sauerkraut
1 package Gold’n Plump Chicken Bratwurst
5 Flour or Corn Tortillas (Use whole wheat for an added health bonus)
1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
1 jar green chilies
1 16 oz. jar of sauerkraut, rinsed, drained and squeezed dry
1/2 tsp chipolte powder
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
BBQ sauce (optional)

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil. At a medium-high heat, sauté garlic for one minute, stirring constantly. Add onion and jalapeño. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add green chilies and reduce heat to medium. Stir in sauerkraut. Mix throughly. Add chipolte powder, pepper, paprika and cumin. Simmer at medium to low heat until ready to serve.

Add bratwurst to grill. Grill for 15-18 minutes, turning on all sides to cook evenly at even intervals. In the last 2 minutes of grilling, add tortillas to the grill. Heat until slightly crisp edges form, watching closely to make sure they do not burn.

Lay tortilla flat. Add bratwurst and large spoonful of sauerkraut. Drizzle about 1 TBSP of your favorite BBQ sauce (I love Saz’s!) and wrap.

These chicken brats only have 7 G of fat and 150 calories. If I did not know it was chicken, I would never have guessed. Sauerkraut may add a little extra sodium but no fat and virtually no calories. The extra tablespoon of BBQ sauce may add about 20 calories or so, but I think it is well worth it. This meal tastes sinfully bad for you, but packs in at less than 500 calories! Now that is what I call skinny BBQ!

*Disclaimer: Gold’n Plump provided Haute Apple Pie with the products utilized in this post, however the content, images, recipes and opinions are all our own.

 

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