Swordfish Steaks with Watercress Sauce

If you like swordfish, then run don't walk to the store to get all the ingredients!

This recipe is courtesy of Jamie Purviance in the "Weber's Real Grilling" cookbook.

Sauce:

1 large Garlic Clove, 1 C tightly packed fresh Watercress leaves, 1/4 C tightly packed fresh Basil leaves, 1/2 C sour cream, 2 tbs mayonaise, 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest, 1 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In food Processor, mince garlic and then add watercress and basil and process unitl chopped. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Season Swordfish steaks with minced garlic, paprika, salt and black pepper.

Grill over direct medium heat with woodsmoke of your choice.

Pictured above are oven roasted potatoes with Olive oil, garlic and herbs, and green beans sauteed with mushrooms and sweet red pepper, and pineapple orange mango salsa.

Smoked Shrimp Tacos and Smoked Chicken Tacos

Marinade for Shrimp:

About a pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Olive oil, cumin, chipotle powder, garlic powder, coriander powder.

Dust all ingredients on shrimp and toss the shrimp with Olive oil to coat... set aside.

Marinade for chicken:

2 - 4 chicken breasts.

(Note: If they are large, flay each breast to make thinner pieces of meat so the coating will be on a greater surface area)

Olive oil, cumin, chipotle powder, Fresh Ground black pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, coriander powder, and red wine vinegar.

Dust all ingredients on chicken and toss with Olive oil to coat... set aside.

Over medium heat, Grill/smoke the chicken with mesquite wood. Add the shrimp when the Chicken is almost done, directly over the coals for about 2 minutes per side or until pink.

Cilantro Lime Crema

(goes well with the Shrimp tacos)
I started with Crema Mexicana from the store, and added a bit of sour cream (3 tbs), about 1/4 C fresh cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, and a clove of garlic. Put it in the food processor till smooth and set aside to blend flavors.

Avocado Tomatillo Salsa:

(Goes well with both the Shrimp and the chicken)
1/2 small onion, quartered
1/2 jalapeno, quartered, seeds optional
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 medium tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
1 Hass avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Add all of the above to a food processor and blend to desired consistency... I made mine smooth.

Beans:

Mix one can refried beans with 1 can "Ranch Style" Pinto beans with Jalapeno peppers

Garnish all with grated Cotija cheese, fresh chopped cilantro, Chopped tomatoes... etc.

Jamaican Jerk Ribeye (HOT)

I got this from Bobby Flay's show "throwdown"... he challenged chef Nigel and his restaurant called "Ripe" who was then gracious enough to post the recipe below for the Ribeye Steak.

-- I found the actual recipe on Norm Schoen's "Eat or Die" blog

RECIPE FOR RIPE RESTAURANT'S "BIG ASS" JERK RUBBED RIBEYE STEAK

At the restaurant, we use the "Choice" Grade Cut.Feel free to use "Select" or "Prime" for this recipe,or any other cut from beef, pork or chicken. This Jerk Rub is very versatile.

1 16oz cut of boneless or bone-in Rib-Eye Steak.

Ingredients for Jerk Rub:

1tsp Nutmeg

2tsp White Pepper

¼ C Black Pepper

½ C Kosher salt

¾ C freshly ground Allspice

¾ C Brown Sugar

¾ C Orange Juice

1 whole Scotch Bonnet pepper

1 bunch Jamaican Thyme(about 10 stalks, picked from hard stems)

8 whole Garlic cloves

¾ C chopped Scallions (green onions)

2 cups whole Ajicito pepper (flavorful but not hot)

METHOD:Put ajicito peppers, scotch bonnet pepper, garlic cloves, thyme and scallions in food processor and pulse until it forms a paste. Then add the remaining ingredients except for the orange juice and blend. Slowly stream OJ into the processor until all is incorporated. You may adjust the amount of Orange Juice used depending on how dry or wet you prefer the rub to be. We like it be the consistency of a chutney.Smear paste over one side of steak and season the other side with salt and pepper. Marinate for 1 hour or up to 48 hours. Place steak on a hot grill and cook to just before desired doneness.Allow steak to rest (off the heat) for 10 minutes after cooking to redistribute juices and the carry-over cooking will bring it to your desired doneness. Then bite into that baby and lose your marbles!This Jerk Rub Recipe should make enough for at least 10 large Rib-Eye Steaks.The Rub can be stored in a tightly covered container in the refridgerator for up to 2 weeks.

NOTE:Ajicito peppers can be found in most Latin markets. It is also called "seasoning peppers" in Caribbean circles. It looks and smells just like a Scotch Bonnet pepper, but without the heat. It is used in the recipe to increase that scotch bonnet flavor, but can be substituted by adding a bit more green onions and scotch bonnet (if you can handle the additional heat). After letting this rub sit for a couple of days, the heat mellows out significantly anyway, so make a large batch by doubling or tripling the recipe. You won't be disappointed, and it lasts for weeks in the fridge.

Chadon Beni Sauce

(As Seen on "Throwdown" with Bobby Flay)

Chadon Beni (also called Shadow Benny in Trinidad & Culantro in Latin markets) has a broad, flat green leaf. Its a cousin of Cilantrowhich can be used as a substitute in the recipe.

1 cup densely packed Chandon Beni leaves.
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat italian parsley leaves
1 cup lime juice (fresh squeezed if available)

1/2 fresh scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero)

1/4 cup chopped scallions

6 whole peeled garlic cloves

1 tablespoon salt

Put all ingredients in blender and blend till smooth-add a little extra lime juice if puree is too thick

Culantro is VERY similar to cilantro in flavor, just a bit more powerful. Cilantro is a great substitute.The Jerk rub/marinade was EXTREMELY flavorful and even with only an hour of marinade time the flavors were jumping in my mouth. The Chadon Beni Sauce is well worth the effort too. It is a Chimichurri, but with a serious Island attitude.

Randy's notes: This recipe was HOT. I had Habanero peppers so I substituted those for the Scotch Bonnet peppers, and Anaheim Chiles for the Ajicito Peppers. The flavor is fantastic, but if you only like mild spice then cut the peppers and chiles...maybe even in half. The sauce to top this is imperative... that lime tang with the spice combinations is out of this world!

I served this with a Tomato Cucumber Red onion salad with balsamic vinagairette topped with goat cheese which helped counteract the heat.

Filet Mignon with Lemon Parsley Butter

Maybe not a traditional Cinco De mayo dish... however 26 years ago this was the day I asked my wife to marry me, and she likes filet mignon.

The parsley butter provides a bright flavor to the savory filet...

Following recipe comes from Jamie Purviance's "Weber's Real Grilling" book:

4 tbs unsalted butter

1 tbs finely chopped fresh parsley

1/4 tsp fresh lemon zest

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Just grill those Filet's with salt and pepper and top with the above recipe...the potatoes are actually drizzled with the Pepito Cilantro dressing I made the day before... fantastic!

Fish Tacos with Smoked Salmon and Cilantro Lime Crema

Fish Tacos are great, but in my opinion it is the condiments that make them...

Wild Caught Salmon was smoked on the grill with mesquite for about 20 minutes.

Pico de Gallo with fresh chopped tomatoes, red onion, fresh cilantro, garlic, and anaheim chiles.

Cilantro Lime Crema;

I started with Crema Mexicana from the store, and added a bit of sour cream, fresh cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, garlic and anaheim chile. Put it in the food processor till smooth and set aside to blend flavors.

Top the corn tortillas with flaked salmon, add the crema, pico de gallo, red cabbage and grated Cotija cheese (this is a great cheese to add a bite to the tacos)

I am not a salmon fan, but these were good enough to make Valerie stop talking for the duration of the meal...

Five Spice Chicken W/ Black Rice and Broccoli Stir Fry

I Found this recipe at Epicurious.com... Really good flavor... the dipping sauce makes it!

We will make this one again.

Five Spice Chicken

by Mai Pham

Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table
Ga Ngu Vi Huong
The best five-spice chicken I have had in Vietnam was made by a street food vendor in the port town of Hoi An in the central region. The vendor used a spice mix of freshly toasted star anise and turmeric. When she grilled the chicken, the whole neighborhood was perfumed with the most enticing fragrance. This is my version of that dish.

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Marinade

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons minced ginger

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1/2 tablespoon sea salt

4 whole star anise, lightly toasted in a dry pan for 3 minutes, pounded or ground into a fine powder

1/2 cup Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce (See recipe below)

1 Whole Chicken, cut up; or 4 bnls sknls Chicken breasts

Marinate the chicken for 1 to 2 hours

Grill with woodsmoke

(I used Hickory and a little bit of Mesquite for stronger smoke flavor)

Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce

Nuoc Tuong Pha
This vegetarian dipping sauce can be made with any soy sauce, including the Japanese-style Kikkoman, although the Vietnamese prefer the lighter-bodied Chinese-style products marketed under the brands Kim Lan, Bo De, and Pearl River Bridge. Like dipping sauces made with fish sauce, you can embellish this with different aromatics such as ginger and cilantro.

Yield: Makes about 1 cup

1 clove garlic

2 fresh Thai bird chilies

(Note: I substituted 1/2 jalpano chili because that is what was on hand)

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup soy sauce, preferably Chinese style

2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice with pulp

1/4 cup water, or to taste

1. Place the garlic, chilies and sugar in a mortar and pound into a paste.

(You can also chop the garlic and chilies by hand, or use a small food processor.)

Transfer to a small bowl and add the soy sauce, lime juice and water. Stir until well blended.

This sauce will keep up to 3 weeks if stored in the refrigerator in a tight-lidded jar.
Source Information

Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table

HarperCollins

Asian Broccoli Stir Fry

This broccoli goes great with Five Spice Chicken.
Ingredients:

· 1 bunch broccoli - cut into florets, stem peeled and chopped

White mushrooms, sliced (optional, pictured above)

· 1 Tbs oil
· 2 cloves garlic, minced, grated, or pressed
· 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

· 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
· 1 Tablespoon dry sherry
· 2 teaspoons sesame oil
· 1 teaspoon equivalent artificial sweetener

· 3 Tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

Note: this was a bit sweet for us... I will leave out the sweetner next time. Also, I added the almonds to the stir fry so they would take on some of the flavor of the stir fry sauce.

Preparation:
1) Lightly steam broccoli,

2) While that is happening, if the almonds aren't toasted, you can do that in the skillet you're going to use for the broccoli - either in a dry pan or a small amount of oil.

3) Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, sherry, and sweetener.

4) Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet.

5) Stir-fry the broccoli and mushrooms in hot oil for 1-2 minutes, until almost tender.

Push to the edges of the pan.

6) Put ginger and garlic in the center of the pan (add a little more oil if need be), and saute 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.

7) Put sauce in the pan, and toss all ingredients together. Top with almonds.

Chicken Cherry roll Ups

I found this recipe and just had to modify it a tiny bit... the rub recommended in the recipe is salt, pepper and brown sugar... but I could see that would leave this dish way too sweet for our taste. I used a spicier rub instead...

Chicken Cherry roll-ups

4 oz Cream Cheese (1/2 bar)

1/3 C snipped Dried Tart Red Cherries

3 tbs or so chopped green onion

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

Fresh Ground Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Your favorite bbq spice rub for chicken that has a kick

For the Filling

combine Cream Cheese, cherries and Green Onion

Set aside

Pound chicken breasts flat between plastic wrap

Season with salt, pepper, and spicy rub

spread filling on breasts and roll up, securing with toothpicks.

For Sauce to go over the chicken:

Grate 1 tbs orange peel

1/4 cup of the juice from that orange

1/4 cup cherry preserves

The rest of the orange you just squoze... coarse chopped

1 Clove Garlic

Fresh Ground pepper and salt to taste

in a small pan heat the juice and the preserves, garlic pepper and salt till just simmering

Remove from heat and stir in orange zest, and the rest of the orange...

Grill on medium, indirect heat with a drip pan under chicken for about 25 minutes. I used a combination of hickory and mesquite because I wanted a little stronger smoke flavor on this one.

This was really good, and the heat from the spice balanced out the sweet really well... combined with the nice smoke flavor I already have a request for a repeat...

Note: We found out the next day that these make FANTASTIC little appetizers sliced cold...

Marinated Chicken with Goat Cheese/Red Pepper sauce

My wife gave this meal 2 thumbs up (or is that 2 snaps and a circle?)

Salad :

Romaine, spinach, fresh basil leaves tooped with white mushrooms, red onion, marinated cucumbers, and tomatoes.

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, (*optional, I used 1/2 tsp), 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup tablespoons olive oil

Okay, for this one, marinate the chicken (breasts or thighs) in a mixture of 1/4 c balsamic, 2 tbs Olive oil, 1 tbs fresh rosemary, and 2 cloves garlic minced. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, cover the chx in plastic wrap and pound out flat (maybe 1/2"?) Place in sealed plastic bag to marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

When ready, grill the chicken over medium heat for 10 minutes or so... I used hickory wood for this one and it worked really well. (Source: Better Homes and Gardens "New Grilling book")

While that is marinating, make the goat cheese pepper sauce:

1/4 C store bought roasted red sweet peppers

Reserve about 1tsp of the liquid in the jar

In a food processor combine

the peppers,

about 4 oz. soft goat cheese

1 tsp fresh rosemary.

Process until reasonably smooth.

(Source: Better Homes and Gardens "New Grilling book")

The potatoes are really easy.

Dice em up.

Put em in a bowl.

Add some olive oil, Herbs de Provence, salt, pepper, and fresh garlic.

Mix it around and dump it on a non-stick baking sheet at 425 for about 20 minutes or until done to your preference of browning.