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Ever pickle a watermelon or barbeque a pineapple?
Two very unique and different tastes!
I enjoy pickling the rind of the watermelon with chilies, fresh ginger, mirin, kosher salt, sugar and rice wine vinegar…spicy!
Slicing a fresh pineapple into rings, laying them on the barbeque and marking them adds a wonderful sweetness to any burger or fruit salad.
Idea for your next barbeque: Teriyaki burger with tomato, red onion and grilled pineapple. (Stay tuned for my teriyaki sauce)
Create a refreshing fruit salad with pieces of orange, watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, grapes, apple and grilled pineapple. Create sweet brine with the juice of the pineapple and orange and finish with an ounce of triple sec.
Light and refreshing virgin cocktails!
When ever I went out for dinner it was always a treat to have a Roy Rogers, of course my cousin the sissy, went for the Shirley Temple.
Roy: ½ highball glass with cola, the other with a mix of pineapple and orange juice, finish with grenadine.
Shirley: ½ highball glass with lemon/lime soda, the other with a mix of pineapple and orange juice, finish with grenadine.
Don’t forget the maraschino cherry and umbrella!
Clean as you go! Sometimes using fewer bowls or spoons for a recipe allows you to quickly clean up and gives you the opportunity to do other important things.
Use the right tool for the right job! Too many accidents happen when you use the wrong utensil. I got so frustrated with not finding my can opener I used the tip of my chef knife, not only did I break the tip of my favorite knife, I cut myself and the clincher is I didn’t get the can open!
Wear an apron at all times! When in my restaurant I always had to look good! Running back and forth from the front and back of the house I needed to quickly create and then provide to my guests. It never failed, when I was in a hurry and forgot my apron something always splashed, spilled or soiled. I ended up wearing the clean apron to greet my guests.
Has this ever happened to you?
Forgot to put a menu item in the oven?
Forgot to serve the incredible jus for the roast?
Having to add to the menu a last minute item because someone has a dietary restriction?
Made a request of a loved one to take something out of the freezer…and she (sometimes he) didn’t?
If any of these incidents happened to you or something similar it’s time for the SIMPLE CHECKLIST!
Here it is:
Function Date: Time: How many? Children Adults Food Restrictions
Menu:
Preparation timing:
Purchases:
Cost:
-Who is responsible? (Always add initials)
-When accomplished check it off!
-Add any content that is pertinent to your function. I.e. Toast – speech, music, liquor, rentals
Doesn’t matter if you are serving for 2 or 200 the simple checklist works!
Barbecue precautions!
Inspect all your gas connections
Clean your grill
Insure your grease has a place to go (a cut aluminum can works best!)
Keep children away
Keep your meats, poultry and fish refrigerated until ready to Q
When handling raw meats insure all utensils and boards are cleaned well and sanitized
Careful of cross-contamination, keep raw and cooked foods separate
Tips for perfect BBQ chicken
Season and or marinade 12 hrs in advance
Season with- Garlic powder, sweet paprika and salt & pepper or your favorite marinade
Keep your pieces of chicken uniform in size
Ignite your BBQ -lid open
Pre-heat for 10 minutes on high with lid closed
Turn off one side of your burners
To avoid flare-ups, place chicken pieces on the “off” side, bone side up to sear in the flavor
Close the lid, cook for 15 minutes –don’t peek
Using heavy duty steel tongs or flipper move chicken pieces to the other side
Turn on the opposite burner and turn off the burner with the chicken
Cook 15 minutes
Continue to rotate until cooked
Total cooking time between 45min and 1 hour
Finger lick’n BBQ glaze
In a medium saucepan over medium heat add the following slowly
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 Large onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
Sauté the above
Add:
½ cup white vinegar
2 whole red chilies
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup honey
¼ tsp cracked black pepper
Pinch salt
Simmer for 10 minutes, brush glaze over finished chicken. Enjoy.
How do you check if the fish I’m buying is really fresh?
Fresh fish, when checking the eyes, should be clear not cloudy. The gills should be a nice pink color not deep black/red and the fish should smell like the ocean, not fishy.
How do you keep fish from spoiling quickly?
Keep all fresh fish as dry as possible. When you bring the fish home, wash it off, gut (if not already done), and remove the fins, head and tail. Towel dry and place flat on a cooking sheet and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The following day, towel dry and prepare for use, season and or marinade.
How long do I need to marinade fish?
Fish requires little time to marinade, between 1 and 3 hours will ensure your fish has the enhanced flavor.
What can I do to create a masterpiece fish?
Buy a fresh whole fish, the fresher the tastier. Clean, wash and towel dry. Choose a cooking method, pan fry, bake, deep fry, grill or steam. What is your favorite vegetable or fruit? I enjoy peppers and mango with a little red onion. Stuff your fish with those ingredients, season with a little olive oil, coarse salt, fresh pepper and fresh garlic. Pre-heat your oven at 350. On the stove top prepare a frying pan on a high element and when hot add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Lightly cut the flesh of the fish to score (allows for even cooking), season the skin with salt and pepper. Sear the fish on the pan and let cook for a minute on both sides. Remove and place in the oven to finish cooking. Make a salsa combining the ingredients you used to stuff the fish and use it as a garnish for the plate. Half a lemon and a starch, brown rice goes very well to finish.
