SUPERSTAR CELEBRATION BBQ

• Grilled Shrimp in a Peanut Sauce
• Baby Potato Kabobs
• Mushroom Kabobs
• Grilled Chicken in a Wine Tarragon Sauce
• Grilled Gazpacho

GRILLED SHRIMP IN A PEANUT SAUCE 1 ½ lbs of shrimp, shelled and deveined ¾ cup of coconut milk (188 ml) 1/3 cup of lime juice, freshly squeezed (84ml) 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 teaspoon of salt (5ml) 1 teaspoon of ground pepper (5ml) Sauce 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (45ml) 5 cloves of garlic, minced 1 bunch of scallions, green and white parts minced 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, minced (30ml) ½ medium green pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped ½ medium red pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped 2 fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped 1 ¼ cup of coconut milk ½ cup of creamy peanut butter 5 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper ½ cup of of cilantro, freshly chopped (125ml) Salt and pepper

Rinse the shrimp and pat dry. Place in a large sealable plastic bag. In a bowl, combine the coconut milk, lime juice, garlic, and salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the shrimp and place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.

In a saucepan over medium heat, sweat off the garlic, scallions and ginger in oil. Add the green and red pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes until some of the liquid has evaporated.

Stir in coconut milk, peanut butter, lime juice and half of the cilantro. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook uncovered for approximately 10 minutes until the sauce beings to thicken. Adjust the seasoning and set aside until it is time to serve.

Preheat the grill to high.

Remove the shrimp and discard of the marinade. Pat the shrimp dry and bring to the grill. Oil the grill liberally to avoid sticking. Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes per side until pink. Brush them with some of the peanut sauce after the first flip.

Sprinkle the remaining cilantro into the sauce just prior to serving.

Yield: Serves 8

BABY POTATO KABOBS

3 lbs of baby red and white Potatos, scrubbed and cut in half
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil (62ml)
Juice of ½ lemon
5 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons of oregano (10ml)
2 teaspoons of dried thyme (10ml)
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (30ml)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place some bamboo skewers in water to soak for 30 minutes.

Using a fork, poke some holes in each potato half and place them into a large sealable plastic bag. Add olive oil, lemon juice, dried thyme, and oregano, garlic salt and pepper and a few bay leafs. Place in the fridge to marinate for 20 minutes.

Remove the Potatos from the marinade and skewer them with the flat side all facing the same way.

Preheat the grill to medium.

Oil the grill grate and place the Potatos flat side down on the grill. Leaving the lid up to watch for flare ups, cook for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Brush with butter and season before serving.

Yield: Serves 8

MUSHROOM KABOBS

1 pound of whole button mushrooms, cleaned and stems trimmed
12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for a minimum of 30 minutes
Marinade
½ cup of dry red wine (125ml)
¼ cup of olive oil (62ml)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice (15ml)
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
3 teaspoons of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of sea or kosher salt (5ml)
1 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper (5ml)

Place the mushrooms in a large plastic bag. Combine all of the marinade ingredients and pour over the mushrooms. Seal the bag and place in the fridge to marinate for 20 minutes.

Preheat the grill to high heat.

Remove the mushrooms from the bag and discard of the marinade. Place them on skewers. Place them on the grill and cook for approximately 5-10 minutes with the lid up and turning on a regular basis to ensure even cooking.

Yield: Serves 6

GRILLED CHICKEN IN A WHITE WINE TARRAGON SAUCE 6 Chicken breasts on the bone 2 tablespoons of olive oil (30ml) Juice of 2 lemons 1 cup of white wine (250ml) 2 tablespoons of tarragon, freshly chopped (30ml) Sauce 3 tablespoons of shallots, finely diced (45ml) 1 cup of white wine (250ml) 2 tablespoons of tarragon, freshly chopped (30ml) 4 tablespoons of cold butter (60ml) Salt and pepper to taste

Place the chicken breast in a sealable plastic bag. In a bowl mix the olive oil, lemon juice, wine and tarragon. Pour over the chicken and seal the bag.. Toss to ensure the chicken is well coated. Place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours.

Preheat the grill to medium high heat.

A half hour prior to cooking time, remove the chicken from the fridge and allow the meat to come to room temperature. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat it dry. Discard the marinade.

Oil the grill liberally to help avoid sticking. Place the chicken breast side down on the grill. Leave to cook for approximately 10 minutes and flip. Continue to cook for another 5-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sweat off the diced shallots for the sauce. Add white wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add tarragon and leave to simmer and reduce for 10-15 minutes. Strain the sauce into a bowl and discard the discoloured tarragon. Add the butter one knob at a time and whisk until it is all incorporated.

Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over finished chicken.

Yield: Serves 6

GRILLED GAZPACHO 4 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed 4 cloves of garlic, peeled 1 medium red onion, peeled and quartered (root end removed) ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil 2 slices of ¾ inch thick French bread 6 fresh, ripe tomatoes (about 2 ½ lbs) 1 medium red pepper 1 medium green pepper 1 medium English cucumber, unpeeled 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil (15ml) 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh tarragon (15ml) 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano (15ml) 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (15ml) 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar (45ml) or more to taste ½ cup to 1 cup of cold water as needed 1 teaspoon of hot sauce salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the grill to high

Finely chop the scallion greens and set aside for garnish. Thread the garlic bulbs onto a soaked bamboo skewer. Thread the red onions onto a soaked bamboo skewer. Lightly brush these with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Oil the grate and place the skewers on the grill. These will cook for 4-8 minutes until nicely browned. Add the tomatoes and peppers. The tomatoes will take approximately 8-12 minutes to char. The peppers will need 15-20 minutes. Pull these all off when done and set aside to cool.

Place the bread slices on the grill until they are darkly toasted – about 1 -2 minutes per side.

Remove the charred skins from the cooled onions, tomatoes and peppers. Core and seed the peppers.

Cut all of the now grilled ingredients into 1 inch cubes. Place the tomatoes into a blender and begin blitzing. Add the rest of the ingredients. Add the herbs, vinegar and the remaining oil. Puree until smooth and adjust the seasoning. Add water to adjust thickness of the soup.

Yield: Serves 8



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