FANCY PANTS DINNER

• Roasted Tomato Soup
• Grilled Filet Mignon with Stuffed Pears
• Corn, Red Pepper and Arugula Salad
• Watermelon Salad
• Grilled Garlic Bread

Roasted Tomato Soup 6 cups low-salt chicken stock (1.5 L) 3 slices day-old Italian bread, ½-inch thick 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 6ths 25 Roma tomatoes, halved, cored, seeded 1 medium onion, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices Olive oil 1 teaspoon salt (5 ml) ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (2.5 ml) 2 stalks celery, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup basil leaves (125 ml) 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (60 ml)

In a large soup pot heat the chicken stock. Tear up the Italian bread and add to the stock.

Prepare the vegetables for grilling. Core and seed the red pepper halve and seed the Roma tomatoes and chop the onion. Put all vegetables into a big bowl drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Prepare the barbecue for direct grilling. Preheat the grill to medium-low heat, 300°F/150°C (5 steamboats). Place the vegetables on the grill and cook for 6-7 minutes, turning once. The skins of the vegetables should char and blister.

Remove the vegetables from the grill. Remove the skins of the peppers and tomatoes and roughly chop. Place grilled vegetables in a large bowl and add the diced celery, garlic, basil and balsamic. Season with salt and pepper,

Add the mixture to the soup pot on the stove and simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes take the soup off the heat source. Place a large sealable plastic bag full of ice into the soup. This is to cool the soup down. Once cool, remove ice, cover and refrigerate.

When ready to server, puree with a hand wand and adjust seasoning to taste.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Grilled Filet Mignon with Stuffed Pears 1 beef tenderloin 12 inches in length, cut into 8x 1.5 inch portions. Olive oil 1 teaspoon salt (5 ml) 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (5 ml) Stuffed Pears 4 medium-firm pears, halved and cored 3 oz. mild, soft blue cheese 1 tablespoon crumbled hazelnuts (15 ml) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (15 ml) 1 tablespoon dried cranberries (15 ml)

Cut the beef tenderloin into 8x1 inch portions. Rub each steak with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place the steaks on a baking sheet and set aside.

Halve and core the pears. Prepare the stuffing by crumbling blue cheese into a medium bowl. Fold the mixed nuts into a towel and hit with a hard object to crush. Add nuts to the blue cheese. Snip the chives into the bowl using scissors and add dried cranberries. Mix well. Stuff the pear halves and add them to the baking sheet with the steaks.
Before grilling, remove the steaks and pears from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

Preheat the barbecue to 425°F/220°C

Oil the grill. The filet mignon will cook over direct heat for a total of 8 minutes - 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. After 2 minutes of grilling turn the steak ¼ to produce cross char marks. Repeat after turning steaks. Add the pears to the grill after the first 5 minutes.

Take the steaks off the grill and tent with aluminium foil. Let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes.

Turn the barbecue off, put the lid down and leave the pears on the grill for a couple minutes longer. The cheese should be soft and melted.

Serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings

Corn, Red Pepper and Arugula Salad 3 ears of corn, husks and silks removed 2 red bell peppers 1 yellow bell pepper 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (90 ml) 4 cups arugula (1000 ml) ½ cup sliced red onion (125 ml) ½ cup feta cheese (125 ml), crumbled 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Salt to season Pepper to season

Preheat the barbecue to 300°F/150°C

To prepare the vegetables, drizzle corn and peppers with 2 tablespoons (30ml) of olive oil.

Place peppers on grill and cook for 7-8 minutes or until peppers are charred and blistered. Do this for each side.

Place corn on grill for 4-5 minutes. Rotate the corn when the colour turns vibrant yellow and slightly charred. Remove and let cool.

Remove the skins and seeds from the peppers and roughly dice them. Place the peppers in a large bowl. Strip the kernels from cobs and add to bowl.

Wash and dry arugula. Place into a bowl. Add the red onion and feta.

Before serving drizzle balsamic vinegar and olive oil over salad and toss.

Yield: 6 servings

Watermelon Salad 1 8-pound seedless watermelon, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 16 cups) ½ cup fresh lemon juice (125 ml) ½ cup fresh lime juice (125 ml) 2/3 cup sugar (150 ml) ½ cup vodka (125 ml) 6 tablespoons Grand Marnier (90 ml) ¼ cup chopped fresh mint (60 ml) Cut the watermelon out of its rind and cube it into 1-inch pieces. Put all the watermelon into a big bowl. In a separate bowl, squeeze the lemons and limes. Add sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Add vodka and Grand Marnier.

Pour mixture over the watermelon and add fresh mint, stir gently to combine.

Put the salad in the refrigerator for 1 hour maximum.

Serve and enjoy!

Yield: 8 servings

Grilled Garlic Bread 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) salted butter, at room temperature (180 ml) 4 cloves garlic, minced ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (190ml) 5 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives (75 ml) Salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 loaf French bread

In a medium bowl combine room temperature butter and minced garlic. Add Parmesan cheese, chopped chives and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Using a serrated knife, cut the loaf of bread in half, like a book.

Sit the loaf on a large sheet of aluminium foil. Using a spatula, smear the butter mixture on both sides of each bread slice. Sprinkle with cheese. Wrap the bread tightly in the aluminium foil and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes – allowing the garlic butter to sink into the bread.

Prepare the barbecue for indirect grilling. Heat one side of the barbecue to medium heat- 300°F/150°C. Oil the grill. Place the garlic bread on the side of the barbecue that is turned off. Let warm on the grill for 10 minutes.

Serve the garlic bread hot off the grill. The bread should be warm and the cheese melted.

Yield: Makes about 20 slices



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