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Nothing beats the tantalizing aroma of fresh fish, meat or vegetables sizzling on the grill. With a bounty of delicious ingredients and methods to choose from, every grill chef has a favorite barbecue secret.
The varieties for outdoor cooking are endless, from simple backyard grills to elaborate outdoor kitchens. Even on boats along our waterways, there are smokers and open-fire grills to serve each distinctive cooking style.
These shared secrets from some outstanding northshore grill chefs offer a mix of saucy combinations in different settings for summertime’s sizzling repast.
THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN
Extending their living space outdoors, C. J. and Keith Ladner have created an easygoing Southern ambiance that allows for casual entertaining in an elegant poolside staging. With a fully equipped outdoor kitchen, Keith masters the grill with flaming success for such creative delights as Marinated Swordfish and Asparagus Wraps.
According to Keith, “One of the things I love most about cooking is how it brings people together. People are always drawn to my kitchen. Inside or outside, there are always people, and most of them want to help. That’s what makes it fun.”
MARINATED SWORDFISH WITH ORANGE-CILANTRO SALSA
Orange-Cilantro Salsa
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon each fresh orange and lemon zest
1 can (11ounces) mandarin orange sections, drained
Dash of salt
Mix cilantro, onion, orange and lemon zest, mandarin oranges and dash of salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Herb-Lemon Marinade
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
Zest and juice of one fresh lemon
Whisk together olive oil, wine and lemon juice until fully incorporated. Add the remaining lemon zest, garlic and herbs, whisking to mix thoroughly.
Swordfish
4 (3/4-inch thick) swordfish fillets,
6 to 8 ounces each
1 tablespoon olive oil
Zest of one orange and one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Place fish in plastic bag, then add marinade, covering fish thoroughly. Refrigerate for one hour. Brush fish with olive oil, then sprinkle with orange and lemon zest. Add salt to taste. Set aside while preparing the marinade.
Remove fish from bag and place uncovered on grill over medium heat. Cook for five minutes, basting with marinade. Turn fish over, baste top side of fish and continue cooking for two to four minutes. Serve immediately. Orange Cilantro Salsa may be served over fish or as a garnish on the side. Serves four.
ASPARAGUS WRAPS
24 thin asparagus spears with tough ends removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste
8 thin slices prosciutto
Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and lemon juice, then roll to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle with salt. Wrap two slices of prosciutto around six asparagus spears, covering outside of asparagus with the prosciutto. Refrigerate until time to grill.
Place rolled asparagus directly on medium-hot grill and baste with oil and lemon, rotating several times. Serve immediately.
Note: Asparagus and fish may be cooked at the same time, as cooking time is similar.
ABOARD DECK
You can always spot the vintage Tchefuncte Queen gliding majestically along the Tchefuncte River, hostess to many of the northshore’s greatest outdoor gatherings.
As the Poster Boat for the 2001 Wooden Boat Festival and winner of countless awards, the Tchefuncte Queen truly lives up to her name. The Tchefuncte’s easy pace lends itself ideally to the slow-cooking method aboard ship suggested by Kenny McWilliams, the ship’s captain. His Roasted Venison is a succulent blend of flavors resulting from sealing in the seasonings and slow roasting the meat for hours.
ROASTED VENISON
20 pounds venison roast
6 cups onions, sliced into thick rounds
4 cups coarsely chopped celery
3 cups coarsely chopped bell pepper
2 pods medium-chopped garlic
2 cups zesty Italian dressing
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning
Rub meat with salt, pepper, Tony Chachere’s seasoning and garlic. Place in an aluminum roasting pan and top with onions, celery and bell pepper. Pour Italian dressing over meat and cover tightly with foil wrap. Pre-heat grill to a low (approximately 300Þ) temperature. Place roast directly on the grill. Continue to cook in sealed foil pan for four to six hours. Remove from pan; serve roasted venison with pan drippings. Serves approximately 25.
GRILLED CORN ON THE COB
Fresh ears of corn with husks on
Butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Place whole fresh corn with husks directly on a medium-hot grill. Cook for 20 minutes, turning once. Peel husks and remove corn silk. Season with salt, pepper and butter. Serve immediately.
BACKYARD GRILLING
As barbecue aromas wafted by, excitement was in the air when cousins Elise Phares and Shelby Statham were awarded the first place trophy as winners of the Chicken Little Division during Hammond’s Smokin’ Blues & BBQ Challenge held this spring. The first-time festival sponsored by the Hammond Chamber of Commerce and the City of Hammond drew barbeque competitors from throughout the South and from as far away as California.
While serious grillin’ was going on, none was more creative than the Chicken Little Competition, open to aspiring grill chefs between the ages of eight and 16. It’s easy to see how Lollipop Chicken was awarded the winning recipe!
LOLLIPOP CHICKEN
8 chicken legs
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup soy sauce
4 cloves finely chopped fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon Wasabi paste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Add ingredients in order given, blending to form sauce. Loosen chicken from bottom of drumstick by scraping meat away, then pushing meat forward to form lollipop shape.
Dip chicken legs into sauce and cook on a medium-hot grill. Several times during cooking process, remove lollipops from the grill and dip into sauce, thoroughly coating before returning to grill.
Continue to cook until well done, about 20 minutes.
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