Grilled Clams on the Half Shell with Bacon, Garlic, and Hot Pepper

Ingredients
32 littleneck clams on the half shell
1/4-pound bacon, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
Freshly ground black pepper


Directions
Preheat grill to high.


Place a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook until lightly golden brown. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and continue cooking until the bacon is crisp. Remove from the heat, stir in the olive oil, parsley, and bread crumbs and season with black pepper, to taste.


Top clams with bacon mixture and place on the grill. Grill for about 1 minute or until just cooked through. Serve immediately.


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Chicken Cobb Burger

Ingredients
For the burgers:
8 (1/2- thick) strips bacon
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, 90 percent lean
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 burger buns, split
1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 slices
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 8 slices
For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce


Directions
For the burgers:
Heat the grill to medium.


Place the strips of bacon on the grill (lay them across the grate so they don't fall through) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the grill to high.


Form the meat into 4 (8-ounce) burgers, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through, about 5 minutes per side. Top the burgers with the blue cheese, close the cover, and continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute longer.


Place the burgers on the bottom half of each bun and top with a slice of tomato, 2 slices of avocado, 2 slices of bacon and some of the dressed romaine. Cover each burger with the bun tops and serve.


For the vinaigrette:
Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld.


Just before assembling the burgers, place the romaine in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette


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Grilled Chicken Wings with Spicy Chipotle Hot Sauce and Blue Cheese-Yogurt Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
46 chicken wings
Vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chipotle Hot Sauce, recipe follows
Blue Cheese-Yogurt Dip, recipe follows


Directions
Heat grill to high. Toss wings in a few tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill in single layers and grill until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.


Chipotle Hot Sauce:


1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 to 3 tablespoons chipotle pepper puree (depending on how spicy you like it)
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
Whisk together the vinegar, Dijon mustard, chipotle puree, honey, and oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.


Melt butter in a large skillet or a large pot on the grates of the grill. Add the hot sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Whisk in the ancho chile powder and season with salt, to taste. Add the wings and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with Blue Cheese-Yogurt Dip,


Blue Cheese-Yogurt Dip:


1 pint thick Greek yogurt
3/4 cup crumbled domestic blue cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons finely sliced scallions
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.


SOURCE

Chicken Wings

Grilled Chicken Paillard with Lemon and Black Pepper and Arugula-Tomato Salad

Ingredients
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small shallot, chopped
1/4 cup pure olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground fresh black pepper
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, pounded thinly
Salt
1/2 pound arugula
2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, diced
1 small red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish
Lemon halves, for garnish


Directions
Whisk together lemon juice, shallot, olive oil and black pepper in a large baking dish. Add the chicken, turn to coat and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.


Preheat grill to high. Remove chicken from marinade, season with salt on both sides and grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and just cooked through.


Combine arugula, tomatoes and onions in a large bowl, toss with the vinegar and oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place each paillard on a large plate, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and top with some of the arugula-tomato salad. Garnish with lemon halves.


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Chicken Breast

White Chocolate Rice Pudding with Cherries Jubilee and Sliced Almonds

Ingredients
4 1/2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup long-grain white rice
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons whipping cream
4 ounces good-quality white chocolate (recommended: Lindt or Valrhona), chopped
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Warm Cherry Sauce, recipe follows
Whipped cream, for garnish, optional
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish


Directions
Combine first 5 ingredients in a heavy, large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture thickens and rice is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.


Reduce heat to low. Whisk egg yolks and cream together in a small bowl. Gradually whisk 1/2 cup rice mixture into egg mixture; return mixture to the saucepan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly; do not let boil. Remove from the heat. Add white chocolate and stir until melted. Stir in the orange zest and cinnamon. Transfer pudding to a large bowl, cover, and chill until cold. Serve in bowls or large goblets with Warm Cherry Sauce, whipped cream, and toasted almonds on top, or layer in parfait glasses.


Warm Cherry Sauce:
1 cup cherry preserves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons kirsch (cherry brandy)


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Rice Pudding

Skirt Steak Tacos with Roasted Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 head romaine lettuce, thinly shredded
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, halved and diced
Grilled Tomato Salsa, recipe follows
8 ounces sour cream


Directions:
Heat grill to high.


Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and on the top rack of the grill while the steak is grilling.


Heat grill pan over high heat. Brush steak with oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill on one side until golden brown and slightly charred, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the steak over and cook to medium-rare doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes longer. Let rest 5 minutes then slice against the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.


Fill each tortilla with some lettuce, 3 to 4 pieces of meat, onion, grilled tomato salsa, sour cream, and avocado.


Grilled Tomato Salsa:
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for brushing tomatoes
2 serrano chiles
1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
6 plum tomatoes, halved and seeded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 limes, juiced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Heat grill to high.


Heat oil in a small saute pan and saute the chiles, onion, and garlic until soft.


Brush tomatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on both sides until slightly charred and soft.


Transfer tomatoes and serrano mixture to a food processor; add the lime juice and salt and pepper and process until smooth. Add the cilantro and pulse a few times (there should be flecks of cilantro in the salsa.) Transfer to a bowl.


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Skirt Steak

Guacamole with Cumin Dusted Tortillas

Ingredients

• 4 ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 2 limes, juiced
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, to taste
• Cumin Dusted Tortillas, recipe follows

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a molcajete and mix to a chunky consistency. Season, to taste, with salt, pepper, and cilantro. Serve immediately with cumin tortilla chips.

Cumin Dusted Tortillas:

• Peanut oil, for deep frying
• 12 flour and/or blue corn tortillas, cut into quarters
• 1 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Heat 2 inches of peanut oil in a high-sided saute pan to 360 degrees F.

Fry the tortillas, in batches, until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season immediately with cumin and salt.

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Avocado