Perfectly Grilled Corn on the Cob

Ingredients
8 ears corn
Kosher salt

Directions
Heat the grill to medium.

Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base. Strip away the silk from each ear of corn by hand. Fold husks back into place, and place the ears of corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes.

Remove corn from water and shake off excess. Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Remove the husks and eat on the cob or remove the kernels. Serve with the BBQ Butter and/or Herb Butter. Spread over the corn while hot.

BBQ Butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions for BBQ Butter
Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over high heat until almost smoking. Add the onion and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the paprika, cayenne, cumin and ancho powder and cook for 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of water and cook until the mixture becomes thickened and the water reduces. Let cool slightly.

Place the butter in a food processor, add the spice mixture and Worcestershire sauce and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, scrape the mixture into a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Herb Butter
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, chives or tarragon)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions for Herb Butter
Combine in a food processor and process until smooth.

Grilled Eggplant Caponata Bruschetta with Ricotta Salata

Ingredients

• 4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 medium globe eggplants, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 large stalk celery, diced
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup Sicilian green olives, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• Pinch red chile flakes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 loaf Italian bread, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 8 ounces ricotta salata, crumbled

Directions

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.

Brush the tomatoes and eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes each side. Grill the tomatoes until charred all over, about 8 minutes. Remove the eggplant and tomatoes from the heat and cut into dice.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil in a large saute pan. Add the celery and onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add the olives, vinegar, raisins, capers, sugar, chile flakes, a big splash olive oil, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the basil and parsley and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer the caponata to a bowl and keep at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. The caponata can be made 1 day in advance, covered and refrigerated. Bring the caponata to room temperature before serving.

Meanwhile, grill the bread on both sides until slightly charred, about 30 seconds each side. Remove the bread from the grill and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top each slice of bread with some of the caponata and sprinkle with the ricotta salata. Drizzle the top of each slice of bread with more olive oil and scatter basil on top.

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Steamed Mussels with Fennel and Ouzo

Ingredients
2 pounds cultivated mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 bulb fennel, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced
1 ripe beefsteak tomato, diced
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup ouzo
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grilled bread, for serving


Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over high heat on the grates of the grill. Stir in shallots and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in fennel and tomato, and continue cooking about 5 minutes. Add white wine and ouzo and reduce by half. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in mussels, 1/2 the basil and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook until the mussels are open, discarding any that do not. Stir in the remaining basil and serve in large bowls with grilled bread.


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New York Strip with Blue Cheese, Vidalia Onion Jam and Warm Potato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients
Onion Jam:
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
3 Vidalia onions, peeled, halved, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 jalapeno chile, finely diced
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons creme de cassis
2 tablespoons grenadine
Honey, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley


Directions
Heat grill to high. Heat a cast iron skillet until hot, but not smoking. Add the drippings, heat, and then the onions, garlic, jalapeno, wine, vinegar, cassis, grenadine and salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid mixture is thickened and jam-like, about 20 minutes. Taste and season with honey, salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley, transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.


Warm Potato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette:
2 1/2 pounds red new potatoes
1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into lardons and cooked until golden brown and crisp, 2 tablespoons drippings reserved
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
2 cloves chopped garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons roughly chopped basil leaves
2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and season with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain, let cool for a few minutes and quarter


While the potatoes are cooking, whisk together the drippings, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, and then stir in the chopped basil and parsley.


Add the warm potatoes and the bacon to the vinaigrette and gently fold to combine. Serve with the steak.


Grilled NY Strip:
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
Canola oil
4 NY Strip steaks (12-ounces each) removed from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling
3/4 pound wedge blue cheese (recommended: Cabrales), room temperature
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
Handful parsley sprigs
Heat the grill to high. Mix together the salt, pepper and thyme in a small bowl. Brush the steaks with oil on both sides and season with the salt mixture. Grill steaks until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and cooked to medium-rare doneness.


Just before the steaks are done, use a fork to mash the cheese with some of the cream, so that it is chunky but a bit creamy. Mound some on each steak, and let melt very briefly, so the steaks don't overcook. Remove to a platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Top with parsley sprigs and serve.



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Grilled Corn and Tomato-Sweet Onion Salad with Fresh Basil Dressing and Crumbled Blue Cheese

Ingredients
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ears corn, grilled in the husk, kernels removed
1 sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla), halved and thinly sliced
1 pint Sweet 100 tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved
8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Fresh basil sprigs, for garnish


Directions
Combine the vinegar, basil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Can be made 2 hours in advance and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.


Combine the corn kernels, onion and tomato in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat, season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Top with crumbled blue cheese and garnish with basil sprigs just before serving. Salad can be made 1 day in advance and served cold or at room temperature.


SOURCE

Blue Cheese- جبنه معفنه, روكفور

Country Ham Salad with Fresh Mozzarella and Balsamic-Molasses Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 pound Kentucky country ham, finely diced
• 1/2-pound fresh mozzarella, finely diced
• 2 yellow peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
• 1/4 cup chiffonad fresh basil
• 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups mixed baby greens, washed and dried

Directions

Combine the ham, mozzarella, peppers, and basil in a large bowl. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, molasses, and mustard in a small bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper. Pour 3/4 of the dressing over the ham mixture.

Place the greens in a large bowl, drizzle with the remaining dressing, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Arrange the greens on a platter and mound the ham salad on top.

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Country Ham

Grilled Flatbread with Asparagus Pesto and Fontina

Ingredients

• 1 pound grilled asparagus
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, plus chopped for garnish
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup, plus 4 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano
• 1 pound fontina cheese, thinly sliced
• 1 large prepared pizza shell (recommended: Boboli)

Directions

Heat grill to high

Combine the asparagus, basil, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse a few times to coarsely chop. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and process until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper and transfer the pesto to a bowl. Stir in the Pecorino Romano.

Place pizza shell on the grill. Grill until slightly crisp, about 1 minute. Remove the shells and spread each with the pesto. Top with the fontina, return to the grill, close the cover and continue cooking until the cheese has melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the grill and sprinkle with the remaining Romano cheese and chopped fresh basil. Slice each flatbread into bite-sized pieces.

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Flatbread

Deep-Dish Pizza with Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Ingredients

Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Filling:

• 1 large bunch broccoli rabe, washed and coarsely chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound hot Italian sausage links, casings removed

Tomato Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 (32-ounce) can plum tomatoes coarsely chopped, no juice
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dough:

• 2 packages quick-rise dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water (90 degrees F)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more to oil the pans
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened

Assembly:

• 1/2 pound aged provolone, coarsely grated
• 1/2 pound fontina cheese, coarsely grated
• Sausage and Broccoli Rabe filling
• Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

For the filling:

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the broccoli rabe and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and run cold water over.Drain well again and squeeze out excess liquid.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil, chili flakes and garlic in a large saute pan over medium heat and cook for 1 minute. Add the broccoli rabe, salt and pepper and cook until slightly tender, about 5 minutes.

In a separate large saute pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Add the sausage links and using a wooden spoon, gently break up the meat into coarse pieces. Cook until deep golden brown. (You do not need to cook all the way because it will continue to cook in the oven.) Combine the sausage and the broccoli rabe and let cool slightly.

For the tomato sauce:

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and oregano, bring to a boil and cook until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly.

For the dough:

Dissolve the yeast and water in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the oils and mix for 30 seconds. Add the cornmeal, 3 cups of the flour and salt and

beat for 5 minutes. Switch to the dough hook and mix in the remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour and knead, using the dough hook for 2 minutes. Add the butter and knead until incorporated. The dough is a very moist dough so do not add more flour unless absolutely needed.

Place the dough in a large bowl lightly oiled with vegetable oil, cover with plastic wrap or clean kitchen towels and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Punch down the dough and allow to double in size again.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place 2 pizza stones into the oven to preheat as well. Generously oil 2 (9 or 10-inch) deep dish pie pans with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons for each pan).

Divide the dough in half and press the dough out slightly on the counter top. Place the dough in the prepared pans and push out to cover the bottom and up the side of the pans. (If using the 9-inch pans, pinch a 2-inch ball off each dough to make a better fit.)

For assembly:

Combine the cheese in a bowl. Place half of the cheese of the bottom of each pie crust. Divide the sausage filling over the cheese and then top with the remaining cheese, patting the cheese firmly down over the filling. Spoon some of the sauce over the top of the cheese to cover completely. Place the pans into the oven on the pizza stones and bake in the oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with Parmesan. Let the pizza rest on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before slicing.

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Pizza