Grub Grill Out!

What better way to celebrate the onslaught of June Gloom than with an outdoor feast? Amidst the curling smoke from the grill and suspended marine layer emerged barbecue-inspired fare that was a homerun hit along with an unforgettable dessert finale worthy of fireworks!  

With only 60% of the flames firing on the grill, this gathering quickly spiraled into extra innings! Grubbers and guests alike took advantage of this time by enjoying a Padres win over (insert assumed opponent here!?!) and breaking an all-time club record in wine bottles consumed in a single sitting.  Adam, Robyn, Andretta, Alyson and Natalie helped us to achieve this feat.   Hostess on deck: Megan Young.

BBQ Brie with Raspberries, provided by Megan Young


Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 small wheel brie cheese
• Crackers, for serving

Directions

Special Equipment: small square cedar plank, soaked in water for 1 hour

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Add raspberries, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, and pinch of red pepper flakes to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 25 minutes until thick.

Put the wheel of brie in center of the cedar plank. Scoop the raspberry syrup on top. Place cedar plank with cheese away from the flames on the grill. Cover the lid and cook for 20 minutes until the brie is soft and oozy to the touch. Remove from the grill and serve directly from the plank with crackers alongside.

Grilled Potato Salad, provided by Kim Messey

Ingredients

• 4 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed, cooked until almost tender, drained, and halved
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
• Salt and freshly ground black
• 3/4 pound hickory smoked bacon
• 1 large red onion, finely sliced
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup crumbled Maytag blue cheese

Directions

Preheat grill. Toss potatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill cut side down for 3 minutes. Turn over and continue grilling 2 to 3 minutes. Place in a large bowl.

Place medium skillet on the side burner or the grill and heat until almost smoking. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Let cool and crumble.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the onions and cook until soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, and sugar and cook until sugar is dissolved. Pour the onion mixture over the potatoes, add the crumbled bacon and parsley and toss to combine, season with salt and lots of black pepper. Spoon the salad onto a large platter and sprinkle with the crumbled blue cheese

Beer Can Chicken, provided by Andretta...and Bitsoff (sort of)

Ingredients

• 4 lb. Whole Chicken
• Beer, half full
• Rub of your choice (ours included salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika)
• Oil (vegetable or olive)

 Directions:

Remove neck and giblets from the poor bird and discard. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken lightly with oil then rub inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub. Set aside.

Open beer can and take several gulps (make them big gulps so that the can is half full). Place beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, plunk the bird cavity over the beer can. Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.

Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

TJ Dogs, provided by Bitsoff, grilled by Andretta

Ingredients:

• Hot dogs or Turkey Dogs of your choice
• Bacon
• Vidalia Onion
• Aluminum Foil
• Beef Bouillon
• Butter
• Ketchup
• Mayo
• Mustard
• Dice Tomatoes
• Jalapenos
• Toothpicks

Slice onion into strips and place a slab of butter and beef bouillon cube in the center. Salt and pepper.  Grill on a medium flame for 20-25 minutes.  In the meantime, wrap your dogs with bacon, making sure to cover each end. (The dog will cook much faster than the bacon, leaving the exposed end charred.)  Secure with a toothpick.  Cook the dogs on the grill, rolling as needed.  Layer with onions, mayo, diced tomatoes, mustard and jalapenos. 

Mamaw's Peach Pie, provided by Hobbs


Ingredients:

• 3 c. chopped peaches
• 1 unbaked 9" deep pie shell
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. flour
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/4 c. butter

Directions: Put peaches in pie shell and combine 1 c. sugar, 1/3 c. flour, and salt. Mix eggs and sour cream and stir until beaten. Spoon mixture over peaches. Combine sugar and remaining flour. Cut in butter. Sprinkle over pie.  Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until golden brown.

Destination: Delicioso!

La Casa de Messey in the Barcelona complex proved a fitting backdrop for our sojourn into the sun-dappled regions of Spain.  The grub gals bravely ventured into this veritable haven for culinary coups with the gusto of a flamenco dancer clicking her heels and clapping her hands!  Denise, Stephanie, Kevin and Chris joined us…perhaps permanently! 

And now, a history lesson in word origins! ‘Tapas’, derives from the Spanish verb ‘tapar’, which means to cover.  Back in the day, our amigos in Espana used slices of bread or meat to cover their sherry glasses to prevent pesky fruit flies from plunging into what would be their final baths.  Over time, bartenders started adding different pieces of food on top of the slices of meat, and the tapas tradition was born.

Stuffed Cherry Tomato Tapas, provided by Megan Young

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces Spanish olives with pimento
• 1 teaspoon drained capers
• 1 teaspoon brandy
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 24 cherry tomatoes
• freshly chopped parsley (to garnish)

Directions:

1. Place the olives in a food processor and process until finely chopped.

2. Add the remaining tapenade ingredients and process until olives are minced.

3. With a sharp knife, cut off a thin slice from the top and bottom of each tomato and discard.

4. Scoop out the juice and seeds from each tomato leaving the a shell, then spoon some of the tapenade into each shell.

5. To serve - transfer to a serving platter and garnish with the parsley. Serve cold.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates, provided by Bitsoff

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sliced bacon, cut in half
• 1 pound pitted dates
• 4 ounces blue cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Slice dates in half, and open them up. Pinch off pieces of blue cheese, and place them into the center of the dates. Close the halves of the dates, and wrap a half-slice of bacon around the outside. Secure each one with a toothpick. Arrange in a baking dish or on a baking sheet with sides to catch any grease.

3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bacon is crisp. Turn dates over after the first 20 minutes for even cooking. (Hey vegetarians turned carnivores, bacon still cooks after you take it out of the oven. Who knew? Thanks Megan Young!)

Perfect Paella, provided by Messey

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups enriched white rice
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 quart chicken broth or stock
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, cut into thirds
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3/4 pound chorizo, casing removed and sliced on an angle
• 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp, 24 shrimp
• 18 green lipped mussels, cleaned
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 lemons zested

Garnish:

• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 4 scallions, chopped
• Lemon wedges
• Crusty, bread for passing

Directions:

In a very wide pan or paella pan, preheated over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, crushed garlic, red pepper flakes, add rice and saute 2 or 3 minutes. Add saffron threads, bay leaf, broth, and thyme and bring liquids to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan with lid or foil and reduce heat to simmer.

In a separate nonstick skillet, over medium high heat brown chicken on both sides in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add peppers and onions to the pan and cook 3 minutes longer. Add chorizo to the pan and cook 2 minutes more. Remove pan from heat.
After about 13 minutes, add shellfish to the rice pan, nesting them in cooking rice. Pour in peas, scatter lemon zest over the rice and seafood, then cover the pan again. After 5 minutes, remove cover or foil from the paella and discard any unopened mussel shells. Stir rice and seafood mixture and lift out bay and thyme stems, now bare of their leaves. Arrange cooked chicken and peppers, onions and chorizo around the pan. Top with parsley and scallions. Serve with wedges of lemon and warm bread.

 

Baked Bananas, provided by Hobbs 

Ingredients

4 Bananas

Grated rind and juice of 1 orange

2 tbsp dark rum

50g brown sugar

30g butter

Cinnamon

Directions:

Peel and slice the bananas in thick (round) slices, and place in oven safe dish.

Squeeze orange juice and rum over the sliced bananas.

Sprinkle grated rind of orange, brown sugar and cinnamon over dish.
Cover with foil and place in 180 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Serve with cinnamon ice cream (we used carmel, vanilla and rum raisin ice cream).

*My suggestion would be to crumble 2-3 hand-fulls of vanilla wafers and place in dish while baking.  This would help soak up liquid, and hold the flavor.

Sweet Home 'Bama

The ladies of grub club sauntered deep into the south, cooking a medley of Dixieland delights at host Hobbs’ apartment.  Sans southern drawls and sun parasols, the Grub Club belles resourcefully channeled the south through a variety of family recipes.

The latest meeting not only marked a metaphorical journey below the Mason-Dixon line, but another landmark occasion: our first man attendee! Kevin Messey went where no gent has gone before as the Rhett Butler to our Scarlett O’Hara, the Tim McGraw to our Faith Hill, the Cash to our Carter! I digress… Hobbs’ roommate, Dana, rounded out the group, while Bitsoff arrived with only the ingredients of her dessert in-hand. What a Yankee.

Fried Green Tomatoes, prepared by Kim

Recipe courtesy of The Neely's

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

·         Oil

·         4 green tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch rings

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         3/4 cup all-purpose flour

·         1 tablespoon garlic powder

·         4 eggs

·         2 tablespoons milk

·         1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

·         Pinch cayenne pepper

·         Pinch paprika

·         Buttermilk Dipping Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

In a deep-fryer, preheat oil to 350 degrees F. Season tomatoes, on both sides, with salt and pepper. Place flour and garlic powder in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, beat eggs with the milk. In another dish, mix bread crumbs with cayenne and paprika. Dredge tomatoes through the flour, then the eggs, and then through the bread crumbs. Add only a few pieces to the fryer at a time, so they can cook evenly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve with Buttermilk Dipping Sauce:

Buttermilk Dipping Sauce:

·         1 cup apple cider

·         1 tablespoon brown sugar

·         3/4 cup buttermilk

·         3/4 cup mayonnaise

·         2 tablespoons Neelys BBQ sauce

·         1 lime, juiced

·         4 scallions, sliced thin

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the apple cider and brown sugar. Allow to reduce until thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a medium bowl, add buttermilk, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce and lime juice and whisk well. Add in the scallions and the apple cider mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve with Fried Green Tomatoes.

Chicken Pot Pie, prepared by Hobbs

Ingredients

2 deep dish pie crusts – Pillsbury 9” pie shells, located in the refrigerator section by the cookie dough.

4 chicken breasts boiled and chopped

1 can Veg-all lite. Drained

1 can creamy chicken mushroom soup

½  cup sour cream

½ yellow onion chopped

1c grated cheddar cheese

Butter

9” Pie Dish

Directions:

Stir Veggies, soup, sour cream, onions, and cheese together. 

Butter bottom crust of pie with melted butter.

Put chicken in pie crust, pour veggie mixture over.

Place 2nd pie crust on top, seal sides.  

make slits and put butter on top.

Bake:

30-45 minutes at 400.

Green Beans, prepared by Hobbs

Ingredients:

4 handfuls of fresh, snapped green beans

1 beef flavored Buyon cube

Butter, salt, pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a laughing boil.

Add ingredients

Bring water back to a boil

Simmer for 30 – 45 minutes

Cherry Crisp, prepared by Bitsoff (old Kentucky recipe from Grandmum)
3 cans of cherries
1 box of moist, yellow cake mix
1/4 cup of butter

Mix melted butter and cake mix together. Unlike Bitsoff, layer the cake on top of the cherrries. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Thai Time!

March 3^rd -  a day universally revered in the annals of history for Bulgaria regaining its independence (1878 – thank you ancestors!), Time Magazine publishing its first issue (1923), and Gandhi beginning his starvation campaign in India (1939) - became known as our 2nd Grub Club gathering.  Apparently uninspired by Gandhi’s plight or any other country highlighted above, we dedicated the 2011 date to honoring Thailand and its famed fare.  Megan Young hosted and guests included: Lisa, Christine, Michelle Ulrich, and Jessica’s mama, Marti.  

Spicy Thai-Style Pineapple Wraps  Appetizer, provided by Bitsoff

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons chile paste, such as sambal oelek
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 cups roasted peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped
• 2/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and stems)
• 12 Bibb lettuce leaves (about 1 head)
• Half a medium fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-size chunks (about 3 cups) (see page 274)
• Kosher salt

Directions:

Whisk the lime juice, sugar, chile paste, and fish sauce in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add the peanuts and cilantro and stir until evenly dressed with the sauce. When ready to serve, arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter. Put about 1/4 cup of pineapple in each leaf and season with salt to taste. Top the pineapple with the nut mixture. Serve, letting your guests wrap (or fold) each lettuce leaf to enclose the filling.

Thai Noodle Salad, provided by Jessica

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg yakisoba noodles (heat accordingly)
• 2 c thinly sliced romaine lettuce
• 2 c shredded cabbage
• 1 c shredded sweet potato
• 1 c bell pepper rings (red, yellow and green)
• 1 c bean sprouts
• ¼ c scallions
• Fresh basil, cilantro and mint leaves chopped
• Spicy Peanut Dressing

Toss: lettuce, cabbage, sweet potato, sprouts and scallions

 

Directions:

Place noodles and tossed mixture side by side on plate.  Top with pepper rings and herbs.  Drizzle with salad dressing and serve.

*Squeezed lime would be a great add.

Thai Noodle Salad (2.0), provided by Lisa
“Creamy but not heavy, this easy twist on Pad Thai is even better at room temp
after the flavors have blended” - Bon Appetit Magazine

Ingredients:
12 oz. Linguine
4 T. sesame oil (can decrease this)
8 green onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. minced peeled fresh ginger
¼ c. honey
¼ c. soy sauce
¼ c. creamy peanut butter
3 T. rice vinegar
1 ½ T. chili-garlic sauce
2 c. Bean sprouts
1 c. Shredded carrots
*can add snow peas and asparagus

Directions:

Toss pasta and 3 T sesame oil.
Heat remaining oil in skillet and add green onions, garlic, ginger.
Sautee until onions soften, about 2 min.
Add honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili-garlic sauce, blend.
Simmer one minute.
Cool to room temperature.
Pour over pasta and toss to coat
Add sprouts and carrots and other veggies
Mix well
Sprinkle on remaining green onions.

Wine pairing: A good Riesling.

Thai Fried Bananas Dessert, provided by Kim

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

2 tablespoons butter

4 fresh, firm bananas, peeled and cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

1 lime, juiced

Directions:

Do not buy plantains instead of bananas.  Heat a wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, toss in bananas and add the 1/4 cup of sugar. Cook down sugar and add the sesame seeds and the lime juice. Stir together and serve.

Cooking Kick-Off!

Grub Club met for the first time on Thursday, January 20th in Bitsoff's 490 square foot apartment. Guests kindly took to a variety of seats, which included a couch  (normal), ottoman (somewhat normal), Adirondack chair (getting weird), floor (sorry!) and, of course, the bed (not normal).  Stephanie Zaren and Jenny Vasil kindly joined us.  Hopefully, this will be the first of many more meet and eats to come!

Appetizer, provided by Kim Messey

Variety of cheese-y goodness with French bread, walnuts and tapenade. 

Salad, provided Jessica Hobbs

• 2 pkgs. of romaine lettuce
• 1 case of cherry tomatoes
• 3/4 c. pitted Kalmata olives
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 pkg. of Mediterranean flavor Feta cheese
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• Red Wine Vinaigrette, Trader Joe's brand
• Pepper to taste

Eggplant Parmesan, provided by Bitsoff

Eggplant:

• 2 lbs globe eggplants cut crosswise into 1/4 rounds
• 1 T kosher salt
• 1 c. unbleached all-pupose flour
• 8 slices high quality white bread, each slice torn into quarters
• 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (1 cup)
• 4 large eggs
• 6 T vegetable oil

Tomato Sauce

• 3 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 T EVOO
• 4 medium garlic cloves minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 1/4 t. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 c. coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
• salt and ground pepper
• 8 oz. (2 c.)whole milk or part skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 oz. (1/2 c.) Parm cheese
• 10 fresh basil leaves for garnish

1. For the eggplant: Toss the eggplant slices and 3 t. of the kosher salt in a large bowl until combined; transfer the salted eggplant to a large colander set over a bowl. Let stand for 45 minutes until the eggplant releases about 2 T of liquid.  Spread the eggplant slices over triple layers of paper towels; cover with another triple thickness of paper towels and press firmly to remove as much liquid as possible and wipe off the excess salt
2. While the eggplant is draining, heat the oven to 425 degrees and place two rimmed baking sheets in the oven. Pulse the bread in a food processor to fine, even crumbs, about fifteen 1-second pulses to produce four cups. Transfer the crumbs to a pie plate and stir in the cheese, 1/4 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper; set aside.
3. Combine the flour and 1 t. pepper in a large zipper-lock bag; shake to combine. Beat the eggs in a second pie plate. Place the eggplant slices in the bag with the flour; seal the bag and shake to coat the slices. Remove the slices, shaking toff the excess flour. Dip in the eggs, letting the excess run off and coat even with the bread crumb mixture. Set the breaded slices on a baking sheet.
4. Remove the pre-heated baking sheets from the oven; add 3 T. vegetable oil to each sheet, coating evenly. Place half of the breaded eggplant slices on each sheet in a single layer; bake until the eggplant is well browned and crisp about 30 minutes, flip the slices over after 20 minutes.

For the sauce

1. While the eggplant bakes, process 2 cans of the diced tomatoes in a food processor for 5 seconds. Heat the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Stir in the processed tomatoes and the remaining 1 can diced tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium -low and simmer, stirring until slightly thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes.  Stir in the basil and salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble:

1. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Layer in half of the eggplant slices, overlapping the slices to fit; distribute 1 more cup of the tomato sauce over the eggplant; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Layer in the remaining eggplant and dot with 1 more cup of the sauce, leaving the majority of eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp; sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and the remaining mozzarella. Bake until bubbling and the cheese is browned, 13-15 minutes. Scatter the basil over the top and serve, passing the remaining tomato sauce separately.

Dessert, provided by Megan Young
Four delicious gelato flavors (lemon, strawberry, carmel/chocolate and some other long Italian name that we can't remember) from the Gelato Bus Stop in PB!