March Celebrations

A Warm Welcome to Andre and Martina

It was an action-packed week, starting with the arrival of our Swiss Guests, Martina and André.  We were very pleased to have them stay with us and learn a few barbecuing basics.  The first night we served Grilled Mushroom Tarts,  New York Strips with Green Peppercorn Sauce, Glazed Carrots, Green Beans with Grilled Tomato Concassé, and Salad with Grilled Beets, Orange Segments and Pistachios.    Ted taught Martina and Andre all about Perfect Grill Marks and his 2-2-2-2 system for medium-rare steaks. 

Ted and Sally joined us for the second evening which had a decidedly Canadian flavour:   we had Smoked Salmon on Endive, and Grilled Pizza with Bison Sausage, Caramelized Onions, and Blue Cheese to start, followed by Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus and Oven Dried Tomatoes.

On the weekend we were treated to some spring skiing in Ellicottville where they were celebrating Mardi Gras!  Samantha and Eric were on the start of spring break and we were all joined by Lindsay and Nick, and Jack and Patricia for a very impromptu dinner.  Once again Ted was able to teach his Perfect Steak grilling techniques, as well as demonstrating a very simple cedar plank salmon. 

Mardi Gras Celebration with Lindsay, Jack, Nick, Samantha, Patricia and Eric

Once in a while it is nice to serve a traditional sauce with grilled steaks, although some, like Green Peppercorn Sauce are typically derived from pan-searing the meat.  This week we experimented and came up with a solution using a few cubes of stewing beef to generate the browned bits that give flavour and richness to the sauce.

Green Peppercorn Sauce

4 cubes stewing beef, patted dry and cut into smaller pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 shallot, minced

¼ cup brandy

1 cup veal demiglace

¼ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons green peppercorns in brine, drained

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Heat the olive oil on HIGH in a small saucepan, and add the beef.  Brown well on all sides, then remove with a slotted spoon and discard.  Reduce the temperature to MEDIUM LOW and add the shallots.  Sauté briefly until the shallots are translucent, then add the brandy and scrape up any brown bits that are still sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Add the veal demiglace and cream and simmer until slightly thickened.  Add the peppercorns and parsley, and add salt and pepper to taste.   

Green Beans with Grilled Tomato Concassé

4 ripe tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

1 ½ pounds French green beans, blanched

Halve the tomatoes, and brush the cut sides with olive oil.  Place cut side down on a preheated barbecue or smoker set to MEDIUM for 5 minutes.  Turn and cook for another 5 minutes, until softened and slightly browned.  Carefully lift them with a spatula to a cutting board.  When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and chop roughly. 

Heat the remaining olive oil in a small saucepan over MEDIUM LOW.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, vinegar and bay leaf.  Simmer for about 15 minutes or until quite thick.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Remove and discard the bay leaf. 

Just before serving, add the blanced beans to the prepared tomatoes, toss until heated through and serve immediately.

Salad with Grilled Beets, Orange Segments and Pistachios

4 medium beets, scrubbed and quartered

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 oranges

1 teaspoon each balsamic and red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Arugula

¼ cup chopped, roasted pistachios

Shaved parmesan

Place the prepared beets on a sheet of heavy aluminum foil, and drizzle with a scant tablespoon of olive oil.  Wrap the foil around and seal it tightly.  Place the package on the top rack of a preheated barbecue and cook on MEDIUM for about 40 minutes, or until very tender when pierced with a knife.  Let cool slightly, then cut each quarter in half again.

Finely grate the zest of one orange and place it in a large bowl.  Cut off the remaining peel, and remove the sections from between their membranes with a sharp knife, letting them fall into the same bowl.  Squeeze the juice from the remaining membranes, and whisk in the vinegars and olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Arrange some arugula on a salad plate, scatter the beets overtop, then spoon the orange sections and the dressing over the salad.  Top with chopped pistachios and shaved Parmesan. 

Grilled Pizza with Bison Sausage, Caramelized Onions, and Blue Cheese

1 ball prepared pizza dough

3 onions, thickly sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

2 bison sausages

¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled

¼ cup fresh buffalo mozzarella, torn

Handful of corn meal

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over MEDIUM heat and add the prepared onions.  Stir occasionally, and when beginning to brown, reduce heat to MEDIUM LOW.  Continue to cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, adding sugar toward the end of the cooking time.  Let cool, then chop roughly. 

Meanwhile, place a pizza stone on the barbecue and preheat the grill on MEDIUM HIGH.  At the same time, grill the sausages on the top rack until cooked through.  When cool enough to handle, peel off the outer membrane and crumble.

On a lightly floured surface, shape the pizza dough into one large pizza, or several smaller ones. Top with a small amount of each of the onions, sausage and cheeses.  Sprinkle some cornmeal over the heated pizza stone, and transfer the pizza(s) onto it.  The barbecue should be set at around 500°-550°F.  Close the lid and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the crust is crisp but not burned and the cheese is melted.  Cut into wedges and serve hot.