Recipes of the week from the BBQ Queens: Rainbow Carrots and Grilled Chocolate Crostini
Aug 1, 2013
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of interviewing Barbecue Queen Karen Adler for Episode #17 of the Barbecue Secrets Podcast (coming soon!). Karen was kind enough to share a couple of her favourite recipes from her and co-author Judith Fertig's cookbooks, The Gardener and the Grill, and BBQ Bash. Visit Pig Out Publications to buy their books and shop for many more!
Rainbow Carrots with Cilantro
Chile Drizzle
Carrots make great container garden plants or fern-like borders in the garden. And they grow in different shapes (round, thin and long, or cylindrical) and colors (pale yellow, orange, dark pink, and purple). For grilling, we like Rainbow Hybrid (lots of different colors) or the traditional Nantes cylindrical orange carrot. Just pick the carrots when they’re about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter, scrub off the garden soil, and trim back the tops a bit. Then, brush them with olive oil and grill. Cilantro Chile Drizzle highlights the sweet flavor of this garden favorite. Adapted from The Gardener and the Grill by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig.
Serves 4
For the Cilantro Chile Drizzle:
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 canned ancho chile in adobo sauce
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
Kosher or sea salt to taste
For the grilled carrots
2 bunches baby carrots (about 16), trimmed, with some of the green tops
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher or sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro to garnish
For the Cilantro Chile Drizzle, combine the cilantro, 1 ancho chile, garlic, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, honey and oil in a food processor and process until emulsified. Salt to taste. Transfer to a jar with a lid. The drizzle will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Prepare an indirect fire in your grill.
Place the carrots in a 9 x 13-inch disposable aluminum pan, drizzle with olive oil, and salt to taste.
Place the carrots on the indirect or no-heat side of the grill and close the lid. Grill the carrots for 15 to 20 minutes or until the carrots are crisp-tender when pierced with a knife in the thickest part.
To serve, drizzle the carrots with some of the Cilantro Chile Drizzle and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
Grilled Chocolate
Crostini
Who says dessert has to be difficult? This one is chic, but oh so easy. The Gardener and the Grill co-author Karen Adler remembers a delicious breakfast in Belgium with chocolate sprinkled on homemade buttered bread. Similar to s'mores, but not quite as messy, this is a grownup version for the grill. Serve with a bowl of juicy ripe strawberries. Adapted from BBQ Bash by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig.
Makes 16 crostini
One 10-inch baguette
6 to 8 ounces good-quality milk or bittersweet chocolate, in bar or block form
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Coarse kosher or sea salt for sprinkling
Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill.
Slice off the ends of the bread and then slice the bread on the diagonal 1/2-inch thick, to get 16 slices. Break or cut the chocolate into 16 pieces. Place bread, chocolate, oil, and salt on a baking sheet and carry out to the grill.
Drizzle the bread with a little bit of olive oil and place over the fire to toast (1 to 2 minutes). Turn bread over and place on the indirect-heat side of the grill. Place a piece of chocolate on each slice of bread. Close the grill lid and let heat for a couple of minutes. Remove the crostini from the grill and set on a serving dish. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and devour while warm.