Pippa Cuthbert & Lindsay Cameron Wilson asked:


The following is an excerpt from the book Grill!
by Pippa Cuthbert & Lindsay Cameron Wilson
Published by Good Books; May 2006;$15.95US; 1-56148-518-7
Copyright © 2006 Pippa Cuthbert & Lindsay Cameron Wilson
Caramelized lamb chops
Spectacular
Grilling meltingly tender, marinated lamb chops is one of life’s simple pleasures.
Serves 4
1 cup (20g) cilantro, roughly chopped
6 Tbsp brown sugar
4 Tbsp dark soy sauce
4 Tbsp mirin, Chinese rice wine or sherry
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
16 single-rib lamb chops
To serve:
Grilled potatoes, green salad or steamed green beans
Combine the cilantro, brown sugar, soy sauce, mirin and garlic in a shallow baking dish. Add the chops, turning well to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to 24 hours.
Preheat the grill or grill pan to very hot. Brush with oil. Grill the chops to taste (4-6 minutes on each side for medium) until the edges are browned and caramelized. Transfer the chops to a platter and allow to rest for 2-3 minutes before serving with grilled potatoes and a green salad or steamed green beans.
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Blackened halibut
Crispy heat
A hot grill coupled with a crispy, “blackened” crust adds a fiery, Cajun touch to halibut. New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme is to thank for putting “blackening” on the culinary map.
Serves 4
For the rub:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp hot paprika
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp fennel seeds, toasted and roughly chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 halibut fillets, 7oz (200g) each
Olive oil, for brushing
1 lime, quartered
Combine the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl. Place the halibut fillets in a shallow baking dish and brush with oil. Pat the rub all over the fish. Season with more salt and pepper. Cover and chill for up to 1 hour, in the refrigerator.
Preheat the grill or grill pan to hot. Brush the grill bars well with oil. Grill the fillets for 2-2½ minutes on each side until charred and just cooked through. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lime.
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Sirloin with chimichurri marinade
Pungent
Chimichurri is a fresh herb-and-vinegar mixture used in Argentinean cuisine both for basting grilled meats and as a condiment. It’s incredible with steak, as you will see!
Serves 2
1 cup (250ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped thyme
2 Tbsp chopped oregano
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary
1 chipotle chilli in adobo sauce, chopped
1 Tbsp sweet Spanish paprika
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1lb 50z (600g) top sirloin steak about 1 in (2.5cm) thick
Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan until hot. Remove from the heat and set aside. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the steak, stir, and leave at room temperature to cool and infuse for 1 hour.
Pour one quarter of this marinade into a dish and add the steak, turning several times to coat. Reserve the remaining marinade to serve with the cooked steak. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat the grill or grill pan to very hot and cook the steak for 2 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a chopping board and loosely cover with foil. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain.
Serve with the reserved marinade.
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Shrimp and chorizo skewers
Spanish
All the juices and oils from the chorizo ooze out while cooking, leaving the shrimp succulent and spicy.
Makes 12
12 large shrimp
1 Tbsp harissa paste (optional)
2 chorizo sausages, about 6oz (150g) each
12 fresh bay leaves
1 Tbsp olive oil
12 short skewers, soaked in wood or bamboo
Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the small tail ends still attached. Rub over the harissa paste evenly and set aside. Slice the chorizo into ½-in (1½-cm) thick slices. Place 1 chorizo slice into the crook of each shrimp and thread onto a skewer. Add a bay leaf to each skewer and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium-hot. Brush the skewers with a little olive oil and cook for 5-6 minutes, turning once, or until the shrimp are translucent and the chorizo cooked through. Serve immediately.
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Grilled sweet potato and mango salad
Pure
A sweet, succulent and refreshing salad.
Serves 4-6
1 sweet potato, peeled
1 large mango, skin removed
For the dressing:
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp grated lime rind
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
½ tsp extra-fine sugar
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 head Bibb or Boston (round) lettuce
½ cup (10g) fresh mint
Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium.
Chop both the sweet potato and mango flesh into long wedges, about ¾-in (2cm) wide, ½-in (1 cm) thick. Place in separate dishes.
Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and pour half over the mango and potato.
With tongs in hand, arrange sweet potato wedges directly over the grill and leave for 6-8 minutes, until grill marks appear and the bottom sides begin to soften. Turn and grill the other side for a further 6 minutes. While the other sides are cooking, arrange the mango wedges directly on the grill. Grill for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer all the wedges to a cutting board and cut into cubes. Place them in a bowl and toss with the remaining dressing.
Arrange lettuce leaves on salad plates. Scatter the sweet potato and mango over the lettuce and add a sprinkling of sea salt and finely sliced mint.
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Angel food cake with chocolate cream
Decadent
I’ll never forget the day I first tasted grilled angel food cake with a dollop of chocolate cream. Nothing has really been the same since. Of course you can make your own cake if you prefer, but store-bought is the simple and guaranteed-to-be fluffy option.
Serves 8
For the chocolate cream:
8 Tbsp confectioners sugar
4 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 Tbsp milk
1 cup (250ml) heavy cream
1 pinch cream of tartar
8 fat slices store-bought angel food cake
1-2 Tbsp confectioners sugar, for dusting
To make the chocolate cream, whisk together the confectioners sugar, cocoa powder and milk in a small bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the cream with the cream of tartar until soft. Whisk in the chocolate mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate.
Preheat the grill or grill pan to hot. Dust the angel food cake slices with confectioners sugar. Grill the slices for 1 minute on each side until golden and grill marks appear on the surface. Transfer
to serving plates and top with chocolate cream.
Reprinted from Grill!. Copyright by Good Books ( www.goodbks.com ). Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Pippa Cuthbert is a New Zealander living and working in London. Ever since childhood she has been passionate about food and cooking. After studying Nutrition and Food Science at Otago University in New Zealand and working in the test kitchen of Nestlé New Zealand, she decided to travel the world in search of new and exciting culinary adventures. Now based in London, Pippa works as a food writer and stylist on books and magazines, and is also involved in advertising and commercials.
Food and writing are Lindsay Cameron Wilson’s passions, so she blended the two at university where she studied History, Journalism, and the Culinary Arts. She has since worked in the test kitchens of Canadian Living Magazine in Toronto and Sunset Magazine in San Francisco. In 2001 she left her job as a food columnist in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and moved to London. That’s when she met Pippa, and the work for their first book, Juice! began. Fuelled by juice, the two moved on to Ice Cream!, Soup! and now Barbecue! Lindsay continues to work as a food journalist in Canada, where she now lives with her husband, James, and son, Luke.

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Barbecue Smoker Recipe Man asked:


A good barbecue isn’t easy and there’s no substitute for experience but we’ve all got to start somewhere so if you’re a BBQ novice then read on.

Below are plenty of fantastic barbecue tips and menu ideas for the grill so if any ladies out there have read my article entitled “Modern Man And The Barbecue Grill” you’ll already be on the road to converting your man from the fire pits to the BBQ King with some easy BBQ recipes.

I’ve already spoken about the patience that’s required when it comes to lighting the grill and the need to heat up the coals and eliminate the flames. Remember, “coals are hot, flames are not!” and we’re on the road to a successful BBQ cookout. This same rule applies to gas grills as well as charcoal, gas grills may be more or less instant but it’s still important to ensure that the lava rocks are fully warmed through and this usually takes about 15 minutes. Charcoal of course will be more like 45 minutes before it’s ready to cook on.

So what’s the next step? The best tip I can give is to take time to plan the menu, think carefully about what you’re going to cook.

But isn’t it easier just to do burgers and sausages? No! In fact burgers and sausages are quite difficult for to reasons:-

1. Relatively speaking they’re high in fat compared with other foods. Now I know we need fat to drip onto the coals to create the smoke to give the flavor but too much fat and the BBQ will flare up - a sure fire way to cook up a burnt offering.

2. They’re made from ground beef and that means they must be cooked through. Food poisoning is generally caused by the bacterium e-coli that grows on the surface of the meat. Cook the outside of a steak and you can safely eat the inside raw but think about a burger, with ground meat, the meat that’s on the inside has also been on the outside.

So if you’re not yet convinced about your man’s BBQ capabilities choose a meat that doesn’t need to be cooked through to be safe. Try barbecue beef, barbeque lamb or BBQ fish.

Back to the “coals are hot, flames are not” theme it’s important to light up the grill on its highest position away from the coals. This means that the meat will be cooked slowly therefore giving you the best guarantee that it will be cooked through and should there be a “flare up” you are as well protected as you can be from burning. Of course if it’s going too slow, lower the grill step by step until you get the sizzle, in other words start gently and slowly work up the heat.

Finally to make for a really flavorful cookout, why not try a marinade? Marinades not only add flavor they also tenderize and all that’s needed is a little thinking ahead for preparation time. There’s a good few websites out there offering free barbecue recipes so it’s easy to find different menu ideas.

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Bob Alexander asked:


Every year I take up my soup spoon, adjust my bib and continue my search for the best tasting seafood gumbo I can find. It’s not an easy job, but I’m up to the task again this year. You can find it just about anywhere you can smell the salt in the air. My choice is the gulf coast from Alabama all the way to Texas.

I’ve tasted gumbo made with shrimp, (head on or head off) chicken, sausage, fish, scallops, clams, oysters and crab meat. Heads on shrimp give the gumbo a stronger and more flavorful taste. Added to these ingredients are vegetable such as onions, bell pepper, okra, parsley, celery, garlic and tomatoes.

In addition to all this, there are spices such as bay leaves, garlic, thyme, salt, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, file’ powder, Creole seasoning, chicken bouillon, Worcestershire Sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, Cavender’s Greek Seasoning, Crab Boil and ketchup. Some chefs leave out the chicken and pork.

From what I’ve seen and sampled along the coast, I’ve discovered that there is no such thing as a standard gumbo recipe. Some sea side chefs make theirs with chicken. Others cooks would have to be threatened bodily harm to put a bird in their soup, using Scallops instead. On the New Orleans side of the coast, many put sausage in theirs, but not just any sausage. It seems that each chef uses a particular brand and wouldn’t dream of using anything else!

If there is one thing that all gumbos have in common, it’s that they all must have a roux. This pronounced roo and they all seem to be pretty much alike; made with flour and oil, vegetable shortening, lard or bacon drippings. Some say to cook the mixture until its copper colored and some like to see it a lighter shade. Whatever color, the roux’ is the one staple in a perfect gumbo, giving it a texture. Without it the fish, scallops or shrimp would simply be swimming in hot water.

No two gumbos taste alike, even when its made by the same cook. While I was in Pensacola, Florida I found a seafood grill close to Orange Beach, Ala that had a wonderful spicy seafood gumbo that smelled so good your mouth began watering as you walked into the room. My nose wasn’t wrong! The gumbo was out of this world. After a huge bowl I was stuffed! I left the place vowing to come back soon.

After fishing most of the next day, I had to make a trip back to the gumbo grill I had visited the day before. Knowing that anticipation is half the fun of most awaited events, I was anxiously awaiting lunch at the gumbo grill. The server came out of the kitchen with my bowl of gumbo and I didn’t even wait for my stew to cool before I dug in with my spoon.

My taste buds are not dumb; they instantly knew that something was amiss! This was not the same taste as the day before! I immediately asked for the chef, whom I had met the day before and congratulated him on a wonderful dish, so he was waiting for more applause as he approached me.

“What happened?” I cried. “This is not the same taste as yesterday!”

“I made it the same way.” he said somewhat defensively.

“Are you sure it’s the same recipe?” I asked.

“What recipe?” he asked as he looked at me like I was nuts!

He assured that since he had been making seafood gumbo everyday for the last several years, he always made it the same way. He admitted he could have used a little more of this and a little less of that. Whatever it was, the gumbo wasn’t the same.

He confided in me that this method of preparing seafood gumbo was the way most of the restaurants up and down the coast did it. He didn’t know anyone who wrote down the recipe since most of the other cooks had been making the stew the same way for years. The gumbo wasn’t the same as before but it was still good!

I have given up trying to make gumbo myself, because none of my tasted edible. If you want to try it yourself, search on the internet for seafood gumbo recipes. You’ll find more than you could copy in a lifetime. Do as I do and just make it an important part of your next ocean side vacation and search for the perfect gumbo!

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Fred Watson asked:


A couple of years ago my brother took early retirement and after he finished doing all the jobs around the house he had always meant to do, if he ever found the time. He started on the garden; his wife however wasn’t best pleased, since she considered the garden to be her domain. Nevertheless she put up with it, she also accepted that he would help with the shopping, but what she wasn’t prepared to allow was any interference in the running of the household.
 
So she came up with a cunning plan to get him out of her hair, she bought him a fishing rod, all the equipment to go with it and suggested that he join a fishing club, which as far as I am aware he did. Although I never did hear how he got on with the fishing club, I did hear how he got on when he went on a sea fishing trip off the Northeast coast. It was amazing and to someone as new to fishing as my brother was, it must have seemed a fisherman’s dream come true. In one short trip alone he caught one hundred and seventeen mackerel, all by hand, no nets involved.
 
He gutted and cleaned the lot, gave a quite a few of them away to friends and family tried various recipes and even bought a smoker so that he smoke some of them. The rest he put in the deep freeze for future consumption and since he did another couple of trips I assume his deep freeze is still well stocked with mackerel as well as other fruits of the sea.
 
Mackerel is a health, fairly oily fish; full of omega 3, which is good for you and English mustard has the bite needed to make an excellent contrast with this rich fish. So why not try the recipe below I think you will enjoy it.
 
Fred Watson April 2008
 
Mackerel with mustard Sauce.
 
4 fresh mackerel
 
Salt and ground black pepper
 
1 ½ oz of butter
 
2 oz of finely chopped onion
 
For the Mustard Sauce
 
½ oz of butter
 
½ oz of flour
 
I large teaspoon of ready made English mustard
 
A pinch of sugar
 
½ pint of water
 
4 tablespoons of milk
 
1 oz of grated cheese
 
Method
 
To bone the mackerel yourself: gut and clean, remove the head, tail, fins and any tiny spines, cut open to the backbone from belly to tail.
Open out slightly and place on a board with skin side up,
Bang along the backbone until fish is flat. Turn over and you will find that the backbone just pulls out, remove any long bones remaining. Wash fish and pat dry.
 
Lay fish in a large flat dish, season with salt and pepper, cover with foil and bake in a moderate oven, Gas 6, 400ºF, 200ºC, for 15 minutes.
 
While it is in the oven melt butter in a small pan and cook onions until they are tender, put to one side.
***
Now make the sauce using another pan, melt butter, remove pan from heat and beat in the flour and mustard, add sugar and blend in water.
 
Return to the heat and bring to the boil, simmer for five minutes stirring often. Remove pan from heat and add milk and half of the cheese.
***
Take the dish out of the oven, scatter cooked onions over the top and pour sauce over. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and brown under a hot grill

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Dhiraj Bandurkar asked:


Great Salad Recipes

Salads are nutritional and can be the great source of vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and lot more. They are considered as light meal and much more than an appetizer. Their preparation mostly involves vegetables (leafy vegetables) sometimes fruits. The dressing of the salads forms the crux of it, which differentiates the taste of different salads. Occasionally the salad is prepared with meat, fish cheese or nuts, which makes the salad of high calorie-content. Basically the salads are healthy with low calories most commonly found on every dining table in US

The most commonly consumed green salad consists of variety of vegetables like lettuce, spinach or arugula. This is not all green salads can be seen with tomato, cucumber, peppers, mushrooms, onions, spring onions, and red onions, carrot and reddish. We come across people who love to try different things in their daily diet they make different combinations in the same dish to give it different taste and flavor. For this reason we find green salads complimented with pasta, olives, cooked potatoes, croutons, beans, rice meat, cheese and fish. That is why salad is not just any mixture of leafy vegetables but needs proper garnishing and serving with of course the right mix of ingredients.

There are wide array of sumptuous chicken and summer salad recipes with tantalizing taste and mouth-watering aroma.

Lets look at one of the recipe called Chinese chicken salad recipe which easy to prepare and tasty to eat. The almonds and noodles in the salad adds a crunchy taste to it and the dressing makes it spicy and sweet. Take a quick look at the ingredients needed.

Chinese chicken salad

Ingredients:

Coleslaw

1 packet of chicken noodles

1/2-cup of chopped green onions

Few sliced almonds to add crunch

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Dressing essentials:

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of olive oil

Wine vinegar or same quantity of rice preferably 1/2 cup rice

2 tsp. of soy sauce

Seasoning from the ramen

Method

To start with the Chinese chicken salad, you need to bake/grill and cube the 4 chicken breasts properly. Once this is done you have to combine all ingredients together. When the ingredients are mixed properly put the dressing on salad immediately before serving.

During summer the intake of regular diet is less but the salads with nice dressings and variety of toppings can actually work a appetizers. The summer salad recipe give involves fresh vegetables. Just go through the recipe to more about it.

Mid- summer Italian bread salad

Ingredients

1 clove of garlic

1 (1 pound) loaf or Italian bread preferably

1 cup of finely chopped tomatoes

1 cup of peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber

1 cup of chopped red onion

1 clove crushed garlic

2 cups of chopped fresh basil

1/8 cup of chopped fresh thyme

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

If the bread is too fresh toast it till it becomes dry and crunchy.

Preparations

First of all rub the peeled clove of garlic from inside of wooden salad bowl. After that chop the bread into small size pieces. Mix bread, tomato, tomato, cucumber red onions, garlic, basil and thyme in the prepared salad bowl. Finally add oil and vinegar for lightly coating. Toss and serve the Mid- summer Italian bread salad.

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Richard Dupont asked:


This Memorial Day cook up some lip smacking delicacies for your friends and family. Show off your culinary calibers and soak in all the praises showered on you. Its summer!!! And Memorial Day is the right occasion to treat your taste buds to some sizzling barbecue, steaks, grilled potatoes, pies, desserts, salads and much more. Barbeque undoubtedly tops the list. If you’re planning a Memorial Day cookout or a special Memorial Day barbecue party this year here’s a list of items to include in your menu.

• A succulent barbecue

• Steaks

• Bacons

• Delicious Chicken preparations (anything will be gorged on)

• Grilled Asparagus

• Corn on the Cob

• Roasted potato salads or shrimp salads

• Grilled Zucchini

• Cream and cheese sandwiches

• Baked beans

• Strawberry Melon Wedges

• Pork Ribs

• Hotdogs

• Burgers (lamb, chicken…anything!)

• Strawberry Cream Pie

• Lemonade (a real refreshing idea)

• Sundaes

• Special Memorial Day Cake (top it with blue syrups, white cream and red cherries to give that patriotic flavor in it)

• Memorial Day pies (don’t forget the blueberry and raspberry toppings)

• Tomato Tarts

If the kitchen is your lab and you love to experiment around with some cool recipes this summer, here are a few you might just try out. What’s better than to start off with a yummy salad recipe –

Spinach & Strawberry Salad

Ingredients:

• One 9 ounce package of baby spinach leaves

• 1 1/2 cups of sliced strawberries

• 1/3 cup toasted almonds

• 3-4 sliced green onions

• Olive oil

• White Balsamic vinegar

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper ( to taste)

Instructions:

• Toast the almonds on a pan in the oven at 300 degrees F for a few minutes (they brown quickly) or place the almonds in a small skillet over medium heat until toasted (shake the skillet a few times while over the heat to toast evenly)

• Make sure to remove any stems from the spinach and place the leaves in a salad bowl with the green onions

• Drizzle with a little olive oil (just enough to lightly coat the spinach)

• Place the bowl in the refrigerator until serving time

To serve:

• Rinse the strawberries just before tossing the salad, dry them and slice them

• Add the toasted almonds and sliced strawberries to the salad bowl and sprinkle with white balsamic vinaigrette to taste

• Add a little salt and fresh ground pepper and toss the salad and then plate

And who can ignore a BBQ recipe on Memorial Day. Here’s one to check out –

BBQ Steaks

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon onion powder

salt ( to taste )

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 (1/2 pound) beef rib eye steaks

In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, olive oil, ground black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, liquid smoke and cayenne pepper.

Place steaks in a shallow, nonporous dish, and pour marinade over steaks. For optimum flavor, rub the liquid into the meat. Cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high to high heat. Grill steaks for 7 to 8 minutes per side on a lightly oiled grate.

And here’s one for the burger lovers –

Wasabi Salmon Burgers

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

• 1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi powder

• 1 pound salmon fillet

• 2 each scallions

• 1 each egg

• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Cooking Instructions

Whisk soy sauce, wasabi powder and honey in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.

With a large chef’s knife, chop salmon using quick, even, straight-up-and-down motions (do not rock the knife through the fish or it will turn mushy). Continue chopping, rotating the knife, until you have a mass of roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Transfer to a large bowl. Add scallions, egg, ginger and oil; stir to combine. Form the mixture into 4 patties. The mixture will be moist and loose, but holds together nicely once the first side is cooked.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until firm and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Spoon the reserved wasabi glaze evenly over the burgers and cook for 15 seconds more. Serve immediately.

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Mike Powers asked:


Have you ever tried to smoke a fish? (I know, it is hard to get them lit!) Anyway, I have here a great recipe for smoking salmon and trout that is simple but very tasty. In a minute, I will give you the recipe but first a little story about how this recipe came about.

Years ago, my uncle Bob along with his 2 sons and his father-in-law decided they would like to start fishing for the small Kokanee salmon, (commonly called bluebacks), at a couple North Idaho lakes namely Lake Coeur d’Alene and Lake Pend Oreille. My uncle came up with this special bait he figured would catch those fish like crazy so they all decided to give it a try. Back in those days, maybe 30 or more years ago, both these lakes had commercial fishing available on them with limits from 125 to 250 fish a day per person for the small Kokanee salmon. On a good day, a group of four could really bring in the fish. My uncle and his crew all purchased commercial licenses and began fishing with his new discovered bait.

It took only a few hours on their first trip out to discover that my uncle’s bait was indeed amazing and that all of a sudden they had caught a whole slew of fish. When they returned to shore and counted their first bounty, they discovered that they had brought in a total of 650 fish! What were they going to do with all these slimy creatures? Well, they put their minds together and they decided that smoking them would be the best way to not only preserve them for a length of time but also maybe they could make some extra money selling them to the local stores.

So, to make this story readable and not bore you with all the details, they did start a little smoked fish business and began distributing their fish around the local town. Before I give you the recipe for this incredible smoked fish, there are some essentials you must have to get started.

A good quality smoker is needed to begin with. I don’t believe you have to pay $100’s of dollars for one either. I have a small little smoker I purchased from Home Depot for around $75.00 and it does very well. An electric smoker is preferred because you don’t have to tend the fire as often and it cooks much more evenly.

As far as the wood you need I would recommend apple, cherry or hickory wood chunks (not chips if possible). The wood chunks last much longer and burn slower. Slow, cool smoke is what you are after and the wood chips tend to burn too quickly. Before you start your smoking, soak the wood chunks overnight in water so they will burn slow and not catch fire so easily.

Now, here is what you have been waiting for, the recipe.

1 Cup Non-Iodized Salt (it must be non-iodized), 1 Cup Brown Sugar, 2 Gallons of Water, 1/8 Cup of Pepper if preferred. Soak your fish overnight (12 hours) in the above mixture and take out and leave at room temperature for an hour before putting the fish in the smoker.

That’s It!! I know it looks simple and it is. Many recipes ask for seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and other things but this recipe is simple and the very best.

Your fish should be filleted if possible but not completely necessary as the meat will pull away from the bone easily after smoking. It is important to leave the skin on the filets as it keeps the fish from sticking to the grill. Use good quality salmon or trout when smoking. Fish with white meats do not do well and tend to dry out, as they do not have the oil in the meat like the salmon family does.

Place your wood chips in your smoker and put your fish on the grates. Depending on the temperature outside, it could take a couple of hours to several to smoke your fish. Test the fish after an hour or so to see how the texture looks. You can taste test the salmon as it is getting done to get the required texture you desire. I like my salmon fairly moist but others may like it drier. The choice is up to you.

It may take a time or two until you get this smoking thing down but after you have perfected this recipe, you will be smoking fish on a regular basis.

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Dr John Anne asked:


Your health is directly related to how healthy your colon is. Whatever you eat ends up in as toxins in your bowels. Over a period of time, these toxins build up and cause serious diseases such as obesity, constipation and so on. Having regulated and balanced diet is very important to get rid of the harmful toxins. Apart from this, you can have special colon cleansing diet that can help your colon cleanse up leading to better health. You should think of some ways including good foods that can help your body clean from inside; else any treatment or medication for dealing with toxins may not be as effective, as you expect.

Colon Cleansing Diet

One of the best foods that are good for colon cleansing is raw egg yolk. Egg yolk contains many important vitamins and minerals that are required for your body. You can have at least one egg yolk daily unless the toxins level in your body is in control. There are many ways to have raw egg yolk. The best option is to mix it with some milk and have it. Another option is to add it to some fruit juice or vegetable juice.

If you have never had raw egg yolk, you can spread it on your serving of green salad. It makes an excellent colon cleansing diet that takes care of its peculiar taste as well. Start this gradually, and begin by having one spoon of it for first few days. As your body responds to it positively, increase the quantity and have at least one egg yolk daily.

A few oils such as fish oil, coconut oil, cod liver oil, or olive oil are also good colon cleansing agents. Using these oils doesn’t worsen your toxins level in the body. All these oils are in fact good for your health for different reasons, for example fish oil has important omega-3 fatty acids. Different oils help you to maintain required hormonal balance in the body.

Yeast flakes are another very nutritious food that is almost as good as raw egg yolk. Many important B vitamins and minerals make it a good colon cleansing diet. This is particularly important diet for you if you do not have egg yolk for any reason.

In the process of colon cleansing, whether through exercise, diet or medication, you may feel fatigued, sluggish or tired. In such situations, take some vitamin C rich foods or even vitamin C supplements for required energy. However, it is recommended to consult a doctor before starting the vitamin C supplements.

A well planned diet is a must for effective colon cleansing process. Always consult a specialist physician and seek one’s guidance on what to eat and what to avoid. Explain all your symptoms of any disease so that your physician is able to relate the disease to toxins in your body.

Ensure that your diet consists primarily of fruits, vegetables, seeds, and beans. All these food items are rich in fiber which being soluble in water, prevents constipation. Also, the presence of chlorophyll in many green foods makes these a very good colon cleansing diet. There are some other advantages of chlorophyll as it is useful in healing the damaged digestive tract tissues. People who take less water during the day are more likely to have constipation. Have lots of water to prevent constipation and accumulation of toxins in your body.

Apart from colon cleansing diet, you can use enemas as well. Enema water helps flush out your body completely. You can add coffee to enema water so as to increase its usefulness. Coffee enema is a good detoxifier for your liver. Bentonite clay is another natural product that is a very good cleansing agent for colon. Add bentonite clay water to the enema as it helps in mobilizing harmful toxins from the bowel wall.

Plan your diet and try to have fresh fruits, low salt cheese, carrots or apple in breakfast. In the same way, have large salads of vegetables, one big steamed vegetable, millet, corn or home made soups in lunch. Eat your dinner about 2-3 hours before going to bed. Have salads, steamed vegetables, steamed or grilled fish as your dinner. Eat slowly and chew properly for required digestion of food. Also, drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water everyday.

Foods to Avoid in Colon Cleansing Process

There are many foods and eatables that you should avoid in colon cleansing process. No matter what treatment you take, or what you might be taking as colon cleansing diet, it will not be effective unless you do not take any precautions in terms of your diet. The most notable food items that you should avoid are coffee, black tea, soft drinks, potato chips and junk food, and pasteurized milk. If you take rice frequently, reduce its intake. Apart from these precautions, quit smoking if you smoke.

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Brian Hill asked:


Millions of us enjoy outdoor cooking. It’s part of the rhythm of our lives, as natural as the changing of the seasons. Guys whose only time spent in the kitchen involves searching for beer in the refrigerator jump at the chance to cook dinner on the outdoor grill. Why? It’s just plain fun, and a great social activity, gathering in the backyard with friends or family for a relaxed cookout. Becoming a competent backyard chef doesn’t require any prior cooking skill or experience. You can start with the basics, such as grilling burgers or steaks, and as you gain confidence, expand your repertoire to more complex dishes. You can experiment with spice rubs and sauces, until you create your own signature recipes.

If you pay attention to what your doing, grilling or smoking meats is difficult to goof up. It doesn’t require exact measurement of ingredients, such as baking does. In fact many a backyard grillmeister has discovered his or her best dishes after uttering the phrase: “What if we try this…” The major challenge is “doneness,” recognizing when to take the foods off the grill so you don’t end up with dry, grey overdone meats, scorched fish or undercooked chicken. But that just comes with experience. You reach the point where you don’t have to cut into the steak to see if it is medium-rare. You just know.

These days, the sky’s the limit in terms of the types of dishes you can prepare outdoors, and the flavors you can produce: even desserts can be prepared on the grill. Grocery store shelves are crammed with exotic marinades from every type of cuisine.

Let’s not forget the most important part: grilled or barbecued food just tastes better than food cooked in the oven or on the stove. Searing meat over a high flame adds that delicious crust or “char” flavor. And what’s better than the rich flavor of meats slow cooked over wood smoke?

Smoking or Grilling

Generally speaking, grilling refers to cooking foods quickly in an open cooker, over high heat. Smoking is a process of cooking more slowly, over a low heat, often with the cooker closed. But these processes are not mutually exclusive. You might sear a pork tenderloin over high heat, and then move it off the fire and let it finish cooking more slowly, adding wood chips to the fire to give it additional flavor, and closing the lid on the grill unit. Many outdoor chefs have two distinct cooking units: a gas or charcoal grill and a meat smoker. But many grills can serve double duty as smokers.

Enjoy yourself but keep safety in mind

Take precautions when you’re grilling. Keep food icy cold until you’re ready to grill. Salads and side dishes should be kept in a cooler until ready to serve. Don’t cross contaminate utensils, plates, or the grill surface.

A fire extinguisher in easy reach is a must. It’s also a good idea to have a pitcher of water nearby and a bowl of ice cubes. If you do burn your hand plunge it into the ice cubes for fast relief. And of course keep the grill out of busy pathways.

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Ralph Serpe asked:


Tuna is truly an amazing food with a number of benefits that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Tuna is rich in Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and has been known to reduce the risk of heart disease. It is also low in fat and cholesterol making it a great alternative to beef. Not only is tuna a powerhouse of nutrition, it is also one of the most delicious sources of lean protein that you will ever sink your teeth into.

Tuna is also easy to cook. Its a hardy fish and holds together well on the grill, in the oven, or on the stove top. The following recipe is one of my favorites and is fairly easy to prepare.

I made this particular dish the other day and it was absolutely wonderful. My wife, who normally does not eat big portions, cleaned off her plate and wanted more, so that is a very good sign.

The thickness of the tuna steak you use really depends on how rare you like your tuna. Because you are only searing the outside of your tuna steak, it will not be in the pan for very long. So the thicker the steak, the more rare the center will be.

I personally do not like my tuna too rare, so I usually make this recipe with thinner cuts of tuna. This is just a preference, not a requirement. Many people, including chefs say the only way to eat tuna is rare. I guess you will have to be the judge.

Let us move on to the recipe shall we?

Seared Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna with a Cilantro, Garlic and Lime sauce..

I should mention one thing before we begin this recipe. I do not follow exact measurements in recipes. I measure everything by eye, so the following measurements are only to be used as a guide. So don’t get too mad at me!

This is optional, but I like to toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan first before I put them on the tuna. The seeds become nutty and aromatic when you toast them. This is highly recommended if you have the time and is quite easy to do. Simply heat a dry pan over medium heat, then add the seeds shaking the pan occasionally. You may have to do this in batches, depending on how many seeds you are toasting. You do not want to overcrowd the pan. Keep an eye on the seeds and make sure they do not burn. Toast them until they darken a bit and start to become fragrant. Remove and let them cool before adding them to the tuna.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 Cup Black Sesame Seeds

1/4 Cup White Sesame Seeds

1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil

2 - 6 ounce Ahi (Also known as Yellow Fin) Tuna Steaks

Salt and Pepper to Taste

MARINADE/ DIPPING SAUCE

1/ 2 Cup of Low Sodium Soy Sauce (Who needs the extra sodium, right?)

1 Lime (Juice and Zest - If you want more lime flavor, add another)

1- 2 Cloves of Garlic Minced

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil

2 Tablespoons of Freshly Chopped Cilantro Leaves

1) Prepare the marinade. Add all marinade ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. Reserve half of this marinade in a separate container to use as a dipping sauce.

2) Get a glass baking dish or other non-reactive container to marinade the tuna in. You want the tuna steaks to fit snuggly in the dish so that they are surrounded nicely with the marinade. Pour the marinade into the dish and put the tuna steaks in and kind of swirl the marinade around so that you coat the fish well. Cover with some plastic wrap and refrigerate. Another option is to pour the marinade in a large zip lock bag, add the tuna, and then squeeze out the air. Marinade for 30 minutes to an hour, turning the tuna about half way through.

3) Remove tuna from fridge and let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes or so.

4) Remove tuna from marinade, shaking off any excess marinade and dry on paper towels.

5) Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. The oil should be hot but not smoking.

6) While the pan is heating, arrange your sesame seeds on a flat dish. Roll the tuna around in the seeds pressing down as you roll ensuring the seeds are packed into the tuna nicely.

7) Add the tuna to the hot saute pan and shake it a bit to make sure the tuna does not stick. Sear for 30 to 40 seconds on both sides.

Remove and serve with the reserved dipping sauce.

For side dishes with this recipe I usually keep things pretty bland as I don’t want anything to compete with the flavors in the tuna. So I usually prepare a side of steamed green beans with a bit of butter, salt and pepper or other vegetable along with some lightly seasoned jasmine or basmati rice.

There you have it. I do hope you enjoy this Seared Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna recipe. I am not a big wine drinker, but for those of you who like a glass or two with dinner, I heard a nice Pinot Grigio goes quite well with Tuna. Buon Appetito!

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