Tasting Menu Centered Around a BBQ/Grill

Cafe Society
1

Before I start, so as not to offend anyone, what I am talking is a large gas grill, but what a lot of people call a bbq.

Last fall when my wife and I moved into our first house, a friend of ours gave us a GIANT gas grill, with side burner. He had trouble, uh, controlling it and was tired of it taking up space (all his food burned). So offered it to us in exchange for a meal (not soup!).

I really love the thing, so to thank him I need a lot more than burgers and brats. My plan is to put together a 5-7 course tasting menu centered around the grill.

One of the key challenges is that because the thing is so big, I put it outside my backdoor which is a long way from my kitchen (I have a smaller grill on my deck that is in reach of my kitchen for day to day use).

My initial thoughts were to make some flat breads on my pizza stone. I did before at a party, and served it with a grilled eggplant baba ganoush made table side.

Having the side burner I thought about a flambe for dessert (bananas), and maybe bake a small cake in the grill.

I can make rice on the side burner too, so I thought about lobster skewers over a Thai rice pilaf.

A nice small fillet with roasted potatoes is an easy hit, maybe get some kobe.

On preview, a series of delicious and varied mini-burgers might be a good way to go. Perhaps a homemade brat.

Anyone have any thoughts for a more upscale menu that is almost entirely grill based?

It needs to have a certain wow factor, but require running back and forth to the kitchen. If need be, I’m okay “reheating” something.

2

Your whole menu will be sure to be a huge hit, but these two courses sound amazing!!!

3

The other night I grilled clams and garlic bread as an appetizer to some otherwise o.k salmon filets. The clams were outstanding and the bread (despite a few catching on fire for just a second ;)) was also delicious. I used Steve Raichlen’s recipes for both and they are super simple so to sum up :

Slice a baguette in long wedges and cream butter with garlic, cilantro and parmesan or other cheese. Slather one side with butter mix, grill on one side and butter the other side before grilling the other side.

Melt 1 stick of butter and cook along with a 2 tbsp. each of cilantro, sesame seeds and garlic for two minutes (low simmer). Keep warm while you pop 2 lbs of clams directly on the grill until they open (2-6 minutes, I just took them off as soon as they popped open for optimal cooking time) Try not to spill very much clam juice as they come off the grill. Mix with butter/sesame seed mixture and use grilled garlic bread to sop up any juices. Impressive and amazingly easy!

4

Try some of these…

grilled oysters
Dragon Turds

5

I fly down to New Orleans on tuesday (Jazzfest) and the grilled oysters at Drago’s are going to be high on the “must-eat” list for sure…

6

YES I forgot all about that. Where I grew up we eat a lot of mussels. Most people steam them but I love just tossing them onto a hot grilll, giving them a couple minutes with the lid down, the serve them with some melted butter.

Not sure about the Dragon Terds, this couple tends to find black pepper too spicy. But that is definitely getting a try soon.

7

If you can get your hands on some peaches at this time of year, cut them in half and grill them. I find it actually works better if they’re not too ripe, but a bit hard. Drizzle them with maple syrup and put on a dollop of sour cream that’s been sweetened with sugar.

8

Perhaps some meat or fish hors d’oeuvres with different homemade sauces for dipping? Making your own sauces lets you adjust the heat for your guests. My best one is a maraschino-based barbecue with chili powder and cocoa powder.

9

Do you mean cherry based? I like the sound of that!

Holy shit, I REALLY like the sound of that, and not just bbq sauce. If you’ll excuse me, I have some reducing to do.

10

Right, it’s basically a simplified version of this. Pour the liquid from a jar of cherries into a small pot, add vinegar, ketchup, cocoa powder, chili powder, and a bit of brown sugar. While that’s reducing over medium heat, chop up the cherries but stop occasionally to stir the sauce, then stir in the chopped cherries.

The trick is to adjust each ingredient so none of them are too overpowering.

11

Your menu sounds great so far. Maybe add something that utilizes a grilling plank?

12

I haven’t had it, but I have heard about this version of Caesar salad where you grill the romaine before you make the salad. It’s supposed to be a revelation, when you add the cheese and other ingredients.

13

I just thought of another good one…
If you have a Japanese grocery near by see if you can score some head on shrimp.
Skewer the little buggers and brush with Yakiniku sauce while grilling and serve with your rice like little shrimp popsicles. This was a HUGE hit at our last block party.

14

grilled pineapple, yum.

15

Nice, that’s noted. I love serving it family style right off the plank. Salmon with an Asian inspired glaze would work with the rice.

I like the grilled pineapple idea more than grilled peaches, the latter never quite works out the way I want it too. I’d love to make a grilled pineapple salsa with steak tacos, and fresh tortillas (cooked on the grill) but all together it feels like too much work for a tasting menu (each item needs to be a bit simpler). I could make a homemade tenderloin min-burger with grilled pineapple. Would have to play with some bun recipes to see if they could be cooked in the grill.

Not sure about the grilled lettuce, I’ve seen it before too, might be worth a try.

I had thought about shrimp, but I kind of find them “low brow” which is why i was going with lobster. On reflection, I might make a skewer with lobster, shrimp, and scallops and serve it over a Caesar salad. Grilled shrimp always “looks” better, unless I found smaller lobster tails.

I’ve served them lamb before (their first time) and they liked it (I think). Might grill some with cous cous. Or better yet, slow roast a Moroccan lamb leg before they get there.

16

Jamaican Jerk Pork Tenderloin – This is one of our go-to grill recipes–it’s delicious, and if you do it like I do and just throw four whole habaneros into the food processor for the marinade, it’s nice and spicy. Great with some grilled pineapple or mango salsa. If you do the slider thing, you could thinly slice it and use the salsa as the condiment, with some of those little mini Hawaiian rolls.

Seconding the Turds recipe up there–we call them Atomic Buffalo Turds around here, and if you google that you’ll find a ton of recipes.

I make a variation of this grilled mussels recipe. I tend to reduce the wine a little bit rather than just throwing raw uncooked wine into the sauce.

17

I’ve been making “Dragon Turds” for years, though I’ve never heard them called that, with the help of a jalapeno rack like the one pictured here. Stuffed with sausage and cheddar cheese, topped with bacon, or stuffed with a whole shrimp, some pineapple, and drizzled with honey, they’re awesome.

18

I so want some baba ganoush right now. :smiley:

19

I’ve done a soft na’an directly on the grill, sans stone. I think I like the texture that way a little better. Also there’s any number of things you can do with foil packet cooking on the grill; potatoes, mushrooms, mixed vegies, bread pudding with crumbled sausage…

20

Get some prosciutto slickes and butter them with room temperature chèvre cheese. Little bit of ground pepper, then roll a stalk of fresh asparagus in it on the diagonal. Grill for about 7-8 minutes, cut into 1 inch rolls. Optional - drizzle with balsamic vinegar.