Citrus Salsa With Heirloom Tomatoes and Avocado

A Refreshing Summer Twist To A Mexican Classic

Salsa is one of my favorite things to re-invent.  There is just so many directions you can take it!  This is a bright and tart salsa "cruda" using heirloom tomatoes.  The secret is to remove all of the tomato water and seeds so as not to make the salsa watery.

Succotash of Fresh Corn, Lima Beans, and Tomatoes

Summer weather is the perfect time for a delicious Summer Succotash! Mike made this for me a couple of weeks ago and it was divine. The sweet corn was extremely delicious in contrast to the other flavors. This dish is perfect for a BBQ or light supper. Go ahead, give it a try!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
Coarse kosher salt
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 cups chopped red tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 1/4 cups corn kernels cut from 4 ears of corn (preferably 2 ears of white corn and 2 ears of yellow corn)
2 cups fresh lima beans (from about 2 pounds pods) or 10 to 11 ounces frozen lima beans or baby butter beans, thawed
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil


Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sprinkle with coarse
salt. Sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, corn, and lima beans. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until corn and lima beans are tender and tomatoes are soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Via Epicurious

How To Bake Bread On Your Outdoor Grill

Something happens when Summer hits that makes me CRAZY about baking. As soon as the Los Angeles heat starts rising, I get this wild itch to bake. I don't know why. It's my life's enigma.

The thing that sucks is that we live in a tiny cottage-apartment in Silver Lake, and let me tell you, it's hot here. Our tiny apartment bakes in the Summer sun.....which means our apartment is even more hot with the oven turned on. What to do?

Bake on the grill, of course! I mean why not, right? I started this little experiment with the New York Times No-Knead Bread because the bread is baked in a cast iron dutch oven. This would be perfect to just pop on the grill I thought.

More on how this little experiment turned out in second part of post..

Total Success....Sorta

The bread that emerged, was indeed delicious. But a few things I learned along the way will make an even tastier bread the next time.

Below are the steps I took to bake bread on my outdoor grill:

Dutch Oven

I used my cast iron Kitchenaide dutch oven per the NY Times directions for the no-knead bread. The dutch oven retains heat and also allows steam from the water in the dough to help form the crust.



If your grill is big enough to accommodate the dutch oven with the lid on, then you're pretty much done. My grill is really small, so I had to take the grill off and place my pizza stone directly on the gas burners.

I was concerned about the bottom of the dutch oven getting too much heat and burning the bottom of the bread which turned out to be a legitimate concern because the bottom did indeed, burn. Not much, but I did have to cut that bit off. Again, if your grill is big enough to place the dutch oven directly on the grill and still be able to close the lid, you're set.

My solution for next time? I think I'm going to try placing an un-glazed terracata saucer on the inside of the dutch oven. That way there is one more layer separating the heat from the bread.

Oven Thermometer

It's important to have an oven thermometer to have accurate temperatures. My grill already has one built in, so this was easy for me.

Pre-Heat The Dutch Oven

This is CRUCIAL. Follow the NY Times instructions and pre-heat the dutch oven for 30-45 mins before adding the bread. The hot dutch oven is what helps to form the crust on the bread

That's about it. It really was simple. Again, the benefit of doing this is that you can have fresh baked bread without heating up your kitchen, which is a HUGE plus for me. Anyone have different methods of baking bread on the grill? I'd love to hear about it.

Easy French Potato Salad Recipe

A friend of mine decided to have a last minute Memorial day BBQ and I agreed to make a potato salad. Not wanting something boring or heavy, I opted for this light french potato salad. This recipe comes from my favorite cooking lady, Ina Garten.

Like many of her recipes, this one is easy, simple, and totally perfect for any summer BBQ, and the best part.....No Mayo!

Herbed potato salad in second part of post...

Ingredients

• 1 pound small white boiling potatoes
• 1 pound small red boiling potatoes
• 2 tablespoons good dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 10 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced scallions (white and green parts)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves

Directions

Drop the white and red potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more minutes. As soon as you can handle them, cut in 1/2 (quarters if the potatoes are larger) and place in a medium bowl. Toss gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.

Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Blueberries In Black Pepper-Syrah Syrup

Light Summer Fruit Dessert

I love Summer and I love fruit desserts. This blueberry dessert comes from Sunset Magazine and I truly can't wait to try it. It sounds so fancy, right?

16 light summer fruit desserts - Photos - Sunset.com

Tomatillo Salsa

This salsa looks delicious.  I can imagine it with chips or on some tasty carne asada.

 Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner.  Looking for Mexican inspired dishes for your Fiesta?  Check out my Palm Springs Mexican inspired BBQ for inspiration!


Grilling: Tomatillo Salsa | Serious Eats : Recipes

Foodbuzz 24,24,24: Palm Springs BBQ

Mexican Inspired BBQ In A Mid-Century Home

A "Carne Asada" is the Mexican equivalent of an American BBQ. Traditionally held under festive circumstances, the Mexican Carne Asada is full of drinks, food, and celebration. While both terms refer to an event, they also refer to a specific type of food, and carne asada is nothing more than marinated grilled steak.

For my 30th birthday party, Michael and I decided to rent a fabulous Mid-Century home in Palm Springs and invite all of our friends for a day in the warm desert sun! Full of mid-century style and ease, Palm Springs exemplifies so much for me: Leisure, Elegance, and Simplicity.

More pics and full menu with recipes in second part of post...


While leafing through cookbooks for menu ideas I had a flash of genius!---Why not have an all-day Carne Asada for my birthday weekend? Only, this Carne Asada will be re-invented using Mexican flavors and techniques---a Carne Asada with a twist! Perfect I thought.


What better way to celebrate my birthday, enjoy the company of my friends, relish in the cool pool, and take in the glorious Palm Springs sun?! Luckily for me, Foodbuzz agreed with me and selected this meal as one of 24 meals for their 24 blogs, 24 meals, 24 hours sponsored event! Thanks Foodbuzz!

Birthday Carne Asada In The Desert - The Menu

Check out the menu below and click on each item to arrive at the recipe.

Hand-Muddled Margaritas with Chili-Salt Rim
Classic Guacamole with Oregano
Mexican Fruit Salad in Chili-Lime Dressing
Traditional Carne Asada with Cilantro Chutney
Classic Cheeseburgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise
Lemon Blackened Chicken with Coriander
Grilled Corn on the Cob with Cilantro-Lime Butter
Black Bean Salad with Red Onion and Jicama

Birthday Celebration In The Sun

The food we made tasted all the better because of the beautiful setting. The weather was perfect---sunny and warm, but not too HOT. And of course, having a wonderful set of friends made all of the difference. Below are some images of the party during and after the feast! We ended the day with a lovely night time swim in the pool---a perfect day indeed!









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Make Your Own BBQ Sauce From Scratch!

By Danny

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Yes, that's right. BBQ Sauce! I've always wanted to make my own and the perfect opportunity presented itself yesterday. Michael finally got around to putting together the grill he bought AGES ago, so I decided to take advantage of the lazy Sunday afternoon and make my own BBQ sauce. I used a recipe I found on-line but the proportions of the ingredients were WAY off---things were not looking good. The doubt on Michael's face was palpable, and full blown panic was right around the corner..

More on how I saved the recipe after the jump...


Even with the adjustments I made, the sauce still didn't taste like "Barbecue" sauce. I myself began to doubt my skills. Could this terrible recipe be saved? I knew in the back of my mind that the smoke from the grill would add that last bit of flavor that would push the sauce in to the "BBQ realm", so I decided to have a bit of faith and use the sauce...and boy am I glad I did! It turned out spectacular! Because I was improvising the amounts in the recipe bellow are estimated. This is a good base for a BBQ sauce that you can add or subtract ingredients to!

Homemade BBQ Sauce

1 can of Tomato Sauce
1/2 a small can of tomato paste
4 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar
1 Medium sized onion, minced
5 Garlic Cloves, crushed
2 Teaspoons ground dry mustard
3 Tablespoons vinegar
4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons white wine
2 Teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Heat the olive oil over medium/low heat. Add the onions and garlic and sweat for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until well combined. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. The sauce will be thick and should be added to grilled meats on the last 10 minutes of grilling, otherwise the sauce will burn.

We sliced up some chicken breasts into thick chunks and placed them on skewers with onion wedges in between. Delicious!

Do you have a favorite BBQ Sauce recipe? Leave us a link in the comments!

How to Make Your Own BBQ Smoker

By Danny


Check out this great video I found. Some bloke shows you how to make your own smoker and proceeds to smoke a salmon! Looks easy and delicious! I'm totally convinced that the reason why I think it looks easy has less to do with the ease of his instructions, and more to do with his British accent but, what ev's. More importantly, he smokes a salmon, but I'm sure you can engineer a way to smoke a chicken or pork. Surely.

Smoked Salmon In A Home Built BBQ Smoker

Thanks Atomic Shrimp!

Mark's Cape Cod Cheeseburgers

Our friend Mark made these delicious burgers yesterday. We're vacationing in P-Town and instead of going out to lunch, Mark decided to make us some burgers.

Recipe after the jump...

Mark's Cape Cod Cheeseburger

This recipe makes 8 burger patties

3 pounds of 80% lean Ground Beef
White Vermont Extra Sharp Sliced Cheddar Cheese
Your favorite Seeded Burger Buns
Grilled Yellow Onions
Sliced Tomatoes on the Vine
Red Lettuce
Condiments of Choice

Mark says that it's important to use 80% lean beef because burgers will otherwise dry out and be tough. Form the patties into eight equal size patties by lightly forming and rounding the edges. Wait until the charcoal has a uniform gray covering and grill burgers. Do not move burgers until the first side is correctly cooked. Patties are ready to flip when half of the patty appears cooked. Flip burgers and immediately place TWO slices of cheese on each patty. On the outside edges of the grill place and toast the burger buns. Make sure to rotate buns to prevent them from toasting unevenly. Buns are tastier when they have a medium brown coloring.


Patties are done when cheese has melted and wrapped burger patty. Remove burgers from grill and rest for 1 minute. Prepare burgers by placing a patty on top of toasted bun. Add grilled onions and condiments to taste. Enjoy!

Melon in Rum-Lime Sauce!

I posted this recipe yesterday and it sounded so delicious that I couldn't help but make it today. I didn't follow the recipe to the tee, but I did make the rum-lime sauce exactly like the recipe said.


I also added some ground cayenne pepper at the very end to give it a bit of spice and kick. This recipe is absolutely delicious! It's slightly tart and mildly sweet. Make sure that you chill it for plenty of time, otherwise it wont be as yummy!


Melon in Rum-Lime sauce with Cayenne Pepper

Follow recipe above and sprinkle with cayenne pepper before serving. Enjoy!

Lemon Blackened Chicken

Smoky and Tart

This grilled chicken is one of the best I've ever tried! It's a Barefoot Contessa recipe and as always, really simple to make!

Ingredients

1 3 1/2 pound chicken, flattened (get your butcher to flatten a whole chicken by removing the back and breast bone)
1/3 cup good olive oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Sprinkle chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a glass dish just large enough to hold the flattened chicken. Add the chicken, and turn to coat. Cover dish with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for least 4 hours or overnight, turning once or twice.

Prepare grill and place chicken on grill for 12 to 15 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and place chicken on plate and cover with aluminum wrap and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting.

Classic Cheeseburger with Chipotle Mayonnaise

Chipotle Mayonnaise Updates This Classic

Cheeseburgers are quintessential BBQ food. For my Palm Springs birthday weekend, I made a Mexican inspired BBQ and thought that by adding a chipotle mayonnaise I could spin this classic dish.

Ingredients

For Burgers:

4 pounds 80% lean ground beef (Don't even bother with a leaner beef. The fat is what gives it flavor!)
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

Directions

Break beef up in a large bowl. Add salt and lightly mix with hands. Grab a small handful and carefully shape into a small, flat patty. Don't add to much pressure, or else the burgers will be dense instead of light and crumbly.

Add to hot grill and cook to desire doneness. I prefer medium rare. While burger is grilling, add buns to grill until they are lightly toasted and caramelized. 2 minutes before burger is done, add cheese to patty so that it melts by the time patty is done.

Chipotle Mayonnaise

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons pureed chipotle peppers in adobo
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add more peppers, salt, or lemon juice to suit your taste. Use the mayonnaise on the buns and enjoy!

Black Bean Salad with Red Onion and Jicama

Delicious Cold Salad

This is a delicious and refreshing salad that is full of robust flavors and variety of textures! It's perfect with CARNE ASADA or a CHEESEBURGER!

Ingredients

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed, drained
1 cup 1/3-inch diced peeled jicama
1 cup 1/3-inch diced tomato
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Combine first six ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk remaining ingredients and add dressing to bean salad. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary. Cover and let stand at room temperature for one hour before serving.

Carne Asada With Cilantro Chutney

Classic Mexican Dish with a Twist

Carne asada is so simple and easy to make, yet so incredibly delicious. All it is really, is marinated steak---but with the Mexican ingredients and the smoke of the grill, this dish transforms into something magical! I paired this steak with a lovely Cilantro Chutney, just to update it a bit, and boy am I glad I did!


We had this dish in Palm Springs for my birthday weekend, and I'm pretty sure the warm sun made this taste all the better!

Ingredients

Recipe serves 5
4 pounds Flat Iron Steak, sliced thin (It's important to NOT slice the steak into strips, but rather slice them so they are wide and flat, but about 1/4 inch thick)
1/2 large onion sliced into thin rings
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt

Directions

Place sliced steak in a large bowl or deep platter. Place all remaining ingredients in bowl with meat and mix so that meat is thoroughly mixed with marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator and marinade for a minimum of 2 hours, but 4 hours is best.

Once marinated, spark up the grill, and grill 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Make sure to grill onions along side the steaks...they'll add flavor! At this point I always squeeze some more lime juice and sprinkle a little extra salt on the meat.

Cilantro Chutney

Ingredients

2 cups firmly packed fresh cilantro sprigs
6 scallions, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped small hot green peppers, serrano or thai
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Slather on carne asada and enjoy!

Grilled Corn With Cilantro-Lime Butter

Delicious Way To Eat Corn

Grilled corn is one of my favorites! For my Mexican inspired BBQ in Palm Springs I decided to update this Mexican staple with a superb Cilantro-Lime Butter!

Ingredients

Corn with husks attached - I usually have one ear of corn per guest

For Cilantro-Lime Butter:

2 sticks of softened salted butter
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime

Directions

Grill ears of corn with husk on for 10 minutes, or until husks are blackened. Remove from grill and let corn rest on a plate covered by a kitchen towel. This will allow the corn to steam and finish cooking.

Make butter by placing all ingredients in a food processor until well combined. You can add more or less of each ingredient depending on your taste.

Once butter is done, pull husks back from the corn. Do not remove, but simply pull them back (this makes handling and presentation better!). Place on the grill again for about five minutes to warm up and to make grill marks. Spread butter on hot corn and enjoy!