A simple recipe for a sensational party food

Bacon-wrapped scallops are one of the most luxurious appetizers you can serve, not to mention one of the easiest to prepare. And for me, that's a great combination.

I like using big, plump Alaskan sea scallops and apple wood smoked bacon. Because there are only two main ingredients in this dish, you need to make sure you use the best quality — the biggest, freshest sea scallops you can find, and the most flavorful bacon. After that, they are so easy to grill that you hardly need a recipe.

There are two types of scallops, but only one of them is appropriate for the grill. Tiny bay scallops are so sweet, you can eat them raw or just lightly sauteed. But they also are more expensive and not suited for grilling. What you want are the larger, less expensive sea scallops.

This all-protein finger food appetizer is perfect for holiday entertaining. It's simple to prep and quick to cook. You even could prepare them in advance. I pre-cook the bacon to render some of the fat and make it soft and pliable for wrapping around the scallops. Then just refrigerate until your guests arrive and pop them on the grill when you want them.

We've also paired these with a simple maple-mustard sauce that is delicious dolloped on top of the scallops just before serving. But feel free to leave that off.



GRILLED BACON-WRAPPED SCALLOPS

Everything tastes better with bacon! And it doesn't get any better than fresh-from-the-ocean sea scallops wrapped with bacon. The scallops take very little time to cook, so I cook the bacon in the oven or microwave for a couple of minutes before I wrap it around the scallops. That way, I am guaranteed to get crispy bacon and tender scallops. The best sea scallops I've ever had are from Alaska, so ask your fishmonger for them.

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Makes 12 to 14 scallops

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 pound jumbo sea scallops

1/2 pound center-cut bacon

Salt and ground black pepper

Round wooden toothpicks, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Heat the oven to 400 F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Heat the grill to medium-high.

In a small bowl, mix together the mustard and maple syrup. Set aside.

Use paper towels to blot dry the scallops. Arrange them on a plate, then set aside.

Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the rack over the baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just starting to cook. Do not fully cook the bacon. Remove the bacon from the oven. If too hot to handle, let cool for several minutes. Once the bacon can be handled, wrap one slice of bacon around each scallop. Secure in place by threading one of the toothpicks through the bacon and scallop.

Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the tops and bottoms of the scallops with bacon fat from the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve with the sauce for dolloping a bit onto each.

Nutrition information per scallop: 120 calories; 70 calories from fat (58 percent of total calories); 8 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 25 mg cholesterol;3 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 8 g protein; 320 mg sodium.

source: philstar.com

Pork with a fresh take on salsa-grilled cherries

By this point in the summer, I've had about all the burgers, dogs and birds I can handle. It's time to try something a little different on the grill.

And one thing most of us don't do nearly enough of — grilled fruit. Not only is grilled fruit crazy delicious — thanks to the intense heat caramelizing all the natural sugars — it also pairs perfectly with savory meats.

So to help us all get out of our late summer grilling ruts, I came up with this easy recipe for pork tenderloin cutlets topped with grilled cherry salsa. 



And if cherries aren't your thing, feel free to substitute apricots, plums, nectarines, even grapes. They all grill up deliciously. For the grapes, just leave them right on the vine and toss them on the grill the way they are. That way you won't need to chase rolling grapes around on the grill. They are easily removed from the vine after they cool.




PORK TENDERLOIN CUTLETS WITH GRILLED CHERRY SALSA


Before starting the recipe, compare the size of your cherries to the size of the grates on your grill. If the cherries are likely to fall through the gaps, use a grill pan over the grates. Most grocers sell disposable perforated foil grill pans that work perfectly for this.

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Servings: 6

2 pounds pork tenderloins

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, divided

1 small red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Cut the tenderloin crosswise into rounds about 1 inch thick. One at a time, set each round between sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch.

Transfer the flattened pork cutlets to a large zip-close plastic bag. Add the fish sauce, then shake to coat all of the pork. Squeeze the air from the bag, seal it and set side. This step can be done up to 24 hours ahead.

When ready to cook, heat the grill to high.

In a medium bowl, toss the cherries with 1 tablespoon of the oil until well coated. Carefully pour the cherries onto the grill grates and grill until lightly charred in spots and tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Use tongs to return the cherries to the bowl. Set aside to cool slightly. Leave the grill on.

Once the cherries have cooled, add the onion, garlic, vinegar and cilantro. Mix well, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the bag of pork, then shake to coat. Grill the tenderloins for 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Arrange the cutlets on 6 serving plates, then top each with some of the grilled cherry salsa.

Nutrition information per serving: 240 calories; 70 calories from fat (29 percent of total calories); 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 100 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 32 g protein; 590 mg sodium.

source: philstar.com

Grilled Shrimp with Honey-Ginger Barbecue Sauce

Of all the ways to prepare shrimp, the grill delivers the best flavor. Although unadorned "shrimp on the barbie" are great, an easily assembled gingery barbecue sauce makes them that much better. You can save time by buying already shelled and deveined shrimp, but our recipe developer, Alexis Touchet, who grew up in shrimp country in southwest Louisiana, thinks shell-on shrimp are better quality. Depending on where you live and what's in your market, you may not have much choice. Freshness trumps all, so don't hesitate to use your nose in deciding which shrimp to buy.

This recipe is part of our Gourmet Modern Menu for A Fourth of July Cookout. Click here to view the full menu.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup mild honey
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Shrimp:

• 4 pounds jumbo (21–25 per pound) or extra-large (26–30 per pound) shrimp in shell, peeled, leaving tail and adjoining shell segment intact, and deveined (See Cooks' Notes)
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

EQUIPMENT:

• 18 to 24 (12-inch) wooden skewers (depending on size of shrimp used), soaked in water for 30 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the Sauce:

• Stir together all sauce ingredients in a 2- to 2 1/2-quart heavy saucepan and briskly simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. (Stir frequently toward end of cooking to prevent sticking.) Reserve half of sauce for serving.

For the Shrimp:

• If necessary, pat shrimp dry, then thread about 6 shrimp (through top and tail, leaving shrimp curled), onto each skewer, without leaving space between shrimp.
• Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high for gas); see Grilling Procedure below.
• Meanwhile, brush shrimp with vegetable oil and sprinkle evenly with salt.
• Lightly oil grill rack. Grill shrimp, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over once, 2 minutes. Brush shrimp with some sauce from the saucepan, then turn. Brush shrimp with additional sauce then grill until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with reserved sauce.

COOKS' NOTES:

• In terms of shrimp size, go by the count per pound versus the descriptive terms such as jumbo and extra-large. If the count is not displayed, ask.
• Sauce can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated once cooled. Reheat before proceeding.
• Shrimp can be threaded onto skewers and refrigerated on a tray, loosely covered with plastic wrap, 2 hours before grilling.

GRILLING PROCEDURE:

Charcoal Grilling Instructions:

• Open vents on bottom of grill: Light a large chimney starter full of charcoal (preferably hardwood).

For Direct-heat Cooking:

• When coals are lit, dump them out across bottom rack, leaving a space free of coals on one side of grill equal to the size of the food to be grilled where food can be moved in case of any flare-ups.
• When charcoal turns grayish white (start checking coals after 15 minutes), the grill will be at its hottest and will then begin to cool off. It will be at the proper medium-hot temperature when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill rack (directly over the coals) for 3 to 4 seconds.

Gas Grilling Instructions:

• Preheat all burners on high covered, 10 minutes, then adjust heat according to recipe.
   
  source: gourmet.com