"Born to Grill" author Chef Rob Rainford shares these simple recipes for the barbecue.
Green Mango and Tomato Salad
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) packed brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) grated fresh ginger (use a Microplane grater)
- 2 cloves garlic, grated on a Microplane grater
- 2 tsp (10 mL) Sriracha sauce (Thai chili sauce)
- 2 green (unripened) mangoes, peeled, pitted and cut into matchsticks
- 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into matchsticks
- 2 cups (500 mL) bean sprouts, trimmed
- 1 cup (250 mL) cashews, coarsely chopped
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) coarsely chopped fresh basil
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1 serrano chili, seeded and diced
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into 6 wedges
Directions:
Whisk together the lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, olive oil, ginger, garlic and Sriracha sauce in a small bowl until well combined and sugar has dissolved.
Combine mango, bean sprouts, cashews, tomatoes, cilantro, basil, green onions, chili and dressing in a large bowl and toss until well coated.
Arrange the iceberg lettuce down the center of a serving platter and mound the salad on top of the lettuce. Makes 6 servings
Jerk Shrimp Inferno
The beauty of this particular recipe is that you can serve the shrimp as an appetizer or an entrée. Either way, it takes no time at all for the shrimp to cook and they're guaranteed to be a hit!
To serve the shrimp as an appetizer, thread them onto soaked wooden skewers before grilling, or simply arrange the cooked shrimp on a platter.
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cup (450 mL) Jerk marinade (see Rainford's Staple Recipes, page xvii)
- 60 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 3 lb/1.5 kg)
Directions:
Whisk together the vinegar, orange juice, olive oil, soy sauce and lime juice in a large bowl. Stir in the garlic powder, thyme, allspice, chili flakes, sage, pepper, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the onion, green onions and scotch bonnet. Stir until well combined.
Add the shrimp and marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.
Fire up your charcoal or preheat your gas grill. You need a medium-high grilling temp of around 350°F (180°C). Prep the grill for cooking over direct heat. Oil the grate with canola oil.
Remove the shrimp from the marinade and shake off the excess. Place the shrimp on the grill in an even layer. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, turning once halfway through, or until shrimp turn from grey to pink in color. Makes 8 appetizer servings or 4 main-course servings.
Tip: For an authentic West Indian entrée, serve the shrimp on a bed of fluffy rice. Add some color and flavor by stirring some chopped parsley and finely diced shallots and sweet red peppers into the rice during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
