Snow Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli Dip

I’m not a Crab Cake purist;  I tend to use any ingredients that compliment the sweet flavor of the crab meat, but don’t overwhelm its delicate taste.  Click the link for the complete recipe and HD video on how to make my Panko-Crusted Snow Crab Cakes.

High Definition Video on how to make Panko-Crusted Snow Crab Cakes:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb-oazbriKQ

Crab Cake Recipe:

Prep Time: 20 minutes if using de-shelled crab meat (60 minutes if you plan on de-shelling the crab legs yourself)
Cooking Time: 5 minutes per side, 10 minutes in total
Servings: 9 – 10 large crab cakes

Panko-Crusted Snow Crab Cakes Ingredients:

• 1 lb of de-shelled crab meat.  If you plan on de-shelling the crab, you’ll need 2.5 lbs of cooked crab legs, shell on to yield about 1 lb of crab meat
• 1 large yellow or white onion, finely diced (minced)
• 1 cup of finely crushed soda crackers or bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped dill
• 1 tablespoon of mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 or 3 large tablespoons of mayonnaise (regular or low-fat)
• 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 3 glugs of olive oil
• 1 cup of panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Using your fingers or a fork, break up the cab meat into small pieces so that they mix well with the other ingredients


Snow Crab Meat

2. In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients: crab meat, minced onion, crushed soda crackers, dill, mustard powder, and chili, and mix well
3. Add the wet ingredients: eggs, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and mix well.  The result should be the consistency of ground beef
4. Using your hands, form crab cakes about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, and 2 – 3 inches in diameter.  Lay each formed crab cake on a parchment-paper lined tray so they don’t stick to the surface


Crab Cakes Taking Shape

5. Once all of your crab cakes are formed, preheat a frying pan with butter and olive oil.  Once heated, working with one crab cake at at time, coat the crab cake in the panko bread crumbs all around, and place it into the frying pan


Snow Crab Cakes in the Frying Pan

6. Fry for 3 – 4 minutes per side on medium-high heat, or until golden brown.  Flip the crab cake over and do the same on the reverse side
7. Once the crab cakes are completely cooked on both sides, remove them and place on paper-towel lined tray to absorb any extra oil
8. Serve warm with a side of chipotle aioli (see recipe below).

Chipotle Aioli Dipping Sauce Recipe:

Servings: Makes four servings of 1/4 cup each for dipping

Chipotle Aioli Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 egg yolks
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon (seeds removed)
• 2 chipotle peppers, seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce (this is the sauce chipotle peppers come in)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 pinch each of salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon of mustard
• 3/4 cup (188 ml) of olive oil

Chipotle Aioli Dipping Sauce Directions:

1. In a blender, combine egg yolks, lemon juice, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper,  and mustard.
2. Turn on the blender, and allow everything to fully incorporate, ensuring that the chipotle pepper is finely puréed
3. Once all of the ingredients are fully incorporated, slowly (with the blender on) begin adding a steady but slow stream of olive oil through the top of the blender
4. Add the full amount of olive oil and continue blending until the aioli thickens to a mayonnaise-like consistency
5. Stop the blender, and scoop the aioli into individual serving dishes for dipping, much like I’ve plated here:


Panko-Crusted Snow Crab Cakes

Important Note: The mustard acts like an emulsifying agent. You can play with the flavors and add different ingredients and spices to this aioli, but don’t leave the mustard out!

Lamb Loin Chops with Rosemary and Garlic Aioli

In this recipe, I show you how to create a marinade for lamb loin chops, and use it to impart flavors that compliment lamb’s unique and bold taste.  And for even more indulgence, I’ll show you how to make a Rosemary and Garlic Aioli for dipping each and every morsel of these delicious lamb loin chops.  I’ll serve it with roasted root vegetables, and a side of Sauteed Green Beans.  Click the link for the high definition video and complete step-by-step cooking instructions.

High Definition Video on how to make Lamb Loin Chops with Rosemary and Garlic Aioli:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD1fF84wbp8

Lamb Loin Chops Recipe:

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes per side, 10 minutes in the oven, 20 minutes total
Rest time: 5 Minutes
Servings: Four normal people or two really hungry people

Lamb Loin Chops and Marinade Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 4 – 6 anchovies (trust me on this!  It won’t taste ‘fishy’)
• 2 garlic cloves
• Peel (rhind) of one lemon
• 6 glugs of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 8 Lamb loin chops, cut to 1 – 1 1/2″ (3 cm) thickness1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, fat removed from loin side:

Lamb Loin Chops

Lamb Loin Chop Directions:

1. If you have a mortar and pestle, combine the seeds and ground them into a fine powder.  If not, then use cumin powder and mustard powder instead
2. If you’re using a mortar and pestle, add anchovy filets, garlic, lemon peel, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and grind together until all of the ingredients are mixed together to make a fine marinade.  If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, use a blender.  combine all of the above ingredients and blend together for 30 seconds
3. Marinade the lamb loin chops in this marinade for about 4 hours, or overnight if possible.
4. Prehead oven to 400 degrees F
5. Heat a few glugs of olive oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat
6. Place the lamb chops in the frying pan, and allow to sear on each side for 3 – 5 minutes, or until each side is golden brown, like so:


Seared Pork Loin Chop

7. Place the frying pan with the loin chops in the oven for 7 minutes for medium-rare chops, 10 minutes for medium done chops, and13 minutes for medium to well done chops.
8. Remove the chops from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes
9. Plate the lamb chops and serve with a side dish of the rosemary and garlic aioli (recipe below), it’s like a flavored mayonnaise for dipping the lamb loin chops.

Consider serving with roasted root vegetables (pictured here) and a side of green beans (recipe below).

Roasted Root Vegetables

Rosemary and Garlic Aioli Recipe:

Servings: Makes four servings of 1/4 cup each for dipping

Rosemary and Garlic Aioli Ingredients:

• 2 egg yolks
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon (seeds removed)
• 1/2 stalk of fresh (not dried) rosemary, stalks removed
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 pinch each of salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon of mustard
• 3/4 cup (188 ml) of olive oil

Rosemary Garlic Aioli Directions:

1. In a blender, combine egg yolks, lemon juice, rosemary, salt and pepper, garlic, and mustard.
2. Turn on the blender, and allow everything to fully incorporate, ensuring that the rosemary leaves are finely chopped
3. Once all of the ingredients are fully incorporated, slowely (with the blender on) begin adding a steady but slow stream of olive oil through the top of the blender
4. Add the full amount of olive oil and continue blending until the aioli thickens to a mayonnaise-like consistency
5. Stop the blender, and scoop the aioli into individual serving dishes for dipping, much like I’ve plated here:

Rosemary and Garlic Aioli

Important Note: the mustard acts like an emulsifying agent.  You can pay with the flavors and add different herbs and spices to this aioli, but don’t leave the mustard out!

Serve with a side of green beans.

Green Beans Ingredients:

• 2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper

Green Beans Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil in a large stock pot of well-salted water
2. Add the green beans to the water and boil until bright green in color and tender crisp, roughly 3 minutes (taste one to be sure they’re done)
3. While beans are boiling, melt butter in large frying pan on medium heat, and fry bread crumbs in butter for 1 minute
4. Drain green beans though colander and add to the frying pan, like so:


Sauteed Green Beans

5. Toss the green beans in frying pan to evenly coat green beans with butter and bread crumb mixture
6. sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss evenly, and serve hot as a side dish

Wine Pairing:

I paired this with a wine appropriate for rich meat such as lamb: Hardys Bankside Shiraz.  If you read any of my other wine pairing suggestions, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of medium to full-bodied wines that are bold in flavor and easy on the wallet.  There are some incredible wines out there that offer tremendous value ($15 – $25), and this is one of them.

Tasting Notes (from Toronto Life):

“A drier, more savoury Aussie shiraz with peppery, meaty character that’s reminiscent of French syrah. It’s medium-full bodied, a bit sinewy, but filled with fruit and some tobacco on the finish. Very good length.”

Score: 88
Price: CAD$15

Hardys Bankside Shiraz 2010

Steakhouse-Style Broiled Lobster Tail

The result is a dish perfect for that special-occasion, when you’re pulling out all of the stops.  This broiled lobster tail can be served with traditional steakhouse-style sides like Cesar salad and a baked potato, but for a different and more luxurious twist, I’m serving it with a Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy and Pickled Radishes, as well as a Creamy Risotto.   Click the link for the complete recipe and high definition instructional video.

High Definition Video on How to Broil an Atlantic Lobster Tail:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hVcNcpswFc

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cooking Time: 4 – 6 minutes, depending on the size of the lobster tail

Servings: 4 (one tail per serving)

Lobster Tail Ingredients:

• 4 Atlantic Lobster Tails (about 4 – 6 oz each, or 113g – 170g)
• 1 cup of clarified butter (recipe here)
• 1 tsp of paprika powder
• 1 Lemon
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Lobster Tail Broiling Directions:

1. Lay out your lobster tails on a flat working surface, like a cutting board as such:


Atlantic Lobster Tails

2. Using your sharpest cutting scissors or shears, cut along the top of the tail, lengthwise down the tail.  Start from the opening, and cut all the way to the last link in the tail, without cutting through the tail itself
3. Flip the tail over and make cuts in the strong membrane (these look like rungs on a ladder) that runs across the width of the tail.  This will make it easier to open the top of the tail to pull the meat up through, as these ‘rungs’ provide rigidity to the tail
4. Using your middle and index finger, insert them into the opening in the tail and use your fingers to push up on the lobster tail meat until it’s fully pulled up through the incision you made in step 2, above
5. There will be a dark ‘vein’ visible that runs down the length of the tail.  Remove and discard this vein
6. The lobster meat tail should rest on the top of the now empty shell, as depicted below:


Atlantic Lobster Tails De-Shelled

7. Once the lobster meat is pulled through, brush the lobster meat with clarified butter, and sprinkle with paprika powder, salt, and a touch of pepper
8. Place lobster tails on cookie sheet, and place 6″ (15 cm) under broiler for 4 to 6 minutes (but not much longer than this!).  Once the tail has just a hint of color on the top, the rest of it is sure to be cooked through, so remove from the oven at the first hint of color
9. Remove and serve immediately with side dishes such as Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy and creamy Risotto
10. Squeeze the juice of a lemon wedge into the remainder of the clarified butter, mix, and pour the clarified butter into small bowls for each serving.  Your dinner guests will enjoy dipping their lobster meat into this lemon-flavored butter.

Wine Pairing:

I paired this dish with a Louis Jadot Chardonnay (~ CAD$18).  It’s a crisp white wine that works well with this combination of rich and decadent seafood.

From the LCBO web site:

Clear pale yellow colour; inviting aromas of apple, citrus and white nut with floral, vanilla and mineral notes; dry, medium body, well balanced and lively on the palate with refreshing acidity; flavours of pear, apple/citrus fruit, with notes of mineral and nut on the finish.

Serving Suggestion:
Serve with creamy pasta, roasted chicken, mussels or grilled fish and white meats such as pork or poultry.

Louis Jadot Chardonnay

Blue Cheese-Crusted New York Strip Steak

In this recipe, I create a Blue Cheese-Crusted New York Strip Steak using nothing more than my oven broiler.  The result is a golden-brown steak crust that brings out the very best in any cut of meat.  And the best part is that you don’t even need to step outside to make it.  Perfect for those cold winter months!

High Definition Video on How to Broil a Blue Cheese Crusted New York Strip Steak Presented Here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB1_U_7wXxk

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 10 – 14 minutes (5 – 7 minutes per side
Rest time: 10 – 15 Minutes

Servings: 4 large steaks (12+ oz) or 6 regular steaks (6 – 10 oz)

Blue Cheese Crust Ingredients:

• 2 1″ (2.5 cm) thick slices of good quality loaf of bread (sourdough, olive, rye, etc.)
• 4 green onions (scallions)
• 3 – 4 oz (100 g) of Danish blue cheese, softened to room temperature (I recommend Castello-Rosenborg Danish Blue Cheese)
• 1/8 cup of butter, softened to room temperature
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Blue Cheese Crust Directions:

1. In a food processor, chop the bread and green onions
2. Adding one tablespoon each of blue cheese, butter, salt and pepper and chop until desired taste and texture is achieved.  The mixture should resemble pay-dough when rolled in a ball

Rosenborg Danish Blue Cheese

Steak Ingredients:

• 4 large or 6 regular steaks such as rib eye, new york strip, tenderloin, or filet Mignon
• 6 glugs of olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Blue Cheese Crust (see above)

Steak Directions:

1. Turn on your oven broiler and allow to come up to heat
2. Cover each piece of steak with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper


New York Strip Steak

3. Place each Steak on a cooling rack placed on top of a flat cookie sheet(or pan).  This will allow air to circulate around the steaks as they broil from the top broiler in your oven.  If you don’t have a cooling rack, simply place the steaks on a flat cookie sheet:
4. Place the cookie sheet with the steaks on it in the oven about 6″ (15 cm) under the broiler, and broil for 5 – 7 minutes, or until nicely seared on top
5. Remove the steaks from the oven, and flip them on their opposite side, return to oven.  Broil for another 3 minutes
6. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, and coat each steak with about 1/2″ (1.5 cm) of the steak crust you made above.  Try to keep the crust even thickness across each steak


Blue Cheese Crust

7. Place the steaks with the crust back in the oven under the broiler for about 2 – 3 minutes, or until the crust is golder brown.  be careful the crust will burn very quickly, so check on it often!
8. Serve with roasted red potatoes and asparagus, for a nice contrast of colors from the golden-brown steak crust, red potatoes, and green asparagus.  Garnish with thyme or rosemary

Wine Pairing:

I paired this with one of my go-to wines for hearty steak dinners:  Angus The Bull Cabernet Sauvignon.  From Angus the Bull web site:

Angus the Bull Cabernet Sauvignon

The philosophy behind Angus The Bull is to create a unique and innovative wine that provides an ideal accompaniment to prime beef.

Tasting Notes:

From LCBO:

“clear ruby colour; blackberry, plum, eucalyptus and spice aromas; dry, medium to full body; rich, ripe blackberry and black fruit flavours with balanced acidity; touch of spice and soft tannins in good, medium length finish”

Predictably, with a name like Angus the Bull, you can’t go wrong with this full-bodied wine by serving it with a hearty slab of beef.

Pan-Seared Oven Roast with Red Wine Reduction Sauce

In this recipe I take a small Inside Round Roast, pan sear it with an herb crust, and oven roast it to medium-rare perfection.  I then drizzle it with my own red wine reduction sauce and serve it with root vegetables and a side of couscous.  Click the link for the complete recipe and high definition video.

High Definition Video Presented Here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM_28S6mglk

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves: 4 – 6 people

Oven Roast Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 lb of beef roast (A small inside round roast is recommended) or similar cut of beef
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, stem removed and finely chopped
• 4 sprigs of thyme, stem remove and finely chopped
• Coarse sea salt and ground pepper
• 3-4 glugs of olive oil

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Spread the rosemary, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper evenly over a cutting board
3. Drizzle olive oil on the beef roast, coating kit completely
4. Place the roast on the cutting board with the chopped herbs, and roll the roast across the board, evenly covering the outside with an herb crust
5. Pre-heat a frying pan on medium-high heat with a few glugs of olive oil in it.  Place the roast in the frying pan and sear evenly on one side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.  Using tongs, keep turning the roast until all sides are evenly browned


Pan-Searing Roast

6. Once all sides are evenly browned, place the pan with the roast in the oven
7. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the roast to ensure proper internal cooking temperature
8. Remove the roast from the oven when the thermometer reads 135-145 degrees F for medium-rare doneness (see beef internal temperature guide below).  Allow to rest on a cutting board, covered with tin-foil for at least 15 minutes before carving into medallion-sized pieces:

Carving the Roast

Red Wine Reduction Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of chopped carrots
• 1 cup of chopped onions
• 1 cup of chopped celery
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 750 ml bottle of wine
• Salt and pepper
• 1/8 cup of non-salted butter
• 1 tbsp of honey

Directions:

1. Using the same pan as used for pan searing the roast on medium-high heat, saute the carrots, onions, celery until softened.
2. Add the garlic and saute for another minute
3. Add the wine and allow it to come up to a boil in the pan


Reducing the Red Wine

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste
5. Reduce the wine by 1/2 until it’s a thick syrup-like consistency
6. Strain the contents of the frying pan through a strainer into a dish, set the liquid aside
7. Heat the butter in the frying pan until completely melted, add the reduce wine back into the frying pan and whisk together
8. Add the honey and wish again until red wine, honey and butter are completely incorporated
   Drizzle over medallions of the beef roast after plating

This red wine reduction sauce works well with any cut of beef or steak.

Below is a cooking chart for cooking beef.  Remember, you should always use an instant-read thermometer to check the doneness of a roast. The internal temperature will rise about 5-10 degrees during resting time, so remove the roast 5-10 degrees before desired doneness.

Beef Internal Temperature Guide:

Source:  http://www.themeatsource.com

Wine Pairing:

Château de Fontenelles Cuvée Renaissance 2007.  ~ CAD$19

Chateau de Fontenellles

From the LCBO web site:

“Description
Winner of a Gold Medal at the 2009 Concours des Grands Vins du Languedoc-Roussillon.

Tasting Note
Cassis, spice, coffee, chocolate and black cherry notes on the nose. Dry, medium-full bodied with lush dark fruit, lovely depth and structure, and a generous finish. This will reward short-term cellaring of 2-4 years. Pair with meat dishes.”

Veal Scallopini

Although the recipe works well with high-quality veal, chicken breast and even pork tenderloin chops would work too.  Click the link for the complete recipe and high definition cooking video.

High Definition Video Presented Here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAFXxIBa09U

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves 6 people

Veal Scallopini Recipe:

• 1 kg  or 2lb Veal Cutlets
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp of  ground pepper
• 1 cup of all purpose flour
• 2 cups of Italian or seasoned breadcrumbs
• vegetable oil (enough for 1/4″ of oil in your frying pan)

1. Place individual veal cutlet between two pieces of plastic or saran wrap.  Using a meat mallet (spiked side) to pound the veal cutlets.  Make sure you evenly and thoroughly tenderize the entire cutlet on both sides.  Don’t overdo it, as you can tear the cutlet which ruins the presentation — but not the flavor!
2. Setup of a ‘breading station’ for your veal.  You’ll need a plate with flour, a bowl with the beaten egg liquid (with mixed-in salt and pepper), and a plate with the bread crumbs.  Finally, you’ll need a frying pan with oil heated to 375 degrees F.
3. Dredge cutlets in flour to dry them; dip the cutlet in the egg mixture to wet it; then dredge with breadcrumbs.  Place in frying pan and fry for 2-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.


Breaded veal

4. Remove veal from frying pan and place on paper towel to allow the excess oil to drain off.
5. As you make your way through frying the veal cutlets, you may need to refill the flour, egg mixture, and/or bread crumbs.  These are consumed as you prepare the veal for frying.

Marsala, Gorgonzola, and Mushroom Cream Sauce Recipe:

Cremini, Shitake, and Oyster Mushrooms

• 3 glugs of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups each of Cremini, Shitake, and Oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of Marsala wine
• 1/2 cup of table cream
• 200 g of Gorgonzola cheese (about 1/2 cup)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 500 g of penne pasta
• 1 small handful of flat-leaf parsley for garnish

1. Using the same pan used for sauteing the veal, add olive oil to the pan over medium-high heat
2. Add the mushrooms to the pan and saute until softened


Sauteed Mushrooms

3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, saute for 1-2 minutes
4. Add the Marsala wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, simmering for 3 minutes or until the Marsala wine volume is reduced by half


Marsala Wine and Gorgonzola Cheese

5. Stir in the cream and simmer another 2 – 3 minutes
6. Add the Gorgonzola and stir until it completely melts into the sauce; remove from heat
7. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired
8. Serve over a bed of penne pasta
9. Garnish with parsley

Enjoy!

Grilled Calamari Dressed in Lemon and Chili Vinaigrette

As an added benefit, it’s actually a great low-fat alternative to the usual deep-fried calamari that doesn’t compromise on taste.  Click the link for the complete high-definition cooking video and recipe for this Grilled Calamari Dressed in Lemon and Chili Vinaigrette

High Definition Video Presented Here on How To Make Grilled Calamari with Lemon and Chili Vinaigrette:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnkSizgIsek

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 6-8 minutes

Serves: 4 servings as an appetizer

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Orange peel rind from one naval orange
• 8 glugs of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 chili pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix lemon juice, orange peel, olive oil, chili pepper, salt and pepper in a bowl large enough to hold your calamari.  This is your vinaigrette

Grilled Calamari Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 squid (calamari), cleaned with innards and cartilage removed
• 5 sprigs of thyme, stalks removed

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat your grill to at least 500 degrees F
2. Score or create slight cuts on each side of the calamari in a cross fashion, without cutting all the way through the squid body.  This helps the calamari cook quickly (without drying out) and creates a surface area for the vinaigrette to stick to
3. Grill the calamari about 3 – 4 minutes per side


Grilling Calamari

4. Once you have a little bit of color on the grill-side of the calamari, flip it over to the other side, cooking for another 3 – 4 minutes


Calamari on the Grill

5. Once both sides are grilled, remove the calamari from the grill and onto a cutting board.  Cut 1/2″ (1 cm) thick rings from the calamari by cutting along the width of the calamari body
6. Place the calamari rings in the vinaigrette bowl and toss evenly to coat each calamari piece with the vinaigrette
7. Serve on a large plate and drizzle the calamari rings with remaining vinaigrette.  Garnish with thyme leaves and season with a bit more salt and pepper.

Enjoy with a cool and crisp dry white wine

Grilled Calamari Dressed in Lemon and Chili Vinaigrette

Grilled Pork Chops with Herb Lime Molasses Marinade

My marinade uses herbs like thyme and rosemary - classic compliments to pork – as well as lime juice for a little acidity, and molasses to balance the sharpness of the lime juice.  Molasses also caramelizes on the grill, so it adds an added dimension of flavor to these chops.  I also add a bit of spicy paprika powder for a slight hint of heat.  Click the link for the complete recipe and high definition video.

High Definition Video Presented Here on How To Cook Pork Loin Chops:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0N1bRkiuzI

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Marinade Time: 4 hours to 1 day (overnight)

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4-6 people
Marinade Ingredients:

• 1 large sprig of rosemary, stem removed
• 6-8 stalks of thyme, stems removed
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 6 glugs of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of molasses (or optionally, use honey)
• 1 teaspoon of paprika powder (optional)

Directions

1. In a mortar and pestle, mash up the herbs into a paste.  If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, just chop them very finely
2. Add the garlic, lime juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, molasses and paprika powder.  Mix well.  This is now your marinade
3. Separate the marinade with 3:1 with 3 parts going into a Ziploc or resealable bag, and 1 part in a resealable container

Pork Loin Chop Ingredients:

• 4-6 pieces of 1″ (2.5 cm) pork chops, cut from a pork tenderloin
• Marinade (see above)

Directions

1. Place the pork chops into the Ziploc bag with the marinade you made above, and allow the chops to marinade for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight in a refrigerator
2. Remove the pork chops from the marinade and allow to rest at room temperature before you place them on the grill


Pork Loin Chops in Marinade

3. Grill the pork chops for 2-3 minutes and then given them a quarter turn to impart grill hatch marks on the bottom


Pork Chops on the Grill

4. After 4-6 minutes, turn the pork chops over to their other side.  The top side should now be nicely grilled with a bit of color
5. Using the marinade you set aside from the initial batch (not the marinade you put in the Ziploc bag) brush the marinade onto the pork chops to give them additional flavor
6. Once the internal temperature of the pork chops reaches 150 – 155 degrees F, remove them from the grill, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes
7. Serve with a side of couscous and Greek salad.

Pork Chops Plated with Couscous and Greek Salad

Wood Smoked Beef Brisket

Click the link for the complete recipe and high definition cooking video, as well as a step-by-step guide on how to create your own dry spice rub.  I recommend you smother the brisket with my Sweet Heat Chipotle Barbecue Sauce, and serve with Sweet Corn and Avocado Salad on the side.

High Definition Video Presented Here on How to Make Wood-Smoked Barbecue Beef Brisket:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMLF-3WbqpA

Preparation time:

Marinading Time: 4 – 24 hours

Cooking Time: 6 – 8 hours

Serves: 8 – 10

Dry Rub Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp of brown sugar
• 1 tbsp of paprika powder
• 1 tbsp of onion powder
• 1 tbsp of garlic powder
• 1 tbsp of dry mustard powder
• 1 tbsp of cinnamon
• 1 tsp of chipotle chili powder (or regular chili powder)
• 1 tsp of cumin powder
• 1 tsp of cloves

Wood-Smoked Barbecue Beef Brisket Ingredients:

• 6 – 10 lb (3-5 kg) beef brisket
• Hardwood chips (try to find quality hardwood like applewood, hickory, or I used Jack Daniels Whiskey oak barrel hardwood)
• 4 cups of water

Sweet Heat Chipotle BBQ Sauce Ingredients:

You’ll need to apply a barbecue sauce to the brisket as it cooks to keep it moist and flavorful.  You can find the ingredients and directions for this amazing homemade barbecue sauce on Cooking In HD here.

Directions:

1. Mix the dry rub ingredients in a bowl.  Working with a handful of the spice rub mixture at a time, rub it all over the brisket
2. Seal brisket in a refrigerated Ziplock bag for 4 – 24 hours.  Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to allow the beef brisket to come up to room temperature
3. Soak wood chips in a bowl with water for 30 minutes before starting the smoking process.  This will allow the wood chips to smoke for a while rather than burn once placed on hot charcoal briquettes, like this:


Soaking Jack Daniels Whiskey Barrel Wood Chips

4. Light your charcoal barbecue and allow the barbecue to come up to a stable temperature of 250 – 300 degrees F.
5. Place a drip tray with water in it under the part of the grill where the brisket will smoke, to collect fat and excess barbecue sauce drippings
6. Once your charcoal barbecue is at a steady temperature, place the beef brisket with drip tray on one side of the charcoal grill, and place a handful of wood chips on the lit charcoal embers on the other side of the grill, like so:


Smoking Wood Chips on Weber Charcoal BBQ

7. Apply a generous portion of the Sweet Heat Chipotle Barbecue Sauce on the brisket, and close the charcoal grill to allow the smoke to build
8. The brisket should smoke at a temperature between 250 – 300 degrees F, and you should see a stream of steady white smoke from the grill baffles, like so:


Smoking Beef with a Weber Charcoal Grill

9. Open a beer or four.  You’ll now need to check on the smoked beef brisket about every 45 – 60 minutes, adding wood chips and charcoal as necessary for the smoke or heat to be at constant levels, and reapply barbecue sauce to the beef brisket each time you add wood chips
10. Cook the brisket for 6 – 8 hours, or until the internal beef temperature reads 190 degrees F
11. Remove from the grill once the beef brisket is done, and let rest on cutting board for at least 20 – 30 minutes


Smoked Beef Brisket Resting Before Carving

12. Carve against the grain (perpendicular to the lines in the meat) and serve with my creamy potato salad or sweet corn and avocado salad.

Enjoy!

Sweet Corn and Avocado Salad

It’s the perfect compliment to any summer barbecue main dish, especially my Wood Smoked Beef Brisket.  Click the link for the complete recipe and high definition video.

High Definition Video Presented Here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn5cztbDJ-8

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6 – 8

Ingredients:

• 2 x 12oz cans or 6 cobs of sweet corn, husk removed
• 2 large avocados, ripe and cubed into 1/2″ (1 cm) pieces
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 3 limes, juiced
• 1 sprig of oregano leaves, stalk removed and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped parsley leaves OR cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup quality salsa
• 1 red chili, seeds removed and finely diced
• 2-3 pinches of sea salt

Directions:

1. Drain corn kernels from can or soak fresh sweet corn in water for 30 minutes (with husk on) and grill on all sides until husk is blackened.  Remove corn from grill and remove husk, and slice the kernels off the cob with a knife into a large serving bowl
2. Mix remaining ingredients and serve individual portions

Note; this salad actually tastes better when left refrigerated overnight, as the lime juice incorporates into the ingredients and the citrus flavors are allowed to mesh.  You can absolutely make this a day in advance before serving.

Enjoy!

Credit: Special thanks to Sobeys ‘Inspired’ magazine for the inspiration for this dish.