Spicy Jamaican Habanero Smoked Ribs

Ingredients:

4 lbs smoked ribs
2 bottles Jamaican Habanero Barbecue Sauce
1 bottle Creamy Blue Cheese or Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Green onion for garnish

Prep:
Refridgerate dressings for 2-3 hours prior to serving. Pre-heat grill on high for 10 minutes, turn down to medium. (If cooking indoors preheat oven to 450). Grill ribs rotating and turning often until completely cooked through, remove from grill. If cooking indoors, cook wings for about 45 min-1 hr, remove from oven, drain fat. In a large kettle add 2 bottles of Jamaican Habanero Barbecue sauce, bring to a simmer and heat for 5 minutes. Coat ribs with sauce, serve with chilled Buttermilk Ranch and Creamy Blue Cheese dressings. For an unusual and fantastic dip idea mix Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing with Hot Salsa Veracruz Salsa (2 parts salsa, 1 part blue cheese), serve with sweet potato fries as a side-dish to the ribs.

 

Tapas with Prosciutto, Fig, and
Maple Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients:

3 or 4 thin slices prosciutto (about 1 1/2oz. total)
4 fresh basil leaves
3-4 thin shavings imported Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 Tbs pine nuts
2 firm-ripe figs (2 to 3 oz. total)
1 small African Queen heirloom tomato (or any super sweet tomato)
3 oz Maple Balsamic Dressing

Prep:

Layer prosciutto, overlapping slightly, on a plate. Rinse and dry the spinach. Rinse figs, trim off stems, and cut fruit into quarters lengthwise; scatter figs over prosciutto. Drizzle Maple Balsamic Dressing lightly over figs. Sprinkle with pine nuts and cheese. Garnish with spinach. Serve with Beaujolais wine or another wine low in tannins.

 

Veracruz Street Tacos 

Ingredients:

2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat 
1 recipe Mojo, recipe follows 
Olive oil, for coating the grill 
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 
16 (7-inch) corn tortillas 
Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce, for serving 
Chopped white onion, for serving 
16oz Salsa Veracruz
2 limes, cut in wedges for serving

Prep: Lay the flank steak in a large baking dish and pour the mojo over it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, so the flavors can sink into the meat. Don't marinate the steak for more than 8 hours though, or the fibers break down too much and the meat gets mushy. 

Preheat an outdoor grill or a ridged grill pan over medium-high flame (you can also use a broiler). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal. 

Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable. 

To make the tacos, stack up 2 of the warm tortillas, lay about 4 ounces of beef down the center, and sprinkle with some lettuce, and onion. Top each taco with a spoonful of Salsa Veracruz and garnish with lime wedges. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. 
Mojo: 

4 garlic cloves, minced 
1 jalapeno, minced 
1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
2 limes, juiced 
1 orange, juiced 
2 tablespoons white vinegar 
1/2 cup olive oil 

In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put the paste in a glass jar or plastic container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine. Use as a marinade for chicken or beef or as a table condiment. 

Yield: approximately 1 1/4 cups

 

Ingredients:

1 lb steak tips (tenderloin, loin, or backstrap)
1 bottle Cherrywood Smoked Barbecue Sauce
16 oz pickled raw beets

Prep:
Cut steak into 2 inch cubes, place in medium bowl and drizzle 1/2 cup Cherrywood barbecue sauce, toss, and marinate for 3 hours.
Preheat grill on high for 10 minutes, turn down to medium and grill steak tips to desired temperature. In a small saucepan bring remaining barbecue sauce to a simmer, cook for 5-10 minutes, coat tips in sauce, slice and arrange on dinner platter. Garnish with pickled beets and desired greens.

 

Ingredients:

4          6oz Burger Patties (ground sirloin)
2 lg       Vine Ripe Tomatoes
1 sm     Red Onion
1          Ripe Avocado
4          Slices Provolone Cheese
4          Sliced Ciabatta Rolls
6oz       Chipotle Bleu Cheese Dip

Prep: Cook burgers to desired temperature. While burgers are cooking, thinly slice tomato, onion, and avocado. Lightly warm rolls. Prepare burgers by spooning an ample amount of Chipotle Bleu Cheese Dip on bottom roll, top with 2 lettuce leaves, burger, tomato, onion, avocado, another spoonful of Chipotle Bleu Cheese Dip, 2 more lettuce leaves, then top bun. Serve immediately with extra dip on the side.

 

2 C        Cooked Black-eyed Peas (rinsed) 
2 C        Cooked small red beans (rinsed)
2 C        Fresh green beans 
1C         Purple cabbage shredded & rinsed 
1           Red bell pepper seeded & diced 
1           Yellow bell pepper seeded & diced 
2           Tomatoes (diced) 
6 oz       Kalamata olives (pitted and coarsely chopped) 
24         Asparagus stalks 
12 oz     Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Prep: Cut a half  inch off the bottoms of asparagus stalks. Steam for 3 minutes, cut into 1 inch pieces, rinse and drain. Combine beans, cabbage, peppers, and asparagus in a large mixing bowl. Toss well. Cover & chill for 3 hours. When ready to serve add vinaigrette and toss well.

Simple Bean Salad:

1 can       Small red beans (rinsed well)
1 can       Black eyed peas (rinsed well)
1 cup       Purple cabbage (shredded & rinsed)
1/2 cup    Coarsely chopped fresh parsley (rinsed well)
8 floz       Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

 

Ingredients:
1 lb           Chicken breasts
1              Yellow bell pepper, seeded, diced
1 lb           Spring Mix (salad greens)
4oz           Sprouts
5oz           Cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c            Black beans, cooked, rinsed, drained
1              Avocado, pitted, diced
8 floz        Chipotle Ranch Dressing
1c             Sunflower Oil
1              Clove garlic, minced
1/2tsp       Black pepper


Prep: Chill Chipotle Ranch Dressing at least 3 hours prior to serving.  Rinse chicken, drain, place in medium size bowl. Add oil, garlic, and pepper to chicken, toss until thoroughly coated, marinate overnight or at least 6 hours. Preheat grill on High for 15 minutes, reduce flame to low, grill chicken turning often so as not to burn. In a large bowl add greens, sprouts, tomatoes, beans, and avocado. Slice chicken into thin strips. Add Chipotle Ranch to greens, toss well until thoroughly coated, place individual portions on dinner plates, top with chick, serve immediately with extra dressing on the side.