MADE IN USA:PK GRILLS

IT IS NO MYSTERY THAT I AM A DIEHARD WEBER GRILL FAN. BUT ON A RECENT TRIP TO CAPE CHARLES VIRGINIA I SPOTTED THIS BEAUTY IN THE BACK ROOM OF THE LOCAL HARDWARE STORE AND GOT INTRIGUED. I HAD NEVER SEEN ONE BEFORE. WELL, THE STORY GOES THAT THE CAST ALUMINUM PK GRILLS WERE FIRST MADE IN TEXAS IN THE 1950'S AND ARE KNOW MADE IN LITTLE ROCK ARKANSAS. I FEEL YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY GRILLING SURFACES AND HAVE RECENTLY PUT ONE IN THE GARDEN IN BROOKLYN AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH ITS PERFORMANCE OR AESTHETICS.

KIPPERED BLUES

THE BLUEFISH WERE EATEN MANY WAYS THE LAST FEW DAYS (WATCH OUT MERCURY LEVELS) CEVICHE, FISH CAKES AND MY FAVORITE OF ALL HOT SMOKED OR KIPPERED.

 BRINE OF SALT, BROWN SUGAR, BAY LEAF
AND PEPPERCORN

 APPLE BRANCHES PROVIDE THE SMOKE

PS MY FAVORITE RED WEBER (PICTURED ABOVE) BIT THE DUST THIS WEEKEND. HE WAS A TRUSTED AND BELOVED COMPANION AND WILL BE MISSED DEARLY.

RAMPED UP

WITH THE MILD WINTER OF THIS PAST SEASON THE RAMPS POPPED UP MUCH EARLIER THAN EXPECTED AND THERE ARE JUST MOUNDS OF THEM AT WILLIAM BROWN FARM. MY FIRST MEAL OF THEM IS ALWAYS SIMPLY GRILLED, JUST A BIT OF GOOD OLIVE OIL AND SALT DOES THE TRICK AND COOKED OVER CHARCOAL (NATURALLY). THEY PAIR WELL WITH WILD GAME AND HERE I USED A SIRLOIN OF VENISON (TAKEN THIS SEASON) TO KEEP IT ALL LOCAL. WHAT WASN'T LOCAL WAS THE BIG PAHLMEYER RED WE DECIDED TO CELEBRATE THE MEAL WITH. CHEERS.

CARIBE BBQ

IT AIN'T NO WEBER, BUT IT'S A BEAUTY.

55 GALLON DRUM = BBQ

SPRING LAMB

FOR THE FIRST BIG COOK OUT OF THE SEASON ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, I LARDED A LEG OF LAMB WITH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC, MARINATED IT IN OLIVE OIL AND LEMON (FOR 36 HOURS) AND SLOWLY ROTISSERIED IT ON THE WEBER. IT WAS SERVED WITH A MINT PESTO AND PLENTY OF ROSE.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

SPRING GRILLING:SARDINES

MY LAST STOP ON THE EAST END OF LONG ISLAND WAS THE FISH MARKET AND THESE LITTLE DEVILS STOOD OUT (AS DID THE MUSCLES). EACH SARDINE GOT A BELLY FULL OF FRENCH GREY SEA SALT, A RAMP AND SOME TARRAGON.
NEXT STOP THE GRILL.

LAST OF THE RAMPS

DRIZZLE OF OLIVE OIL AND LEMON ZEST

JUST BEFORE GRILLING

 CHARCOAL+WEBER=GOOD

 SEAFOOD CARNAGE