Peach-Lacquered Chicken Wings

Gourmet

by Melissa Roberts

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yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

active time: 15 min

total time: 35 min

Ingredients

• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 (3-inch) piece peeled ginger, coarsely chopped
• 2/3 cup peach or apricot preserves or jam
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
• 4 pounds chicken wings, tips removed if desired

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Preparation

Preheat broiler.

With motor running, drop garlic into a food processor and finely chop. Add ginger and finely chop.

Add preserves, soy sauce, water, and red-pepper flakes and pulse until sauce is combined.

Line bottom and sides of a large 4-sided sheet pan with foil and lightly oil foil.

Pat wings dry and put in sheet pan. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Pour sauce over wings and toss to coat, then spread in 1 layer.

Broil wings 4 to 6 inches from heat 5 minutes, then turn over and baste with sauce from pan. Continue to broil, rotating pan and turning and basting 3 more times, until chicken is cooked through and browned in spots, 20 to 25 minutes.

Wine Suggestion:  Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling

Bacon-Wrapped Dog

Courtesy of Sam Zien’s Just Grill This!
MAKES 6 DOGS
1 onion, cut into thin slices
2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 kosher dogs (see BTW)
6 slices bacon
6 hot dog buns (good ones)
TO SERVE
Mayo
Diced jalapeños
Mustard
Diced tomatoes
Preheat the grill to medium-high.
In a nonstick pan over medium heat, cook the onion and peppers in the oil, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Wrap each dog with a piece of bacon and secure with toothpicks. Grill until the bacon is done — about 8 minutes. When the bacon is done, so is the dog–remove from the grill.
Lightly toast the buns on the grill. To serve, put some mayo on a bun, add the bacon dog, then add the onions and peppers. Add mustard, jalapeños, and diced tomatoes and serve.

Wine Suggestion:  Zinfandel

Coffee Steaks Under the Influence

Try grilling with coffee and beer this summer

By Mike Crimmins
Grilling season officially starts later this month on Memorial Day. Here in Florida the grilling season started back in early February and I’ve been busy “researching” different recipes almost weekly since the temperatures sizzled back over 70 degrees.
My favorite recipe so far this year, is what one of my friends named Coffee Steaks Under The Influence. The recipe combines two of my favorite beverages – coffee and beer, as well as one of my favorite hobbies, grilling.
The recipe is easy, there’s not really any uncommon ingredients required, but the taste is mouth watering. It has the smokey influence from the grill, a woody flavor from the coffee, a little bit of spicy and sweetness.

Coffee Steaks Under the Influence

Ingredients
12 ounces heavy beer. I used Yuengling Black And Tan, but any dark preferably craft beer will work.
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Crystal Hot Sauce
3 boneless strip steaks (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), trimmed of fat
3 tablespoons fine ground dark roast coffee
1 tablespoon pure chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Directions
The Night Before: Mix the beer, Worcestershire sauce and Crystal Hot Sauce in a large freezer zipper lock bag. Put the steaks in the bag, seal it shut, then refrigerate overnight.
Grilling Day: Mix the other ingredients in a bowl. Take the steaks out of the marinade, discarding the marinade. Pat dry the steaks with paper towels, then dampen with vegetable oil. Coat the steaks with the spicy mix, patting in gently with your fingers.
Pre-heat the grill. If you’re using a propane stove, high heat is good. Grill the steaks until they have a dark crust. Two minutes on each side for medium rare (depending on thickness of steaks). Four minutes per side for medium.
Take the meat off the grill and let rest for five minutes before serving so the juices can redistribute.

Wine suggestion:  Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot

Almond Chocolate Cake

• 8 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup sifted unbleached flour
• 1 1/4 cups almond flour (see note)
• 9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, melted

Ganache Icing

• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter the bottom (but not the sides) of a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper.

Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, in the top part of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water, then remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk the yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and thick, about 1 minute. Whisk in the melted chocolate.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip the whites until stiff. In three additions, fold the whites into the chocolate mixture, leaving a few wisps of whites visible. Sift the flour and fold in. In three additions, fold in the almond flour.

Transfer 1 cup of the batter to a bowl, add the butter, and fold just until combined. Add to the batter and fold until completely incorporated. Pour into the pan and smooth the top.

Bake until the sides of the cake have risen but the center looks slightly underdone, about 20 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes on a wire cake-rack.

Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to release the warm cake. Place a baking sheet over the cake, invert together with the pan, and rap the sheet on a work surface to unmold the cake. Place a wire cake-rack on the cake and invert to turn the cake rightside up. Remove the baking sheet and board. Cool completely (the center may fall slightly). Slide an 8-inch cardboard cake round or tart pan bottom under the cake. Transfer to a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.

To make the ganache, bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk well until smooth. Pour all of the ganache on top of the cake, smoothing the icing over the top and down the sides with a metal spatula.

Refrigerate until the glaze is set, about 30 minutes. (The cake can be prepared up to a day ahead, covered with a cake dome.) Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Serves 6 to 7.

Wine Suggestion- Ruby Port