Get out and Grill. . .

I spent the past weekend in ATL hanging out with family and friends, I had an awesome time. One of the highlights of my time there was a hot Saturday afternoon grilling session. There is nothing more summer than grilling outdoors, and I certainly look forward to any chance I get to be outside. Anyway, with some inspiration and help from my Dad we were able to enjoy Slow Grilled Chipotle BBQ Chicken and Smoky Grilled Peach Relish. The combination of flavors is absolutely amazing, spicy chipotle flavor is balanced so nice with sweet Georgia peaches. I made a really simple BBQ sauce from scratch which is great, because it's really nice to have full control of what your BBQ sauce tastes like. Of course if you are really in a time crunch you could use your favorite store bought brand and blend it with a can of chipotle peppers in adobo. Following the BBQ rules of low and slow created the juiciest chicken breast and added a wonderfully aromatic smoke flavor to the peaches. Grilling fruit may seem odd at first but it's a great way to add another element of taste to take you dishes to another level. Sweet fruits with firmer flesh work well with this cooking method, for example peaches, nectarines, pineapples, and melons that are not over-ripe. For this dish I diced up the peaches added a few more ingredients to season and served it right on top of the chicken. Enough talk, here is the recipe for my Chipotle BBQ Sauce and Smokey Grilled Peach Relish, you may find this is your new fav. Thanks, Enjoy!



Chipotle BBQ Sauce yields 1 qt
4 cups ketchup
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 5oz can chipotle peppers in adobo Sauce

1. In a saucepan over medium heat cook down the onions a bit.
2. Next, add the ketchup, vinegar,molasses, and sugar
3. Allow it to simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until it has reduced a little bit and has reached a nice consistency
4. Add the chipotle peppers to the sauce and blend until smooth, using a hand held immersion blender, food processor or standard blender.
* Important note: be very careful when blending hot liquids and sauces. Allow it to cool down some and blend in very small batches to prevent an accident.
5. Serve and enjoy on the chicken or whatever meats, tofu or veggies you like.


Smoky Grilled Peach Relish

5 peaches, cut in half seed removed
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 tb diced cilantro
3 tb Lime juice Olive Oil Sugar

1. Coat the peaches with olive oil and spread out on the grill over low heat, about 8 minutes or until they are lightly grilled marked and had time to absorb some smokey flavor.
2. Remove from the grill and allow to cool a bit before dicing
3. In a bowl combine the diced peaches, red onion, cilantro, lime juice and 1 tb of olive oil
4. Taste it, at this point it may or may not need a touch of sugar, depending on how sweet the peaches are.
5. Serve on top of the chicken or on the side

Butter Poached Lobster

The other day I decided to experiment with some lobster tail I purchased at the market. Butter poaching lobster is a something I do almost everyday at work, as in many other restaurants. However, I never use this technique when cooking at home. I don't know why because it is relatively easy and and almost never fails in yielding sweet succulent and moist lobster meat. Its like cooking for dummies, I love it! Anyway, at home I made a brown butter poached lobster, and it turned out so good. You could definitely do this with regular butter, and its actually easier. Brown butter adds a nutty flavor to the the meat, but making brown butter takes a little bit of practice and attention to details. Just on the other side of a perfect brown butter is burned butter and we do not want that. To go with the lobster I added a seared scallop, fresh mango and a pan reduction to sauce it up. It tasted great, looked beautiful, and gave me a chance to try something new at home. Here is the recipe for the lobster. Enjoy!

Butter Poached Lobster

2 sticks of butter
2 lobster tails
2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper, to season

1. Slowly melt the butter over low heat not allowing it to separate
2. Season the lobster with salt and pepper and lemon juice
3. Once the butter is melted, add the lobster tails and turn the heat up just enough to get a slight simmer.
4. Allow the lobster to slowly poach until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes

Fine Dining Virgin. . .

June 9, 2009 is a day I will never forget for two reasons. I became engaged to the love of my life, and lost my fine dining virginity to a 9 course meal at Thomas Keller's restaurant Per Se. My culinary perspective is forever changed because of one dining experience. I never imagined I would be traveling to New York City to get engaged and celebrate it all at Per Se. Needless to say I was speechless, but after having a few days the let the experience sink in I can put it all into words. Walking up to Columbus circle, my heart still pounding and my mind racing, I caught a glimpse of the sign showcasing some of NYC's best chefs but still, I had know clue. Entering the building and taking the elevator up several floors, stepping off and turning the corner, There it was the blue door, I was at Per Se. The dining room is obviously beautiful exactly what one would expect from a restaurant given four stars from the New York Times. A rating that only a handful of restaurants are awarded. What I did not expect was the attention to minute details, from start to finish, including the restroom. I am sure by now I sound like a sheltered foodie farm girl who never traveled to the big city, but I have, unknowingly, been a fine dining virgin. Of course this type of dining comes with a hefty price tag, this explains why I never enjoyed this type of meal before, simple economics. The chef's tasting menu starts at $275 per person, which seems especially crazy in this economy to spend that much money on a meal but I can promise you, the experience will be priceless. My best efforts to describe the whole thing do not do it justice. Every course was amazing, the precision in the technique and attention to ingredients is inspiring. Just when you think you've had all these amazing things and it can't get better it does. The dessert course is a perfect last impression. In addition to the desserts on our menu, we were given mini creme brulee, pot de creme, house made butterscotch candies, chocolate truffles and the restaurants signature coffee and doughnuts. I know that this type of meal may not seem appealing to everyone, but if you love food, cooking and dining you have to do it at least once. As a chef and passionate cook I am truly inspired to push myself even further, and take my culinary passion to a new level. : )