Winter Barbecue

     In writing about comfort food last time, I hope you will forgive me. I must have forgotten where I am in the world. In talking with some of the locals around the area, comfort food to them, naturally, is a BBQ. Bar-be-cue is indeed comforting as it allows us to be messy and enjoy a good meal at the same time.

Normally you cannot eat barbecued meat with a fork, particularly when it comes to ribs or chicken. Traditionally, sandwiches, ribs, and chicken must be eaten with your fingers; so make sure you have plenty of wetnaps around afterwards. You are intended to eat these BBQ'ed items to enjoy yourself, have fun, and just be your casual self. Making a mess is just part of the fun.

Now, there are several different styles of BBQ and sauces that go with them. New Orleans BBQ Shrimp is totally different from Texas BBQ ribs. Just as South Carolina BBQ is different from Memphis Tennessee BBQ. Where you are in the world dictates a the type or style of BBQ. Barbecues are like gumbos; they are appreciated most in the areas from which they originate. A particular style of BBQ in one area is not widely accepted or appreciated outside of its original area.

I have learned many different styles of BBQ and enjoy them all, depending on the level of comfort I need and the friends I’m with on any particular day. For me, the more spicy the BBQ, the greater the comfort it is for me. Enjoy these BBQ recipes and enjoy the comfort they may bring. Bon appetit

BBQ Lobster 
Serves 6

3/4 Cup (1-½ dl) olive oil
2 sticks (ca. 1 Cup / 2 dl) butter
1 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tomatoes, peeled and seeded
2 mushrooms, diced
6 artichoke bottoms, diced
2 red peppers, diced
8 stalks asparagus, diced
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 Cup (½ dl) rice vinegar
3 Cups (6 dl) Panko*
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
6 live Maine lobster, 2 pounds each
1-1/2 Cups (3 dl) olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 2 lemons


1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, red peppers, asparagus, salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar. Cook for 2-4 minutes and cool. Fold in the panko crumbs and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Split lobsters in half lengthwise. Remove the sac and intestines. Brush the insides with olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with half the garlic. Place on a hot grill, shell side up, and grill until half cooked, 5-8 minutes. Remove from the grill. Combine remaining olive oil and garlic with the lemon juice in a small bowl.

3. Spoon filling into the lobster cavities, without covering the tail section. Return the lobsters to the grill and cook 5-8 more minutes, turning as needed and brushing with the olive oil mixture to keep moist. 
Serve immediately

*Panco crumbs are Japanese bread crumbs.
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Lipton's BBQ Sauce

2 Cups (4 dl) ketchup
2 tsp steak sauce
1 tsp celery seeds
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2/3 Cup (1-1/3 dl) dark brown sugar
2 lemon, juice only
4 Tbsp horseradish
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sage
1 tsp salt
1 Cup (2 dl) beer

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer mixture over low heat, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring often. Serve with or on your favorite BBQ item or chill and refrigerate until needed.
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BBQ Fish 
Serves 8

1 package fish fillets*
1 onion, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 Cup barbecue sauce, see Lipton’s BBQ recipe above


Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Place fillets on broiler pan and brush generously with BBQ sauce. Top with lemon slices and onions. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with more BBQ sauce and bake 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

*The average person eats about 6 oz (180g) fish per meal.

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Veal Favorites

Veal has been the topic of most heated debate by animal rights activists. Nothing more than a calf, who is fed well, stays in bed all day, doesn't have to do anything like chores or homework, and doesn't even have to socialize with the other calves sounds almost like a dream existence. These calves are specifically bred and fed for the purpose of becoming veal. It is by far, some of the most tender, sweet, and just down-right delicious meats available for consumption.

It is also one of the most versatile, being able to be used in Italian, French, German, Asian, and countless other cuisines across the globe. When formed into medallions, pounded 1/4-inch thin, and sautéed, there is nothing like it with caramelized onions and mushrooms. Breaded and baked or fried with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, veal makes an excellent Parmesan dish. The essence of Weiner Schnitzel is veal and the list goes on.

Veal chops are the beef dish of choice in fine dining establishments. They lend themselves well with caramelized apples and bourbon glaze. They also go well with just an herb butter and accompaniments of sweet potatoes and asparagus. If your mouth is not watering yet, then take a gander (hinting at next weeks feature) at these recipes to come and let your imagination run wild as you look for this in the grocery store next time. Imagine the possibilities and make them reality. Bon Appetit.

Wiener Schnitzel with Spætzle  Serves 6 1-1/2 lb veal scaloppini  1 Cup (2 dl) all purpose flour  1/4 tsp salt  1/8 tsp pepper  2 eggs, beaten  1 Cup (2 dl) panko crumbs (or regular dry bread crumbs)  1 Cup (2 dl) butter  1/4 Cup (½ dl) lemon juice 1 lemon, sliced thin Spætzle 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 Cup (1 dl) milk 1/8 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Pound veal gently to 1/8-inch thickness. Combine flour, salt, and pepper; dip veal in flour, then eggs, and then breadcrumbs, shaking off excess as you go. Melt butter in large skillet until very hot; sauté veal, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides. remove to a heated platter and keep warm. Add lemon juice to pan drippings and cook 2-3 minutes. Pour over veal and garnish with lemon slices.
Combine eggs with milk; stir in flour, salt, and nutmeg, beating until smooth. Drop dough by the teaspoon full into boiling salted water*; boil 2-3 minutes. Drain and toss with melted butter, salt and pepper to taste. Serve as an accompaniment to veal.

* You can probably buy a “spætzle maker” or sometimes called a potato ricer in a kitchen utensils shop or through Amazon.Com. There are 3 basic kinds available. For easiest use, we recommend the OXO Good Grips 16981 Potato Ricer.

OXO Good Grips 26981 Potato Ricer
VillaWare Stainless Steel Rotary Spaetzle Maker 7.5-in


Veal Birds with Paprika 
Serves 6

1-1/2 Cups (3 dl) onion, chopped fine 
1/2 Cup (1 dl) mushrooms, chopped fine 
9 Tbsp butter 
1 Cup panko crumbs (or regular dry bread crumbs) 
Buttered Pasta
1 Cup (2 dl) sour cream
6 cutlets veal, pounded 1/4-inch (ca. 1 cm) thick
1/2 Cups (1 dl) white veal stock/chicken stock
1/2 Cup (1 dl) tomato puree
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp basil 

In a heavy saucepan, cook 1/2 cup (1 dl) of the onion and mushrooms in 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the onion is golden. Stir in panko crumbs (or regular dry bread crumbs), basil, salt, and pepper to taste. Let the filling cool. 

Divide the filling among the cutlets and fold in the long sides of each cutlet 1/2-inch. (ca. 1-½ cm) Roll up the cutlets and tie them at each end. In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Pat the veal birds dry, then brown the veal birds on all sides and transfer them to a bowl as they are browned. In the same skillet, cook the remaining onions in 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat, stirring, until golden. Add stock, puree, and the paprika, stirring well to incorporate. Add the veal birds and any accumulation of juices in the bowl. Simmer the mixture, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until the veal is tender. Arrange hot buttered pasta on a platter, remove the strings from the veal, and transfer the veal birds to the pasta platter. 

Whisk sour cream with salt and pepper to taste in the skillet contents. Cook sauce until it is hot, stirring occasionally over medium heat. Do not boil. Serve alongside veal and pasta in a sauceboat and serve all immediately.

Veal, Chicken, and Mushroom Lasagna 
Serves 8

2 pounds lasagna noodles, cooked, drained, and cooled 
2 Tbsp marsala wine 
1 medium onion, minced 
1 medium carrot, minced 
1 stalk celery, minced 
12 medium mushrooms, sliced 
2 Tbsp cilantro, minced 
1/2 stick butter (¼ Cup / ½ dl) 1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 lb veal, ground 
10 oz (300 g) chicken livers, chopped 
1 Cup (2 dl) white wine 
1/2 Cup (1 dl) tomato sauce 
1/2 Cup (1 dl) chicken stock
1/2 stick butter (¼ Cup / ½ dl) 
4 Tbsp flour
2 Cups (4 dl) milk
1/4 Cup (½ dl) olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
2-1/2 Cups (5 dl) Romano cheese, grated
2 Tbsp butter, in bits

In a heavy skillet, sauté the onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms, and cilantro in butter and oil over medium heat, until onion is softened. Add the veal, and cook, breaking up lumps, until golden. Add the chicken livers and cook 3 minutes more. Increase heat to medium-high and add wine, 1/3 cup (2/3 dl) at a time, letting each evaporate before adding more. Stir in the tomato sauce and stock and let simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes, until liquid is almost evaporated. Simmer 20 minutes more. Remove from heat and let cool. 

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook roux 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the milk in a steady stream, whisking, until the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the nutmeg and salt to taste. Simmer 5 minutes, until desired thickness is reached. Grease a baking dish and cover the bottom with pasta, overlapping slightly. Spread meat sauce over the top, and spread white sauce over the meat sauce. Sprinkle 1/4 Romano cheese over the white sauce. Cover cheese with pasta and repeat with remaining meat sauce, white sauce, and cheese until you reach the top. Dot top layer of cheese with butter bits. Bake in preheated 350° F (180° C) oven until top is golden and heated through. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving to set.