Ok Summer Local readers! We are officially well into the summer months. We’ve got our tans working in our favor and our a/c units blasting in overdrive. One of the staple highlights of the summer season is the (over)use of our barbeque grills. People will cook anything and everything on the grill - from clams to pizza to corn and even fruit … (Watermelon? You bet!) Here at EBC, we sometimes run a lunch special in the warmer months which features grilled peaches.
What am I getting at here? There aren’t many foods that can’t or haven’t been on the grill!
In a world where we all seem to be a little more food savvy than in years passed, it shouldn’t be too much of a shock to see that people are experimenting in the culinary field more than ever. The grill is a great place to test out some of your ideas. The charring and smoky flavor that is introduced to food via the barbeque grill is a really great way to take things from everyday blah to extremely unique. One of my favorites that we grill here: lightly char-grill whole heads of Romaine lettuce, then chop them up for a unique twist to your salad.
The dish we are introducing this month is a really fun item from our new summer menu. Consider it a summertime mélange with a very interesting presentation. It is not only easy to accomplish, but sure to satisfy. One thing to keep in mind when grilling fruits: the water and sugar content will change the way you cook them. For instance, when grilling watermelon, you want a very hot grill that will sear the fruit before it starts to cook through, because if the melon is on the grill too long it will start to cook and the texture quality will significantly diminish. Also keep in mind that fruits which are very sugary will have a tendency to stick to your grill grates.
GRILLED WATERMELON WITH CRAB SALAD STUFFED AVOCADO HALVES
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. canned crabmeat (super lump)
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
1 oz red bell pepper
1 oz red onion
1 oz celery
1 oz whole butter
½ oz chili sauce
1 T Old Bay seasoning
PREPARATION:
Sauté all vegetables in butter; allow to cool. Then mix all ingredients together, being careful not to break up the crabmeat too much
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
Watermelon Slices (cut 2-3 inches thick)
Fresh (ripe) Avocado
Arugula
Goat Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
As I mentioned previously, you’re going to want a very hot grill. Put a little oil on your watermelon slices so they don’t stick. The melon should only be on the grill for less than a minute on each side, so they just get some marks and a little grill flavor but they don’t actually cook inside. After the melon is cooled down, cut it into triangles. From here, all that’s left is assembly. If you aren’t sure how to remove avocado meat from the skin, just stop in to see me at the restaurant and I will give you a little demo. Place some crab salad in each avocado half, stack up the watermelon with the arugula and goat cheese, then drizzle it all with the balsamic and olive oil.
BEER PAIRING
The perfect beer accompaniment for this salad is our most delicious and bodacious EBC Mow Master Ultra Pale Ale, which utilizes Belgian Cara malts and an array of aromatic American Hops (including Citra Hops) in our “Hop Bombing” process to create a citrusy Summer Pale Ale. Mow Master is light in body and bitterness, but big on flavor and aroma - a perfect brew for those long summer days.
Keep the grill flame burning, the sunscreen close, and enjoy the summer. Before you know it, the weather will change and Old Man Winter will be just around the corner again.
Author(s):
Josh McDowell
Chef Joshua McDowell is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts of Pittsburgh, PA. He carries a Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts and has recently taken on the position of Executive Chef at the newly expanded Ellicottville Brewing Company.
