Barbecuing on Summer Vacation

Barbecuing on Summer Vacation

I can't think of too many things I
would rather do than barbecue on
the beach during a vacation - it
would be a short list for sure.
Summer vacation in particular can
offer up some barbeque
opportunities that are not as readily
available during other times of the
year - after all, who wants to go
deep sea fishing for 'the catch of
the day' when it is 35 degrees
outside with a 10 knot wind and
8-foot seas? Not many!

Barbecue ribs are always a hit on
vacation, as are burgers, hot dogs,
barbecue chicken, s'mores for
dessert and, of course, seafood!

Most of my summer vacations that
involve barbecuing are spent at the
beach, so here are a few things
you may want to cook when you
find yourself there - relax, get a little
sand between your toes and
remember the line "the weather's
here, wish you were beautiful..."

Getting ready
to cook the
'catch of the
day' - summer
vacation can
give you lots of
options on
what to cook!

Stock (makes one gallon)

1 TBL spoon olive oil
1 lemon, halved
1 Red onion, chopped
1 cup celery, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 TBL spoons salt
1 TBL spoon freshly ground pepper
4 quarts water
1 TBL spoon whole black peppercorns
1/4 cut fresh thyme
8 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves (dry)
Shells/Tails of two lbs. medium shrimp

In large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium
heat. Add celery, salt, black pepper, carrots
and onions, Cook, stirring until vegetables are
soft. Squeeze both lemon halves over
vegetables and toss in lemon halves. Add
shrimp shells, black peppercorns, thyme, bay
leaves, and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat
and simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat
and strain. Set aside.

Bisque

3 TBL spoons olive oil
1 small Red onion, chopped
2 TBL spoons minced garlic
1 bunch green onion, chopped, green part only
1 cup chopped celery (tops included)
2 bay leaves (dry)
1 cup of cooking sherry
1-1/4 cup flour (all-purpose)
3/4 gallon of shrimp stock
1 TBL cayenne pepper
1 quart heavy cream
2 lbs medium shrimp (shelled and de-veined)
1 can diced tomatoes (small) or fresh diced
Roma tomato

Heat olive oil in large stock pot over medium
heat. Add onions, garlic, celery, 1/2 TBL
cayenne and bay leaves. Cook, stirring until
vegetables are soft. Add flour and cook until
flour is incorporated. Slowly add stock, heavy
cream and tomatoes. Bring to boil. Reduce
heat and simmer; add shrimp, green onions,
and 1/2 TBL cayenne pepper. Remove from
heat and add bay leaves. Stir until shrimp are
cooked.

Tim Creehan Seafood Gumbo

2        Sticks butter
1 cup        Canola oil
1 lg        onion, yellow
1 lg        pepper, bell, diced
4 ribs        celery, diced
2 TBLSP        garlic, chopped
2 cups        flour, white
2 cups        tomato, diced
3 qts        shrimp or chicken stock
2 cups        fish, choice, diced
1 cup        shrimp, baby
1 cup        oyster - with liquor
1 cup        crab meat
2 cups        okra
2 oz        Kitchen Bouquet
1 bunch        onion, green, chopped
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Cayenne Pepper, to taste

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy bottomed pot
and sautee the trinity and garlic for 5 minutes
or so. Stir in the flour until all is incorporated.
Slowly add stock and tomato, stirring
continously. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a
simmer and add remaining ingredients
except green onions. Cook for 45 minutes.
Seaon to taste with salt, black pepper and
cayenne pepper. Garnish with chopped green
onions and serve over, or with, steamed rice.

How About That Fresh Fish

I am partial to fresh fish being done over the
grill or smoker. It is easy and simple to
prepare good fish.

I like to use a marinade on most of mine.
Italian dressing is always an option. Other
options include mixing in a little
Worchestershire sauce, some garlic and
cayenne. Olive oil with some fresh black
pepper and parsley is good. Another way to go
(especially if you have salmon - also see the
salmon rub below) is to soften some butter
and mix it with fresh chopped dill, and place it
on the fish while grilling.

Another option is to grill on wood planks - I
love the aroma and flavor it adds. You can get
many types of wood to choose from, but cedar
is fairly available and does a great job - just
make sure to soak it very well in water before
you cook.

Mix this up and press it on a piece of strong
fish - especially great on Salmon - for a quick
but wonderfully tasty smoked fish. For best
results cook it on a well-soaked cedar plank!

2 – Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 – Teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
1 – Teaspoon Onion Powder
1 – Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 – Teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1 – Teaspoon Salt

S'mores

You HAVE to do smores at night at the beach. If you are on a charcoal grill
then you may need to add a few lumps after you cook dinner - let them burn
up, then die back down, and by then everyone will be ready for dessert!

Better yet, if it's legal where you are, build a little fire on the beach, let it burn
high and then die down a bit, and roast away!

1 Bag - large marshmallows
6 Hersey's milk chocolate bars - regular size with easy-to-break sections
1 box Graham crackers
Bamboo garden stakes - these are about as big around as your average
pencil, and about 4-5 feet long - they are strong and do not readily burn
making them EXCELLENT skewers for roasting!

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