The weather this September has been quite warm, but I am starting to crave more comfort-food-like dishes. This recipe for Sous Vide Boneless Leg of Lamb is a combination of warm weather meets comfort food, perfect for this time of year.
The lamb is slow cooked to the perfect temperature in a water bath and then is finished off on the grill to add some char!
Although some may think this is in bad form, hosting friends is when I love to try out new recipes. Luckily, I get more hits than misses, but it’s always fun to experiment with friends who are up for the adventure.
So when we recently hosted a bunch of friends at our house for the weekend, I decided to try this Grilled Zaatar Chicken recipe. I love a good prep ahead recipe (and a good On the Grill recipe!) so that I can get a bunch of things done ahead of time, and this Grilled Zaatar Chicken tastes best when allowed to marinate overnight.
If you’re unfamiliar with za’atar, it is a Middle Eastern spice blend. The ingredients in the blend can vary, but the blend I used, Pereg Za’atar (paid link), contains quinoa flour, coriander, olive oil, hyssop (a mint-like herb that has a slight bitterness to it), parsley, salt, and sour salt.
Note: I was sent a bottle of Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côtes du Rhône Parallele 45 Rouge in order to write this post for Grilled Rosemary Lamb Tenderloin. Opinions are mine alone.
I love a good wine pairing with my recipes, and boy, do I have a great pairing for this Grilled Rosemary Lamb Tenderloin recipe! A perfectly paired wine can really enhance a dish! Côtes du Rhône wines are a perfect transitional wine as we move from summer into fall. They pair beautifully with barbecued or low and slow cooked meats. (And it is absolutely delightful with this Grilled Rosemary Lamb Tenderloin!)
But first, some info about Côtes du Rhône wines…
Côtes du Rhône is a wine-growing AOC for the Rhône wine region of France. There are different tiers: Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages, and Côtes du Rhône Villages with Geographic Indication. Knowing a bit about each tier ensures you can choose the perfect bottle for every occasion!
First, a bit about some of the most popular of the 23 grape varieties that can be used to make Côtes du Rhône AOC wines: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
Grenache is the most widely grown grape in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. It grows well across a variety of terroirs, and in blends, it embodies the warmth and generosity that Rhône wines are known for. It’s bursting with sweet cherry and raspberry fruit, cinnamon spice and classic Mediterranean garrigue.
Syrah is stylish and complex, but difficult to grow, requiring careful cultivation. More common in the Northern Rhône, Syrah has powerful dark fruit flavors, delicate violet aromas and characteristic pepper notes. In blends, it contributes a full-bodied yet balanced savory element that wines from this region are known for.
Widely cultivated on the sun-drenched slopes of the Southern Rhône, Mourvèdre has a robust structure and strong tannins, delivering notes of blackberry and plum, a meaty savory-ness and a slight floral character.
Within the region, there are three distinct tiers of quality:
Côtes du Rhône represents 171 villages, 180,800 acres of vineyards and 6,000 vine growers. Côtes du Rhône wines are known for their berry fruit flavors, well-structured and velvety tannins, and bright acidity. These wines are known for their distinctive freshness that makes these reds easy to be served chilled. They also pair beautifully with lighter fare such as vegetables and fish, the robust roasted meats of fall, and can help keep drinkers cool while enjoying the rusticity of barbecue.
Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC represents the unique character of specific villages within the valley and is the next step up in terms of sophistication and distinctiveness. Showcasing villages that have proven their wines have exceptional quality and character, there are 95 villages that may label their wines as Côtes du Rhône Villages. There is an enormous range of Côtes du Rhône Villages wines in terms of style, depending on the nature of the soil. Red wines make up 96% of the production from the Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC. Village’s AOC’s generous, more complex wines pair with richer, more elevated dishes, such as herb-crusted chicken, lamb, or spice-crusted pork tenderloin.
Côtes du Rhône Villages with Geographic Indication is reserved for the wines made in the 22 Villages that are identified for their specific terroir. Wines labeled as Côtes du Rhône Villages with Geographic Indication come from 22 communes. The communes have a standard of quality authorizing them to add their village name to the labels of their wines. Some of these communes include Plan de Dieu, Valréas, Visan and Chusclan. With stricter production standards and lower yields, Côtes du Rhône Villages with Geographical Indication wines are typically truer expressions of their terroir and can age for 5 to 10 years. These wines have deep layers of flavors that express their terroir and are perfect for holidays and special occasion meals.
For Labor Day weekend, I paired this Grilled Rosemary Lamb Tenderloin with a bottle of Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côtes du Rhône Parallele 45. Made with a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, the wine has notes of wild berries, white pepper, and cherries. Those notes complement the woodsy flavor of the rosemary while enhancing the natural flavor of the lamb.
Did you know that I have over 1,000 recipes on my blog? That’s a lot of cooking inspiration! So it’s probably not a surprise that I like to look back on old recipes I’ve made and either use them as is or change them up a bit and make a new recipe! This recipe for Sambal Chicken with Peppers and Tomatoes is heavily inspired by my old post for Spicy Moroccan Chicken Skewers, which is originally a Cooking Light recipe.
The chicken has a light heat to it, which adds nice flavor to the overall dish. I grilled my chicken, but you can also sauté it on days where the weather isn’t cooperating for grilling!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons chile paste (such as sambal oelek)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed, sliced
Note: I was sent samples of Bear Mountain BBQ Wood Pellets in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
I’m going to keep the yummy smoked recipes going because, well, I can! This recipe for Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese would be a perfect make ahead dish to bring to your next barbecue.
The Bacon highlights the smoky flavor, but if you want to keep it vegetarian, just omit it!
This recipe is basically my Homemade Mac and Cheese recipe with a few adjustments to make it ready for some smoker action!
Smoky Baba Ganoush is one of those appetizers that basically any time I see it on a menu, I feel the need to order it. The eggplant-based appetizer, originating from Lebanon, uses grilled eggplant, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a smoky dip that is perfect for outdoor eating.
It’s also a great way to use up a bunch of eggplant if you happen to have a few on hand. There are a bunch of recipes out there for oven roasting the eggplant, but there really is no substitute for the flavor added to the dish by grilling.
Ingredients (serves 4 as an appetizer):
2 pounds Italian eggplants (~2-4 eggplants, depending on size)
Note: I was sent a sample of Bear Mountain Gourmet Blend BBQ Wood Pellets in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
I absolutely love grilling, and love to grill anything I can get my hands on. I do not have much experience with smoking foods on my grill though. So when Bear Mountain contacted me about trying some of their wood pellets, I couldn’t wait to get started!
source: bearmountainbbq.com
Smoking adds an additional layer of flavor to your grilled foods that can completely change the taste of a dish. If you’re new to smoking your food, wood pellets are a great “intro” option – you don’t have to soak them ahead of time and they can be used on any normal grill. Bear Mountain offers a bunch of different blends to pair with poultry, seafood, lamb, pork, beef and vegetables. Their wood pellets don’t use any fillers, binders, or bark so their premium all-natural wood pellets deliver a perfect, clean smoke – every time. They’ve also refined the pellet-making process, creating the perfect pellet structure with only 5% moisture. This means that Bear Mountain pellets grant the perfect burn, infusing mouth-watering flavor with little ash to clean up.
source: bearmountainbbq.com
I was looking through Bear Mountain’s recipes for a little inspiration and was intrigued when I cam across a recipe for potato salad that smoked the potatoes on the grill before tossing them in a yummy sriracha mayo.
I decided to add some bacon to further highlight the rich, smoky flavor of the pellets. The result is this amazing Smoked Potato Salad with Bacon and Sriracha Mayo!
I don’t think you can ever have too many side dishes to rotate for different dinner combinations, including ones you can make on the grill, like this Grilled Fennel with Parmesan recipe.
One of my favorite ingredients is fennel. When raw, it has a nice anise (licorice) flavor with great crunch. When cooked, fennel becomes sweeter and the licorice flavor more subtle. Typically, you’d roast fennel. But hey, it’s summer. Let’s bring it outdoors!
This recipe is based off a Giada De Laurentiis recipe, and is a tasty side with any grilled protein. I particularly love it with a lemony grilled salmon!
Ingredients: (serves 4)
4 fennel bulbs, tops removed, cut into thick slices, leaving the core intact
Have you ever purchased an ingredient at the supermarket that you have no clue how you’re going to end up using it? Months ago, I purchased a tube of prepared polenta and honestly just forgot I even had it. During a recent cleaning of my “pantry” (also known as a cabinet that holds dry goods), I came across it again and decided it was time to find a use for it! So now, I present you Grilled Caprese Polenta Rounds!
Prepared, or tubed, polenta is firm and can be sliced into rounds which makes it perfect for grilling. I figured it would make a great summery appetizer, topped with melted mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and a balsamic reduction!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (16 oz) tube prepared polenta, sliced into 16 rounds
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 (8 oz) container cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (directions below)
One of my favorite summer foods is corn. A nice grilled corn on the cob just makes my day!
But I had never tried Elote before, so I figured it was time to do so!
Elote, or corn on the cob in Spanish, is a Mexican grilled corn brushed with a creamy mixture of mayo, sour cream, cotjia cheese, chili powder, and cilantro.
The result is absolutely crave-worthy!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Cotija cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, plus more for serving
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
4 ears corn, shucked (if possible, keep an inch or so of the stalk for easy eating)
Now that grilling season is in full swing, I am grilling anything and everything I can, and yes, that includes Grilled Clams in Lemon Butter Sauce!
This recipe for grilled clams is SO easy, and can be made completely on your grill (just make sure you have a cast iron or other grill-safe pot for the sauce, if not, you can make it on your stovetop).
It’s an awesome appetizer to share with friends, just don’t forget the crusty bready for dipping!
Ingredients:
3 dozen clams
2 sticks salted butter (1 cup)
the juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
You’ve probably noticed by now that I love to grill. And with that, sometimes I grill some strange things, like this recipe for a Grilled Peach Old Fashioned Cocktail, or this recipe for Grilled Margaritas.
I’ve wanted to make another grilled cocktail since I made the Grilled Old Fashioned. Citrus is always a great option for grilling because the heat helps release the juices of the fruit. So I figured Grilled Margaritas would work great!
I also substituted in Mezcal, which is like tequila, but has a smoky flavor, perfect for grilled margaritas!
Psst. Save this recipe for Easy Grilled Marinated Chicken. It will definitely become a go to grilling recipe for you! If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you probably know how much I love my grill. I would grill absolutely everything if I could (and honestly, I’ve tried, including grilled guacamole, a grilled cocktail, and a grilled cheese plate.)
So, be prepared for plenty of grilling recipes this summer! I wanted to start off a bit simple – an easy grilled marinated chicken recipe.
This does involve some prep time, you want the chicken to sit in the marinade for a few hours at least. For the most flavor, add the chicken to the marinade the night before.
Note: This post is sponsored by Moyer Beef. All opinions are mine alone.
This past weekend, we had my parents over for dinner. I had a hankering for Lamb Kofta, which is a dish of ground lamb with spices formed into meatballs and grilled.
My dad isn’t exactly the most adventurous eater, and doesn’t like lamb, so I instead decided to adapt the spices added to kofta into a marinade for beef kebabs. Kofta can be made with any ground meat, but I had some beautiful Moyer Beef’s Rib Kebab meat on hand, so kebabs it is!
Kofta can be made with quite a range of spices, so this recipe is very adaptable. This version uses fresh parsley as well as dried spices to add a different dimension of flavor. I also served it with some tzatziki for dipping.
Ingredients:
Tzatziki (omit to make dairy free):
1 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, seeded, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
the zest of one lemon
the juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Kebab:
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 lbs kebab meat (I used Moyer Beef’s Rib Kebab meat)
My mom makes a mean pasta salad. Her mayo-less version is a mostly traditional Italian pasta salad which marinates in an Italian salad dressing for a few hours before enjoying.
This Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad version is based on hers, but I decided to make it all the more summery but adding grill-friendly vegetables.
This is mostly a make ahead recipe. Right before serving (or while grilling up the main dish), you just add the veggies to the grill, then toss into the pasta.
