Posts Tagged ‘cedar plank’

Cedar Plank Wraps Grilling (Shrimp, and Peaches/Pears dessert)

Posted: May 31, 2011 in Desserts, Food, Main course, On the grill
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I saw some cedar wraps from woot.com on sale and thought “Man, I gotta try these”.  For those that don’t know what they are here’s a link from amazon:
Click me for cedar wraps…

Another key ingredient, agave nectar, to be used in place of syrup or honey, all natural too.
Click me for agave nectar…

Shrimps:

Lime juice
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Agave nectar
Old bay seasoning to taste
Baby carrots sliced lengthwise
Chopped chives.

Soak cedar wrap planks in liquid for at least 20 mins, I used apple juice.  If you’re using 6X6 wraps, you’ll get about 4 shrimps per wrap.

Shell and devein a pound or more of jumbo shrimp.

Mix in bowl the cilantro, baby carrots, chopped chives, soy sauce, olive oil, a few shakes of old bay, a few squirts of lime juice, and a few squirts of agave nectar.

Add shrimp and toss, let sit for 20 mins in fridge.

Line up shrimp in the middle of wrap (make sure to include some of the marinated chives and carrots, or add any other veggies you may like), wrap and tie lightly with green onion or butcher string.

Grill indirect for 6-10 mins until shrimp looks pink.  If you want to try with fish, like tilapia or grouper, just cook about 5 mins longer.

Serve hot right on the plate and eat food out of wraps.

Peaches and pears, (wrapped): 

Two to 3 cups of peaches and pears, cut into bite sized pieces

1/4-1/2 cup of your favorite baking  liquor, i used naVan and amoretto

2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vanilla bean sugar

Flaked coconut.

Mix all ingredients except coconut in bowl and let sit for 20 mins.  Take four peaches (depending on the size) and lightly roll in coconut until covered.  Line up fruit in the cedar wrap (pre-soaked in apple juice), wrap and then tie with butcher string or clip with metal paper clip.

Repeat with pear and remaining fruit.  Grill indirect for 10-15 mins until coconut looks nice and toasted on the edges.  Serve hot on plate in wrap along with ice cream or whipped cream.

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Amaretto Grilled Salmon

Posted: May 25, 2011 in Food, Main course
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Tried out some salmon, and I’m always looking for a new way to incorporate some flavors.  I’d heard about teriyaki & pineapple on the internet and never really tried it yet. Then one night at a party I was drinking amaretto when there was salmon served… and brain started clickin… Toya came up with the garlic and pepper, and I added the sugar and krazy salt for good measure. A few friends of mine have requested this recipe since having it at a cookout of ours (one in particular has been threatened by his wife that he must get this recipe, LOL).

A nice sized flank of salmon will do. And you will also need a cedar plank, found in most grocery stores near the seafood section or on amazon. Since the summer months are coming up, keep an eye out for woot.com to sell the planks, they are much cheaper. (They also have cedar plank wraps which I’ve grilled shimp in and I must say, I endorse).

Soak in your salmon in Disaronno Amaretto overnight. Soak your cedar plank in water also, (that’s what the instructions say, if you want to twist it up like I do, soak it in apple juice instead). Fire up the grill and with a rub down the top side of the cedar plank with a few dabs of olive oil. You don’t want it oily, just enough to make the fish slide a little. Place the salmon on the plank and season with minced garlic, Janes Krazy Salt, pepper, vanilla bean flavored cane sugar. Top the salmon with pineapple rings. Grilled covered until the edges start to turn white and the fish is flaky. It is preferred to grill this indirectly but if you have alot happening on the grill as I did in the photos below, direct grilling is fine.  The olive oil helps the fish slide off the place with out losing precious fish they may stick to the plank. Try it out for a light taste. (Its not as sweet as you guys are wondering)

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Grilled Tortilla Tilapia w/ Broccoli

Posted: February 18, 2011 in Food, On the grill
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So yeah, I grill when its below freezing, and when its a blizzard outside.  I guess when its the first day of approaching 70 degrees and you come back from the playground area with the little one after work, it just seemed only natural to grill in the warmth.  The only thing missing would be the annoying bugs and heat.  Sounds like a chance to surprise the wifey and listen to baby girl tell all about Barbie’s latest adventures while she’s sitting on the back porch and the grill just a grilling.

(Note: This is just my way of grilling this, you can use different seasonings, I’ll footnote any variations of the recipe that I’ve tried below)
(Note of the note: The fish can also be baked at 375 in the oven if you don’t have a grill, might be short on the broccoli though.)

6 Tilapia filets
Broccoli florets, fresh or thawed if frozen
Italian dressing
1/3 to 1/2 bag of tortilla chips (multigrain or multicolored are awesome for this)
shredded parmesan cheese
black pepper
Janes Krazy salt (if you don’t have this, you can use season salt)
paprika (not a necessity)
garlic powder
minced onion
*variation : if you like lime, the lime tortilla chips and lime and pepper seasoning is awesome. Not to be confused with lemon and pepper seasoning. I’ve personally only seen the Tone’s lime and pepper seasoning at Sam’s Club.
olive oil
lemon juice (optional, I didn’t use it this time around)
rice (prepared however you like it)
2 cedar grilling planks (soaked at least 30 mins in water. Try other liquids as well.  Apple juice works well with salmon)


Wash your broccoli.


Put in ziplock back with about half a cup of Italian dressing. Use more if you use more broccoli.


Add Parmesan cheese to your liking, shake bag to thoroughly coat, and place in fridge. (you can also use olive oil and lemon juice instead of Italian dressing)


In a medium sized bowl, mix the seasonings until you get about 3/4th cup worth


Add tortilla chips


Crush the tortilla chips and mix with seasonings.  Use them hands, and get them dirty!


Wash your tilapia fillets.


Lightly rub one side of the cedar planks with olive oil.

Line up fish on plank.


Lightly coat fish with olive oil (and lemon juice if you normally use lemon juice with fish) and carefully shake tortilla mixture over top of fish. Its perfectly alright if the chips are on the cedar plank.


Prepare your grill for indirect grilling.  A drip pan is not needed.


Line up planks the best you can away from directly over the coals, its OK if you can’t avoid having the planks 100% away from the coals. Cover grill.


After about 5-7 minutes, add the broccoli to the grates, sprinkle Jane’s Krazy salt over them, and cover again.


After about 2-3 minutes, turn broccoli, you should have nice grill marks within 2-3 minutes, depending on how close the coals are to your grates. Cover grill.  Remove broccoli after another 2-3 minutes.


When the tilapia starts bubbling around the edges, (around the 10-12 minute mark), and starts to look opaquely white throughout, take a fork press down in the biggest portion of one of the filets.  If it breaks apart without any effort, you’re good to go.  Because of the olive oil layer on the plank, the fish should slide right off when serving.


Serve with rice and enjoy.