Barbeque Season is Here!!

I had my face in the sunshine yesterday- and it felt so delicious to be warm. Spring has sprung and summer is well on its way. Of course, that makes me want to get the grill going full speed ahead. Summer makes me think of barbeque and some of my favorite bbq is had at Ed and Maria's home. My Uncle Ed and Aunt Maria are two of the most wonderful people I know. We visit them in the summer down on the Jersey shore. The beaches are beautiful and the weather warm and breezy. With the warm days we've been having- I've been thinking about our annual trek. One thing we always do is eat barbequed ribs. Uncle Ed's recipe is a sure thing. Always succulent and delicious. Aunt Maria's BBQ sauce is perfect for dunking. They slather it on the ribs on the grill with just enough time for it to caramelize a little bit. Here are my versions of their recipes- ready for your summer grilling pleasure.

Uncle Ed's Rib Rub
1/4 c. Paprika
1/4 c. Ground sweet red pepper
1/4 c. Ground black pepper
1/4 c. Sugar
1/4 c. Brown Sugar
1 T. Garlic powder
1 T. Ground white pepper
1 T. Cayenne pepper
Combine all & mix well.
Rub slabs of ribs generously w/white vinegar, then rub ~2T mixture on each side of ribs. Lay the ribs on a sheet pan and cover with plastic wrap. Let the ribs sit for at least an hour- they're even better if they chill over night. Remove the plastic wrap and roast them in the oven for about half your estimated cooking time. Grill them for the last half. Slather with sauce if you lik'em wet. Store the unused rub in a covered container in the refrigerator. It's also great in the boiling water for shell on shrimp.

Aunt Maria's BBQ Sauce
6T finely minced onion
3T oleo/butter
2T brown sugar
1c ketchup
2T Worcestershire sauce
1T Cholula pepper sauce
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/8 t salt
2 T soy sauce
2t prepared mustard
1/4 c vinegar (white or cider)
In a small sauce pan saute the onion in butter until soft but not brown. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low heat until thick. Puree in a blender in small batches. Pour what you need in a bowl to mop on your grilled tasties. Store the rest in the refrigerator until you need it. You can serve it on the side either hot or cold. It's also great as a dip for shrimp, a glaze for meatloaf, topping for burgers or a marinade for tofu. (really! It's great on tofu!)
Savor. Linger. Enjoy!

Savory Cocoa-Cayenne Rub Warms Up Chicken on a Very Chilly Day

Brrr! Sherwood spent the afternoon fixing the chain on his commuter bike. Yes, he is still commuting in the 10 degree Maine winter weather. His dedication falls somewhere between brave and brilliant. He came inside looking like a grease covered popsicle. Guy called from San Francisco- Hi Guy! He went for a hike today in shorts and a T-shirt. Gotta love global warming. Sherwood and I both spent time on the trainer, cycling inside to get our muscles moving. I rode first, then made supper while Sherwood did his time. I know how much he loves chocolate so I wanted to make him something special and warm with that exquisite hint of cocoabean. I combined a couple of recipes to come up with a dry rub that was scrumptuous on chicken breasts. It was spicy and savory with that complex layer of dark chocolate lusciousness. Sherwood added a bit of Beale Street Barbeque Sauce to his. We had creamy mashed potatoes and "summer" squash (to remind us all that it will acutally come sometime). The rub would also be great on pork tenderloin or your choice of ribs. If you're trying to impress a friend who likes chocolate -- this is the way to fit another course involving that mysterious bean into your menu.
For the dry rub: Grind together 2 teaspoons white peppercorns, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 2 teaspoons cardamom seeds and 3 Tablespoons sea salt. When you've ground them all together to a coarse dust add: 3 Tablespoons cocoa, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon cayenne. Mix all the ingredients well and set aside. When you're ready to make your dinner, scoop a couple of Tablespoons of rub onto a plate. Press your chicken or tenderloin into the powder, rolling it around to coat the meat. Massage the rub well so all surfaces of the meat are coated well with the rub. Drizzle meat with olive oil. Discard any rub left on the plate. Grill, Saute or roast the meat until done to your liking. If you have a favorite wet sauce you can serve it alongside for dipping. Delicious. If you prefer a more southwest flavor, substitute ground cumin for the cardamom. For a little extra spice add 1 teaspoon powdered chipotle pepper. Rubs are a great way to begin layering flavors in your meal. Use similar spices in your sauces to deepen the notes while adding other complimentary flavors to make your dish sparkle. Hooray for chocolate!