Grilled Fare Doesn't Have To Be Beef

Chef Allen Susser's Fun, Easy, Healthier Spins On Usual Backyard Offerings

(CBS) 

Cuba Libre Rum & Coke BBQ Shrimp

Serves 4

1/3 Cup Dark Rum
1/3 Cup Coke
3 Tablespoons Tarragon vinegar
1/4 Cup Fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoon Molasses
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Minced garlic
1 Tablespoon Tamarind concentrate
3/4 Cup Olive oil
1 Teaspoon Chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 Teaspoon Chopped fresh rosemary
1 pound U 10 wild florida Shrimp, cleaned and peeled
4 Thick grilled Slices of watermelon

To Prepare Marinate: In a large stainless steel bowl, combine the rum,coke, vinegar, lime juice,molasses, tamarind, cumin and garlic. Whisk in ½ cup of the oil., a little at a time. Finish with fresh herbs. Marinate the shrimp for 2-3 hours before cooking.

To Grill The Shrimp: Preheat the grill. Skewer the shrimp back to back on two bamboo sticks. Grill the shrimp over medium high heat, approximately 2 minutes on each side.

Serve: grilled watermelon slices, cut in rectangles.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Salad

Serves 4

1 large Spanish onion
1 large Tomato
1 large Zucchini
2 medium Red bell peppers
4 medium Japanese Eggplants
2 large Portobello Mushrooms
1 bunch Scallions
3 tablespoons Olive oil
1 tablespoon Kosher salt

For the Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Red wine
1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Chive minced
1 tablespoon Cilantro minced
1 tablespoon Flat leaf parsley, minced
1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

To Prepare the Vegetables: Cut the onion, tomato and zucchini.
Trim the bell peppers, removing the seeds, split the eggplant lengthwise. Clean the portobello mushroom. Trim the scallions. Brush all the vegetables with the olive oil and season with salt.

To Cook the Vegetables: Pre heat the grill very hot. Grill each side of the vegetables until they are soft and tender. Remove from the heat.

To Prepare the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl and whisk together the inegar and red wine. Whisk in the remainder of olive oil, herbs and season with black pepper.

To Prepare the Salad: Arrange colorfully on the plate. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.

Brazilian Tomato & Peanut Salsa

Makes 2 cups

1/2 cup Roasted Unsalted Peanuts
2 large Ripe Tomato, finely diced
1/2 small Red Onion, finely diced
1 medium Jalepeno Pepper, minced
2 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
2 tablespoons Lime Juice
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt

To Prepare the Salsa: Using a food processor coarsely grind the peanuts. Be sure not to over process, leave them slightly chunky. In a medium stainless steel bowl combine the remaining ingredients and add the peanuts. Mix well and cover. Let the flavors blend for 1 hour before use.

Grilled Mango Sangria

Makes 2 quarts

2 Large Ripe Mangos
1 Large Orange, thinly sliced
1 Large Lime, thinly sliced
1 Large Lemon, thinly sliced
5 Teaspoons Sugar
6-7 Whole Mint leaves
1-1/2 Cups Light rum
1 cup Fresh orange juice
1 Bottle Red wine, preferably Spanish Rioja
2 Cups Club soda
6 Handfuls Crushed ice

To Prepare the mangos: Cut the cheeks from both sides of the mangos. Cut any additional mango from the seed and add later to the fruit for the sangria With the point of the knife cut a checkerboard pattern into the flesh. Set aside in a shallow bowl.

To prepare the Sangria: On a large pitcher, add the remainding mango, orange, lime and lemon slices. Pour in the sugar and mint leaves. Using a bar mallet crush lightly crush the mint into the sugar and fruit. Pour in the rum and orange juice and Rioja wine, mixing well. Pour about a cup of the Sangria into the mango bowl to marinate. Cover and regrigerate both for 1 hour.

To Serve: On a very hot grill - char the mango cheeks. Remove from grill and turn out the flesh using your thumbs from under the shell of the mango to pop out the flesh. Using pairing knife cut the cubes of mango into a bowl. Fill tall glasses with crushed ice and pour the Sangria over the ice. Finish with a splash of club soda and stir lightly. Garnish with grilled mango cubes.