Dinner: Smoked Salmon Pasta Pomodorini and BBQ Meatloaf Sandwiches on Onion Sourdough

Dinner NEEDS to have a growing, learning approach in my kitchen. Otherwise boredom sets in and Larry is looking at opening a bag of Top Ramen for dinner. I want to use flavors incorporating seasonal vegetables, especially with having my own garden this year. I get such a kick going out and picking peas, heirloom and cherry tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, potatoes (okay, I dig those up), and soon, green beans. Love the colors, making dinner just as fun to make as it is to eat!

We also love both our charcoal double barrel grill for smoke/roasting and for grilling along with the propane grill with a searing grate. I am "not" one of the few die-hard grilling aficionados who grill during all seasons. Late spring, summer and early (no-rain) fall . . . grill. Rain, snow, freezing cold . . . that is what a kitchen stove is for.

Dinner started out with Spicy Apricot Wings. The wings were marinated in my homemade apricot preserves, along with other spices for 36 hours. I was waiting for the rain to stop BECAUSE the whole idea behind the wings was to grill them over natural briquettes AND apple wood chips. Never happened! I had to bake them instead.


The recipe originally came from Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book with a few adaptions from me.

Spicy Apricot Wings

1 1/4 c. apricot preserves

1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 c. brown sugar
2 1/2 T. low sodium soy sauce

2 T. + 2 t. Dijon mustard

1 T. salt

4 t. freshly ground black pepper

1 T. freshly minced garlic

1 T. paprika

1 t. cayenne powder

1/2 t. ground ginger

10 whole chicken wings, cut into wings and drumettes

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients, except chicken, and whisk until well blended. Place the chicken wings in a shallow dish, or sealable plastic bag, and pour the marinade over the wings. Cover, or seal, turn to coat, and marinade the wings in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to overnight.

Build a fire using hickory, apricot or apple wood, or a combination of wood and charcoal. Leave half of the grill empty, and place coals and/or wood on the other half, for indirect heat.

When the temperature reaches 450 degrees F., remove the wings from the marinade without shaking off excess marinade, and place them on the empty half of the grill. Close the lid, and cook for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, flipping each wing piece once halfway through. Remove the wings from the grill, and serve.

Dinner was Smoke Salmon Pasta Pomodorini and BBQ Meatloaf Sandwiches on onion sourdough.


BBQ Meat Loaf Sandwiches

(adapted from Weber's Way to Grill book)

1 1/4 pounds (80 percent lean) ground beef

1 1/4 pounds ground pork

2 c. Panko bread crumbs

1 c. finely chopped sweet onion

1 large egg

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 t. granulated garlic

1 t. dried tarragon

1 t. salt

1 t. freshly ground pepper

1 c. bottled BBQ sauce (I used Stubbs spicy BBQ sauce)

2/4 c. ketchup

Directions:

In a large bowl, using your hands, gently combine ground beef, pork, bread crumbs, onion, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, tarragon, salt and pepper. Divide the meat loaf mixture in half, form into 2 loaves, each about 4- by 7- inches (aluminum loaf pan size), and place on a baking sheet. Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium-low heat, about 300 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix the BBQ sauce and ketchup. Top each meat loaf with 3 Tablespoons of BBQ sauce, coating thoroughly, and reserve remaining sauce for later.

Brush the cooking grates clean. Using a metal spatula, gently pick up each loaf from the sheet pan, and place directly on the cooking grate. Grill the meat loaves over in-direct medium-low heat, with the lid closed, until a thermometer inserted horizontally through the top of each loaf registers 155 degrees F., approximately 50 to 60 minutes. Remove the loaves from the grill, and let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Once removed from the grill, the loaves will continue to cook, so allow them to reach the recommended 160 degrees F. Cut the loaves into 1/2-inch slices, and serve with the reserved sauce.

To make meat loaf sandwiches, cut the meat loaf into the 1/2-inch slices, and slather both sides with reserved BBQ sauce. Grill over direct low heat (250-350 degrees), with the lid closed as much as possible, for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once. (I had rain happening so pulled out my panini grill to finish toasting the sandwiches.) Serve on onion sour dough bread with provolone cheese.

Smoked Salmon Pasta Pomodorini

(adapted from a recipe found in Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking Cookbook)

Cherry tomatoes have a way of multiplying in the garden when your back is turned. The more you pick, the more there are.

Serves: Serves 4
3/4 pound spaghettini or spaghetti
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup sliced garlic
1/2 teaspoon finely minced Calabrian chilies, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pint small cherry tomatoes, stems removed, crushed between your thumb and forefinger
Sea salt, preferably gray salt
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, each torn into 2 or 3 pieces
1/2 lb smoked salmon, shredded into larger pieces
Wedge of Parmesan cheese ready to grate over pasta dish


Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta.

While the pasta cooks, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the garlic and cook until the slivers are golden brown and crisp, then add the chilies and cook for about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add the tomatoes. Simmer briskly to soften the tomatoes and thicken the juices, about 3 minutes. Season with salt.

When the pasta is al dente, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the warm pot off the heat. Add the sauce, smoked salmon, and the basil and mix well. Add some of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and grate Parmesan over the top to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil.

Serve immediately.

Salmon Roulade, Garlic Potatoes with Shiitake and Fresh Peas Sauce

One of my baking friends, Luisa, shared this recipe with me and we LOVED it! Putting the recipe together is a breeze, especially if you ask the seafood department to fillet the salmon for you. Presentation is beautiful and the flavors pop because all the ingredients are fresh and kept simple. Each ingredients carries itself perfectly.


Garlic Potatoes with Shiitake and Fresh Peas Sauce
3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup unsalted butter
Six 7-ounce pieces of salmon fillet, each about 1 inch wide, skin removed
Basil infused extra virgin olive oil, to brush salmon
English Peas and Shiitake Mushroom Sauce:
2 TB butter
1/2 pound or so shiitake mushrooms, halved
splash of dry white wine
splash of cream
2 cups fresh English or sugar snap peas, shelled and steamed
a couple sprigs of fresh thyme leaves
chopped chives, for garnish
kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with foil.
Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan, and add lightly salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and put them in a mixing bowl.

Mash with garlic and 1/4 cup of the butter. Pass the potatoes through a food mill or ricer, then whip until smooth and fluffy.
Brush the salmon with basil oil and season with salt and pepper. Roll each salmon fillet into the shape of a donut, and affix the ends with a toothpicks.

Place them in the baking dish. With a piping bag (or Ziploc with one end snipped off) fill the center of each piece with the potatoes.
Lightly cover with foil (as to not squish down the filling) and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the potatoes are golden brown, about 5-8 minutes longer.
In the meantime, saute the shiitake mushrooms in butter. Add the wine and slightly reduce. Add the peas, thyme and cream, season with salt and pepper; keep warm.

Using a spatula, transfer the salmon fillets to warmed plates. Carefully twist out the toothpick, leaving the roll intact. Spoon peas and mushrooms on side, drizzle with sauce, sprinkle with the chives, and serve.
Note: The potatoes may be made up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.