With Super Bowl Sunday upon us, it's time to start prepping, especially if you're hosting a backyard tailgating soirée. Napoleon Gourmet Grills shared four of its inventive recipes with CL, and each incorporates grill-loving grub.
Also styled after the big game's competitors, the food formulas call for ingredients like salmon, which nods to the Pacific Northwest's Seattle Seahawks, and crab cakes, representing the New England Patriots' maritime roots.
Super Simple Salmon
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 salmon fillets
Old Bay seasoning
Lemon pepper
Salt
4 teaspoon butter
1 small onion, sliced into rings
2 cups prepared rice
Cooked mixed vegetables
Directions
Preheat your grill to medium-high. Pat your fillets dry and then season them to taste with the lemon pepper, Old Bay seasoning and salt. Press the seasonings into your salmon.
Butter the bottom of your salmon fillets, and throw a little butter on your onion rings (try to keep them whole if you can).
Grill the salmon and the onions, butter side up, directly over the heat for about 2 to 4 minutes. Flip once and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes.
Serve with rice and whatever veggies you have. Garnish with sesame seeds. Take a bite of salmon with some of that grill-caramelized onion.
Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings
Serves 6
Ingredients
Wings:
2 pounds chicken wings
1/4 cup Bone Dust BBQ Seasoning & Rub
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Honey Sriracha Sauce:
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup sriracha
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1/2 teaspoon water
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Oil your grids and then preheat the grill around 400 to 450 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, combine the Bone Dust, brown sugar, garlic, chili and onion powder, mixing well. Coat each chicken wing in the Bone Dust mixture and set aside.
Grill the wings for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until they're cooked through and crispy. Turn the grill down to low and transfer the wings to the warming rack to keep warm and crispy.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the honey and sriracha, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from heat.
Toss the chicken wings in a bowl with the sauce and serve with some wet naps.
Planked Crab Cakes
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Crab Cakes:
1 or 2 untreated Napoleon cedar planks, soaked for 4 hours or overnight
2 pounds lump crab meat, picked over for shells
2 large eggs
1/2 cup crushed soda crackers
3 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise (real, not whipped salad dressing)
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon seafood seasoning and rub, or Old Bay seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Thai Cucumber Relish:
1 1/3 cups coconut vinegar or rice vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 2–inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 cup English cucumber, finely diced
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 Thai bird's-eye chiles, cut into very thin strips
In a saucepan, boil the vinegar, water and sugar for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the ginger, shallots and cucumber. Stir and set aside to cool. Stir in the cilantro and pepper when cool. Set aside at room temperature.
Combine the crab meat with the eggs, crackers, mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, seafood seasoning and rub, and salt and pepper. Mix very well.
Form the crab mixture into cakes about 3 or 4 inches in diameter and 1-inch thick. As is true for burger patties, the more uniform in size and thickness, the better. Evenly space the crab cakes on the plank(s). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to rest.
Preheat the grill to medium-high (450 degrees). Set the planked crab cakes on the grill, close the lid and plank-bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
Remove crab cakes from plank and serve 2 to 3 per person, topped with cucumber relish.
Barbecue Baked Beans
Serves 15 to 20
Ingredients
2 pounds dry navy beans, soaked overnight in water and drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large white onion, finely diced
2 poblano chiles, seeded and diced
1 cup double-smoked bacon, diced
1 cup fancy molasses
1 cup prepared chili sauce
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoon salt
Directions
Place beans in a large heavy pot, or ovenproof crock pot, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are just tender (1 to 1 1/2 hours).
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Add remaining ingredients to pot and stir to combine thoroughly. Cover and place in oven for 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Beans will become very tender and fragrant.
Remove cover and cook for 1 more hour. Store in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat beans in a 325-degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes. They can also be reheated in a heavy crock set on the back of a preheated medium (350-degree) grill. Remember to stir occasionally.
