Recipes
maple-icious salmon | naked corn | shrimp on the barbie | chocolate wontons
From Bob’s book “Glutton for Pleasure”
This remarkably easy four-ingredient recipe creates a candied salmon fillet that melts in your mouth. And the black pepper crust provides the perfect counterpoint. It’s so good that even people who don’t like fish become devoted converts after just one bite. The exact proportions of the closely guarded recipe were divulged—after several hours on the torture rack—by Andrew Zimbel, owner of the Toronto catering company The Amazing Food Service.
Photo Credit: Suzi Varin
¾ cup maple syrup
¼ cup soy sauce
4 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed
¼ cup coarsely ground black pepper (Grind it yourself, or purchase “cracked” pepper at your grocery store.)
In a small deep bowl, or a resealable plastic bag, mix maple syrup and soy sauce. Add fillets so that marinade completely covers fish. Marinate in the refrigerator for as long as possible (a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally 24 – 48). Turn salmon (or bag) every few hours.
Preheat grill to medium-high direct heat.
Place pepper on a small plate. Remove salmon from marinade and pat top side into cracked pepper to coat.
Grill for approximately 3 minutes per side, starting with pepper side down, or until salmon is just on the verge of turning opaque.
yield 4 servings
le secret The longer the salmon marinates the deeper the flavor. Avoid overcooking the fillets. Salmon is best when the color has turned to a pale pink, but the fish is still moist throughout.
level of difficulty The least amount of effort you will ever have to expend for the greatest number of complements
active prep time 10 minutes
inactive prep time 4 – 48 hours
grilling time 10 minutes
advance work Salmon can be placed in its marinade up to 48 hours in advance. It should only be peppered and grilled just before serving
multiplicity When multiplying the recipe for larger groups, it is not necessary to increase the marinade proportionately. Just mix enough marinade (in the same 3 parts maple syrup to 1 part soy sauce proportions) to cover all the fillets
oven version Salmon can also baked on an oiled cookie sheet in a preheated 500°F oven for approximately 6 – 8 minutes
There are many techniques for grilling corn. Some require soaking and others require you to trim various amounts of huskage. I’ve tried every option, and this method is by far the simplest.
4 ears of corn, husked
Preheat grill to medium high direct heat
Grill corn for 7 – 10 minutes. Every two minutes or so, roll each cob one quarter turn. Kernels should begin to brown in spots (indicating that the corn’s natural sugars are caramelizing) but should not be allowed to burn.
Remove from grill and serve.
yield Serves 4 as a side dish
active prep time 2 minutes
advance work Corn can be husked earlier in the day
Whether these shrimp are cooked on the stove or an outdoor grill, they disappear faster than Barbie can change her profession.
Note to self: When traveling with a suitcase full of plastic dolls and chef’s knives to countries where “Shrimp on the Barbie” is not recognized as a common Aussie expression, prepare a better explanation for the Customs officer.
shrimp
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
¼ – ½ teaspoon ground chipotle chili or a pinch of cayenne
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound uncooked 21/26 count shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil
Shell and devein shrimp if they haven’t been purchased that way. Tails may be left on if desired
pan version
In a medium-size bowl, mix all dry seasonings. Add shrimp and toss thoroughly.
In a large sauté pan over high heat, add oil. When oil is hot, add as many shrimp as pan will accommodate without overlapping. Cook for approximately one minute per side, or until no longer translucent.
grill version
Preheat grill to high direct heat.
In a medium-size bowl, mix all dry seasonings..
Pour oil into a large bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Sprinkle seasonings overtop and toss to coat.
Grill for 1 minute per side, or until shrimp are no longer translucent.
cilantro dipping sauce
1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, stems discarded before measuring
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
½ cup sour cream
Blend cilantro and lime juice in a blender or small food processor until cilantro is liquefied.
Spoon sour cream into a small bowl and slowly stir in liquefied clantro. Reserve in refrigerator. Serve with alongside shrimp
yield Serves 6 as an appetizer with ¾ cup of dipping sauce
uncommon goods Barbie doll
le secret The chipotle chili does all the hard work by adding a unique smoky flavor to the shrimp
alarming advice Unhook your smoke alarm before pan-searing shrimp (but don’t forget to reconnect it)
level of difficulty As easy as playing with dolls
active prep time 20 minutes
cooking time 5 minutes
shortcuts Skip the cilantro bit in the dipping sauce and just add a squeeze of lime juice to the sour cream
advance work The dry rub can be made ahead and stored in a sealed jar. Make extra—it lasts almost indefinitely
multiplicity Dipping sauce will accommodate an extra batch of shrimp
music to cook by David Bowie, The Rise and Fail of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is a glam manifesto that was a favorite on the Toastermobile stereo
Think about how much you love crispy, crunchy Chinese or Vietnamese spring rolls. Now imagine how good they would taste if you replaced the bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, green onions and so on with melted milk chocolate, gooey caramel, crunchy peanut butter and slices of ripe banana. It’s a decadent combination that won’t leave you hungry in an hour.
8 3½ x 3 ½-inch wonton wrappers
¼ cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy—your choice!)
1 banana, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick slices
8 Rolo or Caramilk bar segments
powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
peanut oil for deep frying
Place a small bowl of warm water beside wonton wrappers. Put a single wonton wrapper on a clean, dry surface in front of you. Schmear 1 teaspoon of peanut butter onto the center. Press down a banana slice on top of peanut butter and top with chocolate. Dip your finger in water and trace a circle on the wonton wrapper around the stack of ingredients (water is the glue of wonton wrappers). Pinch and seal wrapper around the ingredients. Be sure that seams are tightly sealed to keep frying oil from seeping in.
Pour oil into a small, tall pot until it is 3 inches deep. Heat oil until it reaches 350°F.
When oil is ready, fry 4 wontons at a time for approximately 1 minute, or until wonton wrappers are golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel to absorb excess oil. Dust with powdered sugar. Let cool for 1 minute before serving.
yield 8 dessert wontons
uncommon goods Wonton wrappers (available in the refrigerated or frozen section of most grocery stores); oil thermometer. If you don’t have an oil thermometer, when you think oil is ready, drop a piece of wonton wrapper into it. If wrapper gets crispy in 5 – 8 seconds, the oil is ready.
level of difficulty Wonton wrapping takes a bit of practice, but each wrapper costs about 3 cents so mistakes are cheap.
active prep time 15 minutes
advance work Wontons can be wrapped earlier in the day. Cover with a damp dishtowel and refrigerate. Do not let wontons touch. To minimize stickage, dust the surface of the storage plate and the wontons themselves with corn starch.
multiplicity Additional wontons do not require extra frying oil
music to cook by Carolina Chocolate Drops, Genuine Negro Jig. Old-time string band music gets a new lease on life.
