Condiments on Patio Daddio BBQ

Cantaloupe & Prosciutto Salsa Cruda

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:35:00 +0000

Cut the cantaloupe in half and seed it.

Note: If you don't want to use the rind as bowl, skip the next three steps.

Use an ice cream scoop to remove all but about 1/4" of the flesh from one half of the melon, as shown. Set the flesh aside.

If the hollow rind won't sit upright on its own, cut a small sliver off of the bottom center to make a flat spot.

Avocado Chile Sauce & Dip

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 05:04:00 +0000

Last spring I whipped up an avocado cream sauce to accompany some spicy grilled fish tacos. It was good, but today I added a few twists that made it even better.

As the name implies, this can be used as a sauce and/or dip. It's thick, cool and creamy, almost like a saucy guacamole. I've added two kinds of roasted chiles and roasted tomatillos to give it added depth of flavor.

Salsa Diablo

Thu, 07 May 2009 04:13:00 +0000

Roast the peppers (and also the green onions, if you're using your grill).

Peel, seed and dice the peppers.

Chop the green onions small.

Mix all of the ingredients well in a large mixing bowl.

Blend with a stick blender to your desired consistency.

Note: If you don't have a stick blender, process it in batches in your food processor or blender.

Cover and refrigerate at least four hours, or preferably overnight.

Onion & Bacon Marmalade

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:34:00 +0000

Heat a Dutch oven or large heavy sauce pan over medium-high heat.

Cook the bacon until it's just crisp, then remove the slices and set aside, leaving all of the rendered fat in the pan.

Add the onions and salt to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the onions soften (about 15 minutes).

Chop the bacon fine and add it and the remaining ingredients to the pan. Cook uncovered until the liquid is reduced to almost nothing, stirring occasionally (about an hour).

Bush's Gameday Grub: Brats with Funky Chow Chow

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:04:00 +0000

Combine all of the chow chow ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, mix well, cover and refrigerate at least two hours, preferably overnight.

Start your grill and prepare for two-zone cooking (indirect and direct) at medium heat (350-375º).

Grill the brats direct until they're nicely browned.

Move the brats to the indirect side of the grill and continue cooking until they reach an internal temperature of 165º

While the sausages finish cooking, warm the buns and heat the beans.

Garlic Herb & Honey Butter

Sat, 03 Apr 2010 16:22:00 +0000

Preheat your oven to 325º.

Carefully cut off about 1/4" of the root end of the garlic head.

Make a loose foil nest that will hold the garlic cut-end-up (see the picture below).

Set the garlic in the nest and drizzle it with a little olive oil, then sprinkle with a dash of Kosher salt.

Roast on the center oven rack for one hour. Add an extra ten minutes or so if the head is overly large.

Patio Daddio Queso Dip

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 03:58:00 +0000

Brown the chorizo in a non-reactive skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the beans and bring just to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the cheese and let it melt.

Add the milk, chili powder and hot sauce, then bring back to a low simmer.

Reduce heat to low.

Mash the beans gently with a potato masher and stir to recombine.

Serve warm with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Note: You can adjust the consistency of the finished dip by adding milk to make it thinner, or by letting it reduce to tighten it up.

Spicy Sausage Relish

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:15:00 +0000

Mix all ingredients well in a stain-resistant sealable container.

Refrigerate two hours, or even better, overnight.

Keeps for several months.

Onion Marmalade

Sat, 15 May 2010 20:15:00 +0000

Peel the onions then cut them in half from pole to pole.

Cut the halves into half-rings, keeping them together, then cut the half-rings into thirds. You should have about 3 1/2 cups.

Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat.

Add the onions and cook them, stirring frequently, until they are just translucent (about five minutes).

Reduce the heat to medium, sprinkle the onions with the sugar and continue to cook them, stirring frequently, until they are just starting to brown (about five minutes).

Fire-Roasted Corn Salsa

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 06:11:00 +0000

In a large mixing bowl, cut the corn off of the cob.

Tip: The corn tends to come off in sheets, so I use a pastry cutter to help break up the kernels. Just be careful not to mash the corn.

Add the remaining ingredients (avocados last) and mix well.

Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Serve and enjoy!

Tip: This salsa is great warmed and served over grilled fish or on fish tacos.