The Fourth of July cookout is as much a part of this American holiday as fireworks or parades. Every year, Americans gather with friends and families for backyard barbecues, often indulging in traditional fare like apple pie, burgers and hot dogs. Just how much do we eat? The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (yes, that’s a real group) expects Americans to consume 150 million hot dogs on the Fourth – one frankfurter for every two people.
The Beacon, however, has some new ideas to spice up your holiday spread. We’ve raided “Kitchen Guy” Jim Gray’s stash of recipes to bring you a selection of dishes sure to please.
Sweet & Spicy Baked Beans
Here’s what you need:
1 lb. great northern beans, soaked overnight
4 oz. red onion, finely diced
½ Anaheim (or jalapeño) small dice
3 oz. molasses
3 oz. brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. mustard
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce to taste
2 or 3 thick slices of bacon (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Here’s how to make it:
Simmer the beans in water until almost tender, about 45 minutes. Drain well.
Combine remaining ingredients (except bacon) and blend well. Add the mixture to the beans and toss to coat thoroughly. Taste to adjust seasoning.
Pour the beans into a baking dish – if using, place bacon slices on top – cover with foil and bake in a 350-degree oven for about 30 to 40 minutes.
Jalapeno Cornbread
Here’s what you need:
1 8 oz. can cream-style corn
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 oz. grated Cheddar cheese
3 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded, ribbed and diced
1 Tbsp. butter
Here’s how to make it:
Adjust oven rack to center and heat to 400 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine creamed corn, cornmeal, eggs, salt, baking soda, buttermilk, oil, half the cheese and diced jalapenos.
Spray baking pan or cast iron skillet with non-stick spray. Place butter in dish or pan and heat in oven until butter is hot. Pour cornbread mixture into the dish or pan and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes.
Cool completely and cut into serving size pieces.
Grilled Pork Chops with Blueberry Salsa
Here’s what you need:
2 cups fresh blueberries, cleaned
1/2 medium red onion, peeled and diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 medium red bell pepper, cored and diced
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon coarse salt
4 pork chops, double cut
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Here’s how to make it:
To make the salsa, coarsely chop 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries. In a bowl, combine the chopped and whole berries along with the onion, jalapeno, bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Let stand for at least an hour.
Grill the pork chops over high heat until just cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes per side. Divide among 4 plates and top with the salsa and serve immediately.
Ale-battered Shrimp
Here’s what you need:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup amber ale, at room temperature
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Vegetable oil, for frying
Here’s how to make it:
Whisk 3/4-cup flour, ale, 2 egg whites, salt and pepper in a bowl until smooth. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 250. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Beat remaining 2 egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Stir 1/3 of whites into ale batter, and then fold in remaining whites.
Heat vegetable oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat until thermometer registers 375.
Place 1 cup flour in pie dish. Working in batches, coat shrimp with flour, shake off excess. Holding shrimp by tail, dip into batter until well coated.
Carefully lower shrimp a few at a time into hot oil. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about a minute per side. Using tongs, transfer shrimp to prepared baking sheet and keep warm in oven while cooking remaining shrimp. Serve shrimp with tartar sauce or cocktail sauce.
Berry Pizza
Here’s what you need:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts
1 cup granulated sugar, divided into thirds
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 large egg, beaten
1 quart fresh berries, mixed
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Here’s how to make it:
Make the crust by combining flour, sugar, butter and nuts. Sprinkle with drops of ice water just until dough comes together. Spread in an ungreased pizza pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, just until slightly browned. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 250.
For the filling, mix 1/3 cup sugar, softened cream cheese and egg. Combine well, then spread over cooled pizza crust and return to the oven, baking for about 10 minutes, just until the filling is set.
In a blender or food processor, puree half of the berries with remaining 2/3 cup sugar. In a medium saucepan add whole and pureed berries and bring to a boil, mix in cornstarch slurry stirring often until clear bubbles appear and mixture is glossy. Be sure the mixture boils, or it won’t thicken.
Cool the mixture and spread on cooled filling. Garnish with fresh mint and top with whipped cream if desired.