Mediterranean Rib BBQ Dinner

[daninpd]

This is my first effort in the "Homemade BBQ Dinner" and wanted to keep it simple so I chose a Tunisian recipe for a appetizer, a Italian recipe for grilled ribs and a grilled corn salad and a watermelon salad.  If you have company coming or are planning to attend some sort of potluck, pay attention to the watermelon salad:  It's unusually good.  The appetizer is Cheese and Potato Cigars of the Tunisian Jews.  This is a gruyere  and potato mixture with turmeric and nutmeg formed like a egg roll and deep fried.   It's a great finger food appetizer.  Recipe here http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/recipes/display/bycountry.php/recipe_id/982/id/15/

Used a Italian recipe for Spuntatura alla Griglia that is baby backs cut into individual ribs, marinated overnight in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, crushed red pepper and salt.  Cooked hot and fast directly over hot coals, turning often, for 20 minutes until the exterior is crispy and the interior is really juicy.  That was done on the Joe and I really had to keep things moving around because I had a lot of flare-ups, so there wasn't a lot of photography getting done in that portion of the cook.  When I've done this recipe before I have used a 2 zone setup and will do that in the future with the Joe. 

The first salad was Grilled Corn and Poblano Salad that also included chopped red onion, chopped tomato, chopped cilantro, kosher salt and lime juice.  Grilled the corn and poblano together on the Akorn until the corn had a lot of color and the skin of the poblano was charred.  Put the pepper in a plastic bag for about 15 minutes to steam to make it easy to scrape off the charred skin and remove the seeds before chopping.  The last salad (and pretty much the star of the show) was a Watermelon with Lime Dressing.  I used half a 8 lb watermelon cut out of the rind into irregular shapes, 2 T lime juice, 1 T fish sauce, 1-1/2 t sugar, 1/2 t kosher salt, 2 sprigs basil crunched up a little in your hand to extract some juice.  This salad is sweet, sour and savory and elevates watermelon to a new level.  If you are making it ahead, keep the dressing in a jar until about 10 minutes before tossing and serving because the salt, sugar and salt in the fish sauce cause the watermelon to start giving  up juice.  The Italians make a fish sauce, but it's hard to find and expensive, so I use a Vietnamese fish sauce (I prefer 3 Crabs brand).  The fish sauce adds a rich umami taste to the salad, nothing fishy.  Added some dry roasted salted peanuts at serving for a textural crunch and flavor.  My wife and I were both making embarrassing noises eating that watermelon salad.  I also included something I don't see around here very often:  a wine recommendation.

I'm posting this on the early side to see how much grief I get for putting egg roll wrappers in the same category as ketchup as something you can use premade.

[Ron5850]

Everything looks very flavorful. That watermelon salad is very intriguing. Nice job all around.

[ckreef]

Great cook all around. No issues using wrappers and ketchup. I too add a small amount of fish sauce to a lot of my cooks. Most people say "Oh gross!" but in reality a little adds a really good component. 

 

I'll get the entry thread cranked up tomorrow afternoon if you choose to enter this cook. 

 

[daninpd]

19 minutes ago, ckreef said:

 I too add a small amount of fish sauce to a lot of my cooks. Most people say "Oh gross!" but in reality a little adds a really good component. 

 

I have a old James Beard pasta sauce recipe for homemade pasta that is basically anchovies and tomato sauce.  It is served like they do in Italy, just a painting of sauce on the pasta.  Almost everybody guesses "beef" when asked to identify the components of the sauce.

[KismetKamado]

Mighty fine homemade bbq meal, @daninpd!

 

I think I will give the watermelon salad a whirl!  And probably the corn and poblano one as well. And the ribs.  

 

 

[daninpd]

Start with the watermelon.  Like I said, we were making a lot of noises that would be really embarrassing in a restaurant.  If you have leftovers the juice loss totally transforms the watermelon the next day.  Still great flavor but totally different texture.

[KismetKamado]

The appetizer looks pretty darn good too - forgot to mention that the first time around!  Watermelon salad should be easy enough to do - I’m definitely on it. 

[daninpd]

6 minutes ago, KismetKamado said:

The appetizer looks pretty darn good too. 

It is.  Kinda my go-to when asked to bring a appetizer.  Easily warmed up in somebody else's oven and flavors that surprise.  Oh, and (eye roll) everyone is into the health benefits of turmeric, even available as pills.  In this recipe it is included because it....wait for it....tastes good.

[ckreef]

8 hours ago, daninpd said:

I have a old James Beard pasta sauce recipe for homemade pasta that is basically anchovies and tomato sauce.  It is served like they do in Italy, just a painting of sauce on the pasta.  Almost everybody guesses "beef" when asked to identify the components of the sauce.

 

I use to keep a tube of anchovy paste in the fridge but it's more of a pain to use than fish sauce. I've mainly switched to fish sauce at this point. 

 

[shuley]

Awesome looking cook.  And I know what you mean about watermelon salad.  I had one and it was awesome.... And had totally taken me by surprise. 

[Billy Grills]

That looks like a well thought out and exceptionally tasty feast Mr PD!

I couldn't  help but think of this tune after your comment on the watermelon and lime.....

 

 

I haven't tried either, and sadly never saw Tom play either.

 

I will definitely have to change a couple of those things anyway.

[CentralTexBBQ]

Love corn with a little carmelization on it. Nice looking cook

[Marbque]

Definitely a great looking cook. Corn on the grill is always a hit around here. 

[Dub]

Stellar looking cook !!!!!!!!!!!!

[TKOBBQ]

Great looking cook that was executed perfectly.