Labor Day Grilling Ideas

These recipes are courtesy of Chef Robert Nahra of Lakeland Banquet & Event Centre:

Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Peaches & Pecans:
Serves 4 TO 6
Ingredients:
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 2½ tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon organic honey
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed
• 2 peaches, halved, pitted and chopped coarse
• 3 ounces arugula, frisée, or watercress
• ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup pecans, toasted chopped
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into ½-inch pieces
• 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
Directions:
1. Whisk together lime zest, lime juice, honey, and garlic in a large bowl. Drizzle in olive oil, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add peas, peaches, arugula, onion, pecans, basil and jalapeño to large bowl. Toss thoroughly. Add additional salt and pepper, if necessary. 4 to 6 servings.

Sesame-Lemon Cucumber Salad:
Serves 4
3 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, sliced, salted, and drained (See instructions below)
1 T. salt (used to drain the cucumbers)
1/4  c. rice vinegar
1 T. juice from 1 lemon
2 T. toasted sesame oil
2 t. sugar
1/8 t. dried red pepper flakes plus more to taste
1 T. sesame seeds, toasted in a small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
1. DRAIN CUCUMBERS: Peel each cucumber and halve lengthwise. Use a small spoon to remove the seeds and surrounding liquid from each cucumber half. Place the cucumber halves flat-side down on a work surface and slice them on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Toss the cucumbers and salt (1 T.) in a colander set in a bowl. Place a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag filled with water on top of the cucumbers to weigh them down and force out the liquid. Drain for at least an hour, and up to 3 hours.
2. Whisk all of the ingredients except the cucumbers in a medium bowl. Add the drained cucumbers; toss to coat. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Chef Bobby’s BBQ Roasted Michigan Buffalo Tenderloin:
1 Buffalo Tenderloin peeled and cleaned
¾ cup Olive oil
¾ cup black pepper course ground
¼ cup sea salt
¼ cup granulated Garlic or ¾ cup fresh chopped garlic
Rub with olive oil and the massage the dry rub in salt pepper and garlic
Let rest in the fridge from  30 minutes or even up to the next day.
Preheat bbq crank it up to at least 500 degrees
Place tenderloin on the grill 5 minutes per side. This will flame up its okay. The purpose is to char the entire outside to seal in the juices.
Place on top rack for 35  to 50 minute at 325-350 degrees to achieve your desired temp. It’s basically committing a culinary sin to cook this more 140 degrees internal temp.  I pull it off  at 135 and let rest for 5 minutes.

Slice into even slices and serve with roasted Michigan white potatoes
And garlic butter Michigan Baby Bella Mushrooms sautéed.
You can also lay it on a bed of wilted Michigan Spinach.

Chef Bobby’s BBQ Lamb Ribs:
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ cup black pepper
½  cup paprika
1 tablespoon sumac
1 teaspoon Cumin
2 tablespoons of granulated garlic
1 tablespoon of ground oregano
2 tablespoons of kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest. With a grater grate lemon zest from one lemon over the lamb ribs.

Mix in mixing bowl and Rub ribs on both sides. Massage itno the lamb so you see the seasoning in the fibers of the muscle.
Let them sit in the fridge overnight, if not at least 2 hours. Place on top rack of Bbq pit and slow cook for 2 hours on 250 /275 degrees. Place foil drip pan under to catch oils and juices. Reserve juices and oil dripping to spoon drizzle after cutting and plate the ribs with tzatziki sauce serve over slices of thick Italian bread.

Tzatziki Sauce
16oz Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
Drain water that settles to the top, if any.
Half of English cucumber
Quarter red onion
Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Lemon zest to taste
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil = EVOO
Salt and pepper to taste
Three large cloves of fresh garlic minced
Box grater is essential
1 medium seedless cucumber Grated
Box grate a quarter of a large Red onion

Red or white is fine. I like the red. Pad the onion juice down from the onion shavings with a paper towel Take an English cucumber and do the same grate it with the box grater. Pat dry with paper towel. To much liquid makes the sauce to soupy.  Mix all ingredients in medium glass bowl and put in the fridge for two hours.  Smear on platter garnish with crusty bread and drizzle EVOO.

Click here for more information about the Lakeland Banquet & Event Centre.