Fun Foods for the Fourth
TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-565 -- More Projects »
Chef Andrew Zimmern offers ideas for making fantastic-tasting Fourth-of-July picnic favorites such as hamburgers, hot dogs and corn on the cob.
- One timesaving tip for making a bunch of burgers to feed a crowd is to partially precook hamburgers in the oven. Lay the burger patties on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until they are partially done. Finish them off on the grill.
Save time by shaping burger patties before the big day. Patties can be placed on cookie sheets, covered with a piece of wax paper and kept in the freezer until time to grill (figure A). There's no need to worry about freezer burn if they're only going to be in the freezer for one or two days. Remove burgers from the freezer and let them thaw completely before grilling.
Another grilled treat is roasted corn on the cob. For perfect corn, before soaking, peel back the husk enough to remove most of the silk (figure E). This will prevent the silk from sticking to the corn during the cooking process.Roll the husks back up and soak the corn for about an hour in a pot of cold water that is seasoned with a half cup each of sugar and salt. This will add a lot of flavor to the roasted corn.
For even more flavorful corn, try this technique after soaking: Brush the corn with a mixture of one tablespoon olive oil, two cloves of minced garlic and two tablespoons of fresh-squeezed lemon juice (figure F). Roll the husks back up and throw the corn on the grill for about 20 to 30 minutes.Another corn-seasoning tip is to squeeze fresh lime juice over the corn and sprinkle it with chili powder and black pepper.Don't scrimp on the flavor when it comes time to buttering cooked corn. For another butter variety, make chili butter to top the corn by mixing one tablespoon of melted butter with a clove of minced garlic and a teaspoon of chili powder.
Use fresh blueberries and strawberries to top a festive Fourth of July dessert (figure G). Bake a sheet cake and frost with white icing. Arrange blueberries and sliced strawberries to create an American flag design.Make flavorful, juicy hot dogs by starting the franks on the edge of the grill where the temperature is lower. This allows them to slowly roast in the indirect heat and come to temperature. Move the dogs over the heat once they're almost done to sear them with some nice grill marks.Prick hot dogs with a fork before cooking to allow some of the juices to escape. This helps prevent the dog from splitting on the grill, and also allows some of the fat to drain out.Hot dogs can also be cooked by steaming them in a pot with about 2-1/2 inches of water for three to five minutes, or by boiling for four to seven minutes. The dogs are finished when they rise to the top. Throw them on the grill for a few minutes to add some color and flavor.
Guests Andrew Zimmern
Professional Chef and Culinary Expert, Food Works Inc.
1116 Raymond Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
Phone: 651-335-7456
E-mail:
chefaz@visi.com
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