So the unofficial end of summer is just a few weeks away. If you live in a climate where winter is a full six months long, you can dread the beginning of cool nights. It is my goal, regardless of your location, to help you host a great Labor Day barbecue and wow the crowd with food and wine pairings.
How can you do this and not make it a day of labor? It takes a little advanced planning and a few good recipes. So I am give you an appetizer, main dish and side that are easy and will have your guests or family thinking you did hard labor to get this done.
The starter will be a great make ahead dish that is unique and delicious. Eggplant is a great summer vegetable and this dish has a great spice range. Buy a eggplant for every 3-4 guests. If you buy the smaller ones, double the quantity. Roast them on the grill until the skin is black and blistered or about 10-12 minutes total. You can also do this on a gas cooktop, but it makes a mess. Once the are cool enough to handle peel off the skin and reserve the pulp. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, zest of half a lemon, 2 tbs of lemon juice and 4-5 tbs of good olive oil. Mix well, add salt to taste and let sit at room temperature for up to a day. Before you serve it, add a tsp of fresh chopped parsley and a handful of pomegranate seeds (available at most finer grocery stores). Serve it with pita chips and a high acid wine. A few examples are Kim Crawford Savignon Blanc ($15/bottle) or a white Bordeaux, generally under $20/bottle. Serve the wine chilled.
For your main, go redneck! I mean, what’s better and easier than beer can chicken. I love mine with a zesty rub, but use a good barbecue rub that you like. Here’s the recipe. Buy a 3-4 pound roasting chicken at least a day in advance. Make the rub. I use 2 tbs of paprika, 2 tbs of dark brown sugar, 1 tbs of kosher salt, 1 tbs za’atar, 1 tsp of ground cumin, 1 tsp of fresh cracked black pepper and 1 tsp of ground cayenne pepper. The rub will be enough for 2 chickens, stores for a month in a sealed container and works on pork equally as well.
Rub the chicken thoroughly with the rub using your hands. Put it on a baking sheet and store uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove 1 hr before you cook and let stand at room temperature. Get a 12 ounce can of beer, drink about half the can and use a can opener to punch a few extra holes in the top of the can. Light a fire on charcoal or gas grill to use indirect cooking. Place the chicken on the can, pulling the legs forward so the chicken will stand up. Place it on the grill but not directly over either flame. You want 350-400 degree cooking tempature and the chicken will roast in 50-70 minutes depending on the heat of ypur grill. Use a meat thermometer and make sure the bird is cooked. CAREFULLY remove from the grill and cover in foil for 10 minutes, the remove from the can, carve and serve. If you use my spice rub, an Oregon Pinot Noir is a great choice. There are great bottles under $40. You can also go with a French Chablis or California Chardonnay if you like.
Now for an easy and impressive side. By a bunch of thin asparagus, 2 bell peppers (any color but green) and some pea pods (not snow) and trim and clean the vegetables. Asparagus you need to cut or snap off the “woody” part. Cut the peppers into 1/2 inch strips and remove all the seeds. Cut the tip and end off the pea pods. Take a sheet of heavy duty foil large enough to hold the veggies in a double stack and place the veggies in the foil. Toss with olive oil and kosher salt and seal to form a packet. Place this over the hot part of the grill while the chick rests. When you can hear the oil cooking, the veggies are done. Generally this is about 10 minutes. Open the packet, CAREFULLY and serve. It is a healthy and delicious wine friendly meal, without too much labor.
Cheers and happy Labor Day everyone!