But before the evening devolved into Chianti-fueled bickering (in a fun way!), we sat down for my mom's famous shrimp-on-the-barbie, corn on the cob, and a simple green salad, all with a little Thomas twist. Enjoy!
Jane's Shrimp on the Barbie
My mom's shrimp share their origins with my childhood birthday cakes, sausage rolls, and a few other Aussie treats, which all derive from the same tome: The Australian Women's Weekly. Stacks of paperback cookbooks from the early 80s protrude from her cupboards, filled with ugly photography and lots of mayonnaise. And yet, with a little tweaking they produce delicious and unexpected results. These shrimp are a little sweet, a little spicy, and have that "what is this flavor?" factor. They're perfect on their own or tossed in a salad. Enjoy!
3 lbs fresh prawns, peeled and deveined1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons of honey
1 1/2 tablespoons chili sauce (not hot sauce)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely sliced scallions
1/4 teaspoon ground Chinese five spice
Combine all of the ingredients, adding the prawns last, and marinate in the fridge for one to two hours. Put the prawns onto wooden skewers, about 4 to a skewer. I submerge my skewers into water while the prawns are marinating so they don't burn on the grill. On a medium-high grill, cook the prawns until just firm, about 1 minute per side. Brush the prawns with the marinade as they cook. I usually serve about 2 skewers per person. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Grilled Corn with Honey, Lime, and Ancho Chili Butter
Grilled sweet corn is one of the staples of summer, and the slightly sweet and spicy butter only brings out its delicious and delicate flavor. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
10 ears of white corn
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper
12 oz unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
2 1/2 teaspoons lime zest
2 teaspoons honey
Directions:
Mix the butter, zest, ancho chili powder, and honey together. Salt to taste and put butter into butter dishes. I decorated mine with an extra pinch of ancho chili powder and lime zest. Set aside or refrigerate. Set your grill to high and drizzle olive oil evenly over the corn, rolling the ears to cover all sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until each side has a little color, about 2-3 minutes a side. Serve hot and butter with the back of a fork (it works better than a knife) and enjoy!
BLAT Salad
When asked to prepare a light and simple salad, my mind wandered to my favorite simple sandwich: The BLAT (aka Bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato). Just get rid of the bread and you have an awesome salad!
Ingredients:8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
2 ripe haas avocados, sliced
4 strips of thick cut bacon, chopped into smallish chunks and grease reserved
2 heads butter lettuce, cleaned
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Cook the bacon until the pieces crisp up. Reserve two tablespoons of bacon grease and whisk together with mustard, lemon juice, and drizzle in olive oil until the flavors are balanced. Salt and pepper to taste. Rip the leafy part of the butter lettuce leaves into a bowl, add the avocado and tomatoes on top, and sprinkle the bacon all over. Dress to taste.
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