Suzi's Blog
Grilled Asparagus with Chili-Lime Butter
It may be September but somewhere the asparagus, a springtime treat, is still sprouting. When I see a spear of asparagus, I start looking around for a lurking T-Rex. Asparagus is positively prehistoric looking. And then you taste it, and that confirms that your portion must be prehistoric. That flavor. Nothing like it. I’ll have to try it again next year.
Or, you can use this modestly simple recipe and experience chili heat, butter smoothness and with just the overtones of the veggie. This is mellow asparagus. No dinosaur fears here.
Grilled Asparagus with Chili-Lime Butter
Yield: 4 to 6 Servings
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
- 1½ lbs thick asparagus spears, ends trimmed
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- vegetable oil for the grill pan
Preparation:
Combine butter, chili powder, cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. Add the asparagus with the butter mixture, sprinkle with salt and season with pepper to taste.
If using a stove-top grill pan, heat over medium-high heat, brush lightly with vegetable oil. Grill asparagus turning once, until just tender and caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes per side, moving asparagus as needed to ensure even cooking.
Source: Cook’s Illustrated
Classic Coney Sauce
Have you ever orchestrated a surprise for your spouse, a big surprise, and had it not work out exactly as you had fantasized?
I flew Suzen 3000 miles, rented a car, and drove her to a sacred place. Near my boyhood home was, and is, the greatest hot dog stand on the planet. Now known as Roakes, it was The Foot Long, when I grew up in Portland. Long dogs, onions, and the sauce from heaven.
We’d been married for a decade and I had talked and talked about this hot dog stand. Now we were there.
I bought her one, brought it to her, placed it respectfully in front of her, and waited.
Suzen picked it up, smelled it, sighted down the whole length like a rifle barrel, puckered her mouth, took a bite, and chewed. And chewed. And swallowed.
“It’s not Nathan’s,” came her verdict.
I do love her, and I have forgiven her. But I will never forget.
I’m now on a crusade to find a recipe for that sauce. The Foot Long, aka Roakes, won’t give it up. I’m researching on the web and finding lots and lots of recipes. You can search for “hot dog sauce” and “Coney sauce.” Of the ones I have found, this one is the best. I’ve modified it significantly to give the chili punch my memories say are needed. This sauce is delicious and I will use it, while I search for how to modify it to reach the Roakes pinnacle.
If you have a Roakes recipe, please share it. In the meantime, this sauce will make your dogs sensational. Made with all these spices, it is a deep, dark red and actually sticky because of all the spices. Its aromatic richness is the perfect adornment for a dog grilled until it is black and cracked.
Classic Coney Sauce
Yield: 2 quarts of sauce
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup sugar
½ cup vinegar
¼ cup mustard [standard yellow]
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
Preparation:
Place the ground beef and onions in a large skillet. Cook over medium high heat until the meat is browned. Turn the meat and separate it with a wooden spoon while cooking.
Pour off any fat that has separated during the cooking process.
Add the remaining ingredients, stir to mix thoroughly, and cook over medium heat for 10-20 minutes. Taste test for doneness to please you and to adjust the seasonings.
Source: Brian O’Rourke
