Barbecued Okra

Okra for me was a "new" vegetable. I don't recall ever seeing my Mom make okra nor did I see it on any other tables growing up.  For this reason, it is NOT in my repertoire .....

Enter Willey Farms and a fresh bag of okra. Their newsletter, "What's Growin' On", saved me today by providing this fun recipe (modified to suit my personal tastes):

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 t smoked paprika

1/2 t powdered garlic

1/2 t agave nectar 

1/2 t "Slap Yo Mama" seasoning

1 Tbsp Bari Olive oil (I actually used about 2.... But who's counting)

1/2 lb fresh okra

Preheat your grill.  Wash the okra and blot dry. Remove the stems  but do not cut in to the pods.  Place in  a big bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and agave nectar. Toss to coat.  In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Toss the dry ingredients and mix to coat the okra.  Place in a grill basket and cook till lightly brown.  Takes about 2 to 4 minutes. Can be put directly in the grill individually or laced together with a skewer.

Yummy!! 

The Cro Joe's special - the Croatian version of a Joe's Special (Week 41)

My sister and I had a wonderful family dinner on Friday night complete with my civapcici and her kajmak. It was fabulous and, on Sunday morning, armed with leftovers, I made what I am calling the "Cro Joe Special" for breakfast.

I love a Joe's Special!! Well....as the story goes, a customer came in to the Original Joe's (in San Francisco's tenderloin district) and ordered a spinach omelette   It was late so the chef added hamburger and ...a legend was born!  Interesting to note, Ante Rudin, one of the original partners at Joe's, was Croatian.  He came from the island of Prvik Luka at at very young age.....sounds so much like BOTH my grandfathers!!  I'd like to think my funky little dish would make Ante proud!

I am grateful that my hubby gave me a 2 second warning so I could shape a photo. Standard in my house......It was gone quickly!!

The Cro Joe's Special

• 4 to 6 cooked civapcici (see http://fresnosfabulous52.blogspot.com/2012/05/cevapciciits-whats-for-supper-week-19.html), chopped
• 1/2 to 1 c.grilled peppers (Italian curly peppers from the Vineyard Farmers Market), chopped
• 1 1/2 c. grilled baby red potatoes, quartered
• 1/2 c. chopped onions
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 eggs beaten with a little Vegeta

Place olive oil in skillet. Heat and add potatoes. Sauté then add remaining ingredients. Cook till fully warmed.

Add eggs and let them set. Spoon on to plate  and serve with toast smeared with kajmak.
Oh yeah.....the Kajmak.  Kajmak is said to be Serbian but Stephanie and I fell in love with it in Zagreb so for us....it's Croatian.  It is a wonderful spread that goes very well with meats and other items.  Here is my "quick" kajmak recipe".....I am hoping my sister comments on this so she can add her two cents in to this.  My civapcici are better than hers and her kajmak is better than mine!

Kajmak
1 cup feta
2 cups cream cheese
1 stick of butter, softened

Mix together and blend well.

BBQ'd Doves (Week 36 extra)

My Teta Marion and my cousin Mitch...getting ready for BBQ!

Typically, I don't write about food that isn't my personal favorite....why point my followers to something that doesn't make MY mouth water BUT last Sunday was the opening of dove season.  I come from a long line of dove hunters (seriously, it is a BIG family tradition!)  My Mother's father (Nono) used to dove hunt on his ranch and my Mom's birthday is at the opening of dove season so eating BBQ'd dove is both her right and her privilege!  I have family members who drive 100 miles or more to hunt on my Godfather's property and every one of my aunts can clean a bird faster than a well trained boy scout!  I, on the other hand, never quite took a fancy to those little devils.  Going in to the more recent history, my husband won my mother's heart the night he asked for my hand in marriage by showing up with a bag of cleaned, freshly shot dove ...woo woo!  Mom was thrilled, Dad was impressed.....I personally thought it was a bit CAVE man....!

This year, the hubby teamed up with his buddies and went out to Madera (yes... always fresh and local) for a nice hunt.  He bagged 16 (which in doves isn't enough to equal a decent slice of prime rib).  I seasoned and marinaded them, took them out to the folks and BBQ them for my parents.  Mom was in heaven and Dad, who typically eats them to please Mom, called me the next morning to rave about my marinade.  I am now compelled to share!!

How I did the doves
1 big (gallon size zip lock) bag
12 to 16 cleaned doves
2 to 4 metal kabob skewers, wiped down with olive oil
4 fresh sprigs of rosemary
4 crushed cloves of garlic
1/4 c. or so of olive oil
juice of one whole lemon
LOTS of Pappy's Prime Rib Rub
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Put the dove in the bag.  Pour the wet ingredients in the bag, seal and squish it around.  Take the rosemary off the wood and place the little leaves int he bag with the dry seasonings.  Use about 4 or 5 tablespoons of  Pappy's and pour this in to the bag then shake it up and down till the birds are coated well.  Let sit over night till ready to grill.

When grill is hot, skewer the birds from the side of the body and place over flame.  Turn often and DO NOT over cook...they get DRY as a bone!  YUCK.  Test the breast in a few minutes to make sure that there isn't blood.  When just pink, pull them off and eat.  Finger lickin' good!

Another variation is to stuff each with a fresh clove of garlic or a jalapeno pepper and lace with bacon.  My Mom say the bacon over powers the bird taste but I am a bacon fan....it's up to you.