Everyone loves a guy who grills! We asked Ocala’s Jose Juarez, America’s Grill Star, to share some of his favorite summertime grill recipes to inspire you to get out of your hamburger-and-hot-dog rut.
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Grilled Polenta And Tenderloin Tapas
(5 servings)
- 17 ounces polenta (one tube)
- 12 ounces tenderloin steak
- 12 ounces of brie cheese
- 2 slices thick-cut applewood smoked bacon
- 6 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 red onion
- 1 green pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 1/2 stick salted butter
Preheat grill to 400°F. › Salt and pepper steak and dust with your favorite barbecue rub. › Grill steak to your liking. (I like mine medium rare.) › Sauté the mushrooms in butter. › Dice peppers and onions. › Quick fry in pan for a maximum of 30 seconds. › Microwave or place bacon in oven until crisp. › Cut each bacon slice in half. › Cut polenta in one-half-inch discs. › Using the same pan as the mushrooms, fry both sides of the polenta with a small amount of butter until crisp on the outside and soft inside. › Slice steak and cheese into thin slices. › Time to build the polenta pyramid! Start with the disc, and then add a small slice of brie cheese, slice of steak, slice of bacon, mushrooms and another slice of cheese. › Add pan-roasted onions and peppers. › Be creative with this fun appetizer: Use the polenta as your canvas, and add other proteins like shrimp, salmon, chicken and pork.
Grilled Shrimp Skewers With Scallops, Pineapple and Sweet Peppers
(6 servings)
- 1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1/2 pound large sea scallops
- 1 pineapple, peeled
- mini sweet red, yellow and orange peppers
- cherry tomatoes
- BarbaCuban 90 mile to MOJO marinade
Marinate shrimp and scallops in Mojo marinade for one hour. › Place skewers in water for one hour to prevent burning. › Slice peppers into one-inch sections. › Preheat grill to 400°F. › Start building your skewers in layers: shrimp, peppers, pineapple, scallops. Have fun, be creative and mix it up! › Grill for approximately four minutes on each side, mopping with Mojo sauce. › Remove from the grill, and let rest for 5 minutes. › Serve and enjoy.
Fun Fact: Did you know Mojo sauce came from the Canary Islands and was brought to Cuba by the Spaniards? It is now known as the national Cuban barbecue sauce.
Grilled Corn And Poblano Pepper Salad
Salad:
- 3 ears of corn, grilled and taken off the cob
- 15 ounces (1 can) black beans, rinsed
- 2 avocados, diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 poblano pepper, grilled and diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro, rough chopped
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup BarbaCuban 90 Miles to
- Mojo sauce
- juice of one lime
- pinch of salt
Grill the corn and poblano pepper: Preheat grill to 400°F. › Brush corn and peppers with olive oil. › Add salt and pepper. › Grill pepper on each side until you see the skin blister and turn charred brown and black. › Grill ears of corn, turning every minute until it shows char marks on all sides. › Combine and toss all ingredients with dressing, and serve.
