Barbecues have been a tradition on Fourth of July weekend for just about as long as we’ve had an independent nation. But, with all the change that’s been happening in this nation recently, maybe it’s time to alter your grilling habits with some new recipes.
In advance of the long weekend, The Sound reached out to several chefs, farmers, and foodies to get a few unique recipes for a summer barbecue. You can pick up most of what you need at your local farmers market, then get your marinades ready and light the grill.
Happy Independence Day, and happy grilling.
Grilled Butterflied Lamb
by Kathy Gunst
There are few grilled foods as deeply satisfying as a grilled butterflied leg of lamb. Ask your butcher to butterfly a leg of lamb (they will remove the bone; you should freeze it and keep it to make a soup or stock this winter) and then marinate it for a few hours and throw it on the grill. Serve with warm pita bread and local plain yogurt mixed with a grated cucumber and chopped fresh mint.
Ingredients: (serves 8-10 people)
1 leg of lamb, about 4.5 to 5 pounds, butterflied and trimmed of excess fat
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
Fresh sprigs of mint for garnish
Place the lamb in a large, non-reactive bowl or a tightly sealed plastic bag. Pour the soy sauce, vinegar, oil, mint, red wine, Worcestershire, garlic, salt, and pepper on top and coat thoroughly. Let the meat marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
Remove the lamb from marinade, placing the marinade in a small saucepan. Preheat the grill to 400 degrees. Place the lamb on the grill and cook about 12 to 15 minutes per side. You can test the meat by placing an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat; it should read about 125 degrees for medium-rare meat. Let the lamb sit for about 5 minutes, lightly covered in foil, before cutting into slices.
While the meat is cooking, or when it is sitting off the grill, simmer the marinade over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the butter off the heat and stir until smooth. Spoon a few tablespoons over the meat and serve the rest on the side. Garnish with fresh mint.
Kathy Gunst is a 2015 James Beard Award-winning journalist, author of “Notes from a Maine Kitchen,” and the “Resident Chef” for National Public Radio’s “Here and Now.”
Vernon Family Farm Favorite Chicken Wings
by Jeremiah Vernon
Vernon Family Farm’s chicken wings are perfect for the grill. The rich flavor obtained through feeding organic grain while also foraging out at pasture stands up to the added seasonings and smoky goodness. Enjoy!
Ingredients: (serves 3-4 people)
2 packages of Vernon Family Farm chicken wings (thawed)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)
Grated ginger to taste (we love lots of ginger, especially from Tuckaway Farm in Lee)
Salt and pepper to taste
Arrange chicken wings in a large bowl or glass dish. Combine all ingredients and pour over chicken wings. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, or overnight. To ensure an even marinade, turn wings over a few times. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove wings from marinade and arrange them on a cooling rack (this is the secret to amazing wings). Place the wings on the cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet (this will catch the juices of the meat and marinade in the oven). Cook for 50-60 minutes or until tender and baste as frequently as you’d like with leftover marinade. If you want to crisp up the wings, turn oven to a low broil for 3-5 minutes.
Jeremiah Vernon is co-owner of Vernon Family Farm, a small family farm in Newfields that specializes in organically grained and pastured chicken, mushrooms, vegetables, and dried flowers.
Chilled Zucchini Soup
by Evan Mallett
Although it’s not cooked on the grill, a bowl of chilled zucchini soup is a healthy and delicious complement to any barbecue. It’s a vegetarian dish, but also goes well with meat.
Ingredients: (serves 6-8 people)
2 pounds zucchini, ends removed and rough chopped
2 onions, julienned
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1.5 tablespoons cumin, toasted and ground
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch De Arbol chili powder
1.5 cups whole milk yogurt
1 cup unsalted vegetable stock
In a large, high-sided sauté pan, combine the zucchini, onions, olive oil, and salt and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and their juices have evaporated in the pan. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, oregano, nutmeg, and chili powder and cook 2 minutes, stirring to combine. Remove from the heat and pour into the bowl of a blender. Add the yogurt and purée until smooth. Remove to a container, thin with the vegetable stock, and refrigerate several hours, until cold. Stir before serving.
Evan Mallett is a chef and co-owner of Black Trumpet Bistro in Portsmouth. He is a board member of the Chefs Collaborative, a national network of food professionals dedicated to creating a better food system.
Grilled Kale
by Tracey Miller
When you fire up your grill this summer, move over the meat and add some veggies to heat! You can grill just about any vegetable, including a green leafy vegetable like kale. Crispy kale makes a great appetizer for a summer barbecue, or a wonderful accompaniment to grilled steak or fish.
Ingredients: (serves 4 people)
1 bunch kale leaves (lacinato kale works best, also referred to as dinosaur kale)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Clean kale and dry thoroughly. Toss with olive oil and garlic. Season evenly with salt. Lay the kale leaves side by side on grill on medium heat. Grill approximately 2-3 minutes then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until kale is crispy. Serve immediately.
Tracey Miller is co-founder of Dig In: Real Food Solutions (diginrealfood.com), a food-coaching program that helps people find out how great they can feel with real food. Her partner is Kath Gallant, owner of Blue Moon Evolution restaurant in Exeter.
Top of page: Meat cooks on the grill during the Farm-a-Q picnic barbecue at Coppal House Farm in Lee on June 28. photo by Michael Sterling