Grilling bacon chocolate chip cookies isn’t the first thing that comes to people’s mind when firing up the barbecue. However, some people are taking advantage of the warm weather and getting creative with their barbecuing ingredients.
Lainey Luft, co-owner of Stirr! Adventures in Food in Black Diamond, said that there is a huge variety of ingredients that people can get in the summer that’s not available in the winter months.
“There is a lot more to choose from to cook in the summer than in the winter months,” said Luft. “With famers’ markets and everything it’s easy to get things like fresh strawberries and people are more apt to try new things.”
Luft’s business partner Clayton Foster is also co-owner of Stirr! Adventures in Food and loves coming up with new barbecue recipes, such as the unique bacon chocolate chip cookies.
“First, you candy the bacon by sprinkling brown sugar on it and bake it in the oven or on the barbecue and let the grease drip out. Then you break it up into little chunks to mix in with the dough,” said Foster. “It’s better to use a cookie dough made from scratch because it’s more durable for the barbecue. Then you put them onto a cookie sheet and onto the grill.”
Another one of Foster’s favourite meals is a grilled Ceasar salad that can be made on the barbecue.
“There’s a couple of different ways to make it, but we cut romaine lettuce hearts in half and stick them on the grill for 30 seconds to a minute,” said Foster. “And of course you have to add bacon bits and there’s different kinds of dressings to try. It’s one of the things we’ve been playing around and having fun with.”
Luft and Foster also held a Mexican barbecue fusion cooking class where they grilled fresh oysters.
“We take them out of the shell to drain all the water out, season them with a sauce and then put them back in the shell, then you put them on the barbecue shell side down,” said Foster.
He added that if you don’t like the fishy taste of oysters, grilling them gives the oysters a smoky flavour and makes it more palatable.
“Everyone loves to barbecue. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t,” said Foster. “Grilling really gives food a nice rustic flavour.”
Foster prefers a charcoal barbecue to a gas barbecue because he said it always makes for better food.
“A lot of people like a gas barbecue because it’s convenient, but it does nothing for the flavour,” he said. “People shouldn’t be intimidated by a charcoal grill because it’s such a reward when you get the food. A charcoal barbecue cooks a little more moist and humid and a little slower which makes your food come out juicier.”
Luft added that there are many quick and easy ways to utilize your barbecue and still make a delicious meal.
“I think grilling vegetables is one of the quickest things you can make on the barbecue,” she said. “People get tired of steamed vegetables all the time, so tossing vegetables, like mushrooms, in some olive oil, salt, garlic or anything that peaks your interest is really quick and easy.”
She said that people should take advantage of the season and all the fresh fruits and vegetables, such as asparagus, that are available now.
“Flank steak is also relatively cheap because it goes so far,” said Luft. “The secret to cooking a good flank steak is to do it high heat and quick, it takes maybe five minutes. You don’t need to marinate it; just a dry rub.”
Luft added that it’s important to cover the steak once it’s off of the grill and let it sit for about 10 minutes, then cut it across the grain very thinly so that it stays tender.
So, whether it’s salads or desserts, the barbecue is a useful tool that can spice up your meal plan from the old meat and potatoes to new and improved.
For more information on recipes or cooking classes, please call Lainey Luft or Clayton Foster at Stirr! Adventures in Food at 933-7847.
Check out the bacon chocolate chip cookie recipe below!
Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies and Candied Bacon
Candied bacon 1 pckg thick cut bacon (about 10 strips) Brown sugar for sprinkling
Chocolate chip cookies 2 1/4 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup white sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla 2 eggs 12 oz Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1. Make the candied bacon: preheat the oven to 350 F. Lay bacon on a parchment covered baking sheet so they are not overlapping. Sprinkle about 2 tsp brown sugar evenly on each strip of bacon. Bake for 12 minutes, remove from oven, flip bacon and drag it through the syrupy liquid that’s collected on the baking sheet. put the bacon back in the oven for another 12-15 minutes, until it is fully cooked and very dark (mahogany). Remove the strips from the sheet and cool on a wire rack. After they have cooked, chop them or quickly food process into tiny pieces.
2. Make the cookies: combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, both sugars and vanilla in a large bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and bacon pieces.
3. Spoon dough (about a Tbsp per cookie) onto an un-greased baking sheet and bake at 375 F for 9-11 minutes. I tend to go a little under 9 minutes so they come out just underdone. Remove to cooling racks or eat immediately with a tall glass of cold milk.
