Having read your emails and comments, I know many of you are eager to get grilling, as Cooking Club member Mike’s barbecued chocolate banana brownies will attest. So June’s Cooking Club Challenge is all about firing up the grill.
At the risk of confusing everyone, this month’s recipe challenge has
two parts involving two different recipes: 1) Grilled Potato Skins with
Provolone, Bacon and Sour Cream with 2) Avocado Corn Relish from the
Blackened Scallop with Avocado Corn Relish recipe. Both recipes are courtesy of Matt Dunigan, the host of the new BBQ series
Road Grill, so I’m curious to try them out.
Here's how the Foodtv.ca Cooking Club Challenge works:
Recipe 1: Grilled Potato Skins with Provolone, Bacon and Sour Cream
YIELD: 8 Servings
INGREDIENTS
- 4 x Large russet potatoes washed, skin on
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups mixed grated cheese provolone and cheddar
- 1 cup cooked crispy bacon drained and crumbled
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat BBQ to 325°F (162°C) medium low. Leave two burners on and one burner off. Oil the grill to prevent sticking.
- Rub potatoes with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of the olive oil and prick all over with a fork. Place potatoes over indirect heat for 40-50 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked.
- Remove from the grill and cool.
- Using a sharp serrated knife slice the potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the insides leaving a ½ inch boarder of potato on the skin.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with oil paying close attention to the rim of the potato (the ½ inch border). Sprinkle the cheese and bacon equally among the potatoes.
- Preheat BBQ to medium high heat 375°F (190°C). Oil grill to prevent sticking. Place potato skins cheese side up on the grill.
- Close the lid, and allow potatoes to cook for 7-8 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the skin is crispy.
- Remove from BBQ. Top with scallions, sour cream and salsa if desired.
Recipe 2: Avocado Corn Relish
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 peeled and pitted ripe avocados coarsely mashed
- 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
- 2 tbsp finely sliced green onion
- 1 cup roasted corn kernels or canned
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Juice of 1 large lime
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. To prepare the salsa, mix the mashed avocados, onion, green onion, corn, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, and chili powder together in a medium sized bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Now some housekeeping from last month’s CCC.
Thanks to everyone who
participated in May’s Cooking Club Challenge: Michael Smith’s Banana
Chocolate Brownies. We received almost 60
submissions. The array of submissions was truly mouth watering.
It was
really really hard to pick just two from the batch.
After much humming
and hawing, we picked submissions from Krista, who jumped through
logistic hoops just to make this recipe, and Karen, who sent a recipe
for her Righteous Decadence Vegan Organic Banana Brownies.
The two of you will be receiving a copy of Martha Stewart’s Cookies.
It’s a gorgeous, drool-worthy book which includes every cookie recipe
imaginable.
network.