BoomerGirl Diary

Dump out the charcoal, turn up the flame, throw a shrimp on the "bar-b" — it's grill season.

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer (for you meteorological sticklers, the first day of summer is June 21), and we can start celebrating with backyard barbeques and casual summer get-togethers.

This summer we have a little help with our entertaining menu. "The Sunset Grill: 125 Tasty Recipes for Casual Get-Togethers and Easy Weeknight Cookouts" (Sunset Books, $21.95) is just what we needed. Sure burgers and dogs are good, but wouldn't BBQ Ribs with Chili and Cumin or Garlic Butterflied Shrimp be better?

The book, by the editors of Sunset Magazine and with a forward by authors Cheryl and Bill Jamison, aims to take the guesswork out of grilling with low-fuss recipes and great grilling how-tos.

Here's a few recipes that caught our eyes:

Garlic butterflied shrimp

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 ½ to 3 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup butter

3 to 4 tablespoons minced garlic

6 to 8 flour tortillas (6-inch)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lime wedges

Prep and cook time: About 45 minutes

1. Prepare the Salsa Cruda (see below) and set aside. Cut each shrimp down the back, from neck to tail, almost all the way through. Rinse the shrimp and lay it open, cut side down, pressing gently to flatten. For easier handling and to hold the shrimp flat, run thin metal skewers, in parallel pairs, crosswise through shrimp, filling the skewers.

2. In a 6- to 8-inch frying pan over low heat, stir the butter and garlic occasionally until the butter melts, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Mix or brush the shrimp with 2/3 cup of the butter mixture.

3. Prepare a grill for cooking over high heat. First, oil the grill rack. If using a charcoal grill, prepare a solid bed of hot coals. If using a gas grill, preheat to high (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above grill level only 2 to 3 seconds). Lay the skewered shrimp on the grill rack. If using a gas grill, close the lid. Cook, turning once, until the shrimp are opaque but still moist-looking in the thickest part (cut to test), 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. While the shrimp are cooling, warm the flour tortillas on the grill.

4. Warm the remaining garlic butter and spoon over the shrimp. Season with salt, pepper, and lime to taste. Wrap the shrimp in the tortillas and serve with the Salsa Cruda.

Salsa Cruda for fisth and poultry

3 fresh Anaheim chiles (9 ounces total)

1 ½ pounds firm, ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped

2 green onions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 to 3 tablespoons minced fresh Serrano chiles (optional)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Rinse, stem, seed and chop the Anaheim chiles. In a bowl, mix the Anaheim chiles, tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, and Serrano chiles with salt and pepper to taste. Serve or cover and chill up to 1 day.

Barbecued ribs with chili powder, garlic, and cumin

Makes 4 main-course or 8 first-course servings

Prep and cook time: About 1 ½ hours, plus at least 8 hours to season

¼ cup chili powder (see Notes)

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme

¾ teaspoon hot dry mustard

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 rack baby back ribs (2 ¼ to 2 ½ pounds), fat trimmed, cut in half lengthwise

2 limes, quartered

1. In a bowl, mix the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, thyme, mustard, salt, pepper, and cloves. Rinse the ribs and pat dry. Rub the ribs all over with the spice mixture. Wrap airtight and chill 8 hours or overnight to season the ribs.

2. Prepare a grill for cooking over indirect heat. First, oil the grill rack. If using a charcoal grill, light 50 to 60 briquets and let burn until covered with ash, about 20 to 30 minutes, then mound them to one side. Place a drip pan on the side cleared of coals—this is the indirect-heat area. If using a gas grill, turn all burners to high and close the lid. When the temperature inside the grill reaches 350 to 400 degrees, lift the lid, turn off one of the burners, and lower the other burner(s) to medium. Place a drip pan under the turned-off burner—this is the indirect-heat area.

3. Set the oiled grill rack in place. Lay the ribs on the grill rack (not directly over heat) and cover the barbecue (if using charcoal, open vents). Cook until the meat is browned, about 15 minutes, turning the ribs once midway through the cooking time. Wrap the ribs in foil and return to the grill. Cook until the meat is tender when pierced, about 30 minutes longer.

4. Transfer the ribs to a platter and cut apart between the bones. Garnish with the lime wedges to squeeze over the ribs to taste.

Notes:

Instead of just chili powder, equal parts of ground dried chipotle and ground dried pasilla chiles—both of which are available in well-stocked supermarkets or Latino markets—make an interesting blend. The ribs can be rubbed with the spice mixture up to 1 day ahead, then wrapped airtight and chilled.

Tasty grilled chicken

Makes 4 servings

Prep and cook time: About 1½ hours, plus 2 hours to marinate

8 skinned chicken drumsticks (about 2 ¼ pounds)

1 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 ½ teaspoons bottled minced garlic

1 ½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons basil oil or olive oil

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Green onion strips (optional)

1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, sherry, garlic, vinegar, basil oil, onion powder, sesame oil, salt, and hot pepper sauce in a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken to the bag and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight, turning the bag occasionally.

2. Prepare a grill for cooking over medium-high heat. First, oil the grill rack. If using a charcoal grill, prepare a solid bed of medium-hot coals. If using a gas grill, preheat to high and close the lid, then open the lid and lower the heat to medium-high (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above grill level only 3 to 4 seconds).

3. Remove the chicken from the bag. Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Lay the chicken on the grill rack. If using a gas grill, close the lid. Grill, turning and basting frequently with the marinade, until the chicken is cooked through (cut to test), about 30 minutes. Garnish with green onion strips if you like, and serve immediately.