Suggest foods for weekly guest chef BBQ

Hi All,

Been lurking for a while and since it's been so dead here figured I'd post.

This summer I've been approached to do a guest chef thing a night or two a week at a local waterside restaurant, really more of a beach shack clam bar type place.

The cover count is very erratic and weather driven (if it rains NO business) if it’s sunny and nice 75-150 covers.

The regular folks do the standard burger, dog, fish, clams stuff etc.

My though is to do 3 specials that can rotate between a beef, chicken, pork ribs, pork BBQ shoulder or a fish.

I’d like to do something that can freeze well to keep my FC reasonable.

Any suggestions and or recipes for items that might work.?

I’d also like a one size fits all side to serve with each.

TIA,

Dan

By Beachbumcook (Beachbumcook) on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 09:25 am: Edit

Let me try this again, seems like there are more folks arround now, Thanks

By Cheftim (Cheftim) on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 03:55 pm: Edit

What kind of equipment is available? What is the price range? When your guest cheffing are you responsible for the specials only or for everything?

By Beachbumcook (Beachbumcook) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 09:08 am: Edit

Cheftim thanks for responding!

I have access to a large charcoal grill (the half oil drum type) and a large (60KBTU each) three burner propane camping stove. With the ancillary equipment like chaffers to hold.

I'm just doing the specials, the regular burger and dogs, clams, crabs etc stuff will be done by the regular staff.

Price ranges from 4.50 to about 10.00. I'm going to always offer a BBQ pulled pork sandwich, about a 3 oz portion on a large potato bun with chips for $4.50. FC is about $1 and I will premake the pork, put it in 2# containers and freeze it.

BTW (I have read an amazing number of posts here about this) YES I am using a licensed, insured, commercial kitchen as a commissary.

Thanks

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 03:14 pm: Edit

Beachbum:

Musta missed your first post. Based on your info, maybe you could offer a grilled vegetable platter, or sandwich...portobellos, rosted red peppers, eggplant, and red onion, like that.

Also, I like grilling corn on the cob in the husk. It's sweet and smokey that way and most people love it.

Marinated shish kabobs of any kind are good to dress up cheaper cuts of beef, chicken, shrimp, etc. They're portable finger food with no utensils other than the skewer.

Speking of shish kebobs I like to make grilled fruit shish kebobs for desserts too with peches, pineaple, plums, and any firm fleshed fruit. They caramelize nicely on their own, but a dusting of brown sugar and cinnamon sets them off well too.

Halibut, salmon, ahi tuna, swordfish all make great grilling as steaks, or medallions. Marinated or topped with compound butters, you gotta love em.

Maybe I'm just restating things you've already tried, but they're good choices either way. Just don't ask me to cost them out. Have fun and good luck!

By Beachbumcook (Beachbumcook) on Saturday, June 05, 2004 - 12:32 pm: Edit

Thanks ChefREv!

I think I'll do a Chicken KaBob and I might give the grilled vegies a try but not sure it would work with this crowd, more of meat and seafood group but it's worth a shot. Maybe all the vegies you suggested with a good olive oil and a reduced balsemic or a garlic aoli.
BB

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Saturday, June 05, 2004 - 08:56 pm: Edit

Sounds good BB. Let us know how it goes, please.

By Jonesg (Jonesg) on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 02:28 am: Edit

What about a rouille served with bouillebaise.
Maybe call it beachbum stew.

By Beachbumcook (Beachbumcook) on Sunday, June 06, 2004 - 10:42 am: Edit

What is a rouille?

Bouillebaise is a little misenlace intensive for this gig, No place to hold anything really, I'll be working outside with a couple of tables and coolers. I need stuff that can be grilled or sauteed and can be banged out quickly if we get a crowd.

Thanks for all the input!

BB

By Beachbumcook (Beachbumcook) on Monday, July 05, 2004 - 12:52 pm: Edit

Quick update-

It was a good time and $$ success-

The Menu-
BBQ Pulled Pork on a potato bun
$6

Pork ribs with smoky BBQ sauce
$12

Jerk Chicken Wrap with Walker Wood Chutney
$8

Jerk Chicken Salad with Walker Wood Yogurt Dressing
$9

We did 71 tickets with 101 and 1/2 plates (a half rack for a kid)

They loved everything but the salad only sold 3 portions, dumping that next week.

We did no advertising, just word of mouth. this week should be up 50%.

Kicked back $2 for most and $1 per pulled pork to the property, well worth it because they handeled all the money, tables and other staff. I just collected the dupes did a spread sheet breaking it all out, deducted their cut and they paid me the next day. The owners love it and so did I.

Can't wait till this week.

Time to cook the pork shoulders!

BBC

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Monday, July 05, 2004 - 11:03 pm: Edit

Cool!

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 11:38 pm: Edit

Rouille is garlic mayo. I like it with roasted red bell peppers too.

By Katashenka (Katashenka) on Monday, July 12, 2004 - 02:14 pm: Edit

I have to differ with you. Aioli is garlic mayo. It's true that Rouille is a classic garnish for Bouillabaisse, but it's a reddish paste of chilies, garlic, fresh breadcrumbs, olive oil, fish stock, and of course salt and pepper. It's very pungent and, like the fish stew it comes on, varies from port to port. Sorry to correct - I'm a word hound!

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Monday, July 12, 2004 - 05:15 pm: Edit

Rouille



There are as many recipes for Rouille as there are for Bouillabaisse. The traditional recipe is a homemade mayonnaise, with raw garlic (it’s up to your conscience how much) incorporated with the egg yolks and the whole seasoned with cayenne pepper.

Much of the Rouille you’ll encounter is simply mayonnaise from a jar, judiciously seasoned with pressed raw garlic, and cayenne pepper. It’s fine.

Unfortunately, mayonnaise, with its egg yolk and olive oil base, is high in fat. Since we love Rouille, we have invented a low fat version that is delicious and nearly guilt-free.




INGREDIENTS:
1 roasted Red Pepper (a small jar of roasted red peppers works fine)
4 slices of White Bread, crusts and all
peeled cloves of Garlic (we use about 10)
2-4 tablespoons Olive Oil
Cayenne Pepper to taste (we start with about ½ teaspoon but definitely add more)

Food Processor
DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the red pepper in a food processor and process until smooth.
2. Add the garlic (you can coarsely chop it first, if you like) and process again.
3. Add the bread and process until all is integrated.
4. Add the olive oil and process to a smooth paste, cleaning the sides with a rubber spatula once or twice. Season with cayenne.


Another version...............................

Ingredients:

1 red pepper, roasted and peeled
2 cloves garlic
1 pieces of white bread torn into pieces
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, except for the oil. Puree until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season the emulsion with salt and pepper.

By Point83702 (Point83702) on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 11:27 pm: Edit

"ROUILLE- A provencal sauce whose name (meaning rust) describes its colour, due to the presence of red chilies and sometimes saffron. The chilies are pounded with garlic and breadcrumbs (or potato pulp), then blended with olive oil and stock. Rouille is served with bouillibaise, boiled fish and octopus. Lemon juice and fish liver may be added to it."-Larousse Gastronomique 2001-For what it's worth

By Jonesg (Jonesg) on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 05:09 am: Edit

I use roasted red peppers (peeled), raw garlic, yolks, olive oil, salt and cayenne. Poach the fish, don't boil it.

When I had my restaurant I made double sized batches of aioli and converted half to rouille.
So I guess my rouille had boiled potatoe , I found it made a huge difference when made properly in a mortar and pastel.
Spread the 2 sauces on toasted baguette slices and floated it on the stew.