Sizzle aka/ Out of the Kitchen and onto the Grill

There is a plethora of interesting recipes out in the "cloud". I choose a few that I like to cook when I want to keep it simple and enjoyable. I invite a few friends and serve with wine, beer and some fresh air!

Grilled Shrimp with Oregano and Lemon

SERVINGS: 8

1. 1/2 cup salted capers—rinsed, soaked for 1 hour and drained
2. 1/2 cup oregano leaves
3. 1 garlic clove, minced
4. 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5. 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
6. 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
7. Freshly ground pepper
8. 2 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
9. Salt

1. On a cutting board, finely chop the drained capers with the oregano leaves and garlic. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, along with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Season the sauce with pepper.
2. Light a grill. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Thread the shrimp onto metal skewers and grill over high heat, turning once, until the shrimp are lightly charred and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the skewers and transfer them to a platter. Spoon the sauce on top and serve.

The sauce can be refrigerated overnight. Bring it to room temperature before serving. This sauce is also delicious on any variety of thick cut fish (swordfish, mahi, etc.)

 Bacon and Roquefort Stuffed Burgers   4 servings

You can substitute bleu, gorgonzola, or feta for the Roquefort cheese. 

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 4 ounces Roquefort or other blue cheese, crumbled

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 4 hamburger buns, split and toasted 1 tomato, sliced 1 red onion, sliced 4 leaves lettuce

1.	In a large bowl, lightly mix the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper. Divide into 8 equal portions and flatten each one into 1/4 inch thick patty. In a separate bowl, combine the crumbled bacon, Roquefort cheese and thyme. Place an equal portion of the bacon mixture onto 4 of the patties. Top with the remaining 4 patties, pressing the edges together to enclose the filling.
2.	Preheat a grill for medium heat. When hot, lightly oil the grate.
3.	Grill the patties for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Serve immediately on toasted buns, topped with tomato, onion and lettuce.