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Chef Bobby's Unique Memorial Day Grilling Ideas

Published  June 1, 2016 2:51pm EDT
FOX 2 Detroit

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Memorial Day celebrations aren't quite the same without delicious food to sink your teeth into. 

Chef Bobby Nahra, of the Lakeland Banquet & Event Centre in St. Clair Shores, is encouraging people to go outside of the typical holiday barbeque fare this year.

He visited the Fox2 Studios Sunday morning with some unique dinner ideas for the holiday.

  • Four 1-pound whole branzino-scaled and gutted and heads and tails removed (optional)
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper 
  • 12 cloves of garlic cut in half
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • 4 rosemary sprigs 
  • ½ cup chopped Italian Parsley
  • 18 cherry Tomatoes
  • 4 bay leaves 
  • 2 lemons-1 thinly sliced, 1 cut into wedges 
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
  • 1 cup pinot Grigio
  • Finely chopped parsley, for serving 
  • Tuscan Crusty Bread Or Tuscan Olive Loaf
  • Preheat oven to 500˚F.
  • Season both sides and the cavity of fish with salt. Arrange the 3 cloves garlic, lemon slices, rosemary, thyme, and parsley inside cavity.
  • In a large roasting pan, add olive oil. Transfer fish to pan. Toss in cherry tomatoes and remaining garlic in pan. Add ½ cup wine. Place pan in oven and cook, turning once and adding remaining wine, until skin becomes crispy, about 10 minutes. (To test for doneness, insert a metal skewer into the middle of fish for 5 seconds. Remove the skewer and if warm, then fish is cooked).
  • Transfer fish to serving plate. Arrange roasted tomatoes and lemon slices alongside fish, and drizzle with pan juices.
  • Serve immediately with orchetta pasta in a lemon, garlic, parsley and olive oil.
  • 1 cup Mc Clures Bloody Mix
  • 3 pounds uncooked U 12 EZ Peel Wild Shrimp  
  • 18 fresh littleneck clams
  • 36 Bar Harbor Mussels
  • 16 jumbo bay scallops
  • 24 Fingerling potatoes, I like to pre cook them for about 18 minutes at 375 prior to putting them in the pouch 
  • 2 medium onions, cut into 2-inch pieces 
  • 1 cup white wine or chicken broth 
  • 1 cup minced fresh parsley 
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh basil 
  • 1/2 cup olive oil 
  • Small Poblano or Hungarian Hot Peppers 1 for each pouch
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced 
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper 
  • 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 4 bay leaves 
  • 1/2 cup butter, cubed 
  • French bread
  • Tap clams; discard any that do not close.
  • In a large mixing bowl or a disposable aluminum pan add: the clams, shrimp, mussels, scallops, potatoes, onions, Mc Clures Bloody Mix,  wine, herbs, Butter, oil, garlic, pepper, pepper sauce, salt and bay leaves.
  • Toss ingredients.
  • In a large mixing bowl place a large place a piece of foil inside and then place your parchment paper on top of the foil in the bowl. Now start to layer the clams first, the clams can with stand the direct heat the best and they act as a great conductor. Add the shrimp, mussels, scallops, potatoes, onions in the pouch. Rap the parchment and foil  and Grill, covered, over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
  • At that time establish that the clams have started to open. Take a little peak in and it will probably take another 10-15 minutes max to be fully cooked.
  • Poke pouch with skewer or sharp knife and open carefully as the steam could burn you. 
  • Place in serving bowl and eat with grilled bread.  
  • 1 crown pork roast (bone-in pork loin rib rack, rolled and tied) 
  • Simple Dry Rub 
  • 1/4 cup paprika 
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder 
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder 
  • 4 Fresh Garlic Cloves Chopped
  • 4 Fresh Sage leaves Julienned
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder or cayenne pepper (optional) 
  • 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt 
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup Jack Daniels
  • 2 Cups bbq sauce
  • Remove roast from the refrigerator and set it on a cutting board, bones up. If there is a space in the center, roll up a ball of aluminum foil and insert it in the middle to help the roast hold its shape during cooking. This will also help hold the stuffing if you decide to add it. Brush the underside (meaty end) with a little oil and place, Bones UP.
  • Make the Rub: In a medium bowl, combine the rub ingredients, mixing until thoroughly combined. 
  • Spread the dry rub mixture over the roast, concentrating it on the inside surfaces, and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour for the most even cooking. 
  • Grill the Roast: preheat to about 400 degrees. Set the roast on the grill in the center, push it to the back of the grill and close the lid. Reduce the heat to medium or medium low to hold the temperature about 325degrees, adjusting the burners as needed. 
  • Cook the roast for 12 to 15 minutes per pound or until it reaches about 138 degrees on an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat without touching a bone. My 18-rib roast took about 1 and ¾ hours. 
  • Pull it off the grill, set on a cutting board designed for roasts (with a moat to catch the juices) and lightly cover with foil. Leave it for 20 minutes before carving. The temperature will rise as it rests and the juices will be reabsorbed into the center. You want it to be about 142 degrees, the meat moist and a touch of pinkness is perfect. 
  • If you are adding stuffing, you can spoon it into the center for presentation, then scoop it out before carving. Use tongs or a fork to remove the foil ball and using a very sharp knife, cut down between each rib. 
  • Serve with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and BBQ Street corn.