Red, White and Blue Recipes from 'Weber's Greatest Hits'

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Red, white and blue recipes for the Fourth of July

Chef Jamie Purviance shares recipes from 'Weber's Greatest Hits'

FILET MIGNON CROSTINI WITH BALSAMIC ONION JAM
Serves 10-12

If an appetizer is gone in just a few bites, each bite needs to make a fabulous impression. That’s why we decided to splurge on filet mignon here. The buttery tenderness of the beef tastes luxurious with the tangle of slow-cooked onions and the dollop of heady horseradish cream.

Ingredients:
3 filet mignon steaks, each about 8 oz. and 1½” thick
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tsp. kosher salt
¾ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the crostini:
1 baguette, cut into 25 slices, each about ½” thick
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves

For the cream:
⅓ c. sour cream
3 tbsp. prepared horseradish
¼ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Balsamic Onion Jam (see below)
1 bunch fresh chives, chopped (optional)

Instructions:
Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F).
Brush the steaks on both sides with the oil, then season on both sides with the salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.
Brush the cooking grates clean. Lightly brush one side of each baguette slice with oil. Grill the slices, oiled side down, over direct medium heat, until toasted on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes (grill one side only). Remove from the grill, let cool, and rub the grilled side lightly with the garlic.
Combine the cream ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Grill the steaks over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to your desired doneness, 12 to 14 minutes for medium rare, turning once. (If flare-ups occur, move the steaks temporarily over indirect heat.) Remove from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut the steaks across the grain into ¼-inch-thick slices.
Spread a layer of jam on each toasted baguette slice. Place a slice of meat on the jam and top with a small dollop of the cream. Sprinkle with the chives, if desired.

BALSAMIC ONION JAM
Makes enough for 10-12 servings
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large sweet yellow onions, each about 12 oz., thinly sliced
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ c. balsamic vinegar
½ c. packed light brown sugar
¼ c. dried currants or raisins

Instructions:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the butter and olive oil. Add the onions and salt and cook until translucent and reduced in volume by half, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent browning. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, and currants. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the onions become jam-like and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. The jam will thicken as it cools. (The jam can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before serving.)

HALIBUT WITH ROASTED PEPPER VINAIGRETTE
Serves 4

When we first published this recipe in 2005, it called for Chilean sea bass, which was wonderful and abundant. Since then, it has been overfished, so nowadays we recommend pairing thick, meaty halibut with the brightly colored and flavored vinaigrette. Take care not to overcook the fillets, which can go quickly from moist to dry.

Ingredients:
3 bell peppers, preferably 1 red, 1 yellow, and 1 orange
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. hot-pepper sauce
4 skinless halibut fillets, each about 6 oz. and 1” thick, any pin bones removed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450° to 550°F).
Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the bell peppers over direct high heat, with the lid closed, until blackened and blistered all over, 10 to12 minutes, turning occasionally. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to trap the steam. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Remove and discard the charred skin, stems, and seeds, then cut each pepper lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. In a medium bowl whisk together the remaining vinaigrette ingredients. Add the peppers to the vinaigrette, stir to coat evenly, cover, and set aside for up to 1 day.
Lightly brush the fillets on both sides with oil and then season on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill over direct high heat, with the lid closed, until the flesh is opaque in the center but still moist,5 to 7 minutes, carefully turning once. Remove from the grill.
Serve the fish warm with the vinaigrette spooned on top.

SKILLET BLUEBERRY COBBLER
Serves 8 to 10

Even cooks intimidated by the thought of making a pie crust or baking a cake will declare this dessert a slam dunk, especially if it’s made midsummer when blueberries are at their best. Serve the cobbler heaped into bowls and topped with whipped cream as suggested—or with ice cream if you prefer. It’s as easy as summer ought to be.

Ingredients:
For the filling:
¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter
8 c. fresh or thawed frozen blueberries, divided
1 c. granulated sugar, divided
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

For the batter:
2½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 c. granulated sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 c. whole milk
½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Whipped cream for serving

Instructions:
Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium heat (ideally 350°F).
In a large skillet over medium heat on the stove, melt the butter. Add 4 cups of the blueberries and 1/2 cup of the sugar and heat until the mixture is the consistency of jam, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Add the remaining 4 cups berries, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the flour, the lemon zest and juice, and the nutmeg and stir to combine, making sure all the whole berries are evenly coated. Transfer to a grill-proof 2-quart shallow baking pan.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a small bowl whisk together the milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the flour and stir until well mixed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. There may still be some lumps. Drop the batter onto the fruit in large spoonfuls, starting in the center of the skillet and working toward the edge and leaving a 1-inch border of exposed fruit around the edge. It will seem like too little batter, but it will expand as it bakes.
Brush the cooking grates clean. Bake the cobbler over indirect medium heat, with the lid closed, for 20 minutes. Carefully rotate the pan 90 degrees, being careful as the fruit mixture will be bubbling up, then continue to bake, with the lid closed, until a skewer inserted into the center of the crust comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes more.
Carefully transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature topped with whipped cream.

From "Weber’s Greatest Hits" by Jamie Purviance and Ray Kachatorian. Copyright © 2017 by Jamie Purviance. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. Visit GreatestHits.Weber.com for more information.