Celebrating Dad - Sweet & Savory Watermelon Wedges

Considering how important good dads are to our lives, it's kind of crazy that we only set aside one day a year to honor them. Plus they're so easy to please. Dad enjoys the simple things: a burger, a beer, some time to putter around the lawn or tap at golf balls, even just a few hours to watch sports all by himself. Let him do these things and he's a happy guy. 

Father's Day Starters: Shrimp Ceviche, Fresh Mango Margaritas Sweet & Savory Watermelon Wedges, Photo: NK

S 
It was only fitting that our easy-to-achieve Father's Day Barbecue began with the world's easiest summer appetizer, Savory Chili Lime Watermelon Wedges. How many summer starters can be ready in under five minutes? Before we share the ever so simple recipe, 

Check out our Father's Day BBQ Menu:

Cocktail Hour: Assorted Beer + Frozen Mango Margaritas
Sweet & Savory Chili Lime Watermelon Wedges (recipe follows)

Shrimp Ceviche with Tortilla Chips (a Neurotic Kitchen fave, recipe HERE)

Simply Grilled Ribeye Steaks 

Green Salad With Grilled Peaches and Dijon Shallot Vinaigrette

Assorted Ice Cream and Sorbet with Dark Chocolate Brownies & Strawberry Compote

Now, for your new go-to summer app, I give you this fresh spin on a barbecue favorite- a savory, sweet, tart and a little spicy slice of in-season Watermelon. 

Sweet & Savory Chile Lime Watermelon Wedges, who knew? Photo: NK

Sweet & Savory Chile Lime Watermelon Wedges
Serves About 10

Ingredients:
1 Small to Medium very ripe Watermelon (preferably seedless variety)
Zest of 4 Limes
Ancho Chile Powder 
Sea Salt 
Optional Cilantro for garnish

Method:
Slice Watermelon into wedged sized as you desire

Lay on a flat surface and sprinkle liberally with Lime Zest. Next sprinkle lightly with Ancho Chile Powder. 

Slice one of the Limes and squeeze a few drops of juice over the Watermelon Wedges
Sprinkle a bit of Sea Salt all over and serve chilled. Garnish with Lime Wedges and optional Cilantro.

~

It all went together wonderfully with the main event, a simply grilled Ribeye below. Until next year, here's to dad!

Easy Main Course: Ribeye with Green Salad & Grilled Peaches, Photo: NK

An App Fit For Fireworks - Fourth of July Shrimp Ceviche

Happy Birthday, America! Though July Fourth has quickly come and gone, this year's memories of great food and family fun should last us a while. Our Independence Day cookout was a hit, and everyone delivered big time with some excellent food offerings. Highlights included a delicious grilled skirt steak courtesy of my mom and a really fantastic Grilled Peach, Bacon, and Onion salad made by my very talented sister in law. Check out the recipe she used here: Grilled Peach Onion and Bacon Salad with 

Buttermilk Dressing

Photo by John Kernick, Food & Wine Mag

Now my BBQ assignment was to come up with a great starter, and Ceviche was the first thing that popped to mind. Ever since our honeymoon in Belize, my husband and I have been partial to serving ceviches with tortilla chips just as they do there. Ceviche served this way makes a great communal appetizer. Best of all, the Rick Bayless Ceviche recipe that I adapted below calls for the shrimp to be cooked, unlike most ceviches which call for raw fish. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love raw fish ceviches, but when serving a crowd and especially in hot weather, I often err on the side of caution with uncooked ingredients - it's the neurotic in me. Do enjoy this really easy, super citrusy and stupendous Shrimp Ceviche. We sure did!

Shrimp Ceviche - Ceviche de Camaron 

Adapted from Rick Bayless

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2/3 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice

1 1/4 Lb Shrimp, Peeled, Deveined, Tails off. I prefer smaller sized shrimp -35 count/lb. 

(Note: buying cleaned, deveined Shrimp is a huge timesaver. Our fishmonger cleaned them for us for 2 extra bucks - money well spent if you ask me)

1/2 a large White Onion chopped into quarter-inch pieces

1/3 Cup chopped Fresh Cilantro plus extra sprigs for garnish

1/2 Cup Ketchup

2 Tablespoons Mexican Vinegary Hot Sauce - We used Cholula Brand Chili Lime Flavor

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Cup diced, peeled Cucumber

1 small ripe Avocado, peeled and cubed 

Coarse Salt

Photo, NK 

2 Limes cut in quarters for garnish

Good Quality, Study Tortilla Chips for Serving

Method:

Make the Shrimp

Bring one quart of salted water to a boil. 

Add 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice. 

Scoop in the Shrimp and cover until water returns to a boil.

Immediately remove pot from the heat. 

Pour off the water leaving the Shrimp in the pot. 

Return lid to pot and let Shrimp steam for 8 to 10 minutes. 

Once steamed, lay the Shrimp in a large glass, high-sided dish to cool completely.

Once cooled, remove Shrimp to cutting board and cut into thirds or bite-sized hunks.

Boiled Shrimp, Photo: NK

Return Shrimp to the glass pyrex and pour 2/3 Cup Lime Juice over them.

Cover the dish and refrigerate for about an hour.

Once the Shrimp has marinated

Combine Onion, Chopped Cilantro, Avocado and Cucumber in a large bowl. 

Pour in the Shrimp with its Lime Juice.

Add Ketchup, Hot Sauce, and Olive Oil. 

Mixing the Ingredients, Photo: NK 

Mix gently until the wet ingredients are fully incorporated.

Taste for seasoning and add Coarse Salt if needed.

To Serve

You may serve the Ceviche individually in Sundae bowls with Tortilla Chips on the side for a more formal gathering, but I opted to pour the Ceviche into a communal bowl set on a tray with the Tortilla Chips around it. Garnish the dish with lots of Lime wedges and a few Cilantro sprigs. Add a spoon in case folks would like to spoon on the mixture instead of dip the Tortilla Chips.

Enjoy! 

Shrimp Ceviche! Photo: NK

Pin It