Grilled Citrus Margarita Food

GRILLED PEACH MARGARITAS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium high. Grill the peaches cut-side down until marked, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Combine the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and all but 2 grilled peach halves in a blender. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth.
• Slice the remaining grilled peach halves. Divide the drink among ice-filled glasses and garnish with the sliced peaches.

GRILLED CITRUS SPIKED LEMONADE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium-high.
• Combine the lemons, limes and oranges in a medium bowl and toss with 1/4 cup of the sugar to coat. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt.
• Place the fruit, cut-side down, on the grill; cook until dark brown grill marks appear, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove to a plate and let cool. Cut 2 lemon halves into slices and set aside for garnish.
• Combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar with 2 cups water in a saucepot over medium heat. Cook until the sugar is fully melted, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Pour the sugar syrup into a pitcher and add the basil leaves. Juice the grilled citrus through a strainer into the pitcher. Add vodka to taste, if using. Stir, add ice, and garnish with the reserved lemon slices. Serve cold.

GRILLED CITRUS ICEBOX PIE

Steps:

• Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare a grill for medium heat. Grill the lemon, lime and orange cut-sides down until charred and soft, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly, then zest some of the fruit to get 1 tablespoon of zest; set aside. Juice all of the citrus (you should have 1/2 cup citrus juice).
• Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk and the citrus juice. Stir until smooth, then pour into the prepared crust. Bake until the center of the pie is just set, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate for another hour until chilled. Chill a large bowl.
• Put the heavy cream in the chilled bowl and add the confectioners' sugar and the grilled zest. Whip until soft peaks form. Top the cooled pie with the whipped cream and serve immediately or chill again briefly before serving.

GRILLED PIZZA MARGARITA

Steps:

• Prepare a hot charcoal fire, setting the grill rack 3 to 4 inches above the coals.
• On a large, oiled, inverted baking sheet, spread and flatten the pizza dough with your hands into a 10 to 12-inch free form circle, 1/8-inch thick. Do not make a lip. You may end up with a rectangle rather than a circle; the shape is unimportant, but do take care to maintain an even thickness.
• When the fire is hot (when you can hold your hand over the coals for 3 to 4 seconds at a distance of 5 inches), use your fingertips to lift the dough gently by the two corners closest to you, and drape in onto the grill. Catch the loose edge on the grill first and slide the remaining dough into place over the fire. Within a minute the dough will puff slightly, the underside will stiffen, and grill marks will appear.
• Using tongs, immediately flip the crust over, onto the coolest part of the grill. Quickly brush the grilled surface with olive oil. Scatter the garlic and cheeses over the dough, and spoon dollops of tomato over the cheese. Do not cover the entire surface of the pizza with tomatoes. Finally, drizzle the pizza with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Slide the pizza back toward the hot coals, but not directly over them. Using tongs, rotate the pizza frequently so that different sections receive high heat; check the underside often to see that it is not burning. The pizza is done when the top is bubbly and the cheese melted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serve at once, topped with the basil leaves and additional olive oil, if desired.
• Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup warm (105 to 110 degrees F) water and allow it to dissolve and activate, about 5 minutes.
• Combine the flour and salt and mound it onto a cool work surface creating a high walled well in the center. Combine the yeast mixture with 1 1/2 cups of cool water and pour into the well. Slowly begin to mix the water and flour, a little at a time, moving your fingers in short, counter clockwise circles around the border of the water. When the dough is firm enough to hold it's shape, scrape the remaining flour over it and knead until the mass is smooth and shiny, approximately 7 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a bowl that has been brushed with olive oil. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil to prevent a skin from forming, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down the dough and knead once more. Let the dough rise again for about 40 minutes, punch down again and form dough into 4 balls.

WHOLE CITRUS MARGARITAS

Steps:

• Put the oranges, lemons, and limes through a juicer. Pour the juice into a large pitcher. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Then stir in the Cointreau, Triple Sec, and tequila.
• To serve: Pour salt onto a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the top of each glass and dip the glass in the salt. Fill each glass halfway with ice and pour in the juice mixture. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.
• Chef's note: Farm freshness is the key here. Look for the citrus that is mostly in season and adjust the recipe. Tangerines, Meyer lemons, and key limes all have amazing flavor if you can find them.

CITRUS MARGARITA

Steps:

• Combine liqueur, tequila, orange juice, lime juice and grapefruit juice in a large pitcher and mix well.
• Chill covered in the refrigerator.
• To serve, rub the rims of margarita glasses with lime wedges and dip in margarita salt, rotating gently to cover the rims evenly.
• Fill the salt-filled glasses with ice.
• Shake the chilled margarita mixture in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and strain into the prepared glasses.
• Garnish each serving with orange, lime and/or grapefruit slices.