Our New Favorite Toy For Bouquet Roasting

We’ve been finding all sorts of ways to cook with our new favorite toy ….

… the Jalapeno Grill Rack.

Designed for upright stuffed jalapenos.

 

Our mission has been to find as many ingredients we can load it with.  Trips to the market have become more of a scavenger hunt as we try to find foods that will fit, and stand up.   In fact, we have taken it with us to test items right there in the produce section.  There’s nothing so funny as Mr.D calling from across the squash bin, “Hey honey will this fit?”  Then people see that we’re putting a culinary puzzle together and begin to chime in with suggestions. (Does anyone else turn their grocery shopping into a social event?)  And thank you to CowgirlGlam who said, “What about slicing pre-cooked sausages lengthwise along with scallions?”  They infuse beautifully.

As we added more vegetables and kebabs it began to look like a garden.  So we call it Bouquet Roasting.

 

This is the easiest roasted appetizer to make:

For kebabs, soak the wooden skewers in water for at least an hour.

Set your oven rack to the lower level to make room for the bouquet.

Preheat your oven to 350 (f)

Place the grill rack on a baking sheet.

Fill it with your favorite goodies and bake for 15 – 25 minutes, depending on your oven.  Let the rack cool a bit before serving so nobody gets a burn while reaching in for goodies.

INGREDIENTS WE USE AND LOVE ……

Cored jalapeños stuffed with a mixture of shredded chicken, red chile and shredded cheddar (or) a mixture of spicy sausage and cream cheese, topped with shredded cheddar

Whole scallions, and asparagus spears shaved bottom stem, drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of s&p

Small eggplants, halved, drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of s&p

Kebabs of yellow squash on the bottom to anchor it, then your choice of: thick sliced pre-cooked chipotle sausage, radish slice, plump tail-on shrimp, thin sliced ribbon skewered zucchini, onions wedges, thin sliced ribbon skewered marinated flank steak, and padron or shishito peppers make great toppers.

Be sure to lightly coat everything with olive oil and salt and pepper before assembling, place heavier ingredients on the bottom, allow the wooden skewers to poke through the holes and touch the bottom baking sheet so they won’t topple over, and place the taller skewers in the center of the rack, fanning out to the shorter peppers and things on the end.

Want more garden effect?  After it’s cooled a bit, wedge fresh chives and cilantro into the bouquet, along with edible flowers.  Sauces?  Try bar-b-que, ranch, sour cream and onion, or chipotle mayo.  You’re the artist and it’s your arrangement.

 

Now that we have an online shop we’ve included the grill rack in our Gadgets / Cookware section, because we have such a great time finding new things to cook with it, for party appetizers or just dinner for two.  If you have ingredient combination ideas, or create your own bouquet roasting we’d love to hear about it!

Happy Cooking and Buen Provecho!

xo Amy and Mr.D

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