If I owned a shrimp shack, this would definitely be top of the menu.  This is a street food inspired snack that I make as a starter when I know I have a shrimp eater on their way over.  Or if the right kind of shrimp goes on sale.  It’s a simple and tasty way to serve shrimp.  Keep some bread handy and nearby.  You can also jack up the spice in this recipe with hot sauce.

BBQ Shrimp Boats

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, rinsed and deveined.

1/2 tsp red pepper (like cayenne)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp Worcester sauce

1/2 cup shrimp stock (or chicken if you don't have shrimp handy)

1/4 cup beer

Baguette or bolillo  bread, cut into small cross sections

Directions

1. Slowly melt the butter in a cast iron pan.


2. Add all the seasonings as the butter melts.


3. Turn up the heat to high, add the garlic, Worcester sauce and shrimp.  Cook for 2 minutes.


4. Add the stock, cook for 2 more minutes.


5. Add the beer, cook for 1 more minute.


6. Put the bread in bowls.  Serve the shrimp over the bread.  Make sure to cover the shrimp and bread in sauce.

photo by cfarivar

"Well if I owned the taco truck…"

Fajitas must have a common history with brisket - a not so fantastic cut of meat is prepared in a way that makes it edible, and when done well, coveted.  Trouble is, when you live in a sea of tacos, fajitas can get a little overworked.  Everyone sells them.  Within a 1/2 mile radius of my house I can get tacos from at least 20 different sources: from trailers to restaurants to Taco Bell.

They're so common that I think they tend to be reserved for large parties.  Fajitas really are a great way to feed a bunch of hungry folks and far better than burgers.  Large groups means leftovers.  In addition to using up the leftovers, its nice to have a fajita taco that doesn't feel like bologna and white bread - this is it.

This is another take on fajitas - one that stands on its own.  There's no reason you can't stick with the same sides, but these work pretty well as just tacos and no trimming.  These would make a great truck taco, but I can't say I have ever seen one.

Fajitas de Arbol

2 Tbsp oil

1 red onion

4 chilies de Arbol

1/2 cup peanuts

6 roasted green new mexican chili pepper, cut into strips.

1/2 tsp cumin

full steak of fajitas, completely prepared and cooked

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet


2. Cook the onion, peanuts, chilies de Arbol and cumin until the onion is translucent.


3. Add the chilis and cook for 1 minute.


4. Add the fajitas and cook until heated through.


5. Salt and pepper to taste.


6. Serve in soft corn tortillas, and only the serious keep the chilis.

photo by papalars

The taco truck is a standard in my part of the world.  They get in the way during your commute, pull over at entirely random times and make a huge proportion of the working world momentarily relieved with their appearance.  The ice cream truck for adults.  No telling if it’s a local thing, but the taco trucks in my neighborhood use very large blue ceiling vents in a loud call to action.  Their appearance varies, but their menus rarely does.

The two big tacos, so to speak, are carne asada and beef fajita.  Honestly, I am still trying to get carne asada down the way I like it.  Fajitas are pretty simple, so they're a good place to start.

I think fajitas  are best served with lots of condiments - the more the better.  Cheese and salsa are must haves, pico de gallo and avocado  are nearly mandatory.  From there you can include fresh and roasted peppers, sour cream, lettuce or cabbage, pretty much anything you can imagine on a taco.

The key to cooking fajitas is a really hot grill.  I only cook them on a hot charcoal grill, and usually cook about half of this recipe.  I love cooking with Texas Port, so if I cook fajitas I will most likely serve them with braised cabbage.

Fajitas

1 skirt steak.   Usually between 1-2 pounds

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup Texas port wine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp red chili

2 in grated ginger

Juice from 2 lemons

Directions

1. Combine entire marinade until fully blended.


2. Cover beef and marinate overnight.


3. Grill on a very hot grill until cooked through, usually about 10 minutes.


4. Serve with warm tortillas, cheese, avocado,  fresh peppers and salsa

photo by mynameisharsha

As much as I maintained a habit of spending my trips to India enjoying Chicken Tikka eggrolls, I had a much more private tradition of failing to make them correctly on my return home.  I could never get the simplest part correct - the chicken.  Never mind the  roti, which continues to elude me, I was baffled by the chicken.

After nearly a year of fantastic (and mostly delicious) failures, I came to find out that I was actually making different recipes much closer to Pakistani origin than Bangalore.  I could very easily be proved wrong on this, but I am fairly sure I was making something closer to Kalmi Kebab.

What a great way to back your way into a great recipe, by a series of interesting mistakes...

A yogurt based marinade makes recipe want to be baked rather than grilled, but grilled is what I usually do.  I think this is better baked in an oven followed by a quick broil but make sure you use some sort of grilling tray.  You'll want the drippings to fall off the chicken.

That said, you might be happier with the grill, as I was...

Chicken Kalmi Kebab

1 in. Ginger

2 cloves Garlic

1 cup Yoghurt

2 Cloves

1 in Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Cumin

Pinch of Saffron

1/2 tsp Garam masala

1/2 tsp Red chili

2 Tbsp lime juice

1 1/2 - 2 lbs boneless chicken meat

Directions

1. Mix the marinade well


2. Add the marinade to the meat and mix well.


3. Marinate meat for at least 2 hours


4. If using bamboo skewers, soak the skewers for 30 minutes.


5. Grill the skewers on your preferred grill.

photo by LU5H.bunny

When I started this blog, one of my friend's first reactions was "hot dogs!"  I get it - hot dogs are America's street food.  Hot dog vendors crowd the streets of New York and are littered around drinking districts in every large city.  Hot dogs are a part of every decent American baseball game.  Thing is, they taste like bologna, and I really don't like bologna.  There, I said it, I don't like hot dogs.  I get it that you can cover your dog in enough brown mustard to make it entertaining, but I just never found a friend in a bland sausage, white bread and mustard.  Then there's the whole Upton Sinclair problem; I think I'll just stick with empanadas, thank you. 

Here's how I got over it - fresh, smoked dogs.  Once I found fresh smoked hot dogs at my local farmer's market, things started to change between me and America's street food.  A local vendor has figured out that vertical integration goes a long way towards getting customers what they really want, and not just a great steak.  Grill them on a charcoal grill and they are actually quite good.  Tasty even.  The key was an excellent quality of meat and someone that could tell me exactly how they were made.

Although you can get them everywhere, covering hot dogs in chili really came from Texas & Mexico.  Chili takes these over the top.  There is just no way I would use chili from the can.  I realize this is a huge commitment for a chili dog, but you'll just have to try it and find out...

Chili Dogs

Good smoked beef hotdogs

Shiner Bock Chili 

Red onions, diced

Cheese

Directions

1. Grill the dogs over a charcoal grill with lump hardwood charcoal.
   


2. Drop them into a warm bun.
   


3. Cover the chili with onions and cheese (you can also add jalapenos)


4. Serve and eat immediately.