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What to cook on Friday?

So I have a dilemma. Friday I am having one of my employees and her sig other over for dinner. Typically I just scroll through the forums and find some inspiration, but not this time! 

I dont get off work until 4:30, so I can be home at 5 to start the egg. That gives me roughly 1-1.5 hours to cook something fun. Three of us eat just about anything, but my wife only eats poultry or fish. 

Looking for an impressive, yet quick meal. I have a paella pan, so I was thinking that might be fun. How about some ideas?
San Antonio, TX. LBGE.
Wolf Studios Photography
http://www.wolfstudiosphotography.com

Comments

  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    You said above that your wife only eats poultry and fish. Are we limited to these 2 options only?

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • Spatchcock chicken, fish tacos, chicken bombs...Paella sounds good, but I've never done it so don't know about time.

    The people I've made spatchcock for have all been impressed with the taste and juiciness.
  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    Jambalaya. Spatch a chicken. Pull it off to rest and start the jambalaya. Start to finish 1 hour 45 min. Let me know if you want to know more. It's ez and delicious
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • alexwolf1216
    alexwolf1216 Posts: 112
    edited November 2014
    SGH, not limited, but I would prefer something that she can eat. She will pick out from the jambalaya or paella.

    Greg, got a recipe? We were just talking about jambalaya
    San Antonio, TX. LBGE.
    Wolf Studios Photography
    http://www.wolfstudiosphotography.com
  • I'd cook something I had no chance of screwing up. I'd do appetizers of some kind then cook some really good fish filets or even just some nice plump chicken breasts. I've cooked boneless skinless breasts the past couple weeks for people and blown their doors off, even with something so simple.

    Or cook wifey chicken and cook your company a reverse seared 3lb ribeye roast. Can do that in an hour or hour and a half.

    Little Rock, AR

  • Here's a recipe from @Griffin‌ that he sent me when I posed a similar question. If you have a dutch oven it looks really good. Unfortunately, I don't have a DO, yet...
  • I have a DO on the list.....but sadly dont have one yet :(
    San Antonio, TX. LBGE.
    Wolf Studios Photography
    http://www.wolfstudiosphotography.com
  • Here's an idea. Why don't you throw a butt on at 3-4 in the morning. It should come off right when you get home. The egg will still be at a perfect temp to smoke some fun apps. I'm thinking wings and Moink balls. If you don't go that route I would spartanburg a chicken. If you plate it well on a platter it'll look impressive.
    1 large BGE, Spartanburg SC

    My dog thinks I'm a grilling god. 
  • Check out @griffin site. There's lots of good stuff on there. Also, Naked Whiz and Playing with Smoke and fire
  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    For the rice I use the uncle bens microwaveable 90 second rice. No need for microwave tho. Spatch the chicken let it rest. Start to brown the andouille and the trinity in dutch oven on stove. Pull apart chicken at this point and add when it calls for chicken. Add rest of ingredients and transfer dutch oven back to egg for 30 min or so. I also add frozen shrimp for the last 15 minutes. It's a winner. Scallions on top. Egg temp can be on the way down. You can shut it down after you pull the chicken off. Just leave the daisy wheel open a bit so the smolder doesn't enter the food. Any questions just ask. imageimage
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • Sardonicus
    Sardonicus Posts: 1,700
    edited November 2014
     . . . Friday I am having one of my employees and her sig other over for dinner. . . . That gives me roughly 1-1.5 hours to cook something fun. Three of us eat just about anything, but my wife only eats poultry or fish. 

    Looking for an impressive, yet quick meal. I have a paella pan, so I was thinking that might be fun. How about some ideas?

    Here ya go, Alex:  For only two couples (even three couples) and not a lot of time to spare - this works.  Remember - of your 90 minute window, somma that will be eaten up by fire-starting and VOC-clearing.  And unexpected crap.

    Start w/ bacon-wrapped scallops and bacon-wrapped pineapple chunks.  Indirect, mid to high 300s.  Anyone that doesn't like bacon-wrapped scallops is not of this Earth, or a pedophile, or a Packers fan and should not be in your home in the first place! 

    Plus, It speaks to your wife's seafood lust.  The pineapple chunks wrapped in bacon will satisfy any sweet-toothed guests.

    image

    image

    Meat, wife-food, and starch?  If you don't know this couple's tastes, try a couple/three of "thin-cut" strip steaks, two or three servings of salmon, and some potato planks (plain or boats).

    .

    image

    image

    image

    If you start all of the above indirect, you can pull the plate setter and reverse sear the steaks just as your guests arrive.  The sound and smell of the sear will get their appetites going just right.  If you just gotta have veggies, asparagus (marinated and seasoned, I prefer) searing on the grill along with the steaks will only enhance the ambiance

    As for salad and dessert . . . I ain't into that.  (Ask your wife or some other estrogen-enhanced entity. ;)) )

    Note, Alex - everything mentioned above can be prepped before you go to work Friday morning (including your charcoal build). 

    All you have to do when you walk in after work is drop the match, then change clothes, then come back out and start Egging.

    This way, everything's done on time and the menu is just slightly different enough to be memorable.


    Remember to wipe your brow a lot so everyone thinks you've been slaving over a hot Egg.

    B-)


    "Too bad all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving cabs and barbecuing."      - George Burns

  • @Sardonicus‌ that's some good stuff right there.
  • Sardonicus
    Sardonicus Posts: 1,700
    @Sardonicus‌ that's some good stuff right there.

    Thanks, Yolkie!

    I hope he tries it (or some of it) and gives feedback.

    :-S


    "Too bad all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving cabs and barbecuing."      - George Burns

  • @Sardonicus‌ I did some pineapple slices with DP PH a couple of weeks ago. Man, that's good stuff, add bacon and it's got to be superb.
  • Sardonicus
    Sardonicus Posts: 1,700
    @Sardonicus‌ I did some pineapple slices with DP PH a couple of weeks ago. Man, that's good stuff, add bacon and it's got to be superb.

    theyolksonyou: It doesn't seem to matter how few the guests.  Bacon-wrapped pineapple never seems to last more than a few minutes, particularly if there are couples.

    If it's just the fellas, bacon-wrapped onion rings, moink balls, and bacon-wrapped shrimp/scallops go much more quickly.  Especially moink balls.  (The bacon-wrapped onion rings are among my favorites, but they're too danged labor-intensive to prep for groups.  Lately, I only do them for the two of us.)


    "Too bad all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving cabs and barbecuing."      - George Burns

  • Ejole, this is perfect. do you use canned pineapple or fresh? Im totally going to try this.
    San Antonio, TX. LBGE.
    Wolf Studios Photography
    http://www.wolfstudiosphotography.com
  • i sliced a fresh but bought a can of chunked earlier as I couldn't find a fresh. Not sure it would matter, but watch sugar content on canned as it will scorch quickly at higher temps.
  • Sardonicus
    Sardonicus Posts: 1,700
    edited November 2014
    Ejole, this is perfect. do you use canned pineapple or fresh? Im totally going to try this.

    "Ejole" is right!

    When the bacon is done, plate 'em and serve 'em!  (Remember to stash a few for yourselves.)


    We use fresh pineapple, but I guess canned pineapple chunks might be okay.  I really don't know - never tried using canned.

    A few years ago, I insisted on buying whole, fresh pineapples.  It wasn't worth the effort, IMO. 

    Too much trouble, IMO.  Here, local grocers sell pineapples already peeled and cored. 

    Coring a pineapple proved too much of a pain (at least, for me and my tools).  The cost difference isn't enough to care about.


    Enjoy.



    "Too bad all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving cabs and barbecuing."      - George Burns

  • we didn't have bacon so we sliced a fresh then peeled then around the core ;)

    we were all family no company, so we just ate with our hands...
  • Well that was excellent. My silly self forgot to take photos, but huge thumbs up.
    San Antonio, TX. LBGE.
    Wolf Studios Photography
    http://www.wolfstudiosphotography.com