KANSAS CITY, MO — July is “National Grilling Month” and we are kicking off the celebration with Porto do Sul. Owner-Chefs Edson and Leonice Ludwig and join us with grilling tips and delicious food ideas to grill up all summer long.
Brazilian Cognac- and Beer-Marinated Chicken Drumsticks
Makes 8-10 pieces
2 pounds skin-on chicken drumsticks
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
11/2 tablespoons fajita seasoning (find in the Mexican food section at your supermarket)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 ounce cognac or brandy
1 (12-ounce) bottle or can of lager beer, or other light style beer
A day in advance: Wash chicken and pat dry with a paper towel; set aside.
In a zipper-top food bag, combine paprika, fajita seasoning, lemon pepper, cognac and beer. Add chicken and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 24 hours, turning bag once to evenly coat the drumsticks on all sides.
To cook chicken: Drain chicken and discard marinade. Pat chicken dry with paper towel.
Cover grill grate in foil to keep the chicken skin from sticking and tearing. Preheat grill to 350 to 400 degrees or a medium-hot fire. If you are cooking burgers or other items at the same time, divide grill into zones to avoid cross contamination.
Place chicken on one side of the grill and cook for 20-25 minutes until done, flipping half-way through. You may also want to move to a higher rack to finish the last 5 minutes or so of cooking time. Chicken is cooked through when it reaches 165° degrees F. on a meat thermometer.
Brazilian Potato Salad (maionese de batata)
Makes 12 servings
1 pound Russet potatoes, washed and scrubbed
2 carrots, chopped into small dice
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cups good-quality mayonnaise (no Miracle Whip or salad dressing)
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tomato, chopped into small dice
In a large pot of water, bring the potatoes in their skins to a boil and allow to cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes, depending on size. Reserve the boiling water and remove the potatoes. Drain potatoes and set aside to cool.
Add carrots to the water and blanch for 2-3 minutes then shock in an ice-water bath and drain in a colander.
When cool enough to handle but still warm, peel the potatoes and cut into small dice.
In a mixing bowl, mix potatoes, carrots and parsley with mayonnaise until well combined. Taste and add salt to taste. Gently fold in tomato.
Serve potato salad at room temperature or slightly chilled.