Grilled Shrimp BLTs with Smashed Avocados/Grilled Chicken in the Style of Vulcan 🌞

[justaprogressive]

Last edited Wed Jul 16, 2025, 01:23 PM - Edit history (1)

Grilled Shrimp BLTs with Smashed Avocados



Here it is, the Cadillac of summer sandwiches. BLTs have always been one of my
favorites, but when you add a rich mixture of shrimp, avocados and onions, you've
got « sandwich that will put a smile on your face. Make sure you use sturdy bread
so that you can stuff all the ingredients inside; but even if things fall out, it’s still great.

Makes 4 big, hearty sandwiches

1 pound medium-size (16/20 count) shrimp, shelled,
deveined, tails removed
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, diced medium
1 small red onion, diced small
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
3 dashes Tabasco sauce
8 slices bread of your choice, lightly toasted
12 slices bacon, cooked until just crisp
4 leaves romaine lettuce, well cleaned
2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thic


METHOD

1. Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and
pepper and thread onto skewers. Grill
over a medium-hot fire for 3 to 4 minutes
per side, of until opaque throughout. Remove
from the grill, cut each into 4 small
pieces, and place in a bowl.

2. Add the avocados, onion, lime juice,
Tabasco, salt, and pepper and mix together
roughly with a large spoon. The mixture
should form a thick and chunky kind of paste.

3. Put a generous amount of this mixture on each
of 4 pieces of bread, top with bacon, lettuce, and
tomato, put the other pieces of bread on top, and eat.

from Chris Schlesinger's "Big Flavors of the Hot Sun"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/458483.Big_Flavors_of_the_Hot_Sun]

************************************************************************************

Grilled Chicken in the Style of Vulcan




Although this dish features the classic Greek flavors of garlic lemon, cinnamon,
and oregano, we named it after our favorite Roman god, who happens to be in
charge of fire. In any case, this is a flavor combo that travels back thousands of
years and will no doubt still be pleasing palates hundreds of years into the future.
There’s really nothing more satisfying than a simple combination of basic flavors.

MARINADE.

1 cup lemon juice (4 - 6 lemons)
2 tablespoons minced garlic.
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon tomato purée
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
oregano (you may substitute
basil, rosemary, or thyme)
1 tablespoon minced fresh red or
green chile pepper of your choice
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
4 8-10oz whole boneless chicken breasts


METHOD
1. In a small bow!, combine all the chicken breasts in a flat,
shallow baking pan and pour the marinade over them. Allow
to sit, covered and refrigerated, for 2 to 3 hours, turning a
couple of times.

2. Remove the chicken breasts and discard the marinade.
Grill the chicken breasts over a medium-hot fire for 7 to 9
minutes per side, or until the juices run clear when the
chicken is pierced, and a peek at the thickest part of one
of the breasts shows no translucence. Remove from the
grill and serve.

from Chris Schlesinger's "Big Flavors of the Hot Sun"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/458483.Big_Flavors_of_the_Hot_Sun

Two toasty examples for heat lovers. Enjoy!


*Chris Schlesinger

Chris was born and raised in Virginia, where he first developed his love for barbecue, spicy food and live fire cooking. He entered the foodservice industry at age 18, when he left college and became a dishwasher. Fascinated by the intense energy and teamwork that are the heart of any restaurant kitchen, Chris went on to become a line cook, and then decided to pursue a formal culinary education at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) where he graduated in 1977.

Following his graduation from the CIA in 1977, Chris worked in 35 different restaurants, working with New England's most innovative chefs during the first blossoming of nouvelle cuisine. He also continued his extensive travels to regions featuring overhead waves and low 80s temperatures, further honing his fondness for loud flavors, seafood, and grilling.

In 1986 Chris opened the East Coast Grill, in 1989, Jake and Earl's Dixie BBQ and in 1990, The Blue Room. All of these restaurants received national attention. In 1996 Chris consolidated his restaurant efforts and revamped the East Coast Grill, tripling its size and shifting its focus to seafood. In 1999 Chris opened the Back Eddy in Westport, MA, overlooking the Westport River. Close relationships with local farmers, fishermen, brewers, vintners and cheese makers define the menu at the Back Eddy.

Chris is the co-author with John Willoughby of five cookbooks: the James Beard Cookbook Award winner, The Thrill of the Grill (Morrow, 1990); Salsas, Sambals, Chutneys, and Chowchows (Morrow, 1993); Big Flavors of the Hot Sun (Morrow, 1994); Lettuce in Your Kitchen (Morrow, 1996); and License to Grill (Morrow, 1997). They also have a monthly feature in The New York Times, and have written numerous articles for magazines such as GQ and Food & Wine. Chris is also a Contributing Editor for Saveur magazine.

An accomplished cooking teacher, Chris has taught culinary students at his alma mater, the Culinary Institute of America, in both the New York and Napa Valley campuses. Chris was the winner of the 1996 James Beard Awards "Best Chef of the Northeast". He has appeared on dozens of television shows around the USA to talk about food and cooking, has been a guest speaker at numerous conferences, and has been featured in over 200 magazine and newspaper articles. Chris is also a founding member of the national organization Chefs 2000 and actively works with local farmers to preserve farming in New England.

[democrank]

1. The chicken marinade sounds delicious.

A plus….Chris Schlesinger and preserving New England farms. We have lost so many in my area of Vermont.