Rob Rainford's Bacon-Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp Stuffed with Crab

Rob Rainford's Born to Grill
Over 100 Recipes from My Backyard to Yours
by Rob Rainford
Trade Paperback, 288 pages
Also available as an eBook 

How I spent my Mother's Day - went to the beach with the puppies, sat out in the sun, drank bubbly, and made the world's best shrimp cocktails with my husband - out of Rob Rainford's brilliant recipes for Bacon-Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp Stuffed with Crab and his Fresh Tomato Salad with Grilled Red Onion.

Rob Rainford is most famous for his television show License to Grill. He is also the reason I learned to grill. Before I would just prep food for my husband to grill, being a little afraid of cooking with fire - or, more likely, turning the thing on and off.

License to Grill was my favourite Food Network show, and once in a while my husband would stand in front of the tv while I drooled over Rob.......'s recipes and shout "but you don't even grill!" to me. So, what's a girl to do? Yep, I learned how to grill. It's easy really. I have no idea what I was so scared of.

So, all you masters of the grill and soon-to-be masters of the grill - you want to take it beyond burgers and sausages right? Rob Rainford's Born to Grill has over a hundred recipes from all over the world, grouped into 20 complete menus. I mixed and matched and paired the shrimp and salad together for my Mother's Day dinner. Possibly the best dinner I have ever had.

The book is exciting, inspiring and beautiful to look at. And I am not just talking about the chef. (Sorry, I have a school-girl crush, although my school-girl days are long gone.)

It's time to fire up the grill!

Bacon-Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp Stuffed with Crab
From Rob Rainford’s Born to Grill


Shrimp

8 jumbo shrimp (8/10 count), peeled and deveined with tail left intact
8 oz (250 g) canned crabmeat
1/2 white onion, finely diced
1/2 sweet red pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/2 bunch green onions (green parts only), thinly sliced
4 tsp (10 mL) panko breadcrumbs
2 tsp (10 mL) mayonnaise
2 tsp (10 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp (2 mL) finely chopped garlic
1/2 tsp (2 mL) hot sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 slices bacon
1 untreated cedar plank, soaked in water for at least 2 hours

Dark rum glaze

1/2 cup (125 ml) dark rum
1/2 cup (125 ml) apple juice
1/4 Cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice

The Rainford Method

1. With a small, sharp knife, make an incision in the back of each shrimp, being careful not to cut all the way through. Open each shrimp like a book.

2. For the stuffing, mix together the crab, white onion, red pepper, green onions, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, hot sauce, and Salt and pepper to taste in a bowl.

3. Spoon crab mixture into the incision in each shrimp, being careful not to overfill them.

4. Roll each shrimp in a slice of bacon to form a cylinder shape, then chill in The refrigerator for at least 1 hour or until firm. Tip: use plastic wrap to help shape of the shrimp once you have rolled them in the bacon.

5. Fire up your charcoal or preheat your gas grill. You need a medium-high grilling temp Of around 350°F (180°C). Prep the grill for cooking over direct heat.

6. To make the glaze, place the rum, apple juice and lemon juice in a small saucepan and Simmer over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the mixture has reduced and reaches a glaze consistency.

7. Place the cedar plank on the grill until it starts to crackle. This will take 10 to 12 minutes.

8. Place the shrimp on the cedar plank. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. Brush with the dark rum glaze for the last 3 minutes of cooking.

Makes 8 servings

Excerpted from Rob Rainford’s Born to Grill. Copyright © 2012 by Rob Rainford. Photographs Copyright © 2012 by Mike McColl. Excerpted by permission of Appetite by Random House, a division of Random House of Canada, Limited. All rights reserved.

Fresh Tomato Salad with Grilled Red Onion
From Rob Rainford’s Born to Grill

I had some leftover Champagne so I added it to the vinaigrette and it was fabulous. If you have no bubbly lying around, sparkling wine or white wine vinegar are good too. For best flavour, chop the tarragon at the last minute.

1 red onion, sliced into 1- inch (2.5 cm) rings
2 Tbsp (30 mL) canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
6 plum tomatoes

Vinaigrette
1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil
1/4 cup (60 mL) cider vinegar
1/4 cup (60 mL) Champagne
3 Tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

The Rainford Method

1. Two hours before grilling, whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together in a bowl and add onion rings, tossing to coat. Marinate at room temperature.

2. Fire up your charcoal or preheat your gas grill. Grilling temp should be around 325 to 350ºF (160 to 180ºC). Prep the grill for cooking over direct heat.

3. Core the tomatoes then cut them lengthwise into quarters. You want large, chunky pieces for this rustic grilled salad.

4. Remove the onion rings from the vinaigrette, reserving the vinaigrette. Brush the onion rings lightly with a little canola oil and season them with salt and black pepper.

5. Place the onion rings on the grill and cook until lightly charred, 6 to 10 minutes per side on medium-high heat.

6. Remove onion rings from the grill and set aside to cool slightly. Whisk the vinaigrette until nice and thick.

7. To assemble the salad, combine the tomatoes, cooled onion rings and vinaigrette in a bowl and you're done.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Tip: canola oil has a higher smoke paint than say, olive oil, so brushing the onion rings with canola before grilling them will prevent the onions burning. Serve this salad buffet-style or in individual salad bowls.

Excerpted from Rob Rainford’s Born to Grill. Copyright © 2012 by Rob Rainford. Photographs Copyright © 2012 by Mike McColl. Excerpted by permission of Appetite by Random House, a division of Random House of Canada, Limited. All rights reserved.