Seasonal Recipes

July brings the perfect excuse to fire up the grill and cool down with bright, seasonal flavors. This month’s recipes are all about bold tastes and sunny-day gatherings—from smoky Pork Belly Burnt Ends to a flavorful Grilled Picanha Sandwich with Chimichurri. For a sweet finish, our Lemon Parfaits with Tart Cherries hit just the right balance of tangy and refreshing. And for a crowd-pleasing vegan option, don’t miss the creamy, zesty Vegan Taco Dip. There’s something delicious for everyone to enjoy this summer.

Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Total Time	Servings
1 Hour 10 Minutes	4

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 1/4 pounds pork belly skinless
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon pepper

For Glaze

• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Preheat the smoker to 250F. Cut the meat into 2-inch cubes.
2. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, salt, red chili pepper, onion, garlic and pepper. Rub the pork belly with the spice mixture to cover it well.
3. Place the meat on a wire rack and place it on the smoker for 2 hours or until it gets a dark red color.
4. Transfer the pork to an aluminum dish and add BBQ sauce, brown sugar, honey, and butter.
5. Cover with foil and return to the smoker for another 60 minutes until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 200F.
6. Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes to crisp the meat and thicken the sauce
7. Oven method. Preheat the oven to 275F/135C and season the pork belly. Place the cubes on a wire rack above a baking dish and bake for 2 ½-3 hours. Glaze the pork, then bake for an extra 20-30 minutes. Continue baking until the internal temperature reaches 200F.
8. Grill method. Preheat the grill to medium high heat and prepare the pork belly. Place the cubes on a greased grill pan (or clean grill grates) and grill for 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a large bowl, toss to coat in the glaze, and grill for an extra 1-2 minutes per side.

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Grilled Picanha Sandwich with Chimichurri

Time	Servings
2 Hours	4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small whole picanha (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• Canola oil, for grilling
• 1 ciabatta loaf (14 to 16 ounces), split horizontally
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 avocados, pitted and peeled
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought chimichurri
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions

1. Trim and remove any silver skin from picanha; trim fat cap to about 1/2-inch thickness. Score fat cap horizontally and vertically at 1/2-inch intervals, creating a crosshatch pattern and making sure not to pierce flesh. Slice picanha with the grain into 3 (about 3-inch-thick) steaks; transfer steaks to a rimmed baking sheet. Stir together granulated garlic, cumin, and 2 teaspoons salt in a small bowl. Season steaks on all sides with garlic-salt mixture. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Preheat grill to medium (350°F to 400°F). Lightly grease grill grates with canola oil; place steaks on grates, fat cap side down. Grill, uncovered, until fat begins to render and is golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes, moving steaks around as needed to prevent flare-ups. Turn steaks, and continue grilling, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of steaks registers 120°F (for medium-rare), 15 to 20 minutes, or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer steaks to a cutting board; let rest for 15 minutes. Thinly slice steaks against the grain.
3. Meanwhile, brush cut sides of ciabatta evenly with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place ciabatta halves, cut sides down, on oiled grates. Grill, uncovered, until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes; set aside. Mash avocados with lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil until creamy but still slightly chunky.
4. Arrange sliced steak evenly over bottom ciabatta half, reserving any excess steak for another use. Spoon chimichurri evenly over steak. Layer sliced tomatoes over top, and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread avocado mixture over tomatoes. Spread mayonnaise evenly on top ciabatta half, and close sandwich; cut crosswise into quarters.

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Lemon Parfaits with Tart Cherries

Total Time	Servings
2 Hour 10 Mins	6

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large egg yolks 
• 2 large whole eggs 
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4 medium lemons)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed 
• 1 cup water
• 6 ounces dried tart cherries (about 1 cup packed)
• 1 vanilla bean pod, split and seeds scraped
• 1 (8-ounce) package crème fraîche
• Buttery Vanilla Shortbread, for serving

Directions

1. Fill a large bowl with ice and water; top with another large metal bowl with a fine wire-mesh strainer placed inside. Set ice bath aside.
2. Fill a large saucepan with water to a depth of 1 1/2 inches; bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low; maintain a simmer. Whisk together egg yolks, eggs, lemon zest and juice, and 1 cup sugar in a separate large metal bowl. Place bowl over simmering water in pan, making sure bottom of bowl does not touch water; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and a thermometer inserted into center of curd registers 175°F to 180°F, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; gradually whisk in butter until melted and combined. Pour lemon curd through strainer into prepared ice bath; discard solids. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd; let cool completely at room temperature, about 1 hour.
3. While curd cools, combine 1 cup water, dried cherries, vanilla bean pod and seeds, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium, stirring occasionally. Cook, stirring, until cherries are plump and liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool completely at room temperature, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Discard vanilla bean pod.
4. Divide lemon curd evenly among six glasses. Top each with a dollop of crème fraîche, then spoon cherries and their sauce around the crème fraîche. Serve with shortbread.

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Creamy Vegan Taco Dip

Total Time	Servings
35 Minutes	6 Serving

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic diced
• 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo chopped, to taste
• 1.5 cups vegan beef crumbles*
• 1 15-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 15-ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 8 oz vegan cream cheese
• jalapeño, cilantro, avocado, cherry tomatoes optional toppings

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a baking dish.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, chipotle peppers and vegan beef crumbles to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, beans and taco seasoning to the pan and stir to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the vegan cream cheese. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and place in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the top is browned and the dip is bubbly.
5. Remove from the oven and add your favorite toppings. Serve hot with tortilla chips.

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