Grilled Poussins With Lemon Herb Butter Recipes

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH LEMON DILL BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat a charcoal or gas grill. If using charcoal, make sure you have a full layer of hot coals on the grate.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, garlic, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Place the oysters (oyster-side up!) on a platter. With two small spoons, place a small dollop (about 1 teaspoon) of the herbed butter on each oyster. Place lightly crinkled sheets of aluminum foil loosely on the grill grates. Place the oysters on the foil, making sure they're level so the butter doesn't spill out. (The foil keeps the oyster shells from tipping over.) Cover the grill with the lid, making sure the vents are open, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the butter comes to a simmer and the oysters are just heated through. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve hot.

GRILLED POUSSINS WITH LEMON HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Stir together 1 stick softened butter, thyme, rosemary, zest, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl until combined well.
• Trim necks of poussins flush with bodies if necessary. Rinse poussins inside and out and pat dry. Discard any excess fat from opening of cavities, then sprinkle cavities with a total of 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Starting at cavity end of each bird, gently slide an index finger between skin and flesh of breasts and legs to loosen skin (be careful not to tear skin). Using a teaspoon measure or small spoon, slide 1 teaspoon herb butter under skin of each breast half and each drumstick (4 teaspoons per poussin), using your finger on outside of skin to push butter out of spoon.
• Put 1 lemon wedge and 3 thyme sprigs into cavity of each poussin, then tie legs together with kitchen string and tuck wing tips under body. Arrange in a large pan. Pat poussins dry, then brush with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining teaspoon salt.
• Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Light charcoal (80 to 100 briquettes) in chimney starter and pour evenly over 2 opposite sides of bottom rack, leaving about an 8-inch-wide space in center of bottom rack free of coals. When charcoal fire is medium-hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill rack for 3 to 4 seconds), remove poussins from pan and arrange in center of lightly oiled grill rack with no coals underneath and cook, covered with lid, until thermometer inserted in fleshy part of a thigh registers 170°F, 35 to 50 minutes. (Add more briquettes if necessary during grilling to maintain heat.)
• Preheat all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce to moderately high. Turn off 1 burner (middle burner if there are 3) and put poussins on lightly oiled rack above shut-off burner. Remove poussins from pan, then grill, covered with lid, until thermometer inserted in fleshy part of a thigh registers 170°F, 35 to 45 minutes.

GRILLED LEMON-HERB POUSSINS

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal grill (with lid) or preheat a gas grill on medium heat.
• Stir together softened butter, zest, chopped thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper with a fork.
• Rinse poussins and pat dry. Season cavities with salt and pepper. Working from cavity end of each bird, run your fingers between skin and flesh of breasts and legs to loosen skin without tearing. Push lemon butter under skin and massage skin from outside to spread butter evenly over breasts and onto legs.
• Insert a thyme sprig and 2 lemon wedges into cavity of each poussin, then tie legs together with kitchen string. Brush birds with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
• When fire is medium-hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack 3 to 4 seconds), place birds, breast sides up, on grill rack and cover grill. Roast, turning every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in fleshy part of a thigh registers 170°F, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer birds to a platter and discard string, then let stand 10 minutes.

GRILLED SALMON WITH LEMON-HERB BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat gas or charcoal grill. In small saucepan, combine shallots, wine and 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture is reduced to about 2 to 3 tablespoons, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat. Stir in cold butter 1 tablespoon at a time until each is well blended. Stir in dill, chives and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cover to keep warm.
• In small bowl, combine oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; mix well. Brush over salmon fillets. Sprinkle with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• When grill is heated, place salmon, skin side up, on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork, turning once and brushing occasionally with any remaining oil mixture. If necessary, reheat butter sauce over very low heat, stirring constantly. Serve salmon with butter sauce.

GRILLED LOBSTER TAILS WITH LEMON & HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Make the butter by mixing together all the ingredients, then season and set aside. Can be made two days ahead. Remove from the fridge to soften before using.
• Use kitchen scissors to cut along the tops of the lobster shells, then flip the tails over and crack the ribs of the shell. Use your fingers to open the shell and loosen the meat keeping it attached at the base and pull it half out. Use a knife to cut along the top of the tail without cutting all the way through and remove the vein if you see one. Sit the tail in a shallow roasting tray and add some butter to each one. Tails can be prepared a few hours ahead and chilled.
• Heat the grill to high, then grill the lobster tails for 10 mins until cooked through. Put them on plates and drizzle with the butter from the pan, or pour the butter into a ramekin and put it in the middle of the table for dipping the lobster meat in. Serve with lemon wedges and scatter with extra parsley, if you like.

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH LEMON DILL BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat a charcoal or gas grill. If using charcoal, make sure you have a full layer of hot coals on the grate.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, garlic, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and beat on medium speed until just combined.
• Place the oysters on the half shell on a sheet pan. Place 1 level teaspoon of the herbed butter on each oyster (you'll have just enough butter for all the oysters). Place slightly crumpled sheets of aluminum foil on the grill grates to keep the oysters stable. Transfer the oysters to the foil, making sure the shells are level so the butter doesn't spill out. Cover the grill with the lid, making sure the vents are open, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the butter comes to a simmer and the oysters are just heated through. Transfer carefully to a platter, sprinkle with sea salt and serve hot.

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH LEMONY GARLIC-HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Ignite a full chimney of coals and spread out under one side of the grill once they are fully covered in gray ash, or heat half the burners of a gas grill to high. Cover and let the grill heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut off a sheet of aluminum foil twice the length of a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Crumple it up so that it fits into the baking sheet. The crumpled foil should be able to support the cupped side of the oysters without allowing them to tip over.
• Prepare the garlic-herb butter: In a food processor, combine the butter, parsley, basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Process until the herbs are finely chopped and there are no large chunks of butter remaining, about 30 seconds total, stopping to scrape down the sides of the processor with a rubber spatula a few times as needed. Transfer the mixture to a small, oven-safe saucepan.
• Using tongs, arrange the oysters over the hot side of the grill, placing them with the cupped sides down, doing your best to set them in the grates so that oyster juices don't pour out of the cups as they open. Cover and cook, checking on them every minute or so, and transferring any oysters that have begun to gape open to the foil-lined baking sheet. After a total of 4 minutes, transfer any remaining oysters to the foil whether they have opened or not. Place the saucepan on the cooler side of the grill.
• As soon as the oysters are cool enough to handle, pry off the top shells with a butter knife or oyster knife, severing through the muscle that holds the oyster to the shell and retaining as much juice in the shell as possible. For oysters that aren't already gaping open, the easiest way to pry off the lids is by inserting the tip of the knife into the joint and firmly twisting it until the joint releases.
• Spoon a generous teaspoon of the garlic-herb butter (which should be fully melted by now) into each oyster, then return the oysters directly onto the grates on the hot side of the grill. Cook, uncovered, until the sauce mixture is bubbling hot, about 1 minute. Return the oysters to the foil-lined baking sheet and serve immediately.

GRILLED HALIBUT WITH LEMON-HERB CRUST

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
• Add melted butter and toss with a fork to form a crumbly mixture.
• In another small bowl, combine mayonnaise, green onion and tomato. (The recipe says to add 1 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon but I never have it so I omit it).
• Arrange fish, skin side down, on a platter. Spread each fillet with mayonnaise mixture. Press crumbs mixture onto each fillet.
• Preheat barbecue on high for 10 minutes. Reduce to medium-high and barbecue fish skin side down until fish flakes easily with a fork and topping is nicely brown - about 10-12 minutes.
• Drizzle lemon juice over fillets and serve immediately.