Plank It!

I fancy myself to be fairly handy in the kitchen. Nolana on the other hand, well… as she said yesterday, “I am glad you can cook so we can eat”. My particular strengths are a willingness to try anything, especially if it is a touch different, and the ability to make up things that taste good.

So for Mother’s Day I was requisitioned to cook for Nolana’s mom which gave me the chance to try something new that I had been dying to try: planking!

I made up the menu: planked brie with a roasted red pepper, peach picante topping, planked shrimp gratin with asiago cheese, roasted potatoes with parsely and parmesan and grilled balsamic portabello mushrooms with bell peppers.

Planking involves cooking with a cedar plank on the ol’ BBQ which is much more manly than just plain cooking! First I soaked the planks for a couple hours and prepped the rest which included marinating the veggies.

First to ready was the brie. Layered roasted red peppers on the bottom, then the brie wheel and then the sauce which I concocted (and turned out swell I must say).

Next came the shrimp. Again, I layered sliced lemons on the plank, then put the shrimp mixture on top.

They both got transported out the BBQ where they smoked away with that sweet cedar smell filtering its way into the food.

The brie slowly melted inside the skin until it burst and the shrimp slow cooked away. While this was happening my lovely wife set the table… (and I would be remiss to not mention her aid in the kitchen preparing as well, love ya honey!)

And when everything had soaked up the delighful cedarness we sat down to eat with an excellent bottle of wine and had a great Mother’s Day meal.

And thus, my first planking experience was a huge success and I will most certainly try some more recipes on the plank… who’s coming for dinner?!

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