Recipes for grilling season kick-off

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Memorial Day is the traditional kick off to the summer grilling season. Chef Sternweiler from the Butcher and the Burger has some ideas to cook the entire meal on the grill.

Butcher & The Burger

1021 West Armitage

Chicago

Appetizer: Grilled Peel & Eat Shrimp, serves 4

2 pounds jumbo shrimp shell on

1/4 cup minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano; Keep stems for grilling

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

Marinate shrimp with above ingredients. Grill over high heat on bed of oregano stems until medium. About 4-5 minutes

Peel and eat. Serve with a squeeze of grilled lemon

Appetizer: Grilled Peel & Eat Shrimp, serves 4

2 pounds jumbo shrimp shell on

1/4 cup minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano; Keep stems for grilling

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

Marinate shrimp with above ingredients. Grill over high heat on bed of oregano stems until medium. About 4-5 minutes

Peel and eat. Serve with a squeeze of grilled lemon

Memorial Day is the traditional kick off to the summer grilling season. Chef Sternweiler from the Butcher and the Burger has some ideas to cook the entire meal on the grill.

Main: Grilled Chicken Saltimbocca

4 boneless, skinless 6 oz. chicken breasts

8 large fresh sage leaves

16 thin slices of prosciutto

For sauce:

1 heaping tablespoon butter

2 ounces olive oil

2 ounces white wine

1 ounce lemon juice

1 heaping tablespoon chopped parsley

Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap on work surface. Using mallet, pound chicken to 1/3-inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place 2 sage leaves atop each chicken breast half. Wrap each chicken breast with 2 prosciutto slices, pressing to adhere. Lightly brush with olive oil prior to grilling. Place chicken on the grill over medium-high heat, turning half way through until fully cooked.

While chicken is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon over cooked chicken, and serve.

Memorial Day is the traditional kick off to the summer grilling season. Chef Sternweiler from the Butcher and the Burger has some ideas to cook the entire meal on the grill.

Dessert: Warm Olive Oil Cake with Grilled Sweet Ricotta Cheese, serves 8

Olive Oil Cake

Butter, for greasing the pan

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Juice and zest of 1 orange (about 3 tablespoons juice, 1 tablespoon zest)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Mix together the sugar and eggs in a medium bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed until blended and light. Drizzle in the olive oil and vanilla and mix until light and smooth. Add the orange juice and zest and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in another medium bowl. Add the flour mixture half at a time to the wet ingredients and mix on low just to incorporate. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the cake cool 15 minutes, drizzle with sweetened ricotta and serve.

Grilled Ricotta

1 cup ricotta cheese

Brown sugar to taste

Lightly sweeten ricotta cheese with brown sugar. Mix until fully blended. Warm olive oil cake on the grill. Wrap ricotta in grape leaves and grill over medium heat until slightly melted. Slit grape leaf purse and the warm ricotta will flow out to become the sauce for the cake. Garnish with your favorite seasonal fruit.