Chef George Bieber enjoys fond memories of family cookouts featuring hamburgers and hot dogs. But “when we got fancy, it was sausages,” he recalled.
This July Fourth, treat the gang to some “fancy”- yet easy – new recipes, starting with his grilled sausage sandwich.
“It’s like an upgraded hot dog,” said Bieber of Shorty’s Sunflower Cafe in Pottstown and The Sunflower Truck Stop. “Grilling sausage, in my opinion, is the best, tastiest way.”
He buys handcrafted lamb, Asian duck and other specialty sausages from Freeland Market, adds homemade maple mustard and kohlrabi slaw.
“It works really well in a slaw. It doesn’t oxidize,” Bieber explained. “We get a lot of kohlrabi from our farms, and it’s taken us awhile to come up with something super delicious.”
Delicious also describes the Appalachian Melt at Ron’s Original Bar & Grille in Exton – grilled sourdough bread with ham, bacon, fontina, honey mustard and homemade coleslaw.
“People love it. They just love it,” said owner Ron Inverso, who uses uncured, nitrite-free meats. “I like all the flavors – a little bit of sweet, a little bit of salt.”
Another option: grilled pizza.
“It’s so different,” Inverso noted. “You just have to be careful the grill’s not too not because it will burn.”
Try his caprese grilled pizza with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, arugula and diced tomatoes, or give guests the freedom to choose their toppings.
“Once you get the dough cooked, then everybody can make their own,” he suggested. “It’s kind of fun.”
Maple MustardIngredients1 cup mustard (Dijon or brown, your preference)
1/2 cup maple syrupInstructionsMix mustard and maple syrup. Put into squeeze bottle. Store in refrigerator for 2 to 3 months.
RECIPE COURTESY OF THE SUNFLOWER TRUCK STOP
Kohlrabi SlawIngredients2 cups kohlrabi, grated (about 3 medium-sized kohlrabi)
1/2 cup lemon juice3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon poppy seed1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (can substitute cilantro)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (optional)Salt and pepper, to taste
InstructionsAlways use the freshest, most locally sourced ingredients available. Peel the kohlrabi and finely grate into bowl. Combine with remaining ingredients; stir well. Store in refrigerator for several days.
RECIPE COURTESY OF THE SUNFLOWER TRUCK STOP
Grilled PizzaIngredientsStandard 6-ounce pizza dough
Olive oilSalt and pepper1 ounce prosciutto, sliced very thin
2 ounces fresh mozzarellaTomatoes, fresh diced – heirloom if available
ArugulaLemon vinaigretteInstructions
Spread the pizza dough in an 8-inch circle. Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the dough on one side on medium heat until it sets up and has grill marks. Remove from heat and flip the dough over. Assemble other ingredients onto the dough in the order above, leaving off the arugula and the tomatoes. Put back on the grill until the dough is cooked on the other side. Do as many as needed in batches. Toss the tomatoes and arugula in the vinaigrette and then add to the top of the pizza after cooking. Slice as desired.
RECIPE COURTESY OF RON’S ORIGINAL BAR & GRILLE
Appalachian MeltIngredientsSourdough bread
Butter or olive oilSalt and pepper
4 slices fontina cheese4 ounces smoked ham (We use natural uncured, nitrite-free.)
4 strips bacon (We use uncured, nitrite-free.)
2 ounces honey mustard dressing
2 ounces coleslaw (We make from scratch.)
InstructionsBrush the bread with butter or olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the bread on one side on medium heat until it has grill marks. Remove from heat and flip the bread over. Assemble the other ingredients onto the bread in the order above. Put back on the grill until the bread is cooked and turn as needed. Do as many as needed in batches.
RECIPE COURTESY OF RON’S ORIGINAL BAR & GRILLE