This week, Chris throws shrimps on the Barbie!

Seafood can be intimidating on the BBQ but if you are properly prepared it really is not that difficult. You can purchase special fish baskets, cedar planks and even stone tiles to allow for a proper BBQing without it falling between the grill. Also remember skewers are great for making more manageable items during cooking as is a nice tin foil pouch to poach your food.

A clean grill is an ideal grill. Delicate fish will tend to stick or fall apart if it is left dirty. You can oil the grill as well to prevent sticking but it may char from the high heat and produce a bitter taste. Try to stay with a meatier fish like salmon that does not require addition oil. Shellfish already has a non-stick shell that you can leave on during grilling.

Here are a few unconventional ways to wow your guests with Seafood dished at your next BBQ.

Smoked Lobster Mac & Cheese
1 lbs of macaroni (think along the lines of Elbow/Scoobi doo/Fusilli)
1 500ml container of Whipping Cream
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose Flour
¼ fresh chopped Parsley
4 cups grated sharp cheese (old cheddar)
2 cups grated soft cheese (mozzarella/Havarti)
1 cup Parmesan/Romano shredded
1 packet of Cream Cheese
½ teaspoon White Pepper
½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
½ teaspoon Onion Powder
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon Chilli Powder or Chipotle Powder
1 ½ pounds cooked lobster meat (1/2-inch-diced/shredded)
(Note: you can add Franks Red Hot for a bit of additional punch)

Pre-heat your BBQ to around 200F – 250F. This is a low and slow cook thanks to the smoke box.

Soak your wood chips in water for at least an hour.

Boil Pasta as per package direction to slightly under al dente (still firm) and set aside.

Cook your Lobster in boiling water. Let cool and clean as much usable meat as you can. (Yes, you can cheat and use canned lobster but fresh is best)

Make a basic Béchamel sauces for your base (Butter/Cream/Flour/all of your spices). When starting to thicken but NOT boiling begin to mix in your cheeses (in reality you can buy the pre-shredded cheese packages and nobody but you will know). Whisk in the pot until completely blended and thick.

Find a pan you can place on your grill or inside your smoker and mix all yours ingredients together.

Fill your smoke box with wood chips and place on your grill. The pan will be placed on indirect heat (if you have 3 burners only use 2) and will just rest under a closed lid and do its thing (between 200F-250F). Once the smoke box begins to produce, close the lid and let it mellow. Check on it and add additional chips to your smoke box as you see fit to intensify the flavour. Once you notice the edges getting a caramel brown colour, give it a stir. About 4 hours of smoke time will produce a nice balanced dish.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
24 fresh mushrooms (depending on the size)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Cup diced cooked crabmeat (yeah, you can use the canned stuff as a cheat)
½ Cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
¼ Cup finely diced carrot
¼ Cup finely diced celery
1 tsp Thyme
¾ Cup Cream Cheese
¼ Cup dry white wine
Zest from ½ a lemon
6 Slices of crispy cooked bacon finely chopped.
¼ Cup grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese (use Pecorino if you can find it)
2 Tbsp minced Chives
¼ Cup diced Parsley

Pre-heat BBQ to 3500F

Pre-soak wood chips of your choice for at least an hour before placing in your smoke box.

Mix all remaining ingredients in a bowl to create a stuffing. Make sure cheese is well blended.

Pull out stems and clean all mushrooms properly. Take a spoon and remove all fins and some of the internal mushroom to create a nice cavity for filling.

Place mushrooms on BBQ grill over direct heat with your smoke box for 5-10 minutes to infuse some flavour.

Remove mushrooms and stuff with filling.

Place back on BBQ until golden colour develops and created a crust.