RECIPE: CHRIS LILLY'S GRILLED PEACH SANGRIA

Here’s the Grilled Sangria recipe from Chris’ Lilly's new book, Fire & Smoke. If you buy the book from the Big Bob Gibson’s website, Chris will sign it for you and ship it directly from the restaurant.

GRILLED PEACH SANGRIA

FROM: CHEF CHRIS LILLY

FIRE & SMOKE: A PITMASTER’S SECRETS (Clarkson Potter) 

Serves: 8 to 10

Cooking method: Direct heat

Cooking time: 2 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup sugar

2 peaches, peeled and cut into quarters

1 lemon, sliced

1 orange, sliced

1/2 cup peach brandy or schnapps

1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate

1/2 cup Triple Sec

1/3 cup orange juice

1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine

2 cups club soda

DIRECTIONS:

Build a charcoal fire for direct grilling and preheat it to 450°F.

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, peaches, lemons, and oranges.

Immediately put the fruit on the grill over direct heat and grill until the sugar caramelizes, about 1 minute on each side. Remove the fruit from the grill and set aside.

In a blender, combine the peach brandy, frozen lemonade, Triple Sec, orange juice, and the grilled peaches. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large pitcher, add the red wine, and stir well. Add the grilled lemon and orange slices and refrigerate until served.

To serve, add the club soda to the pitcher and mix well. Serve over ice.

GET GRILLING TIPS FROM MEMPHIS IN MAY GRAND CHAMPION CHRIS LILLY

SIGNATURE COCKTAIL: MARTIE'S POMEGRANATE LEMON FIZZ MARTINI

This is my own signature cocktail and it is also one of my favorite cocktails. Mixed with three of my favorite ingredients, you will make this one again and again when you have guests coming for dinner, cards, movie night, or girls night festivities.

POMEGRANATE LEMON FIZZ MARTINI (THE MARTIE-NI)

This lemon and pomegranate martini cocktail will become a go-to in your recipe file.

Makes 4 cocktails; serve in a chilled martini glass

INGREDIENTS

6 ounces Absolut Citron vodka

4  ounces PAMA pomegranate liquor

 2 ounces Limoncello (or substitute fresh lemonade if you want to lighten it slightly)

Splash of club soda

Lemon for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Add ice and ingredients except the soda in a cocktail shaker. Chill your glasses well. Rub a bit of lemon peel around the inside of the rim of the glass. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain into your chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a twist or a slice of lemon and add a splash of chilled club soda.

COCKTAIL RECIPE: THE DOUBLE BUBBLE

If you are hosting the girls after work on Friday and you've got nothing in the house or you need a quick cocktail that will make all of your guests happy, just pick up some sparkling Italian soda  and Prosecco. You can find the Prosecco at any wine store and the sparkling soda at Target, Whole Foods, or World Market. I love the Target brand---and it is only $2.50 a bottle. It comes in several different flavors but I used the blood orange for this recipe. This is also a wonderful way to stretch your wedding budget. If you want to have a Champagne toast but don't have the budget, serve my Double Bubble cocktail instead. You'll pay less for the Prosecco and you will stretch it by adding the sparkling soda. Select a flavor that works well with your menu or select a color that matches your color palette.

A two-bubble cocktail: The Double Bubble. Use chilled Prosecco and chilled Italian Sparkling Soda.

The Double Bubble Cocktail

For 1

3 ounces sparkling Italian soda *use your favorite. I love the Blood Orange.

1-2 ounces Prosecco

ice

This refreshing cocktail is my spin on the traditional Mimosa but you serve it on the rocks. Fill your glasses with ice. Pour the sparkling Italian soda over the ice and float the Prosecco on top. Garnish with a twist or a slice of orange.

For a crowd, I add one bottle of Italian Sparkling soda and one bottle of Prosecco to a chilled glass pitcher right before serving so I don't lose my bubbles.