Dining with Miss Lil: Grilling and Chilling

Food

By Lil Nickelson

This is that time of year that you should be outdoors as much as possible, grilling and chilling.  Be adventurous when you grill.  Try new seasonings, recipes, and ingredients such as using fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits you have yet to try.  Fresh herbs can add lots of flavor without any calories.

Marinate your meats for no more than 2 hours in the refrigerator to make sure the acids do not begin the cooking process or you will wound up with tough meats.  If you want to marinate overnight just exclude the salts, vinegar and citrus acids until 2 hours before you begin cooking.  I’ve included a link to a “Build Your Own Shish Kabobs” recipe below.

Gerri Sarnataro, is a Chef Instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan gave out this grilled vegetable recipe in her American Barbeque class.  It’s become my favorite and I prepare it every time I go to a cook out.

For dessert how about some grilled fruit; the link to the recipe follows as well.

Try these recipes and please send in your written responses to recipes that I have shared that you have tasted or tested.  I also encourage you to include photos of the recipes you’ve cooked.  Let’s make this food column a little different from others.

Grilled Vegetables

Ingredients for 4 Servings

• 1 Red Pepper
• 1 Yellow Pepper
• 1 Small Zucchini
• 1 Red Onion
• 1 Tomato
• 1 Small Fennel
• 4 Small Portobello Mushrooms (or 2 large)
• 1 Bunch of Thyme
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation

1. Wash the peppers, zucchini, tomato, fennel and mushrooms.
2. To prepare the vegetables, cut the tops off the peppers and remove the core and seeds.
3. Cut the peppers in half and cut out any of the whitish membrane that remains.
4. Cut each pepper lengthwise into 1 inch thick slices. Set aside.
5. Cut the ends off the zucchini.
6. Cut the zucchini into 3 inch lengths. Stand each piece up on of its flat sides and cut straight down into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices. Set aside.
7. Remove the peel from the onion. Cut 1/4 inch round slices, keeping the rings in one piece. Set aside.
8. Cut out the core of the tomato. Slice the tomato into 1/4 inch slices. Set aside
9. Peel or remove the tough outer layer of the fennel. Cut off the branches. Slice the fennel in half. Make a v cut into the root and remove most of it.
10. Slice the fennel into 1/4 inch slices, starting at the top of the fennel and slicing down toward the root.
11. Cut off the stems of the mushrooms.
12. Remove the leaves of the thyme from the branches. Mince finely.
13. Place the vegetables on a pan and sprinkle salt and pepper over them. Mix the thyme with the olive oil. Using a pastry brush dipped in olive oil, generously coat the vegetables with the oil.
14. Heat the grill; when red hot, begin to grill the vegetables.
15. Turn each vegetable to cook both sides. As each is done, remove to a clean tray.
16. Serve hot or room temperature.

Links For Recipes August 2009

To Build Your Own Shish Kabobs recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bob-blumer/build-your-own-shish-kabobs-recipe/index.html

For Grilled Summer Fruit recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/grilled-summer-fruit-recipe/index.html

Send your photos and recipes to hwcontact@yahoo.com