More on Grilling Vegetables

Our blog had one of it's busiest days yesterday, so I thought I'd go a little deeper on grilling vegetables! 

Spicy Tropical Fruited, Soy Glazed Salmon Fillet with Habanero

Spicy Tropical Fruited, Soy Glazed Salmon Fillet with Habanero

In the freezer section of your grocery store they sell frozen fruit juice combinations.  This recipe works well with about any of them, but the Apple, Mango and Passion fruit takes this recipe over the top.  And whatever you do, do not omit the lemon juice and dill it really ties the flavors together. 

1-2 Lb. Salmon fillet, skinned

2 tsp. White pepper

vegetable oil spray

¼ cup Frozen apple, mango and passion fruit juice concentrate, thawed

¼ cup coarse grain Dijon mustard

1 Tbl. Soy sauce

2 tsp. Your favorite habanero sauce, use more for extreme heat

2 tsp lemon zest

1 fresh lemon

1 small bunch fresh dill, chopped

Light the grill.  Remove any pin bones from salmon fillet.  Rinse under cold water quickly and pat dry with a paper towel.  Cut fillet into 6 to 8 individual steaks.  Sprinkle both sides with white pepper.  Spray both sides with vegetable oil spray.  In a small mixing bowl whisk together the fruit juice concentrate, mustard, soy sauce habanero sauce and lemon zest. Turn grill to medium.  Place the salmon steaks on the hot grill with the side that had the skin up.  After about 10-15 seconds gently lift the salmon fillet up from the grill surface and set back down (This keeps the fish from sticking).  After 2 minutes gently turn the steaks and once again gently lift them to prevent sticking.  Spoon the glaze over the fish reserving some for the other side.  Depending on your grill you will need to cook the fish for about 8 more minutes.  The rule for grilling fish is 10 minutes of grilling for each inch of thickness…. more or less!  So after 8 more minutes turn the fish one more time spoon on the remaining glaze and let cook for 30 seconds and remove from grill.  Plate, drizzle a little lemon juice and top with fresh dill.

Serves 6-8

Tabouli Salad with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce and Grill-roasted Babaganouj

I went to coffee this morning, as usual I sat out front of The Cave Creek Coffee co and chatted with a few neighbors and friends. I had a light jacket on and after a few moments I was getting very warm. It's that time of year again, when we go from keeping warm to keeping cool. Here in the Sonoran desert where we see summer temperatures in the 110-120f range, that's an art form. It means getting up early if you need to do anything in the yard, taking it easy during the midday heat and eating light.

When it comes to recipes dealing with lighter fare, I like to look to the regions of the world that have been dealing with living in the heat for centuries. There are many to choose from, but today let's look to the middle east and one of my favorites dishes tabouli. Good tabouli, served with Grill-roasted Babaganouj, a selection of olives, a pita bread and cucumber yogurt sauce is exactly what you're looking for when eating in the heat. It both refreshes and satisfies you without filling you up. If you must add meat think grilled lamb!

Tabouli Salad with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Tabouli salad:

1 C Bulghar wheat, dry

1-1/2 C Water, boiling

1-1/2 TSP Kosher salt

Dressing:

1/4 C Olive oil, extra virgin

1/4 C Lemon juice, fresh-squeezed

1 TBL Lime juice, fresh-squeezed

2 CLOVES Garlic, finely minced

1/2 TSP Mint, dried

Finish

1 C Plum tomatoes, diced

1 C English cucumber, diced

1/2 C Scallions, chopped fine

1 BUNCH Italian parsley, chopped fine

2 TSP Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:

1-1/2 C English cucumber, peeled

1/2 PINT Sour cream

1/2 PINT Yogurt

2 CLOVES Garlic, minced fine

1 TBL Mint, dried

Salad:

1. Pour the bulghar into a mixing bowl, then add the salt and pour in the boiling water.

2. Cover with plastic and let soak for 30 minutes.

3. Whisk dressing together and stir into the bulghur.

4. Allow flavors to blend in the refridgerator for three hours.

5. Carefully stir in finishing ingredients.

6. Taste to correct seasoning.

Sauce:

1. Shred cucumber with a cheese grater.

2. Combine all ingredients and allow to chill in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

Grill-roasted Babaganouj:

By roasting this in your grill, you get the light smoky flavor of barbecues of the past.

2 Medium eggplants

1/2 C Tahini

4 CLOVES Garlic, minced fine

1/2 BUNCH Italian parsley, rinsed and chopped fine

Juice of 1 large lemon

3 Scallions, chopped fine

2 TSP Kosher salt

1 TSP Fresh-ground black pepper

1 TBL Extra virgin olive oil

1. Light the grill and turn one burner on medium. Adjust heat until temperature reaches 400 degrees.

2. Cut stems off the eggplant and pierce the skin in several places with a fork. Place the eggplant in an oven-safe baking dish and slow roast in grill over indirect heat for 45 minutes, or until the eggplant has wilted and they are totally soft.

3. Remove from grill and allow to cool. Separate the peel from the insides. In a mixing bowl, mash the insides well and stir in the Tahini, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, scallions, salt, and pepper.

4. Place in the refrigerator and chill well. Drizzle with a good olive oil before serving.

Whole Grill-roasted Sea Bass

Whole Grill-roasted Sea Bass

This technique applies to grill-roasting any fish.

1 2-3 LB Sea Bass, scaled

1 TBL Olive oil

Kosher salt

Fresh-ground black pepper

1 SLICE Lemon

1 SLICE Orange

1 SLICE Lime

2-3 LEAVES Basil (or whatever herb you prefer)

1 TSP Ancho chile powder

2 Green onions, chopped fine

1 Lemon

1. Rinse the fish under very cold water, then dry with a paper towel.

2. Cut 4 deep slits down each side of the fish. Rub both sides of the fish well with olive oil. Season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper.

3. Place the slices of citrus and basil in the cavity of the fish. Roast the fish on a very clean, medium-hot grill, turning only once.

4. After turning, sprinkle with chili powder and dress with green onions. To check for doneness you can look inside the slits.

5. Remove from grill; squeeze a little lemon over the fish and serve.

6. Serves 2.

Simple Smushy Summer Salad

Simple Smushy Summer Salad

Summertime is almost here. Ahh... the winter visitors are starting to head back home and soon we will get a little peace. The streets are quieting down the and soon life here in the desert will come to it’s annual “Sonoran” snails pace. For me, that is the best time of the year. It requires me to slow down and live the way people have been living in the desert for centuries. Drink a little more water, hide from the sun, take a nap and do what little work is needed in the cool mornings or late afternoon. If you’re new to the area and like to sip on a cold beer while doing those little chores, I will give you a trick that the old timers have been using for as long as anyone can remember. Don’t decide until you try it. Iced beer… I mean pouring your favorite beer into a glass of good store bought ice. Yes, it waters down the beer and that’s the point. In fact, you end up drinking almost as much water as beer. Which will make you feel much better due to the fact that alcohol dehydrates. Now that you’ve got your mind around that idea, try this; one half tomato juice, or your favorite Bloody Mary mix, and half beer on ice. The ice re-hydrates you and the tomato juice keeps your potassium up.

I learned this while working construction, in Phoenix, in my early twenties. We would start as soon as there was enough light to see and then we would work through lunch to avoid an extra half hour in the sun. After work we would stop for a cold beer. All the older guys, who were mostly Latinos, would drink their beer on ice, many with tomato juice. When I asked them about it they told me “in the heat straight beer makes you tired!” So I gave it a try, I felt refreshed and so will you.

The heat can ruin your appetite. So summertime meal preparation is also an acquired skill. Light and fresh is the main idea. Combine that with dishes that are easy to prepare and that don’t heat up the house. Now you’re on the right track.

The following recipe is not only easy and refreshing it’s also fun for the kids to help make. Why? When squishing the little tomatoes they squirt all over the place and to a kid, anything that makes a mess is fun.

Simple Smushy Summer Salad

This is great recipe for gardeners that have too many tomatoes on their hands.

3 C Assorted Tomatoes (you know little ones, big ones, in as many colors as possible)

3/4 C Kalamata Olives, with pits

1/2- 3/4 Cups Fresh Arugula Or Basil

For the Dressing

2 TBL Red Wine Vinegar

1/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

If using salad tomatoes cut them up first. If using only the little baby tomatoes no need to cut them. Smash the tomatoes, in a large mixing bowl, until broken up but not pulp, with a large fork or potato masher. Smash the olives on a cutting board with a rolling pin and remove the pits. Add to the tomatoes Toss in arugula or basil. Whisk together oil, vinegar and pepper. Stir in just before serving. Salt to taste.

Also great on cold, oiled, angel hair pasta.

Serves 4-6 as a salad