Grilled Zucchini

It has been awhile since I have written in, mostly because I have been fairly uninspired about anything that I have made lately.  However, after a dinner party last night, I came across (and heartily enjoyed) a simple recipe that I felt could be shared.  Grilled Zucchini.  I realize that it is possibly nothing new to you (new to me, yes), however this time it had a bit of a twist to it.

The Fruits of a Smoker

I recently became the beneficiary of a fine charcoal smoker and decided that my first attempt should be a smoked salmon. I was a little worried that I would turn this beautiful fish into uneatable shoe leather, but I was game for a culinary adventure.

Tri Tip Marinade

To diehard backyard grill-happy girls and boys, the only change in your game from one season or weather-system to the next is whether you'll be eating the grilled goodness indoors or al fresco.

Recently we feasted on a couple of grilled tri tips (one in Feb and one in early March) thanks to my sweet Sis who snuck them into our freezer on her last visit. It was cold and rainy both times we wanted to cook them, but we just tucked the old Weber under the eaves and we were good-to-go.

BBQ Salad

I was eating at a local restaurant and ordered this grilled salad. It was so good and looked super easy to make. This is my version, a quick and easy way to have your veggies with your favorite BBQ.

I have always used Romain lettuce, but any firm head of lettuce would probably work. Slice the heads right down the middle. Add salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic powder. drizzle with olive oil, (a fine mist sprayer works even better). Place cut side down on a HOT grill for about 2 min or until you get your grill marks. While the lettuce is still warm, grate some Parmesan cheese on top, (blue cheese crumbles are awesome too). Serve immediately! Now eat your veggies!

Tri Tip Perfection!

I have come to the conclusion that there is no finer cut of meat than the tri tip. They can be found everywhere, just as good as a nice New York but not as expensive. I try to find one with not too much marbling (fat) and a pretty even thickness through out the whole cut.

Trim any excess fat off the outside of the meat. This fat layer tends to just burn on the grill and not really impart anything to the flavor.

Cucumber Salad

This refreshing salad is an excellent side dish for BBQ's and such. It has no cholesterol in it so you can eat it with absolutely no guilt!

2 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt

Directions

1. Combine cucumbers and red onion in a salad bowl.
2. In a small bowl, stir together water, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and seasoned salt. Pour over vegetables. Chill for 1 hour. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

This is always great for summer and it makes a nice alternative for when you are tired of eating macaroni and potato salads.

Lemon Verbena Butter

In our household, fishing season has begun (meaning that the water has warmed up enough to fish and it isn't snowing out). Trying to come up with new and interesting ideas for fish can be a bit taxing. However, I did come across this recipe that I tried awhile back and remembered that it was pretty tasty (at least with the trout and the bass we caught). I would imagine that it would work very well on any mild tasting fish (such as red snapper, sea bass or grouper) and should be good on shrimp as well. If you find other cool uses for it, let me know.

Napa Valley Cabernet Burgers

A yummy from the grill that will impress one and all from Bon Appétit-July 2003. You can view the complete recipe online at: Epicurious.com

NAPA VALLEY CABERNET BURGERS
750-ml bottle Cabernet Sauvignon
1/4 cup minced shallots
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Vegetable oil
1 cup (packed) coarsely grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
4 4 1/2-inch squares focaccia, cut horizontally in half
8 large tomato slices
2 cups arugula

Boil wine and shallots in medium saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter and brown sugar; whisk until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Mix remaining 8 tablespoons butter and rosemary in small bowl. Set aside.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Mix beef, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup wine-shallot mixture in bowl. Form meat into four 5-inch squares or rounds. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill burgers until brown on bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn burgers and brush with wine-shallot mixture. Continue grilling burgers until cooked to desired doneness, turning and brushing occasionally with wine-shallot mixture, about 4 minutes longer for medium-rare. Sprinkle with cheese after last turn and grill until cheese melts.

Spread cut sides of bread with rosemary butter. Grill, cut side down, until golden, about 2 minutes. Arrange bread, grilled side up, on plates. Top bottom halves with burgers, then tomatoes and arugula. Cover with top halves of bread.

Enjoy!
~Marta

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