CRISPY GRILLED POTATOES

Cut out individual pieces of foil (or one large piece.)  Line the bottom of the foil with butter and Parmesan cheese – the secret ingredients for crispy potatoes. Slice the potatoes, and put 1/2 to 1 whole potato in the foil.  For a whole one, put an extra layer of butter in between the bottom and top layer of potatoes. Cover the top layer with butter and Parmesan cheese too. (You can also put onions in the mix but, OF COURSE, I would never do that.) I like to put garlic salt/powder in it though – I think my mom cuts up chunks of real garlic. Then roll the top to close the foil, poke holes in it with a fork, to vent. Place the foil packets on grill...probably 45-60 minutes, depending on how crispy you would like them.

GRILLED VEGETABLE PACKETS

Take a piece of extra wide aluminum foil and fill with a layer of thinly sliced, peeled or unpeeled potatoes, baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise, zucchini, mushrooms, Vidalia onion, red pepper strips, or any vegetables that you like.  Drizzle with olive oil, add salt, pepper, and any Asian grill seasoning or any type of seasoning you like. Fold the foil over and seal on ends and top. Cook about 20 minutes on the top rack of the grill. My kids really love them and they're not huge veggie lovers.

Sarah Baysinger Schmit

GRILLED CAESAR SALAD

Rinse and pat dry two heads of romaine lettuce. Cut them into quarters lengthwise. Slice a loaf of French bread diagonally into 1/2-inch slices.  Brush cut surfaces of the lettuce and bread with olive oil.  Rub the bread slices with the cut side of a clove of garlic. Grill the lettuce on the cut sides, turning over once – about 8 -10 minutes total – or until lettuce leaves begin to wilt and brown.  Toast the bread slices on the grill until browned.  Place each lettuce wedge on a salad plate and drizzle with your favorite Caesar dressing. Garnish with a slice of toasted bread and some shavings from a wedge of good Parmesan over each salad. Also works well as a main dish salad with the addition of grilled shrimp, chicken, or steak, slices of avocado and cherry tomatoes!

Steve Sedlacek

TUNA BURGERS

1 1/2 pounds fresh tuna steak 

2 cloves garlic, chopped 

2 inches fresh ginger root, minced or grated 

3 tablespoons tamari dark soy sauce 

2 scallions, chopped 

1/2 small red bell pepper, finely chopped 

2 teaspoons sesame oil 

2 teaspoons Montreal Steak Seasoning 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped 

kosher salt

4 sandwich rolls, split 

8 ounces mango chutney 

red leaf lettuce leaves 

8 ounces wasabi mustard 

Preheat a nonstick griddle or a grill pan over high heat.  Cube tuna into bite size pieces and place in a food processor. Pulse the processor to coarse-grind the tuna; it should take on the consistency of ground beef or turkey. Transfer tuna to a bowl. Combine ground tuna with garlic, ginger, dark soy sauce, scallions, red bell pepper, sesame oil, seasoning blend and black pepper. Form 4 large patties, 1 1/2-inches thick. Drizzle patties on both sides with vegetable oil.  Cook tuna burgers 3 minutes on each side for rare, up to 6 minutes each side for well done. In a medium nonstick skillet over high heat, sauté fresh shiitakes for 2-3 minutes in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.  Season mushrooms with salt and pepper.  Open up the rolls and lightly toast on the grill. Spread mango chutney on the bottom of each bun. Top with tuna burger, shiitakes, and red leaf lettuce. Spread wasabi mustard on bun tops and set them in place. 

Jane Baysinger McGarry

STEAK WITH GORGONZOLA BUTTER

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese

1/4 cup walnuts, finely ground

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

4 tenderloin steaks, 8 ounces each

Place butter, Gorgonzola, walnuts, and parsley into a bowl and beat until well blended.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Form into a log, wrap in foil, and chill until firm.  Lightly season the steaks with salt and pepper and grill or sauté in a heavy cast iron skillet for about 3 minutes on a side for rare, or longer to desired doneness.  Cut the butter into 8 slices and place 2 slices of butter onto each cooked steak; wrap loosely in foil and let steaks rest for 5 minutes.

SIMPLE GRILLED SALMON

Salmon Filets

Melted Butter

Brown Sugar

Lemon Juice

 

Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl.  Place salmon filets in a foil-lined baking dish or make a packet to with heavy-duty foil to enclose them.  Pour butter mixture over salmon filets to coat thoroughly.  Cover baking dish with foil or seal foil packet closed and cook over a moderately hot grill until salmon flakes with a fork.

SAUCY PORK STEAKS

4 – 6 pork steaks, 3/4 - 1 in. thick

2 tbsp. sherry

4 tbsp. soy sauce

6 tbsp. cider vinegar

8 tbsp. brown sugar

10 tbsp. water

Season both sides of pork steaks with salt and pepper and grill or bake very slowly at 200 - 250 degrees for 2 - 3 hours.  Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients for sauce and simmer slowly to form a thick glaze.  One half hour before meat is done, brush on glaze and return meat to heat for a few minutes; turn to glaze other side.  Be careful not to burn glaze. Use extra glazing sauce to spoon over sliced pork, or as a dipping sauce.

ROBIN’S GRILLED CHICKEN

1/2 cup gold tequila

juice from 6 limes (1 cup)

juice from 2 oranges (1/2 cup)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 seeded jalapeno pepper, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

6 boneless chicken breast halves, skin on

Mix all ingredients except chicken in a large bowl.  Add chicken breasts and place mixture in a covered glass dish or large Ziploc bag.  Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.  Heat grill and brush with oil, so chicken won’t stick.  Remove chicken from marinade and place, skin side down, on the grill for about 5 minutes, or until browned.  Turn chicken and cook for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through – 165 degrees internal temperature.  Remove chicken from grill, place on platter and cover tightly with foil to allow chicken to rest for about 5 minutes.  Can be served hot or at room temperature.  

MARINADE SUGGESTION FOR MEAT, FISH OR VEGETABLES

We just love a marinade called Veri Veri Teriyaki, made by a company called Soy Vay.  It is based in Felton, CA and the website is www.soyvay.com.  It can be used on virtually anything from meat to fish to vegetables!

Robin Baysinger Siegfried

PINEAPPLE STEAK

rib eye steaks – 3/4-inch thick

teriyaki sauce marinade

cracked black pepper

sliced pineapple

Marinate rib eye steaks in teriyaki sauce.  Remove from marinade and coat both sides with cracked black peppercorns, pressing into the meat.  Place steaks over a hot fire with a slice or two of pineapple on top; brush pineapple with teriyaki marinade.  Remove pineapple slices and place on grill before turning steak; return pineapple slices to top of steak and baste again, if desired. Steaks are done when still pink in the center – about 5 minutes per side.  If pineapple needs more time to brown, place it directly on the grill while you remove the steaks from heat to rest on a platter covered with foil.  Be sure to watch carefully so the pineapple does not burn.  Serve these steaks with fresh sweet corn and Becky’s Mandarin Salad.

Jim Reed

MEGA JUICY MEGAN BURGERS

2 pounds of hamburger (70-80% lean)

1/2 cup (+/-) Hellman’s mayonnaise

1/3 cup (+/-) Heinz ketchup

1/2 teaspoon (+/-) granulated garlic

cheese, of course!

Mix all ingredients with hands until well blended.  Form into 8 balls.  Toss each ball against the palm of you hand until slightly compacted.  Shape each ball into a hamburger patty.  Grill to desired degree of doneness, covering with cheese for the last minute of cooking.  This makes really juicy, moist, flavorful burgers!

LLAMB KABOBS WITH SALSA VERDE

2 1/2 pounds spring lamb loin or lamb tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes

12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

3/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

3 tablespoons chopped capers

1 shallot, minced

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

lemon wedges to garnish

Thread the lamb onto the skewers, distributing evenly.  Brush with olive oil.  Set aside.

To make the salsa verde, mix together the parsley, chives, thyme, oregano, capers, shallot, lemon zest, garlic, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Use within one hour.

Preheat outdoor grill.  Grill the lamb skewers until golden on one side, 3-4 minutes.  Turn the lamb skewers and continue to cook until medium rare, 3-4 additional minutes.

To serve, place the skewers on a platter and drizzle with salsa verde.  Garnish with lemon wedges. Serves 6AMB KABOBS WITH SALSA VERDE

2 1/2 pounds spring lamb loin or lamb tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes

12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

3/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

3 tablespoons chopped capers

1 shallot, minced

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

lemon wedges to garnish

Thread the lamb onto the skewers, distributing evenly.  Brush with olive oil.  Set aside.

To make the salsa verde, mix together the parsley, chives, thyme, oregano, capers, shallot, lemon zest, garlic, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Use within one hour.

Preheat outdoor grill.  Grill the lamb skewers until golden on one side, 3-4 minutes.  Turn the lamb skewers and continue to cook until medium rare, 3-4 additional minutes.

To serve, place the skewers on a platter and drizzle with salsa verde.  Garnish with lemon wedges. Serves 6

KERRY’S TERIYAKI FLANK STEAK

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoon ginger

3/4 cup olive oil

2 flank steaks

Blend soy sauce, honey, wine vinegar, garlic powder, ginger and olive oil in a blender (or with a wire whisk.)  Place flank steaks with marinade in a covered glass dish or large Ziploc bag; refrigerate and marinate overnight.  Remove from marinade and broil or grill until rare or medium rare (145 degrees); let stand for 5 minutes before slicing across the grain in 1/2-inch slices.  Note: Also a good marinade for chicken pieces or pork tenderloins.

JOHN T. EDGE'S END-OF-THE-WORLD BURGER

John T. Edge, Director of the Southern Foodways Alliance in Oxford, MS, (www.southernfoodways.com).  This “recipe” is in response to a question about how he makes burgers at home for himself.  He is also the author of Hamburger & Fries: An American Story.  For this burger, he recommends Allan Benton’s bacon, Madisonville, TN (www.bentonshams.com)* and Burger House seasoning from Burger House in Dallas, TX (www.burgerhouse.com)* both available on the Internet.  I recommend you try the recipe with your favorite brand of bacon and any seasoned salt, with a little cumin added to it.

Chop up 1 slice of *Allan Benton's bacon per burger (which is the best bacon there is, according to Edge) into bits the size of your fingernail, fry it in a skillet to about half done, let it cool, and mix it in with the ground chuck. Sprinkle with black pepper and *Burger House seasoning (a cumin-heavy concoction of seasoned salt, according to Edge). Grill to medium.

HONEY BALSAMIC GLAZED SALMON

4 portions salmon filet, with skin on if possible

3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. light olive oil

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. local honey

2 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce

Wash the salmon filets and pat dry.  In a bowl whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar, honey and soy sauce until emulsified.  Place salmon filets in a large Ziploc bag and add the marinade.  Place bag in the refrigerator to marinate for 1-3 hours.  Preheat grill to medium-high and turn down to medium-low when salmon are added to cook.  Cover and cook for 7-9 minutes, or until fish is moist and flaky.  Do not over cook!

GRILLED LEMON SHRIMP

2 lbs. large fresh, or thawed uncooked frozen, peeled shrimp

1/2 c. melted butter

1/2 c. white wine

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. mined garlic, or to taste

1/2 c. parsley chopped fresh parley

2 tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

 

In a flameproof baking dish, large enough to hold shrimp in one layer, stir together butter, wine, salt, garlic and half of parsley. Add shrimp and cook on hot grill for 5 minutes. Turn shrimp over and sprinkle with remaining parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Continue to cook shrimp until just cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes more.

FISHES – FOILED AGAIN!

I don't have "recipes" for the grill, but there is always the good ol’ fish in foil - some kind of fish fillet (salmon) in heavy duty foil with julienne carrots, celery, lemon slices or zest, garlic clove crushed, and a pat of butter, all wrapped up. Toss baked potatoes – wrapped in foil, or not – right on the coals, for about 45 minutes, before you do the fish.  Or wrap sliced baby red potatoes in heavy duty foil with sliced onions, butter, salt and pepper, a little rosemary.  Cook whole potatoes about 45 minutes - sliced potatoes 30 minutes - fish 5 to 10 minutes, depending on size and stuff with it.

Denise Sedlacek

GRILLED FETA WITH HERBS

3/4-in. thick slab feta cheese

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

pinch of dried oregano

1 1/2 to 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

crusty bead slices or toasted pita chips

2 or 3 lemon wedges

Put a block of feta cheese on a sheet of heavy-duty foil.  Sprinkle evenly with red pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil.  Wrap the feta in the foil, put the package in a small baking dish or aluminum pan, and bake on outdoor grill until softened but not mushy, about 10 minutes.  Unwrap the foil at the table and drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired.  Serve with some grilled bread slices or pita chips and lemon wedges to squeeze on top, along with simple grilled chicken or fish.

TURKEY BURGERS

1 ½ lbs. ground turkey
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 green onions, sliced
¼ c. breadcrumbs
¼ c. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly
ground pepper, to taste
4 English muffins or pita pockets
mayonnaise
mustard
lettuce leaves
sliced tomatoes
sliced avocado
bread and butter pickles
chutney

Heat oven broiler. Combine turkey, Parmesan cheese, green onion, breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard and garlic in a bowl and mix gently with a fork. Lightly oil a broiler pan and place turkey patties on pan; broil to sear on each side for 1-2 minutes. For the remainder of the cooking time, move the turkey patties to a lower rack in the oven and continue to cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees - about 5-10 minutes on each side. Toast English muffins or pita pockets. Serve turkey burgers with your choice of toppings and condiments.