what's for dinner?

june 2003

In June the fresh local produce floods the markets and is welcomed into our kitchens. It's also time to dust off the outside grill, getting it ready for a summer's worth of outdoor cooking.

In our first meal from the grill, we use tomatoes, fresh basil, and some of the mint that threatens to take over the garden. Feel free to substitute any delicate white fish that you can get fresh or to use cherry tomatoes rather than larger tomatoes. With the fish we would serve grilled corn on the cob and a tossed salad. Fresh strawberries or cut up melon would make a fine dessert.   Halibut with Tomatoes and Herbs (for the recipes, click on the individual recipe above) For our second meal, we're going south to the islands of the Caribbean for our flavors. Since pork tenderloin is as lean as chicken and very inexpensive, we're marinating a couple of tenderloins in fresh lime juice, chiles, and spices for a meal worthy of special company. True to the area, we teamed the pork with a lively salsa made from fresh pineapple and served it with a can of drained black beans mixed with steamed rice. Dessert is an easy and quick rendition of flaming bananas, named Havana Bananas (see www.diabetic-recipes.com for the recipe). Put on a CD with a reggae beat and wear your most colorful clothing to dinner. If you listen hard enough, you might just hear the waves lapping at the white sandy shore.   Caribbean Pork Skewers with Firecracker Salsa (for the recipes, click on the individual recipe above) Our markets seem to always have fresh salmon at very affordable prices so we're feasting on a grilled fillet for our third meal. Papaya and kiwifruit are perfect together and star in the relish that's slightly hot sweet. For a starch, we suggest couscous combined with crisp-cooked zucchini. For dessert, slice some juicy watermelon.   Grilled Salmon with Papaya Kiwi Relish (for the recipes, click on the individual recipe above) Our last grilled menu is a favorite at our house, using grilled chicken breasts. It's a quick dinner that you can make year around with ease. It is a wonderful meal for adults who love a slightly different twist to old favorites. If you like your food hot, add chopped jalapeņo chilies to the sun dried tomatoes for a kick. With this, serve a cole slaw (there are recipes on www.diabetic-recipes.com) and for dessert, your favorite sugar-free frozen yogurt.   Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Sun-Dried Tomatoes (for the recipes, click on the individual recipe above) FTG and BSP