In the world of food, nothing's more enticing than the smells emanating from food being cooked over glowing coals or a propane or gas-fueled grill. Considered by many to be an "all-American pastime" like baseball, grilling is a world-wide method of cooking. Actually it has a long history here in the United States from the planked and smoked fish of the Northwest Native Americans, the cowboy campfires on the trail, country pit barbecues, summer campfires, and stylish fifties and sixties parties on the terrace or patio. Grilling combines the mystique of the ancient art of cooking over an open fire with the appeal of the aroma of charcoal and wood smoke in our food.
Today, grilling doesn't need to be the same old same old menu. The new foods and flavors now available were not in the stores a decade ago when our dads grilled thick steaks, slathered with their special barbecue sauce, while mom made the accompanying potato salad, tossed green salad with the ubiquitous bottled Italian salad dressing, and we roasted marshmallows over the dying coals to stuff between graham crackers with a square of chocolate bar.
In our first menu, we incorporate Indian, Italian, and Mexican foods with an American comfort dessert for a medley of tastes and textures that makes the meal memorable. If you are wondering why we sauté the onions before adding to the salad, this is a way to cut down on their bite and to add a little sweetness to the recipe. Try it with other recipes that you have for similar results. By the way, if shrimp are not in your budget you can used cubed swordfish or white meat chicken. They substitute nicely.
(for the recipes, click on The Recipes or click on the individual recipe above)
Our second menu features grilled halibut steaks. You could substitute salmon, tuna, swordfish, or red snapper with excellent results and only a small difference in the fat grams. With the halibut we're suggesting foil-grilled potatoes that have a wonderful Italian aroma and taste. Since fresh green beans are so inexpensive this time of the year, we buy very young ones and cook them until just tender to the bite, dressed with tangy lemon. Dessert is a luscious fresh raspberry tart.
(for the recipes, click on The Recipes or click on the individual recipe above)
Flank steak is popular at our homes when briefly marinated, then rolled with a tasty stuffing, then cut into pinwheels. If it's raining when you want to serve these, they could also be cooked in 30 minutes in a 350°F (180°C), Gas Mark 4, oven. Cover them with a sheet of foil for the first 20 minutes, then uncover and continue to bake, adding the cheese during the last 5 minutes. With the steak, we suggest saffron rice which has been nicely spiced and studded with golden raisins. Banana Chocolate Parfaits make a delightful ending to the meal.
(for the recipes, click on The Recipes or click on the individual recipe above)
This month's final menu is Green in origin--grilled strips of chicken (it could be fish) that are wrapped in Arabic or pita bread with a delicious Greek cucumber yogurt sauce that another time you'll want to serve over grilled shrimp, lamb kebobs, or pork tenderloin. The sauce is a "free" food and so delicious, you'll find yourself using the recipe again and again. For dessert, we're suggesting a salad of exotic fruits, including passion fruit (if you can find it in your market).
(for the recipes, click on The Recipes or click on the individual recipe above)
