Grilled Balsamic Marinated Peppers

Don't think just meat or fish for the grill.  Veggies caramelize beautifully on the grill, but might require just a bit of marinade to shine. This was an inspiration from the Japanese Grandmother of our son's roommate, of Japanese heritage.  Our son returned from Japan with a description of something like this.  It seems everyone around the world appreciates grilled peppers, and knows a marinade of Balsamic vinegar. Welcome to the Globe.
3 bell peppers, different colors, seeded and quartered lengthwise
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and freshly group pepper

Grill the peppers on a hot grill, spraying them just a bit with oil. Grill until the edges brown up and they soften considerably.

If you like, you can put them in a paper bag and allow them to steam for about 5 minutes, and then peel them. I didn’t.

Pour the oil and vinegar into a bowl and toss with the peppers. Allow to marinate at least an hour. Salt and pepper lightly to taste.

Seres 4 as a side dish.

Black Beans and Rice

Serve with some greens, or another vegetable side dish, for a satisfying vegetarian meal.  Or cut your meat in half and serve a generous portion of these beans and rice on the side - a great way to get a full protein complement and cut down the meat a bit.
1 cup long grain rice
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 cups water
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup fresh hot salsa

In a medium pot, fry rice in oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Do not let rice brown at all, but let it go from translucent to white. Add the water and turn the heat to high. Add the turmeric, garlic and onion powders and salt. Stir, bring to a gentle boil, and stir again. Lower heat to a very low simmer and cover pot. Allow to cook for about 15 minutes. Then remove from heat and remove cover. Sprinkle TE beans over the rice and cover pot with a small tea towel. Then return cover onto pot. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Afterwards, fluff rice gently with a fork and gently fold in the salsa.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Cook's Note:  This is a dish which can be ultimately customized - which is good so it can be eaten over and over again, without too much repetition.  Add your favorite curry powder, or Moroccan Ras el Hannout spice.  Add Old Bay seasoning.  Use different beans, like pink beans, pinto beans, or chick peas.  I love to eat this with a yogurt sauce like Cilantro Mint Sauce or Moroccan Yogurt Sauce.  Or just sour cream.  And Shrirach, of course!

Sriracha Blue and Cheddar Gratin of Summer Squash

As the asparagus passes the baton to the summer squash, its getting that time to remember how to cook zucchini and yellow squash in a hundred different ways.  Don't be left empty handed, or you may find yourself up zucchini's creek with no paddle.  And zucchini's make a terrible paddle.
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
½ red onion, sliced

2 oz blue cheese, crumbled
2 oz Cheddar cheese, grated
¼ cup grated Parmesan and/or Romano cheese
Sriracha or other favorite hot sauce
¼ cup Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil a 10-inch pie plate or casserole. Layer half the squash and onion on the bottom and sprinkle half of each of the cheeses on top.

Sprinkle with Sriracha to taste. Lightly salt and pepper to taste.
Repeat with the remaining squash, onion and cheese.

Top with the Panko crumbs and bake for about 45 minutes.

Seres 4 as a side dish.

Cook's Note:  I use a fluted slicer that my wife got me as a gift from Pampered Chef one day.  It not only makes things look good, but the ridges it forms seem to separate the slices in the casserole better, making it less dense than with a flat cut with a knife.  A simple gadget with no plug - great stocking stuffer for the chef among you.

Grilled Salmon with a Cilantro Mint Sauce

Salmon can be grilled with salt and pepper, and - done; wonderful.  But imagine if you pinged it up with a bit of coriander and dill.  And then served it with a BIG flavor accent cilantro and mint sauce and a simple quick couscous side.  Better yet, imagine the sauce and side were actually, really (I swear!), a couple of minutes each to prepare.

Dreaming?

Read more, if you come home tired and hungry after working for a living; you'll believe!
1-1/2 lb salmon fillet, portioned in four servings
dash powdered coriander
dash dried dill weed
salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste

cilantro mint sauce

Heat a grill to high. Prepare cilantro mint sauce.

Season the salmon fillets with coriander, dill, salt and pepper.

Spray lightly with canola oil and grill flesh-side down for about 4-5 minutes. Do not touch the salmon, or it is likely to fall apart.

Stand away from the salmon and no one will get hurt.

Only when the salmon had crusted up a bit, gently coerce the salmon off the grill with a sharp spatula and flip. Cook another 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness. Serve with cilantro mint sauce.

Serves 4.

Asparagus and Apple Couscous

Couscous is quick and flexible.  What savory and sweet tidbits do you have hanging around the kitchen that you could throw in?  Most any would work, especially for something quick after work!
1 cup water
1 cup couscous
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 golden raisins
1 jalapeño pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

Bring the water to a boil in a small pot. Add the oil, couscous and salt. Stir well, cover and remove from heat.

Cut 2 inches of each spear off and reserve. Dice the remaining stalks.

Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes in a bit of olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the asparagus, apple, raisins and pepper. Cook until the asparagus is just crisp tender, about another 5 minutes.

Place reserved asparagus tips in a bowl with a tablespoon water. Stir to wet all the spears. Microwave for 1-1/2 minutes. Drain

By this time, the couscous should be done. Fluff the couscous with a fork and tip into the veggie mixture. Toss to mix well. Tip into a serving bowl and top with the reserved asparagus tips.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Cilantro Mint Sauce

A good, simple sauce can make many a dish.  Try this with vegetarian dishes, to liven up the presentation, or with most any grilled meat or fish.
2 cloves garlic
1 palmful mint leaves
2 palmfuls cilantro leaves
juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup plain Greek non-fat yogurt
1/4 cup good, real mayonnaise
1 Tbsp prepared wasabe

Pulse the garlic in a small food processor. Add the herbs and pulse to chop coarsely. Add the remaining ingredients and blend to form a smooth cream.

Makes about 1 cup sauce.

Cook's Note:  We had a sauce akin to this at Buckley's Tavern, in Greenville DE.  It came with their fried calimari and we continued asking for it with their fish tacos.  We loved it.  It definitely works for fish, but we also found, at home, that it is especially fantastic for vegetarian dishes, and is great for grilled meats as well.  Explore.

Golden Beet and Arugula Salad with Strawberry

One of my favorite restaurants in Boston, across from the Prudential Center is The Atlantic Fish Company.  They are renowned for their swordfish chop - the only time I've had a bone-in fish chop - outstanding.  But what is even more outstanding is their golden beet and strawberry salad.  It has been quite some time now, but this is what is burned into my memory.
2 golden beets, washed
4-6 strawberries, quartered lengthwise
2 cups arugula
2 cups iceberg or romaine lettuce, torn
1/4 cup purple onion slices
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp sunflower seeds

Dressing:
2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
dash salt and freshly ground pepper

Advance work - A few hours ahead:
Preheat oven to 375F. Trim the beets of their stalk and root tail. Place the beets on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over the beets and wrap them in the foil together tightly. Roast for an hour. When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to come to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use.

When ready to eat - Assembly:
Whisk together the dressing in a small bowl. Toss together the arugula and iceberg leaves. Peel and slice the beets. Top the lettuce with the beets, strawberries, onion and cheese. Sprinkle the seeds on top. Pour the dressing evenly over the salad and serve.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

The Prudential overlooking the Charles River, Boston

Grilled Short Ribs with Orange Bourbon Glaze

What's more American on the 4th of July than grilling with BBQ sauce?  Grilling with Bourbon BBQ sauce.

2-3 lbs beef short ribs, I used boneless, here
Orange Bourbon Glaze

Salt and pepper the ribs generously. Heat Grill to high. Grill ribs for 3-4 minutes, flip and grill other side.

Turn heat to medium and baste the ribs with glaze. Keep turning every 2 minutes or so and basting generously, until the ribs brown up nicely, and are cooked to your liking.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  This Orange Bourbon Glaze can be used on many meats.  I also use it on boneless pork country ribs.

Serve with crunchy slaw.

Orange Bourbon Glaze

Don't crack open a generic plastic bottle of BBQ this holiday weekend - you're worth better than that, aren't you?  A few shots of Bourbon and orange juice with honey and spices to kick it up, is all it takes.  Minutes for something truly memorable.
1/2 cup Bourbon
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp Sriracha or other hot sauce


Bring the Bourbon and orange juice to a boil and cook down to reduce volume in half. Reduce heat and add the remaining ingredients. Whisk together well.


Makes about 1 cup of glaze.

Pork Tenderloin Paillards with Mushroom Apple and Golden Raisin

I'm a big fan of the pig.  Smart animals, often friendly, will eat anything, and happy as a... well, you know what I mean. I think they deserve respect.  I think the Buddhists would agree they have a high degree of acceptance of the world.  Acceptance is important. And they have an important place in a holistic farming viewpoint.

The tenderloin is an exceptional cut, that should definitely be treated with respect - sautéed only very briefly, and not over cooked.  Here, matched with mushrooms for depth, and apples and raisins for a sweet finish, the tenderloin is in its element.
1 large pork tenderloin, sliced into about 6 disks
1/2 tsp Pimenton, Spanish smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground coriander

10 oz mushroomed, sliced
1 small apple, peeled, cored and finely diced
2 Tbsp golden raisins
2 Tbsp butter

Flatten each pork disk slightly, with the palm of your hand to form a flatter ‘paillard’ of pork. Sprinkle the paillards with the paprika and coriander. Salt and pepper generously to taste.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet to high on the stove. Add a dash of olive oil and tip in the mushrooms, stirring. Allow the mushrooms to sizzle and cook down, releasing any water they might. Let the mushrooms brown well, then remove to a bowl.

Add a bit more oil to the skillet and allow to heat almost to smoking. Place each of the pork paillards into the pan and sear on the first side for about 2 minutes. Flip and brown the second side about another 2 minutes. The pork should just be on the user-done side, as it will continue cooking as it sits while the apples and raisins cook. Set the pork aside on a plate, covered.

Add the butter, apple and raisins to the skillet. Cook about 3-4 minutes, until the apple bits brown up a bit, and the raisins soften. Stir in the mushrooms to reheat. Tip the apple mixture onto a serving platter. Top with the pork paillards and serve.

Serves 2-3.