Tuesday June 28 5:00 to 6:00pm: Focus on Grilling
So, here it is - the big Fourth of July weekend. Lots of
grilling will be going on in the Mad River Valley over the next several
days. With the heat we have been having, the last thing you want
to do is be slaving in the kitchen rather than enjoying the holiday
weekend...yet, you want to grill something a little special in honor of
the occasion. That is exactly what we are going to be talking
about this week!
This week the show will be filled with tips to make the grilled food
you serve this holiday weekend a little extra special without slaving in
the kitchen (maybe even over a hot stove - yuk!).
Meat, Fish, and Shellfish Grilling Ideas
Three easy sauces for Grilled Foods
-
Chimichurri (Argentinean Garlic Herb Sauce)
- Catalan Vinaigrette (from Spain)
- Asian Dipping Sauce
Four Compound Butters
- Cilantro Chili Butter
- Garlic Parsley Butter
- Blue Cheese Butter
- Black Olive Butter
Flavored butters are practical and easy. They can be made well
in advance, frozen and sliced to order. Place a cold slice of
flavored butter on any food hot from the grill to create a simple,
flavorful sauce with minimal effort.
Grilled Veggies and Potatoes
Keep it simple!
You pick the veggies - Eggplant, asparagus, zucchini, carrots,
peppers, onions (skewer them cross grain so that they stay together on
the grill), mushrooms. Cut them up so that they are 3/4 to 1 inch
thick. Put them in a zip lock bag and sprinkle in some olive oil,
balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and herbs (fresh are best - such as
thyme, rosemary, basil). Shake up the bag and let it sit for 15
minutes or so or put in the 'fridge until ready to grill. Grill on
medium high heat until the veggies get grill marks and turn and grill
the other side.
Display nicely on a large platter. These can be made several
hours in advance and held at room temp or put in the fridge. BUT,
remember to take out about an hour before serving so they can warm to
room temp.
Grilled Potatoes
Follow the same steps as above, but cook on a medium heat as they
will take longer to cook. If necessary, turn up the heat at the
end of the cooking to get a nice crispy brown crust.
Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Same as potatoes, but you might want to use herbs that work best with
sweet potatoes - or leave out the herbs all together.
A great appetizer that can be made ahead of time!
Cut bread about 1/2 thick - use a good quality crusty bread only!
Brush with olive oil and grill until crisp and golden. Rub with a
large cut clove of garlic after grilling, but while it is still hot.
While it is great right off of the grill, it is pretty darned good
several hours after it is grilled and you can always throw it back on
the grill for a quick minute or two to reheat.
Let your guests add their own toppings to keep the bread crispy and
assure your guests get exactly what they want.
Toppings (Click on the Bruschetta link above for the recipes below.)
- Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella
- Warm Herbed Goat Cheese
- Radicchio and onions with Balsamic Vinegar
Dessert
Grilled Nectarines with Blue Cheese, Farm Stand Honey and Black
Pepper
Strawberry Shortcake
Local, organic if possible, strawberries (2 quarts). Core them
and mash them with a potato masher until they are juicy but still
chunky. Stir in a couple tablespoons of local honey, 1 T of
balsamic vinegar, and a couple of turns of fresh ground pepper.
Serve over your favorite strawberry shortcake base (biscuits, pound
cake, lady fingers...)
Epicurious
TV The Travel Channel (Channel 47 on Waitsfield Cable TV)
Grocery Store
Wars Animated Video on Organic Food Awareness - Cute! Meet
Cuke Skywalker, Princess Lettuce, Dark Tater, and of course, Obi Wan
Cannoli
The New USDA Food Pyramid
http://www.MyPyramid.gov
Upcoming Food Events
Vermont Festival of the Arts - Lots of Culinary events!
Check it out. The
Scramblers ARE playing at the Taste of the Valley!
Vermont Beer Fest
And be sure to check out what
Business Week has to say about Beer fests including the Vermont Beer
Fest.
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