June…..official month of summer. With scorching temperatures reaching as high as the 100s in Fayetteville, it is hard to get motivated to cook. I am not a fan of the hot humid weather; however, I have a game plan come every summer. To beat the heat, I grill outdoors more often to prevent my kitchen from getting too hot and also be able to enjoy the outdoors. I love to marinade meat in advance and store them in the freezer when I get too busy to cook. Summer is the time of year to lighten up your menu with a variety of salads, not just with greens, but salads that involve using grains and pasta. Make a fruit salad or fruit-based drink which is so refreshing. Nothing says summer like berry and melon fruit salad or watermelon lemonade (recipe below).

The one thing I love about summer is the assortment of produce we get this time of the year. I especially love it when it comes out of my own garden. My husband and I started our first winter/spring garden this year, and have been quite successful I might say. We grew broccoli, a variety of lettuces, Swiss chard, beets, and spinach just to experiment. Well we have been reaping the benefits of our little garden. In between the cooler season vegetables I planted some tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers, chili peppers and bell peppers. We are already harvesting some yellow squash that are just awesome. We still have quite a bit of lettuce left, but I know they will not last long as the weather is getting too hot. We can’t seem to eat them fast enough as they keep producing more leaves as we trim them. If you do not have the time to start a garden, you can always start a container garden on your patio. Tomatoes, peppers and even eggplant do grow well in pots, but make sure you water them often as they get very thirsty and dry fast in pots. Herbs also do well in containers. I always have to have herbs in my garden as I use quite a lot of them. Majority of herbs are perennials such as thyme, marjoram, oregano, sage, rosemary, and lavender to name a few; therefore, you only need to plant them once. Basil is an annual; which I replace every year. With the price of produce going up, it is more economical to grow your own vegetables, and furthermore it is such fun!

Now that you are ready to grill, what can you grill? Everything, vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, and even desserts! Here is the game plan. Figure what you would like to grill. Find recipes that are simple and tasty. Select the meat of your choice, marinade them in advance (except for seafood which usually can be marinated for a short period of time only) and stick them in the freezer. Thaw the meat a day in advance, make a side dish and voila dinner is served! Check below for a menu that is simple to prepare and quick to make.

Before you start grilling, do you know your ABCs on grilling? Do you know there is a difference between grilling and barbecuing? While both involve cooking with live fire, barbecue traditionally refers to food that is cooked slowly over a low (indirect) heat and flavored by wood smoke. Grilling, on the other hand, is a hot and quick method that uses high (direct) heat. Then there are the grey areas between grill-baking and grill roasting…. another newsletter altogether. Just remember when barbecuing food is cooked slowly over a long period of time with wonderful smoky flavors from wood chips or logs.

Grilling Gear—What do you need? A grill of course. Charcoal or gas grill--it is all a matter of preference. As for myself, I love both as I love the functionality of the two grills. It is harder to monitor a charcoal grill than a gas grill as there is no temperature control other than adding or removing some coals. For a quick sear, I love to use a gas grill, especially if it is on a thin cut of meat. I like to cook seafood on a gas grill too. For thicker cuts of meat or bone-in steaks, nothing beats a charcoal grill. I love a smoky burger too…especially the homemade kind, which I call “Mama Burgers” as it is the only burger that a Mama can make; big, thick, and juicy with an odd shape to it, yum.

Back to equipment. As mentioned the kind of grill is a matter of choice; however, do buy a big enough grill even though you think you do not need one that big. As time goes by you will be bitten by the grilling bug and you want to start experimenting grilling or barbecuing everything and anything, and you want something big enough to hold a turkey in case you feel like barbecuing a turkey or couple racks of ribs. Make sure the grill is sturdy, can stand up to strong winds and has a lid. A lid is required for indirect grilling (this means heat is on either side of the food rather than directly below it). In addition, closing the lid helps air circulates, providing for more even cooking. If using a charcoal grill, invest in a chimney starter. I hate lighter fluid as the food also tastes of the fluid. A chimney starter is easy to use and lights coals fast and natural. If on a budget, forgo the fancy stuff that comes with the grill such as a side burner, rotisserie, etc. However consider grills that have extra space on the side or front to put your food on while grilling. A pair of long mitts comes in very handy when grilling especially when dealing with very hot pans. You will also need an instant-read thermometer to test the doneness of the meat.  Invest in a brass bristle cleaning brush versus steel as they are softer and will not damage cooking grates. Important Clean grill after each use while grill is hot. Use the flat end of the brush to scrape off any food residue and the bristles to brush between grates. Do not leave the grates dirty until the next time you grill. This will help maintain the grill in good condition and prevent the grates from rusting (a big hint to my husbandJ ).

Now that you have all the basic equipment, it is time to grill! Here is a sample menu:

Drinks—Watermelon Lemonade

Appetizer--Grilled Pancetta-Wrapped Asparagus (taken from Bon Appetit)

Main Course--Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce serve on Grilled French Baguette

Side--Corn on the Cob with Cheese and Lime

Dessert—Berry and Melon Fruit Salad

Watermelon Lemonade

Simple Syrup

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

8 cups cubed seedless watermelon

2/3 cups fresh lemon juice

½ cup vodka (optional)

Combine water, sugar and lemon zest in a small saucepan and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Cool syrup and strain. Place watermelon in a blender and process until smooth. Pour watermelon juice through a fine sieve into a large bowl, reserving liquid; discard solids. Combine watermelon juice, syrup, lemon juice and vodka (opt) in a pitcher and chill.

Serves 5

Grilled Pancetta-Wrapped Asparagus

Pancetta is Italian bacon that is not smoked.

1 pound asparagus (1/2-inch thick, 12-15 stalks)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

12 to 15 thin slices pancetta (1/4 pound)

4 12-inch wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Prepare a grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas). Trim asparagus to 6 inches long, then toss with oil and 1/4 tsp pepper in a small dish. Wrap middle of each asparagus with 1 slice of pancetta. Thread 3 or 4 wrapped asparagus 1/2 inch apart onto each skewer. Oil grill rack, then grill asparagus, uncovered, turning, until pancetta is golden brown in spots and asparagus is crisp-tender, about 6 minutes.

Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce served on Grilled French Baguette

Dressing

2/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup sherry vinegar

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup chopped Italian parsley

4 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

3 tablespoon minced garlic

3 tablespoon minced shallot

¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 ½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 pounds skirt steak, trimmed

1 French baguette, sliced 1-inch thick.

Combine olive oil, sherry vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, basil, oregano, garlic and shallots in food processor. Pulse until well blended but do not puree. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the crushed red pepper. Remove 3/4 cup of the chimichurri sauce from the processor and transfer to a non-reactive bowl, cover with plastic wrap and reserve at room temperature for up to 6 hours. (If cooking steak another day, refrigerate sauce and return to room temperature before serving.)

Season the steak with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt on each side, as well as 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper per side and place in a large, resealable plastic bag. Add the remaining chimichurri sauce from the processor. Seal bag and refrigerate the steak for at least 2 and up to 4 hours (can be frozen at this point if not cooking within the next couple of days).

Preheat grill to medium heat. Once the steak has finished marinating, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove excess chimichurri sauce from the steak and set the steak over the hot grill. Cook for 6 minutes on the first side. Rotate the steak 45 degrees, and cook another 6 minutes. Turn the steak over and continue to cook until the steak is done, about 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Once cooked, lay the steak on a clean cutting board, and allow it to rest for 5 to 7 minutes before slicing across the grain into 2-inch wide strips. Serve with crusty bread and the reserved chimichurri sauce.

While meat is resting, lightly grill sliced baguette until slightly brown. Serve steak on grilled baguette.

Serves 6

Corn on the Cob with Cheese and Lime

4 ears fresh corn

¼ cup mayonnaise

1/8 teaspoon Ancho chili powder

¾ cup shredded Cotija cheese (at cheese section by the Mexican dairy products) or feta

Lime wedges

Prepare grill. Remove husk and silk from corn. Place a large saucepan of water over stove to boil and add corn. Parboil corn for about 5 minutes. Drain and remove corn. Grill corn on a rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until kernels are brown in spots, about 10 minutes. While corn is grilling, whisk together mayonnaise and Ancho chili powder. Grate cheese. Brush mayonnaise mixture onto hot corn and sprinkle with cheese. Serve corn on the cob with lime wedges.

Serves 4

Berry and Melon Fruit Salad

Use any kind of berries, melon or a variety of fruits.

1 pint fresh blueberries

1 quart strawberries, cut in halve.

½ casaba melon, remove rind and cut into cubes

½ honeydew melon, remove rind and cut into cubes

1 ½ cups grapes

½ cup orange or grapefruit juice

2 tablespoon honey

½ lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon lemon zest

3 tablespoon orange liqueur (opt)

4 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped and extra for garnish

Place all fruits in a large bowl. Mix orange or grapefruit juice, honey, lemon juice and zest, orange liqueur (opt) and mint together. Pour over fruit and mix to blend. Chill in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

Serves 4

As Father’s Day is just around the corner, why not give this menu a try. Your Dad will thank you for such a memorable treat.

Kitchen Tips—As grocery prices and everything else keeps increasing, we are now more concerned on how to stretch a buck. If you are used to having steaks and cannot bear the thought of cutting it out of your diet, try a different approach. Instead of having one steak per person, why not try cooking the cut of meat in different ways that only require a piece of steak for a family of four! How? Let’s say your family usually treat themselves to a sirloin steak every Sunday. You still can have your sirloin but cooked differently. Instead of serving a piece of steak per person, why not buy one piece of steak (say 6 ounces per person) and pounding it out to half-inch thick. This will make the steak large in addition to tenderizing the meat. You can grill or sear it real quick in a skillet to desired doneness, remove and keep warm. Deglaze the pan with some wine or brandy and add some sliced mushrooms or other vegetables along with a little broth or cream. Cook up some egg noodles, slice the steak and top the noodles with the steak, vegetables and sauce. Your family not only gets to have their steak and eat it, but they are eating a much well rounded nutritious meal as well as stretching the buck a little further.

Ingredient of the Month—Capsicum (peppers). Capsicum is a genus of plants from the nightsdale family native to the Americas. The fruit of the capsicum plants have a variety of names depending on place and type. They are commonly called chili pepper, capsicum, red or green pepper, or sweet pepper in Britain and typically just capsicum in Australia and Indian English. The large mild form is called bell pepper in the US. The heat of a chile pepper is measured using Scoville units. A Poblano pepper weighs in at 1,500 SCU, whereas the habanero packs a whopping 250,000 SCUs or more. If you enjoy the flavor of peppers but not the heat, remove the seeds and interior ribs from the chile before cooking it. Dairy products such as milk or yogurt contain casein that helps in reducing the heat intensity. Casein helps neutralize capsaicin, the chemical that gives chilies their heat. Chiles are cholesterol free and low in calories and sodium. They're a rich source of vitamins A and C, and a good source of folic acid, potassium and vitamin E.

While entertaining during summer, keep your menu simple and light. When planning for a party, make sure you have a variety of dishes that can stay at room temperature, need not be cook, or can be prepared ahead of time. My rule of thumb is to never cook more than two dishes that require time in the oven or stove. This way the dishes will have equal time in the oven, on the stove, prepared ahead of time, kept at room temperature or served cold. This too allows me to plan ahead and make sure all the items come together at about the same time. If planning and cooking for a party or event gets to be a drag, remember I am always available to make your life easier so that you can relax and enjoy the party. This includes preparing your daily meals to keep you on track and able to spend more time lounging by the pool sipping pina coladas.

As summer beckons, keep hydrated, have fun, and stay cool. Check out my next newsletter for more fun summer recipes and ideas. Until the next newsletter, eat well, stay healthy, and enjoy life to the fullest. 

"Make food simple and let things taste of what they are."
Curnonsky (Maurice Edmond Sailland), French writer (1872-1956)