May is the month that officially kicks off outdoor cooking season. Before the Memorial Day weekend, grill masters will dust off their grills and settle into the first of many warm-weather entertaining rituals. Not only is it fun, grilling your entire meal—from appetizer to dessert—allows you more time to spend outdoors with family and friends.
Photo by Gina Moore/iStock
GRILLED CHICKEN QUESADILLAS APPETIZERS
SERVES 6–8
Marinade
1 large garlic clove
1 jalapeno chili pepper, seeds removed
½ cup firmly packed cilantro leaves
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Quesadillas
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ large red onion, sliced crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices
Olive oil
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
6 6-inch flour tortillas
2 avocados, peeled and diced large (optional)
1 cup salsa (optional)
In a food processor or blender, mince the garlic and pepper. Add the remaining marinade ingredients, and process until smooth. Coat chicken on both sides with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate 3–4 hours.
Preheat grill on high. When it is heated, brush the onion slices with oil. Reduce heat to medium, and grill the chicken and onions over direct heat until the chicken is opaque in the center (165 F on an instant-read thermometer) and the onions are tender. Remove chicken and onions from the grill and allow to cool. Cut chicken crosswise into 1/8-inch slices and onions into 1/4-inch pieces.
Evenly divide chicken, onions and cheese over half of each tortilla. Fold the empty side of each tortilla over the filling, creating a half circle, and press down firmly. Grill the quesadillas over direct medium heat until they are well marked and the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and allow to cool for 1–2 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve warm with avocado chunks and salsa, if desired.
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Recipe tips
Grilling essentials:
- Preheat the grill with the lid closed for 15 minutes on the highest temperature setting. This prepares the grate for cooking and loosens any leftover bits of foods and allows them to be removed easily.
- Oil the food, not the grate. The oil on the food will prevent it from sticking. You won’t waste oil, and you avoid a potentially dangerous flare-up.
- Keep the lid closed as much as possible. This keeps the grate hot enough to sear meats; speeds up the cooking time; traps the smokiness that develops when the fat and juices vaporize in the grill; and prevents fire flare-up by limiting oxygen.
- Caramelization or searing meat improves the taste. To develop this flavor, use the right level of heat and resist the temptation to flip your food. It’s the browning process that creates layers of flavors and aromas. So, as a general rule, turn food only once.
- Tame the flame. Flare-ups happen, which is good for searing the surface of what you are cooking. But too many can burn your food. If the flames are getting out of control, move the food over indirect heat temporarily, until they die down. Then move the food back, and remember to keep the lid closed as much as possible.
Direct heat or indirect heat? Use direct heat—when the fire is directly below the food—for small, tender pieces of food that can be cooked in 20 to 25 minutes or less. Examples are steaks, chops, fish fillets, chicken breasts, burgers and hot dogs. Use indirect heat—when the fire is on either side of the food—for larger, tougher foods that require more than 20 minutes of cooking time. Examples are whole chickens, ribs and briskets. More delicate foods like vegetables and fruits are also best cooked using indirect heat.
CEDAR-PLANK-GRILLED SALMON WITH LIME DRESSING
Cedar-plank salmon
Photo by Michael Phillips/iStock
SERVES 6–8
Sauce
1 teaspoon chopped lime zest (zest lime before squeezing for juice)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed between fingers
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Salmon
1 large salmon fillet, skin on, 2½–3 pounds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, or favorite seafood seasoning
1 untreated cedar plank (about 15 by 8 inches and at least ½-inch thick)
Soak the cedar plank in water for at least 1 hour. (Untreated cedar planks can be found in the grilling sections of home-improvement stores, major supermarkets, and hardware or cookware stores.)
Preheat grill to high. In a medium bowl, combine all sauce ingredients, except oil, and stir well. Slowly add oil while whisking to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Place the salmon on a rimmed baking sheet, and remove any pin bones from the flesh. Season to taste. Pour half of the sauce over the salmon, and brush to distribute evenly. Reserve remaining sauce.
Remove the soaked cedar plank from the water, and place it on the grill over direct high heat until the edges start to smoke and char, 3–5 minutes. Watch carefully so it does not flame. Move the plank over indirect high heat, and place salmon fillet, skin side down, on the plank. Grill until the salmon is just slightly pink in the center and brown on the edges, 20–25 minutes. Remove the plank and salmon to a heat-proof surface. Serve warm with the remaining sauce.
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Recipe tip
Why use grilling planks?
Grilling planks—such as cedar, hickory, mesquite, alder and maple—increase the food’s juice and moisture retention, as well as add a natural smoky flavor. These planks are great for grilling salmon and delicate fish but can also be used for grilling other meats. The planks also provide a practical vessel for moving food from the grill to the table. When choosing grilling planks, remember to choose untreated planks only, as treated wood may actually poison the food.
GRILLED VEGETABLE SKEWERS
Photo by Christel Lewis/iStock
SERVES 6
1 zucchini, cut in ½-inch slices
1 yellow squash, cut in ½-inch slices
6 cherry tomatoes
6 mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into 1½-inch pieces
½ red onion, cut into 1½-inch pieces
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil
Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated
Fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary), chopped
6-inch wooden skewers
Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes. Preheat grill on high. Thread the vegetables onto the skewers. Season all sides with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with olive oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook over direct heat until vegetables have a nice char, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove from grill, and sprinkle with cheese and herbs before serving.
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Recipe tips
Why soak wooden skewers? So they don’t catch on fire. Burned skewers can lead to your meats and vegetables falling through the grate into the bottom of the grill. Soaking also prevents skewers from splintering, which could potentially damage to someone’s mouth while eating from them. Bamboo skewers are inexpensive, hold up well and are easy to handle right off the grill.
GRILLED FRUIT PLATTER
Photo by Belinda Smith-Sullivan
SERVES 6–8
1 peach, halved, pit removed
1 banana, peeled and halved
1 apple, sliced ½-inch thick
Watermelon slices
½ pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into spears
1 plum, halved
Olive oil
Fresh mint, chopped (optional)
Ice cream (optional)
Melted chocolate (optional)
Preheat grill on high. Brush fruit with oil. Reduce heat to medium, and grill over indirect heat, 3–4 minutes per side, until the flesh starts to caramelize (shows prominent grill marks). Remove from grill, and garnish with mint leaves. Serve with ice cream or melted chocolate for dipping, if desired.
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BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN is a chef and food writer who lives in Trenton, where she is a member of Aiken Electric Cooperative. She has a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University and is certified in wine studies from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, Calif. Her articles have been published in several regional magazines and in her blog, “The Flying Foodie.”