Kabler's Chatter: Recipes for cooking on the grill

By JANE KABLER, Staff Writer

Saturday, April 26, 2008 12:20 AM EDT

Marinade

Place meat in a shallow dish and add marinate. Refrigerate for 8 hours. Heat grill and cook meat over direct heat until lightly pink in center, cook to about 160 degrees for medium. Remove and set aside. Later slice against the grain and use on top of the salad.

Red Wine Marinade

1/2 cup of dry red table wine

1/3 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

1 shallot, peeled and chopped

2 teaspoons of ground dried sage

1 tablespoon of packed dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons of coarse salt

2 teaspoons of black pepper

1 bay leaf

Whisk together all of the ingredients and make sure the sugar is dissolved. Pour over steaks in a shallow pan and refrigerate for 8 hours.

Salad

12 cups of mixed greens, rinsed and drained, torn in bite size pieces

6 small tomatoes, thinly sliced

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

1 medium Vadalia or red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 pound of blue cheese, crumbled

Toss together all of the above ingredients and place slices of meat on top of salad, sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles and Vinaigrette dressing. Vinaigrette recipe below. Serves 6.

Basic Vinaigrette Recipe

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of coarse salt

1/4 cup of red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of dijon mustard

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup of olive oil

Mix the above and pour over the salad when ready to serve.

Grilled Potato Salad

10-12 small red potatoes

7 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of coarse salt

1 teaspoon of black pepper

7 strips of crispy fried bacon, crumbled

1 medium onion, diced

4 tablespoons of diced sweet pickle

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsley leaves, or 2 tablespoons of dried parsley

Wash potatoes, peel or leave peelings on and cook in boiling salt water and cook until fork tender.

Drain the potatoes and place them in a shallow pan and drizzle with olive oil. Cut potatoes in quarters. Salt and pepper the potatoes and toss to coat all sides with the oil. Grease grill rack, and heat to high heat. Grill potatoes on all sides and remove from grill after lightly browned, then cut into smaller pieces. Add all other ingredients and dressing. Toss immediately and then refrigerate left overs.

Dressing

1 cup of Hellman's mayonnaise

3 tablespoons of cider vinegar

3 tablespoons of sugar

3 tablespoons of canola oil

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

3 teaspoons of mustard seed

For the dressing, dissolve the sugar in the vinegar, then add all other ingredients. Pour over the potatoes, eggs, onion, parsley, bacon and chopped pickles.

Grilled Ham with Bourbon

2 tablespoons of bourbon

1 tablespoon of dijon mustard

2 teaspoons of light brown sugar

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

1 3 lb. ham steak at least 1 1/2 inches thick

Mix two tablespoons of bourbon, mustard, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Put the ham in the pan and coat on both sides. Let set at room temperature for one half hour. Grease the grill rack. Preheat the grill for a few minutes and have the heat on medium. Remove the ham slice from marinate and place on grill and brown on both sides. Let the ham rest before cutting into pieces.

Beer Bratwurst

12 bratwurst

3 cans of beer

1 1/2 cups of water

3 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon of black pepper

6 rolls or buns

Coarse grain mustard

Ketchup

Pickles

Relish

Sauerkraut

Prick each brat with fork. Place in a saucepan and add beer, water, onions and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Drain the liquid out of the pan and save the onions. Place on grill and brown on all sides. Serve brats on a bun or roll with cooked onions and other condiments of their choice.

Southern Barbecued Shrimp

3 lbs. of extra large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

5 tablespoons of chili powder

1 tablespoon of salt

16 tablespoons of unsalted butter

2 medium onions, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of ketchup

1/2 cup of olive oil

5 tablespoons of light brown sugar

1/4 cup of worcestershire sauce

1 lemon, sliced

3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

3 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon of each: oregano, thyme

3 dashes of Tabasco

Take prepared shrimp and rub with chili powder, oil and salt. Cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate. To make the sauce melt the butter and saute the onion and garlic until soft and not browned. Add the ketchup, oil, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon slice, lemon juice, herbs and hot sauce.

Toss the shrimp and place on the hot grill. Grill the shrimp over direct heat until the tail is orange-pink. Serve with the sauce as a dip.

Salmon with Maple Ginger Glaze

3/4 cup of maple syrup

1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons of minced fresh ginger

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

Pinch of salt

1 3-pound piece of salmon, skin on, boned

3-4 tablespoons of olive oil

Grease grill rack, preheat to medium heat. Mix maple syrup, vinegar, ginger, garlic and salt. Brush both sides with glaze and oil. Place the salmon on the grill over direct heat, flesh side down, cook 8 minutes, turn carefully. Spoon the glaze left in the bowl over the top of the salmon. Grill for 5 more minutes. The salmon should flake when done. Remove from the grill and serve immediately.

Family or Guest Fajita Bar

2 cups guacamole, homemade

1 1/2 lb of flank steak

1 1/2 lb. boneless chicken breasts

2 green bell peppers

2 yellow bell peppers

3 red onions, sliced

12 flour tortillas

2 cups chunky salsa

12 wedges of lime

Guacamole recipe:

4 ripe avocados, mashed

2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

1/8 teaspoon of Tabasco Sauce

1/8 cup of sour cream

Mix all of the above and cover with plastic wrap. Let the wrap touch the top of the guacamole so a film will not form. Refrigerate until serving time.

Prepare the marinade:

3 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup of fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of lime juice

2 teaspoons of chili powder

1 teaspoon of dry mustard

1 teaspoon of oregano

1 teaspoon of coarse salt

1 teaspoon of cumin

1/2 teaspoon of coriander

Mix marinade ingredients and mix with steak and with the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Coat the onions and peppers with oil and grill over direct medium heat until marked. Place the steak and chicken on the grill over direct heat and cook until tender but not dry. Turn once. Remove from heat and let the steak rest for five minutes. Slice steak against the grain and slice the grilled chicken. Place six tortillas in a foil package and heat on the grill. Do the same with the other six. Arrange the table with all the vegetables and meats and serve with guacamole, salsa and tortillas. Serves six. Add more tortillas, there will be plenty of filling. A side dish of sour cream is nice to add.

Asparagus Grilled with Balsamic Syrup

1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar

2 pounds of asparagus, young, small and tender

1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

Grease grill rack. Preheat grill to medium heat.

In a small sauce pan place vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Cook about 10 minutes on an easy simmer until the sauce coats your spoon. Cool. Discard ends of asparagus and lightly coat the spears with the olive oil. Grill over medium direct heat until tender and marked. Tip: Don't let the balsamic vinegar reduce too much. As you cook it, don't rush it or over cook or it becomes bitter.

Arrange the spears on a platter and drizzle with the balsamic syrup.

Grilled Oysters

3 dozen oysters, rinsed in cold water

Loosen the oyster where you see a tiny opening in the side of the shell near the hinge, flat side up and pry open with knife. Discard the top shell and keep the oyster in the bottom shell with juice. Run a knife under the oyster to loosen it from the shell. Then place on grill with shell side down over direct high heat. Close the lid. Cook 5 minutes. Remove shells from grill and serve with sauce. Large oysters do best on the grill. Place on a large tray with lime or lemon wedges and dipping sauce. Serve hot. Serves 6.

Dipping sauce:

1/4 cup of dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon of finely grated lime zest

1/4 cup of fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon of fresh jalapeno, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of chopped scallions

1 tablespoon of minced fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon of sugar

1/4 teaspoon of coarse salt

Mix salt, sugar, wine and lime juice until salt and sugar dissolve. Add rest of the ingredients. Serve cold with grilled oyster. I usually double this recipe.

Grilled Littleneck Clams in the Shell

4 dozen littleneck or manila clams

1 cup of beer

Cocktail sauce

Tabasco sauce

Lemon wedges

Brush the grill with oil. Rinse clams. Preheat to direct high heat. Place the clams over the heat and close the lid. Cook 2-3 minutes until they start to open. As they open move them over with tongs away from direct heat, then spray them when they open, use a spray bottle with beer and spray the clams. Transfer to a bowl, and serve while hot with Tabasco or cocktail sauce and lemon wedges. Tip: If any clams do not open, discard.

Grilled Dessert of Peaches with Lemon and Blueberries

5 whole peaches, halved and pitted

3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

8 tablespoons of lemon curd, found at Kroger

3 tablespoons of heavy cream

2 cups of fresh blueberries, stems off

Grease the grill rack. Preheat grill to medium heat.

Arrange the peaches cut sides down in a shallow foil pan. Place the butter and brown sugar around the peaches. Add the vanilla to the pan.

Mix the lemon curd with the cream to make a smooth spreadable sauce. Place the pan over medium heat and close the lid. Cook for 12 minutes. Check and shake the pan to keep the butter and sugar around the peach halves. Keep warm by turning down the heat and moving the pan away from the direct heat.

Cut peaches into slices and place in individual dishes, add fresh blueberries and the sauce of lemon curd with cream on top.