Grillin'
Around Town Food and Drink
It’s not just for burgers anymore n
KT Graham
We’re well into summer and I know you’ve been grilling already. Are you starting to get bored with the same old stuff? Chicken, burgers, steak, hot dogs, or sausages. It’s easy to get into a rut. If you find yourself wondering if there’s more to grilling than the old standbys, I’m here to answer with a resounding YES!! Have you branched out yet to fish on the grill? I love salmon steak, but used to struggle with how to keep it from sticking. One day, I sliced a lemon into thin slices and laid them on the grill as a bed for the salmon. No more sticking! By the time you turn it, the steak will have cooked enough that the second side won’t stick so no need to try to make a new bed of lemon. Of course, if you have a fillet, leave it skin side down directly on the grill until the skin is nice and crispy. By the time the skin is crispy and releases easily from the grill, the fillet will be cooked and won’t require turning. Shrimp takes no time on the grill. I love to marinate it and then put it on skewers. For 1 ½ lbs of cleaned shrimp, combine 1 T olive oil, 5 crushed cloves of garlic, 1 cup of orange juice, zest from 1 orange, and several sprigs worth of fresh rosemary leaves. Add the shrimp, cover, and stick in the fridge for an hour. They will only take 2-3 minutes per side on the grill, and having them on skewers makes them easy to flip quickly. For me, though, the real stars of the summer grill are vegetables. There are all kinds of vegetables that turn out great. You’re probably familiar with squash and
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eggplant. Maybe you’ve even roasted a sweet red pepper on the grill. Those are all good options. As far as I’m concerned, pretty much any vegetable can get a little rub or drizzle of olive oil and go right on the grill. Some people like to also add salt to the veggies before grilling. I tend to add salt later if I’m in the mood for it. If you find yourself with leftover grilled veggies, you have the makings for tomorrow’s lunch. I’ll use a roll or good
bread, add a smear of pesto, then grilled squash, eggplant, sweet red pepper, feta cheese or fresh mozzarella, and I have a gourmet sandwich. I hope this inspires you to try something new. There are so many options out there, and to be honest, veggies from the grill just taste better. So go to the farmers market, load up your bags, and treat yourself to a whole new world of grilling.
