GRILLED WHOLE FISH

GRILLED WHOLE FISH

tips.gardening.com    May 08, 2019   

Whole grilled fish is one of the most delightful meals, especially on a hot summer day when you don’t want to do any cooking in the house, besides throwing together a quick salad to accompany the meal.  Grilling fish whole enhances its flavor and juiciness because the skin and a thin layer of fat beneath it are left intact; these serve to insulate the flesh during cooking.  Any whole fish will do, but you generally want it small, about 10 inches or so.  Our favorite is the mild, white-fleshed Mediterranean sea bass also called branzino or branzini.  It has relatively few bones which are simple to remove.  Make sure your fish is scaled and gutted prior to cooking.  I used fresh dill and parsley for seasoning; you may also try cilantro and basil.  Recipe adopted from Martha Stewart Living.

2 whole fish, cleaned, heads and tails intact

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and pepper

1 lemon, thinly sliced

3 sprigs fresh dill

1 lime, thinly sliced

3 sprigs fresh parsley 

Preheat grill to medium-high.  Drizzle cavity of each fish with olive oil, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Stuff one fish with lemon slices and dill, the other with lime slices and parsley.  Make long ¼ inch-deep diagonal slits on both sides of the fish to insure even cooking and to allow the seasonings to penetrate the fish.  Rub both sides with additional olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper.  Brush hot grill with oil and place fish directly on the grill or you may also use a grilling basket, like we did.  Cook uncovered about 5 to 7 minutes.  Flip fish over and grill on the other side for another 5 to 7 minutes or until cooked through and opaque.  Serve fish with lemon and lime wedges, and a favorite salad for a light and oh-so-satisfying meal!  

Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Salsa

Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Salsa

tips.gardening.com    June 10, 2018   

The calendar might not officially say it’s summer yet, but we can all agree that summer is basically here, right? I mean, it’s hot, the pools are open, and the grills are smoking – it’s summer! I’ve waxed poetic about my love of winter and how I could totally do withou summer, but I really do try to enjoy it while it’s here. After all, summer comes every year whether I like it not, so I might as well try to make the best of it!

I love grilling out, and this chicken with pineapple salsa is my new favorite recipe. It’s got so much flavor, and it really just screams “summer” – it is made for warm, lazy days. The combination of flavors in the salsa is the perfect mix of sweet and savory, and we even ate the leftovers with tortilla chips. Super delicious!

PS – in case you’re wondering why our grill looks like it has no grates, we’re using a non-stick grill mat, which makes clean up super easy, but still allows for those awesome grill marks on the food.

ingredients:

• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, but in two pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into strips
• 1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled
• 1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper, as needed
• tortilla chips, if desired

instructions:

1. Heat the grill to medium high heat. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin, pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl.
2. Brush the marinade over both sides of both pieces of chicken. Place on the grill and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the center is no longer pink, turning halfway through.
3. Mix the olive oil into the remaining marinade and brush over the pineapple. Grill the pineapple for about 10 minutes, turning twice.
4. Brush the marinade on the avocado and grill for about 3 minutes, with the cut side down. Discard any remaining marinade.
5. When the pineapple and avocado are finished grilling, dice them and mix together with the onion and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
6. Divide the salsa between the chicken breasts and use any extra as a dip with tortilla chips.

GRILLED ZUCCHINI CAPRESE

GRILLED ZUCCHINI CAPRESE

tips.gardening.com    June 07, 2018   

Happy weekend friends! I have an easy side combining some of the best summer flavors! Juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and grilled zucchini. There’s no doubt that I love caprese salad in any form (here, here, here), especially now when summer tomatoes are just around the corner. This simple side, combines grilled zucchini with caprese salad. I made a similar version with portobello mushrooms last year that we absolutely love, love and wanted to recreate something similar but with zucchini instead.

Grilled zucchini is one of those vegetables that you can do so much or so little with and it will taste good. I love grilled zucchini, especially cold the next day chopped in my salad or hot off the grill with a simple s+p and olive oil. It’s sweet and juicy no matter how you eat it.

So I grilled the zucchini. Really simple…just with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Sprinkled on generous amount of garlic salt, then topped it off with fresh tomato slices, mozzarella, chopped basil, and drizzle of olive oil. It’s absolutely delicious! No lie. Smoky flavors of grilled squash combined with fresh sweet tomatoes and cheese is such an awesome combo here.

Serve it up alongside your favorite chicken, steak, shrimp, or fish dinner. You can easily double or triple the recipe. This also tastes amazing the next day, cold right out of the fridge (my personal fav!).

INGREDIENTS :

3 medium zucchini (1½ lbs.), cut lengthwise

5 cocktail tomatoes, sliced ½ - inch thick

8 oz. pre-sliced fresh mozzarella cheese

¼ tsp. garlic salt

fresh basil leaves, julienned

olive oil

salt and fresh ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS :

Drizzle and rub zucchini halves with olive oil. Season lightly with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Preheat the grill on medium-high and grill the zucchini covered for 3-5 minutes per side or just until knife tender.

Remove the grilled zucchini to a serving platter cut side up. Season evenly with garlic salt. Top each half with mozzarella cheese and sliced tomatoes in overlapping pattern. Sprinkle with basil and drizzle with olive oil. Season with additional salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed.

Serve immediately or at room temperature. It also tastes good chilled the next day. Serves 6-8 as a side.

NOTES

Cocktail tomatoes and pre-sliced mozzarella cheese are a perfect size here. You can use any other sort of tomatoes but may have to cut down to fit. Same with pre-sliced mozzarella - they are the perfect little circles for the zucchini here.

Tequila-Orange Grilled Shrimp

Tequila-Orange Grilled Shrimp

tips.gardening.com    June 06, 2018   

INGREDIENTS
1 pound shrimp ; large, peeled, deveined and tails left on
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper ; very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic ; very finely chopped
lime zest ; of one lime
Coarse salt
pepper ; freshly ground
1 cup Orange juice
1/4 cup tequila
1 shallot ; finely chopped
1 tablespoon Unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chives ; fresh, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium bowl, mix oil, half the jalapeno, half the garlic and lime zest; season with salt and pepper. Fold in shrimp. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes up to 1 hour.

In a shallow saucepan, comine remaining jalapeno and garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, orange juice, tequila and shallots; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until mixture is thick and syrupy, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in butter; keep warm.

Heat a gas grill on high or stove-top grill pan over high heat. Grill shrimp, turning once, until just opaque, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter; pour tequila sauce over shrimp. Garnish with chives; serve immediately with lime wedges.

Cranberry, Brie, and Prosciutto Grilled Cheese

Cranberry, Brie, and Prosciutto Grilled Cheese

tips.gardening.com    June 06, 2018   

Today we have a super easy cranberry, brie, and prosciutto grilled cheese that’s simple enough for a busy weekday lunch, yet fancy enough for the dinner table. We love a grilled cheese any season because it’s so quick and versatile, and I found this version really celebrates winter and all its lovely warmth… but that could just be the melty brie talking.

This sandwich consists of only a few ingredients, but let me tell you… piled up and grilled together… they’re magic. Pure grilled cheese magic, I tell you!

The cranberry jam is sort of the “good marriage glue” between the salty prosciutto and the intense brie, but if you can’t find any, I think raspberry could be a good sub. Or make your own! I’ll be sharing our recipe at some point this week 😉 But there are tons of great recipes out there if you can’t wait!

 

Cranberry, Brie, and Prosciutto Grilled Cheese – Baker by Nature

Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of bread
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1 tablespoon chunks and allowed to soften
• 4 tablespoons of cranberry jam
• (1) 4 oz package of prosciutto
• 4 oz brie, thinly sliced
• Extra butter for the pan; if needed

Instructions:

• Heat a large pan or griddle over medium-heat. Place bread on a clean surface, then spread one tablespoon of jam onto each slice of bread. Layer 1/2 of the cheese on one side, and 1/2 of the prosciutto on the other side; repeating for all the slices of bread.

• Slather each side of bread with one tablespoon of butter, then place sandwich in the prepared pan and grill on each side for about 3 minutes each, or until the bread has thoroughly crisped and the cheese has begun to melt.

• Transfer to a clean plate, and eat at once!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

tips.gardening.com    January 26, 2018   

INGREDIENTS :
3/4 inch slices fresh french bread
softened butter
tomato slices
white cheddar cheese slices
cooked bacon slices
thin slices deli pepper turkey
ripe avocado, mashed

INSTRUCTIONS :
Preheat griddle to medium low heat. Butter outsides of bread pieces and stack sandwich in between bread with butter facing the outside. Be sure to have the cheese slices flanking the insides of the bread. Cook on the griddle 3-5 minutes per side or until bread has toasted and cheese has melted. Repeat on other side. Remove from heat, slice and serve.

Grilled Cheese with Avocado and Heirloom Tomato

Grilled Cheese with Avocado and Heirloom Tomato

tips.gardening.com    January 25, 2018   

Ingredients :

•  2 slices sourdough bread
•  1 heirloom tomato
•  1 avocado
•  4 oz gruyere cheese
•  salt and pepper
•  about 1.5 tbsp salted butter

Instructions :

• Start by cutting your heirloom tomato and avocado into thin slices. Set aside.
• Heat up a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Rub butter directly on the skillet and add both slices of bread to the pan. Toast for a couple of minutes until golden brown, then remove the bread slices. Keeping in mind that the sides we just browned go on the inside, build your sandwich by first doing the sliced gruyere cheese, then the tomato, then the avocado. Season with salt and pepper. Add another layer of cheese, and add your other slice of bread. Add more butter to your skillet and brown the sandwich on each side for about 3 minutes, until both sides are golden brown and the cheese has melted. Enjoy!

Grill fish on pineapple bark

Grill fish on pineapple bark

Unknown    June 22, 2015   

All I can say is Yummmmmm!  I will be making this again!  Thanks Jim!! ( my father in law). This reminds me of our honeymoon in Hawaii almost 6 years ago.  Both Greg and I ate lots of Pineapple and a great amount of mahi mahi when we were there.