BY GWEN KENNEALLY
The misty mornings in Los Angeles are known as “June Gloom,” but all I know is it is all the signs of summer and I just want to get my grill on! With graduations and all of the festivities that come with the beginning of the season many friends have been requesting some of my stand-by no fail grill recipes. Here are a few that I have been doing for years and a few that I just started this summer. I am grabbing my tongs and charcoal and looking forward to creating a whole lot more. All of these recipes serve eight and are easily doubled to celebrate with all of those you love.
Grilled Artichoke and Spinach Dip with Grilled Pita
2 14-ounce cans artichoke hearts, drained
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cup sour cream
1/2-cup mayonnaise
2 pounds frozen chopped spinach, well drained
Four sprigs fresh dill, chopped
Few dashes Worchester sauce
Drain artichoke hearts and place on skewers. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over direct medium heat until golden brown, about 6 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Rough chop the artichokes and in a large bowl toss with garlic and dill. Add the spinach. Fold in mayo, sour cream, and 1 cup of the cheese. Mix well and splash in the Worchester sauce. Place in fireproof dish or heavy-duty aluminum pan and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Grill over Indirect Medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes until dip is heated through and nice and bubbly
Grilled Pita
8 pita rounds
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Brush pita rounds with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill briefly over direct heat to warm, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cut into wedges.
Fall Off The Bone Baby backs with Slicks Sauce
3 slabs pork loin back ribs
Salt and Pepper
3 lemons, sliced
Slicks Sauce (or other good quality BBQ Sauce)
Cut the ribs between the bones and place in a roasting dish. Salt and pepper them generously. Place n the oven and cook ribs at 225 for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Toss with the sauce and place lemon slices over the top then increase the temp to 325 and cook an additional hour until they fall off the bone!
Slicks BBQ Sauce
3/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2-cup dark brown sugar
1 Shake Worchester
4 shakes Tabasco
1 clove garlic minced
1-tablespoon black pepper
1-teaspoon celery salt
1 heaping teaspoon chili powder
4 tablespoons French’s mustard
1 cup Heinz ketchup
Mix all ingredients in an empty and clean 1/2-gallon milk jug. It is best to make a couple of days a head. Shake vigorously at least twice a day. Brush over grilled chicken, fish, steak or veggies. Anything you would use a traditional BBQ sauce for.
Grilled Coho Salmon with Fennel, Leeks & Chanterelles
2 (6 to 7-ounce) Coho salmon fillets
2 tablespoons butter
5 to 6 sliced chanterelle mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced fennel
1/2 cup sliced leeks
1/2 cup white wine
1/2-cup chicken stock
1-cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauté the chanterelles, fennel, and leeks in butter until soft and lightly browned. Add the chicken stock and cream. Reduce for 3 to 4 minutes. The sauce should be of medium thickness and have a rich ivory color. Season with the salt and pepper. Oil and grill the salmon to desired doneness. Remove to a serving plate. Spoon the sauce over the fish, and serve.
Grilled Colossal Shrimp with Coconut Milk Curry
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons shallots , minced
2 teaspoons lemon grass, finely minced
1 teaspoon garlic , thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoons green curry paste
14-ounce can coconut milk
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
20 basil leaves, chopped
Juice and zest of three limes
1/2 teaspoon salt
40 colossal shrimp (about 4 pounds)
Salt and pepper
Canola oil for brushing shrimp
Basil and cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish
To make curry sauce: Heat oil in medium saucepan over high heat. Add shallots, lemon grass, and garlic sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add curry paste and sauté for 2 minutes longer. Add coconut milk, basil, cilantro, limejuice and salt Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Reserve. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Lightly brush shrimp with oil and place in centre of cooking grate. Grill 4 to 8 minutes until shrimp turn pink and opaque in thickest part, turning once halfway through grilling time. To serve, spoon some sauce on serving platter. Arrange shrimp on sauce and sprinkle with the basil and cilantro. Serve with remaining sauce.
Caribbean Chicken with Avocado Relish
5 pounds chicken
(12 small pieces or 6 large pieces)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 3 oranges
1 cup peanut oil
1 7-ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1-cup cilantro leaves
Peel the garlic and put in food processor work bowl. Squeeze in 1 cup orange juice and remaining marinade ingredients; process until pureed; transfer to a Heavy Bag rinse chicken, pat dry and add to marinade insuring chicken is covered completely; cover and refrigerate 12 hours or up to 2 days. Remove chicken from marinade and let drain; grill turning once during cooking until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a skewer, about ten minutes. Transfer chicken to serving plate; spoon 1/4 cup relish along side chicken.
Avocado Relish
1 large tomato, diced
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1 red onion, diced
2 clove garlic, minced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno seeded and minced
1 lime
1 orange
1/2 bunch cilantro, minced cilantro
Splash red-pepper sauce
Splash worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black
Pepper to taste
Put tomato and avocado in medium bowl; squeeze lime and orange juices; add remaining ingredients; mix well and set aside.
Grilled Tuna Steaks with Pineapple Salsa
1/4 cup of olive oil
Juice of one lime
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tuna steaks, 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick.
Prepare the grill. Mix the oil and lemons, lime, salt and pepper in a small bowl and brush over both sides the tuna generously. Grill the tuna steaks 5 inches over the heat for about 6 minutes per side until they are firm to the touch. Remove from grill and serve immediately with a generous amount of salsa.
Pineapple Mango Salsa
1 medium sized pineapple, diced
2 mangos, diced
Juice of 2-3 limes
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
1/4 cup very finely slivered fresh ginger
1 red onion, cut into thin slivers
1 to 2 small jalapeños, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely cut cilantro
Gently toss together. Taste for the intensity of flavors. The heat intensifies the longer it stands. Let stand for 20 minutes to one hour for the flavors to gel. If you want to get a head start, cut the fruit the night before and place in zip locks.
Cedar Planked Salmon
1 – 2 1/2 to 3 lb salmon fillet rinsed and patted dry
5 cloves garlic
3-tablespoon olive oil
Rosemary sprig, chopped
Thyme sprig, chopped
1-teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 18″ cedar plank, soaked in water 2 hours
Make small slits on the side of the fish. Slice garlic into slivers, and press into these slits. Coat fish with oil. Sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper. On a hot gas grill or over very hot charcoal briquettes heat the plank for 5 minutes each side. Place fish on plank and return to the grill. And cover. Close vents 1/2 way and don’t open for 15 minutes. Check for doneness in middle of fillet…pink and flaky. Serve immediately.
Asian Grilled Pork Tenderloin
4 pounds pork tenderloin
2/3-cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup limejuice
2tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
In a small bowl, combine all marinade ingredients; mix until well blended. Place pork tenderloin in a plastic bag; pour marinade over pork in bag. Close bag tightly; marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour or up to overnight. Remove pork from marinade; reserve marinade. Grill over medium coals 20 to 25 minutes for medium doneness, turning after first 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place reserved marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Serve with sliced pork; garnish with cilantro.
Grilled Corn with Chili Lime Butter
8 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, softened
1/2-teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
4 teaspoons fresh limejuice
1/2 teaspoon jalapeño, minced (or to taste)
8 ears corn on the cob in the husks
Place the butter in a small bowl; add the chili powder, lime peel, limejuice, jalapeño and salt. Mix well. Shape the butter into a log and slice into 8 even pieces. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Heat grill to medium-high. Place corn (in husk) on the grill, rotating the corn so you cook on all sides, for approximately 15 minutes total. Remove from grill and cool slightly (so you are able to peel the husk). Place corn back on grill over the same flame for about 4 minutes, once again rotating the corn for even grill marks.
About Karen Young
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