Grill, baby, grill.

Maybe it’s the looming proximity of (my favorite holiday) the Fourth of July, but we seem unable to make a meal these days without schlepping out to the grill. It has gotten so that I am not sure that I would necessarily recognize something as “food” unless it is all gussied up with the delicious criss-cross char of grill marks. But in my book, this is not a problem. A few of our favorites (new and old), follow.

If I could, I think I would eat these fish tacos twice a week at least:

Fish Tacos
(Bobby Flay, sir, my stomach thanks you and the Food Network)

1 pound white flaky fish, such as mahi mahi or orata (*we have also used tilapia and it is delicious!)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoons ancho chili powder (*”chili powder” unmodified by “ancho” also works fine)
1 jalapeno, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
8 flour tortillas

Optional garnishes: shredded cabbage, chopped cilantro, chopped red or green onions, hot sauce, salsa, sriracha, crema or sour cream

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place fish in a medium size dish. Whisk together the oil, lime juice, chili powder, jalapeno, and cilantro and pour over the fish. Let marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the fish from the marinade and place onto a hot grill, flesh side down. Grill the fish for 4 minutes on the first side and then flip for 30 seconds and remove. Let rest for 5 minutes then flake the fish with a fork.

Place the tortillas on the grill and grill for 20 seconds. Divide the fish among the tortillas and garnish with any or all of the garnishes.

* * *

Lest you think I've forgotten those CSA roots (pun intended, mwah ha ha!), we’ve also been grilling the bejeezus out of all stripes of vegetables.  Some recent surprise favorites have been okra and tomatoes.  The recipe we used follows, along with a ridiculously good preparation for scrumptious grilled yellowneck squash.

Grilled Tomatoes and Okra
(modified from epicurious.com recipe for Steak, Tomato and Okra Kebabs)

3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
As many cherry, roma, or campari tomatoes as you can eat
Ditto as to the fresh okra

Whisk together shallots, vinegar, mustard, sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 3/4 tsp pepper. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.

Toss tomatoes and okra with vinaigrette in a bowl. Let sit for at 20 minutes minutes. Thread tomatoes onto skewers. Thread okra crosswise onto pairs of parallel skewers, leaving small spaces between pieces. (*If using wooden skewers, make sure to soak for at least 20 minutes before.)

Grill skewers (covered only if using a gas grill), turning occasionally, until tomatoes just begin to wilt and okra is tender, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to platter and serve with any remaining vinaigrette.

Grilled Yellowneck Squash
(modified ever so slightly from allrecipes.com)

4 medium yellow squash
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed or squeezed through a garlic press
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat grill to medium heat.  Cut the squash horizontally into 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick slices.  Heat olive oil in a small pan and add garlic cloves (or garlic squeezy goodness).  Cook over medium heat until the garlic starts to sizzle and become fragrant.  Brush the slices of squash with the garlic oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Grill squash for 5 to 10 minutes per side, until slices reach the desired tenderness.  During cooking, you may brush with additional garlic oil and turn occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.

Summertime tomato and herb bruschetta.

I love this bruschetta.  The flavors are so brightly delicious and, this time of year, many of the ingredients can be sourced from even the smallest fire escape garden.  It's one of my favorite choices for a summer cocktail party starter, but be forewarned: This is an appetizer to be eaten among friends.  There is almost no way that you are eating this and getting away without at least a moment where you've got something big and green staring out at the world from a tooth or two.  But don't let your vanity talk you out of giving this a try.  There is something almost magical about the way that the light tomato mint mixture tastes atop the herbed olive oil spread and when you bite in, oh, there's that crispy give of the bread.  Whatever the drawbacks, they are more than worth it. 

Herbed Bruschetta
From Great Good Food by Julee Rosso

1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup drained capers, chopped
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh tarragon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large, very ripe tomatoes
3 tablespoons finely minced fresh mint
24 1/4-inch-thick slices peasant bread or French baguette
1 small log goat cheese

Combine the parsley, capers, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium-sized bowl.  Add the oil and toss well.

Dice the tomatoes very fine, but do not peel or seed them.  Put the tomatoes in another bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste, and add the mint.

Let everything stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Toast or grill the bread.  Spread it with goat cheese, then the herb mixture.  Top with the tomato mixture. 

Enjoy, preferably with a cocktail in hand.

Lamb, I am.

I love the sassy, tangy taste of arugula, but it can be hard to put together a salad that stands up to its swagger. When this week's CSA box brought us another great big bag of the stuff (plus microgreens and carrots and strawberries, oh my!), I was ready with a twist on one of our old favorites: lamb burger salads. Trust me, its a good one. It combines our newfound love of grilling (and a definite plus of living below the Mason Dixon is that you really can grill practically all year round) and there is no better stage for all of its great Greek flavors than a whole mess of beautiful tangled arugula.

The recipe is originally from Self Magazine c/o epicurious. I made some very minor changes to convert it from a burger to a salad and added the Sriracha sauce to give it some additional flavor and a bit of a punch.

Greek Burger Salad with Arugula, Tomatoes, and Feta
4 whole-wheat pitas (6 1/2 inches each)
1/4 cup skim milk
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 generous tablespoons chopped fresh mint
4 generous teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 pound lean ground lamb
4 cups arugula
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup peeled, seeded and finely diced cucumber
1/3 cup crumbled feta

Dressing
2/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt (I like Greek Fage yogurt)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey

Sriracha sauce to taste.

Heat oven to 350°F. Cut 1/4 off each pita (a half-moon shape from 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock). Chop half-moons, transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with milk. Let soak 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess milk.

Purée soaked bread, onion, garlic, herbs and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Transfer purée to a bowl. Add lamb, season with salt and pepper and combine. Form into 4 patties.

Wrap pitas in foil and heat until warm, about 8 minutes. (Or place pitas between sheets of paper towel and microwave until warm, about 30 seconds.)

Cook burgers on the grill or on a skillet with teaspoons oil heated over medium-high heat until hot. Cook burgers to medium, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Whisk yogurt, mint, garlic, mustard and honey in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare the salads. Divide the arugula between four plates. Break up the burgers and divide between the plates. Add tomato, red onion and cucumber to plates. Drizzle dressing over salads and add several good squirts of Sriracha to taste. Sprinkle with feta. Serve warm pitas and leftover dressing on the side.




Tip from M. Tumbleweed: once you have prepared the patties, make sure that you put them somewhere well out of reach of the dog.  Or else you will end up with three, instead of four, lamb burgers to go around.  (Tip from the dog: ignore those last two sentences entirely.)