Summer On a Plate: Grilled Veggie Salad

You want quick, easy and healthy? This one's for you! I had a dozen or so beautiful little summer squash on my hands, thanks to my bi-weekly CSA delivery, and knew that unless I used them up in one fell swoop, a few might not make it. So to the grill I went, and charred them until they were blistered and just this side of al dente (that would be the toothsome side - not the mushy side). They were joined on said grill by some asparagus as well, and if I'd had had other goodies to toss on there (peppers, eggplant) - I woulda done them too. I didn't dress them up for grilling with anything but a light coating of olive oil, since I knew that their destiny was in this salad which gets beaucoup flavor from a simple dressing and fresh herbs.

Once grilled, I left the squash and asparagus in the fridge to chill, went about my day, and assembled the salad in about five minutes before serving. The chopped up grilled veg went into a big bowl with some stunning diced tomatoes (also from the CSA), a sprinkling of feta cheese, and a whole snarl of chopped basil. By a snarl, I mean a lot (I love fresh basil!). Separately, I mixed up a quick lemon vinaigrette (1 clove crushed garlic, the juice of one lemon, ample kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper)- poured, tossed, and voila. Instant summer veggie heaven.

It was so good that I'm not dreading the onslaught of squash I'm bound to get delivered in the coming weeks as farms find themselves with the inevitable bounty. To that I say bring it on, CSA. Bring it on.

Bringing Argentina Home

So I recently went to Argentina. (Surely you know that, but it's always fun to say it again.) Whenever I travel, I like to come home and prepare a big meal to share with friends that reflects the cuisine of the places I've visited. Argentina was certainly no exception - I was just waiting for the right opportunity to do it up right.

That opportunity came a few weekends back when I was able to reciprocate my friend Jeff's hospitality (if you recall, he and his family had us over and he cooked up an amazing feast). The stars aligned for a weekend when everyone was available, and I got to work.

I have to say, I am very proud of the meal. It was completely over the top - more food than I care to admit, but that completely synchs with the Argentine way of over indulgence. Had to be true to form, right?

The tough part was narrowing down the menu (yes - what follows is the abbreviated version of what I originally had down on paper). Grilling steaks - no brainer. No Argentine meal would be complete or authentic without it. But the rest of it - do I pick from the Spanish influence? Or go with the Italian influence? Hard to choose, so I tried to incorporate a little of everything.

What follows is a blow-by-blow of the evening's menu, including wine pairings (which for the most part I had hand-carried back with me from Mendoza). I've also included some of the recipes so you can recreate my favorites if your little heart so desires. It's written in my version of Spanish (what little I know helped along by Google translate), so apologies to all of you who actually speak and read the language... I'm sure there's some silly "lost in translation" segments in there, but obviously, I wouldn't know. Grin.


Picadas: Salumis (Lomo, Bresaola, Secchi, Prosciutto), Olives y Más Provoleto

Cóctel Desnudo Perro

(Antipasti of meat meat and more meat! Plus olives, peppers, hearts of palm. Grilled provolone with crackers. Naked Dog Pisco Cocktail, a simple, super good recipe from The Pisco Book, which was photographed by my talented friend, Shelley, who just so happens to own a pisco import biz, ClearGrape.)

Empanadas Acelga y Salad Mixto con Vinagreta de Torrontes

(Swiss chard empanadas - the empanadas were basically the only thing I didn't make from scratch. Mixed greed salad with Torrontes vinaigrette.)

2009 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrentes (Salta)

Ravioles de Calabaza con Pesto de Sorrel

(Homemade butternut squash ravioli with sorrel almond pesto)

2008 Zolo Torrentes (Lujan de Cuyo)

Tortilla Espanola con Sofrito

(Potato tort with fried tomato sauce - recipes below.)

2006 Occhioverde Merlot (Valle de Uco)

Mollejas de Ternera Chorizo Tres Maneras

(Veal sweetbreads; a trio of sausages)

A note about sweetbreads: I was ecstatic that I made sweetbreads from scratch, and they turned out to be succulent and delicious. It's ironically the one dish that I failed to get a photo of - so sad! (The one above I nabbed from Gastronomical Me, which had been nabbed from somewhere else, but the URL doesn't work.) But I am a sweetbread convert and will make them again. It is a multi-step, multi-day process, but so very worth it in the end. When I make them again, I'll post the directions and recipe.

Bife de Costilla con Chimichurri, Frijoles Verde y Zanahoria

(Wood-grilled T-bone steaks - cooked them over wine barrel staves, no less - with chimichurri, steamed green beans and carrots. Chimichurri recipe below.)

2008 Bramare Viña Cobos Malbec (Lujan de Cuyo) 2007 Bramare Viña Cobos Malbec (Marchiori Vineyard, Lujan de Cuyo)

Dulce Vigilante (Quesillo y Membrillo)
Helados con Dulce de Leche y Salsa de Cabernet al Chocolat
Mate

("Vigilante Dessert" of manchego cheese and quince paste; coffee ice cream with dulce de leche and chocolate cabernet sauce - I guess I don't have a picture of that either, duh. Mate tea.)

Tortilla Espanola
(Adapted from About.com)

• 6-7 medium potatoes, peeled
• 1 whole yellow onion
• 5-6 large eggs
• 2-3 cups of olive oil for pan frying
• Salt to taste

Cut the peeled potatoes in half lengthwise. With the flat side on the cutting surface, slice the potato in 1/8 inch-thick slices. Make sure to separate the pieces that stick together. It is not necessary to slice the potatoes paper thin and it is best not to use a food processor or mandolin because most will slice the potatoes too thin. If you slice them a bit thick, don’t worry – it will simply take a bit longer for them to cook.

Peel and chop the onion into 1/4 inch pieces. Put potatoes and onions into a bowl and mix them together. Salt the mixture.

In a large, heavy, non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Drop a single piece of potato into the oil to ensure it is hot enough to fry. Carefully place the potato and onion mixture into the frying pan, spreading them evenly over the surface. The oil should almost cover the potatoes. You may need to turn down the heat slightly, so the potatoes do not burn.

Leave in pan until the potatoes are cooked. If you can poke a piece of potato with a spatula and it easily breaks in two, your potatoes are done. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula; place in a colander to drain excess oil.

Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat by hand with a whisk or fork. Pour in the potato/onion mixture and combine with a large spoon.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small, non-stick frying pan (approx. 9-10”) and heat on medium. When hot, pour in the potato/onion mixture and spread evenly. Allow the egg to cook around the edges. Carefully lift up one side of the omelet to check if the egg has slightly browned. The center of the omelet should not be completely cooked and the egg will still be runny.

When the omelet has browned on the bottom, it is ready to be turned to cook the other side. Place a large dinner plate (12”) upside down over the frying pan. With one hand on the frying pan handle and the other on top of the plate to hold it steady, quickly turn the frying pan over and the omelet will fall onto the plate. Place the pan back on the stove and put just enough oil to cover the bottom and sides; let warm for 30 seconds or so. Slide the omelet (which is probably still a bit runny) from the plate into the frying pan, using a spatula to catch any egg mixture that runs out. Use the spatula to shape the sides of the omelet. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the center is completely cooked through. Turn off the heat and allow the omelet to set for a minimum of 30 minutes before removing from the frying pan. Serve sliced like a pie; top with sofrito (recipe below).

Sofrito
(Adapted from About.com)

• 1 can crushed tomatoes (28-29 oz)
• 1 long green pepper (Anaheim or other type that is not “hot”)
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 clove garlic
• Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Chop the pepper into 1/4" (or smaller) pieces. Heat a large frying pan with a heavy bottom over medium heat. Pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Put the onions into the pan and sauté them until they are transparent, reducing the heat if necessary so as not to burn them. Add the green pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes, adding olive oil if necessary. Be sure to stir often so vegetables do not burn. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Pour the crushed tomatoes and paprika into the pan and mix well. Continue to cook for about 10-15 minutes.

Chimichurri
(Adapted from Asado Argentina. This is the absolute best approximation of the very best chimichurris I had in Argentina; it is scrumptious!)

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 small bunch flat leaf-parsley; chopped (should equal about 1/2 cup)
• 1 medium onion; finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic; finely minced
• 1/2 of a red bell pepper; seeded and finely diced
• 1 tomato; peeled, seeded, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon bay leaf; very small flakes
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• hot chili flakes to taste (Aji Molido if you can find it)

Add all of the ingredients except the oil and vinegar into a large bowl and toss well to make sure that the salt is spread evenly around the ingredients. Next add the vinegar and water. Mix well. Finally, add the oil and mix well. Make sure that the liquids cover the rest of the ingredients. If not, add equal parts of oil, water, and vinegar until they are covered at least by a quarter of an inch. Transfer to a non-reactive clean bowl or jar and cover well. Place in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend overnight. For better results prepare at least 2 or 3 days ahead of time. If refrigerated, allow sauce to sit at room temperature for at least an hour or until the oil, if congealed, thins out before serving.

Good Eats at Goodies Getaway

Boy, am I a sad sight to behold. I've been down with a nasty cold all week, but lucky for me - misery does love company. Ran has the crud too, so we've been sniffling, coughing, sneezing and napping together. But lest you feel too bad for us, we came down with this ickiness at the tail end of a long weekend getaway that couldn't have been more vibrant!

We packed the car with gear and the dog and headed North for President's Day weekend. Destination: Lake Shastina, to "Goodies Getaway" - a treasure of a lakeside cabin owned by family friends who graciously tossed us the keys. (Kirk, Robbie - thanks again!) It's a nearly five-hour drive, terminating a bit past the town of Weed, CA, which is just shy of the Oregon border. (True story: what song pops up on our playlist en route to Weed? Ray Charles' "Let's Go Get Stoned." I had a chuckle.) We were joined by our good friend John and his new gal, Maya, and the four of us spent three days laughing, lounging and living the good life. The commanding silhouette of Mt. Shasta dominated our views (that photo above? Taken from the deck), good wine filled our glasses, and of course, it wouldn't be a Fare to Remember post if some amazing food didn't grace our table.

Maya and John pulled out all the stops one night and made a full-on Korean BBQ meal (Maya is Korean). For starters, Maya whipped up a simple but popular Korean appetizer of thinly-sliced beef and raw green onion. She didn't know the name of the dish, but it's apparently a take on bulgogi, as far as I can discern from trying to find something similar online. (Bulgogi: thinly sliced or shredded beef marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sugar, scallions, and black pepper. Bulgogi literally means "fire meat.") Maya seared the super-thin beef quickly in a hot pan, dipped the pieces into a mixture of sesame oil, salt and pepper, then used it to wrap up the sliced scallion. Mmm mmm good - a quick, simple and super delicious start to our meal.

The main attraction, however, was the barbecued ribs - or galbi. We had beef ribs, prepped traditionally (marinade recipes abound online - this one is probably very close to what we had), and cooked over a charcoal fire. The ribs were served with a couple of sides: kimchee, platycodon banchan (the root of a flower - doraji - slathered in a sweet/spicy cause), and white rice. But not just any white rice. Maya mixed in a bit of barley as well, giving the finished product not only a nice, toothy bite, but more healthy fiber as well. She also made a fabulous spinach, kale and garlic dish that I lapped up like it was going out of style. She normally makes the dish with mustard greens and spinach, but the boom town that is Weed (population 2,978), doesn't stock mustard greens. Lucky to find kale, I assured her it would make a good substitute, and I dare say I was right. It was delicious.


I delighted in the entire meal, and Maya delighted in my delight. She was astounded that I ate the kimchee and platycodon with such relish - how does a white girl learn to like such foreign and spicy dishes? I assured her that this wasn't my first time at the rodeo.

At any rate, the weekend was lovely all around, and it re-awakened my desire to eat more Korean food. I'm craving it right now actually, even though the only thing I can stomach with this cold is chicken soup. So if anyone wants to join me for bibimbap once my taste buds return, you've got a date! In the meantime, enjoy a few photos from our weekend.

Mt. Shasta, Weed, Goodies Getaway....

Views of Lake Shastina

Sunsets over the lake

Views of the nearby Castle Crags...
I hope to climb there some day.

Impluse Buy

This little guy made me take pause. I had to buy him, just because its shape was so darn cute. I'm a sucker for a cute veggie. Cute veggie, meet my grill....

Grilling and Chilling: My 4th of July

From my decidedly non-scientific poll, it seems as though oodles of folks stuck close to home this past holiday weekend, opting for grilling and chilling as opposed to driving and colliding (I wanted that to rhyme... sorry, lame). That certainly was the case with me. I stuck close to home, and think I turned on the grill for darn near every meal over the long weekend. For my one lone venture to parts yonder, I made it all the way from Napa to St. Helena (phew!), and enjoyed the grill skills of good friends.

The next few posts will give you a run-down of some of the noms I made when left to my own devices; this, however, is the result of the 4th of July extravaganza BBQ put on by my friends:

(Doesn't that look ridiculous?!! Off the hook....)

(This one is my plate, as I was attempting to show restraint at the buffet.... FAIL!)

I dare say, it was not your average Q. This particular group of friends consisted of a local chef and caterer (yo Kinyon!); an Italian who would like nothing more than to hang up his day job and cook, cook, cook; a passionate baker; a food blogger (yours truly); a hobbyist winemaker (lucky me - my DH!), and a couple of devoted foodies thrown in for good measure. Assemble those kind of folks together for a dinner party, and by God, the spread didn't disappoint. My friend Glenn (the Italian), worked up a burger bar beyond belief - lamb burgers with edam cheese and fresh mint; beef burgers with sharp cheddar - and Kinyon grilled them to perfection. Topping choices included carmelized onions, sauteed shiitake mushrooms, avocado, heirloom tomatoes, house-made pickles, arugula, Fatted Calf bacon... and on and on. The rest of the Independence Day spread could have fed Patton's Army: grilled Dijon potato salad, tortellini salad, white bean salad, grilled veggies, Model Bakery buns and rolls... probably more! Not to mention the appetizers, desserts and free-flowing wine.

At the end of the night, I almost wished someone would have taken away my freedom to graze the buffet. We were there to "let freedom ring" and all, but damn... it should be downright unconstitutional for me to indulge like that. Erp.

How about you? Was it a grilling and chilling sort of holiday for you as well? Whatever the case, I hope you enjoyed some good times with good friends over some good food... you know, fare to remember! Read on for some of my grilling adventures from this chill weekend...mmmm!

Grilling and Chilling: Veg!

One of my absolute favorite things to throw on a grill is vegetables. Any kind of veg - mushrooms, asparagus, squash, fingerling carrots, corn, eggplant, endive... you name it. If it's a vegetable, it's pretty darn likely I will grill it (although I can't say that I've grilled broccoli with much success - steaming doesn't count). Now don't get me wrong - I enjoy a fat ribeye as much as the next carnivore out there - but a juicy steak is a treat. Vegetables - now those are daily necessities in my book.

People often ask me what I eat "for real." Fare to Remember probably gives the impression sometimes that I cook a lot, eat out a lot, and enjoy a huge variety of food. In truth, not so much. In my day-to-day life, I stick with lean proteins, seasonal fruit, whole grains and loads and loads of veggies. Pretty darn predictable on any given day.

So, for my grilling and chilling weekend, I knew that loading up the grill with my farmer's market haul would be at the top of my list. I like to grill loads of stuff in advance - chicken breasts and heaps of veggies - that I then eat all week long. I keep it simple - just toss everything with some good olive oil, season with kosher salt and cracked pepper, and then grill away.

One of my favorite applications for grilled veggies - aside from just eating them straight up - is throwing them in a bowl together with a grain. Pictured above, and one of my all-time faves, is quinoa (ok ok... quinoa is technically a seed - not a grain. So sue me.). I cook the quinoa in my rice cooker (add liquid, push button, walk away - my kind of kitchen duty!) - and I like to prepare it with chicken or vegetable stock as opposed to plain water. The result of combining quinoa and grilled veggies is no less than one humongous bowl of super food - hearty, straight from Mother Nature, exploding with fiber and packed with protein. It's a vegan dish that fulfills darn near every possible nutritional requirement and then some.

So that's my dinner or lunch (or both) 90 percent of the time. The veggies will change with the season, the grain will change according to mood, but the essence is still the same. Lucky me, I can grill year-round here in the gorgeous, temperate Napa Valley, but I have a feeling that if I lived in the heart of Siberia, I'd still find a way to fire up a grill in the midst of a howling blizzard. Now if I could only figure out how to grill that darn broccoli.... anyone?

Grilling and Chilling: French Toast

I love the internets. Saw a little nugget of information posted on a friend's Facebook page; something to the tune of "Camping? be sure to make French toast kebabs on the grill!" followed by a quick and simple recipe.

Well blow me over. I thought I was pretty adept at making anything and everything on a grill, and totally pride myself on hella good camp eats. But I have never grilled French toast - what a concept. So, of course on this past grilling and chilling weekend, I had to give it a go right here in my own backyard. Results: spectacular. Am officially adding the kebabs to my breakfast/brunch repertoire, camping or not.

Not much to it - just whip up your favorite French toast custard recipe and pour it over big cubes of day-old crusty bread. (My simple custard recipe consists of 3 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, a dash of cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, whisked into submission. If I'm feeling a little fancy, I'll add a splash of Grand Marnier.) I let the bread cubes absorb all of the egg mixture (it was a good 20 minute soak), threaded them onto skewers, then cooked them over a hot, well-oiled grill. Dusted the finished kebabs with powdered sugar, then ate them up with butter and maple syrup. SUPER simple. SUPER good. Nuf said.

Grilling and Chilling: Avocados

Advertising works! During my daily commute, I try my best not to listen to the radio - the incessant ads drive me bonkers. But there are those days when my CD selection just isn't cutting it, the iPod fails to deliver, or I'm just plain lazy... and the radio is a better alternative than listening to the thoughts in my head.

Last week, during one such stretch of radio time, I heard an advertisement from the California Avocado Commission. One of the growers was recounting his favorite way to prepare avocados: brushed with olive oil and lemon juice, grilled, then loaded up with salsa in the middle. Um... hello, yum?

Over this past grilling and chilling weekend, I gave it a go. Happy to report it is delicious. Grilling the avocados until the fruit is warmed all the way through makes them even creamier, and the grilling imparts a bit of smokiness to the flavor. I scooped my warmed avocado directly from the skin with corn chips; mixed with the salsa, the result was like a warm, ready-made guacamole. It takes zero effort, and would make a great appetizer or side dish to any BBQ spread. I, however, enjoyed mine all on its own - now I call that a lunch!

This is a Stick-Up: Thai-Style Satay

I don't think you can talk about Thai food without mentioning the ubiquitous satay. Grilled meat on a stick, the most popular being steak, shrimp or chicken. It's entry-level Thai food; every Thai restaurant here in the states has it on the menu, and I dare say it's many a soul's easy introduction to Thai cuisine. And the restaurants aren't misrepresenting the simple dish - it's hugely popular and widely available in Thailand too.

Ironically, despite its prevalence, I don't recall eating it a single time while I was actually in Thailand. What? Can that be?

True or not, when I got home, I had a hankering for satay. Or maybe it was more a hankering for the peanut sauce to dip it in (just give me a spoon and stand back!). Whatever the case, I have my own Thai-inspired version that I just love, and has become a huge hit among my friends who have tried it.

My version is semi-homemade, using bottled yellow curry paste rather than making it from scratch (but if you're a purist and have oodles of time, knock yourself out and make your own yellow curry paste, recipe here). I also just buy prepared peanut sauce (again, for those who really want to go to all of the work to make it yourself, recipe here). But the commercial products will work just fine, and the end result is scrumptious! Just marinate your preferred meat item in the ingredients I list below, grill and enjoy.

Thai Satay Marinade
(Makes enough to marinate 1 pound of chicken, beef or shrimp)

• 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons yellow curry paste (more or less, depending on your own taste... I like a lot!)
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or crushed
• 1 teaspoon ginger, finely minced
• Salt, to taste

Combine the coconut milk and curry paste, whisk until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Pour over strips of chicken breast or steak; refrigerate for 1+ hour. Thread the meat onto bamboo skewers and grill. Serve with your favorite brand of peanut sauce for dipping.

Nothing Fishy Here: Lao-Style Whole Grilled Talapia

For being a land-locked country, Laos cuisine is chock full of fish. The rivers - in particular, the Mekong - are a huge source of food. Fish abounds in every market, every restaurant, and every street corner grill. As I was cruising down the Mekong River over the course of three lazy days, often the only other signs of civilization for hours on end were the fishermen in slender, low-slung boats, hand casting their nets.

So naturally, I ate my fill of fish. My favorite, which I have now attempted to replicate several times at home (successfully, I think!), is whole grilled talapia, aromatically seasoned by stuffing the cleaned fish with fistfuls of herbs and spices. I get the beautiful whole fish locally at... you guessed it... 99 Ranch Market, the Asian superstore that I mention here often. (Word of warning however: avoid 99 Ranch - especially the spectacular fish counter - the day before Chinese New Year. I learned the hard way.)

The trick is grilling the talapia without the whole fish just falling apart. I wish I had some tips for how to do that - I don't, really. You could use a fish basket gadget thingy, but dammit... it's just fish over a fire. I like being a purist. I wish I wish I had the set-up that they do in Laos; they sandwich the fish between two sturdy bamboo sticks that are bound tightly enough on each end to hold the fish in place. The ends of the sticks are propped on blocks so that the fish, belly-side down, spans the flame (see picture, above). It's like a perfect little spit, enabling even grilling and turning, without the filling spilling out or the fish falling apart. But alas - I have a regular ol' charcoal Weber... I simply take my chances and cook the fish on their sides. Only one fiasco so far.

At any rate - the ingredients I use to stuff the fish are the same that I had from a street-side vendor just outside of Luang Prabang: lemongrass, garlic, galangal, ginger, rau ram (Vietnamese coriander- cilantro is an acceptable substitute), basil, a sprinkling of salt and a few slivers of the extremely hot Thai birds-eye chilies. I simply pack the cavity of the fish until it's fairly bursting and then secure it closed with a bamboo skewer. I coat the entire thing with a liberal brush of olive oil to keep it from sticking on the grill (my own addition - certainly not a Lao tradition), and score the skin to save it from splitting from the heat. Once grilled, I finish it off with a squeeze of fresh citrus - lemon or lime.

How long do I grill the fish? Over what sort of heat? I have no idea. I just let the coals get nice and white-hot, let the fish cook on one side until it has firmed up enough to turn, and then pull it from the heat when the flesh is firm to the touch and the skin is crispy and golden. Nothing to it.

You can do it, right? No? Jeez... just come over then - I'll happily make it for you!

So Much Sorrel, So Little Time, Part 2: Sorrel Pesto

If you read Part 1 of this little sorrel series, you know that I have too much of a good thing: a garden overflowing with beautiful French sorrel. Yumm-o! By overflowing, I mean more sorrel than my little household will ever use in a timely or realistic manner. So, pesto to the rescue!

I have been making pestos right and left with all of the bountiful herbs in my garden. Pestos are one of my favorite things to do with copious quantities of fresh herbs. They last and last (you can freeze or can them); are extremely versatile (I use them on pastas, meats of all kind, grilled veggies, sandwiches, omelets... too many uses to list!); and can be made in an endless variety of ways (just made a sage/walnut pesto that is amazing, if I say so myself). Pestos are a great way to brighten up your meals any time of year... but I know come January when fresh herbs and veggies are limited, I won't be hurting for vibrant flavors since I can just bust out a pesto or two from my frozen stash.

This sorrel pesto is a simple take on the classic basil pesto, using pinenuts, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. It is pictured served with a grilled tri-tip steak. Simple, and so, so good.

Bring it on January. Bring it on.

Sorrel Pesto

• 2 cups fresh sorrel leaves, rough chopped
  
• 1/2 cup pinenuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1-2 tablespoons olive oil for drizzling into food processor
  

Add all ingredients to a food processor fit with the flat blade. Blend until smooth, adding the reserved olive oil by drizzling into the pesto as it is being blended. The oil will act as an emulsifier and the finished project should be creamy, but not necessarily smooth, and have a thick, paste-like texture.

Sage Advice, Part 4: Drunk and Stuffed Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Drunk and stuffed. Sounds like how I've felt after many a good dinner party. Overindulgence... I've sure experienced my fair share. But in this instance, drunk and stuffed are actually really good attributes. They refer to a marinade built around a hard apple cider base, and a stuffing loaded with both sweet and savory ingredients - fresh pineapple sage being one of them.

This dish came about in true Fare to Remember fashion, where good food always means good company, and cooking equals community. My friend Hetta - a stellar cook and fellow shutter bug - was coming to spend the afternoon, and we were going to enjoy it by whipping up something fabulous for lunch. But not just any something - there were criteria: it had to be worthy of a blog post, and it had to utilize the fresh herbs in my garden, particularly, sage.

Now, if you own a copy of the Fare to Remember cookbook, you'll note that Hetta has a fabulous recipe therein for Pear, Gorgonzola and Sage Pizza (if you don't own the book - buy one - the pizza recipe alone makes it worth the price!). As much as I love that pizza, I put the kibosh on making it for her visit, really prefering to A) -try something new, and B) -grill something since it was Labor Day weekend. (Isn't grilling required the first weekend in September? I thought so.) So she and I got busy and bounced some ideas off of each other. She had just made a stuffed pork loin roast for hoardes of friends, and announced that it had been a huge success. Not only super tasty, but also an extremely affordable way to feed a crowd. Hers was marinated in a teryiaki sauce, stuffed with bread cubes, dried fruit and herbs, and then glazed with her homemade apricot jam. That got my wheels turning....

With her recipe as inspiration, I did a little train-of-thought reasoning: if pineapple sage was the herb I wanted to use, the dried fruit would naturally have to be.... (wait for it).... pineapple. The fresh fruit would then have to be... apple (like pineapple, but without the pine - no?). And since this whole apple theme had reared its head, a hard apple cider seemed only befiting as an ingredient around which to build a tropical/Asian/fusion marinade. Beyond that, I knew I wanted to use toasted oats in lieu of bread for the stuffing (I'm aiming for more whole grains in my diet). Logical, right? (Don't answer that.)

The result is this gorgeous tenderloin, literally exploding with flavor. We wound up using Hetta's homemade peach jam for the glaze, and the combination of flavors really turned out to be killer. The fruit was a wonderful sweet counterpoint to the savory pineapple sage, and the oats in the stuffing were a brilliant, nearly indistiguishable sustitute for bread. As you can see from the photo below, we had ourselves quite a little feast out on my patio, just the two of us. We may not have walked away drunk, but we sure stepped away from the table stuffed.


Drunk and Stuffed Grilled Pork Tenderloin

• Two 1-pound pork tenderloins (or one 2-pound pork loin roast); butterflied and pounded flat
• 1/4 cup peach jam, thinned with a tablespoon or so of pineapple juice or water, to be brushed on as a glaze
  

Marinade

• One 12-ounce bottle of hard apple cider (can be substituted with non-alchoholic apple cider)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons Chinese five spice sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 cup fresh pineapple sage, chopped (can be substituted with regular sage)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all marinade ingredients and mix well. Pour the marinade over the pork tenderloins that have been placed in a deep casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours (I let mine marinate overnight). When ready to stuff the tenderloins, reserve the marinade for use in the stuffing and for basting.

Stuffing

• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced small
• 1/2 cup dried pineapple, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 of a small red onion, diced small
• 1 cup whole oats, toasted (simply toast them in a pan on your stovetop over low heat)
• 1 cup fresh pineapple sage, chopped (can be substituted with regular sage)
  
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• Approximately 1/2 cup of the reserved tenderloin marinade (enough to make the stuffing moist)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Remove the tenderloin from the marinade and lay flat. Spoon the stuffing mixture onto the loin; roll to assemble, taking care to tuck the ends in as you go. The end result will look like a fat little log - or the tenderloin before you butterflied it. Truss it with string so that it won't fall apart on the grill. Sear the loin on all sides over high heat on a grill that has been brushed with oil. Once seared, remove from direct heat and cook under a closed lid, turning/basting every 3-4 minutes until done, approximately 25 minutes. (Regarding direct heat: my grill has three burners. I cooked this tenderloin on the center burner. After the sear, I turned the center burner off completely, and turned the two side burners to medium. That was enough to provide good indirect heat with the lid closed to cook the tenderloing to its carmel-colored perfection.) For the final 5 minutes of cooking, brush with the peach jam to glaze.

Note: Since the tenderloin has been pounded thin, there's really no point in using a meat thermometer to gauge the internal temperature. You really just have to go on instinct to know when the tenderloin is perfectly cooked. It's a fine line between juicy and a little pink, to dry and overcooked. I can usually tell by feeling the meat if it's ready. My trick: Pinch the fatty tissue in that little gap between your outstretched forefinger and thumb; once the pork has a similar consistency, it's perfect!

Lighten Up Already: Guilt-Free Bacon Cheeseburgers (They're Turkey!)

So Randall and I were sitting around watching the Food Network one night (yep... we live it up alright!), and lo and behold: Rachel Ray busted out a 30-Minute Meal that had both of us salivating. She made these ridiculous double cheeseburgers topped with bacon and a roasted tomato chutney... but that were considerably more healthy than the heart-attack-in-a-wrapper you'd get at the corner fast food joint. Her secret: she used all turkey (ground turkey breast patties, turkey bacon), and substituted an English muffin for a normal bun.

Now I've made turkey burgers a million times before - they're one of my favorites. The difference this time around was that Randall, not usually a fan of ground turkey, was really keen to the idea after seeing Rachel's episode. The iron was hot, so I struck. I bought turkey burger ingredients the very next day.

I didn't actually go back and research or follow Rachel's recipe; her show simply provided the inspiration for the ones I made, pictured above. I loaded up the ground turkey breast with heaps of herbs and spices; they were juicy and flavorful and every bit as satisfying as a normal beef burger - maybe even more so! All I know is that if I can get a turkey burger past my beef-loving DH - the recipe is a keeper.

So, if grilling is in your plans over this nice long holiday weekend coming up, give these a whirl. Your taste buds - and your waistline - will thank you!

Guilt-Free Turkey Bacon Cheeseburgers

• 1 pound ground turkey breast
• 1 egg
  
• 1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 of a medium red onion, chopped fine
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2-cup bread crumbs (optional)
  
• 8 slices turkey bacon, precooked
  
• 4 slices low-fat or fat-free cheddar cheese slices (good ones exist these days!)
• 4 English muffins, toasted
• Burger toppings and condiments of your choosing: tomatoes, sliced onion, avocado, lettuce, pickles, mustard, etc.
  

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, egg, onion, and all the herbs and spices. Mix thoroughly. If the mixture is too loose to form patties, add the breadcrumbs as a binder. Form 4 patties, and grill over medium heat until cooked entirely through, approximately 6-7 minutes per side. Unlike beef burgers... there is no "medium rare" when it comes to poultry burgers - cook them all the way through folks! During the last stages of grilling, place two bacon strips on top of each patty; cover the bacon with a slice of cheese and let melt. Use the English muffins as the buns, and top according to your individual tastes.

Fire. Sticks. Meat. Dinner!

I'll admit it: I enjoy a few of humankind's most basic, primal pleasures. Namely, cooking things over a fire on a stick (what did you think I meant?). Because I so enjoy the finer art of cave-woman cookery, I consider myself pretty well-versed in all things cooking stick-related. But apparently, I'm still in the Stone Age. Just recently, it was brought to my attention that you can get flavor-infused cooking skewers: kabob skewers that have been pre-seasoned with everything from hickory smoke and honey bourbon, to Thai coconut lime and ginger mango. A cave-woman should be so lucky.

When I happened upon these modern marvels, of course I had to get some to try. Made by Callison's and simply called Seasoned Skewers, the packaging and marketing buzz claimed a well-seasoned meal was to be had simply by stabbing these sticks into the meat or veggies of your choice and giving them 15 minutes to do their thing. I got the hickory smoke flavor, and skewered away.

The steak kabobs I made were gussied up with a little spice rub and finished with a mopping of Guiness BBQ sauce, but I made a couple "control" kabobs of naked meat and naked veggies as well, to see how much flavor the skewers did, in fact, impart on their own.

Happy to report: the seasoned skewers did their job. The control kabobs came out with a nice smoky, hickory flavor. It wasn't very strong, but certainly it was there and did liven up their unseasoned subjects. The one downside that I found to these skewers was that they were so darn thick, that it was nearly impossible to string up the veggies. I had cut up some squash and mushrooms in very generous sizes, and still they split in half when I attempted to put them on the skewers. So, for what it's worth, if you want to give these seasoned skewers a try, you're better off just impaling meat. The caveman or woman in you will be proud.

BBQ Buzz: Grilled Pork Loin with Coffee-Spice Rub and Apricot Sauce

I read an article in the San Francisco Chronicle not too long ago extolling the virtues of using coffee or espresso in recipes. Ever since that day, I haven't been able to walk past a Starbucks without thinking of dry rubs and marinades.

The Chronicle article gave a basic coffee rub recipe for a grilled pork; that recipe was the launching point for my own spicier version. And naturally, with all of the gorgeous stone fruit in season right now, I thought that pairing the smoky, aromatic rub with a simple fruit sauce would be a gorgeous complement of flavors. Happy to report that my instincts were right. Apricots won the spot in the sauce thanks to their vibrant color and subtle sweetness, and a robust French roast claimed the spotlight in the rub.

The finished product was a roast that was beautifully and deeply stained from the dark rub, but incredibly moist and flavorful. It was so good, in fact, even my dog couldn't resist from helping himself (and that's another story entirely... but for any of you that know my dog, you know exactly what happened). Canine belly aches aside, this recipe is smokin'! I suggest you give it a try, but keep it all to yourself (sorry pooches!).

Grilled Pork Loin with Coffee-Spice Rub and Apricot Sauce

• 2-pound pork loin roast
• Oil, for cooking

Coffee-Spice Rub

• 3 tablespoons ground French roast coffee
• 1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

In a small bowl, combine rub ingredients; rub all over meat (there may be extra). Cover the pork loin and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.

Preheat a gas grill on high or prepare coals until hot. If using coals, bank the coals around the perimeter once hot. Oil the grate and the pork loin. Sear the pork over high heat on each side for 3 minutes, turning only once. Reduce the grill temperature to medium-low, or ideally (using a multi-burner gas grill), turn off the flame entirely directly beneath the loin and reduce the side burners to medium in order to provide indirect heat. Continue to rotate the pork loin every five minutes or so; cook until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the loin reaches 150 degrees. Remove from the grill and let rest; the temperature will continue to rise. The roast is finished when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Slice and serve with Apricot Sauce.

Apricot sauce

• 1 1/2 pounds apricots, pitted
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar, to taste
• Dash of salt, to taste
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Place apricots in blender and puree until smooth. Run the puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove any pulp or chunks. Transfer to a sauce pan and heat to a low boil. Reduce to a simmer and add remaining ingredients, whisking to combine. Reduce by 1/4 or to your desired consistency.

Reaching Your Grill Potential: Pizza

When it comes to pizza, I'm not exactly, um... discriminating. I'll eat just about anything with a crust and cheese. I do have my favorite styles, of course (honestly, you can't beat a perfectly-executed Neapolitan-style pie, with it's thin, blistery wood-fired crust), but really, it's hard for me to walk away from pizza of any variety. (Guilty pleasure admission: $2 slices at Costco. Don't judge.)

That being said, rarely do I make pizza at home (why bother? very nice kids will deliver it right to your door in under an hour), but when I do, there's really only one method: I cook it on the grill. I suppose it's my own way of getting that wood-fired flavor without the luxury of having my own pizza oven (and for my friends who do - and you know who you are - let's fire it up already, sheesh!!). Making pizza on the grill is simple, and as with any pizza, the topping combinations are only as endless as your imagination. There really is no recipe, just some basic instuctions on technique:

• Go easy on yourself - use pre-made pizza dough. I get mine at Trader Joes, of course.
  
• Form the pizza dough in to a big round ball, and then roll it in cornmeal. The cornmeal will not only help to provide some structure to the elastic dough as you stretch it, helping it to maintain its shape, it will also give the crust an added bit of tasty crunch.
• Don't be concerned about shape. Without the aid of a pizza pan, your pie will almost certainly not be round. Just stretch the dough to your preferred thickness as best you can - take whatever shape you get.
  
• Throw the stretched dough directly onto a very hot oiled grill. Don't touch it - let it cook for approximately 5 minutes on the first side. If you try to move it too early, you'll end up with a gloppy sticky mess.
  
• Once the first side has cooked sufficiently enough where you can lift the entire sheet of dough, flip it and turn the heat to low. Add your sauce and toppings (pre-cook any toppings that might require it since cooking time for a pizza on the grill is short; for instance, in the pie pictured, I sauteed the mushrooms in advance with a little crushed garlic).
• Once your sauce and toppings are in place, close the lid of the grill and let the pie bake to perfection. The pie is done when the dough is cooked throughout and the bottom is toasted with grill marks.
  

The pie pictured here is a beautiful example of what good results look like, and in fact, it might just be my favorite pizza I've ever created. It was topped with alfredo sauce; heaps of various gourmet mushroom varieties like morel, chantrelle, shiitake and porcini (acquired at the Berkeley Bowl, mentioned in a previous post); fontina cheese, and fresh Wedgewood thyme from my brand new herb garden. I'd be happy to make it again (twist my arm)... just let me know when you want to come over!