Labor Day means grilling for many families

Labor Day is approaching, and for many that means it’s time to enjoy a grilled meal.

That certainly doesn’t mean it’s the last day to grill. After all, the weather is still mild and, even when it gets colder, a grill is a great place to  warm up while making a meal or a dessert.

Ignoring the debate over whether cooking foods over a gas or charcoal-fueled fire is best, there’s little question that the smoke adds a special flavor to foods.

All types of food, from appetizers to desserts and everything in between, can be made on a grill. Vegetables, fruits, meats and cakes can all benefit from a trip to the grill.

There’s plenty of summer produce to enjoy on the grill, as well as football favorites and campfire specials such as s’mores and grilled fruit.

One more plus for grilling your meal — clean up is generally much simpler, freeing you to spend more time with your family.

When grilling, trim visible fat from meat and poultry to help prevent flare-ups.

For the most part, grill over medium heat. For gas grills, set controls to medium. For charcoal grills, the coals should no longer be flaming and should be covered with gray ash.

If food is grilled at a temperature that’s too high, the exterior can become overcooked or charred before the interior is done. Charring meat, poultry or fish is not recommended.

Use an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into the side of the meat to check if it is done. Thermometers should penetrate the thickest part or center of the meat and not touch bone, fat or the grill.

Use a long-handled spatula to turn meats, and don’t press, flatten or pierce the meat or flavorful juices will be lost.

Following are some recipes from www.whatsgabycooking.com

 

Mushroom Beef Burger

1 pound ground beef

1 pound crimini mushrooms, pulsed until finely chopped in a food processor

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

2 teaspoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

For toppings:

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 to 2 avocados, smashed and seasoned with salt and pepper

4 slices pepperjack cheese

4 buns, toasted

Place ground beef and chopped mushrooms in a large bowl. Add taco seasonings, parsley, salt and pepper. Using your hands, incorporate everything together. Form mixture into two 1/2-inch-thick patties.

Grill patties over medium heat  for four to six minutes per side, until medium. Add cheese during the last minute to melt

In a skillet, cook peppers and onions fajita style until soft.

Serve each patty in a burger bun topped with sauteed fajita veggies and equal amounts of smashed avocado.

 

Basil Parmesan Grilled Corn

4 cobs of corn with husk on

2 to 3 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Red pepper flakes

For basil vinaigrette:

1 small shallot, roughly chopped

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves, stems removed

2 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, optional

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

To make vinaigrette, place ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend 60 seconds, until very smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Set aside.

  Pull husk down but keep it on cob. Grill corn over high heat until it starts to char, and then remove from the grill.

Using a pastry brush, brush some basil vinaigrette onto the corn, then heavily sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and seasonings. Serve immediately.

 

 

Thai Style Baby Back Ribs With Smashed Cucumber Salad

2 racks of baby back ribs

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked pepper

1/3 cup fish sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons minced red fresno chiles

3 tablespoons minced ginger

2 tablespoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lemongrass

3 tablespoons torn basil

Peanuts to garnish

For salad:

1 pound Persian cucumbers

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

3 scallions sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Chili flakes

Cilantro to garnish

Place ribs on a large baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Pour one cup water into the baking sheet, then cover tightly with foil. Bake in a 350-degree oven for two hours, until meat nearly falls off the bone.

Let ribs cool 20 minutes, then cut them into individual ribs. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Divide mixture in half, placing half on the side for drizzling and tossing the other half with the ribs to coat. Grill ribs over medium-high heat for five to seven minutes. Sprinkle with extra basil and serve.

For cucumber salad, gently smack cucumbers with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pot until they begin to break apart. Tear into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a colander and toss with one teaspoon salt. Let sit 10 minutes to drain excess liquid.

In a medium bowl, whisk scallions, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds and chili flakes. Add smashed cucumbers. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and top with cilantro.

 

 

Chipotle Flank Steak With Corn Salsa

For spice rub:

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1-1/2 pounds flank steak

For salsa:

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for grill

3 ears of corn, shucked

1 poblano pepper

1/4 red onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeño, finely diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

2 limes, juiced

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Combine spices for the spice rub in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Brush corn with the oil. Grill corn and poblano pepper on a medium-high grill that’s been brushed with olive oil, turning occasionally, for eight to 10 minutes, until charred. Remove from grill and let cool. Strip the kernels from cobs and place in a medium bowl. Peel charred skin on the poblano and discard. Chop the flesh of the pepper in a small dice and add to the corn kernels. Discard seeds from the poblano

Add onion, jalapeño, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice to corn and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Drizzle steak with one tablespoon oil and sprinkle steak with the dry rub. Grill steak for four minutes per side for medium-rare and five minutes per side for medium. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes, then slice against the grain and top with the salsa.

 

 

Grilled Skirt Steak With Tomato Salad

For steak and marinade:

2 pounds hanger or skirt steak

1/3 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 tablespoons agave nectar or honey

For tomato salad:

1 to 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 handful fresh arugula or upland cress

1/3 red onion, thinly sliced

Combine olive oil, garlic cloves, red wine vinegar, soy sauce and honey in a large non-reactive bowl. Add steak and marinate for two to 24 hours.

Remove the steak from the marinade and generously season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat for four to six minutes on each side, turning 90 degrees halfway through to get crisscross grill marks.

Cook until medium/medium rare, or medium, then remove to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss halved cherry tomatoes with a few tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, arugula and red onions.

Slice the steak against the grain and top with tomato salad. Serve immediately.

 

 

Cheesy Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños

12 jalapeños

12 slices center-cut bacon, cut in half crosswise

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

4 ounces soy or pork chorizo, cooked and cooled

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Wash and dry jalapeños, then slice in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and membrane with a spoon and discard.

Combine cream cheese, shredded cheese and cooked chorizo. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon cream cheese filling into the jalapeños and place on an oven safe rack.

Wrap each stuffed jalapeño with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.

Place rack directly on grates of a 375-degree grill and close the lid. Cook 45 minutes to one hour, until desired crispness of bacon is achieved. Remove from the grill and let cool slightly. Serve warm.

 

 

Grilled Peaches With Vanilla Ice Cream

2 ripe peaches

2 ripe nectarines

Canola oil

8 large scoops vanilla ice cream

Honey

Sea salt

Brush peach and nectarines halves with a touch of with oil, then place on a medium-high grill for a few minutes, then rotate 90 degrees and grill three to four minutes more, until grill marks appear and fruit starts to caramelize.

Remove from grill with a pair of tongs and serve with a scoop of ice cream in the center of the fruit. Drizzle with honey and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

 

 

Avocado Corn Salad

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion, finely diced

3 green onions, sliced

4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 poblano peppers, finely diced

5 cobs of corn, husks removed and cleaned

1/2 cup chopped chives

1/2 cup torn basil

1 lime, juiced, plus more to taste

1 ripe avocado, cubed

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Grill corn on an indoor or outdoor grill until lightly charred. Remove kernels from the cob.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and poblano and sauté five to seven minutes, until translucent. Add green onions and garlic and sauté 60 seconds. Add corn and season with salt and pepper.

Remove from heat and taste, adjusting seasonings as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and cool slightly. Add herbs, lime, avocado, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve with extra limes, if desired.

 

 

Cheddar Jalapeno Chicken Burgers With Guacamole

1-1/2 pounds ground chicken

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/3 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

4 burger buns, toasted

For toppings:

1 cup guacamole

Sour cream

Lettuce

Sliced red onion

Transfer ground chicken to a medium bowl. Add onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, paprika, cheddar cheese, salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Using your hands, mix ingredients until evenly incorporated without over-mixing.

Form mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Grill over medium heat for five to seven minutes per side, until cooked through.

Serve each patty in a burger bun topped with guacamole and sour cream and any additional toppings desired.

 

 

Grilled Vegetables With Whipped Feta

For vegetables:

2 zucchini

1 yellow squash

1 red onion

1 red bell pepper

1 orange bell pepper

6 tablespoon olive oil

For herby olive topping:

1 cup castelvetrano olives, drained, pitted and crushed or torn

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

1 lemon, zested

1 clove garlic, finely minced

For whipped feta:

8 ounces feta cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1 lemon, zested and juiced

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked pepper, to taste

For panko:

1 cup panko bread crumbs

3 tablespoons butter

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked pepper

Slice the vegetables into one-inch pieces. Drizzle with olive oil.

Heat grill and grill vegetables on both sides for three to five minutes per side, until they have grill marks.

To make topping, combine olives, herbs, lemon and garlic in a bowl. Mix to combine. Set aside.

For whipped feta, combine feta, sour cream, lemon and garlic in the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a blade. Blend until feta is whipped to a smooth mixture. Stir in the herbs and season to taste.

For panko, melt butter in a small saucepan. Add panko and stir three to four minutes, until panko is golden brown. Remove saucepan from the heat and season with salt to taste. Set aside.

Slather whipped feta on a platter. Top with a layer of the vegetables. Season well with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with olive mixture and finish with crispy panko.