e Recipe Finder

As published in The Naperville Sun – September 3, 2008

By Bill and Karen Garlough Special to The Sun

From the columnist: Given the joy my wife Karen and I have for entertaining our friends and family and our love of good food and wine, this column will be co-authored by both of us. Karen will focus on recipes, and may sneak in some entertaining tips, while I will pair wines with whatever Karen has cooking.

Most summers, my wife Karen and I try and take in a couple of concerts somewhere; local venues, Ravinia and downtown Chicago. It is always fun to go with several other couples and, although we usually dine near the concert venue, we also gather before the concert and grill a simple meal at home. This is comfortable, affordable and allows members of the group (who are not driving) to share some nice wine with a healthy meal.

On a recent weekend, we went to Ravinia. Instead of the traditional picnic on the lawn, the group opted for dinner at our home, then the trek to Highland Park. Karen asked me to select some wines for the occasion. We started out with a variety of finger foods – shrimp crostini, caprese skewers and a simple platter with Brie, sliced apples, clusters of red grapes and a sliced French baguette.

The dinner menu included grilled salmon with a pinot noir marinade, medley of white and wild rice, dried cherries and sliced toasted almonds and grilled asparagus with crumbled blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.

Wine basics

When entertaining a group, it is generally best to offer both a red and white wine. Summer picnic wines should be light, refreshing and easy to drink. They should also be able to be served slightly chilled. Karen’s menu was easy to pair on the red wine side, as pinot noir wine is included in the marinade, pairs well with salmon and can be served slightly chilled with great results. I am a big fan of pinot noir because it is a versatile wine that works well with a variety of foods. Its acidity helps balance the rich, fatty nature of salmon, so it is a great choice.

On the white wine side, a light, crisp and refreshing wine is ideal. Italian whites are a great choice for Karen’s menu, but the acidity of the balsamic vinaigrette dressing must be taken into account. While pinot grigio is Italy’s best known white and enjoys universal appeal, it is not the best match because of its acidity. A solution is to find a blended style wine of pinot grigio and another varietal that offers less acidity, resulting in better match for a vinegar-based dressing. One of my recommendations is Masi Winery’s blend of both pinot grigio and verduzzo, a pleasant wine with a fruity style. Another Italian varietal that would pair well is trebbiano. It is a light and refreshing summer wine that pairs well with picnic fare.

So, to please a group and complement this particular menu, I would recommend you offer both a white and red wine, in this case a pinot noir and a pinot grigio blend or a trebbiano white wine.

Food pairings

Quick, easy and healthy – these are three perfect words we love to hear when thinking about dinner. This marinade calls for pinot noir, the perfect pairing with salmon. So, open the bottle of pinot a little early and steal a cup for this delicious marinade. The recipe is adapted from Harvest restaurant where they pan fry the fish (rather than grill) and serve it on a bed of mashed potatoes.

Grilled salmon with pinot noir marinade

2 salmon fillets, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup pinot noir
2 shallots, peeled and sliced
2 springs fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
Serves two.

Combine marinade ingredients in a large zip-lock bag or non-reactive covered dish. Add salmon and turn to coat. Refrigerate, turning several more times, at least 30 minutes but not more than an hour. Place salmon in hinged grill basket. Grill for approximately 5 to 7 minutes per side or until fish flakes.

Grilled salmon is simply irresistible. The aroma and the rich taste are just too strong to turn down. For those who prefer fish over meat, salmon is a great choice since it is very healthy, too. Being paired with vegetables makes people appreciate the taste even more.  For those who want to try something good for the taste bud, the heart, and the pocket, finding grilled salmon recipes is no more than a piece of cake when done online.

Grilling is one perfect way to prepare salmon. This fish has relatively high good fat content which keeps it moist even when placed over coal for period of time. It has slimmer chance of drying up while being grilled. There are some things to remember if you want to come up with the best result.

The thickness of the fillet fish should be only around an inch thick. The skin can be removed depending on the seasoning that you would like to use. Salt and pepper should always be used.  When marinating salmon fillets, see to it that you only let it sit for more or less ten minutes. The flesh of this fish is too sensitive and is highly prone to breaking down in the presence of any acidic ingredient. This one of the usual reminders that you will find in grilled salmon recipes.  Gas grilling is recommended although other methods can also be a good option. To ensure that the meat is still intact while grilling, you may also opt to use aluminum foil to wrap the grill.

For very quick grilled salmon, you can simply cut rectangular pieces of salmon fillet and placed them atop of pre-cut aluminum file. Sprinkle your pieces of salmon with chopped garlic, salty, dill, pepper and a fee lemon drops.  Fold the foil and grill the meat quickly for 10 minutes on a pre-hit drill. Lastly, enjoy it with good tomatoes and other vegetables. 

Learn how to make Grilled Spanish Mustard Beef! Visit foodwishes.com to get more info, and watch over 400 free video recipes. Enjoy this Grilled Spanish Mustard Beef Recipe!…

While i think of summer, I do think of being out under the sun taking advantage of a good grilled burger with pals. Grilling tasty burger is a necessity when enjoying a cookout so how will you get it done? Want to be loved for your next family cookout? Understand this recipe on how to come up with a amazing barbequed burger.

1st step is to use selecting meat when it comes to a burger. Your best option of beef for grilling is one which has a larger fat content considering grilling reaches a slightly higher temperature and fat and fat renders off. When deliberating on the beef for barbecuing, ground chuck is the most popular.

To prepare, place the meat in a mixing bowl. Add seasoning salt to your beef to give it that additional flavor. A number of seasoning favorites for burgers are: salt, onion salt, garlic seasoning salt, chili powder, and kitchen buquet.

After you have your seasonings together, throw it in the mixing bowl along with the hamburger meat and mix it in by hand. Your hamburger ought to stick together when it’s grilling so you’ll want to be certain the hamburger is blended great. One more delicious tip is incorporating a dash of seasoning right over the hamburger beef as it is getting cooked.

Now the best hamburger patty is next. Snap up nearly a quarter of a single lb of meat and use both hands to work into a ball and reduce it so it can stick together.

Compress the beef out a lot more. When you compress the patty, acquire 2 components of wax paper, put 1 under the patty as well as the other on top of the patty. Get a modest plate to flatten the patty with to accomplish a great circle.

Next is to preheat the cooking barbeque grill to about 400 degrees. Once barbeque grill is ready, put the patties in the grill and close up the cover. Need a succulent burger? Then keep the patties to the cooking grill for just a little over 4 minutes on top and bottom. Grab the patties out when done and set on the hamburger bun.

Looking for a delicious and healthy summer recipe? You are going to love this. My inspiration for making this salad came after eating a very similar dish at a popular restaurant that I frequently visit. Actually, this is something my Wife and I like to do every once in a while. After we eat a dish that we are particularly fond of, we like to go home and try and re-create the recipe without knowing the ingredients. Try it… It’s a fun way to see just how sensitive those taste buds really are….

FARMERS MARKET

I am fortunate enough to have a wonderful farmers market not too far from my home. There is just something special about shopping for produce in a farmers market. The variety and quality of the produce found in my local farmers market is far superior to the boring old supermarket. I know I am getting as close to organic as possible when I shop there, so if you have one near you, I highly recommend you visit and see what they have to offer. Usually the folks there are very helpful and knowledgeable about their products so don’t be afraid to ask questions.

INGREDIENTS

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this wonderful salad:

- 1 Pound of Chicken Cutlets Grilled and Cut Into Strips – I like to use the thin sliced chicken as it cooks really fast and is easy to cut into strips.

- Southwestern Spice Rub:

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano

- 8 Ounces of Mixed Salad Greens – I like to use a mix of Baby Romaine, Radicchio and Tango. If you can’t find fresh greens, I recommend buying a bag of Fresh Express brand mixed salad greens. I have sampled a handful of salad brands and Fresh Express is by far the best in my opinion. The vegetable are always fresh, crisp and delicious. Everything is pre-washed and there are no preservatives.

2 Ripe Avocados Cut Into Small Chunks – It is very important that you choose ripened avocados. When looking for ripe avocados, do not choose them based on color. The best way to determine if they are ripe is by the squeeze test. Ripe avocados will have a firm flesh but will give slightly when squeezed. Unripened avocados are hard and will not give. You should be able to tell the difference. It may take a bit of practice though. If you are unsure, ask for help. A ripe avocado should slice like butter.

1 Large Green Bell Pepper Cut Into Squares

2 Ears of Roasted Corn (Instructions Below)

Half of a Red Onion Sliced

A Healthy Bunch of Fresh Cilantro Chopped

1/2 Cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Ranch Dressing

DIRECTIONS

Step 1 – Soak the Corn, husks and all, in cold water for 30 minutes.

Step 2 – While corn is soaking, prepare the chicken cutlets. Lightly coat the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle some southwestern spice rub on both sides. Rub the spices into the chicken. Refrigerate and allow the chicken to marinate while the corn is soaking.

Step 3 – After corn is done soaking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Place corn directly on oven rack and roast for approximately 30 minutes or until the corn is relatively soft. Remove from oven and let the corn cool.

Step 4 – Preheat indoor or outdoor grill. Get the grill nice and hot. Grill chicken cutlets for about 2 minutes on each side, or until done. Remove from grill and allow to cool.

Step 5 – While the chicken and corn is cooling, add the remaining ingredients into a large bowl.

Step 6 – Remove corn from cob. Hold corn upright over a cutting board. Using a knife, gently cut the corn from the cob in a downward motion. Be careful!

Step 7 – Slice the chicken into thin strips.

Step 8 – Add the corn and chicken to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.

Step 9 – Add the ranch dressing and toss the salad. The amount of ranch dressing you add is really up to you. It depends on your personal preference. I like to add about 1/4 cup.

Your done! Serve and enjoy!

Tired of your routine burgers? Here’s a recipe for a burger that has a unique flavour and tastes quite different from the kind you’re used to. These grilled onion burgers are easy to make and can be done in just under 20 minutes. Fast food at its best!

Before we proceed to the burger recipe, let me tell you how to make onion soup mix at home. You’ll need this to make your onion burger. This mix is also handy to use for various other recipes.

What Do You Need For Onion Soup Mix?

Minced Onion – ¾ cup
Beef flavoured instant bouillon – 1/3 cup
Onion powder – 4 teaspoons
Sugar – ¼ teaspoons
Celery salt – ¼ teaspoons
White pepper – 1/8 teaspoons

How To Make Onion Soup Mix

That’s very simple. Just combine all the above ingredients and keep in an airtight container. You can use this for up to six months.

Now that the onion soup mix’s ready, let’s go on and see how the burger’s made.

Keep these ingredients ready for your burger -

Lean minced beef – 2 pounds
Onion soup Mix – 5 tablespoons
Tomato sauce – Half a cup
Hamburger buns (halved) – 8
Softened butter – 4 tablespoons
Swiss cheese – 8 slices
Tomatoes – 8 slices

Procedure to make the burger

Heat up the grill and get it ready. Blend together minced beef, tomato sauce and onion soup mix and gradually mix. Make eight sets of patties from this mixture. Put these on the grill and cook for about 19 minutes making sure to turn them over once. Cook till they reach 160o on a meat thermometer.

Butter the insides of the burger buns and grill the buns when the burgers are almost cooked. Place the burgers inside the buns and top up with cheese, tomatoes and other toppings you like.

Your grilled onion burger’s ready to serve. Relish the tangy flavour of onions in your burger.

If you would like to see how this burger turned out, check here: http://burgerrecipe.org/welcome-to-burger-recipes/grilled-onion-burger/

I’m glad to share with you my 4 most preferred grilled pork chops recipes. Here are the recipes, just put on your apron and smile.

#1. Pork Chops Terriyaki Style Recipes

Ingredients for 2 persons:

2 pork chop slices

3 tablespoon Teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon molasses

Salt to taste

Dash of Pepper

Directions:

1. Marinate the pork chop slices with salt & pepper.

2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl.

3. Grill the meat over med. temperature.

4. Baste with the mixture until done.

5. Best served hot

#2. Pork Chops Italian Style Recipes

Ingredients for 8 persons:

8 pork chops

3/2 c. Italian dressing

2 Tablespoon of Sauce Worcestershire

Directions:

1. Combine the dressing and the sauce.

2. Mix in the pork chops and seal

3. Set to cool for 4 hrs.

4. Put over Grill, med. temperature until cooked.

5. Best Served Hot

#3. Pork Chops With Peach Recipes

Ingredients for 8 servings:

8 pork chop slices

1/2 c. peach preserves

2/3 c. honey mustard

4 teaspoon juice of lemon

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients.

2. Grill the meat over a med. temp.

3. Baste with the sauce and turn till the pork chops are ready to eat.

4. Best served hot.

#4. Pork Chops Zesty Style Recipes

Ingredients for 8 to 12 servings:

8-12 pork chop slices

1/2 c diced onions

1/2 c. veg. oil

4 Tablespoon of Sauce Worcestershire

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions:

1. Mix onions, oil, worcestershire, salt, basil, pepper, hot pepper sauce together.

2. Put 30% of the onions mixture in a marinating container

3. Display the chops over the sauce

4. Top with the remaining sauce

5. Seal and set to cool for 6 hrs.

6. Grill on med. high temp. till the meat is ready to eat.

7. Best Served hot

Tips when Grilling Pork Chops at home:

1. Always use the non stick cooking spray to avoid grill sticking

2. I highly recommend that you keep your pork chops marinated for more than 3 hrs. for a high taste.

3. Always use a long grilling tongs to flip the meat.

4. Be careful when you baste your meat.

5. I’ll advise you to buy your meat in large quantity to avoid the expensive price.

6. Pork Chops can be freezed for a maximum of one year before cooking.

If you want to make the best Marinated Grilled Shrimp, here are some easy tips to follow.

Many people ask the question,  “How do I marinade shrimp?”

It’s quite simple really. You need to first find a recipe for a Grilled Shrimp Marinade. There are so many recipes available. You just need to find the best marinated grilled shrimp recipes to suit your taste.

Although many recipes are specified for marinated grilled shrimp, you can use any Shrimp Marinade recipe and grill it, pan-fry it, or bake it. Just because the recipes call for grilling the shrimp you don’t always have to follow that. You can use en electric indoor grill like the George Forman or bake the marinated shrimp in the oven. Pan-frying the marinated shrimp is another option. Especially on rainy days!

Easy Steps For the Best Marinated Grilled Shrimp

1. Purchase Raw fresh or Frozen Shrimp. For grilling purposes, I recommend Large or Extra-Large Shrimp. It is best not to buy pre-cooked shrimp because you are going to be cooking it again on the grill. Raw shrimp takes only minutes to cook. For the best results, and too avoid chewy shrimp, always start with Raw Shrimp.

2. Clean and Devein Shrimp – this is assuming you bought shrimp in the shell. (If you bought shelled-deveined shrimp, skip this step.) Under cold running water, remove outer shell and legs. Leave tail in tact. Make a small slice along the center back of the shrimp and with the tip of your knife, gently remove the black vein. Rinse shrimp and set into clean bowl. Repeat until all shrimp are done.

3. Drain any excess water from bowl of cleaned shrimp. Pat dry with paper towels to soak up any excess water remaining on shrimp.

4. Cover and refrigerate shrimp until ready to marinade

5. Choose your favorite Marinated Grilled Shrimp Recipe

6. Prepare Shrimp Marinade ingredients according to recipe

7. Remove shrimp from fridge, uncover, pour marinade over shrimp and stir shrimp to coat completely. Recover tightly and return to fridge.

8. Marinade approx. 1 hour or follow recipe instructions for best results.

9. When marinade time is almost complete, pre-heat grill to a medium – high heat.

10. Skewer shrimp or place in grilling basket, grill according to recipes instructions and enjoy the Best Marinated Grilled Shrimp ever!

Here are a few simple Marinades for Grilled Shrimp:

1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 tbsp. minced dry onion
1/2 tsp. dried basil (1 tsp. if fresh)
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place 1 pound raw shelled shrimp in re-closable plastic bag or container with tight lid, add marinade. Close, refrigerate 2-4 hours. Drain marinade. Thread shrimp onto pre-soaked skewers. Grill over hot coals 6-10 minutes. Brush often with reserved marinade.

Or, try this Cajun Marinade:

1 c. dry white wine
1 c. olive oil
1/2 tsp. chopped basil
1 tbsp. coarse black pepper
1/2 tsp. cajun spice (optional)
1 lb lg. raw shrimp, peeled, deveined (leave on tails)
Thin lemon slices

Mix marinade in shallow bowl, add shrimp, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, turning occasionally. Set grill on high heat. Skewer shrimp and lemon slices on bamboo skewers, alternating each. Grill until shrimp just become opaque. Baste occasionally with leftover marinade. Grill approx. 3 minutes per side.

If you want really fast and easy shrimp marinade, purchase a bottle of pre-made seafood marinade. My favorites are Lawry’s Tequila Lime or Caribbean Jerk. You can find them at your local grocery store. Marinade the raw shrimp for approx. 1 hour before grilling. It’s that easy! Enjoy your marinated grilled shrimp.

Learn how to make a Grilled Shrimp Recipe with Cured Lemon Aioli recipe! Visit foodwishes.com to get more info, and watch over 400 free video recipes. Enjoy this Grilled Shrimp Recipe with Cured Lemon Aioli!…

Learn how to make a Grilled Ham Cheese and Peach Panini Sandwich! Visit foodwishes.com to get more info, and watch over 400 free video recipes….