Get Thee to the Grill!

My grill and I are pretty tight. I purchased it at Sears about 7 years ago. Josh and I passed the ultimate test in putting it together as a team. It was not pleasant, but we persevered and in the sweaty, 80 plus degree heat of our garage, assembled what is now one of my old favorite cooking devices. I use it all year round, rain or shine or snow for that matter, you can find me at the lip of my garage grilling like a boss. My grill definitely sees the most use during the warm months though, it's easy to just chuck whatever protein and veggies you have onto the grill. My favorite aspect of the grill is the solitude that comes with it. Me, my glass of wine and the sizzle of the grill, so peaceful.

Here's what my grill and I have been producing lately...

Lemon Marinated and Grilled Chicken
Serves 4
*This recipe is from Bon Appetit

Prep
1 4-pound chicken, cut in half
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbl fresh oregano leaves
2 Tbl fresh rosemary leaves
4 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbl finely grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 sprigs thyme
1 lemon, halved
2 tsp raw or light brown sugar

Cook
1. Rub chicken with garlic, oregano, rosemary, salt, lemon zest, and pepper. Place in a resealable plastic bag. Add thyme, seal bag, and chill at least 12 hours.

2. Prepare grill for medium heat. Remove chicken from bag and grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees, 30-40 minutes

3. Sprinkle cut sides of lemon with sugar. Grill until caramelized, about 2 minutes. Serve chicken with lemon for squeezing over.

DO AHEAD: Chicken can be marinated 1 day ahead. Keep chilled

Pork Sausage Burgers with provolone
Serves - 4

1 lb sweet italian sausage (if you can only find links, squeeze the sausage out of the casing and discard casing)
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flake
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slices of provolone

1. Mix all ingredients together and form into patties. Let chill for 10-15 minutes.

2. Heat grill to medium and brush with oil. Grill patties until cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. During final minutes of cooking add a slice of provolone to each patty and let melt.

3. Serve on a toasted bun with your favorite condiments. A mixture of mayo and whole grain mustard is especially good here!




Disclaimer: The following recipe is a non-grilled item! I felt the need to include it for the sheer fact that it's my go-to lunch all summer, I mix up the ingredients depending on what's fresh at the Farmer's Market or in my CSA share but the equation of veggie frittata, green salad and chilled glass of wine is just the perfect lunch on a Saturday afternoon.

Squash Frittata with Fried Squash Blossoms
Serves- 2

Prep
1/2 lb zucchini, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 Tbl olive oil
1 Tbl chopped fresh thyme
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
3 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 oz grated Parmesan
Fried Squash Blossoms - recipe below

1. Heat the oven to the high broil setting. Set a rack in the oven 3 to 4-inches from the broiler.

2. In a medium bowl toss the sliced squash with the oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Lay the squash in a single layer on a cooling rack set inside a foil lined half sheet pan. Broil until the squash is golden brown on 1 side, about 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Whisk the eggs, ricotta and Parmesan together in a medium mixing bowl. Put the squash in a 10-inch non-stick, oven safe pan set over medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and stir with a silicone spatula to make sure egg gets under the squash. Cook without stirring until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set on top, about 4 to 5-minutes. Put the pan under the broiler until lightly browned and puffy, about 3-4 minutes. Loose the frittata from the pan and slide onto a plate or other serving dish and slice. Serve warm or at room temperature with squash blossoms, a simple green salad and a cold glass of white or rosé wine.


Squash Blossoms:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
squash blossoms
vegetable oil for frying

1. Heat your vegetable oil to about 375 degrees. Mix the flour, water and spices. Dip each blossom in the batter when the oil is hot enough and lower them into the hot oil. If the batter is coming off in the oil, the oil isn't hot enough.

2. Fry for a minute or two, or until they turn a golden brown color. Pull them out with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt while hot. Serve immediately.