I love fish tacos, and this version is easy to make and full of fresh flavors. This recipe features chile-marinated grilled fish served with fresh Pico de Gallo salsa and a super tasty Lime-Cilantro Sour Cream Sauce. You can make almost everything ahead so it’s perfect for entertaining…just grill the fish right before serving.

The recipe has you use 2 tortillas per taco, which is brilliant because the inner tortilla will start to fall apart so you’ll still have the outer tortilla to keep the taco together. Definitely take the extra few minutes to make fresh Pico de Gallo salsa — It’s super easy and compliments the flavors of the tacos better than the jarred store-bought stuff. Serve the tacos with Arroz Verde (Green Rice) and a green salad drizzled with a Mexi-inspired vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Grilled Fish Tacos
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

A grilled fish taco is a beautiful thing to eat. San Diego and points south are where they originated. Although many of the fish tacos in the area are fried, the grilled ones really stand out and are much lighter. Serves 6-8, Yields 12 tacos.
 
For the lime-cilantro sour cream sauce:
1 cup sour cream 
1/2 cup mayonnaise 
3 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro
Grated zest of 1 lime 
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice

For the tacos:
2 tsp. ground ancho chile powder 
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt 
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 
2 Tbs. olive oil 
3 lb. firm-fleshed whitefish fillets (halibut, snapper, mahi-mahi, cod) 
2 dozen 6-inch corn tortillas
2-1/2 cups shredded green cabbage 
2-1/2 cups shredded red cabbage 
Pico de Gallo 
4 limes, quartered

To make the lime-cilantro sour cream sauce:
Combine all the ingredients in a 2-cup measuring cup and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate up to 4 hours until ready to use.

To make the tacos:
In a small bowl, combine the ancho powder, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper and stir to mix. Add the oil and whisk until a loose paste is formed. Rub the fish with the spice paste and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.  

Light a charcoal fire or preheat your gas grill on high. Oil the grill’s cooking surface. Let the coals burn down to a medium-hot fire or adjust the gas grill burners to medium-high.

Grill the fish until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop.

Divide the tortillas into 2 stacks and wrap each in aluminum foil. Place on the grill until heated through, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the green and red cabbage.

To assemble the tacos, take 2 tortillas, top it with chunks of fish, a dollop of the sauce, a spoonful of the Pico de Gallo, and some of the cabbage. Squeeze a wedge of  lime over the filling, fold the tortillas, and eat.

Tags: Cinco de Mayo, fish, fish tacos, grilled fish tacos, grilling, Mexican, Mexican food

I made this Italian-inspired sandwich recently for a friend’s birthday lunch. It’s hearty, delicious and a creative way to enjoy a meat-free meal! Think of a caprese salad (tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar) in the form of a sandwich with the addition of a grilled portobella mushroom…Delish!

To prep the portobella mushrooms, cut off the stems and use a teaspoon to gently scape out the feathery gills. To grill them, I found that high heat was a little too hot (you don’t want blackened mushrooms). Whatever heat you choose (high or medium-high), be at the grill while the portobellas are grilling so you can turn them or move them if needed.

Serve the sandwich with a lightly dressed salad. Enjoy!

Grilled Portobella Sandwiches with Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 oz.)
1 Tbs. minced garlic (3 to 4 medium cloves)
4 good-quality sandwich rolls, cut in half
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
4 large portobella mushrooms, stems and gills removed and discarded and caps wiped clean
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 to 8 thin slices fresh mozzarella or sharp provolone
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves (about 1/2 oz.)
2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced (about 9 oz.)

Heat a gas grill with all burners on high. Clean and oil the grate.

In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, Parmigiano, and 1 tsp. of the garlic; spread the mixture over the cut sides of each roll.

In another small bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, and the remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Brush the oil mixture over both sides of each mushroom cap and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Grill the mushrooms, gill side down, until grill-marked, about 3 minutes. Flip and continue to grill until cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Reduce the heat to low, flip the mushrooms again, and top each with a portion of cheese. Put the rolls, cut sides up, on the grill along with the mushrooms. Cover the grill and cook until the rolls are crisp and warm and the cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes.

Put the rolls and mushrooms on a platter. Arrange a few basil leaves on the bottom half of each roll. Sprinkle the tomatoes lightly with salt. Put the tomatoes and then the mushrooms on the basil leaves. Cap the sandwiches with the tops of the rolls and serve.

Tags: caprese salad, grilled portabella, grilled portabella sandwich, grilled sandwich, grilling, panini, portabella mushrooms, sandwich

I love, love, love salmon that’s been cooked on a cedar plank! Every time I’ve used this cooking technique, the fish has been moist and delicious with a wonderful hint of smoky flavor. This particular recipe features a simple lemon-herb-pepper rub and a tasty horseradish-chive sauce…YUM! It’s definitely a great summer dish that is perfect for entertaining!

I bought a big slab of wild Copper River salmon at Costco (which was about 14″ in length), and found 15″ cedar planks for grilling at Lowe’s (the home improvement store… a 2-pack of the planks was about $8). For rustic presentation, serve the cooked salmon straight from the planks after it’s rested for 10 minutes or so (the bottom of the plank will be charred so set a platter or baking sheet underneath it). Enjoy!

Cedar-Planked Salmon with Lemon-Pepper Rub and Horseradish-Chive Sauce
by Fine Cooking Magazine 

Grilling on soaked cedar planks has a lot of benefits: the planks char lightly, creating cedar smoke that delicately perfumes the food, and fish doesn’t stick to the grill grates because it’s on the planks. Plus, this spice rub—a simple mixture of salt, cracked black pepper, lemon zest, fresh thyme, and a bit of sugar—pairs really well with the cedar-smoke flavor. Because it’s a simple technique, it’s easy to grill two fillets at once and use the leftover fillet the next day in a salad or sandwich. Serves 8.

For the salmon:
1 Tbs. grated lemon zest, minced
1 1/2tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 2-lb. boneless, skin-on salmon fillets (preferably wild and no longer than 15 inches), pin bones removed
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

For the horseradish-chive sauce:
1 cup crème fraîche
6 Tbs. minced fresh chives
3 Tbs. prepared horseradish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soak the cedar planks in water to cover for at least 1 hour. Drain the planks.

Prepare the sauce:
In a small bowl, stir the crème fraîche, chives, and horseradish. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate.

Prepare the salmon:
In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, thyme, sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 Tbs. pepper. Rub the mixture together with your fingers until the zest is distributed throughout. Rub the salmon fillets on both sides with the olive oil and then set each fillet skin side down on a plank. Sprinkle the fillets with the lemon-pepper mixture, dividing it evenly. Gently rub the seasoning into the fillets. Let stand at room temperature while the grill heats.

Cook the salmon:
Prepare a gas or charcoal grill fire for indirect cooking with high heat: On a gas grill, heat all burners on high; then turn off all but one burner just before cooking the salmon; on a charcoal grill, bank the coals to two opposite sides of the grill. Arrange the planks over the cooler part of the grill, positioning them so that the thickest part of the fish is closest to the heat source. Cover the grill and cook until the thickest part of each fillet registers about 135°F on an instant-read thermometer, 20 to 35 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. The planks may smoke a bit (this is fine) and will become very aromatic. Let the fillets rest on the planks for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Cut the salmon fillets crosswise into serving portions and transfer to individual plates. Serve with the sauce.

Make Ahead Tips: The sauce may be made up to 1 day ahead, and refrigerated, covered.

Leftovers: Cool any leftover salmon completely, wrap well, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Tags: BBQ salmon, cedar plank grilling, cedar plank salmon, cedar planked salmon, cedar planks, Cedar-Planked Salmon with Lemon-Pepper Rub and Horseradish-Chive Sauce, Copper River Salmon, Costco, Fine Cooking Magazine, grilled salmon, grilling, Lowe's, salmon, salmon fillets

Summer entertaining should be relaxed and easy going. It’s okay to have elaborate menus for some festivities, but sometimes you just want to keep it simple. Recently, Al Fresco (the all-natural chicken sausage people) asked me if they could send me some FREE coupons to try out their sausage for a dinner party. I thought it sounded fun so I gave them the thumbs up.

At the store, I chose their fresh Sweet Italian Sausage because I thought it would be great grilled and served with a platter of grilled veggies (orange and red peppers, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, asparagus drizzled with a little olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper). I was right…the grilled sausage and veggies were a party pleaser! Yum! Bruschetta with a tomato-basil topping rounds out the meal, and a Blueberry-Lemon Cornmeal Cake makes a delicious, summery finale.  

Since there’s no artificial ingredients, MSG or funky preservatives in Al Fresco’s Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage,you can feel good about eating it and feeding it to your guests. 

I found Al Fresco sausage at my local Fred Meyer store (in a few other flavors, too), but you can click here to see where to find it in your area. Check out their website for recipes and info on their company.

Tags: Al Fresco, Al Fresco sausage, chicken sausage, grilled sausage, grilling, italian sausage, sausage, summer entertaining

I love grilling recipes and am always looking for new ways to grill a meal. These Skirt Steak Fajitas are super easy and delicious! The steak is rubbed with a spice mixture which I then let marinate for a few hours before grilling it. Set out your favorite fajita makings (salsa, guacamole, etc.) and you’ve got a great dinner!

Skirt Steak Fajitas
-recipe from Williams-Sonoma.com
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma On the Grill, by Willie Cooper (Oxmoor House, 2009).

Skirt steak is the best choice for quick marinating and grilling. It is well marbled, which makes it very flavorful, and slightly stringy, which makes it chewy—so be sure to slice it across the grain.

Serves 8.

1/4 cup olive oil 
1 small yellow onion, minced 
2 garlic cloves, minced 
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar  
1 tsp. chili powder 
1 tsp. ground cumin 
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper 
2 skirt steaks, about 4 lb. total, trimmed 
Salt, to taste 
8 large flour tortillas 
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro  
2 cups guacamole
1 head lettuce, shredded  
1 cup fresh salsa  
1 cup pico de gallo salsa  
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese  
1/2 cup crema or sour cream  

In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, onion, garlic, vinegar, chili powder, cumin and pepper.

Cut each steak crosswise into 3 or 4 pieces. There will be thicker pieces and thinner end pieces. Place the meat in a disposable aluminum roasting pan and generously season with salt. Pour the marinade over the meat and turn to coat well. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, dip the steaks in the marinade just before grilling.

Prepare a hot fire in a grill. Brush and oil the grill grate.

Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels; discard the marinade. Grill the skirt steaks directly over high heat, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until done to your liking. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place them on the side of the grill to warm.

Transfer the steak to a carving board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the steaks across the grain into strips, toss with any accumulated juices from the carving board and mound onto a platter. Garnish with the cilantro and serve immediately with the tortillas, guacamole, lettuce, fresh salsa, pico de gallo, cheese and crema in separate dishes alongside.

Tags: Beef, grilling, guacamole, Mexican, pico de gallo, skirt steak fajitas, tacos

I’m always on the look out for new grilling recipes. These Southwest Grilled Chicken and Avocado Melts are easy to make and perfect for the summer season. Serve with black beans, and a salad dressed with Southwestern Vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Southwest Grilled Chicken and Avocado Melts
-recipe from Sunset Magazine

Even within the same variety, chiles can vary greatly in heat. If you like yours mild, pull out the inner membrane when seeding them; that’s where a lot of the heat-producing capsaicin is concentrated.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
4 Anaheim or poblano chiles
4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves (about 8 oz. each)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Lime wedges
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1 cup shredded jack cheese

Prepare a grill for high heat (450° to 550°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 2 to 4 seconds). Rub 1 tbsp. oil over chiles. Cook chiles, turning often, until skins are browned. Put chiles in a bowl, cover, and let cool. Seed chiles and rub off skins.

Meanwhile, rub remaining 1 tbsp. oil over chicken. Combine cumin, cayenne, and salt and sprinkle evenly over each breast. Grill chicken, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes total.

Squeeze a little lime over chicken, then top each breast with a few avocado slices, a reserved chile, and about 1/4 cup cheese. Grill, covered, until cheese melts, about 4 minutes.

Tags: Anaheim chiles, Anaheim pepper, avocado, Chicken, grilling, jack cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, poblano chiles, poblano peppers, Southwest, Southwest Grilled Chicken and Avocado Melts

A perfectly grilled rib-eye steak, in my opinion, is the epitome of meaty deliciousness. This is what I chose to make Husband recently as a “Congrats On Your New Job” meal. He lit up like a Christmas tree when I told him what we were having for dinner that night: a juicy, well-marbled steak nicely charred from the grill then topped with a simple parsley-garlic butter that melts and covers the luscious meat with a savory herb mixture of added deliciousness. OH MY!!

For the garlic butter, I didn’t have cognac so I substituted dry white wine. Cognac would’ve been better but the white wine works in a pinch.

Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before grilling because cold meat takes longer to cook and you don’t want the outside to be burnt to a crisp while the inside is still rare.

When grilling the steak, be sure to stand guard at the grill. Because the rib-eye is marbled with fat (which is why it’s so flavorful), it’s easy for flare-ups to happen. Pay attention to the grill and you’ll be fine. This is not a time for multi-tasking. If you have a flare-up, move the steak to a cooler part of the grill. After the steak has cooked to your desired doneness, remove them from the grill, cover with foil and let them rest for 3-5 minutes before cutting into them. Serve with baked potato and sautéed spinach or other veggies.

Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks with Parsley-Garlic Butter
- recipe from Bon Appétit, June 2006

The garlicky herb butter is similar to the butter served with escargots in southwestern France. IMPROV: When preparing the butter, try a shallot instead of garlic, and thyme instead of parsley.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

For the Parsley-Garlic Butter, mix together in small bowl, then cover and chill:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 teaspoons Cognac
Salt and pepper

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Rub with generous amounts of salt and pepper:
3 1 1/2-inch-thick rib-eye steaks (about 1 pound each)

Grill steaks to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Cut each steak in half, top with spoonful of chilled butter, and serve.

Tags: barbecue, bbq, Beef, Bon Appetit Magazine, flare-ups, grill, grilled rib-eye steaks, grilling, parsley-garlic butter

Pork tenderloin, the most tender cut of pork, is great for entertaining because it’s hard to mess up. Marinated and grilled, this recipe produces meat that is tender,  juicy and flavorful. The orange juice/zest, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and barbecue sauce combination creates a unique marinade and tastes nothing like plain ol’ barbecue sauce. I served the pork with mashed sweet potatoes (seasoned with butter and green onions) and green beans. Delicious!

Speaking of barbecue sauce, you’ll want to use a good quality brand for this recipe. I used Trader Joe’s Bold & Smoky Kansas City Style Barbecue Sauce (D.L. Jardine’s brand is another one I like).

After basting the tenderloins with the marinade, it’s a good idea to cook the pork on all sides for a few minutes to caramelize the sauce (since the raw pork was sitting in the marinade). Enjoy!

Backyard Barbecued Pork Tenderloin
-recipe from Sara Foster’s Casual Cooking: More Fresh Simple Recipes From Foster’s Market

This pork tenderloin is a standard special at the Market. It’s so tender that you can cut it without a knife, so it makes the perfect hot entree to serve to guests who will be eating standing up. Our catering customers often request it sliced so they can serve it with dinner rolls or biscuits as an alternative to ham sandwiches. Serves 4 to 6.

2 1-pound pork tenderloins
For the marinade
1 cup spicy barbecue sauce
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Whisk the barbecue sauce, orange zest and juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Trim the fat and sinew from the tenderloins, rinse them, and pat dry. Place the tenderloins in a shallow glass bowl or in a large sealable bag. Pour the marinade over the tenderloins and turn the pork to coat the tenderloins. Cover the bowl and marinate the park for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal or gas grill.

Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Grill the tenderloins for about 15 minutes, basting with the marinade while cooking and turning them to cook all four sides. Move the tenderloins to the side of the grill, close the grill or cover the tenderloins with foil, and cook and baste for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the tenderloins reads 145 degrees F for medium (longer, or until the thermometer reads 160 degrees F, for medium-well pork). Let the tenderloins rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Thinly slice the tenderloin and divide the slices evenly among four plates.

Note: Be careful not to overcook pork tenderloin. A perfectly cooked tenderloin may look a little pink in the center when you take if off the grill, but it’ll be moist and juicy after it’s rested for a few minutes do don’t be tempted to cut into it immediately.

Tags: barbecue sauce, bbq, entertaining, garlic, grilling, orange juice, pork tenderloin, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce