Grilling Tips & Tricks

Summer is the season where everyone seems to be barbecuing and grilling food. Here are a few tips and tricks to make your next BBQ a hit!

1. A secret to tender, moist, and tasty meat and fish is the cut you choose. The best cut for grilling steaks is a full one inch thick. Fish fillets should be cut from 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick - anything thinner will dry out too quickly. Pork chops should also be at least 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick.

2. When using charcoal, douse the coals with the least amount of starter fluid as possible to light the fire. If starter fluid is unavailable, salad oil is a great substitution!

3. Whenever barbecuing, use tongs to turn the meat. Using a fork punches holes in the meat and allows the natural juices to escape, causing the meat to lose flavor and become chewy.

Food Safety - Marinades

One of the most important safety tips to remember when working in the kitchen is to prevent cross contamination. This occurs when bacteria is transferred from one object to another. Failing to prevent this can be harmful to humans and may result in a foodborne illness.

Reusing a marinade can cause cross contamination because of the bacteria that may be present from having been in contact with the raw meat. The only way the marinade can be reused is to boil it thoroughly for use as a basting liquid or as part of a sauce for the meat.

Recipe for You - Marinades

Here are three simple marinades to try on your favorite proteins...

Beef/pork:
½ cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon course black pepper

Chicken:
¼ cup cooking oil
¾ cup dry white wine
1 clove minced garlic
1 finely chopped onion
¼ teaspoon celery salt
salt and course black pepper to taste

Fish:
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded & minced
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon ginger
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ cup cooking oil

Whisk together ingredients and marinate for at least two hours.

Cooking Tip - Marinades

Marinades are a great way to add flavor to meats as well as reduce their cooking time. A proper marinade should contain an acidic ingredient such as vinegar or wine, oil such as olive oil, and seasonings such as herbs and spices. Citrus fruit juices may be used in place of the vinegar or wine to provide the acidic ingredient that is necessary to soften the tissues of the meat.

There are several important points to remember when using a marinade:

1. The marinade should completely cover the meat
2. Always marinate meat in the refrigerator
3. Since the marinade contains an acidic ingredient, reactive containers such as metal bowls should not be used. It is best to use containers such as glass or plastic bowls or plastic bags that can be sealed.
4. Twelve hours of marinating will reduce the cooking time by 30 to 35%

Recipe for You - Nectarine Salsa

Nectarine Salsa

Ingredients:
3/4 lb diced yellow nectarines (peel on)
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
Dice nectarines and transfer diced fruit to a non-metal bowl. Add lemon juice and toss with onion, cilantro, and cumin. Season with up to 1/4 tsp. salt and a pinch of cayenne.

Tastes great as a garnish or with fish!

Produce Lesson - Nectarine

Nectarines come from the peach family, both of which are types of stone fruits. A stone fruit, or drupe, is classified as a fleshy fruit usually having a single hard stone (pit) that encloses a seed. Most stone fruits are harvested in the summer between May and August. Unlike peaches, nectarines have a smooth, fuzz-less skin and can have white or yellow flesh. When ripe, nectarines have a much creamier and sweeter flavor than most peaches do. Contrary to many beliefs, nectarines are not a cross between a peach and a plum.

Fire

The most powerful weapon on earth
is the human soul on fire.

~Ferdinand Foch

Foodie Language

chiffonade - [shihf-uh-NAHD] literally translated, this French phrase means "made of rags." Culinarily, it refers to the technique of cutting thin strips or shreds of vegetables, which are used to garnish soups, salads, and other dishes.

Recipe for You - Olallieberry Peach Crisp

Olallieberry Peach Crisp

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds peaches (about 3), pitted and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges
2 cups olallieberries, picked over and rinsed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
3/4 cup coarsely chopped lightly toasted pecans

Directions:
1. In a large bowl toss the peaches and the olallieberries gently with the cornstarch, the lemon juice, and the granulated sugar until the mixture is combined well.
2. In a small bowl stir together the flour, the brown sugar, the oats, the salt, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg, add the butter, blending the mixture until it resembles coarse meal, and stir in the pecans.
3. Spread the peach mixture in a 13- by 9-inch (3 quart) baking dish, sprinkle the pecan mixture evenly over it, and bake the crisp in the middle of a preheated 350°F oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden. Serve the crisp with the ice cream.

Produce Lesson - Olallieberries

The olallieberry is a cross between a youngberry and a loganberry, each of which itself is a cross between a blackberry and another berry! A bit confusing, but it's best to know that olallieberries have a distinctive, sweet flavor and look like an elongated blackberry. They are primarily grown in California and have a very short window of harvesting time from mid-May until mid-July. This means they are in season right now! Olallieberries are delicious both fresh and cooked and are excellent in jams, jellies, and pies.