Great Grilled Dinner

Great Grilled Dinner

Polishing off a full rack of ribs is nothing for my teenage daughter. She’s been doing that since she was 10. So for her graduation dinner (graduation from 8th grade in a Catholic school is accompanied by the same fanfare as a small Greek wedding), meat of some kind was a must. In addition to chicken thighs and shrimp tossed in a Cilantro Pesto, we had porterhouse steaks the size of Texas (my husband came home with those, of course). All of it was tossed on the grill with some Vidalia onions brushed with balsamic vinegar and garlic.

But vegetables are really the point of the meal for me, so we had a Roasted Corn Salsa to accompany the steak, shrimp and chicken, and a dish called Orzo Veggies, which is pretty much what the title says. It was a recipe we received from a 90-year-old reader who got it from her granddaughter. Passing recipes up, I thought, was really sweet and a tradition we should all start — if only young people had recipes to pass up. But I digress.

This orzo dish is the perfect “pot luck” dish when you need one. Roasted or grilled zucchini, grape tomatoes and green onions are tossed with cooked orzo, feta cheese and pine nuts. I threw in some goat cheese for good measure. Spoon into your best 13 x 9-inch dish, cover with foil and bake, while you’re messing around with the grill. It’s the perfect accompaniment to grilled meat or chicken.

Here is Nora’s graduation dinner menu. Commence on.

Great Grilled Dinner
Grilled Cilantro Pesto Chicken and Shrimp
Grilled Porterhouse Steaks
Fire-Roasted Corn Salsa
Orzo Veggies
Garlic Bread
Balsamic-Honey Vidalia Onions
Lemon Frozen Yogurt with Fresh Berries
Or
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Strawberries and Cream



Cilantro Pesto
Although basil is certainly the most common kind of pesto, this no-cook summer sauce can be made with a wide variety of herbs, including cilantro. Try it on chicken, shrimp, and vegetables or as a dip.

3     garlic cloves
¾     cup packed fresh cilantro
½     cup packed fresh parsley
½     cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3     cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
¼     cup chopped walnuts
1     tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½     teaspoon kosher salt
½     teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1. Place garlic in a food processor, pulse to chop. Add cilantro, parsley, oil, cheese, walnuts, lemon juice, salt and pepper; process until a paste forms.

Recipe by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough.


Fire-Roasted Corn Salsa

2     tomatoes
1     ear of corn, husked
¼        cup finely chopped onion
1    jalapeño pepper, diced
½     cup chopped fresh cilantro
1     garlic clove, minced
2         tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4     teaspoon cumin
1/2    teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper

1. Prepare the grill.
2. Place tomatoes and corn on grill grate over high heat until lightly charred and tender.
3. Dice tomatoes. Cut kernels off corn. Combine tomatoes and corn kernels with remaining ingredients. Makes 4 cups.

Recipe by Peter Bronski.




Orzo Veggies
Browning the orzo gives it a toasty flavor, but you can skip that step and cook directly.
The vegetables are roasted, but you can grill then as well, then chop.

1     pound asparagus, trimmed
3     bell peppers (red, green and yellow)
6     green onions. chopped
1     cup grape tomatoes, halved
1     medium zucchini
4     tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1     garlic clove, crushed
1     tablespoon Italian seasoning
3/4     teaspoon salt
1⁄8     teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1     cup orzo
2     cups reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1/2     cup pine nuts, toasted
¾     cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cut vegetables, except tomatoes, into bite-size pieces. Place first 5 ingredients (asparagus through zuchinni) in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Toss well. Roast 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large saucepan. Add orzo and sauté until brown. Add broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook, covered, until liquid is absorbed.
4. Add orzo to roasted vegetables. Mix well. Sprinkle pine nuts and cheese over top. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 8.

Recipe by Henrietta Jachlewski.

Per serving: 310 calories, 17g fat, 15mg chol., 9g prot., 31g carbs., 4g fiber, 520mg sodium.



Lemon Frozen Yogurt
1     tablespoon grated lemon rind
3/4     cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2    cups plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt
1     cup sugar
1/4     teaspoon salt

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour mixture into the canister of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.


Flourless Chocolate Cake with Strawberries and Cream

Cooking spray
2     tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
½     cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1     cup, plus 2 tablespoons, sugar, divided
1     cup ground almonds
8     ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
4     eggs, separated
1     cup whipping cream
1     teaspoon vanilla extract
2     cups whole strawberries

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and cocoa; shake off excess cocoa.
2. Place butter in large bowl; beat until smooth. Add 1 cup sugar; beat until creamy. Add almonds, chocolate and egg yolks; beat thoroughly with a mixer at medium speed. Set aside.
3. Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form (do not over beat). Stir one-third of egg whites into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg whites.
4. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool 30 minutes in pan on wire rack. Release sides of pan and slide onto a serving plate.
5. Combine cream, vanilla and 2 tablespoons sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Top cake with whipping cream and strawberries. Serves 12.

Recipe by Marge Perry

Per serving: 330 calories, 24g fat, 45,g chol., 4g prot., 30g carbs., 3g fiber, 10mg sodium.