Upping Your Grilling Game

By Kelly Ross

Although some say summer starts on the 4th of July, I’ve always said it’s on Memorial Day, especially with Bike Week right around the corner and the 4th a couple of weeks after that. Yeah, we’re not seeing the hot summer heat yet, but if we can get out and about enjoying the weather, opening up the camps/summer homes and such and officially breaking out the grill, I say it’s summer. Summers aren’t long enough as it is, so I say just go with it.

Well, I mentioned getting the grill busted out of retirement, so as a result, let’s focus on some great grilling. It’s a huge summer mentality although I know a bunch, like me, who do so all year round. I usually grill 5 days a week in the summer and likely 3-4 times a month during the snow season but whatever your pattern, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love our favorite foods off the barbie. Let’s get started with a couple of great appetizers. The first of the two apps I have is perfect for more of an upscale get-together, although this works for anyone/ anytime. I’ve always been a huge fan of grilled fruits of any kind, not to mention when wrapped in bacon. Peaches are one of the top 3 fruits, in my opinion, to do on the grill. Combine the sweetness of fresh peaches with the saltiness of the bacon, you have a win- ner, especially with fresh basil involved and topped with a balsamic glaze. This only takes 5 ingredients and will give you up to 32 pieces.

Bacon Wrapped Grilled Peaches with Balsamic Glaze

4 large peaches

12 oz bacon, or 16 slices

64 large basil leaves plus more for garnish

Olive oil

Balsamic glaze to drizzle the peaches with

Set your grill to low heat and preheat for 10 minutes or so making sure it is well-oiled. Wash and dry peaches. Cut each peach in half and then each half into 4 quarters. Place one large basil leaf on each side of the peaches. Cut the bacon slices in half. Wrap each peach slice and basil leaves with a slice of bacon. Pin the loose end of the bacon slice with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining peaches. Brush the bacon-wrapped peaches lightly with olive oil. Grill the peaches until the bacon is cooked, turning so all sides are evenly cooked, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and remove toothpicks. Drizzle with the balsamic glaze and serve hot or at room temperature. Delicious as well as decadent.

Well, where the last one may be considered one for the champagne crowd, here’s one for the beer crowd so to speak. When it comes to wings, it’s time to get down and dirty and I love getting down and dirty with a plateful of wings. If you are into the lemon/pepper theme, you’ll love these. The lemon pepper is famous for chicken and fish, and these wings are a flavor-packed champ, and no need for store bought lemon-pepper seasoning. This recipe is for 4 lbs of wings, enough to feed 6 if you are planning on eating many yourself, but obviously will feed more as an appetizer type of thing. Prep and cook time are short, but I do like to let them marinate for a bit in between.

Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

¼ cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

4 lbs chicken wings, fresh, or frozen/ thawed

½ stick butter, melted

1 ½ tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 ½ tbsp lemon zest

1 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper

If using fresh wings, either tuck the tips underneath the 2 main sections to form a wing triangle, like in a Chinese restaurant, or section them and cut off the tips. If frozen, make sure completely thawed, drained, and patted dry. In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, and salt and mix well. Add wings and toss until evenly coated, wrap the bowl, or dump into a large ziplock bag, and re- frigerate for 2 hours or so. Grease your grill and preheat to medium-high heat. Once nice and hot, place the wings on it and cook for 30-40 minutes depending on their size, turning every 6-8 minutes until crispy and cooked through. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and black pepper. Place wings in lemon mixture and toss until evenly coated and serve.

It’s Burger Time! I have 2 great burger options for you today, the first one smothered in a merlot mushroom mixture that is phenomenal, the second being the best vegetarian burger I’ve ever sunk my teeth into. As for the actual burger, let’s start there.

As much as most of us love a good beef burger, the toppings on a burger do sometimes get a little boring as the toppings are usually somewhat standard. The usual lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon and cheese seem to be the norm, then adding the usual condiments If you’d like to try something new this summer, then this recipe is for you. This burger offers a gourmet take on the traditional hamburger, with wine, mushrooms, and goat cheese among the ingredients. The next time you want to serve something special for a cookout, use this recipe! Family and

• ‘Cue the Grill continued on page 10 continued from page 8 friends will be impressed with the combination of flavors and textures in this recipe. Your next cookout just might become the stuff of legend with this burger recipe on the menu. The flavors of the shrooms and merlot are allowed to dominate in this one and you will not be disappointed. This recipe is for 4 burgers and plan on an hour from start to finish. I usually serve these openfaced on toasted slices of French bread and serve with a knife and fork, but the choice is yours.

The Wine-ing Mushroom Burger

1 tsp olive oil

2 tbsp minced shallots

1 cup of your favorite Merlot

¼ cup beef broth

2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 tbsp butter

2 tsp flour

1 ½ lbs of quality ground beef, I usually go with 80-95% lean

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper

4 large portobello mushrooms

1-2 tbsp olive oil

4 slices French bread, cut diagonally ½ inch thick

3-4 oz goat cheese, ½- ¾ cup

Romaine lettuce leaves

Chopped fresh parsley, optional

To prepare sauce, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add shallots, cook, and stir 6-8 minutes or until caramelized. Stir in wine, broth, and thyme. Cook over medium-high heat 8-10 minutes or until liquid is reduced to ½ cup. In a small bowl, combine butter and flour making a roux, whisk into sauce. Stir in salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm. Combine ground beef, 2 tbsp parsley, ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into four ½ inch thick patties and set aside. Brush both sides of the shrooms and place them on grill over medium heat and grill, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until tender, turning halfway through. Just as they are done, move mushrooms to outer edge of grill and place patties in center of grill and cook 11-13 minutes or until you reach your desired temps, turning once halfway through. Place bread slices on grill and cook until toasted, turning once. Reheat sauce, if necessary. Spread half of cheese on toasted bread slices. Top each with lettuce leaf, mushroom and burger and drizzle evenly with sauce. Crumble remaining goat cheese over the tops, sprinkle with parsley, as desired. A much different kind of burger for sure and very good.

Granted, I love my beefy burgers, but this vegetarian burger is a “go to” of mine. The first time I made these at home for friends, some vegetarian and some not, even the carnivores were digging on these gems big time. The main players in this concoction are sweet potatoes, peppers, onions, celery, chickpeas to bind together and southwestern seasonings. The only drawback for me with these is they won’t hold together on a grill so need to be done in a skillet or griddle. These are as healthy a burger option as you’ll find. I feel many vegetarians’ sadness when they go out and want to order a veggie burger and they often end up with a frozen hockey puck that’s heated up and tastes like cardboard. This burger will blow any other vegetarian burger out of the water. Depending on how you want to cook your sweet potato will dictate how long it takes, but once the spud is cooked, you can make/cook these in barely ½ hour. This will get you 4-6 burgers.

Sweet Potato Veggie Burger

1 large cooked sweet potato equaling

1 cup of puree

1 can chickpeas, 15 oz

1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs

½ cup diced red bell pepper

½ cup diced onion

¼ cup diced celery

1 large egg

1 ½ tbsp taco seasoning

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp cayenne

Guacamole, salsa, onions, pickles, cheese, lettuce…optional

Your favorite quality burger buns

Bake, microwave, or boil your sweet potato until tender. Remove/discard potato skin, then using a food processor or blender, puree the sweet potato until smooth but thick. Transfer the sweet potato to a large mixing bowl. Next, add rinsed garbanzo beans to the food processor. Pulse just a few times to break up the beans, still leaving lots of texture. Add beans to the sweet potato as well as breadcrumbs. Sauté bell pepper, onion and celery over medi-

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• ‘Cue the Grill continued from page 10 um-high heat. Once your veggies are cooked, add them, along with the egg and seasonings to the bowl with the sweet potato mixture. Stir to incorporate using your hands and divide burger mixture into 4-6 balls. Cup each ball in your hands and squeeze, pressing it into a round compact patty. Refrigerate patties for a minimum of 30 minutes to set. Once ready to cook, spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium to high heat. Cook for a few minutes on each side until the patty is golden and the center is warm-hot. Cooking times will vary a bit depending on the size of your burgers and type of pan/skillet used and how long they were refrigerated, so aim for a crispy outside with a warm-hot tender center. Once done, pile a lightly toasted bun high with greens, patty and top it off with a generous helping of guac or whatever sounds good and dig in!

A very popular grilling process for many when entertaining a crowd, or camping, is cooking a full-course meal in foil packets on the grill. It’s a fantastic as all flavors are trapped steaming together with all its flavors which gives you a very moist and fun dinner. Plus there is limited clean up this way. When camping, I usually eat right out of the foil and then toss it in the garbage. This version contains boneless pork chops, cut red potatoes and sliced onions with spices, and then topped with a homemade chimichurri sauce, which is a favorite sauce of mine on many grilled items. This is for 4 individual packets; prep is maybe 15 minutes and cooking time is closer to 20-25 minutes. I strongly recommend using heavy duty foil to avoid rips and tears as you want the steam to be trapped inside.

Grilled Pork Chops Foil Packets

4 boneless center-cut pork chops, 6 oz each

1 lb baby new potatoes, cut into quarters, keeping the pieces consistent in size, about 1-inch pieces

1 ½ -2 medium sweet onions, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces like you would for kabobs

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp dried Italian seasoning

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Chimichurri Sauce

1 ½ cups fresh parsley leaves

1 ½ cups fresh cilantro leaves

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 medium jalapeño pepper, stem removed

2 tsp kosher salt

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, coat the pork chops, potatoes, onion, and garlic with the olive oil and season with the Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and a few dashes of salt and pepper. Tear off 4 pieces of heavy aluminum foil, about 12×16-inches each. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Evenly distribute the potatoes and onion among the sheets of foil. Top with a pork chop.

Fold in the sides of the foil and seal to form the packet. Tear off 4 more sheets of foil and double wrap all of them with the sealed side down. Grill for 20-25 minutes or until pork is cooked through at 145 degrees. In the meantime, place all the ingredients for the chimichurri sauce in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined and smooth. Carefully open the pork packets, releasing the steam which will burn you if you’re not cautious. Transfer pork and potatoes to individual plates and spoon some of the chimichurri sauce over the top and serve. It’s easy, inexpensive, and very good.

Maple Glazed

Chicken Drumsticks

8-12 drumsticks

¾ cup maple syrup, divided

¾ cup chili sauce, divided

¼ cup plus 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, divided

2 tsp fresh minced garlic, divided Salt

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Add chicken drumsticks to a large resealable plastic bag. Combine ½ cup maple syrup, ½ cup chili sauce, ¼ cup of the vinegar and 1 ½ tbsp of garlic in a bowl, then pour over the chicken in the bag, seal, and massage the chicken in the bag somewhat to help coat them all and refrigerate for 2-8 hours in the fridge. Preheat grill to medium-high. I keep 2 sides on, one side off so I can move them to indirect heat if need be. Place drumsticks on the well-oiled grill, and cook, turning every so often, for 20-25 minutes or until meat starts to fall away from the bone. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Move to indirect heat if need be. While drumsticks are cooking, or you can do this ahead of time if you want to, combine ¼ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup chili sauce, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and ½ tsp minced garlic in a small pot. Bring to a low simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until reduced and thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep warm until the chicken is done. Brush drumsticks with thickened glaze before serving. It’s a great combo of sweet with hints of heat and tartness.

. When grilling apricots or peaches or any stone fruit for that matter, always look for fruit that aren’t quite ripe yet as they should be firm when placed on the grill. This recipe is for 2 pounds of chicken breasts, usually 6-8 of them, which will feed 4-6 depending on the crowd and the rest of your menu for said meal. You should have this will be on the table in barely a half hour.

Grilled Ancho Chicken Breasts & Apricot Salsa

2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, usually 6-8 breasts, lightly pounded so even in thickness

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 ¼ tsp salt, divided

8 apricots, nectarines and/or peaches, halved and pitted

2-3 ripe avocado, chopped

½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

6 tbsp finely chopped red onion

2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice

8 lime wedges

Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush both sides of chicken with 2 tbsp oil and sprinkle with chili powder, garlic powder and 1 tsp salt. Brush the cut sides of the fruit with the remaining oil. Grill the chicken, turning once halfway, about 7-9 minutes. Grill the fruit, cut side down, until slightly softened and begins to char, about 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine avocado, cilantro, onion, jalapeño, lime juice and the remaining salt in a medium bowl. When the fruit is cool enough to handle, chop and stir into the salsa. Serve the chicken with the salsa and a lime wedge.

I have a really cool steak recipe for you, especially if you enjoy the taste of beer as this recipe requires a beer marinade also using fresh oranges, onions, garlic and soy sauce. I use skirt steak for this one as I wouldn’t recommend using a high-priced cut as the marinade is meant to tenderize a lower cut, although skirt steak is awesome. Once cooked, rested, and sliced, this will easily feed 4-6. Once done marinating, grill time is quick.

Beer-Marinated

Grilled Skirt Steak

1 ½ oranges, thinly sliced with peel

½- ¾ large, sweet onion, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, halved and smashed

2 ¼ - 2 ½ lbs skirt steak, the thicker the better

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1+ cup light-colored lager beer

½ cup soy sauce

In a wide, shallow glass baking dish, scatter half of the orange slices, half of the onion slices and half of the garlic pieces on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the steak all over with salt and pepper and put in the dish on top of the orange and onion slices. Scatter the remaining orange, onion and garlic over the steak and pour in the beer and soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for 1 hour at room temp or up to overnight in the refrigerator. Prepare your greased up grill to medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the marinade and discard the marinade. Grill the steak to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Once done, let the steak rest on a cutting board for 5-7 minutes, then slice into ½ inch thick slices, on the diagonal making sure it’s against the grain of the beef. Serve it up with your favorite side dishes. This also makes outstanding steak tacos.

Before I give you a quickie grilled dessert, I want to share one of my favorite sauce recipes that can go with countless grilled items, especially steaks, chicken, pork, and veggies. Like the last one, this one has a little bit of alcohol involved, Jack Daniels in particular, although it’s only one of many awesome ingredients. This will take about an hour to make and will get you 2 cups of sauce. You won’t regret it.

Jack Daniels Sauce

2 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/3 cup water

2 cup pineapple juice

½ cup teriyaki sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 2/3 cups dark brown sugar

6 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

6 tbsp minced white onion

2-3 tbsp Jack Daniels whiskey

2 tbsp crushed pineapple

½ tsp cayenne pepper

In a medium saucepan, add the water, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar over medium/ high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat until mixture is just simmering. Add the minced garlic and whisk to combine. Add remaining ingredients to the pan and stir. Let the mixture simmer for 40-50 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by about half and is thick and syrupy. Don’t let it boil over.

I never feel right if I don’t leave you with a good dessert, so here is a quick twist on a classic to pop on the grill. S’mores are as popular as any outdoor recipe ever, but for a fun twist, try making them in a soft tortilla shell. When I make them, I use either mini marshmallows or I’ll spread Fluffernutter on the insides, add your chocolate and add a Graham cracker or 2 and fold, then lightly brush one side with oil. Lay The oiled side down on the grill over a low heat, then brush oil on the top and close the lid for a few minutes, peeking periodically making sure not to burn, although you should be fine if the grill is on low. Flip after a couple of minutes and close things back up and again babysit so as not to burn. Everyone will love them.

Hope these recipes help in your first, or next grilling session of the summer season. Next week, we’ll chat some fun ideas for Bike Week. Until then, keep those taste buds smiling and if you care to reach out with any questions or feedback, find me at fenwaysox10@ gmail.com.

Through May 31, Spring Shuffle: Walk, Shuffle, or Run from the Pub!, 5-6:15 pm, every Wed. until May 31, Patrick’s Pub event to benefit Lakes Region Children’s Auction, Gilford, www.patrickspub.com/the-shuffle.

Through June 4, Interiors exhibit, new works by Cilla Sheehan and Carole Groenke, The Galleries at 30 Main, Meredith, 279-0557, www.thegalleriesat30main.com.

Through June 10, Remick Farm Tour, 10 am & 1 pm, every Fri. & Sat. 5/206/10, Remick Country Doctor Farm & Museum, 58 Cleveland Hill Rd., Tamworth, pre-register: 323-7591, www.remickmuseum.org

Through June 15, Pvt. Charles J. Miller, WWII Paintings from the South Pacific, Wright Museum of WWII, 77 Center St., Wolfeboro, info/tickets: 5691212.

Through June 30, Robert Gordon Show & Sale, to honor the late Robert Gordon—well-known both locally and afar, paintings for sale. Open 10-5 Wed.Mon., ArtWorks Gallery, 132 Rt. 16, Chocorua, 323-8041, www.chocoruaartworks.com

May 27-29, Annual Memorial Day Weekend Craft Festival, Castleberry Fairs, Mill Falls Marketplace, Meredith, 312 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith, www.castleberryfairs.com.

May 27-29, Community Yard Sale, Ossipee, Effingham & surrounding areas, recdept@ossipee.org.

May 28 & 29, Back in the Saddle at the Castle, equine events, Castle in the Clouds, Rt. 171, Moultonborough, 476-5900, www.castleintheclouds.org.

May 29, Alton Memorial Day Observances, parade line up 9:30 am in Monument Square, downtown Alton, proceed to Riverside Cemetery at 10 am, back to Monument Square, refreshments following at Post 72, Alton, 875-2161.

May 29, Bristol Memorial Day Parade, step off at 9:30 am at Freudenberg-NOK parking lot on Route 104, Bristol, proceed to Newfound Middle School, Lake St., 744-8810.

May 29, Center Harbor Memorial Day Parade, gather at 11:45 am at Chase Circle, parade begins at noon, with services, band music, 455-1632.

May 29, Gilford Memorial Day Parade, gather at Gilford Community Church, Potter Hill Rd., Gilford at 9:45 am, proceed to Pine Grove Cemetery for services, 527-4700.

May 29, Laconia Memorial Day Remembrance, 11 am, Veteran’s Square, Laconia, wreath laying, speakers. Remembrance will be followed by a free luncheon, public welcome, at American Legion, 849 Main St., Laconia, 524-9728.

May 29, Learn to Weave, 6:30-8:30 pm, Makers Mill, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, pre-register: 569-1500, www.makersmill.org

May 29, Meredith Memorial Day Observances, 8 am program in Oakland Cemetery followed by ceremony at Meredith Village Cemetery. Parade line up at starts at 9:30 am at American Legion, Plymouth St., Meredith, proceeds to Hesky Park.

May 29, Moultonborough Parade and Remembrance, parade will gather at elementary school on Blake Rd., proceed to Moultonborough Town Hall, 6 Holland St. for service, 476-8868.

May 29, Plymouth Memorial Day Parade, 10:30 am, start at Plymouth Town Hall, 6 Post Office Square, Plymouth, kbaudin@pemibaker.org

May 29, Solar Gazing, noon-4 pm, free, Castle in the Clouds, Rt. 171, Moultonborough, registration: 476-5900, www.castleintheclouds.org. (Every Mon. through Aug. 28)

May 29, Wolfeboro Memorial Day Parade, gather at 8:45 am in Brewster Field, 9 am proceed to Main St., Wolfeboro for observances, 703-798-8978.

May 30, Watercolor Workshop: Landscapes, 5-week class, 6:30-9 pm, taught by artist Cate Poole, Makers Mill, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, pre-register: 5691500, www.makersmill.org. Also takes place June 6, 13, 20 and 27. (Age 18 and up.)

May 31, Beginning Drawing – From Line to Structure, with Kathryn Field, 10 am-4 pm, beginner child or adult class, League of NH Craftsmen, Center Sandwich Fine Craft Gallery, 32 Main St., Sandwich, 284-6831, https://centersandwich.nhcrafts.org/

May 31, Fairies Need Wands, 10-11:30 am, pre-K accompanied by adult, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Rd., Laconia, pre-register: www.prescottfarm.org, 366-5695.

May 31, Industrial Sewing Machine, 7:45-8:45 pm, Makers Mill, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, pre-register: 569-1500, www.makersmill.org

May 31, Janome Sewing Class, 6:30-7:30 pm, Makers Mill, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, pre-register: 569-1500, www.makersmill.org

May 31, Katie Dobbins Music & Hermit Woods Winery Present Songwriter Roundup, 6-8:30 pm, admission charged, Hermit Woods Winery & Eatery, 72 Main St., Meredith, 253-7968, www.hermitwoods.com your guide to what’s happening in NH’s Lakes Region...

May 31, Strafford Wind Symphony presents Nature, 7 pm, Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, info/tickets: 335-1992, www.rochesteroperahouse.com.