Grill it up

I don’t know about you, but I’m not all that interested in cooking at this time of year. It’s not only the hot weather, when turning on the oven feels like an affront to the senses, it’s also a certain something about summer, when we all slip into vacation mode — if not actual vacation — and it seems unnecessary to put any real effort into food preparation.

But of course, one can’t live on cold cereal, salads, and mango porcupines (slice the mango in half, around the pit, take one half and score it lengthwise and crosswise before turning it inside out, with the cubes of mango charmingly displayed in spike-like fashion) for months on end. And as it happens, those aforementioned salads are so much better when strewn with all kinds of additions, from sliced summer fruits and delicately cooked grains to, here it comes, grilled vegetables, strips of chicken or steak, and, yes, fruit that’s bronzed and caramelized on the same rack.

Whether you’re grilling on a simple portable grill outside a window sill or on a heftier model in the backyard, the summer barbecue is about much more than hamburgers and hotdogs, not that there’s anything wrong with either of those options, mind you.
Once you’ve got the hang of the heated coals or even-quicker gas, as well as the length of time needed to sear chicken breasts as opposed to getting chicken-on-the-bone cooked all the way through or just slightly grilling a bunch of asparagus, there’s a certain delight in throwing just about anything on the grill, and seeing what happens to it.

And while it’s true that grilling could be considered a masculine sport, as theorized by Nir Avieli — a cultural anthropologist at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, who researched grilling as a national activity over eight years of field work at Jerusalem’s Sacher Park during the annual Yom Ha’atzmaut grilling fest — there’s no reason that women can’t manifest some power and hierarchy themselves when presiding over the grill. Then again, if a guy wants to ‘man’ the grill, go right ahead.

This week, the top five ways to grill food this summer, without the hassle of indoor heat.

1) Recipes for grilled spuds or sweet potatoes always make it seem effortless, suggesting to simply wrap potatoes in tinfoil and throw them on the grill, where, with no effort at all — “trust me” — they’ll remain hard and raw hours later. But the real best bet for potatoes? Parboil them first, sliding whole or chunked slices of potatoes into boiling water, until they just start to get soft. If working with white potatoes, slice thickly and toss them with some olive oil, coarse salt, whole garlic cloves (don’t even peel them, and the same goes for the potatoes) and some chopped rosemary, grilling the slices directly over the heat. If you like, make a grilled potato salad, adding diced pickles and some mayonnaise at the very end.

Prep is the same with sweet potatoes, minus the rosemary, then dress with a lime vinaigrette. Whisk ¼ cup lime juice with ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup chopped cilantro (or parsley), and a sprinkle of coarse salt and black pepper, and drizzle over grilled slices of sweet potato, just as they come off the grill.

2) I’m writing this during the nine days before the fast of Tisha B’av, when many refrain from eating meat or poultry, but be sure to try this version of chicken breasts at some point this summer. If possible, buy very thin pieces of chicken breast, or pound them into submission. Thick pieces will work fine as well, but thin pieces can remain very flavorful and juicy if marinated and grilled properly.

Marinate the whole lot in a sauce of sesame oil, paprika, lots of fresh, chopped garlic and some grated ginger as well as a splash or two of soy sauce. Make sure the grill is piping hot, and then grill them quickly, just two or three minutes per side, leaving the pieces moist and juicy, and ready for a chicken salad, or just plain upon the plate.

3) Okay, but you might want something to serve with those chicken breasts. Slice up some nectarines (or peaches), leaving the pits out, and if so desired, sprinkle a little brown sugar on the flesh inside, but that’s not entirely necessary. The sweet fruit will caramelize quickly when placed on the grill, and be ready for eating within a few minutes.

You can save these luscious fruits for dessert — they’re great topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or coconut sorbet and a squirt of silan (date honey) — or make a nectarine salsa, chopping up the grilled nectarines with a bunch of diced red pepper, chopped red onion, parsley or cilantro, and a few squeezes of lime or lemon juice, salt and pepper. It’ll be just right served on top of the chicken breasts.

4) Grilled leeks; I stole this idea from New York Times food writer Mark Bittman, who has a great column of 101 Grilling Recipes, where he pretty much throws anything, from mangoes to pickles (char thick slices of cucumber, toss with salt, vinegar, and sugar, let sit for 15 minutes and then drain) on the grill. As for the leeks, chop off the top and bottom, slice in half lengthwise and rinse. Then toss ’em in some olive oil and coarse salt and then onto the grill (you can add asparagus, if you so wish). That’s it. Of course, you could also char some red peppers, then chop them up, sprinkle them with a little balsamic vinegar, and serve them on top of the leeks or asparagus or both. Dinner is served.

5) In my house, Thursday night is pizza night, but you will not catch me making pizzas in a 450° oven in July. But I have discovered grilled pizza, which is a wondrous solution to the problem. The process of making dough, sauce, cheese and toppings is the same, and if you have a pizza stone, the cooking is relatively similar, although it may take less time on the grill than it does in the oven.

If, however, you’re cooking directly on the grill, it’s best to oil the pizza dough round (placing the oiled side on the grill, and then brushing the top with oil as well), and cook it for about three minutes. Then, with sauce, cheese, and toppings at the ready, open the lid and complete the last preparation of the pizza, before closing the grill lid again and cooking for another five minutes or so, or until the pizza is cooked to your liking. (Don’t forget to try some mango, nectarine or plums, particularly if you’ve got some sauteed greens to top the dough.)

Dinner — or lunch — is served, and if your house is hot, you can’t blame us. Enjoy.