Summer Grilled Feast

It's summertime, and the living is easy- or it should be when you're hosting a grilling party.

It’s summertime, and the living is easy—or it should be when you’re hosting a grilling party. It’s high time that the person giving the party is set free to relax during the meal. Grill cookery, whether you choose charcoal or gas, lends itself to this concept. With a bit of planning, you can join your friends and family around the picnic table—as the following recipes allow you to do. So savor the fresh air, friendship, and these delicious foods.

Basic Meat and Fish Marinade

This is enough marinade to flavor and tenderize 2 small- to medium-sized pork tenderloins, 3 or 4 dozen large shrimp, or 6 to 8 chicken breasts.

After mixing, pour the marinade into a strong zip-lock plastic bag. Add the meat or fish and place (securely zipped) on a plate in the refrigerator. Marinate according to type of meat and personal taste. The meats can marinate overnight; shrimp needs only about an hour.

(All three dishes are delicious chilled or warm. The meal can be served from the refrigerator as easily as from the grill—especially on a hot day.)

Mix together in a medium-sized bowl:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup well-chopped fresh summer herbs (any favorite fresh herbs will do)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
• Salt and pepper

Chicken breasts: These grill quickly. All poultry should reach an internal temperature of 170-175 degrees. Grill the marinated chicken over direct heat until just done. Resist the temptation to turn the chicken more than two or three times; too much turning seems to dry out the meat. The juice should be only slightly pink when testing for doneness. The breasts can be sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces, fanned out on a platter, and drizzled with a bit of olive oil to keep them moist. Chicken is so tasty when paired with fresh tarragon or chopped fresh rosemary.

Pork tenderloins: After marinating, grill the pork in a medium/high grill with the lid on. Turn once or twice until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 150-160 degrees. Wait about 15 minutes before slicing into pieces about 1/2-inch thick, which can be fanned out on a plate, as with chicken. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the meat just after grilling to retain moisture.

Try fresh mint as your herb in pork marinades. Fresh ginger and soy sauce also are delicious additions.

Shrimp: Remember that shrimp marinates for less time, and cooks more quickly, than our other choices. Place the shrimp on skewers or on a grill grid. Grill them over direct heat until the centers are cooked. This should take only several minutes on each side. Test for doneness by breaking one in half.

Angel Hair Pasta with Basil

Prepare 1 pound of pasta according to package instructions. Don’t overcook. Rinse with cool water and drain. Mix with 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 cloves, well-minced fresh garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss in 1/2 cup fresh-chopped basil. Chill. Toss again just before serving. (This is also good with 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or grated cheese.)

Grill-roasted Summer Vegetables

Toss these with one 1 cup olive oil, salt and pepper, and 2 teaspoons dried oregano. Grill over direct heat in a grill basket, or on a grid until tender. Toss with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese if desired.

Combine in a large bowl:

• 1 sweet onion, sliced into rings
• 2 cups zucchini or yellow squash, in 1/2-inch slices
• 1 cup eggplant, in 1-inch cubes
• 1 red sweet pepper, sliced into rings
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, whole
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced

Warm Fudge Dipping Sauce

This should be the only cooking done during the party. You might want to test this the day before to be certain you have the knack of melting the chocolate without burning it. This can be done on the grill.

Melt 2 cups best quality chocolate chips with 1/3 cup half and half. Stir constantly over low heat in a heavy saucepan.

When chocolate mixture is smooth and velvety, remove it immediately from the heat. Pour the warm chocolate into a large bowl. Surround the chocolate sauce with pre-sliced fresh peaches, summer berries, melon cubes, and pound cake cubes. Place this platter in the center of your picnic table. Provide extra napkins with your dessert plates. This can create a delicious mess.

Seafood Grilling Guide

When grilling seafood, remember that it cooks quickly. Well-cooked fish fillets and steaks flake easily when tested with a fork. Shrimp, lobster, and scallops look opaque when they’re ready.

Because fish is delicate, it benefits from being grilled in foil, in a Teflon-coated grill basket, or on a coated grill grid. The latter two items can be purchased anywhere grilling supplies are sold. Place fish fillets or kabobs on a well-greased basket or grid to avoid tearing or breaking seafood.

Planning Tips

The key to enjoying your own party, or avoiding what one chef calls “hostess heat,” is to do your work in stages.

1. Plan and write a menu at least two days ahead. Consider what’s the freshest food in the market or at the produce stand, or what herbs are best in your garden.

2. Make a shopping list. Do you have enough plates, napkins, cups? (It’s no sin to use paper.) What will you serve to drink? Do you need charcoal?

3. Shop the day before the party, and marinate the pork or chicken a day ahead. Chop the vegetables, fruits, and cube the pound cake; make the pasta dish and chill it; and be sure your table cloth is clean.

4. On the morning of party day, finish all cleaning, errands, and final cooking. Decide what music to play. Grill the meat in the earlier, cooler part of the day if it’s going to be a scorcher. The same goes for the threat of rain. Have a plan B for bad weather.

5. Have dinnerware, serving pieces, and flowers arranged before midday. Drinks should be chilling by noon. Save the afternoon for arranging platters, double-checking the house and yard, and taking a shower early.

If you’ve done the bulk of your work in advance, it might be 90 degrees out, but you won’t suffer from hostess heat.

 

Mary Carter is an avid cook and a food stylist for American Profile.

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