Afternoon Show with Liz

Get outside this weekend and do something different on the grill. Here are some thoughts and recipes from Clive Berkman.

“I enjoy hearing Americans discuss—and often argue about—grilling and barbecuing. They debate the best sauce, vinegar- or tomato-based, and they fiercely defend their preference of chicken, pork or beef. Those who are dedicated to making the best barbecue of their region, though, cringe when someone says they’re going to “barbecue some hamburgers on the grill.” Barbecue, the purists insist, always has a rich sauce of one kind or another. Without a sauce, it’s just grilling.

Grilling, though, is a high culinary art form.

Whether you grill or barbecue, cooking over hot charcoal or gas is a national pastime millions of us enjoy. Few forms of cooking offer such a variety of ways to prepare so many different meats, fish, and vegetables. You could, with relative ease, cook an entire meal on the grill and enjoy a wonderful blend of flavors.

When you grill, consider three distinct elements: the marinade (dry, pastes, or liquid), the way the food is grilled, and the accompaniments. Some of us get locked into grilling only a limited number of foods in a limited range of ways. A little creativity can add new dimensions and rich flavors to cooking over coals or gas.”

London Broil Marinade
Ingredients:
1 c Soy Sauce
½ c Brown Sugar
½ c Red Wine Vinegar
½ c Pineapple Juice
2 tsp Salt
½ tsp Garlic Powder
½ c Sweet Texas Red Wine
¼ c Oil

Recipe:
1. Mix all ingredients and let marinade sit overnight for your choice of grilling. Cook over charcoal or mesquite wood.

Black Bean and Pepper Relish  
Ingredients: 
½ Yellow Bell Pepper, cut in ¼” dice
½ Red Bell Pepper, cut in ¼” dice
1 cup Cooked Black Beans
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 Shallot
¼ c Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
2 tbsp Fresh Cilantro, minced
Salt and Pepper
1 tsp Olive Oil 
 
Recipe :
1. Put pepper sand black beans in a shallow dish. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and shallot and cook until soft, about 2 minutes.
3. Add vinegar and maple syrup and remove from heat.  Pour the mixture over the peppers, add cilantro and mix gently.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate the relish at least 2 hours.  Stir several times to coat the ingredients in the dressing.

Warm Potato Salad
1/2 quarts vegetable broth or water
4 cloves garlic, divided
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
1 pound (3 medium) potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 pound (about 5 slices) bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 shallots, cut into thin slices
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
4 ounces friseé, washed (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided

In large saucepan, bring broth, 3 cloves of the garlic, the rosemary, thyme and bay leaf to a boil over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and boil, uncovered, 10 to 13 minutes or until potatoes are just tender. Drain potatoes, discarding herb sprigs and garlic cloves; set aside.

In large non-stick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels; reserve bacon fat. In same skillet, cook and stir potatoes in reserved bacon fat 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. Mince the remaining clove of garlic. Add garlic and shallots to the potato mixture; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until shallots are soft. Add reserved cooked bacon and vinegar, mixing until combined.