Nothing says summer quite like the coals burning, burgers grilling and family and friends gathered with no reason other than to celebrate the weather. However, if you reserve your grill just for plain-Jane burgers and overused hotdogs, you are probably disappointing your guests. The capabilities of your grill are only limited by your imagination and skills. Since you know you have the best grilling skills in town, it is time to put your creativity to use. Here are three unique and scrumptious recipes to get you started.
Spicy Meets Sweet Pineapple Salsa
- 1/2 pineapple, ripe but still firm, cored, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 serrano chili, seeded, stemmed and diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice
- Add sugar, salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
Preheat your grill to medium-high. Place the pineapple slices on the grill and let sit for two minutes per side, ensuring that they are tender before removing them. Remove from grill and chop into pieces.
Now put the pineapple in a medium-sized bowl and mix in the serrano chili, cilantro and lime juice. Complete the concoction with sugar, salt and pepper. Serve immediately for best results.
- Yields: 2-1/2 cups
Chili con Queso Burger
- 2 jalapeños and 2 anaheim chiles
- 1 garlic clove, large and unpeeled
- 4 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
- Salt and pepper, freshly ground
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef – Bobby Flay recommends 20 percent fat content for flavor.
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 Kaiser rolls, cut in half horizontally
- Condiments and toppings as desired (lettuce, onion, tomato, ketchup, mayonnaise)
While waiting for the grill to heat up, rub the chilies with olive oil and thread the chilies and garlic onto skewers. Once the grill is ready, place the skewers on the grill until they are charred completely. Once cooked, peel the chilies and garlic, discarding the stems and seeds, chop them, and place them in a bowl. Add the cheese using a folding motion and add salt and pepper to taste. Place to the side.
Now divide the beef into eight equal parts and place them onto wax paper. Make each portion into a 5-inch round patty, keeping them a little bit thicker in the middle. Place 1/4-cup of the cheese sauce in the center of four patties and then cover it with the remaining patties. Make sure to seal the edges and flatten the centers so the burgers appear even. Top the patties with olive oil and salt and pepper. You will also want to oil the insides of the rolls.
Place the burgers on a lightly-oiled grill and cook them over a hot flame. Cook each side for about four minutes or until desired temperature is reached. At the very end, lightly toast the rolls. Place the cooked patties on the rolls and dress as desired.
Citrus Cilantro Corn
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped and separated
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime zest
- Fresh-squeezed juice 1/2 of a lime
- 6 Ears of white or yellow corn, silk and husks removed
Preheat your grill to medium-high. Combine the butter, lime zest, lime juice, and 1/3 cup of cilantro in a small bowl. Mix until well blended.
With a basting brush, spread the mixture on all sides of the corn. Put the corn on the grill and reduce heat to medium. Continue to rotate corn until all sides are evenly grilled, which usually takes about 2 minutes per side.
Remove corn from the grill, arrange on a platter and sprinkle the remaining cilantro on it for the perfect garnish.