Grilling is Peachy

Summer time is grilling time, and even though you may use your grill year round, you just can't beat the sizzle and aroma coming from a hot grill while enjoying an icy cold adult beverage! I'm a George Hirsch/Bobby Flay kind of griller--I'm not afraid to try anything on the grill--so when our dinner club gang decided to do an "Everything Grilled" edition, I knew it would be fun and delicious.

We began with an appetizer of grilled prosciutto-wrapped figs, stuffed with smoked mozzarella. A terrific start indeed!

The main course was barbecued ribs with a selection of sauces. The ribs were started two days ahead with a 24-hour marinade in pineapple juice followed by another 24-hours bathed in Willingham's Original Mild Spice Rub before being finished on the grill. The ribs were absolutely delicious; tender, sweet and spicy all at once, especially with a variety of sweet, spicy, and smoky sauces to choose from.

Dessert was grilled pound cake with pineapple jalapeno and mint chutney and tequila whipped cream. It was the perfect finish to a great meal!

Renée and I drew salad as our assigned course and settled on a recipe by Stefanie Paganini for Grilled Peach, Almond and Arugula Salad:

• 2 cups fresh Arugula, washed & dried
• 6 cups fresh mixed greens, washed & dried
• 3 freestone peaches, grilled & sliced
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese flakes
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 2 Tbsp. candied ginger, minced

Toss all ingredients together in large bowl with Balsamic Vinaigrette. The proportions above will serve 8.

We really liked the combination of flavors in this recipe. The spicy bitterness of the arugula, the sweetness of the grilled peaches, and toasted almonds and ginger topped with balsamic vinaigrette just sounded really terrific.

This recipe calls for freestone peaches which is a peach which has a 'free' stone, meaning that the flesh of the fruit can easily be removed from the stone, with little to none remaining attached to the stone. Other varieties are clingstone and semi-freestone, which perform as the names imply. US-grown peaches are available from May to mid-October. Any you may find from October to May are generally imported from Chile.

Selection and storage are important if you want truly delicious peaches. Tree ripened peaches have reached their maturity before being picked, which means they will be juicy and sweet without a meaty texture to the flesh. Don't buy peaches stored in the cold section, those that are rock hard, green, mushy or have shriveled skins. Look for well-rounded fruit with deep yellow coloring under a blush of red. Ripe peaches will be fragrantly sweet and will be firm, but will yield to gentle pressure. These will ripen in two to three days at room temperature. 

At home, store your peaches on the counter at room temperature until they ripen completely. Ripening can be helped along by placing the peaches in a paper bag. To move it along even faster, add a banana or an apple to the bag. Ripe peaches can then be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day or two before eating or they will lose their juice and flavor. Wash them in cool water and dry with a paper towel to remove any remaining fuzz.

To pit freestone peaches, cut along the seam all the way around and through the fruit to the pit. Twist each half in opposite directions and they will come off cleanly. Clingstone peaches are best pitted by cutting them into sections and removing the sections one at a time. Peeling is easy; simply blanch the peaches for 30 to 60 seconds and peel with a paring knife.

Grilling fruit caramelizes the natural sugars, softens the flesh and releases juices. The flavors of the fruit become concentrated and the smokiness of grilling adds an element that enhances the taste of fresh fruit.

The best way to grill fruits or vegetables is to begin by brushing the grill clean and spraying the grates with cooking spray or brush them with salad oil before lighting the grill. This enhances the flavors and keeps foods from sticking to the surface. Pre-heat your grill to medium heat.  Place the fruit, cut-side down on the grill and cook, uncovered, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn over and continue grilling until the fruit is tender but not mushy, about 5 minutes longer.

 

Making your own Balsamic Vinaigrette is simple and enables you to add an additional level of freshness to your salad. 

In a food processor blend together

• 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

The key is to slowly add oil to create an emulsion. Done properly, the emulsion will not separate and you won't have to shake up your dressing to remix the ingredients. You can do this with a whisk, but the power and speed of the food processor not only creates a strong emulsion, it also aerates the dressing to make it slightly thicker.

The finished salad!

Comments

[Spicehound]

That's a long marinade in pineapple juice. I've always had trouble with the pineapple 'cooking' the meat and ending up with a mushy texture after I cooked it if I let it sit more than a few hours. Pineapple and pork taste so good together.

[NancyH]

Looks beautiful! Glad to see you post; it's been a while.

[Paul DeLuca]

Spicehound - I know what you mean. These ribs turned out tender but weren't mushy at all. And the pineapple flavor was there from the first bite to the last.

[Paul DeLuca]

Nancy - Thanks! Things have been...crazy. But I think I'm back on track for a summer of posting!

[Haley]

I'm Haley, Key Ingredient's Chief Blogger. We would like to feature this recipe and photo on our blog. We realize it is taken from another source, but we'll be sure to note that...we just feel you've done a great job putting this meal together! Please email haleyglasco@gmail.com if interested. Thanks :)

Haley