Summertime, and the grilling is easy

It is grilling season, for sure. The television is full of advertisements for grilling products, Food Network has many programs with grilling as a theme, and the grocery store displays certainly are promoting outdoor cooking. I enjoy grilling, and I am willing to try just about anything that will hold up in the heat.

Today I am sharing a few recipes you might like to try during this peak of grilling season.

Grilled Shrimp and Sausage with Peppers and Onions

• 1 large onion, diced in 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large pepper, any color, diced 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced in 1/4-inch coins
• 20 large raw shrimp, fresh or frozen, peeled and cleaned with tail on or off
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
• 5 small potatoes, diced 1/2-inch pieces, optional
• 1 small package angel hair pasta, optional
• 2 cups rice, optional

Dice onions, peppers and slice sausage. In a disposable aluminum pan, add the butter. Place over grill. Add sausage, garlic and veggies to pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. When sausage and veggies are al'dente, add shrimp. Cook for an additional 2 to 4 minutes until shrimp are pink. Top with grated Parmigiano-Reggino cheese. Serve as is, with potatoes or over angel hair pasta or rice.

Option 1: To serve with potatoes. Add potatoes to the butter and begin cooking before adding the sausage and veggies. When they are al'dente, add the sausage, garlic and veggies and continue following steps 3 and 4.

Option 2: To serve over angel hair pasta. Follow steps 1 through 4. In addition, boil pasta as normal until al'dente. Drain water. In a large frying pan add 3 to 5 tablespoons unsalted butter. Continue cooking the butter until you see it foaming and the butter getting brown. Add the drained noodles and fry them in the butter for 1 to 3 minutes, or until the noodles have turned slightly brown from the butter. Place noodles in serving dish and top with sausage, shrimp and veggie mixture and cheese.

Option 3: To serve over rice, follow steps 1 through 4. In addition, cook rice as normal. Put rice in serving dish and top with the sausage, shrimp and veggie mixture and the cheese.

Barbecued Alaskan Salmon

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 salmon steaks (1 inch thick and 6 ounces each)

In a small saucepan, combine the first six ingredients. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Meanwhile, grill salmon, covered, over medium-hot heat for 5 minutes. Turn salmon; baste with the butter sauce. Grill 7 to 9 minutes longer, turning and basting occasionally, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Yield: 4 servings.

Low Country Boil Packets

• 16 shell-on jumbo shrimp, deveined
• 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
• 6 small red skin potatoes, cut into *¼ -inch slices
• 2 links andouille sausage (about 8 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 16 littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 2 ears corn, cut into 1-inch wheels
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 lemon, sliced into 8 rounds
• 2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• Grilled crusty bread, for serving

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Toss the shrimp with the seafood seasoning. Place two 12-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil per packet (8 sheets total for 4 packets) on a flat surface. Divide the ingredients among the 4 packets, layering in the potato slices, sausage slices, shrimp, clams, corn wheels, butter, lemon rounds and scallions. Fold up the ends of the foil and seal into packets. Place the packets on the grill, cover and cook until the clams open and the potatoes and shrimp are cooked, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with grilled crusty bread.

Pork Tenderloin with Lime Cilantro Pesto

• 1 (1 1/2 pound) pork tenderloin
• 1/2 cup grated jalapeño cheese
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, to garnish

For the marinade:

• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the pesto:

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 3/4 cup minced scallions (tops included)
• 3 tablespoons minced cilantro
• 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper
• 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 6 tablespoons olive oil

For marinade: Combine all marinade ingredients and set aside. Cut tenderloin lengthwise, almost in half, and lay out flat in a glass baking dish. Top with marinade, cover and refrigerate overnight.

For pesto: In a food processor or blender, combine garlic, ginger, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice and olive oil and puree. Slowly add olive oil until mixture thickens.

Spread half of pesto mixture over tenderloin. Sprinkle grated cheese over pesto. Reform tenderloin and tie with kitchen twine to secure. Spread remaining pesto over tenderloin and chill for several hours. Heat grill to 400 degrees, using indirect heat source (heat on one side, meat on the other side). Place tenderloin on a rack over a pan, place pan on grill and grill until firm (about 25 minutes). Remove from grill and cover to keep warm. Reserve all juices. Remove string and cut tenderloin into slices. Fan slices on a platter. Top with warm juices and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Serves: 4-6.

Grilled Tilapia

A grilled delight! This grilled fish can be served over rice with vegetables or your choice of side dishes.

• 8 tilapia fillets
• 1 stick butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon pepper, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder, or to taste

Melt 1/2 stick of butter in cast iron skillet over hot coals or heat source or on flat grill. Place each fillet in skillet or on grill. Season each fillet with lemon pepper and garlic powder. Cover the skillet with lid or if using a flat grill, place foil over fillets. Let cook until edges start to brown. Flip fillets and continue to cook until both sides are light/golden brown. Serve with your choice of sides.

Cooking time will vary depending on the size of filets). Servings: 3.

Glazed Baby Back Ribs

For someone who does not have access to a grill, this is a very suitable way to cook ribs without an outdoor cooking method.

• 4 pounds pork baby back ribs
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
• 1 cup seedless raspberry preserves
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place ribs in a shallow roasting pan, bone side down. In a small bowl, mix oil, salt and pepper; rub over ribs. Bake, covered, 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until tender; drain. In another bowl, mix remaining ingredients; reserve 3/4 cup for serving with ribs. Brush some of the remaining sauce over ribs. Bake, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes or until ribs are glazed, basting occasionally with additional sauce. Preheat broiler. Transfer ribs to a broiler pan, bone side down. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. Serve with reserved sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.