All In My Grill

Summer is almost over, so that means soon comfort food will be back on the menu. You know, the meals that comfort and soothe for the colder months (if you experience cold where you are). I often wonder...how do I go from grill mode...to chill mode. Taking the outside and bringing it inside for that last taste of summer before you break out the holiday cookbooks.

Well, one of the simplest things to do is grill INSIDE. Grilling is NOT just for the summer. You can get yourself a nice indoor grill and bring that flavor into the autumn days leading into winter. Cast iron is a good conductor of heat, which means it can get SCREAMING hot to mimic that grilled sear. Here's a good one. Grilling is also a lot less fattening, considering the fat falls through those slats in the grill...and if using a properly "seasoned" pan...little fat is needed to add to the cooking process. You can grill vegetables, like eggplant, zucchini, squash, peppers, onions, asparagus, etc. It doesn't have to be all about the meat...even though a good grilled steak will make you smack your mama and disown your daddy.

Grilled fruit is ALSO a good remedy to the end of summer blues. Grilled peaches, pineapple, plums, even oranges...for an interesting side to that meat. (See the side for indoor grilling tips for fruit).

One of my FAVE shortcuts to inside grilling is liquid smoke. A small dash of liquid smoke in a marinade for meat can give you mirages of summer haze and pools in the background. I've even used some in my collard greens in place of meat. YES, I've made meatless collard greens and my sister who is a self-proclaimed "pork fat" lover RAVED over them. She cited them as the best she'd ever had. SIMPLE as all get out (See the side for recipe)

Pizza on the grill is good as well. Just buy some store bought dough and cut it into golf ball-size balls (a little bigger if you find they're too small to top) and roll them out. Make sure they're thin enough to heat thoroughly on both sides before adding ingredients. Make mini pizzas, by adding your favorite ingredients, like peppers, onions, pepperoni, sausage, any kind of cheese, tomatoes, etc. Regionally themed pizzas like a Mexican theme, or even an Indian or Greek pizza. A good Greek-style pizza could be fresh baby spinach leaves, feta cheese, kalamata olives and tomatoes. HAVE FUN with it.

Of COURSE, summer wouldn't be summer if there weren't grilled hamburgers on board. (See the previous post) YET...steak is probably one of the most popular grilled meats next to burgers and ribs.

Here's a nice steak rub for your indoor grilling pleasure...

For about 2 medium sized Porterhouse steaks:

2 tsps of kosher salt
1 tsp of freshly ground pepper
1 tsp of freshly grated lime zest
1 tsp of lime juice
1 tsp of paprika
1 tbsp of chopped cilantro (or parsley if it's what you have)
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
and a 1/2 tsp of brown sugar ;)

You can marinade, or just throw on the steak ASAP.

Mmmm, who says summer has to end?...you better get you some.