Chilling & Grilling

Styled by Erica Eason Hall
Photography by Will Jacks
Recipes by Cindy Coopwood and Cordelia Capps

Simple Recipes and Tips for your Next Summer Cookout

When it comes to summer grilling the possibilities are absolutely endless. And the added bonus of dining al fresco with family and friends (mosquitos permitting) makes every event more festive—so start planning your menus now. We can help you get started with recipes for shish-ke-babs and grilled vegetables. The season’s best produce is at the ready so choose what is fresh and available near you and get cooking!

GRILLED CILANTRO LIME SHRIMP KEBABS
When you want to grill out but don’t want to slave away over the grill for hours in the heat, quick cooking shish kebabs are the answer.
32 jumbo raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cloves garlic, crushed

3 large limes, sliced into 24 thin rounds
olive oil cooking spray
1 teaspoon salt
11⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
16 metal or bamboo skewers soaked in water 1 hour
additional lime wedges
Light grill and bring to medium heat. In a medium bowl season shrimp with garlic, cumin, salt and half of the cilantro. Thread the shrimp and folded lime slices onto skewers beginning and ending with shrimp. Grill the shrimp, turning occasionally, until shrimp is opaque and with light grill marks throughout, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Top with remaining cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice before serving.

MARINATED TERIYAKI BEEF KEBABS
1⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

2 large garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound boneless beef top sirloin, cut into bite sized cubes
multi-colored cherry tomatoes
1 red onion, cut into large chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
1 yellow pepper, cut into large chunks
4 skewers

Whisk brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and ground ginger together in a bowl; pour into a gallon-sized sealable plastic bag. Add beef, coating with the marinade, and seal the bag. Leave in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, flipping the bag several times to marinate.
Preheat an outdoor grill to high heat, and lightly oil the grate. Discarding the remaining marinade, thread beef, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions onto skewers. Season assembled kebabs with salt and pepper.
Cook the kebabs on the preheated grill, turning frequently until nicely browned on all sides, and the meat is no longer pink in the center, 10 to 15 minutes.

GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLES
Grilled vegetables are the quintessential summer side––and nothing is simpler. The only trick is to grill like vegetables together.
4 to 6 cups sliced vegetables
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1⁄4 cups balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Clean and cut vegetables of your choice into approximately 2-inch pieces, depending on the vegetable. Cut softer vegetables such as zucchini, squash, eggplant, onions about 1⁄2-inch thick so they don’t fall apart. If grilling asparagus leave spears whole after removing the tough end and place crosswise on the grill.
Toss the cut vegetables in a large bowl, drizzling with 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 to 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Place the ‘meatier’ vegetables, such as carrots or sweet potatoes on the grill first. Turn them every 3 to 5 minutes to prevent burning. After about 10 minutes add the softer zucchini, squash, eggplant, onions. These cook in about 5 to 8 minutes (depending on the heat of your grill).

BAREFOOT CONTESSA’S PANZANELLA SALAD
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1  teaspoon kosher salt
2  large firm ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 English cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1⁄2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1⁄2 red onion, cut in 1⁄2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained

Vinaigrette
1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
1⁄2 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1⁄2 cup olive oil
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed. In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette.
Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.
Recipe from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Parties!

BANANA CARAMEL PIE
This recipe is a Coopwood family favorite any time of the year.

Graham Cracker Crust
12 whole graham crackers
1⁄3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crumble the graham crackers by using a food processor or by placing all the crackers in a ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin until broken into fine crumbs. This should make about 11⁄2 cups of crumbs. In a bowl, mix crumbs with melted butter and sugar until evenly blended. Pour mixture into a 9-inch pie pan press evenly along bottom and sides. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, till just brown.

Filling
1 8-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
5 to 6 sliced fresh bananas
2 cups whipping cream
1⁄2 cup confectioners sugar

Place unopened can on its side in a large pot, completely covering can with water, bring to a rolling boil. Leave can on a low boil for about 3 hours, making sure to top off with water as needed so the water doesn’t cook out. When it is time to remove from heat, do not open the hot can. It is important to allow can to cool thoroughly before opening, as it will be under pressure.
When cool, open can and stir caramel to smooth out any lumps. Condensed milk should be thick and a deep caramel color. To whip cream, pour cold cream into a large chilled bowl, and using an electric mixer, beat the cream with the confectioners sugar until soft peaks form. Keep chilled. Assemble pie by spreading sliced bananas over cooled crust and pouring caramel evenly over the bananas. Mound the whipped cream on top of the bananas. Refrigerate till ready to serve. Garnish with extra bananas and cracker crumbs if desired.

 

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Tumblr
Pinterest

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *