Off The Grill

FORGET THE BURGERS AND HOTDOGS, OUR FRIENDS AT FRESH HAVE FUN, UNIQUE, GOURMET FOODS TO THROW ON THE GRILL

Who doesn’t love the sizzle of a steak or the pop-and-crackle of a great bratwurst over an open flame? Seriously, who doesn’t love that? I’d be prepared to call them un-American … or at least un-East Texan.

Summer is here and if they aren’t already, grills across the area will be pulled out of the garage, scraped clean and loaded up with meat, vegetables, protein ... and hot dogs, which probably has a bit of all that other stuff mixed in. Poolside barbecues, gameday cookouts, family reunions – the reasons for firing up your grill are endless. Plus, the time of year is perfect, and the weather will never be better, so really, what more motivation could you need? But, just in case a little prodding is in order, BSCENE is here to offer some tips and tricks from a few masters of the grill to ensure that the next time you decide to cook outside over an open fire you’ll be prepared. We’ll get you on track with the right materials, ingredients and tactics to pull off a feast fit for a king – or your fellow Rangers fans before the first pitch.

But, there’s a twist. Everyone has cooked hot dogs and hamburgers since they were little kids. Sure, these are the classics, but sometimes if we’re honest we want something a little off the beaten path. Now, here’s where BSCENE comes in. We wouldn’t think of trying to get you to switch from Oscar Mayer to Ballpark … but what about calamari? When we all think of grilling, we think of barbecue. But, there are some other, less-explored avenues that might not be top of mind but that offer their own style of firebrand cooking. Like seafood... or a salad?

Casey Shanower, Executive Chef at FRESH by Brookshire's loves to fire up the grill in the summer. “If I’m cooking at home during the summer, it’s probably going to be on the grill. I hate turning on the stove, and there are way fewer pots and pans to clean up when you grill,” he said. “I can get tired of the same old burgers and hot dogs, and walking through the store the other day I was thinking of a few examples of unusual things I like to cook.”

How about a grilled Caesar salad? Shanower said it was easy – just cut a head of Romaine lettuce into halves or quarters, brush it with olive oil and put it on a very clean grill (for 15-30 seconds each side, just to get some color and char). Then, serve the whole wedge on a plate with whatever dressing you’ve got drizzled over it. And, instead of croutons, throw a few slices of good bread on the grill and substitute that for croutons. “The charred, smoky flavor will continue through the salad and offer something a little different than the norm,” Shanower said.

Now that the appetizers are done, Shanower loves to put together grilled potato salad. “Around the Fourth of July or other summer get-togethers, I’ll get Idaho potatoes, slice them a half-inch thick, brush the slices with olive oil and then grill those until they are cooked all the way through … probably at a little lower level, maybe a medium. Then, they’ll get a great color and a nice smoky flavor. Then, you can incorporate those into your favorite potato salad dressing combination. I love doing them with shredded cheddar, bacon and the mix of mayonnaise and mustard.”

For dessert, Shanower said it is fairly simple to let the ingredients be the star. “When I have people over, I love to take a slice of angel food or pound cake – FRESH has some great recipes in our bakery – and then lay them out on a clean grill. It’s a great, non-traditional way to warm the cake and get a different flavor onto it. Then, just toss that into a bowl with some fruit – and you can grill the fruit, as well. Texas peaches will be out very soon and those have an amazing flavor off the grill. Drizzle a little Grand Marnier across the top and you’ve got a wonderful dessert.”

As far as the main event is concerned, the hamburger/hotdog combo has become a bit too expected and, let’s face it, stale over the years. With such a wide diversity of unique ingredients made available at FRESH, the question then becomes ‘what’ and not ‘how’ to cook for the perfect grilling experience. Along with switching up the dinner menu, options like grilled salmon or shrimp shish kebab can offer more healthy alternatives to traditional barbeque cuisine.

For those seeking more exotic tastes than the typical summer spread, perhaps you should try your hand at the Asian culinary art of hibachi, which utilizes a flattop grill in order to kick in a little extra “East” to that “East Texas Barbecue.” Originally a small, round, box-type charcoal grill, hibachi has grown in the U.S. to become a family-style dining experience where everyone crowds around a talented chef who entertains while cooking for the crowd. Now, at home, you don’t need a 12-square-foot grilling surface, a giant vent-a-hood or even the ability to make that little steam volcano with the sliced onion. But, with a flattop grill, you can take a cue and grill up some things that might not make it onto the plate otherwise. Long known for their seafood par excellence, grab a few traditional Japanese elements for your feast from the sea. Scallops, shrimp and all your favorite fish can be seared, combined with vegetables or doused with a multitude of sauces. On the flattop, you can get a more evenly cooked piece of meat, a quick sear to hold in flavor and moisture, and you won’t even lose sauce used during the grilling process.

Plus, if you’re looking to go one step beyond, look no further than our friends the bi-valves. Those would be oysters and mussels, etc. Grilling these little guys makes for a wonderful and intense smoky flavor when done on a traditional grill, above charcoal. Simply let them cook for just a few minutes until they begin to hiss and open. Then, pry them open with an oyster knife, dress with your topping or sauce of choice, then place back on the grill after discarding the flat half of the shell. On a flattop grill, they can be tossed with noodles, vegetables and a great sauce (BSCENE loves a ginger-soy mix) for a sort of grilled pasta that is out of this world!

This summer, when deciding upon what to throw onto your grill during the weekends, vacation time, birthdays or a spouse’s anniversary, why not take the opportunity to try a less popularized dish, go outside your cooking comfort zone ... because it may be what turns a regular, hum-drum cookout into a full-on, backyard grillapalooza!