Grilled peaches and bananas

4 peach halves
2 bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. brown sugar
salt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 toasted almond slices
1/4 cup torn mint leaves

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

Drizzle peach halves and bananas with the olive oil and season with a pinch of salt.

Grill, cut side down, for 3 minutes until nicely marked. Flip over, and add the bananas to the grill. After 2-3 minutes, sprinkle the fruit with brown sugar and flip over.

Add a little more olive oil if it starts to stick. Cook 2 minutes, making sure that the brown sugar caramelizes on the fruit. Remove from the heat, and top with a dollop of yogurt, almond slices, and mint.

Options: use vanilla ice cream or whipped cream instead of the yogurt.

Soy Glazed Grilled Chicken with Honeydew Relish

2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 (6oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or thighs
2 cups honeydew melon, diced small
2 tsp. minced red onion
3 tbsp. chopped fresh mint leaves
3 tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and mustard. Add the chicken to the marinade, gently toss to coat. Put the chicken on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes, occasionally basting with leftover marinade. Flip, close (or cover if using a grill pan), and continue grilling until cooked through, about 4 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the honeydew, mint, red onion, and lime juice. Season with the salt and toss to combine.

To serve, put the chicken on plates and top with the honeydew relish.

Tempura Green Beans

Vegetable oil for frying
3/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
salt
1 egg yolk
1 cup chilled seltzer
1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed
1 lemon, halved

Put a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Put 3 inches of oil into the pot and heat the oil to 350F, checking the temperature with an instant read thermometer.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whist together the rice flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a second bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and seltzer. Add this mixture to the first bowl, whisking to make a smooth batter.

When the oil is hot, add the beans to the batter a few at a time. Remove the beans from the batter, allowing excess batter to drip back into the bowl. Carefully add the beans to the oil and fry until lightly golden brown, about 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon, remove the beans to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat this process until all the beans have been fried.

Season with salt and lemon; serve hot.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

2 eggs
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves
salt and pepper
3 small zucchini, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise and then into 6 spears
2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 450F.

Put the eggs in a shallow bowl and beat them lightly. In a separate bowl, stir together the panko, cheese, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper.

Working with one zucchini spear at a time, dip the spear into the beaten eggs, allowing the excess to drop off. Lay the spear in the panko, turning and pressing to coat all sides.

Arrange the spears in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle the spears with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake until the zucchini is golden and crisp, and the interior is soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot.

Optional: (you can also use 1/4 cup panko and 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs)

Sweet Corn Fritters

  • 3 cups of oil for frying
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 3 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp. melted butter
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels (you can use canned if that’s what is available)

Put a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Pour 3 inches of oil into the pot and heat the oil to 350F. Check the temperature frequently with a kitchen thermometer.

While the oil is heating, mix together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk in the milk, egg, and melted butter. Fold in the corn.

When the oil is hot, use a tablespoon measure (or small cookie scoop) to carefully drop the fritters into the hot oil. Make sure to flip the fritter over after the first 10-15 seconds. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes. You will need to turn the fritter over in the oil halfway through the cooking time.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve hot.

%d bloggers like this: