Grill A Tasty, Complete, Healthy Meal

It's summertime, and the grilling is easy. With temperatures climbing, the idea of heating up the kitchen to prepare a big meal is not terribly appealing to most cooks. While you may think of beautifully marbled ribeyes and juicy burgers and hot dogs as the only grilling fare, it is possible to put together a healthy and flavorful meal without ever turning on your stove.

Primitive man certainly didn't have ready access to prime steaks and pork chops, he stuck into the flames anything that either couldn't outrun him or didn't kill him the first time he tried to eat it. You would do well to learn from that example. I'm not suggesting that you run out in the yard and grab some interesting-looking mushrooms to toss on the grill, but a shift of perception is in order. Instead of thinking of your grill as a device for cooking meat only, think of it as just another cooking tool, not much different from your stovetop or oven.

Once you've grasped that idea, you'll begin to see the possibilities offered by the presence of a hot grilltop, whether gas or charcoal, on your patio.

Finger Foods

Any good cookout starts off with some finger foods, and if you have a set of metal or bamboo skewers, you're in business. Get an assortment of vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, button mushrooms, green, red and yellow bell peppers, asparagus and anything else that comes to mind. I've even seen cloves of elephant garlic, the very large purple-and-white type, on skewers. Let your guests make their own.

Right before grilling, brush the vegetables with olive oil. For extra flavor, add a bit of dark sesame oil. You can also add dry seasonings such as salt-free blends or your own concoctions. A good rule of thumb: If you like a certain flavor on sauteed or baked vegetables, you'll like that flavor on them on the grill.

Be sure all items on a skewer are roughly the same size, so they get done at the same time. The vegetables are done when they are tender and you can smell them cooking. It shouldn't take more than three to five minutes.

Move To The Main Course

For the main course, start with a delicacy that every Texan who's ever visited a flea market knows well: grilled corn. Get at least one ear for each person dining. Pull the husks back -- but not off -- and remove the silks. Fold the husks back down and soak the ears for 30 minutes in cold, salted water. I usually put mine on to soak while preparing and grilling the appetizers.

When you're ready to cook, pull the husks back down gently and twist them together. This will make a good "handle" for eating. If you have corn skewers, feel free to pull the husks all the way off when you remove the silks.

Grill the corn for 7 to10 minutes, turning frequently and basting with melted butter. When the corn is very fragrant and the kernels have begun to brown a bit, pull it off and put the ears on a large platter. Cover the platter with foil. The ears will keep warm while you cook the next course.

Traditionally, grilled corn, known as elotes in Mexican cuisine, is served with a thick slathering of mayonnaise, then topped with a sprinkle of cheese and a healthy dose of chili powder. Feel free to replicate that or, for a much leaner option, use butter spray and a little salt. You'll be surprised how the grilling brings out the natural sweetness of the corn.

Sesame-Marinated Salmon

Salmon and tuna are neck and neck for which fish is better on the grill, but make price a factor and salmon is the clear winner. Here's a great recipe.

Four 6 to 8-ounce salmon steaks, one per person
½ cup soy sauce (preferable tamari)
2 tbsp. dark sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
Sesame seeds for coating

Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a large zip-top bag. This recipe makes enough for four steaks, so increase accordingly if you are cooking more and use additional bags.

Place up to four salmon steaks in the bag and gently toss to coat with the marinade. Remove air from the bag and seal tightly. Refrigerate for one to two hours. I usually do this right before lighting the charcoal to grill the veggies.

When ready to cook, drain the salmon and discard the marinade. Sprinkle top, bottom and sides with sesame seeds. Grill over medium coals until seeds are lightly toasted and fish is done, turning once, about 8 minutes.

The fish is excellent by itself or served on a bed of greens that are lightly drizzled with an Asian peanut or sesame vinaigrette.

Don't Forget Dessert

So, now you're sated, but you could still use a spot of dessert. The coals are dying, but still have plenty of heat left. This is the perfect time to grill some fruit! Normally, fruit on the grill is a recipe for disaster, with the high heat carbonizing all the fruit sugar and leaving you with blackened hunks. However, dying coals are the perfect mechanism to render already-delicious fresh fruit even more so.

Tropical fruits, such as mangoes, pineapples, bananas and papayas, are naturals on the grill. Peaches and even pears work well, also. Baste them with an orange juice reduction made by placing 1½ cups of orange juice over medium-low heat and cooking until reduced by half, stirring frequently. The reduction can be made a day ahead of time and warmed for use. Add a bit of sugar, if needed for your taste.

If you're in a hurry, bananas can be grilled in the skin and used for great summertime banana splits. Just cut them lengthwise and place them cut side down on the grill for a couple of minutes, until they're heated through and very soft.

Once you get cooking, you'll be surprised the sorts of "non-standard" healthy foods you can grill.