Family Feud

Well, not really a feud!! Every time my brother and I have a chance to get together, which is not very often, we cook and have fun turning dinner into a "cook-off". While our inclinations are different...he is usually all about meat and as you know, I am the Veggie Queen, we both love to have at it with the 'barbe. While we were in New York, however, it was so rainy that the thought of firing up the barbecue in the rain was less than appealing. We made excuses until the very last night he was there and then, let it rip. Rick braved the elements, mixed up his "magic marinade" and I brushed it over tuna steaks and sweet Shinnecock bay scallops. We served these delectable morsels with fat, al dente asparagus topped with herbed summer squash and wild mushrooms. Divine, if we say so ourselves... and not a feuding word uttered!

Rick's Magic Marinade

Grated peel of 2 lemons

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2/3 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Combine all in a glass jar, give a good shake and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes one cup.

There is something fish-y here

My dad was born in China and as a young girl, that was soooo confusing. Remember those reports we (or at least I) had to write in elementary school about our families? For me, it was a nightmare that made no sense. You see my dad's mom was born in Mexico and so by the time I got through explaining my dad's and grandmother's origins, I was totally confused and felt isolated as no one else in the class had such a far-traveled family tale! To make matters even more confusing, they lived in Canada most of their lives until dad went to college. Phew!

As an adult, I wanted dad to go back to China and see where he had lived, but by the time he applied for a passport, he was beyond the adventuring stage. And, it took some time for the government to figure things out, too! We tried to locate Grandma Jean's birthplace while we lived in Mexico but so much had changed. Maybe that is what discouraged dad from revisiting his birthplace. Anyway, we still have his beautiful silk baby booties!

Here is a delicious Asian sauce recipe that is perfect on rice or soba noodles and welcomes the addition of some shrimp if you'd like it even "fishier" or tofu. It is spicy and so you may want to tone it down or fire it up!

Lime Chili Sauce

1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup finely shredded carrots
½ teaspoon chili paste
1 tablespoon each chopped fresh mint and cilantro

Whisk all together. Makes ¾ cup

This one's for "The Sisters"!

You'd think, the way I have gushed about Stuart Little for two posts, that he was the "only" one. Our kids say I am guilty of favoritism and I guess I am...at least that's what is evident here in writing anyway. However...we do have two other sweeties, Annie, a black and white rat terrier who channels Audrey Hepburn, and Lilly, a curly haired Cairn-ish terrier with "natural red highlights" that make me envious. They are high energy cuties who like Stuart, just happened into our lives and luckily have stayed. They are mostly outdoors during the day and now, because they have calmed down a little (oh, those terriers!), they are coming in the house earlier at night and have become the resident lounge lizards on our couch. We call them "The Sisters".

Lucky for them, The Sisters' domain is the backyard. That is prime property...yes, without a couch but definitely with its own perks. The barbecue grill is there. They are oh-so-happy to see me yank out the charcoal and light up the grill. That means food is coming their way first...little droplets of tasty fat, morsels of meat or fish that fall off the grate or that I happen to flip with too much energy, even roasted veggies that slip off the skewers. All good, all theirs. And, all goes to the quickest to dive under the grill and scarf it up. Let Stuart have the house; they have the eats! They are on high alert throughout the grilling process, which is a good thing. Their attention spans (Lilly's is a little shorter) work as well as a timer or meat thermometer. They know when things are done.

A girl (or two) can only wait so long for dinner.

Despite lots of rain around here, I fired up the 'barbe a couple of weeks ago and started cooking out. I always have to remind myself that as a trained nutritionist, I am supposed to know and do better. Try as I may, I always want to sneak a little bite of roasted, charred fat and one bite leads to another. Oh, the flavor! Oh, the crisp! Oh, just one or three bites won't hurt, right? But, I grill out a lot for about 6-7 months of the year and so, to be safe, I do the following:

1. Marinate everything in an acid-based marinade (I often use a combo of marinade, dry rub and basting sauce)

2. Don't let things catch fire (don't laugh)

3. If they do, cut or scrape off and don't eat charred area, especially fat

4. Sear quickly over direct coals for "effect" and to seal in juices

5. Finish over indirect heat in back section of grill

Here is a basic marinade I use for everything...veggies, fish, chicken and even tofu. It is the Little Black Dress of my sauces and yes, The Sisters love it.

"The Sisters"Little Black Dress Lemon Marinade

Zest of one lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup fruity olive oil

1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

In a glass jar, mix lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Shake to dissolve salt. Add garlic and rosemary and taste and adjust flavors. Add more garlic or use other herbs instead of rosemary. Try basil, lavendar, lemon mint or thyme, oregano. Play with this and dress it up or down. Makes about 1/2 cup. Marinate foods for at least 30 minutes up to two hours. Also, marinate overnight if that works better for you!