Good as Earth, Grilled Asparagus

Earth Day is a time to take note and act in support for environmental protection, not just one day a year but in our everyday experiences. Eating and cooking more veggies for our diet is a healthy and fun way especially when grilling.

George Hirsch Grilled Asparagus

Serve this easy make-ahead dish as a starter or a side.  The asparagus is enhanced by the marinade and grilling.

Grilled Asparagus

Makes four servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series

1 pound fresh asparagus

1/2 cup olive oil

juice and zest of 1 lemon

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon  of fresh oregano, chopped

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup calamata olives, pitted and split

Fresh ground black pepper

Cut the stem ends off the asparagus and discard; peel the asparagus up to the beginning of the tip ends with a vegetable peeler. 

 Combine a 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano in a shallow rectangular dish. Marinate the asparagus in this mixture for 1 hour. 

Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium temperature.

Remove the asparagus from the marinade and grill for about 5 minutes, basting with the marinade. Turn the asparagus as needed so they do not burn. 

Remove the asparagus from the grill, top with lemon zest, parmesan cheese and olives. Top with remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Serve at room temperature.

Open Fire Greek Style

"My art is a smoke-blackened empire" 
Quote; Athenaeus, Greek scholar c.200 A.D.

My travels to Greece have inspired this recipe. Usually the Greek custom is for a whole lamb to be prepared, but for ease of cooking I substituted a leg of lamb in lieu of the traditional whole lamb. Tried and true - this open fire spit recipe is always a crowd pleaser and was also one of the most requested dishes at my restaurant, and my TV crew loved it too. The fire-smoke combo flavors the meat while it slowly caramelizes on the spit. I know your guests will enjoy it as much as mine. Just use caution – your guests may get so into the mood, they will want to dance on tables and break plates. Opa, happy Friday! 

Grilled Greek Leg of Lamb  
makes 10-12 servings | recipe by George Hirsch

From Gather ‘round the Grill cookbook 1995, by Chef George Hirsch with Marie Bianco & From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series

5-6 pound boneless leg of lamb, split
2 cups fresh spinach, cleaned
2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
8 fresh mint leaves
1 head garlic, peeled
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt

Place fresh spinach, garlic, oregano, mint leaves, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until leaves are small, add lemon juice and vinegar. Blend one minute or just until all ingredients are well mixed.  Place lamb in a large bowl, pour marinade over the lamb, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 2 days ahead of cooking; turning lamb twice a day.

Pre heat grill to high.   

Remove lamb from marinade, dry the surface of the meat with paper towels, sprinkle with sea salt and secure with butcher twine on a metal spit. Place leg of lamb with spit on an indirect heat on a gas or charcoal grill for 30-40 minutes, until the entire surface is nicely brown.  Use caution when grilling to cook on an indirect heat to avoid flare ups.  

Place marinade in a large braising pan (as wide as lamb) and bring up to a rapid boil.  When meat is brown, place braising pan with reduce marinade on grill under meat to catch juices dripping from roast. Cover grill and lower temperature of grill to low. Brush lamb with drippings every 5-10 minutes. 

Cooking the lamb roast on a spit low and slow keeps the meat tender and juicy, as the moisture is not forced out of the roast. I cook my lamb well done; more in the style of a braised lamb dish for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until lamb is fork tender. However, if you prefer your lamb medium-rare, after browning roast cook about one hour on low temperature or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145 degrees. 

When meat is cooked remove to a serving platter, cover with foil and allow to rest for thirty minutes prior to removing from spit and carving.  While meat is resting bring juices in braising pan to a boil and reduce the juices until it is all homogenized, pour juice over sliced lamb.

Serve with Greek Salad, warm pita bread and Tzatziki.

Thanksgiving Countdown: Brined or Grilled & Gravy

Hi Friends. Here's my best of taking the turkey to the grill! Hands down- my Apple Brined Roasted Turkey Recipe is an all time winner for a moist and flavorful turkey. I've prepared this recipe on my TV show, on Live with Regis & Kelly, and for my toughest audience, my family. Sure, emails for requests and success stories pour in, but my toughest test was still before me with my family; a group with more food issues and conditions than should ever be under one roof. Somehow, I don't remember my Nana having such a tough group. She cooked. We ate and were happy. 

Need more kitchen? If your oven is all jammed up- take it outdoors and grill-it. Or, make a Thanksgiving turkey challenge. Cook 1 turkey in the oven and 1 on the grill. Yep. Been there, done that. 

Apple Brined Roasted Turkey Recipe

Turkey on The Grill

Savory Herb Gravy

Turkey Carving Tips

What Coming UP Tomorrow: Thanksgiving Turkey Countdown Continue with Sides: Veggies

Chimichurri Burger

Chimichurri, also spelled Chimmichurri is an Argentine marinade and sauce usually used for steak. But why should this easy-to-make flavorful sauce only grace a rib or strip steak when burgers are sadly only topped with ketchup.

It's prepared simply by combing, fresh chopped flat leaf or Italian parsley, fresh chopped garlic, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, a few red pepper flakes, pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper. The exact amounts? If you ask my dear Argentinean friend, she would tell you- no measure, just mix and taste; measure with your heart not your head. Let's give a South American spin on my Ultimate Burger. Prepare the Chimichurri sauce and top your uncooked beef patties with 3/4 of the prepared sauce as a marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Then, proceed to grill as directed. Top cook burgers with remaining Chimichurri and serve. 

Then if you wish do the tango. 

Ultimate Burger 

Recipe by George Hirsch | Makes 6-8 burgers 

2 pounds ground beef, very cold 
1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped 
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup Chimichurri Sauce

Accompaniments: crusty hard rolls, lettuce and sliced tomato

In a 2-quart mixing bowl, combine beef, onion, mustard, parsley, and pepper. Mix with a fork, taking care not to overwork the meat. Divide into 6 or 8 equal portions and form into 3/4 inch thick patties.

Cover with 3/4 of Chimichurri and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the burgers on a hot grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, turning once. Lower the heat slightly and cook for another 2-3 minutes until desired doneness. Remove burgers from grill to a platter and drizzle extra Chimichurri Sauce on top of burgers.

Serve on rolls with lettuce and tomatoes.

image: Hhltdave5

Pacific Northwest Style

You are going to need cedar planks for today's fish recipe. I am encouraging you to step outside and grill with this recipe. Soak planks for 30 minutes before you fire up the grill. Make sure the grill is good and hot, this is key! Cedar planked fish takes on a wonderful smokey flavor with more flair and a lot less hassle. The plank will be charred, but the fish will be perfectly cooked. This technique of cooking on planks is not new. Developed by Indians in the Pacific Northwest, cooking on cedar and alder has been a tradition for centuries.

This weekend when you are running errands, head to the hardware store and pick up some cedar planks. Oh- be sure they are untreated non-resined wood, and no thicker than 1 inch. Cedar and alder are popular choices, but mesquite, cherry, peach, apple, and oak also add their own unique flavors. Enjoy.

image,© Olga Lyubkina