ALL ABOUT SEAFOOD

Seafood is more popular in summer, perhaps because it evokes visions of sunny days and sparkling water, more probably because it’s lighter and more digestible in the heat than the fortifying stews and roasts of winter. However, for me, growing up in a seashore resort, with fresh seafood always available, we enjoyed it all year, not seasonally.

Not until I went away to school did I realize how many people refused it, were suspicious of it and were generally un or mis informed about that whole category of foods. After I began to travel, I was surprised to learn that Americans consume far less seafood than those in other countries, one-fifth the amount per capita than the Spanish for example.

Interestingly, after fifty years of focus on nutrition, diet and health, with the benefits of eating fish being praised, statistics haven’t changed much. Modern freezing and transportation facilities have made globally resourced seafood available to even the most inland towns in the U.S. There are now over 66 varieties of fish alone sold. However, though consumption in restaurants has markedly increased, OTC purchases are only slightly higher, with the bulk remaining in the traditional categories of locally resourced items.

This indicates that Americans are willing to eat more seafood and try new offerings, but lack the knowledge to be confident in buying and preparing it. All About Seafood clears the confusion by defining the main sections within the category, fish, shellfish, mollusks, canned fish, describing the items in each section and how to use them. It gives detailed directions on how to choose and how much to buy per serving (including a shrimp chart), how to store (safe handling for fresh and frozen), prepare, including skinning fillets, and serve them with recipe examples. It explains the differences between salt and fresh water fish and separates fish species into specific types for nutritional and serving purposes.

Below is a selection of recipes from the book. If you want more suggestions for serving seafood this blog is filled with them. I always write a post for Lent and usually a few over the summer. Simply check the Archives, using the drop menu in the right margin of any blog page to go to the article, or scroll the panorama on the Home Page and click the ‘Read More’ button on any post which interests you. I would especially recommend June 15, 2013,   Sept. 25, 2013,   April 23, 2014,   April 15, 2015, March 16, 2017,  July 6, 2017,   July 13, 2017,   Feb. 8, 2018,   Feb. 15, 2018,   June 14, 2018,    March 23, 2019,  Feb. 21, 2020.

RECIPES

Avocado Bisque;  4 Servings
2 avocados cut into chunks
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbs. chives
(4) skinless salmon filets @ 4-5 oz. each
Salt and pepper to taste
Step 1-Puree avocado and broth in a blender until smooth and creamy adding 1/2 cup sour cream. Chill
            at least 2 hours and up to 8 to thicken. Stir well.
Step 2 – Bring 2 in. of water to a simmer in a sauté pan. Poach salmon 8 min. per inch of width until light
              pink and flakes. Allow to cool.
Step 3 – Divide soup among 4 soup plates. Place one salmon fillet in the center of each and top with a
              dollop of remaining sour cream and garnish with chopped chives. Serve cold.
Alternate Variation: Replace avocados with 2 large English cucumbers peeled and sliced OR 3 large farm stand cucumbers peeled, seeded and sliced. Simmer cucumbers in broth until soft-about 10 to 15 min.
Proceed with blender as directed above. 

Gravalax—This is for 1 ¼ lb. Make adjustments for larger or smaller amounts.
1 ¼ lb. salmon fillet – with skin
2 Tbs. sugar
¾ cup chopped fresh dill
2 Tbs. Kosher salt
1tsp. fresh ground pepper
Mix all the dry ingredients. Pat the fish dry and rub all over with the seasonings. Wrap in plastic place on a flat surface, cover with a plate or pan and weigh down with cans or a brick. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 days, draining liquid daily, replacing wrapping each time. Before serving, scrape off seasonings. Cut in very thin slices on a 30 deg. angle with a sharp knife, lifting them off the skin as you go. Serve in any recipe that calls for smoked salmon—generally serves 4

Coconut Crusted Tilapia: Serves 4
4 Tilapia filets – about 1lb
1 cup plain Panko
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes – toasted
½ cup + mayonnaise
Lemon pepper
Step I- Preheat oven to 350 deg. Toast coconut on a piece of foil until golden, about 4 min. watching that edges don’t burn. When cool mix with Panko.
Step 2 – Place fish on a lightly oiled cooking surface, a pan or baking sheet. Completely cover the tops with a thin sheet of mayonnaise, more like a veneer. Dust lightly with lemon pepper.
Step 3 – Sprinkle with Panko-coconut mix, and bake 8 min. per 1 inch width of filet, until top is golden, fish puffs slightly and edges bubble. Serve at once
NOTE: I put the breading mix in an empty herb bottle with a shaker top. It’s easy to apply, and any extra can simply be stored in the bottle.

Salad Nicoise: Serves 6 – 8
1 lb. fresh whole or cut green beans – frozen is fine
6-8 small new potatoes – halved if larger – keep size uniform-canned will do – drained
(2) 6 oz. cans solid white tuna in water – drained*
(1) 5 ¾ oz. can pitted black olives
4 hard-boiled eggs – quartered
4 Roma or small tomatoes – quartered- OR  1 pt. cherry or grape tomatoes
Bibb lettuce or Romaine
Optional add-ons – (1) 15 oz. can of pickled beets and/or 6-8 anchovy fillets
Cook the beans, and potatoes if raw, until crisp tender. A special flavor is added if they are marinated in a little white wine for a few hours.
Line a large platter with the lettuce leaves. Gently fork separate the tuna chunks and mound them at 6 O’clock on the plate. Mound the potatoes at 12 and decoratively distribute the other ingredients separately in mounds evenly around the plate, except the anchovies. If using, they should be laid across the tuna. The mounds can be pie shaped wedges, pointing to the center, or the center can be filled with fresh herbs or chopped lettuce pieces. If using the beets, the black olives can be piled in the center.  The point is to arrange the plate as decoratively as possible but have it appear as a miniature buffet, with each of the ingredients presented individually for ease of self-serving.
Serve with the dressing created for this salad, below.
NOTE: This can also be served with (1) 4 to 5 oz. grilled or broiled tuna steak per serving.
Nicoise Dressing:  Serves 6- 8
4Tbs. minced shallots – or mild onions
2 Tbs. dry mustard – 4 of Dijon can be used
5 drops of hot sauce
5Tbs red wine vinegar
3Tbs fresh lemon juice  – 2 tsp. of concentrated  will do
2 ½ cups salad oil.
Mix the ingredients well and allow to meld for several hours. Drizzle a little over the Tuna, and serve the rest on the side

Shrimp Creole: Serves 4

1 lb. medium shrimp—raw, cleaned
½ cup onion in large dice
½ cup celery in ½ inch slices
1 small green pepper in large dice
4 cloves garlic – sliced- or 1 Tbs. jarred
2 Tbs. oil
6 oz. can tomato paste 
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. can whole tomatoes with juice
1 tsp. hot sauce
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in
2 Tbs. water
Salt and pepper
2 cups long grain rice or 4 servings of precooked rice
1 envelope chicken bouillon granules
Red pepper flakes to taste

Sauté vegetables and garlic in oil until crisp tender. Add tomatoes and tomato paste, hot and Worcestershire sauces. Cover and slow simmer 20 min. add cornstarch mixed in water and stir to incorporate. Add red pepper flakes to taste. . Pile shrimp on top, cover and simmer 15 min. more.  If making rice from scratch, add bouillon to water, if using precooked, stir in granules and heat through. Serve shrimp over rice.

Creamy Tuna Mold: Serves 8-10
3 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin – divided
1 cup water – divided into two half cups
1 ½ cups small curd cottage cheese
¼ cup finely diced green bell pepper
2 Tbs. finely diced or grated onion
Salt and pepper
(2) 5 ½ oz. cans chunk white tuna – drained
½ cup finely diced celery
2 Tbs. lemon juice
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 quart solid mold
LAYER I
Soak 1 ½ envelope of gelatin with 2 Tbs. cold water until it expands, then dissolve in remainder of ½ cup water boiling. Mix with the cheese, peppers, onion salt and pepper. Pout into the bottom of the mold and chill.
LAYER II
Repeat the above process with the remainder of the gelatin and water. Mix with celery, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and tuna. Pour into the mold on top of layer I. Chill until firm, several hours or overnight. Unmold be dipping in hot water to the count of 10 and inverting onto a serving plate. Chill again to firm. Cut in slices to serve.

Bowtie Pasta with Salmon in Vodka Dill Sauce: Serves 8

1 box bowtie pasta
16 oz. jar Vodka Sauce
16 oz. can salmon – cleaned and drained
2 Tbs. Dried dill weed
2 drops hot sauce – optional                                                                                       

Warm the sauce over low heat adds the hot sauce. Cook the pasta to desired doneness and drain. Have the salmon cleaned and drained. Toss the pasta with just enough sauce to coat. Add the salmon and dill and toss gently to incorporate. Serve hot.

The above recipe is an easy, quick version of a classic. For those who want to try it in the classic form, the recipe is below, or perhaps just to make the sauce instead of using jarred.

Smoked Salmon in Pasta with Vodka Sauce: Serves 4

(1) 20 oz. can crushed tomatoes OR 11/2 lbs. fresh Plum tomatoes skinned, seeded finely chopped
1 cloves garlic – mashed
1 medium onion – diced
1 Tbs. oil or butter
½ cup Vodka
½ cup heavy cream
(1) 8oz package sliced, smoked Salmon
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. of a shaped pasta – bowties are traditional
Dash of red pepper – optional

Slice salmon in 1 inch pieces. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion in the oil or butter for 2 min., add the garlic and cook 1 min more. Add the tomatoes, lower the heat. and simmer about 10 min., to reduce slightly and mash a bit, Add the vodka and simmer 5 min more. Add the cream, stir to incorporate well and simmer another 5 min. Gently add the salmon and heat through, stirring very little to avoid tearing the meat, about 15 sec. Cook the pasta al dente while the tomatoes are simmering. Drain and, while still hot, gently pour into the skillet, then turn the contents of the skillet onto a platter, and apportion on 4 plates, gently guiding it with a wooden spoon. The object is to have the pasta fully coated with the sauce, while leaving the meat pieces intact. Sprinkle with the fresh parsley, and serve.

A NEW LOOK AT MELONS

Before the introduction of rapid air transport and commercial globalization of crops, melons were the jewels of the summer season. My home state was famous for Jenny Lind cantaloupes and they were eagerly anticipated. Now, I understand they’re rarely seen, as are the roadside farm stands which sold them. In fact, wherever one lives, even in Farmer’s Markets, truly ‘Local’ produce is becoming scarce. (See posting Jan. 14, 2021) 

On the flip side, we now get many items year ‘round, among them melons, especially cantaloupes, watermelons and some honeydews.  Casabas, Persians and, my Mother’s favorite the spicy-sweet Crenshaws are limited to boutiques. As a result, our perception of melons has changed in the past few years. Recipes can be found to include them in every course of a meal, and they are combined with other ingredients, rather than soloing in appetizers and desserts. Although, I’m still partial to Prosciutto   con Melone, with thin slices of ham wrapped around cubes or wedges of cantaloupe, or a wedge of icy honeydew with lime quarters on the side.

Generally, Melons’ taste is mild, their flavor subtle, and the flesh, high in water content, is substantial in volume. Consequently, though delicious cold, melons are the only fruit, which, except for the rind, doesn’t cook well, despite the recent ‘watermelon fries’ fad.  Delicious alone, melons mild flavor combines well with other ingredients and the meat makes excellent bedding in salads and compotes.

When vine ripened, melons slip off their stem, the stump end is indented. If harvested on a schedule, it’s cut away leaving a stump. The more wrinkled the stump, the longer the melon’s been stored. To pick a melon, the best test is to thump it and listen for a hollow sound and the smooth end should yield gently to pressure.  Ripe cantaloupes have a faint, sweet fragrance as well. Finally, shake the melon and if you hear the seeds rattle softly it’s ripe but if they are loud, it’s apt to be dry. Unlike other fruits, melons don’t ripen once picked, so eat them soon.

Watermelons are an exception in a few ways. They are native to North Africa, not the East as other melons and, due to the dispersion of the seeds in the meat, are classified as a berry. They come in several colors, yellow, pink, red and white but all have the same nutritional value. Generally, the larger the riper and sweeter, so test them by slapping them with the open palm. A ripe melon will have an almost musical ring said to resemble B Flat. Uncut melons will keep for two weeks at room temperature, longer if chilled. Cut melons should be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated but last for several days.

Now, a few tips on working with melons.  Wash the outside well, before cutting into one. A knife slicing through the rind can carry contaminants into the flesh. Melons are loaded with nutrients but they quickly disintegrate when exposed to light and air, so avoid buying cut segments. Once opened, cover the exposed flesh with plastic wrap and store chilled. I put mine in a black plastic bag in the fridge. 

Below are 11 recipes, using different melons, for a variety of dishes to serve throughout a meal, illustrating the new-found versatility of melons. For lots more recipes see  July 22,  2016,   Aug.30,2018,   Aug. 8,2019, and Aug. 27, 2020.

RECIPES

Melon Salsa: Serves 4
Wonderful with chicken or fish
½ small cantaloupe –seeded and cubed
4 scallions- white and light green parts in thin slices or ½ small onion in small dice
½ green bell pepper in small dice
1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
½ lime juiced
Pinch salt

Watermelon Pickle:
Remove the meat and cut the green skin off the rind. Cut the white pith into about 1 inch pieces. Cover with well salted water and soak for 12 hrs. Drain and cover with fresh water and boil rapidly for about 10 min. until crisp tender and drain. For every pound of rind allow
1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
2 cups sugar
2-3 inches stick cinnamon
8 cloves
1 oz. fresh ginger root-sliced
Boil these ingredients until they form a syrup. Add the rind and return to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. Place in clean glass jars with tightly screwed tops. Store chilled. Keeps for years if kept cold. Excellent in place of sweet pickles or accompanying poultry.

Honeydew-Pineapple Soup: Serves 4
4 cups seeded, cubed honeydew
2 cups cubed, fresh pineapple
2 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. lime juice
½ cup sour cream
½ cup yogurt
Pinch all spice
Blend everything to a puree and chill. Serve garnished with chopped fresh mint.

Moosewood Melon Soup: Serves 4*- from the Moosewood Restaurant New Classics Cookbook
6 cups cubed cantaloupe
14 oz. can coconut milk
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
2 Tbs. chopped mint
1 tsp. almond extract
Dash cinnamon
@¼ cup brown sugar or to taste
Puree all the ingredients, adding the sugar to taste. Chill well. Serve garnished with mint leaves.

Steak and Watermelon Salad: Serves 4—by Judy Kim for Delish 

1. Tbs. brown sugar
1. tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 lb. cooked Flank steak
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups arugula greens
1/4 cup Chopped red onion
1 cup croutons
2 cups watermelon, cut into chunks
1/2 cup feta
Sea salt
In a small bowl mix brown sugar, garlic powder and chili powder. Massage all over steak. Preheat grill or cast-iron grill pan on high heat. Grill steak for 5 minutes on each side, then let meat rest for 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss in arugula, onion, croutons and watermelon.
Slice the meat against the grain. Serve steak with watermelon panzanella salad and top with feta and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Melon-Scallop Salad: Serves 4
2 cups melon-any type but watermelon
1 ½  cups chopped tomatoes
½ cucumber-seeded and cubed
1 small onion in thin rings
1 Tbs. fresh mint
1 head green leaf lettuce
1/3 cup citrus vinaigrette
1 lb. broiled scallops
Toss first 5 ingredients and divide among lettuce lined plates. Top with scallops and drizzle with vinaigrette.

My Watermelon-Tomato Salad: Serves 2
½ lb. firm fish-baked or broiled- I like Monkfish- cooked chicken is also good. A Louis Kemp product can be used as well.
2 medium  tomatoes in thin wedges
2 cups watermelon in rough chunks
3 scallions sliced on an angle
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups green leaf lettuce – torn in bite sized pieces
Balsamic vinaigrette-commercial or DIY
Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl gently toss and plate. Drizzle with some dressing and pass the rest.
OPTION: Add ½ lb. firm fish-baked or broiled- I like Monkfish- cooked chicken is also good. A Louis Kemp product can be used as well. When making separate the meat into chunks, avoid cutting if possible, and toss gently.

Melon Sherbet: Serves 6-8
1 medium melon-cantaloupe or casaba
Juice of ½ lemon
4 egg whites
6 oz., sugar-super-fine or ’bar’ sugar is best
¼ -1/2 cup cherries or berries for garnish-optional
Fresh mint leaves for garnish-optional
Cut the melon in half, in a zigzag pattern if shell is to be used it for serving. Remove seeds and cube meat. Blend with the lemon juice until smooth. Pour into a 1 ½ quart container and freeze until beginning to set. Beat the egg whites until stiff and gradually add the sugar.  Gently whisk or beat the melon mixture until broken up and light. Fold in the egg whites and return to the freezer and freeze until firmly set. Serve by the scoopful, in the melon shell or dishes. Garnish with fruit and/or mint. Keeps frozen about 1 month.
NOTES: Choose overripe fruit to make sherbet.
For anyone concerned over Salmonella, I recommend substituting Wilton Meringue Powder in any recipe that calls for directly adding raw beaten egg whites.  See June 30, 2016 posting on Icy Desserts.

Melon with Ice Cream
My Mother introduced this dessert to my Father’s family. They learned to love it and even had competitions as to the combinations.
Cut a thin slice off one end of the melon and stand it up. Cut a slice off the top just low enough to expose the interior. Scoop out the seeds and fill with softened ice cream or sherbet. Secure the ’cap’ piece with toothpicks and freeze until ice cream is firm. Serve cut in wedges or in rings. Garnish with a drizzle of a complimentary liqueur- Triple Sec or Crème de Menthe.

Watermelon Granita: Serves 4
1 small watermelon-seeded and cubed
Sugar to taste
Dash hot pepper sauce and/or lime juice and/or salt to taste
Blend the melon meat and strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Add sugar, dissolve, then add the other flavorings sparingly. Put into a metal 9 X 13 inch pan. Freeze, scraping with a fork to break up every 20-30 min. for 2-3 hours until resembles fluffy shaved ice. Store in a covered container in the freezer for 1 week. Scrape to fluff before serving. (The ice chips don’t clump during storage.)

Melon Tequila : Serves 4 -From Rozanne Gold’s Recipes 1-2-3 Menu Cookbook
1 large ripe cantaloupe, watermelon or combination
½ cup tequila + extra for dipping glass rims
4 Tbs. sugar + extra for dipping glass rims
Salt and pepper
Using a scoop make melon balls. Place melon balls in a bowl with other ingredients stirring to dissolve sugar. Cover and chill for 30 min. Dip glass rims in extra tequila then sugar to coat. Fill the glasses with the melon balls. Spoon over any remaining marinade. Serve at on

Tipsy Watermelon

Cut a plug about 2 inches square and deep in a melon. Pierce the meat several times with an ice pick or similar utensil and pour in liquor of choice, rum, brandy, wine something that will add flavor, filling melon. Replace plug and refrigerate melon 24 hrs. turning occasionally. Cut melon open and serve cut marinated meat and serve with juices.
Watermelon cocktails are trending -check the web.

Nana’s Cooler:

My grandmother made a refreshing drink by pureeing the meat and straining the pulp. Add salt and chill, serve with a lime wedge and if available a sprig of mint. This doesn’t say “no” to a jigger of vodka, gin or tequila.

BURGERS WITHOUT BEEF

It’s the height of grilling season, which means that the seasonal novelty has worn off,  new recipes earmarked over the winter have been  tested and burgers should have slid into that traditional ‘easy summer dinner’ slot. In fact, with all the grills available now, indoors as well as out, burgers can be a quick meal option all year. See posts  Aug. 30, 2012 and  Sept. 28, 2017.

However, there’s been a big ingredient change. The ‘burger’ isn’t necessarily beef. In 2008, we were warned, due to the draught, the herds had to be culled, raising prices. The herds were restored by 2010, but beef prices haven’t, and won’t, be coming down. Unfortunately, at that same time, our government lost control over our food supply, both agriculture and husbandry. Both are now run by international conglomerates. See post Jan. 14, 2021-*Footnote-The Story is Simple

Nevertheless, the lure of enjoying the warm sunny weather, while keeping the heat and mess of cooking out of the kitchen is irresistible, especially on a busy weeknight or if it involves entertaining and burgers are still the simplest things to make and eat for an outdoor meal. In my post of June 10, 2014, I offered options to beef burgers but those five are only a start and even among them allow for variations. Do check them out because they are delicious, far from boring and slightly more elegant than the recipes below.

Pork and poultry burger toppings can be switched. Sliced, sweet, ripe fruit like mangos and peaches, or dried berries like cranberries are interchangeable or they could be add-ins on the mustard glazed burgers. All the seasonings in lamb recipes can be replaced by simply brushing the meat with mint sauce* before and during cooking and eliminating the cumin from the mint-yogurt sauce at the end. Cooked peppers and onions can be added to poultry recipes as toppings. Parmesan or Mozzarella can be added to the sausage burgers. As I always say – the possibilities are endless, use your imagination and you’ll be a family hero. Also, serving the burgers on different types of buns is a good way to arouse interest-rye, pretzel, ciabatta…..

* Mint Sauce; Lee and Perrins make a good one, but to do your own: Remove heavy stems from a bunch of mint and wash well. Cover the mint with cider vinegar, and bring to a boil, reduce heat add sugar, or sweetener to taste. Simmer until mint is cooked, about 4 min. Cool and blend until leaves are very fine. Bottle in glass (I use clean salad dressing bottles), cool completely, cap securely and store in a cool dark place. Keeps for years; Also good on vegetables, on fruit and in salads.  Since this sauce contains sugar which burns quickly, use it sparingly and mixed with a bit of oil to prevent the meat sticking to the grill until the final 2-3 min of cooking. This is really a case where the cook must exercise judgment, because the size of the meat rolls, the heat of the coals and the distance of the grate from the fire are variables. Just keep an eye on it.

I’ll repeat a few tips from the 2014 post to ease your path.

1.The ground meat sold in rolls. Both in the freezer and in the meat counter are essentially minced. They are too compact to stretch to the required portions and too brittle to hold up under grilling. That’s why I advise the butcher ground meat found in packaged in the meat counter.

2. Poultry is dryer than other meats and may need a binder to insure it’s stable enough for the grill. Egg is the best option to bind it, but other things may help as well or in addition to egg.

3.Cooked rice, leftover mashed potatoes or milk dampened fresh breadcrumbs are good choices added in the ½ cup to l lb. meat ratio. All will bind meat, and if needed, stretch it to fit the required amount. Remember though, these things are neutral in taste and may dilute the flavor you want to achieve. Be sure to taste to see if you need to increase the seasonings.

4.Fresh or dried breadcrumbs are usually recommended to bind ground meat, but grilling things, especially poultry is a special case. Standing up to the grate on a grill is different than being cooked in a pan and the dryness makes a patty difficult to turn over, and can make it unpleasant to eat. Molding meat into kebobs and cooking it on skewers is a good solution.

5.One way to make it easier for the meat on skewers to hold together on the grill grate is to dip the filled skewers into boiling water for a second or two before putting them on the grill—just long enough for the egg to set and bind them.

6.Bamboo skewers need to be soaked before using, but soak a pack at a time, and freeze them, then there will always be some ready.  Remember to grease them so the meat will slide off without breaking.

 RECIPES– These meats are leaner than beef, so keep a small dish of oil by the grill and brush the patties before cooking and when turning to prevent sticking.

Basic Chicken or Turkey Burger: Serves 4
1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
1 tsp. garlic powder or 2 cloves crushed
1 tsp. lemon zest or ½ tsp lemon pepper –omit salt if using this
1 thick slice white bread-crusts off-soaked in milk for 15 min.
1 egg
1 Tbs. dried parsley
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Flour
Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Shape into 4 patties on a floured board.  Make a dent I the top of each to stop puffing during cooking. Cook on a hot grill until done-about 5 min. per side. Top each burger with a grilled peach half.

Ham Burgers: Serves 4
1 lb. cooked ham ground-roast leftovers or deli ends
1 egg
1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
¼ tp. Muted powder
Pinch ground cloves
Pepper to taste
3 Tbs. milk or more if needed
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and shape into 4 patties. Chill until set, about 15-20 min. Grill until nicely marked, turning once. Top with a slice of grilled pineapple.

Lamburgers: Serves 4
1 lb. ground lamb

1 egg

1 Tbs. minced onion

1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

¼ tsp. dried rosemary

Ground black pepper

¼ tsp. lemon pepper or to taste
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and shape into 4 patties. Chill until ready to cook, can be made a day ahead if kept covered. Cook over hot coals for 10 min. turning once until done.
Top with the following sauce:
1 cup plain yogurt

3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

¼ tsp. cumin powder

Mix the 3 ingredients and chill at least 30 min. Serve on or with the burgers.

Chaurice: Serves 4

2 lb. ground pork
1 medium onion grated
1-2 cloves minced garlic-to taste
1 tsp. Tabasco
1 tsp. EACH ground black pepper, parsley flakes, dried thyme
1 Bay leaf-crumbled
Salt to taste
1/8 tsp. allspice
Mix the ingredients and form into 4 patties. Grill over low heat until crispy on both sides turning once. Serve topped with a slice of tomato and, optionally spinach leaves or chopped Romaine.

Salmon Burgers: Serves 4
1 lb. salmon-canned or frozen fillets
1 egg
1 cup cracker crumbs
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
If using canned salmon, pick any skin and bones out. I prefer using the frozen fillets available in packages in most stores. Allowing one fillet per serving, poach the fish about 8 min. cool and flake. Mix all the ingredients and form into 4 patties and grill over medium heat about 5 min. per side until browned. Serve with Dill Sauce:
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 Tbs. dried dill weed
Mix the ingredients until smooth and chill at least 2 hours before serving.