Five Ways to get Great Flavor on the Grill with Low Sodium

By Dawn Fischer, Co-owner Brentwood Spice & Olive Oil

It’s BBQ season again and if you are like us, we BBQ as often as we can and everything that we can.  We BBQ for several reasons, but there are two that stand out; one to keep the heat out of the house, the other main reason is because we love it.  Chicken, steak, hamburgers, brats, and every kind of veggie we can.  This year we decided to make grilled pizza one of our favorites.

Barbequing is not as difficult as some think.  Open flame, bad experience previously and the like scare some away and keep them in the kitchen, done be afraid!  Think of it as a gas stove, use your old or specifically designated pots and pans for the grill, or look for mesh or wire baskets to aid in grilling.

One thing that comes out with the grilling is marinades.  Marinades add great flavor to whatever you put into them, but they can weight heavy in SALT.  Yes, I said it salt that nasty four letter word!  Studies show that most adult Americans consume 3,436 milligrams of salt daily - that is about 140% of the recommended allowance.   The recommendation for salt per day is 1,500 to 2,400 milligrams or the equivalent of 1 teaspoon.  So we look for other ways to get flavor into our foods.

Number 1 - Marinades

A marinade is a liquid that veggies and meats rest in before they are cooked.  No matter how long you soak beef the marinade only goes so far, chicken a little more, seafood soak it up and most veggies, are impervious to them sans mushrooms.  Marinade recipes often call for soy sauce.  Soy sauce (1/2 cup) can be replaced with 4 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon of water.  There are many other ingredients that can be used in marinades and you don’t have to be am accomplished chef to make a great one. 

Marinades have three basic ingredients, an acid, oil, and seasonings.  Acids are wine, citrus or pineapple, or vinegars, olive oil is best, and seasoning, onions, garlic, herbs, and spices.  For example Worcestershire sauce, lime and olive oil make a quick marinade for taco and fajitas.  Worcestershire, pineapple, garlic, and brown sugar make a great base to marinade, believe it or not, prime rib – the best, lemon, orange, lime, and garlic, a marinade for shrimp.  As we use in many dishes, our Hometown Spice Blend adds a great flavor to everything we put it in or on.  One of our new blends, Squished Garlic, is as well and it makes great garlic bread.  Wrap the bread in foil and place on top in your gas grill or out of direct heat on a charcoal grill.  Both of these, and many of our other custom blends, are low sodium and when we do use salt we use sea salt which is better for you.  And as you can see there is no salt mentioned in the marinade combinations l just listed. 

Number 2 – Spices

There are so many spices out there that can add flavor to whatever it is that you are hitting the grill with, potatoes, veggies, bread, seafood, and meats.  For an example, we have 60+ custom blended spices, blends that we have put together most of which are low or no sodium that can be used as rub, seasonings to enhance flavor, add to butter for a compound butter, or sour cream for a veggie or chip dip, but mostly as a tool to use when going to the grill.  Since we are all different when it comes to our taste buds, use what you like, and don’t be afraid to flavor anything.  Chicken is a plain taste so add your favorite flavors to bring it to life.  Beef is a bit more challenging, but still can tolerate a little citrus to brighten the flavor.

Number 3 – Brine (Meats only)

A brine is a salty, flavored liquid that your meats sit in completely covered, for longer periods of time that allows the meat to absorb the liquid well into the depth of the meat while the salty flavorings only reach a shallow depth into the meats.  Brining your meats sets a barrier on the outside keeping the good juice in.  Now most brines use copious amounts of salt, and I suggest that sea salt be used, but the recipient does not get very salty.  Usually brines are 16 parts of water to 1 part salt; diluted fruit juice, allspice, cloves, juniper berries, cinnamon, onions, apples, and much more can add great flavors to poultry, seafood and pork.  Since most of these are normally a bit dryer they can stand up to the brining process, beef on the other hand, don’t do as well and can benefit more from a good marinade.   And yes I know we are looking for ways to eliminate salt and if done correctly, more citrus, the use of salt goes down and the flavor goes up, see flavor options above.

Number 4 – Salt vs Sodium

Sea salt and table salt virtually are the same.  Both consist of sodium and chloride, sea salt has more beneficial minerals and elements, tastes better and has a different texture, table salt is way more processed and is small granules and you get more table salt in a tablespoon than sea salt, with sea salt there is more air as the granules are generally larger than the table salt.  Why use sea salt?  Sea Salt is produced via evaporation of seawater and usually not processed beyond that.  This process leaves behind other trace elements and minerals.  Depending on the source of the sea salt, these minerals and elements create color and the slight differences in the taste of sea salts.  Table salt is processed and the process eliminates minerals and contains additives.  Many table salts have iodine added to them; sea salt contains only minute amounts.  It has been said that Himalayan Sea Salt is the most beneficial, it is stated that it has more than 84 minerals.

Number 5 – do nothing

Yes that’s right, do nothing.  Chef’s talk about “the depth of flavor” but sometimes I like to just grill it and add the flavor later, top with a compound butter (butter that has seasoning added, rolled into a ball and left to rest in the frig.), a nice sauce of one kind or another and when I do this after flavor and I know what that flavor is and what to expect, I don’t want to clutter up my palate with intruders! 

Regardless of what you do flavor wise there are a few things to keep in mind.  When dealing with beef, bring it out 30 minutes before you cook it and let it warm up, just not too long, with beef and the rest  pat them dry, and once they are done cooking, let them rest 5 to 15 minutes depending on varieties and size as they will continue to cook after they are removed.  DON’T overcook the meat, it is easier to put something back on the grill, or wherever you are cooking, you cannot take overcooked away.  And since everything continues to cook once removed from the heat source you can rest assured that if it was perfect when you removed it from the heat source it will be over done by the time you sit down to eat.  And if you cover it with tin foil, it will cook even longer.

As most of you already know, our garden overflows with swiss chard.  We planted “Neon Lights” swiss chard in 2010 and to this date have not had to replant or reseed.  Swiss chard is a perennial plant, meaning that it comes up every year on its own or in this case, never stopped producing brilliantly colored stems and leaves with the same beautiful color running thru the veins.

And as we continue to cook and share our swiss chard, we have been asked how and what. It seems that there are many of you that have never tried it before, not because you are afraid to but that you don’t know how to prepare it or know what part is edible.  Well, every bit of it is edible, fresh and cooked; even the larger stalks, they just need to be peeled to remove the tough stringy part.  Swiss chard by itself has a salty, sweet taste to it.  It doesn’t taste like anything else that I can recall.

We are on a constant expedition looking for more ways to cook this wonderful vegetable.  In a recent blog I shared our recipe for creamed swiss chard, this is a GREAT recipe, we fell in love with this recipe and have made it several times since we first prepared it this way.  A very easy way is to sauté it with some butter or flavored olive oil, we like lemon or blood orange.  The stalks are a bit tougher and need to cook low and slow if you want them not crunchy, and the leaves only need a quick turn in the heat so save them for the last few minutes.  We, as a whole, don’t care to “cook” our veggies; we prefer them just warmed so we get the best value nutrition wise and there are lots of nutrients in swiss chard.  Blanching this beautiful vegetable keeps the colors nice and bright and keeps the loss of nutrients to a low level.  Another way to serve them is to sauté some onions and garlic with the stems.  Eating it raw is fun too.  You can add the leaves alone or with stems chopped into a salad.  And you can add the leaves to your sandwich instead or with lettuce. 

As a whole, swiss chard is a not too bitter not too sweet vegetable with loads of nutrition, flavor and color.  So have fun, get creative and keep your eye peeled as we discover new recipes.

Cooking without borders!

M

ay is for Mom. Cook Mom her favorites on Mother’s Day but kick it up a notch!  See recipes below for 

that added kick.

Upcoming events:  May 26, 2011 2nd annual #Chardonnay Day we will be featuring several wonderful chardonnays that day for all to enjoy, $6.00 per glass.  Come and ”post” your pics and rate the wines to reach across the world!  May 27 we will be closing at 5 pm.  May 27-29, 2011 Brentwood PAL presents "Blues, Brews & BBQ's" at THE STREETS of Brentwood Kansas City Barbeque Society is sanctioning this great event.  Check out the event site for more details www.palbbq.net  (there will also be non-professional categories for our favorite BBQ friends).  Categories include Chili, Salsa, Desserts, and more, so pull out the stops and join the fun!  Any of you that enter the event qualify for a discount on items purchased at BSO² for that contest.  Please contact me for more information and check to see, we might be your competition too!  Also check out our blog at www.spiceandoils.blogspot.com.  June 12, we will be roasting  hosting the Contra Costa Winegrowers Association (CCWA) Summer Celebration at the shop.  Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, available on line at www.eventbrite.com  and at Winegrower tasting rooms.  Food (we will be roasting a pig) and wine, talk to the wine makers and have a great time.  Join us and add to the fun.  We will be having a contest, bring your Mexican or Latin, side dish, appetizer or salsa.  Call for details, top prize in each category.  Entry into the event for participants will be free.  We are hoping for 200 attendees for this event so please plan to share your dishes.  September 24, 2nd Annual Vintage Faire at BSO²; October 23 Co Co Wine Company will be hosting the CCWA Fall Celebration, keep your eye open for more info.  Keep an eye on our blog at www.spiceandoils.blogspot.com for tips and fun and news!  We will also start an events mailing to separate the events at least for the summer due to the number of things going on.

This Month’s Tip  Low fat cooking?  Use non-stick cookware and measure the amount of oil you use instead of just pouring, every little bit helps.

DID YOU KNOW…Turmeric is helpful with indigestion, circulation, diabetes, arthritis, and all immune system.

About our clients:  Usually I feature a client that stands out among the many we encounter.  This month I’m going to fill you in about me.  I get lots of questions about how and when did I get interested in cooking so here’s my story (and I am sticking to it).  I have been cooking since grade school from my memory.  I cannot tell you exactly when I started cooking but I have always loved it and have challenged myself in my cooking.  I know I have been a half way decent cook since at least high school.  Shortly after my younger brother graduated, he came home, woke me up and asked me to teach him how to make spaghetti and meatballs, we both to this day share that story with many of our friends.  I met David because the olive oil was a natural addition to my cooking, after we started dating in ’08, he had to figure out why I kept ordering my spices.  After a few meals and a short conversation we decided to add the spice department to our little oil and wine shop.  We are now 2 times the size we were in our old location and although we have no more space physically, we are still growing. 

Monthly Recipe(s)

If any of you have seen our Facebook Page you know that we have an abundance of swiss chard.  We are always looking for new ways to cook from our vegetables, this is one we found and love.

Cream Neon Lights

1 good handful of Neon Lights Swiss chard, sliced and cut into bit sizes

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons Basil Olive Oil

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon Marsala

½ cup + 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Royal pepper mix to taste

Pinch of nutmeg

In a large pot with a strainer, bring 2 quart of water to boil.  Add the chopped swiss chard and blanch for 2 minutes.  Pull out strainer and put immediately into a container of ice cold water.  Once cold, spin or pat dry.  In a heavy sauce pan, over medium heat, sauté the garlic in 2 tablespoons of basil olive oil, add the cream, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves, taste and add royal pepper.  Cook over medium low heat and reduce by half.  Add the 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and swiss chard and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to warm up.  Add the remaining cheese and serve.  Serves 4

Kick it up for Mom;  Green Eggs and Ham Frittata

1 ripe avocado diced

6 eggs

¼ cup half and half or (1/8 cup milk 1/8 cup heavy cream)

2 tablespoons butter separated

2 tablespoons basil olive oil separated

¼ cup diced onions

¼ cup Canadian bacon

¼ cup colored bell peppers (I used mini peppers here)

½ cup Swiss or emmental cheese grated

Sundried tomatoes for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375⁰ F.  Sauté the onions, ham, and peppers in butter and oil over medium heat until tender. Crake eggs in medium bowl add avocado and cream and blend well.  Add mix to pan and allow to cook 7 to 8 minutes.  Check sides for doneness around edges.   Place the pan in the oven for 7 to 15 minutes until golden brown on top.  OR if you have 2 pans the same size you may continue as follows:

 In a second pan over medium heat add the remaining oil and butter.  Coat the pan when hot and pour the mix over the egg mix evenly.  Place the second pan over the egg pan and carefully flip.  Allow to cook for 5 minutes more and slide onto plate, garnish, and serve.  Serves 6 - 8

Mimosas

Change it up by using ruby red grapefruit or blood orange juice and a better sparkling wine, such as Gocci de Luna or Vivid Bliss (both are available in our wine section)

Shrimp Diablo

8-10 large shrimp deveined tail on

½ cup red onion diced

½ cup yellow onion

1 clove garlic

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 jalapeno seeded and diced

2 roma tomatoes seeded and diced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ cup white wine (sauvignon blanc preferred)

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon Hometown Spice

¼ pound linguini

Parmesan cheese

In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Sauté onions and jalapeño, until tender and the onions are translucent.  Add garlic, crushed red pepper, and shrimp, cook until shrimp are opaque, about 2 minutes per side.  Add tomatoes, lemon juice, and white wine, reduce until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.  Divide cooked linguine into two bowls and spoon sauce over.  Grate cheese over dish.  Serve immediately.

Spice of the Month – Vadouvan:

Spice up your macaroni and cheese with 2 or 3 tablespoons of Vadouvan and sprinkle the top with Panko bread crumbs with a quick visit under the broiler to toast them up, serve warm J