A View of the Valley

by Linda Schwanke Hubby Jim has a “tool” for cleaning the grill he likes to say jokingly (I think) that he will patent. It’s a garden stake. He uses it to scrape off the grill before torching the daylights out of it. Admittedly the stake has groves that fit the grates of the grill just right so it does a good job for in-between deep cleaning. The more thorough way to clean a grill, which I got in an email from Blain’s Farm & Fleet, is this: “Preheat your charcoal grill for 10 to 15 minutes before scraping off any excess grime with a grill brush. “There are a few ways to clean the grill grate. You can remove it and wash it in warm water with grease-cutting liquid dish soap. If you’re planning on cleaning it right after you cook, you can use an onion to clean the grill grate. Cut an onion in half, pierce it with a grill fork, and use the flat side to rub off any burnt-on food. “Make sure that the grill is cold and that all of the embers are out. Shovel the old ashes from the bowl with a fireplace shovel. Throw away cold ashes and embers in a trash bag. Do not throw leftover ashes into a garden or compost pile as charcoal can be harmful to plants. “Clean out the grill’s bowl using soapy water and a slightly abrasive scrub sponge. Some old school grillers believe that leftover soot and ash add flavor. However, it can actually negatively affect what you’re grilling. “Once everything is cleaned and dry, replace your grill briquettes. Make sure that you keep your charcoal or wood in a cool, dry place. You’ll want to replace your charcoal briquettes every time before you grill.” Doesn’t that sound lovely?  Regardless of how you clean your grill, now is the time to do it as the weather is warming up – I hope - and we can get out of our kitchens and go outside to cook, eat and play.  For many of us, it’s just in the nick of time. I read that most Americans have gained weight during the pandemic. Not just because of the stay at home orders but also because we’re working from home, we’re not socializing the way we’re used to and we’re stressed out. Being over-weight is not a good thing for our health, obviously, but pounds creep up pretty easily when we’re more sedentary and looking to food for comfort in these truly weird times. All winter we hid our pandemic pounds under sweaters and coats. Time to shape up and lose those extra pounds and what better way to do than to grill?  Grilled food is tastier than anything fried or battered, at least in my mind. It’s also lower in fat, which is a bonus. There is evidence that grilled meats can contribute to cancer risk, I’ve learned, so don’t overdo it. If you do grill meat, don’t char it. Just cook it until it’s done. Marinating helps, too. Marinades are simple to make. Put a half cup of an oil like olive or canola oil in a bowl with a cover or a zippered bag, add ¼ cup juice (lemon, lime, orange, apple, whatever) and some flavoring like sage, garlic, onion, ginger, whatever you like, and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir or squish it up together, add meat and pop it into the fridge for at least one to two hours. When I think of it ahead of time, I like to marinate meat overnight.  Grill fish and veggies and even fruit for a healthy alternative to meat. We have some basket-things that we got at Doerre’s for grilling to keep small pieces of fruit and veggies from falling into the fire but you can use foil or make kabobs (cook meat separate from veggies and fruit to get the timing right), too.  If you put your mind to it, you can grill almost anything but here are a few of the easier fruits and veggies to grill: any kind of squash, asparagus, apples, beets, any kind of pepper, carrots, celery, corn on the cob, eggplant, garlic, figs, green beans, leeks, mangos, onions, mushrooms, okra, pears, potatoes, pineapple, pumpkins, peas, sweet potatoes and zucchini. The trick  is to watch that it doesn’t overcook. Eat the grilled veggies, separate or together, in salads or on their own. While potato salad and macaroni salad have their place in the world of food, try something different and delicious like a salad with chickpeas or couscous.  Chickpea salad is as easy as going into the cupboard and fridge and throwing everything you find (almost) into a bowl. In a bowl, combine a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, with chopped or sliced: tomatoes, red onion, celery, cucumbers, bell peppers, spinach, cauliflower, etc. Squeeze half a lemon on cubed avocado if you like and add that with a ¼ cup of olive oil, two tablespoons of red wine (or your favorite) vinegar over the top and mix. Add a little kosher salt and white pepper to taste. Add ginger or garlic a little at a time to taste, too, if you’d like. A little fresh basil and chives are nice, too. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  A couscous salad is pretty similar. Prepare couscous according to directions on the packet (it’s kind of like pasta and is easy fix). Cool and add fresh veggies, olives, chickpeas, feta cheese, and herbs like mint, parsley, basil and oregano. Top with a dressing made with two tablespoons of lemon juice, a teaspoon of lemon zest, a tablespoon of your favorite vinegar, salt, pepper, and two or three tablespoons of olive oil. If you haven’t tried couscous, you should. It’s light, some say kind of nutty, and really delicious.  Some years ago, I had a salad with quinoa at a picnic that was so good the memory stuck with me. Cook one cup of quinoa according to package directions. Peel and dice one cucumber. Chop: one small red onion, 2 tablespoons each fresh parsley and mint. Add salt and pepper and ½ cup kalamata olives, 2-4 ounces of feta cheese, 1/3 cup olive and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Mix first eight ingredients. Then mix oil and lemon juice and pout over the salad. Chill until ready to serve. Delicious.  Stay in touch. My number is 574-3159. Email me at homenewseditor@newspubinc.com or write to me at the Home News, P.O. Box 39, Spring Green WI 53588. The news deadline is 12 noon on Mondays. Visit our website at homenewsrv.com Call the NewsPub central office at (608) 767-3655 for any and all other information Monday through Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon, although afternoon hours can vary. Closed Fridays.