Grilled Smorgasboard

This is a go with the flow type of preparation. Notice that we don't use a lot of salt. R is a salt fiend, but we really don't need it here. Go ahead and heat up your grill. Veggies go first, as they can be served room temperature. If you have a larger grill, then you can do it all at once.

Zucchini
Slice lengthwise into thin slices. Sprinkle with your favorite seasoning blend, which should be Tony Chachere's of course, and brush with olive oil. Grill until you get grill marks and the zucchini is limp.

Asparagus
Rinse the asparagus and then cut or snap off the woody part of the stem, leaving only the tender good parts. Brush with olive oil. Grill until they have grill marks and are tender cooked (not too limp). Once you remove them from the grill, sprinkle them with a little kosher salt and squeeze a lemon over the whole lot.

Green Onions
Yes, we grill green onions (scallions), and they are sweet and delicious! Rinse your green onions and pat them dry. Cut off the really thin parts at the top (save them for another recipe. They freeze well) and just roots at the bottom. You want to end up with a 5-6" portion of the onion, including all the white part. Brush them with olive oil and grill until the white parts have grill marks and are tender.

Portabella Mushrooms
I had to edit the post to add these. I forgot I had them in the fridge, so I figured I'd throw them on the grill before they went bad. I just brished them with olive oil and laid them on the grill, flat side down. They cooked at the same time as the zucchini. When they were tender, I added some parmesan cheese to the top. That's all.


Grilled Tri-Tip

There are so many ways to do it, but basically I marinate or rub with spices and olive oil, and then just throw it on a hot grill.

Here is an example:
Start with 1 lb or so of Tri Tip

Sprinkle on Pampered Chef Chipotle Rub (or a mixture of chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano) and a little Kosher Salt

Massage in the rub with olive oil (not extra virgin, as the smoke point on EVOO is really low)

Let the meat sit in the fridge for 30 minutes, and on the counter for about 15 while you heat up the grill.

Depending on the thickness and your desired level of doneness, 3-5 minutes per side should be sufficient.


Remove from the grill let it sit (try not to puncture it) for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Always cut meat against the grain so it tastes as tender as you tried to make it. Even a perfectly cooked steak will be hard to chew if you cut it wrong.