Quick and Healthy Vegetarian Burger Blast

Most of the time grilling involves copious amounts of meat, which makes vegetarians feel left out at a barbecue. Even if you are not a vegetarian, but want to cut down on your meat intake, this meal is a no sacrifice winner. It has all the great grilled taste, but is much lower in fat. The meal is made up of three major items; fresh grilled corn on the cob, grilled cabbage salad, and eggplant-portabello cheeseburgers. The only real fat is the cheese on the burger and the olive oil that is used to marinate the vegetables.

The corn on the cob is a traditional favorite, but gets a delicious smoky flavor with this technique. It can be made juicy or crispy based on your taste.

The grilled cabbage salad is a real treat that incorporates the grilled taste with a vinegary flavor. It is very easy to make and can be served warm, cold, or chilled.

The burgers are the center piece of the meal and really satisfy. When you combine eggplants and portabellos you get a full flavored meat replacement. The cheese and tomato make the flavor complete.

I cooked this meal in the Stone Pony, my outdoor stone oven, but you can use a charcoal or gas grill to make it as well.

Ingredients:

• 4 ears of fresh corn (or one per person)
  
• 4 large portabello mushrooms (or one per person)
  
• 1 medium size eggplant
• 1 tomato
• 4 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp Hungarian paprika
• 4 oz sharp cheddar, or 1 oz per sandwich (substitute your favorite cheese)
• 1/2 cup of your favorite Italian dressing
• 1/4 head white cabbage
• 1/4 head red cabbage

Directions:

Corn on the Cob

1. Trim the ends of the corn and soak in cold water while you prep the rest of the ingredients
   
2. Once the grill is ready, drain the corn and place on the low heat rack or off to the side.
3. Corn is best cooked slowly, so keep it on the grill on low heat while you cook the rest of the meal. The husk will keep it from drying out, but make sure the husk does not catch fire. The corn should be put on the grill 20 minutes before the rest of the food to give it a head start.
   
4. Some people, like River, like it toasty. To make it toasty peel the husk and grill for an additional 5 minutes on each side.
   

Grilled Cabbage Salad

1. Chop the cabbage
   
2. mix with a table spoon of the olive oil and lightly salt.
3. Pre-heat a perforated grill pan. Note that the corn is still cooking at this point.
   
4. Add the cabbage to the pan, grill for 5 minutes on high heat.
5. Stir the cabbage and cook for 5 more minutes.
6. Add the salad dressing to the bottom of a bowl
7. Toss the sizzling cabbage into the dressing. Stir thoroughly.
8. Let stand covered while you complete cooking the meal.
   

Eggplant Bella Burgers

1. Remove the stems from the mushrooms, rub with garlic, paprika, and olive oil
   
2. Slice the eggplant 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick, rub with garlic, paprika, and olive oil
3. Slice the tomato, 1/4 inch thick.
   
4. Thin slice the cheese. Hint: I use a vegetable peeler to slice cheese very thin, that way a little cheese goes a long way.
   
5. Place the eggplants on the grill first, cook for 5 minutes before adding the mushrooms.
6. Place the mushrooms on the grill, fin side down first. Cook for 5 minutes.
7. Flip mushrooms and eggplants and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
8. Layer some cheese over the eggplant.
9. Place the tomatoes over the cheese.
10. Layer more cheese over the tomatoes.
11. Place the mushrooms on top.
12. Layer more cheese over the mushrooms.
13. Serve on a fresh French bread or sourdough roll.
    

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Down-East Style Fish Sandwich with a Touch of Zing

Fish and chips is a Friday supper tradition in the Lizabetti home. Some people like it in sandwich form, while others like it served as a fillet. Whichever way you like it, lightly fried fish is a New England treat that everyone will enjoy. I like to jazz it up a bit because I think fish is a great canvas for flavors. We always serve the sandwich with our Herb-Dijon Mayonnaise sauce.

If you want to make the meal a little lighter, you can serve the fish with our healthy oven fries, instead of French fries.


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pound Pollock, haddock, or cod. I like pollock the best because it is more durable for cooking and still very tender to eat. (will generously serve 4)
  
• 1 Tbsp Chopped garlic
  
• 1 tsp Hungarian paprika
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1-2 turns of fresh ground black pepper
• italian flavored bread crumb
• 2 oz sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 ripe tomato
• 1/2 yellow onion
  
• 2 Tbsp sliced pepperoncini hot peppers
• 1/4 cup canola oil
  

Directions:

1. Wash the fish thoroughly in cold water, blot dry.
   
2. Coat with salt, garlic, and paprika; in that order.
3. Coat with Italian bread crumbs. I will post a bread crumb recipe for you, but the commercial brand is good too.
   
4. Pre-heat a frying pan, add 1/2 inch of canola oil.
5. Bring the oil to a high temperature. If a small piece of onion sizzles on contact, then the oil is hot enough. Bring the heat down to medium-high.
   
6. Depending on the thickness of the fish, cook 2-4 minutes on each side.
7. Blot the fish on a paper towel to get rid of the excess oil.
8. Slice the tomato and onion.
9. Slice the cheese onto the bread. Hint:I like to use a vegetable peeler because it allows me to cut ultra thin slices of cheese. This lets me enjoy the taste of cheese without eating too much of it.
10. Lay the tomatoes and onions over the cheese and toast the bread.
11. Place the fish over the tomatoes and cover with Herb-Dijon Mayonnaise sauce. You can also use tartar sauce if you like. Add the hot peppers and close the sandwich.
    
12. Alternatively, our kids like the fish fillet served with sweet home made apple sauce.
    

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Herb Dijon Mayonnaise Sauce

This is a great sauce to serve on fish sandwiches , it is also great for dipping fried shrimp, chicken tenders or French fries. It has a tangy flavor with just the right amount of zing from the garlic and pepper.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Dijon or brown mustard
• 1 Tbsp of light mayo
• 1 tsp dry or fresh oregano depending on the season. We dry fresh oregano from the garden in the summer to have over the winter.
• 1/2 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. You should prepare this at least 30 minutes prior to serving so the flavors have time to blend.
2. Mix the mustard, mayonnaise, oregano, garlic and pepper in a bowl
3. Drizzle in the oil and vinegar and keep stirring until smooth

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved