Grilling on the George Foreman grill makes cooking for one or two much easier, nutritious and QUICK! It is non-stick, easy to clean (with the new generation of removable grill plates that can be put in the dishwasher), and quick because it cooks on both sides. Also, the fat drains off through the ridges, caught by a small container that is provided.

The following work well on the grill:

Medium to thin steaks. You may pre-season on both sides with some olive oil, salt and pepper, or a LOT of pepper to have pepper steak. You may do this right before grilling or way ahead of time. Pre-heat your grill as per instructions, and then it will only take 4-6  minutes, depending on your how well-cooked you like it and the thickness. It’s easy to open the grill and test with a fork.

Fish fillets (cod, salmon, halibut, tuna). Again, pre-season with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. You can experiment with lemon zest, some garlic salt or onion salt, some mixed herbs for a change, or a pinch of cayenne for a kick! This takes no more than 3-4 minutes, if your fillets are quite thin.

Chicken pieces don’t work so well, as they are difficult to cook through. However, turkey fillets, boneless thighs that you can “open up”so they are flatter and not so thick, may be pre-seasoned with olive oil,herbs, salt and pepper. Or grill the chicken with an Asian twist with some soy,sesame oil, even a pinch of curry powder, or onion and garlic salt or powdered ginger.

Vegetables: sliced into large chunks or slices, these vegetables can be grilled, pre-seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper, maybe paprika, maybe a pinch of cayenne:

Zucchinis, peppers, portabello mushrooms, yellow squash.

Sample grilled menu:

Black peppercorn ribeye steak

Grilled zucchini and yellow squash

Wild rice or couscous salad or potato salad or baked/mashed potatoes

EASY does it!

I’ve always found “cheat” seasonings very useful and quick: poultry seasoning, fish seasoning, even seasoned salt. (There is a good line of Chef Paul Prudhomme’s seasoning mixes in most spice sections of the grocery store.) But basically, you need the olive oil coating base, and then it’s mix and match!

ROASTING A DUCK!

A quick word on roasting. Nearly everyone has access to an oven, and roasts are great to serve at a dinner party or for Sunday dinners etc. I have found that my most favorite roast is usually greeted by “I have never done that before. Is it hard?” Roast duck is one of the easiest birds to roast. It requires no basting, and as long as you have a slatted (footed) metal platform so the duck doesn’t rest on its fat, it drains nicely,

From start to finish:

1. Pick up either a fresh or frozen duck/duckling from any grocery store. Defrost,
 if appropriate. To clean, rinse under rapid cold running water. Then rub with salt
 on the inside, and rinse thoroughly again. Don’t forget to remove giblets, if included!

2. With a sharp knife, make three diagonal cuts (about 3 inches long) along each side of the duck (R and L), on top and bottom of duck. Rub thoroughly with salt and paprika and pepper to taste.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4. Prepare your favorite stuffing (e.g. Pepperidge Farm packaged stuffing mix). Some like it plain, some dressed up with nuts, fruit, chestnuts, etc.

5. Roast according to the instructions on the packaging according to the weight of the bird, at 350-375 degrees. You can now go read a book, walk your dog, watch a movie or run some errands!!

6. Use a good pre-fab gravy mix, preparing according to instructions. Some come in a carton. You can add a touch of the duck drippings in the pan for flavoring. Or if you have time, you can boil up the giblets with a chicken cube and bay leaves and add 1/3 cup of the liquid to your gravy mix. Or add 1/3 cup orange juice. Other additives: orange liqueur, sherry or marsala!

7. It is a good idea if you like very crisp duck skin, to raise the temperature to 425 degrees some 5-8 minutes before the end of the cooking time (as determined by instructions and weight of bird) so the skin gets to crisp. Remember, if you are going to eat the duck, the skin is simply the best part, especially crispy!

Serving suggestions:

Serve with the stuffing, of course, salad, any type of vegetables. Yummy also with cranberries (as with turkey). Wild rice is a nice change from potatoes also.

Variations:

Change the stuffing, season with Chinese 5-spice powder, soy sauce and sesame oil. Brush with honey 15 minutes at the end of the roasting cycle. Now enjoy the accolades!