Savor Summer with a Grilled Meal

"Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands and then eat just one of the pieces.

-- Judith Viorst

Raspberry Balsamic Sauce 

Cook’s notes: Brush this sweet,savory sauce on heart healthy fish and poultry the last 15 minutes of grilling. Any remaining sauce can be drizzled over the dish right before serving.
The sauce can be made in advance. 

Roasted red potatoes pair well with this meal. Cubed potatoes can be drizzled with olive oil, placed in a foil tent and grilled along side of the meat.
Suggested wine pairings include: Rose, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Beaujolais.

Recipe serves 4
Ingredients:

• ½ cup sweet onions, chopped or minced shallots 
• 1 TB. vegetable oil 
• 1-cup tomato sauce 
• 1-cup seedless raspberry jam 
• ¼ cup each good quality balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar 
• 2 tsp. each Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce 
• salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste 

Directions:

• Sweat shallots or onions in vegetable oil on medium heat until softened 2-3 minutes. 
• Whisk in tomato sauce, jam, balsamic and red wine vinegars, Dijon and Worcestershire. 
• Simmer sauce 10 minutes, and then season with salt, black pepper and pepper flakes. 

Blood Orange and Dark Chocolate Balsamic Summer Vinaigrette Salad (a light summer salad) 

Cook’s notes: White Balsamic Vinegar and White Pomegranate Vinegar can be substituted for Dark Chocolate Balsamic. 

Winter Vinaigrette Salad: Substitute apples or pears for the oranges. Add in pomegranate seeds for the blueberries.
Ingredients Vinaigrette:

• 6 TB. Blood Orange Olive Oil 
• 3 TB. Dark Chocolate or White Balsamic Vinegar or White Pomegranate Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon 

Ingredients Salad:

• Mixed greens 
• 2 oranges, peeled, cut into segments 
• 1-pint blueberries 
• 1 cup sliced almonds 
• 1 small cucumber, diced 
• Optional ½ cup feta or goat cheese crumbles 

Directions:

• Whisk vinegar and Dijon together, add in oil and mix all ingredients in a screw top jar. 
• Drizzle with dressing right before serving.