THE NIBBLE BLOG: Products, Recipes & Trends In Specialty Foods


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TIP OF THE DAY: Different Foods To Grill


Try grilled halloumi cheese to start.
Why not serve it with grilled romaine?
Photo by Ina Peters | IST.

  You know you can grill meat, seafood and fruit on the grill (see five grilled fruit recipes at the end of this article).

You may also have tried grilling pizza (if not, try these grilled pizza recipes).

But how about these four: grilled halloumi cheese, grilled lettuce, grilled avocado and grilled cake?

1. Grilled Halloumi Cheese
Halloumi cheese, from Cyprus, is made to be grilled or pan-fried. It keeps its shape when cooked, and makes a great appetizer. Add slices to a salad or make grilled cheese and vegetable skewers. We like halloumi so much, it was a Top Pick Of The Week. Read our full review, which includes recipes.

2. Grilled Lettuce
Follow a grilled halloumi appetizer with a grilled salad. Even people who won’t eat a green salad can be attracted to lettuce grilled with an alluring char. Grill heartier varieties of lettuce such as endive, radicchio and romaine. Cut the head in two and grill the halves face down, or separate and grill individual leaves. Brush lightly with olive oil and grill over medium heat until just charred (don’t let the leaves wilt). Serve with grilled tomatoes and your favorite dressing. Or generate excitement with a grilled Caesar salad.

 
3. Grilled Avocado
Dense and creamy, avocados lend themselves to grilling. You can serve them as a side with grilled meats and fish, or as an appetizer or salad course. For a salad, serve a grilled avocado half with some grilled romaine or endive; fill the well of the avocado with balsamic vinaigrette. Brush the face with olive oil and cook over medium heat until grill marks appear.

4. Grilled Cake
End the meal with grilled cake. Did you see our recipe for grilled angel food cake last month? Just as you can toast a bun on the grill, you can toast slices of angel food cake, pound cake, banana bread and other firm cakes (loaf cakes work well). Simply brush the sides with butter and toast over medium heat until grill marks appear. You can serve grilled cake with grilled fruit or fresh fruit marinated in orange liqueur (like Grand Marnier or Gran Gala), ice cream, mascarpone or whipped cream.

You can also toast cake in the toaster. You won’t get grill marks, but you will get toasty good flavor.

  • Grilled Fruit Overview & Recipe
  • Grilled Fruit Skewers With Marshmallows
  • Grilled Watermelon
  • Grilled Pineapple & Peaches In A Rum & Lime Marinade
  •  
    Thanks to Care2.com for inspiring this story.

      

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    PRODUCT: Beachy Cream Gluten-Free, Lactose-Free Ice Cream Sandwich

    Most people can enjoy an ice cream sandwich without a second thought.

    But people with gluten sensitivity can’t have that cookie sandwich. And people with lactose intolerance can’t have the ice cream or frozen yogurt. Unless they reach for Beachy Cream.

  • Gluten is a protein composite found in foods that include wheat or a number of other grains, including barley and rye.
  • Thus, most ice cream is naturally gluten-free. But gluten can be found in specialty flavors that use grain-based inclusions, such as cookie dough and brownies.
  •  
    Beachy Cream of Malibu, California solves the problem by offering a classic ice cream sandwich: lactose-free vanilla ice cream sandwiched between gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.

    Made in small batches with locally sourced, sustainable and organic ingredients, Beachy Cream’s other flavors include candied ginger ice cream on a molasses spice cookie, “hot” chocolate ice cream on a brownie cookie, Key lime ice cream on a coconut oatmeal cookie, strawberry balsamic swirl ice cream on a sugar cookie, and traditional vanilla bean ice cream on a chocolate chip cookie.

     

    Beachy Cream’s handmade ice cream
    sandwiches include a gluten-free, lactose-
    free option. Photo courtesy Beachy Cream.

     

    If you’re not local to Malibu, you can order the ice cream sandwiches from the company website. It’s a generous gift to soothe someone who is new to dealing with gluten intolerance.

    The online store carries only an assortment of the regular line, but you can contact the store at youscream@beachycream.com, or 1.877.299.7557.

    Other Ideas For Enjoying Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches

  • Buy gluten-free cookies and make your own ice cream sandwiches.
  • Bake your own gluten-free cookies with mixes from Cherrybrook Kitchen or Pamela’s.
  • Bake Pamela’s gluten-free brownies, cut into small cubes and mix into softened vanilla ice cream for gluten-free Brownie Ice Cream. No ice cream sandwich needed!
  •  
    See our favorite gluten-free gourmet food products.

      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: How-To-Grill-Steak Tips From A Pro


    Turn out a great steak or burger with tips
    from Del Frisco’s Steak House. Photo
    courtesy Del Frisco’s.

      If you look forward to grilling in the warm weather, step up your game with these tricks and tips from the executive chef of Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group.

    Chef Thomas George Dristas offers a few no-fail rules for how to choose, grill and serve meat like a steak house chef.

  • Shopping For Meat
  • For steaks, go for choice or prime grade aged 21 to 28 days; for hamburgers, go for a chuck/sirloin blend (also great for tacos!). Figure 6 ounces of meat per person.

  • Splurge Or Save
  • Splurge-worthy cuts include a big, thick filet, prime rib eye and strip steak. For a cost effective cut, the hanger steak is a great choice, but make sure to ask the butcher how to handle it. Befriend your butcher: He can recommend the best cuts, cooking methods and marinade suggestions for your needs.

  • No Fail Marinade
  • Make a purée of parsley, basil, garlic and olive oil. Combine the ingredients in a blender until bright green; brush onto the meat.

     

  • Grilling The Meat
  • Relaxation is key! Always let refrigerated or frozen meat sit out until it gets to room temperature. This allows the proteins to relax. When the meat is finished cooking, let it rest for ten minutes so the juices run back to the center of the meat (or else they’ll run right out onto your plate).


    Basic grilling tips from Bobby Flay.

    More tips on how to grill steak from Morton’s The Steakhouse.

    Grilling tips from award-winning grilling team Smoke In Da Eye.

      

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