Monday, August 1, 2011

Summertime.. and the grillin' is easy!

Phew, it's HOT. And what's the last thing you wanna do when it's hot out? Cook. Bleh. I have been using my grill nearly everyday for the last couple weeks...  And, my favorite go-to grilling meal? Grilled pork chops with mango salsa and grilled veggies.. mmmmm..

Serves 2

2 boneless pork chops
Trader Joe's Island Soyaki sauce, or any sesame ginger marinade works too

(this makes enough salsa for 3-4 people)
Mango Salsa
1 large ripened mango, peeled and diced into small pieces
1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and diced extra fine
1/4 medium red onion, diced fine
1/4 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced fine
Fresh cilantro, chopped fine (as much or as little as you want)
juice of 1 lime
pinch of salt, pepper

(note: You can sub out for dried cilantro and crushed pepper flakes if you don't have jalapeno or cilantro. Sometimes I do that. Don't tell anyone.)

For the grilled veggies:
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
Trader Joe's Island Soyaki Sauce

Marinade the sliced veggies and the pork (separately) in the soyaki sauce. Combine all of the ingredients for the salsa. Taste. Faint from how incredibly simple, fresh and delicious it is. Grab a tortilla chip and eat it "just to make sure."  Let the flavors combine while you're grilling.
On a hot grill, place the veg in a grill pan (not a stovetop grill pan, the pan you put on the grill, what's that called? a grill pan, right?). I like to put a grill-safe lid over the grill pan, so that it cooks faster. Grill chops until cooked through. Do not overcook - I repeat - do not overcook!
 Here I served this with some steamfresh rice w/ veggies. Easy peasy. A great meal when it's too hot to cook inside.