Marines' tour of grilling duty

[thedrifter]

Marines' tour of grilling duty
Associated Press

The many skills of U.S. Marines, renowned for prowess in fields of battle, include grilling at a Corps-worthy level of excellence.

Proof comes in the recipes and photos packaged in a cookbook, ``Command of the Grill: A Salute to Steak'' (Weber, $10), that will benefit Marines wounded or killed in the line of duty and their families.

The cookbook is a collection of 41 grilled steak recipes from active, reserve and former U.S. Marines, including some famous names, along with personal stories and color photos. Cooking hints come in a chapter titled ``Steak Boot Camp.''

Among contributing cooks: television personality Ed McMahon and golfer Lee Trevino, former Marines, and current Marines from many ranks.

All proceeds from the sale of cookbooks will go to four charities that directly benefit Marines: Wounded Warrior Project, Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund, Fisher House and Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation.

The 80-page cookbook is available at www.commandofthegrill.com.

The recipes include winners of what's described as last year's ``serious tong-to-tong battle of the grill'' -- grilling competitions involving both active-duty and reserve Marines held at 10 Marine Corps Community Services installations. A ``Command of the Grill'' final grill-off takes place Thursday in New York during Fleet Week.

The publisher, Weber-Stephens Products, says the goal is to sell at least 100,000 cookbooks, raising $1 million for donations to the funds.

Here are two recipes to sample.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

U.S. Marines meet grill challenge for wide benefit
By The Associated Press

Tasty confirmation: Yes, the many skills of U.S. Marines, renowned for prowess in fields of battle, do include grilling at a Corps-worthy level of excellence.

Plenty of proof comes in the recipes and photos packaged in a cookbook, "Command of the Grill: A Salute to Steak" (Weber, $10 paperback), that will benefit Marines wounded or killed in the line of duty and their families.

The cookbook is a collection of 41 grilled steak recipes from active, reserve and former U.S. Marines, including some famous names, along with plenty of personal stories and color photos. Cooking hints come in a chapter titled Steak Boot Camp.

Among contributing cooks: television personality Ed McMahon and golfer Lee Trevino, former Marines, and current Marines from many ranks.

All proceeds from the sale of cookbooks will go to four charities that directly benefit Marines: Wounded Warrior Project, Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund, Fisher House and Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation.

The 80-page cookbook is available through the Web site www.commandofthegrill.com, which also has a list of retailers of the book.

The recipes include winners of what's described as last year's "serious tong-to-tong battle of the grill" — grilling competitions involving both active-duty and reserve Marines held at 10 Marine Corps Community Services installations. A "Command of the Grill" final grill-off takes place tomorrow in Times Square, New York City, during Fleet Week.

The publisher, Weber-Stephens Products. Co., says the goal is to sell at least 100,000 cookbooks, raising $1 million for donations to the funds.

Here are three recipes to sample.

Combat Steaks

For the rub:

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the steak:

4 bone-in rib steaks, about 10 inches each and 1 inch thick

3 large portobello mushrooms, about 4 ounces each or 1 pound button mushrooms

1/2 C. (1 stick) butter

2 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 C. red wine

1/2 C. crumbled blue or feta cheese (optional)

In a small bowl mix the rub ingredients.

Massage the rub into both sides of each steak. Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Meanwhile, prepare the mushrooms.

Remover the mushroom stems and discard. Wipe the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel. With a teaspoon, scrape out the dark gills (if using portobello mushrooms) and discard. Cut each mushroom in half, and then cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1/4 cup of the butter. Add the mushrooms and garlic, spreading the mushrooms in a single layer. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are barely tender, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Add the wine and cook until nearly all the wine has evaporated, about 3 minutes, stirring once. Set aside.

With the lid closed, grill the steaks over direct medium-high heat (450 degrees to 500 degrees) until cooked to desired doneness, 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, turning once. (If flare-ups occur, move the steaks temporarily over indirect medium-high heat.) Remove from the grill and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, reheat the mushrooms over medium heat, adding in the remaining 1/4 cup of butter and heating until the butter has melted. Serve the steaks warm with the mushrooms and butter mixture spooned over the top. Add the crumbled cheese, if desires.

Makes 4 servings.

(Recipe created by Col. Stewart Navarre)

Portobello Mushroom Steak

Marinade:

2 C. soybean-based barbecue sauce

1/2 C. light brown sugar

1/2 C. roughly chopped yellow onion

1/2 C. roughly chopped green bell pepper

1/4 C. toasted sesame seed

Steak:

1 top sirloin steak, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds and about 1 1/4 inches thick

2 medium portobello mushrooms

1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed and seeded

1 small yellow onion

1/4 C. light olive oil

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

In a medium bowl, mix the marinade ingredients, reserving 1 tablespoon of the marinade for the vegetable packet.

Place the steak in a 2-inch-deep rectangular dish and pour the marinade over the steak. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning over the steak occasionally. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.

Remove the mushrooms stems and discard. Wipe the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel. With a teaspoon, scrape out the dark gills and discard. Cut each mushroom in half, and then cut each half crosswise into 1/3-inch slices. Cut the bell pepper lengthwise into 1/3-inch strips. Cut the onion in half through the stem and root ends, then cut each half lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. In a medium bowl mix the mushrooms with the bell peppers, onions, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 tablespoon of the marinade, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the salt. Mix gently. Place the mushroom mixture on a sheet of aluminum foil (about 18 inches by 18 inches). Pull up the corners of the foil and seal the packet tightly.

Remove the steak from the marinade, allowing the excess liquid to drip off and discard the marinade. Lightly coat the steak on both sides with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Season the steak evenly with the remaining pepper. With the lid closed, grill the steak over direct high heat (500 to 550 degrees) until cooked to desired doneness, 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare, turning once or twice. (If flare-ups occur, move the steak temporarily over indirect high heat.) At the same time, grill the packet of vegetables over direct high heat until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes, turning the packet once.

Remove the steak from grill and let rest for about 5 minutes. Carefully open the packet of vegetables (watch for steam). Cut the steak into thick slices and serve the steak with the vegetables spooned over the top.

Makes 4 servings.

(Recipe from Staff Sgt. Daniel G. Newcomb, of MCB Hawaii)

Rib-Eye Steaks With Mediterranean 'Marine-ade'

Marinade:

1/2 C. dry red wine

1/4 C. olive oil

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. dried marjoram

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Steak:

4 rib-eye steaks, 10 to 12 ounces each and about 1 inch thick

1 tsp. garlic salt

In a large plastic resealable bag set inside a large bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Add the steaks to the bag. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag several times to distribute the marinade, place the bag back in the bowl, and marinate for 30 to 60 minutes.

Remove the steaks from the bag and let the excess liquid drip off. Discard the marinade. Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Just before grilling, season both sides of each steak with the garlic salt.

With the lid closed, grill the steaks over direct high heat (500 to 550 degrees) until cooked to desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare, turning once. (If flare-ups occur, move the steaks temporarily over indirect high heat.) Remove from the grill and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 4 servings.

(Recipe from Lance Cpl. Jaynine Goodroe, MCAS Yuma, Ariz.)

All recipes from "Command of the Grill: A Salute to Steak," Weber, $10 paperback.

On the Web: www.commandofthegrill.com

http://www.salisburypost.com/temporaryimages/bp50126.jpg

Semper Fi:'Command of the Grill: A Salute to Steak,' a cookbook packed with great grilling recipes contributed by U.S. Marines.(AP Photo/Weber)

Ellie