Indoor Grilling on CH Morning Live

Grilled Steak with Blue Cheese Butter

You can enjoy this butter spread on bread or over a baked potato or on your favourite summer vegetables, as well. Here, it slowly melts into the beef to add a bold cheese flavour to your steak. 

3 tbsp (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp (25 mL) red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) chopped fresh thyme

1 small clove garlic, minced

Pinch each salt and pepper

2 beef striploin grilling steaks, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick

Blue Cheese Butter:

1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup (60 mL) crumbled Stilton blue cheese

1 tbsp 15 mL) finely chopped walnuts

1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh Italian parsley

Blue Cheese Butter: In a small bowl, mash together butter, blue cheese, walnuts and parsley until well combined.  Scrape onto a piece of plastic wrap and using plastic wrap as guide, roll into about 5-inch (12.5 cm) long log. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large shallow dish, whisk together oil, vinegar, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Add steaks and turn to coat evenly. Let stand for 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Place steaks on a greased grill over medium-high heat and grill for about 10 minutes, turning once or until desired doneness. Cut steaks in half crosswise and remove to plate. Top each with a slice of Blue Cheese Butter. Let melt slightly on steak for about 1 minute before serving. Refrigerate any unused Blue Cheese Butter for another use.

Makes 4 servings.

Helpful Hint to Grill Inside:

Marinate steak as above and sear steak in cast iron or grill pan over high heat. Place pan in 450 F (250 C) oven for about 5 minutes or until desired doneness. Let rest before serving.

Other BBQ Favourites for the Grill to cook inside:

Burgers: pan fry to brown and then place on baking sheet in a 400 F (200 C) oven to finish cooking

Chicken: sear in a grill pan and then place in a 400 F (200 C) oven until no longer pink inside.

Fish: place on a baking sheet and roast in 425 F (225 C) oven for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

Grilled Potato and Garlic Salad

Potato salad is boring, so here I’ve punched it up by grilling the potatoes and adding tons of garlic for an added kick of flavour. This is great for a picnic tote along too!

6 Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed

1/3 cup (75 mL) extra-virgin olive oil 

1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh basil

1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper

1 head roasted garlic

2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped oil packed sundried tomatoes

2 tbsp (30 mL) balsamic vinegar

1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard

Pierce potatoes all over with fork. Place in microwaveable container with 1/4 cup (60 mL) water. Cover with plastic wrap. Cook on High for about 12 minutes or until tender. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk together 3 tbsp (45 mL) of the oil, basil, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Slice potatoes into thirds. Toss with oil mixture. Place on greased grill over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remove to platter.

Squeeze garlic into bowl. Whisk in remaining oil, tomatoes, vinegar and mustard. Spoon over potatoes.

Makes 6 servings.

Helpful Hint to Grill Inside:

Since the potatoes are cooked you can panfry or “grill” in a grill pan or alternatively roast in a 425 F (225 C) oven until golden and crisp.

Grilled Flank Steak with Olive Vinaigrette

This cut of meat is lean and absorbs all the flavour you give it. A quick grill makes it easy to enjoy. Simply marinate the steak the night before if you have time, but if not, a quick 15 minute marinade adds flavour to the meat.

1 flank steak, about 1 1/2 lbs (750 g)

2 tbsp (30 mL) each chopped fresh oregano, thyme and basil or Italian parsley 

1/3 cup (75 mL) red wine vinegar

1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Olive Vinaigrette:

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped pitted Kalamata or sundried olives

1 plum tomato, diced

1 tbsp (15 mL) each basil flavoured olive or extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar  

In a shallow dish, combine oregano, thyme, basil, vinegar and oil. 

Using a fork, pierce flank steak all over on both sides. Place in dish and rub with herb mixture. Let stand for 15 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Place the steak on greased grill over medium-high heat and grill, turning once for about 12 minutes or until medium rare, or desired doneness. Remove to a cutting board and tent with foil before slicing. Sprinkle with salt.

Olive Vinaigrette: Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine onions, olives, tomato, basil oil and vinegar. Serve with flank steak.

Makes 6 servings.

Helpful Hint to Grill Inside:

Marinate as in recipe above and remove from marinade and place on foil lined baking sheet. Broil for about 5 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Let rest before slicing.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

This is perfect to add to your weeknight meal. Using in season and hearty plum tomatoes add lots of flavour and doesn’t make for a soupy salad.

4 plum tomatoes

1 English cucumber

Half a small sweet onion, thinly sliced (optional)

3 tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

3 tbsp (45 mL) red or white wine 

1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano

1 tsp (5 mL) salt

1/4 tsp (1 mL) fresh ground pepper

Remove core from tomato and cut into chunks. Place in a large bowl. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise; cut into slices. Add to bowl along with onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss to coat.

Makes 4 servings.