BEAT THE BARBECUE BLUES

NORWALK, Conn., June 23, 2009 – If you've braved the rain to grill this summer, then there is a good chance you have the barbecue blues—a lack of interest in and excitement for the usual grilling fare. Stew Leonard's chefs can help you beat the barbecue blues with four simple suggestions for how to add excitement to your remaining summer grilling celebrations.

Dress Up Your Burgers
Variety is the spice of life…and food. Burgers may always be delicious, but dressing them up every once in a while keeps things interesting.

To primp your patties, Stew Leonard's Executive Chef George Llorens recommends stuffing burgers with a mix of complimentary ingredients, such as an Italian burger made with red peppers, mozzarella and basil. Other delicious varieties include: Gorgonzola and Bacon; Blue Cheese and Parsley and; California, which is a turkey burger stuffed with red onions, black olives and a mix of green, red and yellow peppers. He recommends mixing the ingredients into the patty before cooking so that all the flavors meld together, but adding them as toppings after the patty has been cooked will work fine too.

If you don't have time for preparation, or just want a night away from the grill, several gourmet burger flavors are available in the meat departments of Stew Leonard's stores.

Mix It Up with Marinades and Rubs
The number of marinades, rubs and salsa recipes out there is endless. Rely on them for a unique, and easy, grilling experience every time.

Stew Leonard's team of chefs created dozens of marinades and rubs for the Stew Leonard's You Can Do It! and Stew Leonard's Winning Recipes cookbooks. A few of their favorites include: ginger teriyaki marinade for steaks and London broil; green chili and cilantro marinade for seafood and; a Jamaican jerk seasoning rub for pork and poultry.

Add a Special Ingredient According to Stew Leonard's Executive Chef Chaz Fable, an easy way to wake up your guests' taste buds is by adding a special ingredient to or changing the dressing for a regular barbecue dish. He recommends adding lobster meat to cold pasta salad and lemon-chive dressing to potato salad for eye-opening reactions to stand-by recipes.

Keep the Fire on for Dessert
To end your next barbecue with a bang, Stew Leonard's chefs urge you to keep the fire going for dessert. The juicy, sugary-sweet fruits of summer we all love--watermelons, apricots, peaches, plums and nectarines--taste even better when cooked on the grill. Grilling removes water from the fruit and caramelizes the sugar, intensifying the flavors and sweetness without having to add a single ingredient. Pineapples, apples, bananas and mangoes are also great on the grill.

Fruits with thick skins, like pineapple, mangoes and bananas, should be peeled first and cut into ¾ inch thick slices, lengthwise. Peaches, nectarines and plums should be cut in half; apples and pears quartered. Cook on a clean, well-oiled grill on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side. As the fruits come off the grill, drizzle with honey and brown sugar and serve plain, as a topping to ice cream or Greek yogurt, or with grilled pound cake and a dollop of crème Fraîche.

Here are a few recipes Stew Leonard's chefs rely on to wow both customers and their own guests all summer long:

Ginger and Teriyaki Marinade
From Stew Leonard's You Can Do It! Cookbook
5 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium okay)
4 tablespoons rice wine or rice vinegar
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced, or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Stir all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Makes about ½ cup.

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Rub
From Stew Leonard's You Can Do It! Cookbook
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon scallion, minced
Hot sauce (such as Tabasco) to taste
Blend all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Makes about 2/3 cup.

Italian Gourmet Burger
Stew's Naked Black Angus ground chuck, 80-85% lean
Mozzarella, shredded
Red peppers, julienne
Fresh basil, chopped
Kosher salt
Pepper, freshly ground

Fill large bowl with Stew's Naked Black Angus ground chuck meat, 7 ounces per burger patty. Mix in the mozzarella with the chuck meat, followed next by the red peppers and then the basil. Use ingredient amounts to discretion, making sure there is more meat to add-ins. Add salt and pepper to season. Mold into patties ¾ of an inch thick, making a deep depression in the center of each burger with your thumb. Keep patties in refrigerator until just before cooking. Place the burgers on the grill over high heat. Cook to medium rare (about seven minutes) or medium (8 minutes) depending on your preference.

For Gorgonzola and Bacon, mix crumbled cheese and pan-fried, chopped bacon to the chuck meat. For Blue Cheese and Parsley, crumble the cheese and chop the parsley. For California Burgers, use Stew's Naked ground turkey and chopped red onion, black olives and green, red and yellow peppers.

Lobster and Bow-Tie Pasta Salad
From Stew Leonard's Winning Recipes Cookbook
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 pound cooked bow-tie pasta
1 cup frozen peas
1 pound cooked lobster meat
1 head Belgian endive

In a small saucepan, heat 1 canola oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cracked black pepper and cook for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add tarragon and white wine vinegar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated. Pour into a large bowl to cool. When the mixture has cooled, stir in ¾ cup mayonnaise. Meanwhile, prepare bow-tie pasta according to the package directions. Add frozen peas to the pasta water during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain the pasta and peas. Run under cold water and drain completely. Add the drained pasta, peas, and cooked lobster meat to the bowl. Toss to coat well. Makes 8-12 servings.

Lemon-Chive Potato Salad
From Stew Leonard's Winning Recipes Cookbook
1 ½ pounds red potatoes, scrubbed
½ teaspoon salt
¾ pound sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut diagonally in half
2 medium yellow bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 cup Lemon-Chive Dressing

Dressing:
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup fresh chives, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried mustard

Cut the potatoes into quarters and place in a large saucepot. Cover with cold water and add the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and boil gently for 15 minutes, or until tender. Add the snap peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking. While the potatoes are boiling, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice, chives, salt, pepper and dried mustard to make the dressing. Drain the potatoes and snap peas in a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain completely. Place in a large bowl with the peppers and dressing and toss to coat well. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving or cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours before serving. Makes 6-8 servings.

Stew Leonard's, a family-owned and operated fresh food store founded in 1969, has four stores in Norwalk, Danbury, and Newington, Conn. and Yonkers, N.Y. The company was named among FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work for in America" for the past seven consecutive years. For more information, visit Stew Leonard's website at www.stewleonards.com.