Entrées

To grill the meat, prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. (If using an oven, preheat to 400°F.) Rub the tenderloins with the lemon zest, brush with canola oil, and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on the grill rack and cook, turning once, for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. (If using an oven, coat a large ovenproof skillet with 2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil and heat on medium-high. Add the meat and sear on all sides. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until meat is dark brown. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes.) Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve the pork with chutney on the side.

Serves 4 to 6

Herbed Tuna Salad with Berries

Rich in health-promoting antioxidants and vitamins, this salad is a bright take on tuna. So cool and refreshing, it is the perfect summer entrée.

2 (16-ounce) cans white or light tuna, packed in water

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

¼ cup peeled and minced red onion

2½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

½ cup chopped cucumber

⅓ cup finely chopped red bell pepper

½ cup fresh blueberries

8 large leaves lettuce, for serving

Dressing

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the tuna, celery, onion, dill, cucumber, and bell pepper in a bowl and toss well to combine. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients with a whisk. Pour the dressing over the tuna mixture and toss to coat. Cover and place in the refrigerator until chilled. Just before serving, add the blueberries and toss gently. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Serves 4

Grilled Swordfish with Blueberry-Verbena Butter

For a change, use red snapper or salmon in place of swordfish. The best lemon verbena comes freshly picked from the garden.

¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup fresh or partially thawed frozen blueberries

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup young lemon verbena leaves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon minced shallot

4 (6-ounce, 1-inch-thick) swordfish steaks

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

With the back of a fork or in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, blend the butter, blueberries, and salt until completely blended. This may take up to 2 minutes in the food processor. Transfer the butter mixture to a bowl. Fold in the verbena and shallot. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop. (Store the butter in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or freeze it for up to 3 months.)

Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Rub the fish with the oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the fish on the grill rack and cook, turning once, for about 5 minutes on each side. The swordfish is ready when it has turned from translucent to opaque throughout. Transfer the fish to plates. Place 1 tablespoon of the blueberry verbena butter on each steak. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

New York Strip Steak with Blueberry-Port Sauce

This rich blueberry sauce also tastes wonderful over duck, chicken, or lamb. Thyme and mint are excellent substitutions for the rosemary.

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen blueberries

1½ cups port

1 cup beef broth

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 (8-ounce) New York strip steaks

2 tablespoons canola oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan, combine the shallots, blueberries, port, broth, and sugar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for about 1 hour, until reduced to ½ cup. Remove from the heat and stir in the rosemary and butter. Keep warm.

Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a grill to high. Pat the steaks dry, brush both sides with the oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place on the grill rack and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Place 1 steak on each place and drizzle 2 tablespoons of the sauce over each. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Roasted Chicken Salad with Walnuts, Apples, and Dried Blueberries

This salad is more delicious made twenty-four hours ahead of time so the flavors have time to develop and deepen. Roasting the chicken with the skin on and bone in results in flavorful, juicy meat. Add it to the salad when the meat is still slightly warm, as warm chicken absorbs the dressing and picks up flavors better than cold chicken.

Mayonnaise

1 egg

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup canola oil

Salad

2 (1-pound) chicken breasts, with skin

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

Freshly ground black pepper

1 celery stalk, diced

½ cup walnuts

½ cup dried blueberries

½ cup diced red apple (such as a Braeburn, Gravenstein, Macoun, Empire), with peel

¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

2 scallions, white and light green parts, finely chopped

¼ cup plain whole milk yogurt

1 cup chopped Romaine lettuce, for serving

To make the mayonnaise, place the egg, vinegar, salt, and mustard in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Blend on medium speed until well mixed. Add the oil in a slow but steady stream until emulsified. Set aside.

For the salad, preheat the oven to 400°F. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place them on a sheet pan with no oil. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, turning them over halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, assemble the salad. Combine the ½ teaspoon salt with ¼ cup of the mayonnaise, the celery, walnuts, blueberries, apple, parsley, scallions, and yogurt in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

Remove the skin from the chicken and chop the meat into bite-size chunks or shred into bite-size pieces. Add to the salad and toss, making sure the chicken is well coated with the dressing. Serve as is, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Divide into portions on a bed of Romaine.

Serves 4

Grilled Venison with Ancho Chile–Blueberry Sauce

Venison is similar to beef but much leaner, a great alternative for those looking for a healthier choice. The combination of blueberries and venison dates back to the Native Americans in the Northwest Territories. Legend has it, one of Lewis and Clark’s first meals with the natives of the Northwest was venison cured with blueberries.

Ancho Purée

2 ancho chiles

2 cups water

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

½ cup peeled and finely chopped yellow onion

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup port

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup fresh blueberries

4 (4-ounce) venison medallions

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra

Freshly ground black pepper

To make the purée, place the chiles in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Pour over the chiles and let steep for 1 hour. Remove the chiles, reserving ¼ cup of the soaking liquid. Stem and seed the chiles and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the salt and the soaking liquid. Process for about 1 minute, or until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. (If desired, make the purée ahead and refrigerate for up to 30 days.)

To make the sauce, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and salt, and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the ancho purée, port, brown sugar, and broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until reduced to 1 cup. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, add the blueberries, and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and stir until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Pat the venison medallions dry with paper towels. Place the meat on a plate and coat both sides with the oil. Sprinkle both sides with the 1½ teaspoon salt. Place on the grill rack and grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until just cooked to medium-rare. Slice each medallion on an angle into 4 to 6 pieces. Divide among 4 plates. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

Serves 4