Spice Up Your End Of Summer Barbecue Blowout

Aug. 31, 2007 — -- The unofficial end of summer is just days away, but before you pack up your grill and break out your autumn gear, check out these Labor Day recipes.

Send summer off in style with these delectable dishes from chef Wolfgang Puck.

California Surf and Turf Barbecue

(recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck)

I prefer to rub my meat or fish with spices rather than smother them with heavy barbecue sauce. This is a perfect recipe for the end of summer when corn and tomatoes are at their best.

Yield: Serves 4

2 pounds New York or rib-eye steak

1½ pounds fresh wild Alaskan salmon

1/3 cup olive oil

Spice Rub:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons dried thyme

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon mild paprika

1 tablespoon hot paprika

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons dried coriander

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons white pepper

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

(Combine all the dry ingredients to make a rub. This goes well with beef, but it's also great with salmon, chicken, lamb or pork ribs. You can leave out or add some of your own favorites spices to this rub.)

Cut salmon filets into 4 equal pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and rub with the spices. Do the same with the steaks and set aside.

Summer Corn Salad

(recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck)

5 ears of fresh corn

1½ pound cooked lima beans or green beans

6 ounces barbecued onion slices

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, cut in half

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1 cup loosely packed arugula or ½ cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley

Brush the corn with a little olive oil and grill on a hot grill until nicely roasted and brown. Cool, and with a sharp knife, slice the kernels off the cobs. Cut a medium sized onion into ½-inch thick slices and grill on a hot grill on both sides. Remove from the grill and coarsely chop.

Boil lima beans in salted water. Shock in ice water and remove skins. Set aside.

Mediterranean Vinaigrette

(recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck)

2 cups plain yogurt

¼ cup Japanese cucumber, finely grated

3 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped dill

2 teaspoons sugar

Salt

White pepper

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined. Reserve.

Mix together all the salad ingredients and dress with half of the vinaigrette. Reserve the remaining half to serve on the side when your dish is completed.

Drizzle a little olive oil on the beef and cook on a hot grill until about medium rare or to desired degree of doneness. Allow the beef to rest for about 15 minutes before slicing it. Cut into ½-inch slices against the grain.

When the beef is done, drizzle the salmon with a little olive oil and cook on a hot grill until about medium. Be careful not to overcook fish — especially salmon — or it will dry out.

Presentation: Divide corn salad evenly onto 4 plates. Place the grilled salmon on one side, and the sliced steak on the other side. Drizzle the meat and fish with remaining vinaigrette.