Summertime and grilled food go hand in hand. Corporate Chef for Culinary Services Kurt Kwiatkowski gave us two fantastic grilling recipes that are great for cookouts or quiet personal dinners.

Remember, safety first! If you’re out of practice, make sure to review safety standards from the CDC and National Fire Protection Association.

Grilled glazed pork chop

6  center cut bone-in pork chops, about 1-inch thick
1 T. ancho chili powder
1 t. smoked paprika
1 t. ground cumin
2 t. kosher salt
1 T. olive oil
3 T. sherry vinegar
½ c. pure maple syrup
½ c. chicken stock

Mix all spices and salt together, brush all pork chops with olive oil and then sprinkle on both sides of the pork chops and let rest for 1-2 hours.

Preheat grill

In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add vinegar and reduce by half. Stir in the maple syrup and stock and cook over medium-high heat until glaze starts to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. Will be about 5-7 minutes.

Grill pork chops on each side for about 5-7 minutes turning only once. When pork is turned, brush with glaze. When pork comes off the grill turn glazed side onto the plate and glaze other side of pork. If any glaze is left serve on the side with the pork.

**Let pork rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into.

Serves 6

Grilled fish with red pepper and capers

6 tablespoons olive oil
3 red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons capers
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, ground red pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
6 fillets (6-8 ounces each) rock cod or other lean, firm-fleshed white fish
Lemon wedges

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add bell peppers and thyme; stir to coat with oil. Cook, stirring, until peppers soften, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and capers; raise heat to high. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds; remove from heat. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and black and red peppers to taste; set aside.

Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, lemon juice and pepper flakes. Brush fish with half of the mixture; reserve other half of the marinade. Cover fish; refrigerate 20 minutes.

Remove fish from refrigerator about 10 minutes before grill is ready. Season fish with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste. Grill, basting occasionally with reserved marinade, until the flesh is opaque and just beginning to flake, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Fish does not need to be turned. Transfer fish to plates; top each portion with warm red bell pepper mixture.