By J.M. HIRSCH

During summer, I’m likely to grill as many as four or five nights a week. It just makes sense for the weeknight kitchen.

Grilling is fast, easy and leaves almost no cleanup. Especially when you do the entire meal on the grill.

The only downside of grilling with the frequency I do is that meals can start to feel repetitive.

That’s why I am constantly experimenting with new rubs, brines, marinades and seasoning mixes – all of which are near effortless and versatile ways to add tons of flavor.

Burgers, for example, can be spiked with different seasonings for fresh approaches each night. Perhaps an Asian-inspired blend of fresh ginger, garlic, chives and mustard powder one night, then a mix of diced jalapeños and Monterey Jack cheese the next.

Pork and chicken can be brined in a mix of cool water, sugar, salt and whichever seasonings appeal to you. Beef (or in the case of this recipe, bison) does particularly well with rubs, either wet or dry.

For this recipe, a base of balsamic vinegar and tamarind paste (widely available in the Asian aisle at most grocers) add tons of flavor, while also keeping the meat (bison dries out quickly) moist.

Bison Steaks with Balsamic-Tamarind Wet Rub

Servings: 4

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon tamarind paste

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Four 6-ounce bison steaks

In a large bowl, mix together the oil, vinegar, tamarind paste, salt, pepper, cinnamon and smoked paprika.

Add the bison steaks and use your hands to slather the mixture evenly over all sides of the steaks.

Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Heat the grill to medium-high. Oil the grates.

Grill the steaks for 5 minutes per side, or until deep grill marks appear.

Transfer to a plate, cover and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Per serving: 252 calories; 85 calories from fat; 10 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 65 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrate; 37 g protein; 0 g fiber; 317 mg sodium.

By J.M. HIRSCH

Unless you’re cooking for a crowd, baking up an Easter ham may not be worth the time, effort and expense.

If not, you’ll do better to stick with ham steaks, a faster and more economical cut that can have the same flavor. Ham steaks also are easily adapted to the number of people you need to serve.

I started by sorting out the sides. I wanted potatoes in the mix, but I knew these would take the longest. A quick saute with some butter and thyme got a bag of new potatoes rolling. I then transferred them to the oven to finish.

Which gave me an idea for a fresh approach to doing the green beans. I dumped my prepped green beans into the now-empty pan, tossed them with butter, garlic, salt and pepper, then covered the pan and set it aside. It was just enough to get them barely tender by serving time.

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With Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, bacon and puff pastry, this quiche sounds like a diet killer. But with 242 calories per serving, it actually isn’t all that bad. And all those ingredients are so happiness-inducing, it’s worth every calorie anyway.

The recipe starts from a basic quiche equation, a mess of eggs whisked with some heavy cream, salt and pepper. But rather than a traditional pastry crust, I went with a lighter, and delightfully fattier, puff pastry.

To up the savoriness, I added cooked bacon and grated Parmesan. What you do after that depends on your inspiration. You could use a bit of the bacon fat to saute onions and mushrooms, then add those. Thinly sliced scallions also would be a fine choice.

If you do add mushrooms, be sure to cook them until the moisture they release (this happens after several minutes of sautéing) has simmered off. You don’t want a watery quiche.

This quiche comes together in about 45 minutes. It also can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.

Serve it slightly warmed or at room temperature.

Bacon and Parmesan Cheese Quiche

Servings: 6

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions (each 17.3-ounce package contains 2 sheets)

4 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

8 strips bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the puff pastry until it forms about a 12-by-12-inch square. Carefully fit the pastry into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Gently press the pastry into the edges, then pass a rolling pin over the top to trim off any excess dough.

Top the pastry with a sheet of parchment paper, then place a second (slightly smaller) tart or pie pan into the tart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove the tart shell from the oven, leaving the top pan in the tart, and set aside to cool slightly. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.

While the quiche shell bakes, in a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme. Stir in the bacon and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Carefully transfer the egg mixture to the cooled tart shell, then sprinkle the remaining cheese over it.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the eggs and cheese are lightly browned and puffed. Cool slightly before serving.

Per serving: 242 calories; 169 calories from fat; 19 g fat (9 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 166 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrate; 13 g protein; 0 g fiber; 670 mg sodium

If you’re looking to feed a Super Bowl crowd fast and cheap, giant subs are the way to go. Depending on how much other food you plan to serve, one 24-inch sub can make as many as 12 servings. And it takes just minutes to assemble.

Alternatively, and for even less effort, set up a sub buffet — a variety of rolls, deli sliced meats and cheeses, roasted and fresh vegetables, and a bunch of condiments — then let your guests assemble their own. You even could turn on the oven for guests who want their subs heated.

Consider these easy recipes for giant Italian and pastrami subs just a jumping off point. Head to the deli, buy whatever meats and cheeses inspire, then head home and create.
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A wonderful comfort food, this Pulled Pork on Soft Polenta puts an Italian twist to pulled pork. (AP)

Spicy pulled pork over polenta only sounds like a culture clash. It oozes comfort and it makes more sense than you might think.

Polenta, which is made from cornmeal, isn’t all that far removed from the corn tortillas and chips that partner so nicely with the Mexican flavors used to season the pulled pork.

To keep this dish convenient, the soft polenta is made from a purchased prepared variety sold in tubes. Chopped and simmered with milk, this polenta quickly softens. Alternatively, you could skip the simmering step and instead oil and grill slices of the polenta.
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A food processor can turn a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into truffles. (AP)

I’m no fan of deception when it comes to getting kids to eat healthy. But I’m not above novelty to keep things interesting.

Which is how I came up with this idea for candylike truffles made from that all-American childhood staple — peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. These are seriously delicious, even if the process of making them seems pretty strange.

All I did was make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole-wheat bread, then run them through the food processor until they formed a thick dough.

I then rolled tablespoon-sized chunks of it into balls and coated some with crushed peanuts, others with powdered sugar.

Banish all thoughts of those dreaded soggy PB&J sandwiches from your lunchbox days. While reminiscent of a sandwich, the texture of these truffles is pleasantly chewy and thick, and the taste is decadent.

Other coatings could include crushed almonds or pistachios, mini chocolate chips (though that detracts from the healthy aspect of this kid-friendly snack), cocoa powder, or finely chopped dried fruit, such as dried cranberries or cherries.
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