Summer is perfect for grilling and chilling. Whether you are planning a Fourth of July barbecue, an outdoor Shabbat or picnic-style meal, “light and delicious” is the goal.

“Whenever possible, we eat Shabbat dinner outside in the summer,” chef Danny Corsun, director of Culinary Judaics Academy (CJA), told The Journal. “Outdoor eating means outdoor cooking, so that means using the grill.”

Corsun said their grilled fish and vegetables are often accompanied by everyone’s favorite barbecue staple, coleslaw. “When I make ahi tuna burgers, I not only make the coleslaw as a side dish, I use the sauce from the slaw recipe in and on the burgers,” he said. “CJA’s coleslaw recipe is a different take on the classic and offers up even more flavor with this ‘special sauce’ as the family calls it.”

CJA’s Grilled Ahi Tuna Burgers

1 lb of sushi grade ahi tuna (no skin)

1 egg

½ large sweet onion, finely diced

1 tsp garlic-herb powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp Cajun/blackening seasoning

1 tsp salt

½ tsp ground pepper to taste

¼ cup panko breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp of CJA’s “Special Sauce” (recipe below)

2 Tbsp olive oil

Regular or slider buns for serving

Preheat your grill to 400°F.

In a saucepan over low to medium heat, sauté the onions in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. 

Cut tuna into large chunks and put into a food processor. Pulse the processor to cut up the tuna. Note: You still want the tuna in smallish pieces, so do not over-process or else the texture of the burgers will come out mealy.

Transfer the tuna to a large bowl and add the egg, seasonings, sautéed onion, special sauce and breadcrumbs. Mix everything together, incorporating all of the ingredients.

Spray your hands with nonstick spray and start forming the tuna mixture into small slider patties (or big if you’re going for the larger size burger). If the mixture is too dry to form into patties, add a little more of the special sauce.

Spray a sheet pan with nonstick spray and start lining up your burgers about two to three inches from one another. Place the pan into the grill and close the top and cook for about 2-3 minutes. It is important not to overcook these burgers! Ahi tuna is best when served on the rarer side. There’s nothing worse than dry tuna … Not only does it taste horrible, but you’ve spent so much money on this great product, it’s a waste to overcook it! So keep a very close eye on these.  

Return to the grill and with a metal spatula, flip the burgers on to the grill itself. They should have the consistency to do this now and not fall apart. Grill the burgers on one side, making grill marks for another one to two minutes and then flip to the other side to get grill marks there as well. While you do this for 45 seconds to 1 minute, take this opportunity to quickly toast your buns. Remove the burgers and serve on the lightly toasted bun with your condiment of choice: more of the special sauce, mustard, pickles, grilled pineapple etc. Enjoy!

Culinary Judaics Academy Coleslaw 

12 oz bag of mixed cabbage/coleslaw

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp reduced balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp whole grain mustard

1 tsp garlic herb seasoning

1 cup of roasted almonds

½ cup of dried cranberries (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Combine the mayo, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, reduced balsamic vinegar, mustard, garlic herb powder, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk together until creamy.

 Put the coleslaw mix in another bowl. Slowly add half of the sauce mixture into the bowl and thoroughly incorporate. Add in the rest of the sauce 1 tablespoon at a time until you achieve the consistency you like; some like their slaw on the creamier side while others like it a tad drier. Once fully incorporated, if using them, add in the optional roasted almonds and dried cranberries. This adds a bit of texture and tartness/sweetness to the slaw, but is completely up to your personal tastes as the slaw is outstanding just on its own. 

Debbie Kornberg, cooking instructor and founder of SPICE + LEAF, loves the ease of cooking on the grill.

Her sweet and savory salmon teriyaki kebabs really make a splash. Note these can also be made with halibut, sea bass or grouper.

“These kebabs are a colorful mix of fresh veggies, juicy pineapple and tender fish that always wow my guests,” Kornberg told the Journal. 

They’re perfect for nonmeat eaters, yet still packed with protein. 

“Best of all, they come together easily, so you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying the friends and family you are hosting,” she said.

Teriyaki Fish Kebabs

(Serves 4) 

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp SPICE + LEAF Salmon Blend

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup soy sauce (can also use coconut aminos)

¼ cup mirin (a Japanese wine cooking vinegar)

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1.5 lbs salmon (or halibut, sea bass or grouper), cut into 1.5” cubes

Green bell peppers, cut into squares

Red onion, cut into squares

Whole mushrooms

Wood or metal skewers

Whole cherry tomatoes

Pineapple rings

Combine garlic, salmon blend, brown sugar, soy sauce, mirin and sesame oil in a bowl. Mix well. Place fish cubes into marinade, cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Using skewers, alternate 3-4 fish pieces with green peppers, red onion, tomatoes and mushrooms.  

Take remaining teriyaki sauce from the marinade bowl and place into a small pot. Bring to a boil. Once cooked, use as sauce to baste kebabs once on the grill.

Heat up the grill to a high temperature, about 425°F. Coat fish kebabs and pineapple rings with cooking spray so they do not stick to the grill. Once the grill is hot, place kebabs and pineapple on it for about 3 to 4 minutes; keep the lid open to get some nice grill marks. Reduce heat to 350°F and baste kebabs regularly with remaining sauce. 

Turn kebabs so they are cooked on all sides. When fish is fully cooked, remove from the grill; about 12 to 15 minutes. Cook pineapple rings until nice grill marks appear on both sides. Serve together. YUM!