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In my world, grills were made for Sunday. It's the perfect day. Fewer distractions. More time. Relaxation with a favorite libation - or two. What could be finer than starting the fire, sitting down close by to keep an eye on the coals (no gas grills here!), and admiring all that was accomplished during the working part of the weekend. That's how it should work. And then there are the times it rains. That was today.

Yesterday, our outing to the Lansing City Market had included a stop at City Fish where we got a pound of good looking scallops. Then it was over to Sun & Rain Gardens for some fresh asparagus. At Bob's Market, we picked up some freshly picked Michigan strawberries. Nothing says spring like asparagus and strawberries. When I was a kid, trips to the strawberry patch were a regular spring event. It wasn't always my first choice of activities after school had let out for the summer. But her strawberry jam was undoubtedly among the world's greatest. I've not taken up jam-making (yet) but I do love when the Michigan berries start to come in. Their taste still has the power to take me back to the strawberry patch back home. 

With scallops and asparagus in the refrigerator, it was just a matter of figuring how to cook them. After perusing some cookbooks, it  became evident that this meal would be the height of simplicity. A little olive oil, some salt, a bit of pepper, and a hot grill. Grilled scallops and roasted asparagus would be the perfect meal. 

It was not meant to be.

Just about 3:00, when I had planned to get the grill started the rain started. 15 minutes later it stopped. As I was about to get the grill going, the skies opened and it poured. So out came the cast iron grill and I pre-heated the oven for roasting the asparagus inside.

We coated everything in a little bit of olive oil, seasoned with salt & pepper and waited for the oven to heat up. I roasted the asparagus for about 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven. After about 10 minutes, I turned on the burners and heated up the stove-top grill. After it was good and hot, I put on the scallops. A couple minutes later I turned them and took the asparagus out of the oven. The scallops were nicely seared and cooked through.

The berries we picked up were not destined for jam. They were today's dessert. Shannon had found a recipe for coffee-less tiramisu that called for strawberries and moscato d"Asti, a light and fizzy wine. You can find the recipe here, and look here for the accompanying column that ran in last Wednesday's New York Times. It was the highlight of the meal. With a cup of coffee, it was the perfect way to cap off the meal.

Yes, the scallops and asparagus lacked the flavor that comes from an outside charcoal grill. But it was a lovely, simple Sunday meal and it was topped off by a great dessert.