Grilling 101: Fruits & Veggies

It’s finally that time of year when the sun, buns, and grill are out! There are a handful of holidays coming up that are centered around the grill, so we want to prepare you with the ultimate grilling hacks. Fruits and vegetables are particularly great for grilling as it creates more concentrated sugars, which means they will taste more flavorful! Since they are our specialties, we will be revealing some of the most helpful techniques for mastering these foods!

 

~THE BASICS~

• Marinate the veggies before grilling for added flavor—stick halved or cut pieces in a zip closure bag and mix it up with preferred seasoning (olive oil, salt and pepper are the preferred trifecta)
• Prep your grill: clean off the rack and fire it up
• Rub the grill rack with a halved onion to prevent food from sticking on the grill

 

~THE GOODS~

1. Asparagus

To ensure that the spears don’t fall through the cracks, you can: 1) skewer each spear vertically or many spears horizontally (shown in recipe above), 2) place spears on foil or grill pan OR 3) use a couple skewers and with the spears perpendicular to the two skewers, slide several spears onto them to hold them in place. To see the third method in action, click here (at the 1 min 29 sec mark).

 

2. Baby Vegetables: Carrots & Squash

There’s nothing cuter than baby vegetables on a stick! They are fun to look at and even better to eat, and all it takes is a quick chop on the cutting board, a brush of oil, and some skewers before you can create a beautiful array of grilled vegetables like our grilled veggie recipe shown in the image above!

 

3. Brussels Sprouts

Halve these baby cabbages for easier bites and a crispier, more tender texture, and then layer them with complementary foods (click here for recipe shown above)! If you are not planning to use the skewered veggies as a side, but more of a meal, make sure to include the four flavors to achieve umami: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Marinades can help accomplish this symphony of flavors as well!

 

4. Hass Avocado 

Never considered grilling these delectable fruits? You will after you check out our super simple grilled and stuffed avocado recipe that will have you eating all your salads from an avocado! You will spare some bowls from the pile of dishes in the sink and who doesn’t love that?

 

5. Heirloom Tomato

These unique tomatoes offer a great fresh taste, but can be grilled for a smokier flavor. Prepare these as a side dish to a steak entrée or integrate them into a beautiful soup, like the grilled heirloom tomato gazpacho shown above!

 

6. Mango 

It is common to find fruits like pineapple being grilled and added to dishes, but what about mango? It has a sweet and tangy profile similar to pineapple, but is much easier to prepare! Add it to a fresh salad or pair it with a spicy pepper for a pleasant surprise.

 

Unlike the other lettuces, radicchio has the versatility to be cooked and grilled for a unique taste! Its deep magenta color gives it an elegant edge and pop of color to any dish. Enjoy it as a simple appetizer as it is shown above or as a main ingredient in a light and tasty meal!

*Bonus tip: Grilling this chicory lettuce reduces its bitterness for those who want less of a kick