ShareThisLately, I've expanded my grill repertoire to include fruit.
Virtually any ripened fruit -- even clusters of grapes -- can be grilled, so long as it's still firm. Sturdier fruits, including oranges, lemons and apples, can be sliced into wedges or halves and placed directly on the grates. Softer, more delicate varieties (bananas, mangos, strawberries) are best skewered or sliced into grill baskets.
Particularly trendy this year is grilled watermelon, which to me seemed kind of strange because the popular summer fruit is full of, you know, water, so shouldn't it disintegrate as soon as it hits the hot grates? But watermelon holds up pretty well if you slice it thick enough -- rind on or off, it's up to you -- and brush the surface with a little oil or butter to prevent sticking. Plus, it's not as sweet as you might think, and gets the same lovely grill marks as a piece of zucchini or eggplant.
Still, I have to wonder: Does one really need anything other than salt to bring a juicy piece of watermelon to life?
GRILLED FIGS WITH AMERICAN "PROSCIUTTO"
(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
This is one of the best marriages of sweet, salty and smoky I've ever tasted. And so easy!
-- Gretchen McKay
16 fresh mission or brown Turkey figs
4 ounces blue cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces mascarpone, at room temperature
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
6 ounces thinly sliced country ham or prosciutto
Slice figs in half lengthwise. Using a grapefruit spoon, scoop out a bit of the flesh, taking care not to break the skin, and put into a bowl. Add blue cheese and mascarpone and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, simmer vinegar until it is reduced to about 6 tablespoons and nice and syrupy. Let cool, but keep at room temperature.
Take each fig half and stuff with a tablespoon of fig mixture. Wrap a piece of ham around the fig and stuffing. Place on baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
Oil grill racks. Preheat your grill using all burners set on high and with lid closed for 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove figs from refrigerator and place each on the grill, cut side up. Close lid and cook them until the ham is a bit crispy and figs are warm, about 5 minutes. Remove to a platter and drizzle with the reserved balsamic syrup. Serve immediately.
Makes 16 appetizers.
-- "Grillin' with Gas" by Fred Thompson (Taunton, 2010, $19.95)
GRILLED AVOCADOS, TOMATOES AND LEMONS
(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Yes, avocados are fruit and, technically, so are tomatoes because they have seeds. Be sure your avocados aren't overly ripe or they'll end up mushy.
-- Gretchen McKay
4 avocados (unpeeled), halved
3 lemons, halved
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large ripe tomatoes, thickly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon drained capers
Coarse kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Prepare a hot fire in your grill.
Lightly brush cut side of the avocados and lemons with olive oil. Place cut side down on grill. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes, or until skins begin to brown. Let cool.
Lightly brush 1 side of tomato slices with olive oil. Place oiled side down on the grill. Grill for about 2 minutes, or until the oiled side is charred. Arrange on a platter, with some slices grilled side up.
Slip skins off avocados and cut flesh into quarters. Arrange on top of the tomatoes. Squeeze juice from half a grilled lemon over avocados. Scatter red onion and capers over all. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Squeeze more lemon juice over top and arrange the remaining grilled lemon halves on the platter as garnish.
Serves 6 to 8.
-- "300 Big & Bold Barbecue & Grilling Recipes" by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig (Robert Rose, 2010, $24.95)
MARINATED WATERMELON STEAK WITH PINK PEPPERCORN RUB
(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
This peppery side dish is not like any watermelon you've ever tasted -- it packs a punch. Be sure not to cut the watermelon too thin or it will fall apart on the grill. A spatula works better than tongs when it's time to flip the fruit.
-- Gretchen McKay
1 crosswise center-cut slice of a large watermelon, about 1-1/2-inches thick
3/4 cup light rum
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 lime
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons pink peppercorns, crushed
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
Remove green and white rind from the watermelon, and then cut crosswise into quarters to make 4 wedge-shaped steaks.
Combine rum, butter and mint in a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Grate zest from half the lime into the bag, then squeeze in all the juice. Add a pinch of salt and the watermelon steaks. Press out air, seal and shake gently to blend. Let stand at warm room temperature (at least 72 degrees) for 1 to 2 hours.
Light a grill for indirect medium heat, about 350 degrees.
Combine the crushed pink peppercorns, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small dish. Remove watermelon from marinade and pat dry with paper towels; reserve the marinade. Sprinkle the rub all over the steaks.
Brush grill grate and coat with oil. Grill watermelon directly over the heat until nicely grill-marked, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Move watermelon away from the heat, close the lid and cook until very tender and slightly shrunken, 30 to 40 minutes.
Boil the marinade in a small saucepan until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 10 minutes. Stir in honey and drizzle over steaks.
Makes 4 servings.
-- "Fire it Up" by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim (Chronicle, 2011, $24.95)
WATERMELON AND FETA SKEWERS
16 cubes (1 inch) peeled seedless watermelon
8 large basil leaves
8 cubes (3/4-inch) feta cheese (6 ounces)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes.
Heat grill to high. Carefully thread 2 watermelon cubes onto each skewer. Grill, flipping, until grill marks appear, about 1 minute per side.
Carefully thread 1 basil leaf and 1 feta cube onto each skewer. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil.
Serves 4.
-- Marthastewart.com
GRILLED PEACH COBBLER
(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Fruit cobbler is a quintessential summer dessert. But why turn on the oven when you've got a perfectly good grill on the patio?
-- Gretchen McKay
3/4 cup coarsely crushed pretzels
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter
5 medium fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced, or 5 cups frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup caramel ice-cream topping, plus more for serving
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Prepare topping by mixing pretzels, brown sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, work in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine peaches, granulated sugar, lemon juice, tapioca, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Place half of the peach mixture in a 2-quart disposable foil pan. Drizzle the 1/3 cup caramel topping over that. Top with remaining peach mixture. Cover pan tightly with foil.
Preheat grill, then reduce to medium. Adjust for indirect heating. Place foil pan on grill rack over the burner that is turned off. Cover and grill for 30 minutes. Uncover pan. Sprinkle topping evenly over peach mixture in foil pan. Cover grill; cook for 10 to 15 minutes more or until mixture is bubbly and topping is light brown.
Remove foil pan from grill. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. If desired, drizzle cobbler with additional caramel topping and serve with ice cream.
Serves 6.
-- "Better Homes and Gardens Grill It!" (Wiley, 2011, $24.95)
GRILLED ORANGES WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE
(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Naval oranges are out of season so I substituted Valencia (simply pick out the seeds). This sauce is delicious on vanilla ice cream.
-- Gretchen McKay
4 to 6 naval oranges
1 pint fresh raspberries, rinsed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, triple sec or another orange-flavored liqueur
1 pint vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
Prepare a medium-hot grill.
Grate 2 teaspoons zest off oranges, and then peel oranges. Cut each into 4 slices horizontally. Combine raspberries, sugar, liqueur and orange zest in a small mixing bowl. Mash fruit gently, and set aside.
Grill orange slices for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side, uncovered if using a charcoal grill, until browned. To serve, arrange orange slices on the bottom of bowls, and top with ice cream and raspberry sauce. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
-- "Great Year-Round Grilling in the Northwest" by Ellen Brown (Lyons, 2010, $19.95)
LIQUORED BANANAS
(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
I've made more mojitos than I can count this summer, so I was delighted to find a use for rum that didn't involve squeezing and muddling. Just be careful not to poke yourself while injecting the bananas with the liqueur. I did, and it really hurt.
I don't have a plancha, a griddlelike iron plate used in Spanish cooking, but a cast-iron skillet got the job done.
-- Gretchen McKay
6 bananas
1 cup alcohol of your choice (cognac, rum or any type of fruit liqueur)
Powdered sugar, to taste
Powdered cinnamon, to taste
Using a large syringe, inject alcohol into the bananas through the skin, in several locations.
Place bananas in skin on the plancha (grill) and cook for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove from grill to serving platter.
Split bananas open lengthwise and sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon.
Serves 6.
-- "Plancha: 150 Great Recipes for Spanish-Style Grilling" by Liliane Otal (Surrey, 2011, $21)
GRILLED STRAWBERRIES
(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Best to use a grill tray or basket for this quick dessert. My berries were on the small side so I skewered them whole.
-- Gretchen McKay
1 cup powdered sugar
48 medium-sized fresh strawberries
Lemon sorbet
Place powdered sugar in a small bowl. Halve strawberries. Thread strawberry halves on 4-inch skewers. Dip skewered berries in powdered sugar, turning to coat. Place berries on a greased grill tray.
For a charcoal grill, grill strawberries on grill tray on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium-low coals about 6 minutes, or until strawberries are heated through, turning frequently. For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium-low. Place strawberries on grill tray on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as directed.
Serve strawberries with a scoop of sorbet.
Makes 6 servings.
-- "Better Homes and Gardens Grill It!" (Wiley, 2011, $24.95)
GRILLED BANANA SATAY
(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
4 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
4 fat, barely ripe bananas, peeled
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 400 degrees.
Slice bananas crosswise into medallions 1 to 2 inches thick. Skewer the banana pieces through the edges so that the flat sides can be grilled, threading 6 to 8 pieces on each skewer.
Whisk together the peanut butter, coconut milk, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Pour half of the peanut sauce into a wide shallow dish.
Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the banana skewers directly over the heat until nicely grill-marked, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Dip the flat sides of the bananas in the peanut sauce. Sprinkle with coconut to coat. Return to the grill and cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve with remaining sauce for dipping.
Makes 4 servings.
-- "Fire it Up" by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim (Chronicle, 2011, $24.95)
(Contact Gretchen McKay at gmckay(at)post-gazette.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
Must credit Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
