Summer’s in full swing, so let’s fire up the BBQ! As well as the usual suspects – sausages, burgers and kebabs – did you know that there are loads of great fruit and veg you can throw on the barbie? You didn’t? Well, read on and soon your mouth will be watering with the delicious possibilities…
Peaches
Grilled peaches are a super easy way to add some warmth to a late night BBQ dessert. Cut peaches in half, remove the stone, brush with melted butter and place them on the grill. When both sides are soft and a bit charred (roughly 4-5 minutes each), move them to a fresh bowl of vanilla ice cream. Or, coat them with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar for a slightly caramelised topping.
Pineapple
Give your burgers a tropical twist with some delicious pineapple. The easiest way is to cut a fresh pineapple into wedges or slices and grill until they are browned on both sides (or, add pineapple chunks to skewered kababs with chicken and peppers). Alternatively, why not marinate them overnight with a honey and hot pepper mix to add some tang to your meal?
Butternut Squash
Thinly slice or dice your squash, add a splash of oil and get grilling! Squashes make a great alternative to beef burgers, or as a twist on a bruschetta.
Apple
Bananas are a classic BBQ dessert, and are great with cinnamon, so why not try apples too? Slice and place on a clean grill, add honey and cinnamon for a sweet treat that’s amazing on kebabs, or as a dessert all its own.
Watermelon
Yup. You can grill watermelon! Make sure the grill is clean, and place nice thick slices on the grill for a few minutes. A quick coating of salt makes grilled watermelon a perfect light appetiser, or serve with blue cheese and prosciutto. Sounds weird, but trust us, it’s tasty! Or to go a bit safer, add watermelon to a spinach and mozzarella plate.
Avocado
Avocados can be grilled either as slices (which can slide right into a burger) or halves. Grilled avocado also makes a great smoky guacamole. Just be sure to properly oil the fruit so that it doesn’t lose all of its moisture, use foil if your grill grates are too wide, and only leave it on the heat for 2-3 minutes.
Green Beans
Toss them with some olive oil, salt, and garlic, and you are set to start grilling. For shorter beans, use a grill plate or grill basket, and remember, green beans will cook pretty fast.
Potatoes
There are so many ways to cook potatoes: boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew, and even grill them! Grilled potatoes take a bit of prep to make sure each potato piece is fully cooked on the inside and not just charred on the outside. To get a totally toasted tater, parboil potato slices so that they are almost cooked before they get near the hot grill. Or, put uncooked potato slices or wedges on a cooler part of the grill and roast them slowly before moving them to a hotter section later.
You can also wrap sliced potatoes, your choice of seasonings, and onions and peppers into a packet of foil and let them bake while you work the rest of the meal.
Aubergine
Not only do aubergines take especially well to grills, grilled aubergine can also be turned into an awesome salad or a baba ganoush. Many aubergine recipes call for salting the slices for a while to draw off water, but you can also marinate half-inch-thick slices in a vinaigrette for an hour or so. Then cook the slices on the grill until they have softened or charred a little bit.
Artichoke
If you are used to stuffed or roasted artichokes, you’ll appreciate the extra smoky appeal of a grilled one. They need the usual prep work of trimming the stems and leaf points and pulling out the choke. For grilling, choose smaller baby artichokes and parboil them. Then cut them in half and baste them with a lemon juice and garlic, serve them with melted butter, or add a bit of mint to the mix.
Cabbage
In the summer, most cabbage gets relegated to coleslaw duty, but grilling cabbage helps cut down on some of the bitterness and strong taste cabbage can have, making it a more appealing side dish on its own. Cut a head of cabbage into wedges, lightly coat with olive oil, and grill as is. Top with a spicy lime dressing for a self-contained salad, or used an aluminium foil packet to grill the cabbage with butter, onions, and garlic for a heartier side.
Asparagus
One of the great things about grilled asparagus is that they are a fast side dish and are perfect with just a light coating of oil, salt, and pepper. They also take well to marinades, like a balsamic and oil drizzle or a thicker mayonnaise-based paprika and garlic coating. Grilling asparagus on a pan or in foil will save most from slipping through the grates, but arranging four to five spears on skewers also works if you’d prefer a bit of char.
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