From fruit to pizza, fire up the grill this summer with five summer trends you won’t want to miss.
Grilled Pizza
Bring the wood-fired pizza craze home on your outdoor grill—it can mimic a wood-fired grill better than your conventional oven, while keeping the heat outside.
Make the dough and form a flat crust (no raised rim). Brush both sides with olive oil, and oil the grates. Grill crust on one side for about three minutes. Flip and add your sauce and toppings to the grilled side. Grill again until the edges begin to char and the cheese bubbles. When choosing toppings, use shredded cheese, fully-cooked meat and finely-chopped vegetables, as grilling time is short.
Tip: Toss a smoking envelope—a foil-wrapped bundle of soaked wood chips—into the bottom of the grill for some extra wood-smoked flavor.
Grilled Mango and Plum
A perfect topping for grilled pork or tilapia—or a bowl of vanilla ice cream—grilled mangoes and plums can take your dish an extra mile.
Peel and cut flesh from the pit into two halves. Gently score the halves with a cross-hatched pattern. Place on a lightly oiled grill with the cut sides down. Turn once after two minutes. Fruit is done when heated through and well-marked.
Tip: Avoid using over-ripened mangoes and plums, as they will fall apart on the grill.
Grilled Foil Dinners
Foil packets make dinner a breeze. Potatoes, fish and a variety of vegetables make great steamed fillers, but no need to stop there—your imagination’s the only limit.
Brush a generous amount of olive oil to one side of the foil, and place prepped ingredients on top, with meat on the bottom, as it takes the longest to cook. Fold the packet closed, forming a tent shape; leave a small gap to allow steam to escape. Place on coals and cook until done (10-45 minutes, depending on ingredients).
Tip: Throw in high-moisture veggies like tomatoes and zucchini to keep meat from drying out. Hard, raw vegetables like potatoes and carrots take longer to cook, so chop into smaller pieces or used canned varieties.
Grilled Portobello
With their high water content and silky texture, mushrooms are perfect for the grill—retaining their rich juices while acting as sponges for that smoky flavor. Large Portobellos are a nice alternative (or addition) to traditional burgers—and they won’t slip through the grates.
Wash mushrooms and remove the stems. Grill for about five minutes, then turn at an angle to produce cross-hatching marks and grill for three more minutes.
Tip: After grilling, mushrooms can be chopped, seasoned and added to roasted broccoli, kale or potatoes for a great side dish.
Grilled Tofu
Like mushrooms, tofu’s texture lends itself to retaining great flavor. But the soybean curd’s taste only goes so far, so plan ahead to allow enough time for the marinade flavors to absorb.
Use extra-firm tofu and press for 15 minutes, then cut into one-inch thick steaks. Marinate in a plastic bag with your sauce of choice for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator (Asian hoisin sauce, barbecue and Italian dressing all work well). Brush the grill grates with oil; grill for six minutes on each side, adding extra marinade with a grill or pastry brush.
Tip: Placing wooden skewers carefully through the tofu slices makes for easier turning. A&S
