All Fired Up
Photos by Meda Kessler
While there’s no denying the sexy sizzle of steak over hot coals, we’re putting grill marks on almost every thing these days. Pitmasters know that wood, fire and smoke can add lots of flavor to food, so why not take a cue from them? Slice up big rings of onions and pineapple, add them to the grill and use later for a flavorful salsa. Grill peaches as a sweet accompaniment to pork or as a topping for homemade ice cream. The possibilities — and flavor combinations — are endless.
Grill cut avocados flesh side down. Dice some tomatoes and add them with a sprinkling of cheese into the hollow. Simply scoop the flesh out of the skin and enjoy. If you have extras, make smoky guacamole.
Okra takes on a new dimension when cooked over a hot grill. We toss them with a little olive oil and red wine vinegar, plus salt and pepper. Skewer them or use a grill pan designed for open flame. Sliced lemons cook up quickly. Squeeze them over the okra and fresh tomatoes. Enjoy.
While grilled Romaine is a salad staple, we also love the smoky taste of grilled Napa cabbage. We splash the cut and cooked half with a little soy sauce and a pinch of red pepper flakes. And then we dig in.
French bread rubbed with a garlic clove and splashed with olive oil pairs perfectly with grilled tomato slices. Add fresh basil for a true taste of summer.
Overrun with cherry tomatoes from the garden? Thread these little flavor bombs onto skewers and add them to a hot grill to soften and infuse
with flavor.
