By: Andy Johnston, Produce Category Manager
The official first day of summer is just around the corner, which means peak grilling season! Between the 4th of July, Labor Day, and your casual weekend gathering of friends and family, most of us will participate in consuming something prepared on a grill! I’m not sure what it is about grilling, but it brings people together. There are different types of grills and styles of grills, methods and techniques for grilling, and in almost every culture around the world, people love to gather around a fire, cook food, and socialize!
Summertime in the Willy Street Co-op produce aisle means access to tons of the best local fresh fruits and vegetables! If you’re only using your grill for brats and burgers and other proteins, you are missing out. Fruits and vegetables are great on the grill! Whether you’re looking for a quick side, or a fun dessert, grilling produce adds a level of depth and flavor that you just can’t get on the stovetop.
Eggplant
Eggplant is an excellent vegetable to grill. There’s no need to salt and let it sit as the salt pulls the moisture out—the grill does all that for you!
Cut your eggplant into ¾-1 inch rounds, brush both sides with oil, and season with salt and pepper, or your favorite blend of herbs and spices. Grill over medium-high fire for about 4-5 minutes on each side and until you can hear it sizzle. You can prepare a sauce for the steaks, and serve them as the main course, or on their own as a side.
For a smoky baba ghanoush, try roasting whole eggplant on the grill with some woodchips to get that rich, smoky flavor. Use a fork to poke holes in your eggplant, and then roast over medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes (less for smaller varieties), until the skins are wrinkled, slightly charred, and the interior feels soft when pushed with the tongs.
In early-mid August, we’ll have local Globe, Listada, and Lilac Bride eggplant from Harmony Valley Farm. Lilac Bride is a staff favorite, and a great option for the grill. The Lilac Bride is a long, slender variety that is ideal for kabobs!
Portabella Mushrooms
Looking for an alternative to the meat burger? Portabella mushrooms are the go-to! They hold up well on the grill, and are ideal for sandwiching between a toasted bun. I like to scrape the gills out, and peel the thicker layer of “skin” from the top, but you really don’t have to do either. Marinate your portabella for an hour at room temperature, and then place in a foil pack, gillside up, and grill for 8-10 minutes over medium high heat. Use tongs to remove the portabella from the foil pack, and place directly over the flames for a couple of minutes. The foil pack allows the mushroom to cook and retain its juices without getting charred to a crisp over the flames.
Other veggies that are great on the grill include peppers, asparagus, green beans, fennel, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and onions! I strongly recommend investing in a grill basket: it keeps veggies from falling through the grill grates, and works great for doing a mix of vegetables all at the same time. They’re fairly inexpensive, and really help expand the scope of what you can easily do on the grill! If you’re using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them so they don’t start on fire!
Apples & Pears
Prepare apples and pears for the grill, similar to stonefruit: halve, and scoop out the core, brush lightly with oil. Grill cut side down over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, then skin side down 5-6 minutes. When it comes to apples and pears, look for smaller size fruit for the grill. You can certainly grill larger apples and pears, it just takes longer and requires more of your attention.
I like basting apples and pears with a little maple syrup a couple of times after the first flip, and adding a dollop of goat cheese to the hollowed out center, and sprinkling crushed, salted candied pecans over the top before serving. A kiss of smoke early in the grilling process takes grilled stone fruit, apples, and pears to the next level!
Peaches, Nectarines & Plums
Grilling fruit is a great way to add some depth to its flavor! The intense heat caramelizes the sugars, for a rich, savory and sweet flavor only achieved by grilling. Grilled peaches, nectarines, and plums are excellent for summertime desserts: think ice cream and shortcake! They’re also incredible as pizza toppings, or as an accompaniment to grilled proteins.
To grill, cut the fruit in half, and scoop out the pit. Lightly brush both sides with a little oil, and grill over medium- high heat, cut side down for about 4 minutes, flip and grill for another 2-4 minutes, and voila!
Watermelon
What? Grilled watermelon! How can that be? For some reason, I have a hard time envisioning grilled watermelon. Maybe because I associate watermelon as something that is cool and refreshing on a warm summer day?
I haven’t tried it, but I have heard rumors of grilling watermelon! Apparently, you cut it into wedges ¾-1 inch thick, season liberally with salt, pepper, chili flakes, and lime juice (or just sprinkle with Tajin), and grill over high heat 2-3 minutes per side. You can serve the wedges as they are, or cut into cubes for a grilled watermelon and feta salad.
If you can grill watermelon, I’d think cantaloupe and honeydew (or any melon), would also be good options for the grill. Maybe cube up all three for some grilled melon kabobs? I’m going to have to give this a try!
Sweet Corn
If you’re a beginner to grilling, sweet corn is a great place to start! I like to peel all but the innermost husk, give the silks a trim, and grill over medium heat, turning every 1-2 minutes, until you can start to see the outline of the kernels thru the charred husk, and the husk starts to peel back from the tip, about 8-10 minutes.
Corn on the cob is a summer favorite in Wisconsin! It’s so easy, and this method of grilling provides perfectly steamed kernels with just a slight char that brings out the sweet, rich, roasted corn flavor. You can remove kernels from the cob and add them to fresh salads, or a homemade salsa!
Local organic sweet corn season from Crossroads Community Farm and New Traditions Homestead will be available starting early to mid-August. Until then, it’s Georgia, Florida, or California sweet corn, which is ideal for grilling! It’s never as fresh as the local sweet corn, but roasting on the grill caramelizes the sugars in those kernels to get you a delicious ear of corn!
