Grilled Fruit and Veggie Ideas
We are very happy to welcome this spring weather. It’s about time! And, now that our BBQ’s are fired up, its time to look at some of our favourite grilled veggies and grilled fruits that can either accompany your dinner or be the main attraction.
For grilled vegetables, our belief is you never know what you are going to find unless you try. It’s amazing how well most vegetables will grill and how their flavours change. The obvious zucchini, eggplant, grilled pepper medley is common on most grills. We love to add in fresh asparagus, portabello and oyster mushrooms and green onions to add some variety and texture. For your grilled peppers, add in 1 to 2 new varieties – for sweetness, try a cubanelle, or for some heat, try a banana pepper.
To season/marinade your vegetables, we find that the more good quality extra virgin olive oil, the better. In a mixing bowl, combine chopped garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Mix well and then pour this directly over your grilled veggies for a fresh and fantastic accompaniment. There are hundreds of variations. Find the one that suits your tastes.
Our Ontario greenhouse growers are hard at work, as always, and the fields are now alive. We can’t wait for the first shipment of Ontario produce to arrive.
Need some fresh ideas for dessert? Grilling is a simple process that enhances even the sweetest fruits. Fruit cooks quickly, so be sure to stay close by the grill. Watermelon, pineapple, peaches, and apricots are a simple place to start. Try these with a balsamic glaze topping. Feeling adventurous? Skewer up some strawberries – 5-7 minutes is all you need. Add a little brown sugar before grilling any of the above. it will help caramelize and brown the fruit.
We may not be trained chefs, but we know what tastes good – there is nothing more fun than experimenting with fresh fruit and vegetables on a warm summer evening. It’s amazing what you might discover!
Let us know how it turns out! And don’t forget to leave a link back to your own blog too if you have one via the commentluv feature.
Until next time,
Giancarlo
