OUTDOOR GRILLING: PART 2

Face it, ladies: grilling is a guy thing. And with the Fourth of July just around the corner, macho guys everywhere are itching to put on their aprons and have at it! Grilling has always been associated with big beef—a favorite of guys everywhere. Whether it’s steaks, burgers, or franks, just remember this: ­­the bigger the better.

So, to all you women out there, just sit back, have a cocktail, and enjoy the break.

As we mentioned last time, when it comes to grilling, you want to be well prepared and, if possible, have the complete meal come from the grill and finished at the same time.

Pork: Marinated pork chops are great for grilling. They cook quickly and get a great taste from the grill. Marinade your ribs first for a few hours with your favorite Italian dressing. Pork tenderloins are our suggestion for grilling excellence. Just make sure you remove all silver skin and excess fat. You want your tenderloin free from everything except the meat. Your favorite food store offers many different flavors where the meat is actually already in a marinade and ready to go. Make sure you turn your meat often so it doesn’t burn. Once cooked, let set for five minutes and slice as thin (or thick) as you like.

Veal: If you like veal, you’ll love a grilled veal chop. If you want something a little more upscale for you next dinner party, this will really wow the crowd. Rich cream sauces go well with this cut of meat. You can also garnish the grilled veal chop with some exotic grilled mushrooms.

Chicken: The key to a good grilled chicken breast is to make sure the meat is of equal thickness to ensure even cooking. Butterfly the breast to get it as close to even as possible. Marinade in your favorite salad dressing for two hours for a simple, flavorful and quick meal.

Vegetables: This is absolutely our favorite. It takes a lot of preparation, but it’s well worth the effort.

The night before your party, steam asparagus (3-inch pieces), carrots sticks, Yukon gold potatoes halved lengthwise. Cool (shock) these in ice water immediately after cooked. Prepare, but do not cook sliced zucchini, yellow squash, onion, mushrooms (whole or halved, depending on size), red pepper, yellow pepper and green pepper slices. These uncooked items can be very lightly sautéed and cooled just before your guests arrive.

Add the steamed items and the slightly sautéed items together in a large bowl and lightly toss in a 50/50 ratio of melted butter and olive oil. Add some garlic to this mixture, salt and white pepper to taste. Place all ingredients in a 2-inch deep grilling basket. Place directly on the grill and carefully flip the basket every minute or two until you start to see grill marks on the vegetables.

You’ll love doing this because the vegetable and starch (potatoes) are all in one dish. This will let you concentrate on your grilled meats and/or seafood.

Fruit: Fruit is often ignored when it comes to grilling. Apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, bananas and papayas are all good items for grilling. Our favorite is pineapple slices. The key to grilling fruit is being quick, since fruit contains a lot of water. You can also use a grilling basket to make sure the fruit doesn’t fall between the grate.

One of our favorite grilled side dishes is what we call our Mixed Vegetables with Baby Yukon Potatoes.

Mixed Veggies with Baby Yukon Potatoes in a Grilling Basket

Once you’ve steamed everything and shocked (completely cooled) the vegetables, put aside until needed. Right before you’re ready to grill, very lightly sauté all vegetables. You don’t want them to cook, however; you just want them to coat with a 1/2 butter and 1/2 olive oil mixture. Salt and white pepper the vegetables to taste.

Next, carefully place the vegetables in a shallow grilling basket. Choose a basket in which the largest percentage of vegetables will be able to touch the grill. It will not take long for the vegetables to be finished. Again, be careful not to overcook or burn the vegetables.

Fruit is great for grilling because it is very easy to prepare. The intense heat of a gas or charcoal grill adds incredible flavor to most fruit. The natural sugar in the fruit caramelizes and adds a unique and smoky flavor. The key to grilling fruit is having a clean and well seasoned (oiled) grill. If you’re using a gas grill, you can place the fruit on the top rack. Most grilled fruits work well with a good vanilla ice cream. Here are some of the best fruit for grilling:

Pears – Cut pears in half and remove seeds. Marinate in a Riesling wine, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. As with all fruits, be careful placing and removing from the grill.

Bananas – Make sure your grates are oiled well. If they stick, it will ruin your dessert. Try to pick bananas that are not over-ripe. Bananas are best with brown sugar, Kahlua, lemon juice and vanilla.

Apples – Once you remove the core and skin, you can slice anyway you desire. Rings look nice; just make sure you make them thick enough. Cinnamon, brown sugar and lemon juice are the natural flavors that go best with apples from the grill.

Nectarines – Make sure they are halved and pitted before you attempt to grill. Honey, butter, nutmeg and cinnamon are great with nectarines. They also go very well when mixed with other fruits.

Pineapples – This is quite possibly the perfect fruit for grilling. The grill marks show up perfectly on a good firm pineapple slice, and the flavors are absolutely fabulous. It also makes a good partner for marinated chicken.

Fruit Kabobs – If using wooden skewers, make sure you soak them in water before using to prevent burning. Use your imagination and serve with melted chocolate. Having the fruit on skewers will make it easier to handle and cook.