Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Vinaigrette
A fresh blend of lemon juice, olive oil and garlic adds big flavor to grilled asparagus stalks.
Ingredients:
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon, plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest
½ cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and garlic. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, as needed. Set aside.
2. Set a grill cooking grate or basket in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. While the grill is preheating, place asparagus in a large bowl and toss with the tablespoon of olive oil, coating evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add asparagus to grill and cook, turning occasionally, until well charred and tender, about 6 minutes total depending on the thickness of the stalks. Transfer asparagus to a serving platter and drizzle the vinaigrette over the top. Serve immediately.
Variation: Make it a meal by adding flaked smoked salmon and a fried duck egg to each portion of asparagus!
Grilled Asparagus & Potatoes with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Tossed with fresh parsley and lemon vinaigrette, this spring side boasts a lovely smokiness from the grill.
Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus stalks, trimmed of tough ends
1 pound fingerling potatoes, washed, scrubbed and cut in half
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup preserved lemon vinaigrette (see recipe)
¼ cup freshly-chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill, brush grate lightly with olive oil. On a large sheet pan, spread out asparagus and potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Over medium heat, grill asparagus and potato halves (cut side down) until tender and just slightly charred, about 8-10 minutes, turning and flipping as needed.
3. Remove from the grill and transfer to a serving platter. Toss with the preserved lemon vinaigrette and fresh parsley, seasoning with more salt and pepper, as needed.
Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Honey & Meyer Lemon
Break out the barbecue for these flavorful cauliflower “steaks”!
Ingredients:
2 large heads cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts
Lemon wedges, for serving
Method:
1. Remove the outer leaves from each cauliflower head, then cut off the bottom stem end so that you create a flat base and can stand the cauliflower up on a cutting board. Resting the cauliflower on the stem, use a large, sharp knife to trim away the sides, then cut the remaining head into 2 very thick or 3 more moderate “steaks.”. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon zest and lemon juice, garlic, and honey.
2. Heat a grill to medium (about 350°). Brush one side of each cauliflower steak with the lemon–olive oil mixture and then sprinkle the brushed sides with half of the salt. Place the salted side down on the hot grill, then brush the tops of the steaks with the olive oil mixture and season with the remaining salt.
3. Cover the grill and let cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the bottom is beginning to char. Flip the cauliflower, then re-cover the grill and cook 5 additional minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Remove from the grill. Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes, parsley, and walnuts. Serve hot with lemon wedges.
Grilled Asparagus with Classic Gremolata
This healthy, easy dish is a classic way to serve asparagus in the Italian region of Lombardy—and it only takes a few minutes to put together.
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped Meyer lemon zest
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Method:
1. To make the gremolata, finely chop the garlic, parsley and lemon zest together on a cutting board until well combined. Transfer to a bowl. (You can prepare the gremolata an hour or two before you cook the asparagus.)
2. Steam or boil the asparagus in salted water until tender, four to five minutes. Remove from the heat, and toss with the gremolata. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix together the lemon juice and olive oil, and drizzle over the asparagus. Serve hot or warm.
Simple Grilled Asparagus
Whether charcoal or gas, your barbecue grill will add delightfully smoky flavor to this seasonal favorite!
Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus spears
Olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat your grill for high, direct heat.
2. Prepare the asparagus by breaking or cutting off any tough bottom ends (can save for stock, or discard). Place the asparagus in a pan (to contain the spears while you put them on and take them off the grill). Coat them with olive oil and sprinkle salt over them.
3. Grill the asparagus spears for 5-10 minutes, until nicely charred and just fork tender, turning them every few minutes so that they brown relatively evenly. Remove from grill and serve.
Variations: You can also top grilled spears with freshly-squeezed lemon juice, grated Parmesan cheese, or for some heat, a smattering of ground chili flakes and sautéed garlic.
Grilled Lacinato Kale Spread
This creamy spread from the new cookbook, Any Night Grilling, is delicious slathered on slices of grilled bread.
Ingredients:
1 bunch Lacinato kale
1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for grilling
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Pinch red pepper flakes
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
½ cup crumbled sheep’s milk feta
Rustic bread, such as this week’s Italian Rustica, sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved lengthwise
Flaky sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium high, then carefully wipe the preheated grates with a lightly-oiled paper towel.
2. In a large bowl, combine the Greek yogurt with the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and red pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then fold in the sheep’s milk cheese.
3. Working in batches, grill the kale leaves until lightly charred, 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cool slightly. Use a knife to trim the thick ribs from each leaf, then finely chop the kale leaves. Fold into the yogurt mixture.
4. Grill the bread slices over direct heat until charred, about 1 minute per side. While still war, rub 1 side of each toast with the cut side of the garlic. Top each toast with a slather of creamy kale, drizzle with olive oil and top with flaky sea salt, then serve.
Grilled Baby Artichokes with Lemon & Walnut Pesto
These petite grilled artichokes are a wonderful appetizer.
Ingredients:
6-8 baby artichokes
2 lemons, halved
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup F&L walnut pesto
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. To prep the artichokes, squeeze the juice from the halved lemons into a large bowl of cold water. Snap off the outer dark green leaves of the artichokes so that the pale greenish-yellow inner leaves are visible, then trim off the top half-inch of each artichoke and cut each in half. Using a small knife, cut out the choke and remove any prickly-tipped leaves from the center of the artichoke half. Drop each trimmed wedge into the lemon water as you go.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drain the artichokes and add to the boiling water. Boil until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer the artichokes to a rack to cool.
3. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, walnut pesto, olive oil, salt and pepper. Brush the artichokes with about half of the dressing, then grill until they are tender and lightly-charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer artichokes to a platter and drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Grilled Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette
In addition to salad greens, this bright and robust dressing is wonderful tossed with pasta salad, or drizzled over steamed or grilled vegetables.
Ingredients:
1-2 heirloom tomatoes, halved and seeded
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
½ cup olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill tomato halves until soft and slightly charred, beginning flesh side down, and flipping over halfway through cooking so both sides have grill marks. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice and herbs and process until smooth. Check for seasoning and season liberally with salt and pepper.
3. Then, with processor running, slowly add olive oil and process until well blended. Set aside until ready to use.
Grilled Garlic Scapes with Lemon & Thyme
Bright yet smoky from their time on the grill, these grilled garlic scapes are a lovely side dish.
Ingredients:
6-8 garlic scapes, trimmed of roots and tough outer ends, and rinsed
1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, such as oregano, parsley or thyme
½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
Olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Heat grill to high. Place the scapes on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil to coat. Squeeze the juice of half the lemon over the top then sprinkle with the pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Toss again to spread out the seasonings.
2. Grill the scapes until the root ends are soft and the tops are just brown. Remove from grill and squeeze a little more lemon juice over top and garnish with the fresh herbs.
Grilled Corn Salad with Sweet Peppers
This warm salad is crisp and crunchy, boasting a wonderful smoky flavor from the perfectly-charred corn and peppers.
Ingredients:
4 ears sweet corn, shucked
2 sweet peppers, halved and seeded
2 ½-inch-thick onion slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
1 tablespoon finely-chopped chives
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Place corn on the grill rack; grill 20 minutes or until charred here-and-there, turning occasionally. Place in a large bowl; cover with foil. Leave in a warm location 10 minutes, then cut corn kernels off cobs, encouraging clusters to stay intact, if possible.
2. Meanwhile, place the peppers and onions on grill rack, and grill 4 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and coarsely chop both the peppers and onions.
3. Combine the chives, cream, oregano, vinegar and garlic with a healthy pinch each of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add peppers, onions and corn; toss gently to coat. Serve warm.