Paper Palate

While meat dominates the summertime grill, in last week’s Chicago Sun-Times, Leah Zeldes suggests throwing some fruits and vegetables onto the grates for added flavor and variety. In addition to grilled fruits and vegetables being healthy alternatives to meat, grilled fruits can also double as dessert. And it seems nearly all fruits and vegetables can be grilled, when cut appropriately, to allow maximum surface exposure and are approximately only one-half-inch in diameter. This enables smaller fruit and vegetable pieces to grill more evenly. (Larger ones need only be cut lengthwise for maximum surface exposure.)

Most fruits and vegetables will grill easily, using the same turning techniques as that of meat grilling, but with added care and attention. To prevent tearing, make sure the grates are properly cleaned and oiled sufficiently. If appearance is not a concern, consider using a grill basket or skewers. Regarding grilling temperatures, it seems a higher heat is better, as the fruits and vegetables are basically seared and not cooked completely through. This is especially true for delicate produce, such as tomatoes. Finally, in order to prevent premature browning of certain fruits, including apples, peaches, and bananas, simply submerge slices into a water and lemon mixture, with a ratio of three parts water to one part lemon juice, before grilling.

Additionally, Zeldes includes a list of select fruits and vegetables well-suited for grilling:

HARVEST THE FRESHNESS OF SUMMER

APPLES: Core and cut in half or thick slices. Dunk in lemon water (a mixture of three parts water to one part fresh lemon juice). Grill 4 to 6 minutes, turning once when grill marks form.

APRICOTS, PEACHES, PLUMS AND NECTARINES: Halve and pit, leaving the skin on. Thread onto two skewers to make them easier to turn and handle. Cook about 3 minutes on the cut side, then turn and cook on the other side about 2 minutes. Use a thin metal spatula to lift and turn. Serve as is or sprinkled with brown sugar, alone or with ice cream.

ARTICHOKES: Trim and cut in half. Place the halves into lemon water. Use a grapefruit spoon to remove the chokes. Parboil in salted water 12 to 15 minutes, just until the base can be pierced easily with a knife. Drain well and drizzle with olive oil and season. Grill, beginning with the cut side, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve hot with melted butter and lemon, or chilled with curried mayonnaise.

ASPARAGUS: Select medium to large stalks. Break off the tough bottoms. Brush with oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste. Place on the grill perpendicular to the grate. Grill 4 to 6 minutes, until browned in spots. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon or chilled with vinaigrette.

BANANAS: Choose fruit that is yellow, but that hasn’t developed brown spots. Slice whole bananas lengthwise with their peels still on. Brush the cut surface with canola oil. Place cut-side down on the grill and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Turn over and grill until the bananas begin to pull away from the peel, about 2 to 4 minutes more.

CORN: Corn on the cob lends itself to several grilling techniques. The traditional method is to pull back the husk, remove the silk, pull the husk back over the corn, soak in water for 20 minutes and then grill for 30 minutes or so. That’s really not grilling so much as steaming the corn in its husk.

For terrific caramelized flavor, try grilling corn on the cob directly: Coat the ears in softened butter seasoned with salt, pepper and whatever herbs you like, or brush with olive oil, and grill directly over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every so often, until some kernels are golden brown. For even quicker corn, cut it into 2-inch segments, brush with oil and grill, turning once, for 4 to 5 minutes.

EGGPLANT: Trim off the ends and cut crosswise into half-inch slices. Brush lightly with oil, season with salt and pepper and grill, turning once until well marked and tender, about 8 minutes. Use a thin metal spatula to turn.

MUSHROOMS: If the mighty meat griller in your household balks at cooking sissy vegetables, try him on macho fungi like portobellos. Clean the caps by brushing with a moist paper towel. If it’s necessary to wash them, pat dry with paper towels and allow to dry thoroughly before cooking. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill 4 to 6 minutes per side, starting gill-side up, until lightly browned and tender. For smaller mushrooms, cook whole or halved, threaded on skewers.

ONIONS: Large, sweet onions are especially suited to the grill. Peel and cut crosswise into half-inch slices. Stick bamboo skewers through widthwise to hold the segments together. Brush lightly with oil, season with salt and pepper and grill on one side about 4 minutes, until grill marks form, then turn and cook till tender. For scallions, trim tops and bottoms, brush lightly with oil and grill, perpendicular to the grate, about 2 minutes per side.

PEPPERS: “Look for bell peppers with smooth flat sides,” advises Jamie Purviance of Weber, “so you can cut them lengthwise and lay the pieces flat for the most direct contact with the grate.” Bamboo skewers thread through widthwise can help to keep them flat, and make it easier to grill smaller peppers, such as jalapenos. (When cooking chiles, especially in quantity, take care to stay upwind, or wear eye protection.) For grilled peppers, cook 4 to 6 minutes, turning once when grill marks form. For fully roasted peppers, cook whole for about 15 minutes, turning to blacken all sides. Place in a bowl and cover with a plate and let cool. Peel and core over a bowl to catch flavorful juices.

PINEAPPLE: Peel, core and slice 1/2-inch thick. Place on hot grill. Cook 3 to 4 minutes to develop nice char marks and then turn to briefly heat the other side.

POTATOES: Scrub and cut in even pieces. Toss with olive oil and seasonings. Grill over medium heat until tender and browned on all sides, about 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so with a spatula. A grill basket makes potatoes especially easy. Both regular and sweet potatoes can be cooked this way.

STRAWBERRIES: Grilling enhances the flavor even of bland supermarket strawberries. Choose large berries. A second grate placed crosswise makes cooking these much easier, or use thin skewers. Rinse, halve and brush the cut side very lightly with canola oil. Grill cut-side down without turning for 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

SUMMER SQUASH: Trim off the ends and cut into half-inch slices. Small squash can be halved lengthwise. Brush lightly with oil, season with salt and pepper and grill, turning once until well marked and tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Use a thin metal spatula to turn.

TOMATOES: Slice ripe tomatoes thickly, at least 1-inch thick. Oil the grill well. Leave it on the first side at least 1-1/2 minutes, then use a thin metal spatula to carefully lift and flip the slice over and cook another minute. “The grill marks on a tomato are very delicate,” says Chef John Chiakulas of Scoozi! “You really want to concentrate on the presentation side.” Less-ripe tomatoes can be cut thinly and quickly seared on both sides. Use these to top a salad or use in a sandwich.

LEAH A. ZELDES