5 Uncommon Foods to Cook on the Grill

Woman s Day

By Mandy Major

Ribs? Check. Vegetable kebabs? Check. Pound cake and lettuce? Whoa. It might sound bizarre to throw these items on the barbecue during a cookout, but-believe it or not-they're delicious, and worth a try. Once you get past the old standbys like burgers and brats, you'll be amazed at what foods are ripe for the grilling. From avocados and peaches to pizza and PB&J, it simply takes a little inventiveness and sense of adventure. Just ask the five food bloggers we turned to for ideas. Whether you attempt one of their sweet options or go the savory route, chances are you'll be saving those hot dogs for another time.
1. Quesadilla


Maris of InGoodTasteBlog.net is fearless about grilling-and this tasty a.m. option proves it. Simple and satisfying with all the flavors you love about breakfast (think: eggs, bacon and cheese), this protein-packed recipe puts a unique grilling spin on a typical classic. "Just be sure to keep an eye on cooking times so that you don't overcook your eggs," she advises. And to finish, "top with plenty of fresh salsa for extra flavor without lots of added calories."




Ingredients:
1 whole-wheat wrap
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1 egg
2 egg whites
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 thick slice of bacon, well-cooked and crumbled into bits

Preparation:
Spread wrap onto a large plate and cover half of it with cheese. Use a fork to beat the egg, egg whites, salt and pepper in a small bowl, until the eggs are mostly uniform in color. Pour the egg mixture into a nonstick skillet over medium heat, in an even layer across the pan. Cook eggs 1 to 2 minutes, depending on how hot your stove gets, until egg has set, and flip into thirds, omelet-style. Cook until each side has just barely browned, about 1 minute longer. Heat grill to medium. Add omelet to the cheesy half of wrap and top with crumbled bacon. Fold wrap in half and grill until tortilla is crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Slice in half and serve.

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2. Butter Lettuce



Clay and Zach fromTheBittenWord.comlove to host dinner parties, and thisgrilled saladis an easy and entertaining way to feed guests. "It doesn't seem odd to us anymore, but it no doubt will to a lot of folks," Clay says. He adds that the crisped lettuce "brings a great, summery flavor to the salad," which is well-matched with the cooling creaminess of a homemade buttermilk dressing.





Ingredients:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup crème fraîche
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp thinly sliced fresh chives
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil for the grill
4 large heads butter lettuce, halved lengthwise

Preparation:
In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, crème fraîche, mayonnaise, chives and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill fire for direct cooking over medium-high (500°F) heat. Lightly oil the grill grates. Lightly season the lettuce with 1/4 tsp salt. Grill cut side down until wilted, lightly charred and the cores are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the grilled lettuce to a serving platter and drizzle with the dressing. Lightly sprinkle the lettuce with salt and serve.

3. Mussels




Inspired by Fergus Henderson and his famed "whole animal" approach to cooking, Ryan ofNoseToTailatHome.comis attempting to make anything and everything-includingmussels on the grill. Ryan recommends using wood to heat the barbecue: "The smoke adds an extra flavor profile," he says, "but a product made on a gas grill is still rather tasty." Once the mussels are opened, tossing them in olive oil infused with garlic and seasonings helps to enhance their brininess.




Ingredients:
Juice of 2 lemons
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tsp bay seasoning
1 2/3 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 pounds of fresh mussels, cleaned
1 big handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Preparation:
Mix lemon juice, garlic, bay seasoning, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste, and set aside. Get your grill nice and hot, and simply toss your mussels on the grill. The bivalves will cook in their own juices. Once they've opened, remove them from the grill and place them in a large bowl. Add the chopped parsley and dressing to the mussels and toss thoroughly. Serve immediately with crusty white bread and a cold bottle of Vinho Verde.

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4. Poundcake



Poundcake, sorbet and sweetened flaked coconut is all you need for this delectable dessert road-tested by Amy Wisniewski, associate food editor for CHOW.com. "We wanted a good recipe for a grilled dessert, other than your standard fruit on the grill," she says. "Poundcake is dense enough that it stays intact when you grill it; it gets toasty, like a toasted brioche, and a little smoky." There are countless sweet toppings that can be drizzled on, including fruit sauces, melted chocolate or caramel sauce.




Ingredients:
6 (1-inch-thick) slices store-bought or homemade poundcake (Amy used this Lime Poundcake recipe)
6 scoops raspberry sorbet, either purchased or homemade
6 Tbsp sweetened flaked coconut, toasted and cooled

Preparation:
Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium (about 350°F). Place poundcake slices on the grill and close the lid. Grill until poundcake is lightly toasted and has grill marks, about 3 minutes. Flip slices, close the lid and grill on the other side until toasted, about another 3 minutes. Place grilled cake slices on 6 serving plates and top each with a scoop of sorbet. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp toasted coconut over each plate and serve.


5. Doughnuts



Erin ofSkinnyGourmet.blogspot.comknows her way around healthy food-but not in this case. For the ultimate dessert, she and her husband whip up their own version of a "grillswith," a Charlottesville, Virginia, classic that she says dates back to (at least) 1970. "The straightforward sweetness of the doughnut's caramelized sugars pairs perfectly with the earthy, tangy sweetness of grilled fresh pineapple," Erin says. "We top it all off with a truly spectacular coconut-rum caramel sauce that will have you sopping up every last bit and contemplating seconds."



Ingredients:
1/2 fresh pineapple
6 glazed doughnuts (Erin used Krispy Kreme)
Good-quality natural vanilla ice cream
Coconut-Rum Caramel Sauce (use store-bought caramel or see following recipe)

Preparation:
Remove skin from pineapple. Slice pineapple into 1/2-inch-thick rings. Set aside 6 for grilling. Cut out the tough core of the pineapple and discard. Grill pineapple over a clean, hot grill, directly over the heat source, for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place doughnuts about a hand's width away from the center of the heat source. Grill doughnuts for 30 to 60 seconds per side. Watch carefully so they do not burn. Stack each doughnut on top of a grilled pineapple slice and top with vanilla ice cream. Drizzle with Coconut-Rum Caramel Sauce and enjoy!

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Coconut-Rum Caramel Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp water
3 Tbsp butter, cubed (more as needed)
3/4 cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp dark rum
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:
Mix sugar and water together in a saucepan or skillet that has a silver bottom. Stir occasionally over low heat until the sugar dissolves into a non-grainy liquid (7 to 10 minutes). Increase heat to medium-high and stir constantly while mixture boils, until sugar is light caramel in color (7 to 10 minutes). Reduce heat to medium. Add cold butter and stir to combine. Mixture will foam. Slowly add coconut milk while stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to stir 3 to 5 minutes until mixture is smooth and thickens. Add rum and vanilla extract, stir 1 more minute, then remove from heat. Mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.


Original article appeared on WomansDay.com.

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