Get Your Grill On
tips from the Holly Hill Kitchens & photography by Talitha Schroeder
A mixed grill, like its cousin the Argentine asado, is a great way to feed a crowd of friends and family. Variety is the key; we suggest at least two or three different kinds of meat and a garden full of veggies.
It’s never been easier to buy locally-raised meat. When we shopped for our Kentucky mixed grill, we bought ground lamb and pork bratwurst at our local farmers market. But you’ll also find chops (steak, pork and lamb), whole and cut-up chickens and even farm-raised prawns and catfish. Visit kyproud.com or the department of agriculture in your state to locate nearby farm stands and markets.
Then while the grill is going, maximize the yield by cooking as much as you can for as long as it’s hot.
Prioritize!
If you’re grilling with charcoal, that initial flush of heat is perfect for veggies. Marcella Hazan lays it all out beautifully in her Classic Italian Cookbook; we’ve paraphrased her instructions for you.
Onions, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms and tomatoes. Leave the peel on the onion, peppers, eggplant and zucchini. Keep peppers and mushrooms whole. Cut the eggplant, onions and tomatoes in half and the zucchini into thick lengthwise slices. Give it all a quick slick of olive oil and cook in the order listed. As each vegetable comes off the grill, cut into largish pieces and add to a large bowl, sprinkling with additional olive oil and salt and pepper. A splash of red wine vinegar won’t hurt a bit. Neither will a shower of freshly torn herbs. The whole process from start to finish – about 15 minutes.
Grill onions cut-side down; char well and then flip over keeping the rings intact and char the outside. Discard outer skin.
Whole peppers grilled on all sides until well-charred. Slip into a plastic bag or a clean towel to steam for a few minutes, then slip off the skin and remove the seeds.
Cut a cross-hatch pattern into the surface of the eggplant and grill cut-side down until flesh is creamy and well-browned but not charred.
Grill tomatoes cut-side down until grill marks form; flip over and cook a little longer until skin starts to pull away.
Grill mushrooms gills down until lightly browned; flip over and cook a little longer, just a minute or two in all.
Get saucy!
We loved Chef Tyler’s Cilantro Lime Yogurt sauce with both his Lamb Kofta and our grilled veggies. Or try one of these favorites from our recipe collection – Penny’s Pumpkinseed Vinaigrette, Carrot Top Pesto, and Italian Sauce Verde.
Preserve your assets and keep the party going!
Promptly refrigerate leftovers and enjoy them for several days in salads, soups and sandwiches. Eggplant: baba ganoush. Tomatoes: salsa or sauce. Mushrooms: hors d’oeuvres. Peppers: sandwiches and frittatas.
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Summertime is county fair season in Kentucky! Forget the midway rides; the real show takes place in the livestock pavilion. That’s where some intense competition is underway as 4-H youth like Peyton Zinner are exhibiting their animals in the lead-up to the Kentucky State Fair.
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