Monday, August 08, 2005
Go beyond burgers with these grilled dishes
Just the thought of grilling an evening meal often conjures up images of steaks, chicken, hamburgers, and more. But the grill doesn’t have to be synonymous with meat. If you have vegetarian friends, or if you’d just like to try a lighter meal that highlights fresh summer ingredients, fire up the grill but skip the meat.
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Use the meaty flavor of Portobello mushrooms to make meatless burgers by placing them on buns and topping with cheese. If using whole mushrooms, remove the stems before marinating.
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
4 Portobello mushroom caps
1/4 cup canola oil or olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Place mushroom caps on a plate with the gills up. In a small bowl, combine the oil, onion, garlic, and vinegar. Pour mixture evenly over the mushroom caps and let marinate for 1 hour. Grill over medium-high heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
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Feel free to add additional toppings to pita pizzas, such as green peppers and onions.
Pita Pizzas
4 pita bread rounds
4 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Spread one side of each pita with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Divide remaining ingredients evenly between pitas, starting with sauce and topping with cheese, mushrooms, and garlic salt. Place pita pizza on grill, cover, and cook until cheese completely melts, about 5 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
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Grilled Vegetables
3/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 small onion, julienned
1/2 medium green pepper, julienned
1 large carrot, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 celery rib, cut into 3/4-inch slices
4 whole fresh mushrooms, quartered
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the salad dressing, vinegar, parsley, lemon-pepper and Cajun seasoning. Add the vegetables; seal bag and turn to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes; drain. Arrange vegetables on a grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat until tender, about 20 minutes, turning frequently. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
If you cannot find Cajun seasoning, make your own by combining 1/4 teaspoon salt with 1/8 teaspoon each of cayenne pepper, white pepper, black pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com