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With summer in full swing, why not think outside the box for your cookout menus. Here are some items you can grill that will make delicious appetizers, garnishes, and side dishes:
Grapes
Small clusters won’t fall through the grate and will get even juicier and sweeter over heat. Serve as a garnish with pork or sausage.
Cheese
Briefly grill small wheels of soft cheese (such as Brie) uncut, in their rind, until just melting. Halloumi or queso fresco cheese work as well. Serve with other cheeses and fruit as an appetizer or simple dessert course.
Shellfish
Shrimp and lobsters are excellent grill foods — so are clams and oysters. Place the freshest clams or oysters you can buy directly on the grill over high heat. Cover and cook until shellfish opens, which usually takes four to five minutes. Eat straight from the grill with a squeeze of lemon and hot sauce.
Melons
A few seconds on a hot grill does wonders for watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and other melons. Not only do the grill marks look appetizing, they taste good too — the heat caramelizes the sugars of the fruit, resulting in a mildly smokey and nutty flavor.
Citrus
Halved and charred, cut side down, limes, lemons, and oranges are a beautiful garnish for fish and chicken. The sugars caramelize and make a smoky-sweet sauce to squeeze over the food.
5 Foods You Didn’t Know You Could Grill was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
