Alternative grill: what other foods, beyond meat, can be prepared on the grill?

One of the most pleasant moments of the summer is when we can get together with loved ones and enjoy a good barbecue. And it is that this cooking method allows us to prepare delicacies for all tastes and explore the power of the embers to give flavor. Therefore, and thinking of barbecue lovers, Advantage This note brings together the foods that can also be enjoyed, beyond the already known meats.

To find out more about these foods and to find out some tips for preparing them over hot coals, we consulted with two specialist chefs. Is about Valentine Dupuy, Argentine cook and corporate chef of Zoyla Restaurant, and of Jaime Pesaque, well-known Peruvian chef and creator of Sapiens.

This note is also born from the need to understand that you can take advantage of the grill and put together a complete menu without using other cooking methods. “As we know, lighting coal is not necessarily the friendliest with the planet, that’s why I have the philosophy that everything can be prepared on the grill and thus make the most of them ”, explains Dupuy.

For his part, Pesaque indicates that “the grill is very versatile, we are talking about fire at the end. You can do absolutely everything. That is why we created Sapiens, to be able to show the versatility that fires have. Part of the concept is meat, but we also have a wide range of things and we include vegetables and rice ”.

Vegetables

Definitely one of the best ways to eat vegetables is on the grill, thanks to the fact that they gives new flavors and textures. As Dupuy mentions, there are two ways to prepare them: on the embers (covered in aluminum or not) or on the grill (directly, in a pan, on a skewer, etc.).

“For example, the eggplant it can be thrown directly into the fire and rotates until the skin explodes. When it is removed from the fire, it proceeds to remove what is known as eggplant caviar, which is a puree of this vegetable “, says the Argentine chef.

“Personally, I think that until vegetables they can be put on the coals. We have salads where at lettuce We put a little fat (animal or olive oil) on it and put it directly on the grill and let it cool. It has different aromas and notes ”, Jaime explains.

Other vegetables that are very good with a touch of the grill are the onions, the Italian zapallito, garlic, carrots, squash, corn, peppers, mushrooms, beets Y poros.

But it’s not just about preparing vegetables to enjoy served straight or as part of a salad. But they can also be roasted chili peppers and these can be used to prepare a delicious salsa The cream.

Fish and shellfish

Without a doubt, these foods are the ones that we should get the most out of at this time and what better way than to try them on the grill. “The fish can be prepared on the grill and the type of cooking will depend a lot on whether the fish has fatty material or not. For example, I like tuna wrapped in parchment paper because it has a lot of fat, ”explains Dupuy. He tells us that he prepares it stuffed with blue cheese, arugula, salt and pepper.

The idea is to look for those flavor combinations, through spices, seasonings, vegetables and types of fish or shellfish, until we find what we love. For these ingredients, especially seafood, it is necessary to know that each one requires a different cooking time and it is there to pay attention when they are cooked.

Fruit

One of the fruits that lends itself to being part of the starter, background and dessert is the pineapple -But the fresh Golden, not the canned one as Valentin reminds us. Thanks to how juicy, sweet and acidic this fruit can be, it is one of the favorites. The strawberries, passed through the grill for seconds, are also a good touch to top some desserts according to the chef of Zoyla Restaurant.

“The plantain It also lends itself to being cooked on the coals without peeling it for 20 to 25 minutes. When it is fully cooked, it is removed, opened and filled with dulce de leche (or white manjar) and there you have a dessert bomb ”, advises Dupuy.

For his part, Jaime recommends that we try to put melon The cucumber (the fruit) grilled. “They are going to see how it is not only going to add a lot of flavor, but it is also going to concentrate the sugars in the fruit,” he says.

Some of the other fruits that can be cooked on the grill are: pears, apples and even the mango o la chirimoya. Of course, it is important to be aware of the fruits and understand that each one requires a different cooking time.

Rice

One of the benefits of cooking on the grill is the uniformity of temperatures that can be achieved, which is perfect for some dishes where the protagonist is rice. For example, according to Dupuy, one of the precise preparations to enjoy on the grill is the paella. “This Spanish dish is perfect to prepare in a paella pan on the grill, because once the ingredients are incorporated, the secret is to leave the rice still over low heat. This is how spectacular paellas come out ”, says the chef. Both cooks agree that they can be prepared rice with seafood with a very special touch thanks to the embers.

A very interesting and appetizing bonus that Valentín shared with us is that he prepares grilled pizzas. Some of the advice that he gave us for those who dare to do so is that the dough must be thin and it should be cooked directly on the grill or some type of rack. “It is cooked over low heat on one side and then turned over, the idea is not to touch the dough too much. Later, when one of the sides is cooked, the pizza begins to build on it ”, he explains. The combinations of toppings will depend exclusively on each diner and the options are endless.