MIX IT UP ON THE GRILL
This Memorial Day, I’m so excited to host my friends and grill delicious things for them. Instead of opting for burgers and dogs, I’m going into full-on celebration mode with an abundant mixed grill.
A mixed grill’s customizable nature makes it perfect for guests. The veggies featured here — fennel, tomatoes, summer squash, endive and scallions — are very complementary to the spicy, lamby merguez sausage. But if you prefer another sausage or want to switch up the veggies, feel free to build your own platter and use this recipe as a guideline.
One thing you shouldn’t skip? The halloumi. The firm cheese, which hails from Cyprus, is tangy and salty and has a high melting point, making it perfect for the grill.
Slice it into planks and toss it on the grates, where it will take on the most gorgeous grill marks. Just be mindful to only grill one side: Grilling both sides will dry out the cheese, making it less pleasant to eat.
If you’re serving vegans or vegetarians, grill the vegetables first to prevent cross-contamination, then cook the bread and cheese, and finish with any meat. I like to get everything prepped and onto a sheet tray before I start, which makes it easy to get it all from the kitchen to the grill. Then, I place each ingredient back onto the tray as it comes off the grill. If you start building the platter while you’re cooking, you could lose track of what’s happening on the grill. Plus, you may want to separate any meat from the platter for serving.
The chickpeas on this platter feature one of my favorite summer party tricks: cooking with cast iron on the grill. This technique infuses a smoky flavor into ingredients that aren’t grill-friendly.
Here, canned chickpeas get the charred and blistered treatment.
The process is as easy as it sounds. Heat a cast iron skillet directly on the grill grates until
hot. Add a splash of oil, pour in the chickpeas, and cook until they’re beginning to char and crisp, about two minutes. The crispy chickpeas add great plant-based protein to the platter.
Once everything is grilled, you’ll arrange it all on the serving platter. I like to finish with a healthy sprinkling of mixed herbs to bring balance and freshness to all the smoky veggies, and eat everything with a little garlic-infused mayonnaise. You can stuff all the ingredients into a pita or, if you’re like me and cooking with fire brings out your primal side, eat it all with your hands.
If you’re looking for more serving ideas, the options are endless. Fry some capers and sprinkle them across the platter. Don’t like mayo? Toss everything in Italian dressing or serve with some herb sauce. Bring in some heat with red pepper flakes, your favorite hot sauce or one of my favorites, shatta.
This is also a great time to bring out the good olive oil and give everything a healthy glug. The beauty of this recipe is that it’s infinitely customizable, so grill what you like, pile it all on a platter and serve it to the people you love.