The Gardener & the Grill

SOUP & SALAD

SALADS AND SOUPS PROVIDE A CULINARY CANVAS FOR BOTH THE gardener and the griller.

A signature salad generally comprises several key ingredients: cool and crisp or grilled-and-still-crisp greens; a fresh-tasting dressing; and bite-size fruits, nuts, vegetables, or cheeses that add flavor, texture, and interest. Adding a grilled protein—like chicken, beef, shrimp, tuna, or tofu—turns a salad into a main course.

A stellar soup, made from grilled or smoked ingredients, has that extra nuance of flavor that evokes home and hearth—just what you want a soup to do. To round out a soup meal, add oven-toasted or grilled bread so you can soak up every last delicious drop.

Throughout this book, we suggest barbecuing more food than you really need for one meal. That’s because grilling once so you can eat twice—or three times—is a really efficient way to get more mileage out of hours spent tending garden plants or even 10 minutes grilling vegetables over a hot fire. Your outdoor grill can become the twenty-first century version of the old summer kitchen: a place where you turn the garden’s bounty into preserved foods for future meals. These garden goods won’t be canned, however. They’re destined for the freezer, and will hold perfectly until you’re ready to use them. Most grilled or smoked foods can be cooled to room temperature, stored in labeled plastic freezer bags, and kept as frozen assets for up to 6 months.

Although you can certainly grill or smoke all the main ingredients for this chapter’s recipes right before you want to serve them, the dishes here also represent creative ways to use and enjoy your grilled leftovers.

CHAPTER 4:

SOUP & SALAD