BBQ season is now upon us, and eating Al fresco is one of the highlights of summer for me.
Simple and inexpensive vegetables can become delicious sides for your main course with just a little tweaking. Try these for your next cook out, your guests will be very happy and so will you!
Grilling Sides!
May 15, 2009 by 54 Comments
I like to use a sweet onion, like a Vadalia, cut it into about 1/2 inch disk, make your own balsamic vinaigrette. Take 1 or 2 wooden skewers and pierce through the onion so all layers stay in tact while flipping on the grill. Generously brush your onions on both sides with the vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper.
Cook your corn in salted water, drain and cool down. In a bowl melt butter, add 1 crushed garlic clove, a little olive oil, salt and pepper. In another bowl add a hand full of panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese. Roll corn in butter, then breadcrumb mixture, and cook on a hot grill for about 10 minutes till golden brown.
Cut your potatoes into round disks, I used red potatoes here but any kind would do. Toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper and add fresh snipped rosemary. Place on your grill and cook till fork tender, crusty and golden brown. You could even cheat a little and nuck them a little first in the microwave before you toss them in the oil till tender, and then throw them on the grill to crisp up.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Buon Appetito, and Happy grilling!
Gate and Garden look very nice but he should have used cedar because lumber will last about 2 years. Love the site
Oh merciful heaven, I don’t even have the words to describe how wonderful everything looks! The potatoes, the onions, the corn, the chicken … I think I need a moment to regain my composure! Love the gate! I’ll take one, too, please!
Loved your grilled sides. The gate hubby made is charming. But I don’t know about spring rolls Italian style…not sure I can go there. Just keeping it real 🙂
I like my spring rolls with nuc mum.
garlic,lime juice, chili, sugar, fish sauce
The weather has been perfect for this… Your sides are not taking a backseat to any meat! By the way, nice job hubby!
Marie, These grilled veggies look incredible and I just cannot wait to try this on the grill (with my hubby’s help). You take the best photos, I tell ya! I always enjoy visiting your superb blog!
Roz (aka bella)
Love your sides (LOL, not yours, but the ones here)Marie, & would like to be standing by your side tucking into some. FAB!!
Oh, you have me crying here as I can’t get closer to these fabulous foods than my computer screen allows. This whole grilled meal looks to good to be true!
Hi Marie!
I will grill for the first time this weekend ..I can’t wait! Corn on the cob is my favorite!
I could eat those pictures. All great ideas on grilling. Love the rosemary with it on the platter. The corn is especially beautiful.
Sam
Hi Marie! It’s good to see you back! 🙂 I always love bookmarking side dish recipes from your blog.. and these will be a wonderful addition to my Marie Collection! 🙂
Love the medallion scroll on your gate, very pretty!
Hey.. I’m gonna need wardrobe ideas for Early August Chicago weather! Pass over any help you can give me!! 🙂 Hugs to you!
Now that the weather is warm, we’ve been grilling every Sunday. I’m always looking for new recipes to make on the grill, can’t wait to try these!
Oh do I ever love that gate! What a sweet husband-person! he sides are simply grand. 85 degrees here today – why heat the oven when you ahve prepared me a grand dish of sides? Sometimes I don’t even want an entree.
Those are so mouthwatering! I am ready for mine now please- love the garden gate!
xo
Beautiful gate! Love all these grilled veggies… it seems so summery!
Everything looks amazing but the onions have me drooling. Yum.
The gate is so cute – you are lucky to have such a handy husband.
One day Im going to crash a fab summer BBQ by you. Just wait and see. Warning CS and I eat a lot.
I love this idea for the onions and the corn! I’ve grilled onions before, but never glazed them. And I think this dressed up corn must be delightful! Thanks!
They all look so good. That corn is calling me though!!!
Sweet corn!!!!
I want sweet corn! The french (and the Spanish) think it’s pig food… I have to grow my own and I don’t have my garden planted yet. Now I’m inspired!
It all looks delicious. I do something similar with the corn and then roll it in balsamic.
I love those onions. What I love most is the way you have so artfully laid your vegetables out. It’s very pretty and so is your gate.
Hello Marie, I think these will be the guest of honor at our next BBQ,pretty gate, love the gate hubby made. Kathy.
This is honestly my favourite kind of meal. Makes me want to bbq tonight!
Is it bad that I think I could make a meal out of just the sides? Gorgeous pictures! I can’t wait til I get to do some grilling of my own…
So, I’m getting the picture that hubby is just as good in the garden as you are in the kitchen. (I can’t get fresh corn here – it’s grown as food for cattle, but never sold at the markets. Such a shame.)
Yay, it’s grilling season! I’ve grilled onions before, but never potatoes or corn. Wow! I can’t wait to get started – this looks amazing and just screams summer!
Oh boy, I love grilled veggies and can’t wait till corn season. Love those potatoes too.
Marie! Everything you cook looks so beautiful! That corn is incredible! Love your garden gate, too.
Grilling is my favorite time of year to cook. LOVE the onion and balsamic inspiration. I will definitely include this the next time I fire up the Weber.
Nice to see you posting again.
Debby
How do you make your balsamico vinaigrette?
Great idea the tweaked onions and the corn! Will go on my “to grill” list for the barbecue!
Oh, you make me really want to grill! I got some fig balsamic from Old Town Oil last weekend, and it would be amazing with the grilled onions. I think I need to grill some time this week!
I have been missing (out of commission) for a while and now I remember why I wanted to get back to reading your post…I love it! We grill a lot and this was a well appreciated post… Are there any other veggies you do? Thanks for such great ideas…
(((HUGS)))
Donna
I love making grilled balsamic onions. They are such a great side with BBQ chicken. I can’t wait for more veggies to come in season. Such a great way to add freshness to a cookout.
Marie, these sides look so good, just loving the onions done up this way.
Weather in NY isn’t cooperating just yet, as usual we’ll go from downright cool to hot any day now, the patio is all set up & BBQ grill is ready to spring into action…
Yum! Nothing tickles the tastebuds like grilled onions…those look great!
This ALL looks sooooooooo GOOD – I can hardly stand it!I’m gonna put fresh corn, onions, and parmesan on my grocery list. This is what we’re gonna have for dinner on Monday night.
Thanks
If this doesn’t put you in the mood for grilling I don’t know what would! Fantastic!
Looks fantastic! My kind of food. Love the decorative iron piece on the gate!
Not that I ever refuse the grilled meats, I get really excited over the sides and yours look delicious.
What a nice vintage touch to the gate! Love it!
Love the BBQ ideas, we love to grill onions & potatoes. In fact we have a huge BBQ next Saturday and those will be on the menue!!
Have a great weekend my friend.
OK you have such a nice hubby!
Balsamic grilled onions, I swear I could make a meal on just that alone.
I LOVE your food-porn worthy photos.
WOW, everything here make me hungry. I love the look on that grilled potato. And the chicken look so delicious.
That corn looks so delicious! EVERTHING looks so awesome! That’s it! I’m coming over! LOL
xox
Oh, these look so delicious! We grill year round, but summer is the time to expand our grilling to sides. When I shop this week, I’m picking up some corn and potatoes–already stocked up on Vidalias–and we’re going to feast on sides. Yum.
Love the side dishes and your hubby did a great job with the gate! 🙂
We will be firing up the grill next weekend, can’t wait to cook seasonal produce (from my garden 🙂 on the grill.
LOVE the gate .. go hubs!!
Oh Marie, these sides look fantastic! I am in such the grilling mood, I can’t wait to try these out!!
I love the extra little tweaks you make that I’ll be copying – holding together the onions with a skewer and the balsamic glaze – the parmesan topping on the corn – great ideas. looks like the garden man is up to good things. With all the rain we had, slugs have eaten away at my peas and peppers.
Love, love, love simply grilling veggies in the summer. It’s just the best. And yours look lovely!
Dear proud italian cook, it’s always a pleasure to visit your blog!
Buon weekend and have fun!
Mik
Love this post! Summer is here! (or almost) I love the wrought iron on the gate too. I wish I had a garden, I don’t know anything about growing vegetables.
Oh wow, it all looks fabulous! I’m especially loving the onions! I can’t wait to see the garden all finished!
Smart hubby!!!
The frilled veggies are a good idea…..here in SA the grilling is all about the meat, but with tough times, this is definitely the answer!!!