Easy Grilled Vegetable Recipes

Fresh corn and the grill go together like fireworks and the Fourth of July, but you don't have to wait for a holiday or special occasion to enjoy corn on the cob. Supersweet corn from Florida is ready to grill right now.

Unlike traditional corn, Supersweet corn has more natural sugars and stays sweet longer. To keep kernels sweet and tender, always store fresh corn in the refrigerator in a high-humidity drawer or wrapped loosely in plastic. For perfect grilled corn follow these tips:

Out of the husk-for slightly charred, smoky flavor:

Brush ears with melted butter or flavored oil; grill, turning often, until kernels are golden, 7 to 10 minutes.

In the husk-for more intense flavor:

Pull back the husks and remove silks; replace husks and tie in place with a strip of husk or string. Soak in water for 10 minutes. Grill, turning often, for 7 to 10 minutes. For easy eating, pull back the husks and tie together to form a handle.

In foil-for moist, make-ahead corn:

Place each husked ear on a square of foil; brush with butter (plain or seasoned with garlic and/or herbs), barbecue sauce or flavored oil; wrap ears. Grill, turning often, for 7 to 10 minutes.

Indoor "grilling":

Place husked ears on a shallow pan, lightly brush with butter, about 6 inches from a hot broiler; grill, turning often, until golden, 7 to 10 minutes.

After grilling, add flavor to the corn with one of these combinations:

Easy Pesto Butter: Mix one stick of softened butter with 2 tablespoons pesto-from a jar or made at home.

Buffalo Corn Butter: Mix 1/2 stick softened butter with 1 tablespoon each of hot sauce and lemon juice.

Herb Butter: Mix 1/2 stick softened butter with 1 teaspoon of your favorite dried herb (such as rosemary or dill).

Goat Cheese Spread: Combine 1/4 cup goat cheese with 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon dried thyme.

Sesame Soy Sauce: Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce with 2 tablespoons each lime juice and toasted sesame oil.

Most Americans would agree that nothing beats a perfectly grilled steak, a tender pork loin or a delicious cut of lamb - especially when paired with just the right glass of full-bodied wine.

Australians also share a genuine passion for barbecuing. While the folks down under are reaching for their "shrimp on the barbie" or their pork, ribs or steak, they also tend to reach for their favorite glass of wine. Quite often, that wine will be a Shiraz, the hallmark grape of Australia. Shiraz, with its rich fruit character, seems perfectly suited to take on any of the big, bold tastes coming off the grill.

One Australian winery in particular has long been acknowledged for making approachable, award-winning Shiraz wines that are right for any time of the year, but are especially in season when it's time to fire up the grill. The Wyndham Estate winery, located in Australia's famed Hunter Valley wine growing region, is known throughout the world as "the place where Australian Shiraz began."

The following recipe is an example of the kind of entrée that pairs well with a full-bodied Shiraz, like Wyndham Estate's Bin 555. Wyndham Estate wines are available nationally and imported by Pernod Ricard USA.


BARBECUED BUTTERFLIED LAMB WITH MINT


1 (5- to 6-pound) leg of lamb, boned and trimmed

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup mint jelly

1/3 cup minced fresh mint leaves (keep a few leaves for decoration)

Salt

Pepper


In a 1 1/2 quart pan over medium heat, bring to a boil the vinegar and mint jelly. Stir in mint leaves and pour evenly over lamb. Cover and chill 2 hours or up to a day, turning meat over occasionally.

Barbecue over medium heat, turning meat to brown evenly; baste with marinade. For rare meat, cook about 40 minutes or until thermometer reads 140 degrees in thickest area of meat. Rest cooked lamb for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with mint sprigs. Slice meat thin. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  - NU

The next time you're planning a picnic, don't forget the pickle's place at the table when preparing your menu. Consider this potato salad recipe for your next gathering.

Red, White and Blue Savory Potato Salad

Serves 8 to 10


6 large red potatoes, unpeeled

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

4 small green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green part only)

6 slices maple-smoked bacon

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (or one 4-ounce package)


Dressing

11/2 cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup minced Del Monte® Organic Sweet Bread & Butter Chips

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon celery seed (ground or whole)

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco® sauce

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook potatoes until fork tender. Drain; set aside. Cook and crumble bacon, reserving two tablespoons of drippings. In a medium bowl, stir together all dressing ingredients. If thinner dressing is desired, add small amounts of liquid from the pickle jar.

While potatoes are still warm, cut into small chunks. In a deep glass bowl, layer 1/3 potatoes, eggs and onions. Top each layer with 1/3 portion of dressing. Repeat two more times, ending with dressing. Top with crumbled bacon and blue cheese.

And now there is an organic choice of pickles. Del Monte® offers the first line of USDA-certified organic pickles, available in supermarkets and retail outlets offering natural and organic foods nationwide.

A favorite among many, pickles tempt the taste buds, pack a zesty punch and, perhaps best of all, kids love them. With no fat and few carbohydrates or calories, pickles make a great snack or addition to any meal.

"Pickles are a great treat throughout the year, but it doesn't get much better than adding fresh pickle slices to a burger, or better yet, just eat whole pickles straight from the jar," said Jeff Tuttle, chief marketing officer for M.A. Gedney Company, producer and marketer of the Del Monte® line of pickles. "And, our online cookbook provides plenty of choices for great pickle recipes that are sure to be a hit at any picnic."

Cinco de Mayo not only marks a heralded Mexican holiday, but also provides an opportune time to bring out the grill and turn your backyard BBQ into fiesta.

While tequila, Mexico's most renowned export, is most commonly used in margaritas, it also makes an excellent marinade ingredient for grilling:

Golden Margarita Glaze

Brush on a little fiesta flavor every time you grill with this luscious, zesty margarita glaze. Great on fish and shellfish, chicken, pork or vegetables.

Makes about 1/2 cup or 4 servings.

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup Jose Cuervo Golden Margarita

1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. taco seasoning or ground cumin

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

Blend all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside. Brush your food with glaze during the last 1 to 2 minutes of grilling. Drizzle any unused glaze over your food just before serving.

It's always important to satisfy your guests' hunger and thirst, but tending to the grill and tending to the bar can be difficult to do simultaneously. Here's a timesaving tip: Look for ready-to-serve margaritas whenever you buy spirits. Delicious and convenient, ready-to-serve margaritas allow you to entertain with quality and style-just twist the cap, pour and enjoy.

One option, Authentic Cuervo Margaritas Minis, comes in easy-to-carry four packs of single-serve bottles. ACM Minis are perfect for tailgating parties, trips to the beach or sitting at the pool. Portable and convenient, ACM Minis allow you to bring the fun of margaritas anywhere!

Celebrate the best of Mexican culture by grilling with a distinctive Mexican spirit.