Why You Should Never Stop Grilling
Standing outside in sub-60-degree weather grilling may seem a bit crazy, but it’s actually really great. One of my life’s greatest pleasures is looming over a steamy grill on a hot summer day with meat roasting on the charcoal stained grates. Shiny silver tongs in one hand and a chilled drink in the other.
Most people hang up their grilling apron and shove their grill brush into deepest corner of their kitchen cabinets as soon as the Autumn months creep in, but it doesn’t have to be this way! Unless there’s snow on the ground and icicles on the porch, that grill is usable. So, grab a pair of gloves, a warm drink, and go fire up the grill.
The Supplies
The first and most important tool you’ll need is a headlamp. If cold weather grillers didn’t look crazy before, we certainly do now. The sun doesn’t stay out all night like it did during those summer months, and if you’re making dinner on the grill, the last thing you want is to find yourself cooking in pitch black darkness. Color is one of the most important factors in determining if your food is ready, so don’t let the early sunsets take away your senses, or you’ll be standing there holding up your phone flashlight (trust me I’ve been there).
Having a pre-heated cast iron pan ready on the grill is a good way to keep your food warm if some of it finishes cooking before the rest. Cast iron retains heat better than other materials. Speaking of heat, don’t open the grill too often, the colder it is outside the colder the grill will get when you try and peak in on your food. So make sure you give the grill a little extra longer to heat up than usual. With these tools and tips in mind, you’ll be ready to grill all season long.
What to Make
If by now you are sick and tired of burnt hot dogs and far-too-greasy burgers, than that makes two of us. Fall is in full swing and you want something warm and comforting, something your grandma would make. You need Soup. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it’s soup season and I have been looking forward to this all Summer long. Grills and soups are not a usual pairing, but the marriage is an unknown wonder.
Down below is a recipe for grilled carrot apple soup. The apples and onions get soft and sweet when you cook grill them, a perfect balance to the earthy carrots and bitter char of the grill. I used honey crisp apples, but you can use whatever apple type you prefer, just use something firm so it holds up on the grill. I topped mine with grilled croutons and fried sage leaves, but feel free to garnish however you like. While the carrot and apple soup is delicious, I encourage you to try cooking other soups on the grill too. Tomato soup or chicken noodle, the grilling possibilities are endless.
Grilled Carrot and Apple Soup
Ingredients
– 2 yellow onions
– 3 large apples
– 1 1/2 pounds of carrots
– 3 tablespoons olive oil
– 1 tablespoon salt
– 1/2 a tablespoon black pepper
– 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
– 1 handful of sage leaves
– 4 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
– 1/2 cup of heavy cream (reserve some for garnish)
– 1 tablespoon cinnamon
– 1/2 a tablespoon of all spice
– 1 teaspoon cayenne
Croutons:
– Loaf of stale bread
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1) Cut bread into 1-inch cubes
2) Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt
3) Place bread onto skewers and grill for 5 minutes until crispy and slightly charred
For the Soup:
1) Heat the grill to medium-high heat and wash the produce
2) Peel and cut the onions in half. Cut the apples in half and take out the core with a pairing knife. Leave the carrots whole
3) Drizzle the produce with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
4) Place the produce on the grill cut side down and cook for 10 minutes
5) After 10 minutes, check the produce. If they are getting too black turn the heat down. Turn the produce over and cook for an additional 15 minutes
6) After 15 minutes, take the apples and onions off the grill. Cook the carrots for an additional 10 minutes or until they are soft
7) Heat a sauce pot over medium-high heat. (You can move inside to the stove to do this step or do it right on the grill)
8) Melt the butter and then fry the sage leaves for two minutes. Remove from the sage from the butter and let cool on a paper towel
9) Roughly chop the produce into smaller pieces and place into the sauce pot along with the stock and simmer for ten minutes
10) Move the soup into a blender and let it cool down before blending until smooth
11) Pass the soup through a fine mesh strainer and add the heavy cream, cinnamon, allspice, and cayenne
12) Top with croutons, sage leaves, and a drizzle of heavy cream, and serve