When it comes to grilling,burgersandhot dogshave been done. And they’ll be done again. And I will be there to eat them. Happily.
But sometimes I want togrill something different, something totally unexpected, something that you would never think to grill in the first place. Something like bacon.
Even more unexpected than grilling bacon? Grilling bacon and then slathering it with a Thai-inspired glaze, spritzing it with lime juice, and garnishing it with a bright, spicy relish. Basically, if you serve this appetizer at your next cookout, your friends will think you're a genius.
So you’d better follow it up with something equally unexpected (and equally delicious). This sandwich resembles a pulled pork sandwich, but it's actually entirely vegetarian (and could easily be vegan, if you swing that way).We’re kind of obsessed with it in the Epi office. It’s not only a super satisfying option for absolutely anyone who shows up on your back porch this weekend, but it also makes use of a totally underutilized vegetable: purple cabbage.
If you must have a carnivorous option, I recommend sausages. But skip the beer brats and the hot dog buns, and grab some tortillas instead. America is a melting pot, so here's to celebrating our nation’s diversity with Polish sausages stuffed into Mexico’s sandwich-holder of choice, dressed with cilantro, grilled peppers and onions, and plenty of lime juice.
To round out the meal, I’d serve something a little more familiar, but with an unexpected twist. Slathered with a compound butter of grilled spring onions and shichimi togarashi—a Japanese spice mix made with sesame, orange zest, ginger, seaweed, and chile flakes—this corn takes on an entirely new profile that could giveMexican street corna run for its money.
