Dining Al Fresco I 7+ Simple Grill Menus for the Mediterranean Diet!

As the heat turns up in the Med, we just wanna grill outside!

Dining Al Fresco I 7+ Med Diet Menus for the Grill!

Equipped with my new Grill See my blog post on how to choose a BBQ here - I’m cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner on the BBQ!  The Mediterranean diet loves the BBQ :)

As summer guests start to arrive, I’m planning my al fresco cooking and dining menus - inspired by my lovely Uni ladies’ visit last summer.

Here are 7+ Al Fresco Dining Menus that are healthy and delicious crowd pleasers with simple prep to keep you outside!

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1. Grilled Breakfast Sandwich on Avocado Toast

2. Grilled Lemon-Garlic Shrimp with Greek Salad

3. Grilled Chicken Tacos with Orange Marinade & Grilled Corn

4. Grilled Piri Piri Chicken and Asparagus Salad

5. The Best Home-Made Burgers with Carmelised Onions & Gorganzola

6. Grilled Pizza with Cauliflower Crust

7. Grilled Tagliata with Melted Burrata

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When hosting a group of friends that all love to cook - be inspired :)

Dining Al Fresco I Unleash Your Creativity & Be Bold!

#1. Grilled Breakfast Sandwich on Avocado Toast

Inspired by Dawn H.

The Grilled Breakfast Sandwich

The talented Dawn H., owner of Lazy Daisy cafe in Toronto Canada knows good breakfast fare.  While visiting me with our girls in the Med, I asked her to cook something from her menu.  She whipped up this delightful and healthy breakfast sandwich. 

I cook the eggs, bacon and grill the bread directly on the BBQ. 

Ingredients:  (per person)

• Eggs (1 per person)

• Avocado (1/2 per person)

• Plum or cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves

• Hard cheese, shaved (manchego or cheddar)

• Bacon slices

• Your favourite crusty bread

• Mediterranean Olive Oil

• Salt n Pepper to taste

**To make it metabolic diet friendly, you can subsitute the bacon for smoked salmon - and leave out the bread

Method:

1. Slice the avocado and tomatoes and set aside.

2. Slice your favourite crusty bread and brush both sides with olive oil for grilling.

3. Fry the eggs and bacon to your liking directly on the BBQ hot plate. Note: For timing the bacon will take a bit longer1-2mins longer than the eggs.

4. At the same time as the eggs and bacon - grill the oiled bread directly on the on the BBQ grate side until toasted to your liking

5. The assembly: Place the avocado on the toast first, and then layer it up with the egg, cheese, bacon and tomatoes. Garnish with more olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

#2. Grilled Lemon-Garlic Shrimp with Greek Salad

Inspired by Stacey M.

Grilled Lemon-Garlic Shrimp

Back in Uni, my charming “big sister” was famous for her Greek Salad.  Every dinner party we begged her to make it - so simple, refreshing, and delicious every time. 

I’ve paired Stacey’s Greek Salad with simple Lemon-Garlic Marinated Grilled Shrimp fresh from the fish market.  Perfect for lazy lunches poolside!

Ingredients: (per person)

For the Shrimp Marinade::

• Whole Shrimp in their shells (150g per person)

• Lemons (2 per person - 1 to add to marinade, 1 for garnish)

• Garlic, peeled for pressing (1 clove per person)

• Mediterranean Olive Oil

• Salt n Pepper to taste

• Fresh basil or lemon thyme for garnish (handful)

For the Greek Salad: (Serves 4-6)

• Roma tomatoes, cut into quarters (6 large)

• Cucumbers, thickly sliced and then cut into quarters (1 large, if 2 small)

• 1 Red onion, sliced

• 200g Greek Feta cheese, crumbled, or cut into chunkey squares

• Garlic, peeled for pressing (3-4 cloves)

• Mediterranean Olive Oil

• Salt n Pepper to taste

Method:

For the Shrimp Marinade::

1. Rinse the Shrimp and rub clean if needed. Place in a large bowl.

2. Add freshly squeezed juice of the lemons, and olive oil to cover all shrimp. Add pressed garlic, salt and pepper. Toss to mix in all ingredients, cover and chill for 1 hour.

3. When ready, grill the shrimp 1-2 minutes each side until the shells are partly charred.

4. Remove from the grill to a serving plate that can go directly to the table. Garnish with fresh basil or lemon thyme. Serve with more lemon wedges.
   

For the Greek Salad:

1. Add the cut tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and feta to a large salad bowl.

2. Add olive oil to coat then add the pressed garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Coarsely mix, and it's ready to serve!

#3. Grilled Chicken Tacos with Orange Marinade & Grilled Corn

For Grainne Mc.

Grilled Chicken Tacos with Orange Marinade

I love Mexican food, and so tacos are a top choice for my guest menus.  The grilled corn, limes and cilantro are the keys to unlock Mexican flavours.  In this recipe I added a freshly squeezed orange juice marinade for the grilled chicken for a sweet twist. 

This one is for the brilliant Grainne Mc., the first to try my Fish "No Tortilla* Tacos recipe from my first recipe blog :)

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

For the Chicken Marinade: (Adapted from Jamie Olliver recipes):

• 4 x 120 g skinless organic chicken breasts

• 1 orange

• 1 dried chilli

• 1 1⁄2 heaped teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• 3 tablespoons runny honey

• 3 tablespoons ketchup - or canned diced tomatoes / tomato sauce

• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

For the Taco & toppings:

• Grilled corn on the cob, kernals cut off after grilling

• Avocado, sliced (1/2 per person)

• Plum or cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves

• Feta cheese, diced

• Red onion, diced

• Cilantro

• Limes wedges, quartered, to serve

Bonus: Guacamole recipe

Method:

For the Chicken : Light the grill so that it's nice and hot when you’re ready to cook.

1. Finely grate the orange zest into a shallow bowl. Crumble in the dried chilli. Add the paprika, mustard, honey, ketchup (or tomato sauce) and a splash of olive oil.

2. Season with a small pinch of salt and pepper and mix well. Spoon out a few tablespoons of the marinade and set it aside.

3. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl with the remaining marinade. Turn them over in the marinade so they’re well coated, cover and leave to sit for 5 to 10 minutes or until the grill is ready.

4. Transfer your chicken breasts onto the grill. For chicken breasts approximately 2cm thick, cook for about 5 minutes on each side, turning every minute and basting as you go, or until golden and cooked through.

5. Remove from heat and spoon a little of the reserved sauce over each breast.

6. Slice each grilled chicken breast into strips

For the Taco assembly:

Add all toppings to small bowls and let your guests buid their own!

#4. Grilled Piri Piri Chicken with Grilled Asparagus Salad

Inspired by Monica B.

Piri Piri Chicken I Ready for the Grill!

Piri Piri Chicken is famous in Portugal - and yet I had never made it.  Until… the magnificent Monica B. suggested we try to make it on the BBQ!   Monica is always full of fresh ideas - and this one was a highlight. 

Crispy on the outside, juicy and flavourful on the inside -  magnificent grilled chicken. 

Recipe adapted from Steven Raichlen, Francine Maroukian, and the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen.

Ingredients:

For the Glaze:

• 3 tablespoons Mediterranean Olive Oil

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tablespoons piri-piri sauce

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the Chicken Marinade: Note: Needs to marinate for 4+ hours

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced

• 1 large shallot, peeled, quartered

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled

• 1/2 cup piri-piri sauce or other hot pepper sauce

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, backbone removed, opened flat

• Disposable aluminum baking pan

Method:

For the Glaze:

1. Place oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cilantro and garlic; cook until garlic begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add piri-piri sauce and lemon juice. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 2 minutes. Glaze can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before using.

For the Chicken:

1. Finely chop cilantro, ginger, shallot, and garlic in processor. Add piri-piri sauce, 1/4 cup oil, lemon juice, coarse salt, and pepper; process marinade to blend.

2. Place chicken, skin side up, on work surface. Using palm of hand, press on breastbone to flatten chicken. Tuck wing tips under. Pour half of marinade into 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Open chicken like book; place skin side down in single layer in dish. Pour remaining marinade over. Cover; chill at least 4 hours or overnight, turning chicken occasionally.

3. Prepare barbecue (to medium heat).

4. Remove chicken from marinade. Arrange skin side up in disposable aluminium pan brushed with oil. Place chicken (in aluminium pan) on BBQ.

5. Cover barbecue; grill until skin is browned and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, turning often, about 40 minutes. Transfer to platter. Pour warm glaze over top of chicken.
   

Serve with salad topped with grilled asparagus (which you can grill at the same time as the chicken).

#5. The Best Home-Made Burgers with Carmelised Onions & Gorganzola

For Heather P.

The Best Home-Made Burgers

Grilling has always involved burgers, since I was a child.  Now I like to gourmet them up with some chopped spinach, parmeasean, onion and garlic mixed into the meat - with beautiful cheeses for toppings, and healthy greens instead of the bun. 

This one’s for the fabulous Heather P., stylish home-cooking with lotsa laughs!

Ingredients:

• 8 1/2-inch-thick slices red onions

• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar diluted in 1 tablespoon of water

• 3 pounds ground round beef, formed into eight 4- to 5-inch-diameter pattie. (You can also use ground turkey for a non-red meat option)

• Optional: I added some chopped spinach and parmaesan with an egg to to half the patties, and chopped onion and garlic to the other.

• Gorgonzola cheese

• Baby spinach leaves

The Best Home-Made Burgers I Ingredients

Method:

1. Prepare barbecue (to medium heat). Brush onions generously with brown sugar sauce. Grill until onions are tender, brown and glazed, basting with barbecue sauce and turning occasionally, about 15 minutes.

2. Sprinkle patties with salt and pepper. Grill patties until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Top each with caramelised onions,

3. While burgers are cooking, prepare plates with baby spinach leaves and a dollop of gorgonzola cheese in the middle. Place burger with caramelised onions on top of gorgonzola cheese dollop and serve!

#6. Grilled Pizza with Cauliflower Crust

For Molly S.

Grilled Pizza with Cauliflower Crust

Everyone loves pizza - and cooking pizza directly on the grill gives it  that sought after crispy crust and smokey flavour of a pizzaolo.  To make it Med Diet friendly, I’ve experimented with a Cauliflower Crust. 

This one is for the thoughtful and enchanting Molly S.

Ingredients:

For the Cauliflower crust:

• 1 head cauliflower, stalk removed

• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten 

• Desired pizza toppings

Method:

For the Cauliflower crust:

1. Preheat the BBQ until it reaches 200°C.

2. Break the cauliflower into florets and pulse in a food processor until fine. Steam in a steamer basket and drain well. (I like to put it on a towel to get all the moisture out.) Let cool.

3. In a bowl, combine the cauliflower with the mozzarella, Parmesan, oregano, salt, garlic powder and eggs. Transfer to the center of the baking sheet and spread into a circle, resembling a pizza crust. Grill for 10-20 minutes, watching it closely so it doesn't burn.

Add desired toppings and grill an additional 10 minutes.

#7. Grilled Tagliata with Melted Burrata

Insipired by Michelle V.

Grilled Tagliata with Melted Burrata

Even before the amazing Michelle V. pioneered sustainable and organic restaurants, the Beet, and the Passenger, in Toronto, Canada - she was wowing us with the ability to perfectly marinate steaks in the trunk of a car during a 3-hour drive to cottage country. 

My favourite grilled beef recipe is the Italian Tagliata, paired here with melted Burrata cheese (instead of Parmesan).

Ingredients:

• Sirloin steaks (150g per person)

• Burrata cheese

• Your choice of greens - rucola is traditional for Taglliata

• Woshteshire sauce, salt and pepper to marinate the steaks
  

Method:

1. Heat up the BBQ to 300°C

2. Sprinkle the steaks with some Woshteshire sauce, and a pink of salt and pepper while BBQ is heating up.  Note:  The steaks should be at room temperature before grilling.

3. When grill is ready, grill 2 minutes each side for medium-rare steaks

4. Remove steaks from the grill, slice into strips and plate.

5. Add a spoonful of burrata on top of each steak, and let it melt on the hot meat

6. Sprinkle rucola (or your choice of greens) on top of steaks, add a drizzle of olive oil

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Awaiting My Next Guests...!

Share your favourite Al Fresco Menus, Recipes & Inspiration in the comments below :)

Jade

Lewon

Med