Gourmet Sides for Summer Grilling

Fourth of July has passed, but we’re still at the height of grilling season in South Florida. While we love our tried-and-true sides like baked beans, grilled corn and potato salad, we also like to keep things exciting all summer long.

Here are a few recipes that will give your side dishes a gourmet twist.

If one fruit defines summer more than any other, it’s got to be watermelon. You can slice it, dice it, make an ice-cold slushy with it and you can even grill it. The gourmet twist in this recipe from Olive Magazine is the use of grilled halloumi cheese. We often see watermelon paired with feta and olives in salads, but the use of this smooth Greek cheese made from a mixture of sheep and goat’s milk is irresistible, and we think your family and friends will agree.

Sure, pasta salad is a common side dish, but making it gourmet starts with choosing premium ingredients like the ones that go into Doris’ Own Pasta Salad at our prepared foods counter. Here is a delicious guide from Delish that shows you how to make an Italian pasta salad that balances out flavors to your exact liking. You can even add some extra gourmet flair by adding things like prosciutto, sliced pepperoni, fresh mozzarella or even shaved gouda.

If you’re from the South, you probably grew up eating cornbread to soak up the juices from black-eyed peas, collard greens and barbecue sauce. Give your cornbread a little extra attention with some gourmet additions like herbs, cheeses and other fillings. Serving cornbread in muffin form also makes it easy to serve multiple versions to your guests as a side or appetizer.

Try this recipe from Food & Wine magazine for Grill Roasted Bacon & Scallion Corn Muffins.

There is nothing like a fresh ear of sweet summer corn — that is, until you put that corn on the grill, butter it up and add your favorite herbs and spices. There are so many ways to add a gourmet touch to grilled corn, we would run out of space telling you about them all.

But a good place to start is with this Grilled Corn on the Cob with Roasted Garlic and Herbs from Food & Wine magazine. Another version to try at home is Mexican Street Corn or Elote, which is grilled corn basted in mayonnaise, sprinkled with chili powder and finished with cotija cheese and a squeeze of lime.