Side salads or sauces can make or break a meal, but it doesn’t have to be complicated to succeed. Butter leaf lettuce with a simple oil and vinegar marinade or colorful salads with small fruit pearls – pretty much anything goes. A splash of citrus here and there, fresh herbs, flower blossom syrups or even edible blossoms provide deliciously stylish surprises. Unusual toppings or sauces can help take your grilled meat or fish to the next level.
Arugula Salad with Mango Cubes
Ingredients: Olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, mustard, honey, fresh ginger, pepper, sesame seeds, arugula leaves and a mango
Preparation: Roast sesame seeds in a pan without fat. Finely grate the ginger. Blend olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, honey and pepper until creamy and add the ginger. Let stand for a while. Wash the arugula, dab with kitchen paper and place in a salad bowl. Peel the mango, remove the core and cut the flesh into small cubes. Mix with the arugula, add the dressing and toss well. Garnish with the roasted sesame seeds before serving. Pairs well with meat dishes.
Timing: Prepare the salad one hour before grilling: just before serving, whisk the dressing again and add it to the salad; garnish with the sesame seeds.
Jalapeños Stuffed with Pear and Blue Cheese
Ingredients: Jalapeños, blue cheese, cream cheese, pear, salt, pepper
Preparation: Halve the jalapeños lengthwise and carefully remove the seeds and membranes. Peel a quarter of the pear and cut into fine cubes. Crumble 2/3 of the blue cheese and mix with 1/3 cream cheese. Add the pear cubes and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fill the jalapeños with the cream cheese. Grill over indirect heat for about 15 minutes. Pairs well with meat of all kinds.
Timing: Can be prepared in advance and added to the grill 15 minutes before meal time.
Lime Zest and Roasted Fennel Seed Garnish
Ingredients: Limes, fennel seeds, fresh chili to taste
Preparation: Zest the lime. Dry roast the fennel seeds in a pan, toss from time to time and reduce the heat as soon as the aroma of the seeds is released. Cut the chilies into wafer-thin strips and sauté briefly in the pan with a little olive oil. Ideal as a garnish for fish.
Timing: Prepare the zest, chilis and fennel seeds just before serving. Garnish the fish with them after grilling.
Preparation: Cut the radishes into fine cubes or slice them into wafer-thin slices and chop the greens very finely. Blend the yoghurt with the sour cream and cream cheese. Add the radishes and greens and stir well. Season to taste with a dash of lemon. Ideal as a sauce for grilled vegetables.
If you want a fruity component, replace the radishes with pomegranate seeds or wafer-thin pear flakes. Fava beans, chia seeds or sunflower seeds provide crunch. Add the seeds and kernels just before serving.
Timing: Can be prepared well in advance and stored in the refrigerator until serving.
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