Murder Sends a Postcard (A Haunted Souvenir) (20 page)

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

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teaspoon salt

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teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the vegetables: remove the seeds and stems from the peppers, and cut into 2-inch squares; section the squash and zucchini into
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-inch slices; peel the onion and cut into 2-inch squares; rinse the tomatoes; the mushrooms may be used whole, or halved if they are very large.

Mix the remaining ingredients, pour over the cut vegetables in a plastic bag, and marinate for 3–4 hours. Soak ten 12-inch bamboo skewers in water, or use metal skewers. (Be careful when handling metal skewers; they will get very hot!) Thread an assortment of vegetables on each skewer, place over a medium-hot grill, and cook 10–12 minutes, turning regularly and basting with marinade.

Eggplant does well on the grill. Be sure the eggplant is tender, but don’t overcook it, as it can get mushy.

GRILLED EGGPLANT

2 eggplants

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cup olive oil

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cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon minced garlic

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teaspoon each thyme, basil, dill, and oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

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teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Slice the eggplants about
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-inch thick. Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Coat the eggplant slices with the oil and vinegar mixture (brushing works well), and grill on a hot grill, turning once, for about 15 minutes.

Tomatoes show up in lots of Southern dishes. They can be baked, broiled, fried, sliced, diced, made into sauce—or grilled. This basic recipe can be enhanced with herbs or spices such as oregano or pepper flakes, depending on your personal preferences, topped with fresh herbs such as basil or thyme, or garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.

GRILLED TOMATOES

4 large tomatoes

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

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cup minced garlic

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cup extra virgin olive oil

Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. Mix the salt, pepper, and garlic powder; season the cut side with the dry mixture. In a small saucepan (you can do this on a side burner, or the back of the grill), sauté the minced garlic in olive oil and set aside.

Place the tomatoes cut-side down on a hot grill. Grill 3–5 minutes, turn over, top with the garlic and oil mixture, and grill for another 3 minutes. When the tomatoes are done, they can be topped with fresh herbs, bread crumbs, and/or grated cheese.

This grilled menu holds an array of vegetable dishes and aromatic chicken, a departure from the standard grilled meal. But we bow to tradition with the inclusion of the classic summertime dish: baked beans. And while a traditional cook would start with dried beans and spend a couple days cooking, this recipe takes a shortcut and starts with canned pork and beans, then improves them.

BAKED BEANS

3 15-ounce cans pork and beans

1 large onion, chopped

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cup brown sugar

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cup honey

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cup yellow mustard

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cup ketchup

1 ounce lemon juice

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pound bacon, cut into small pieces

Mix all the ingredients except the bacon in a fireproof baking dish (a disposable aluminum pan works well). Sprinkle the bacon pieces on top. Cover with foil and heat on a grill for 1
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–2 hours. All the ingredients except the bacon are already cooked, but the longer cooking time allows the flavors to blend and mellow.

After an excellent meal, this light dessert is a perfect finish. Sweet and juicy, it’s like a little slice of peach heaven. Choose fruit that is still firm to the touch; too ripe and it will fall apart on the grill.

GRILLED PEACHES

6 medium peaches, ripe but still firm

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cup melted butter

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cup honey or brown sugar, optional

Halve the peaches and remove the pits. Peeling is not necessary but you may do so if you prefer. Brush the peaches with the melted butter. Brush on the honey or sprinkle with brown sugar, if you want a little sweeter dessert. Lightly oil the grill. Place the peach halves on the grill facedown. Cook for about 4 minutes. Turn. Brush on additional honey, or sprinkle with more brown sugar, if desired. Cook for another 4–5 minutes, until the peaches are soft.

Serve plain, or with vanilla or peach ice cream, yogurt, or whipped cream.