One aspect of Greek cuisine that I’ve found to be under-represented is grilling. Greeks love grilled food yet I see very little mention of it.

Since the days of the caveman, humans have been throwing meat and other foods onto an open fire. It’s the most primitive method of cooking yet today, it’s probably the most enjoyed and also the most discussed (gas grill vs. charcoal/wood).

Although you will continue to see dishes come from the kitchen, I’m going to be top-heavy on some grilled dishes, from a Greek’s perspective. I’ll use ingredients that are mostly used in Greek cooking (some heresy will be tolerated), expand more on how, what, when Greeks do their grilling and of course, show some wonderful grilled food ideas for you to consider this summer when entertaining.

Just to get one thing out of the way that is the “charcoal vs. gas grill” debate. There really is no debate. Charcoal and wood BBQ will win out on flavour each & every time. For the sole reason of convenience, most of my grilled foods come from my propane-fueled grill.

On occasion, the charcoal will be lit up and you might see a lamb or whole pig on the spit but almost always, the  food will come from a gas grill.

So…what do Greeks like to grill? Meats are the obvious faves, grilled fish and seafood get thrown on the “barbie”. Don’t forget vegetables like peppers and eggplants, some bread can get toasted and even some fruits will make an appearance.

Back in Greece, most families are “old skool” and the preference is for charcoal and wood. The appearance of gas grills has entered the markets of Greece and Europe but the cost of such apparatus are still steep.

Greeks will light up their BBQ on the weekends, at their summer homes by the beach, in the mountains or in the home village. Greeks sometimes will even grill on the rooftop of their apartment/condo building or in a vacant lot.

Barring any of the above options, Greeks can’t be kept away from grilled food. Nearly every block will have a taverna with a grill, where the aroma of souvlakia, keftedes or loukanika fill the air.

Being a Greek born in Canada, I do also employ some American grilling techniques but you will always detect that Greek touch to the dish.

For starters, I love zucchini and they are especially delicious when grilled. Here, I sliced them lengthwise, brushed them with oil and seasoned them with salt and pepper. Serve with my thick, creamy, just enough garlic Tzatziki with fresh dill and watch this appetizer/meze disappear.

Another grilling option takes a Greek vegetarian classic called Briam…a baked dish of zucchini,  peppers, onions, tomatoes and potatoes. To make this grilled version of  Briam, I par-boiled some potatoes, then grilled them off along side the slices of vegetables. A head of garlic also got roasted for some added flavour and I grilled some thick coins of white onions.

Grill everything until just fork-tender, throw them in your bowl with some extra virgin olive oil, squeeze in some roasted garlic, add some chopped parsley and dried oregano and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

The star of yesterday’s dinner was this T-bone steak. This cut gets it’s name from the obvious pattern of the bone, forming a T-shape. The T-bone is cut from the front section of the loin (near the rib section) and includes a smaller section of both the tenderloin and the strip loin.

Yesterday, I dressed this steak with some Greek flavours…olive oil, coarse sea salt, cracked black pepper, minced garlic, some Metaxa brandy, rosemary and some lemon thyme.

T-bone steaks are a good (pricier) cut, do not need to be tenderized. All one has to do is allow for the steak to return to room temperature before grilling and add your flavourings (except for the salt). Allow them to penetrate the meat for up to an hour. Pre-heat your grill and season with coarse sea salt just before the steaks hit the grill.

Cook to your desired doneness (I cooked mine for 4 mins. a side), allow to rest for about 5 minutes and cut into a juicy piece of summer, right on your plate.

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© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis