Too Many Cooks: Your Go-To Grilling Food

You'll be hearing from the staff at Food52 in Too Many Cooks, our group column in which we pool our answers to questions about food, cooking, life, and more. 

Your grill is sad. All of the other grills in the neighborhood are out to play, but yours is sitting alone, unused and unloved. Now that summer is in full swing, it’s high time to dust off that barbie and fire it up. Though burgers are always a great option, there are tons of other foods that become more amazing with some quality grill time. Looking for inspiration, we asked the Food52 team:

What’s your favorite food to grill? (And how do you do it?)

Do you love a well-grilled pineapple slice or do you prefer a good ol’ cheeseburger? Tell us in the comments!

Lauren L.: Genius Grilled Fava Beans changed my life, and grilled pineapple.

Christina: I grill everything that's not liquid. But, man, did the chanana (chocolate banana) change my life. To cook it: Lay a semi-ripe banana flat, leaving the peel on, and cut a slit in the top. Then break a Ghirardelli square into thirds and place each piece in the cut. Add to a hot grill until you smell sweet, roasted banana and the chocolate is super melty. Eat with a spoon directly out of the peel.

More: Get a little fancier with this recipe for Bananas with Buttered Maple Sauce and English Almond Toffee.

Posie: In the summer I buy everything that looks good at the farm stand and grill it: peaches, heads of romaine lettuce sliced in half, tomatoes, and lemons. Grilling lemons makes them super easy to squeeze over your plate -- plus they look lovely with grill marks. And a firm lettuce (like romaine) wilts nicely at the edges, but stays crunchy in the middle.

More: Find the tools you need to master the grill.

Taylor: ?Bread is definitely my favorite choice! I rub some garlic and a few drops of olive oil on each slice as they come off the grill. Also in that category: halved croissants. ?

Lauren M.: I love grilled fish. A sturdy salmon or halibut steak is good to use since it stays in one piece. Perfect with salt, pepper and lemon juice -- or homemade chimichurri, if you want to get fancy.

More: Heat things up with Grilled Okra with Sriracha Lime Salt.

Merrill: Grilled pizza and bread are some of my favorites, as is zucchini -- toss it warm with a red wine vinaigrette and some chili flakes, and there's not much that's better in the summer. I also love grilled lamb chops -- I never make them any other way.

Marian: My new favorite thing is officially a fat watermelon steak grilled with coconut oil, cumin, salt, and lime. I will be eating them all summer, and all other summers hereafter.

Haley: Grilled pineapple is my favorite item, hands down. I eat it on salad, on grilled pizza, on grilled chicken, with grilled shrimp, and completely plain as a dessert.

More: If you're not eating Grilled Corn and Basil Butter, you're missing out. 

Laura: I'm a Kentucky girl, so grilled corn with a slathering of whipped jalapeño butter reminds me of being home in the country.

Erin: My favorite flatbread dough is crazy-nutso-good on the grill. I slather it with olive oil so that it chars up around the edges, then serve it with pesto and ricotta for dipping and slathering.

Tell us: What are your favorite foods to grill in the summertime?