This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pompeian Olive Oil.
Is your grill pretty much on standby this summer, getting fired up again as soon as it cools down from the previous session? We are definitely using our grill MUCH more than ever before this year, and we’re also learning some important grilling temps. For example, did you know that grapeseed oil is ideal for grilling? It has a higher flash point, which means it has to get REALLY hot for it to start to burn. I’m always interested in trying new things, so I headed to the store to pick up some and to put together something simple, yet divine, for our grill.
I am SO excited about what I came up with. It may look fancy, but it is easy peasy, and frugal, too! I’d say this dish blends together Italian cuisine, Mediterranean flavor, and fresh, local flavors. What’s not to love?
Farmer’s Market Pesto for the Grill
Pesto is a very flexible and forgiving concoction, so I don’t have a hard and fast recipe. Gather together a hard cheese (like Parmesan), an oil (I chose Pompeian Grapeseed Oil since this will get put on the grill), a nut (I recommend almonds, but walnuts and pine nuts are also popular choices), garlic (for me, the more the better!) and some leafy greens. Traditional pesto uses basil and parsley. I had some basil, but the shining stars of this pesto were carrot tops and radish leaves. YES, both things are quite edible!
I ran all the ingredients through my food processor until the end result was smooth. I tasted to make sure I liked the balance of flavors, and adjusted accordingly (mine needed a bit more oil and a pinch of salt after the first tasting). This was my result!
There are pretty much endless possibilities for what you can do with a delicious pesto. I used it as a marinade for some chicken tenders and some veal steaks. I also saved some for a pasta dish later this week! But since it is National Grilling Month, we had to get outside and cook some food over a little open flame :-). Tim was a little worried when he saw the pesto coating on the meat, and asked me if I thought it would burn before the meat was done. That’s when I told him that I was using Pompeian Grapeseed Oil, which is perfect for the grill.
Grapeseed Oil: What Else Can I Do With It?
Ok, so this recipe was simple and delicious, and made me a true believer in using grapeseed oil while grilling. But I’m having a hard time thinking up other ideas for how to use the product, either on or off the grill. Fortunately, Pompeian anticipated that problem and has LOTS of simple tips and recipes that can help me out! Pompeian also offers many other great oils, including one that is at the top of my grocery list for the next trip: OlivExtra Premium Mediterranean blend. That brings some olive oil back into the equation (olive oil is our standard cooking oil of choice) but also includes that wonderful grapeseed oil and canola oil for an added unique flavor.
Additionally, Pompeian Olive Oil has partnered up with Hungry Girl (Lisa Lillien) to create several easy-to-follow, healthy grilling recipes that are inspired by the Mediterranean diet. If you aren’t quite sure how to integrate some of these flavors into your cooking, or if you are worried that this all sounds a little too complicated (isn’t grilling supposed to be easy, after all?), then have no fear! Hungry Girl will show you how to make several simple-yet-impressive dishes. So what are you waiting for? Fire up the grill, and go get some Pompeian Olive Oil (I especially recommend the Grapeseed Oil!). You’ll be so glad you made the switch!
A message from Pompeian Olive Oil:
Pompeian Olive Oil, a leader in olive oils and vinegars, is here to help you celebrate July for National Grilling Month! Pompeian products give you a taste of the Mediterranean without leaving your backyard.
By using Pompeian Grapeseed Oil and OlivExtra Mediterranean Blend products you can make grilling healthier and more flavorful in a Mediterranean way. For more information about Pompeian Olive Oil, please visit .
And if you are looking for recipe inspiration, be sure you do not miss the below Hungry Girl recipes!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pompeian Olive Oil.
I first discovered PESTO several lifetimes ago before most non-Italian Americans had ever heard of it and I would buy it at the now long gone Balducci’s in NYC. I loved it so much I would buy it by the pound and bring it home to Chicago on my visits (what a mess that made in my (carry-on) luggage!
Several years later (after moving back from NYC) I learned how to make it myself (and grow my own basil) still several DECADES before it became a popular mainstay across the country – and available in many brands and variations in most grocery stores! I still adore it. But back to
GRAPESEED OIL. I’d seen and heard about it – noticed it was a little pricy but never really thought about it much until I read from a respected source that Grapeseed
Oil was THE BEST oil for frying in. It had both the flavor and nutritional values of Olive Oil (different flavor – but good!) and has the perfect “heat tolerance” for frying as Olive Oil burns at a lower temperature. Needless to say it is now a staple in our house and we pretty much cook and/or prepare EVERYTHING with these two wonderful oils.
It is on the fast track to becoming a staple at our house, too! I just made some stir fry yesterday with grapeseed oil! Never worried for a second about the oil burning, which was really nice! 🙂
Good to know on the grapeseed oil! I always wonder. I use olive oil on my grill pan but I’m not sure that I should.
I have used the grill pan SO MUCH already this summer. It makes me wish I had a real grill.
I’ve had some success with olive oil, but I’ve also had it burn. So grapeseed oil is definitely the way to go to avoid the possibility!
We tried kale pesto last week. SOO GOOD. And I don’t like kale 🙂 I was a little short on the nuts, pistachio leftovers from another project :), and added extra garlic and a touch more oil. I just let it sit in the food processor for a couple hrs at room temp to let the flavors meld….it gave the kale a chance to break down a bit in the garlic and oil. My hubs loved it and he doesn’t do leafy greens at ALL. Boog didn’t but he’ll learn I mean he isn’t two yet 🙂 The recipe is on my pintrest 🙂
Oh yummy! I actually love kale! And I love the idea of giving it time to break down with whatever you are using.