They say that when it’s really hot out, you should get all your vigorous outdoor activities – your jogging, your weeding, your trolling of neighborhood yard sales – out of the way early in the morning, before the sun gets too high.
I concur. Or more precisely, if I were up early in the morning with any regularity, I would concur.
At any rate, I’d add cooking outdoors – you know, grilling – to the list of vigorous activities that can be accomplished in the morning.
You can grill pork tenderloins early in the day, then have pork sandwiches on soft country white bread with mayo and mustard for lunch.
Or you can grill mangoes, papayas, strawberries and melon, then chop it all together for a grilled fruit topping to spoon over ice cream later.
Or you could even grill a flank steak (marinate it in soy sauce and ginger overnight) to slice up later for a light steak salad supper.
But the best thing to grill in the morning is breakfast. All you need is a cast iron pan and an open mind. The best part: You won’t start another triple-digit day in a hot kitchen.
Here are two easy grilled-breakfast recipes.
Grilled Huevos
Serves 2.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
4 fresh eggs
1/2 cup refried beans at room temperature
Salt and pepper to taste
4 flour tortillas
Your favorite green chile
Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Directions
Preheat grill to high. Place cast iron pan over hottest part of grill for 5 minutes. Quickly melt butter in pan until bubbling. Crack four eggs into pan. Cook until desired doneness (I like mine sunny-side-up). Salt and pepper to taste.
Toast tortillas on grill for about 90 seconds per side. Place on plate. Spread 1/4 cup refried beans onto each tortilla, then top each with two eggs. Smother with green chile and garnish with cilantro.
Grilled French Toast with Bananas
It’s probably best to serve this one on a weekend, as it calls for a post-breakfast nap. Serves 2.
Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
2 fresh eggs, lightly beaten
4 slices day-old bread
2 bananas, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
Mint leaves for garnish
Directions
Preheat grill to high. Place cast iron pan over hottest part of grill. Meanwhile, mix eggs and milk in shallow dish. Soak bread in egg mixture for 5 minutes.
Melt butter in cast iron pan until bubbling. Spread fruit side of banana halves with butter and place, fruit side down, on grill next to pan.
Sauté bread in pan until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to plate. Peel bananas and drape over French toast.
Pour maple syrup into pan for two minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the toast. Drizzle warm maple over the French toast and bananas. Garnish with mint and serve immediately.
(Optional: Scoop some vanilla ice cream over the top. Hey, it’s the weekend, right?)
Dining critic Tucker Shaw can be reached at 303-954-1958 or at dining@denverpost.com.
Got any grilled breakfast recipes? Tell us about them in the comments section below.
