All photos courtesy of Bethany Linnenkohl

With less than two weeks before the first day of fall on Sept. 23, there is still time to fire up the grill and savor those summer dishes that can’t quite be duplicated in the oven or on the stove. Over the next two weeks, I am going to present some easy dish ideas that are delicious renditions of traditional grilling. Nothing smells more like summer than a grilled lunch or dinner in the warm afternoon with good company.

Conquering charcoal grills

On campus, the majority of grills are charcoal grills. If using one is a daunting task, here is a basic tutorial of how to start one. You will need charcoal, lighter fluid, a grill, long tongs, matches and a grill brush. To begin, it is always a good idea to clean the grill with the grill brush as you never know what was on the grill before you started cooking. Then clean out the ashes or grease if needed.

Place the charcoal in a pyramid design under the grate and pour about 1/4 cup lighter fluid per pound of charcoal used. Light the charcoal at two or more places on the bottom row of charcoal. Wait for 10 to 15 minutes until all of the charcoal pieces turn white.

Once they have all turned white, spread them out evenly with the tongs and clean the grill once again, allowing the heat to burn anything else off that may be there.

There are many options of what can be cooked on a grill — anything from cookies to meat, vegetables to fruit. Today, we will be grilling corn and chevre stuffed peppers.

Corn

Pick out enough corn for the number of people you are serving — usually one ear of corn per person.

There are three ways to grill corn: without husks, with husks or in foil without the husk. The latter two are my choice methods as the steam present seems to cook them better and bring out more of that sweet corn flavor. I love experimenting with combinations of seasonings on the corn. Options include coconut milk with green onions, basil and chilies; fresh rosemary, pepper and butter; garlic, salt and butter; or simply olive oil. Regardless of the combination used for seasoning, the aesthetically pleasing touch of grill marks on the corn make grilled corn what it is and give it an added flavor.

Chevre stuffed peppers

All photos courtesy of Bethany Linnenkohl

The sweet essence of peppers are often undervalued when eaten cold but when experimentally placed on a grill and filled with cheese, the hot, soft, and juicy pairing provides a wonderful accompaniment for a main dish. Cut off the top of the baby pepper — I prefer baby peppers— and cut out any seeds or extra pieces of the stem. Fill the pepper with cheese, such as Laura Chenel’s Chevre with chabis and herbs. Grill for a couple of minutes, rotating the pepper until there are grill marks on the skin of the pepper and the goat cheese is melted.

In order to experience both of these dishes in full, it is strictly important to consume them while they’re hot!