This Week's Podcast: A Rebroadcast: The Gardener is the Griller: Judith Fertig
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Just the smell of grilled food in the summer makes me swoon. Am I alone? Co-author Judith Fertig says that nothing tastes better than freshly harvested vegetables grilled to perfection. 
The Gardener and the Grill: The Bounty of the Garden Meets the Sizzle of the Grill (published in April, 2012, and already in its fourth printing) presents recipes like Grilled Gazpacho; Blackened Fish Po’Boy with Grilled Green Onion Mayonnaise; Pizza Primavera; Wood-Grilled Shrimp and Yellow Peppers; and Grill-Baked Apples with Cinnamon Nut Stuffing. “Keep the grill hot long after summer’s finished with Planked Butternut Squash with Sage and Brie.”
Planked? Judith Fertig joins me this week and we talk about growing, grilling and eating the prizes from the garden. She also describes some tools and techniques that are new to me like the “plank” and “grill-wok.”
Here’s one of the easy recipes from the book.
Grilled Peach Halves with Lemon Balm Gremolata
Adapted from The Gardener and The Grill by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig with photos by Steve Legato.
A traditional gremolata has parsley, lemon zest, and garlic, but this is a sweeter version, delicious with fruit. If you don’t have lemon balm, substitute mint and add more lemon zest. Serves 4
1/4 cup packed lemon balm leaves
1 tablespoon packed mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Pinch kosher or sea salt
4 peaches, halved and pitted
Prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill. Chop the lemon balm, mint, and lemon zest together until very fine. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the leaves and chop again. Set aside in a small bowl.
Place the peach halves cut side down on the grill. Grill for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once, until the peaches are tender and blistered.
To serve, place 2 peach halves in each bowl and sprinkle the Lemon Balm Gremolata.
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