Grilled Strawberry Basil Kebabs

Grilled Strawberry Basil Kebabs are a delicious summer appetizer or dessert. The essence of summer goodness, they're sweet, a tad savory and so pretty!

Add this strawberry basil deliciousness to your vanilla ice cream and you won't know what hit you. Seriously, it's amazing!

Pure perfectly ripe summer strawberries are magnificent on their own, but adding a subtly smoky flavor to them is magical. And that's exactly what a couple of minutes on the grill does.

This strawberry basil dessert doubles as an exciting summer appetizer, too. Grilled fruit is always a treat, and whether you serve them before of after your meal, they'll be loved.

The Ingredients

• fresh strawberries - Look for strawberries that are bright red and have a natural shine, with bright green stems. (Pro Tip: During the summer, buy your strawberries at the Farmers' Market when possible. Always walk up and down the market having a sample at each strawberry booth before deciding where to buy. You can find a Farmers Market near you here.)
• fresh basil - Choose bright green, perky bunches without yellow or brown spots.
• balsamic vinegar
• olive oil
• black pepper - Preferably freshly ground. Strawberries and black pepper are a really delicious combination even on their own.

Substitutions and Variations

• If you don't want to use basil leaves, grilled strawberries are really tasty very lightly sprinkled with finely chopped rosemary. Or you can grill them on their own.
• Summer stone fruits are also fantastic to grill. Peaches, plums and apricots would be delicious.
• In the fall months, try it with pears or apples and instead of putting a basil leaf between the pieces of fruit, sprinkle them with finely chopped rosemary.

Recipe Tips

• You can use either wooden or metal skewers to grill the strawberries. If you use wood, be sure to soak them for at least 15 minutes in warm water beforehand. This will prevent them from burning.
• Both wood and metal skewers will get hot, but the metal will get extremely hot, so keep your pot holders close.
• It can be tricky to line up the flat sides of the cut berries -- try your best to get them as even as possible, so they all hit the grill at once.
• If you're grilling outside on a barbecue, the grate should be very narrow because as the strawberries heat, they'll become more fragile (even when they're big). If you're grilling other foods outside, you can actually place a stovetop grill on top of the BBQ.
• Note that we're only grilling the cut side of the strawberries.
• When you remove the skewers from the grill, do so carefully so the berries don't fall off. It's a good idea to hold a plate beneath them just in case.
• If you have a balsamic glaze, or want to make one, don't grill the berries with the vinegar, and drizzle the glaze over them when they're done.

How to Make Them

- Rinse and dry the strawberries. Then remove the stems and cut each one in half, lengthwise.

- Slide each strawberry half onto a metal or wooden skewer with a basil leaf between each one. Try to skewer them so their flat sides are even. (If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 15 minutes first.)

- Use a pasty brush or drizzle the flat sides of the berries with the balsamic vinegar and oil. Then sprinkle them with black pepper.

- Place a stovetop grill over high heat. Once it’s very hot, place the skewers on it with the strawberries flat side down. You should hear a sizzling sound when they touch down -- if you don't, wait for it to get hotter. After the first 30 seconds or so, turn the heat down to medium. Grill the strawberries just until they have nice grill marks, about 2 minutes. Do not grill the other side.

- Place the skewers on a plate and and drizzle them with any remaining balsamic vinegar. You can serve them on or off the skewers.

Easy Strawberry Desserts with Few Ingredients

• Mint Simple Syrup with Strawberries and Apricots
• Minty Lime Granita Strawberry Cups
• Easy Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream

Serving Suggestions

• My favorite way to serve the grilled strawberries with basil is over vanilla bean ice cream for dessert. Lemon ice cream would also be great.
• They're lovely served with just a touch of whipped cream.
• For an appetizer, you can just fill a platter with the skewers.
• Try them in another of my favorite strawberry recipes, these strawberry caprese skewers.
• They're excellent added to salads, too!

Can you make them ahead?

Grilled strawberries shouldn't be made too far ahead, as they'll soften with time. While ideal within 15 minutes or so off the grill, you can make them up to an hour ahead, knowing they might not look quite the same but will still be delectable.

I hope you love grilled strawberries as much as I do!

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