Grilled Parmesan Tomatoes: A Delicious Accompaniment to a Perfectly Grilled Steak

Sunday is Father’s Day and grilling is a quintessential cooking method perfect for the occasion.  Because it’s Father’s Day, it’s time for wives and older children to help handle the grill while dads enjoy their day off.

What better meal to serve your dad on Father’s Day than a perfectly cooked steak? While you may not be an experienced griller, it’s important to learn a few basic tips to help you through this important task:

1. Keep your seasoning simple - limit seasoning to rock salt and fresh cracked pepper to allow the true flavors of your meat to shine through.
2. Keep your meat at the right temperature - Make sure to remove your steak from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before grilling to allow your steak to reach room temperature. This ensures your steak cooks evenly.
3. Prep your grill - take a paper towel with tongs, dip it in olive oil, and brush it on your grill grates to coat with oil.
4. Grill it on high - Grill your steak on direct high heat to ensure a nice tender center.
5. Never pierce your meat - use tongs while handling your steak, never use a fork.  Piercing your meat with a fork allows the juices to escape minimizing its flavor.
6. Dress it up with grill marks - the trick to making grill marks is to turn your steak as little as possible. Begin with cooking it on one side long enough to sear lines, rotate it 45 degrees and continue to cook. Then flip it over and continue the same steps.
7. Don’t over cook your meat - total grill time will vary based on the cut and thickness of your steak. To check if they’re done, use your fingers or tongs to press on the top of your steak.  The firmer it is, the more cooked it is. If you can leave a depression on the steak- it’s still rare.
8. Let it rest - Allow your steak to sit for 5 minutes after grilling for the juices to settle.

With these tips, you’re sure to master grilling in no time!

These Grilled Parmesan Tomatoes are a great dish to serve alongside your perfectly grilled steaks. They're delicious, inexpensive, and a fuss-free item full of flavor.  Made with  fresh tomatoes, this is a seasonal dish that is perfect to enjoy this time of year.

Grilled Parmesan Tomatoes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
Large Beefsteak Tomatoes or any large ripe tomatoes
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese, about 3-4 tablespoons per tomato
2 tablespoons basil, julienned

Directions
Cut your tomatoes in half. Then brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Top with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese, about 1  1/2 to  2 tablespoons per tomato half. Transfer your tomatoes to the grill and cover the lid. Grill over high/medium heat until your cheese begins to brown. Then drizzle with additional olive oil and continue to grill with the top down until your tomatoes are soft and your cheese is toasted. Total grilling time is about 10 minutes. Remove your tomatoes from the grill (the skin may fall off, but that's normal). Garnish with julienned basil and enjoy!