Grilling Veggies

Recipes

Written by Elke Probkevitz

Thursday, 30 June 2011 10:25

A couple of weeks ago, my family and I went away for a weekend getaway to the Poconos with friends. When we arrived, we were greeted by a neighbor who informed us that because of a recent storm in the area, there was no power or running water. She said it was due to be on by 9 p.m. that evening, but it was erev Shabbos and there were no guarantees.

Preparing for Shabbos with five kids and four adults under these conditions was no small feat, but luckily we came prepared with a grill and a cooler filled with food. We stocked up on ice and candles and made the best of the situation. With a freshly grilled meal, our candlelit Friday-night dinner couldnâ€™t have been better. In the end, our weekend was one of the most memorable and enjoyable vacations weâ€™ve ever had.

The beauty of the grill is that you can take it anywhere and you donâ€™t have to rely on electricity to get it going. It takes us back to ancient times when food was prepared over an open flame with no frills or fuss, just the way it was meant to be. Almost anything can be made on the grill. Cooking a variety of vegetables on the side of the usual burgers and chicken will spice up your repertoire and make grilling a little more interesting.

Use direct heat. When cooking meats that take longer to cook, a combination of direct and indirect cooking methods are usedâ€”first directly to get grill marks, and then indirectly to the side of the heat source to finish cooking. Most vegetables cook rather quickly, and getting that nice char on the outside is what you want to achieve. Closing the lid will help ensure the vegetables are cooked through.

Have your tools ready. You will need a good pair of tongs, baking sheets to spread out sliced vegetables, basting brush, oven mitts for handling hot items, metal or wooden skewers for smaller vegetables, and sometimes a grill basket. A grill basket is another great way to grill vegetables that are too small and thin to place directly on the grill, such as green beans.

Prepare your veggies properly. Slice vegetables on a diagonal so they are longer and donâ€™t fall through the grates. Make sure to slice them to uniform size so they all cook in the same amount of time. Donâ€™t cut them so thin that theyâ€™ll burn; but not too thick, either, so theyâ€™ll be cooked through. You want them to cook through in the time it takes to brown both sides, so slice up to 1/2â€ thick.

Wrap in foil after grilling. To finish off vegetables that are thicker, wrap in aluminum foil so that the residual heat will guarantee the veggies are cooked all the way through. They will have a more tender and pleasant texture as well.

Coat well with oil. It is important to coat your veggies well with oil, either by tossing them in a large bowl or shaking them up in a ziplock bag until well coated. This is important for two reasons: so the vegetables wonâ€™t stick to the grill and to help evenly distribute the heat around the vegetables. This will also prevent dried-out, undercooked vegetables.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Platter

This recipe can be doubled for a larger crowd.

Ingredients:

2 red bell peppers, whole
1 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed
4 Portobello mushrooms, and gills removed
3 green zucchini, ends trimmed, sliced on a diagonal
1/2 tsp. to 1 tsp. kosher salt, to taste
extra-virgin olive oil for coating
1/2 lemon
2 tsp. fresh basil, mint, or cilantro

Directions:

Preheat grill to high heat. In a large bowl, toss vegetables carefully with salt and olive oil, making sure not to break the mushrooms and asparagus. Be liberal with the olive oil, making sure vegetables are coated well. Arrange vegetables on the grates so that they are evenly spaced, and close the lid.

Cooking times are as follows: asparagus, 1 minute per side; bell peppers, 2â€“3 minutes per side, till blistered; mushrooms, 5â€“7 minutes per side; and zucchini, 3â€“4 minutes per side. Make sure you achieve grill marks on the vegetables and they are cooked all the way through. Peel peppers after cooking and cooling, and then slice peppers and mushrooms. Arrange cooked vegetables on serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil and squeeze lemon over top. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Want to learn how to cook delicious gourmet meals right in your own kitchen? Take one-on-one cooking lessons or give a gift to an aspiring cook that you know. For more information, contact Take Home Chef personal chef services by calling 516-508-3663, writing to elke@TakeHomeChef.net, or visiting www.TakeHomeChef.net.