Move over Meat. There’s Lots More to Grill
Grilling isn’t just for meat. It makes veggies mouthwateringly irresistible! Grab zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, corn on the cob, peppers, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and even cauliflower at a Harvest Home Farmers’ Market. Give them an extra taste while you avoid cooking dishes to go with that BBQ-ed meat. It is a great way to cut down your labor while increasing everyone’s health. Happy Labor Day to You!
Marinating adds subtle flavor, brings out the veggies’ flavor, and holds in the nutrition. Store-bought marinade should contain either olive or canola oil. These oils cling to veggies while they grill preventing smoking or flaming which are not healthy. Make your marinade (See recipes below.) Mix veggies and marinade. Refrigerate for ½ hour to an hour, but no more than 8 hours (or they get mushy).
Just the right size: Cut large veggies like eggplant or zucchini length-wise or in rounds for more grilling surface area. Use skewers for small veggies like cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, or peppers. Or loosely wrap small veggies or pieces of cut-up veggies in aluminum foil. For more tips, click here.
Where to put a veggie on the grill: “If it cooks for 20 minutes or less, put it on the grate directly over the flames. If you need to cook it for 20 minutes or more, keep the veggies away from direct heat.” (E. Karmel: Taming the Flame)
Our Favorite: Corn on the cob, cooked in the husk! Remove the silk from the top of the ear. Soak in a bowl of water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes. Put on a medium-hot grill, close the lid, and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.
Sit back and enjoy. Maybe all you’ll have to do is give out napkins!
BBQ Buzz
Recipe: Grilled Veggies for a Crowd
Ingredients:
3 red bell peppers, seeded and halved
3 yellow squash (about 1 pound total), sliced lengthwise into ½ -inch-thick rectangles
3 zucchini (about 12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into ½-inch-thick rectangles
3 Japanese eggplant (12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into ½ -inch-thick rectangles
12 mushrooms
12 green onions, roots cut off or 1 regular onion cut into chunks
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
To Make :
Prepare the barbecue grill (medium-high heat).
Brush the vegetables with ¼ cup of the oil to coat lightly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over, about 8 to 10 minutes for the bell peppers; 7 minutes for the yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms; and 4 minutes for green onions. Arrange the vegetables on a platter. Want grill marks? Don’t shift the vegetables too frequently once placed on the hot grill.
Meanwhile, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil, and rosemary in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the herb mixture over the vegetables.
Be creative! You can grill almost any veggie combo you like!
TIPS AND TRICKS: Grilling basics
Clean the grill thoroughly with a brush before using, ensuring nothing is left from the last grilling.
Lightly brush what you are grilling with either olive oil or canola oil. Both tend to prevent unhealthy smoking or “flaming” while grilling.
Marinade veggies for at least ½ hour, but no more than 8 hours.
Closing the lid on your grill makes it act like an oven while your veggies lightly char.
Add extra fresh chopped herbs during the last few minutes of grilling or just before you serve your dish to increase flavor.
Marinade Magic: Soak veggies in different marinades to create new dishes that help you eat more veggies.
Savory Summer: Especially good if grilling tomatoes. Mix ⅔ cup of olive oil, ⅓ cup of Balsamic vinegar, ½ cup of finely chopped onion (try red onion), 1 Tablespoon of fresh basil, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, salt & pepper to taste. Soak veggies for 2 hours. Excellent on chicken, too.
Slightly Asian: Mix ½ cup of olive oil; ½ cup of low sodium soy sauce and ½ of lemon juice with 1 crushed clove of garlic. Soak for about an hour. Also good on chicken.
Spicy Orange & Cilantro: Mix 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, 2 Tablespoons of orange marmalade, 2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro, and 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
Light Lemony: Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, 1 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic.
Don’t forget the Fruit: Grilling fruit caramelizes the sugar.
Large fruits like peaches, bananas, plantain, pineapple, apples, and even melon are best and make a delicious dessert. Try some of these ideas by clicking here.
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