When Grill Meets Vegetable

Grilling is the perfect way to take full advantage of fresh vegetables. The high heat boils out some of the water and enhances the natural flavors. Whether you have a gas or a charcoal grill, you can make a great meal out of the fresh local produce currently available.

Having a grill basket (or a heavy-duty grill mat) is an advantage for some smaller vegetables such as green beans. Just clean the beans, cut them into bite-size pieces, coat them with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and toss them in the grill basket on a hot grill. Stir the beans every few minutes and continue until they are done. Serve as a side or add to an antipasto. And you can use this technique to grill chunks of zucchini and summer squash.

A raft of asparagus

Asparagus can be prepared the same way. Or you can simply coat the full spears in oil and put them directly on the grill. To simplify the whole process, make a “raft” of asparagus with a couple of bamboo skewers – threading several asparagus spears on a pair or skewers, coating them with oil, then putting the raft on the grill. When one side is charred, flip the “raft” and grill the other side. When it’s done, you’re ready to serve.

Grilling tomatoes enhances the flavor, and the easiest method is to cut off the stem, coat them with a little oil, and place the whole tomato directly on a hot grill. Once the grill side chars, turn the tomato until all sides are charred. You can remove the outside skin and use the cooked tomato for a whole host of dishes. I love using them with grilled half-inch-thick onion slices and peppers to make a fantastic smoky salsa: Just chop the grilled onions, tomatoes, and chopped jalapenos, and add some olive oil, lime juice, and salt and pepper.

In fact, grilling is a good way to create an entire main dish. While I’ll likely never abandon my carnivore ways, I must say that these meals can be pretty appealing. That’s coming from someone who grew up in the 1950s when most vegetables were boiled before serving, a method that depletes most of the flavor. Over the years, I’ve learned to add various vegetable dishes to my repertoire, but my appreciation for grilling them was clearly escalated on a visit to Barcelona a while back when I came upon escalivada.

A Catalan staple

Escalivada is a foundational dish of grilled vegetables dressed simply with olive oil and salt. In Catalan, escalivar means “to grill.” The dish is also called rustifaci, which means “roasted.” Cookbook author Claudia Roden explains in The Food of Spain that it was usual in Catalonia to cook all kinds of vegetables over wood embers in the fields and on the beaches, not just on the fireplace at home.

Escalivada is a good example of something you could adopt as your own signature dish. The basic Catalan version includes just eggplants and red bell peppers, but variations include grilling onions and tomatoes, as well, then garnishing the dish with black olives and flat-leaf parsley. Or you could serve it with a classic Catalan romesco sauce. American grillmaster and cookbook author Steve Raichlen points out that some serve the vegetables separately on a plate; others toss them together. When finished, the dish could serve as a standalone meal. as a side to grilled meat. or as a topping on grilled bread or even pizza.

That’s the great thing about grilled vegetables. Your basic version could be extended into something new. I’ve long loved the flavors of grilled vegetables with beef kebabs, marinating mushrooms, onions, and peppers with the beef. In minutes, you can mix up a simple marinade of olive oil, garlic, and an acid (vinegar or your choice or lime or lemon juice). And you could also just eliminate the meat for an all-vegetable kebab meal. That marinade works well for mushrooms, sliced eggplant, and other vegetables that absorb liquids.

How about you? What’s your grilled vegetable pleasure?

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