Grilling the Garden

If grilling conjures up images of thick steaks and
fattening hot dogs consider something a little healthier…say, vegetables.  Grilling vegetables requires few other
ingredients yet yields tasty results that are delicious on their own or a
superb addition to salads, sandwiches and wraps. 

Sadly, all too often grilled vegetables are served
blackened, bitter and unappealing. But with the right information, it’s easy to
prepare mouth watering, juicy vegetables that are perfectly tender and never
over done.

When grilling veggies size and shape matters. Vegetable
kabobs look nice before they go on the grill, but once cooked they may lose
their appeal. The problem is the shape of the pieces, and the fact that they
are packed together on a skewer.

The best way to achieve perfectly grilled vegetables is
to cut them into large flat pieces of the same thickness. Onions should be cut
into 3/8-inch to 1/2-inch thick rounds, in the width.  The best way to do that is by placing
toothpicks or skewers in the onion at ½ inch intervals then cutting between the
skewers to achieve perfect rings.  The
picks will hold the rings together and keep them from falling between the
grates.

Bell peppers are most versatile because the can be cut
and skewered or grilled whole.   To grill peppers simply cut off the top and
bottom of the pepper, remove the core, then cut the pepper in half from top to
bottom. This way you end up with two flat rectangles that are grilled skin side
down.

Tough vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes should be
sliced very thin—1/4 inch—to ensure even cooking throughout before the outside
is charred.

Because vegetables contain no fat they must be brushed
with oil before grilling.  Use a flavorful
olive oil or make your own flavored oil by steeping garlic or herbs in a bottle
of oil for a few days.

Don’t forget the salt and pepper! Make sure to season
them before they go on the grill and taste and adjust the seasoning once they have
finished cooking. Freshly ground pepper and kosher salt along with a sprinkling
of dried herbs will enhance your veggies every time.

The best way to oil and season vegetables is to lay them
in a single layer on a cookie sheet, brush them with olive oil and season them
with herbs, salt and pepper. Turn them over and repeat on the other side. You
can also drop them into a zip lock bag, add the oil and seasonings and toss
them.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons fresh basil, checked and thinly sliced or 3 teaspoons dried basil

Preheat your grill to medium-high. Arrange the peppers,
onions, zucchini and squash in a single layer on a tray or work surface. Brush
both sides of the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season
with ¼ teaspoon salt.
Grill the vegetables in batches, flipping once, until both sides are nicely
charred and the vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes total for the
pepper, and 6 minutes total for the onion and squash. When the vegetables are
cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/2-inch dice and transfer to a large
bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar, 1/4
teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoons pepper. Toss the vegetables with the
dressing. Gently stir in the tomatoes, and basil. Season to taste with more
salt and pepper.  Serves 4.