recipes; these vegetables are delicious when grilled all the same. Most vegetables are very
tasty simply when grilled as is, while others need to be salted or blanched or parboiled first.
Ordinarily, I grill vegetables in a foil pan or a basket specially made for grilling vegetables. There are several types of metal baskets, complete with holes that let the vegetables char without falling into the embers.
Brush the vegetables and the pan with mild-tasting olive oil, preferably one flavored with
lemon. Plain oil with added crushed cloves of garlic, some finely chopped chilies, crushed
saffron threads, or fresh herbs is also good to add to whatever vegetable is going on the grill.
Drizzle on some fine vinegar and sprinkle salt flakes onto the grilled vegetables; this brings out the flavors even more. Or simply squeeze on some lime or lemon juice. A pat of butter, plain or seasoned, adds a final, satisfying mouthfeel.
Apple – Cut the apples into quarters, and cut out their core so the pieces lay a bit flatter.
Brush with melted butter, add a pinch of salt, and grill for 3–4 minutes on each side.
Grilled apple is excellent with all kinds of pork dishes.
Asparagus – Both green and white asparagus make a great side dish for any grilled main
course. First, snap off the woody end of the stalks. White asparagus stalks need to be
peeled from just under the top and down the stalk. They also need to be parboiled for 3–4
minutes in boiling, salted water, slightly longer if the stalks are thicker.
Green, tender asparagus can be grilled directly; simply brush on some oil, season with a bit
of salt, and place them in a vegetable grill basket or directly on the grill’s grate. Roll the
stalks on the grate to ensure that they color evenly all around. Grill green asparagus for 2–
3 minutes; do the same with parboiled white asparagus.
Bell Peppers – All types of bell peppers become intensely flavorful when grilled whole
until the entire surface of their skin turns black. Once charred, place the peppers in a bowl
and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes. This makes it easy to remove the blackened
skin and get at the juicy flesh.
Bell peppers can also be quartered, seeded, brushed with oil, and grilled for a few minutes
on each side. Or, dice them and slip them onto skewers.
Broccoli – Separate the broccoli into florets and cut the larger ones in half. Brush with oil,
and season with salt and pepper. Grill the broccoli as you would cauliflower, but this time
be a bit more cautious when using the direct heat. The small broccoli florets tend to burn
easily, and then taste slightly bitter.
Cauliflower – Separate the cauliflower into smaller florets. Brush with oil and season with
salt and chili flakes, which adds a lot of color and flavor to an otherwise rather pallid
vegetable.
Grill the florets over direct heat for 5 minutes. Turn the florets with a frying spatula a few
times during cooking. Leave the cauliflower over indirect heat until it is as soft as you like.
Daikon Radish – Daikon does well when grilled, but requires parboiling for 5 minutes in
boiling, salted water. Then brush with butter or oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill
for 8–10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the slices.
Eggplant – Cut eggplant into slices ½–¾ inch (1–2 cm) thick, across or lengthwise. Salt
generously on both sides, and let them sit for half an hour. Wipe off the collected liquid;
this removes the eggplant’s bitter taste, and makes it even tastier when grilled. Brush the
slices with seasoned oil and grind on some pepper. Grill 5 minutes on each side over direct
heat or until the eggplant is soft, which is when it’s at its best.
Small eggplants are very nice when left intact and grilled. Poke a few holes in the skin with
a toothpick. Grill them over direct heat for 15 minutes, turning several times while
cooking (the eggplant’s skin will turn completely black). Move the eggplant to the side of
the grill to finish cooking, 30 minutes over indirect heat. Keep turning it now and then to
grill it evenly. When it’s done, cut it in four pieces length-wise, drizzle with some olive oil,
and sprinkle with salt flakes.
Last but not least, here is another very common way to eat eggplant in Turkey: Let the
eggplant cool, slice it lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Cut the flesh into
smaller chunks and combine it with oil, lemon juice, and minced garlic. This eggplant dish
acquires a deliciously smoky flavor when grilled.
Fennel – Parboiled slices of fennel are tasty as a side dish that goes particularly well with
fish and chicken. Cut the fennel in half lengthwise, and place the pieces in boiling, salted
water.
Parboil the fennel for 3 minutes; drain well. Brush with oil, preferably seasoned with
saffron, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Grill over direct heat for 3 minutes on
each side.
Garlic – Garlic baked in foil tastes wonderful. Cut the head in half, place a pat of butter
and some salt onto each cut side; wrap in a small sheet of foil, one for each half of garlic.
Pinch the foil together to close securely, and grill the packets for 20 minutes near the
embers. Serve the grilled garlic straight from the foil, accompanied by extra butter and salt
flakes.
You can also parboil whole heads of garlic in boiling, salted water for 3 minutes. Cut the
heads in half, brush with olive oil and place the cut side directly against the surface of the
grate. Grill for 3 minutes on each side.
Place the garlic on a platter. Drizzle some olive oil on top and season with salt flakes and
finely chopped herbs. Use a fork to pluck the grilled garlic straight from the skin. This is a
superb accompaniment to grilled lamb, beef, or pork.
Green Beans – Trim off the pointy ends. Place the beans in boiling, salted water. Blanch
them for one minute, then pour the green beans into a colander and rinse them
immediately in cold water. Make bundles of six or seven beans by wrapping them in a slice
of bacon and fastening the bundle with a toothpick. Brush with oil and grill over direct
heat, 2 minutes per side.
Lemon – Cut organic lemons into 1-inch (3 cm) thick slices. Brush with oil and sprinkle
generously with salt flakes. Grill over direct heat until the slices are quite colored, at least 5
minutes on each side. Let them sit for a while over indirect heat, until they become very
soft. Grilled lemon is exceptionally tasty when squeezed over fish, shellfish, fowl, and pork.
Miscellaneous Mushrooms – Mushrooms are at their tastiest when they’re brushed with
butter before hitting the grill, but seasoned oil works perfectly well, too. Mushrooms
absorb a lot of fat while cooking, so brush on more butter or oil as you go.
Larger mushrooms such as portabellas and oyster mushrooms are delicious when grilled
whole. I usually cut button mushrooms and wild mushrooms into smaller pieces. Season
them with salt and pepper.
Larger mushrooms need 3 minutes on each side over direct heat, but then let them cook
for a while on indirect heat. Grill smaller mushroom pieces in a vegetable basket or in a
foil pan for 5 minutes over direct heat. Turn the pieces a few times with a frying spatula.
Onions/Scallions/Spring Onions – Grilled onions lose a lot of their sharp taste and
become very mild and sweet. Peel large onions, yellow or red, and cut them into ¾-inch
(2-cm) slices. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the slices for 3 minutes
on each side over direct heat. Leave the slices over indirect heat for a while to finish
cooking.
Scallions, also known as spring onions, are very good to grill whole. Cut off the top of the
green part, and grill as you would slices of onion. Smaller onions can be parboiled
unpeeled in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain them thoroughly in a colander. Brush with
oil and grill for 10 minutes until the outer skin turns black. Turn the scallions several times
while cooking.
Tomato – Grilled tomatoes have a delectably tangy flavor. Cut them in half or in thick
slices and season with salt and pepper, chili pepper, or herbs. Grill for 2 minutes each side,
or less if you are grilling slices. Don’t allow them to get more than just warmed through, or
else they’ll turn mushy. Cherry tomatoes can be grilled whole, still on the branch, in a
vegetable basket.
Zucchini/Summer Squash – Cut slices ½–¾ inch (1–2 cm) thick across or lengthwise.
Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Some squeezed lemon, chili pepper, and/or
garlic are also good for seasoning these slices. Grill over direct heat, 2–3 minutes on each
side, until the slices have developed a nice color but are not too soft.
Article Source: Low Carb High Fat Barbecue by Birgitta Hoglund
Hello, my name is Jim Black. I'm interested in healthy cooking and fitness.
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