Ten Chefs' Tips for Grilling Vegetables
By Julie McM
The top chefs know the secrets when it comes to grilling vegetables. These ten tips will help you grill vegetables restaurant style. From asparagus to green onions, squash, tomatoes and lettuce, vegetables are just better with that fire roasted flavor.
1. The Fire
While most American backyard cooks cook on a gas grill, which is fine, it doesn't produce a smoky flavor. That can be easily remedied with a smoker tray, a small metal box that can be filled with damp wood chips, such as mesquite, and placed in the bottom of the BBQ.
If you're cooking the old fashioned way, with wood or charcoal, you'll need a good, hot bed of coals and ash to grill your vegetables on. Flames will burn the vegetables before they are cooked.
2. Flavor the Fire
Herbs produce an aromatic smoke that will actually flavor the foods. Try placing a few sprigs of rosemary on the fire.
3. Make Sure Vegetables Are Crisp
Whatever you're placing on the grill, starting off with fresh, crisp vegetables are a must. Give them an ice water bath just before grilling to perk them up.
4. Infuse Flavor
Almost all vegetables taste even better with just a hint of garlic. Baste vegetables lightly with a garlic infused olive oil just before cooking for that roasted garlic flavor.
5. Baste With More Flavor
Tie herbs, such as rosemary and thyme to your basting brush. The heat from the grill release the flavor of the herbs into the oil or sauce you are using.
6. Spice It Up
For a spicy, smoked flavor, sprinkle a little ground cayenne, or your favorite pepper over the vegetables while they are cooking.
7. Go Easy
Season lightly with salt. The vegetables will be infused with so much flavor, that a lot of salt just won't be necessary.
8. Take it Slow
Slow roasting is the key to great flavor. Make sure that vegetables are over heat, but not flame. You want them to pick up all those wonderful flavors you are working so hard to produce.
9. Fresh Matters
While you can grill some frozen vegetables, the results just won't be the same. Use fresh, preferably purchased the same day for the best results. Also, use the freshest herbs and seasonings available.
10. Brighten it up
A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice once the food is taken off the grill will brighten the flavors.
Nicely browned, a few char marks, and al dente, or with a bite, is the texture that you are trying to achieve. Overcooking will either leave you with a pile of mush, or worse, burnt and inedible vegetables. Watch them, move them around on the grill if needed. Grilled vegetables can stand alone, and are also great with a lemon garlic butter, or a classic aioli.
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- Woman on a Mission
I am a woman on a mission. This year I have resolved to make no resolutions. Rather, I have set out on a mission to accomplish a few goals that I hope will make my family's life better and easier. Even if it makes mine a little more challenging. A little more challenging, I say tongue-in-cheek, because my mission is going to involve a boatload of work on my part. What exactly is this mission? It is rebuilding post-recession. We have learned a lot during the last couple years. Not only about managing money, but about priorities and what really matters. Money isn't everything, but we all need it to live. My mission is not about getting rich, though that would be nice. It is more about trying to keep the few dollars we have, and hopefully saving more for those rainy days when life happens whether or not we want it to or are ready for it. I am keeping a journal I call The Daily Save. (Admittedly, I am not the most reliable blogger, but I will try to keep up. Most likely you will see posts that cover a few days or a week. Hey - I'm a busy woman!) I am also keeping a stash box to put away my savings. Some days I will save more than others, but the point is to save. Hopefully, we will all learn that it is the little things we do that add up to the savings we need. I read just about every article I come across about saving, reducing expenses, etc. I also read the comments people leave, most of which are not very nice. People want practical, useful ideas. The problem is they want those ideas to save them thousands of dollars a day. Well, kids, that isn't practical or realistic. You may not think that everything I do to save money is practical or realistic. And everything I do won't work for everyone. But the whole point of this mission is to number one save money and, number two, to show you in real ways how it can be done. I have no idea where we'll be at the end of the year. I don't have a specific amount in mind. We'll see what happens. I hope you'll join me on my mission. I need all the support I can get.
- Almost Christmas
The tree is up but no ornaments yet. Still making tamales.
- Planting Celery Bottoms
Since it doesn't seem like the economy is going to do us any favors any time soon, we have no choice but to take care of ourselves. For our family, that means cutting out the waste and using everything we possibly can. For the last month or so, I've been planting celery bottoms because they will grow. And because I can't get celery to grow from seed to save my life. We use tons of celery. Well, maybe not tons, but enough that growing our own makes sense. Planting the celery butt - or bottom, if you prefer - is a simple process. We have planted three that have sprouted so far. Two more went into the garden last night. If it is too cold to plant outdoors, grow them in containers inside. I'm planning on giving a few as gifts this holiday season. Cut the bottom, or root end off a bunch of celery, all in one piece, at least 1 1/2 inches long. Plant the cutting, root end down, in potting soil in a fairly large container with drain holes or plant directly into the garden. That's it. Water it occasionally. The soil needs to be moist, but not wet. So far, every one we have planted has come up within 10 to 12 days. Be patient. It may seem like it isn't working, but chances are if the soil is fertile and moist, the celery should grow. You can harvest celery stalks one at a time, or harvest the whole bunch at one time. If you harvest the whole bunch don't forget to regrow the root end. With the holidays coming up, and all the cooking that will be going on, you are bound to go through a few bunches of celery. Take advantage of that and get some growing. Have fun and see you soon! ~ Julie
