Grilled Vegetables That Make Sense

Recipe by: Michael Schlow | from It's About Time: Great Recipes for Everyday Life

Cookstr

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Total Time: Under 30 Minutes

Skill Level: Moderate

Cost: Inexpensive

Photo by: Joseph De Leo

Grilling vegetables can be a humbling experience for even the most expert barbecuer. Who hasn’t lost a couple of onion slices through the racks? Or tried to grill something that really should not be grilled, like Brussels sprouts’ leaves?

The most frequent complaint I hear is, “How come I can never get the vegetables and meat to finish grilling at the same time?” Well, the trick is all in the timing, and knowing how thick or thin to cut the vegetables so everything tastes great and comes off the grill together.

Yield: Makes dinner for 2 or side dishes for 4

INGREDIENTS

For the basting mixture:

4 ounces (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces (¼ cup) sherry vinegar
1 large pinch fresh rosemary, chopped
1 large pinch fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 large pinch fresh tarragon, chopped
Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes

For the vegetables:

1 red pepper, quartered lengthwise, pith and seeds removed
1 yellow pepper, quartered lengthwise, pith and seeds removed
1 medium zucchini, cut on a slight bias, ¾-inch thick
1 medium yellow squash, cut on a slight bias, 3/3-inch thick
12 asparagus spears, trimmed
1 head endive, halved lengthwise
1 head radicchio, halved
1 lemon, halved

Directions

Turn your grill to high, make sure it is brushed clean, and rub it with canola oil to keep the vegetables from sticking.

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, herbs, a large pinch of salt, a few grindings of black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Put the peppers on the grill for 2 minutes, then follow with the rest of the vegetables. To prevent the asparagus from falling through the cracks, lay them crosswise on the grill.

Lower the heat to medium so the vegetables do not burn.

Lightly brush each vegetable with the olive oil and herb mixture and grill 3 to 4 minutes.

Turn the vegetables over and continue basting. (Be careful not to burn anything; the oil will cause the flames to flare up.)

If anyone vegetable is intent on going up in flames or it is blackening or cooking much faster than the others, transfer it to the top rack or a cooler section of your grill and let the other vegetables catch up.

All of the vegetables should take roughly 6 to 8 minutes to become tender. The endive and radicchio should be just lightly charred; remove them to the shelf or a cooler section of the grill to prevent overcooking, if needed.

Transfer vegetables to a serving platter or individual plates and season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle any of the remaining oil and herb mixture over the top, give it all a squeeze of lemon, and serve.

Notes

True: Asparagus almost talks to you, revealing where the tender eating stops and the tough, stringy part begins (usually where the green color starts to turn white). Just bend the spear gently toward you at about its lower third, and it will snap where the good and bad should part ways.

Another True: Pour a couple ounces of canola oil on a clean rag and rub it on the preheated grill racks to keep vegetables from sticking.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving (% daily value)

This recipe serves 4 and includes 1/8 teaspoon of added salt per serving.

Calories 325kcal (16%)

Calcium 126mg (13%)

Vitamin C 175mg (292%)

Vitamin A 219mcg RAE (7%)

Potassium 1086mg

Magnesium 61mg

Protein 6g

Sugar 5g