CHAPTER 5 GRILLED VEGETABLES

One of our primary missions in this book is to inspire you to devote more real estate on the grill to vegetables. It’s easy and delicious to default to meat and fish when you fire up the grill; but to see truly transformative results, start playing around with vegetables. Time over fire can work magic on plant foods, taking their textures from woody to creamy, their colors from pale to deep, their flavors from bitter or dull to sweet and caramelized. Over the highest heat, edges darken and become crisp right before your eyes, and over low heat, deep, earthy natural flavor slowly reveals itself.

Though Ox probably sounds like a meaty name, we named our restaurant after this hardworking animal primarily because it evokes an image of pulling a plow, tilling the soil to help replenish the land’s ability to grow vegetables, fruit, and grains. While we have pledged our undying love for meat, cooking would be kind of monotonous without the magic of the earth’s produce coming into and out of season all the time. We think of vegetables, fruit, and grains as the great connectors, not only because people of all diets can enjoy eating them but because they keep us all in more intimate touch with the land and the seasons and the places we live.

Although not much needs to be done to make a properly grilled vegetable delicious, we wanted to take you well beyond a simple squeeze of lemon or coating of olive oil and salt. The recipes that follow will not only inspire creative contrasts in flavors and textures but will also provide a basic education in farm-to-fire technique so that, by flipping through these pages, you can always go to the market, pick up what looks good, and figure out how to maximize its potential. Just as we do at Ox, we encourage you to play around with how you serve vegetables at home—shifting them from side dishes to starters and even to mains. The seasons can guide and influence you, too. Just when you feel like you’ve tried everything a season offers, a new season will roll in, inspiring you all over again.

with smoked sea salt and green onions

For someone who may not eat meat, or just anyone who loves mushrooms, this is an excellent back-pocket grill recipe. The technique is pretty much foolproof, and you can use it on other mushrooms, such as oysters. The maitakes themselves are like a sponge for grill flavor, becoming tender but not overly soft after grilling, and all the wonderful little crags, crevices, and ridges in their tops capturing juices and seasonings. A touch of smoked sea salt amps it up even further.

For the same reason onions pair well with steak—their freshness and spiciness cutting through the intensity of the meat—green onions and grilled mushrooms balance each other deliciously.

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH OR 2 AS A MAIN DISH

Prepare a grill to high heat and be sure to carefully oil the grate.

Trying to keep the mushrooms intact and in large pieces, drizzle with ¼ cup of the oil and season with the kosher salt and pepper. Transfer the mushrooms to the hottest area of the grill, stem side up. Cook until well charred, 3 to 4 minutes; flip and grill on the other side (the stem side). (You do not need to cook the stem fully in this step.)

Transfer the mushrooms, and any small pieces that might have fallen off, into a metal pan, such as a small cast-iron skillet or cazuela that can handle high heat. Place the pan directly onto the coals or atop the hottest area of the grill. Add the water, cover the pan loosely with foil or a lid, and let steam until the stems are tender, about 3 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until the liquid in the pan is mostly reduced, about 2 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat.

To serve, transfer the mushrooms to plates and drizzle with the juices from the pan. Immediately garnish with the smoked sea salt, green onions, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil.

with cashews and basil

Because of their slim size, green beans might not be an obvious choice for the grill. But prepared this way—by using a grill basket or crisscrossing grates to prevent them from slipping through—they avoid that blandness and sogginess that boiled or steamed green beans can sometimes have, and take on an edgier flavor from the fire. The vinaigrette adds so much juiciness that it’s ideal if the beans are still a little crunchy.

Refreshingly acidic, with a touch of spiciness and a lemony, grassy kick from cilantro, the flavorings of this dish remind us of ceviche. But there is a wonderful umami flavor from fish sauce, a Southeast Asian condiment made from salted, fermented anchovies. It elevates the depth and savoriness in an inexplicable way—and an addictive one.

Serve this dish as a side to all kinds of meat or seafood. Or just spoon the beans over steamed rice with extra chopped cashews for a summery one-bowl meal.

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH

To make the vinaigrette, combine the oil, sriracha, fish sauce, vinegar, lime juice, tangerine juice and zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl; whisk well to combine.

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Place the green beans in a large serving bowl with the oil; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Transfer to a grill basket, or, if you don’t have one, place a sturdy metal cooling rack upside down on the grill so that the grates run in the opposite direction as those on the grill, forming a crosshatch pattern that should make the green beans harder to slip through. Let the beans cook until lightly charred, about 4 minutes, then either toss the grill basket or gently turn over the beans on the cooling rack to char the other sides. Continue cooking until firm-tender, 6 to 7 minutes (or 10 minutes for a larger-size green bean).

Return the beans to the serving bowl. Add the tomatoes, red onion, and peppers. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

Divide among plates, if desired. Garnish with the basil and cashews.

with ecuadorian peanut sauce and hard-boiled egg

In Ecuador and other parts of South America, peanuts are used more often in savory preparations than sweet ones, and here they’re a delicious complement to earthy hard-boiled eggs and the acidity of fresh lime juice. We paired a peanut butter–based sauce with bok choy, which is naturally light and juicy in contrast. You can serve this dish with anything from the Maple-Brined Pork Chops to grilled halibut or shrimp, or a more strongly flavored fish like grilled mackerel or sardines.

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.

To make the peanut sauce, combine the oil, onion, and jalapeño in a small pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Add the cumin and annatto seed and continue stirring. Stir in the milk and peanut butter until completely incorporated. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, add the lime juice and salt, and keep warm but not hot.

Drizzle the bok choy on both sides with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Be sure to carefully oil the grate, then place the bok choy, cut side down, on the grill and cook until grill marks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and grill on the other side for 4 more minutes.

To serve, transfer the bok choy to a serving dish. Drizzle with the peanut sauce, then garnish with the egg and cilantro.

How to Hard-Boil an Egg

To hard-boil an egg, put a cold egg in a pot and cover with about 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain and rinse the egg until cool. When peeled and sliced, it should be fully cooked to firm but with a small area of deeper orange–colored yolk at the center.

with castelvetrano olive–almond salsa

When grilling zucchini or eggplant, people will often stop at salt, pepper, and olive oil for seasoning. But since both zucchini and eggplant are watery, light-flavored vegetables, we think they can use some extra love. By adding the brininess from green olives, the saltiness and crunchiness of Marcona almonds, and the natural spiciness of radish, you can really elevate these pedestrian garden vegetables. You might not think of salsa as contributing a lot of texture to a dish, but between the meatiness of the green olives and the oily goodness of the Marconas, this one does. Choosing smaller zucchini helps them cook quickly without becoming soggy, giving the whole dish a more crunchy texture.

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.

To make the salsa, in a small bowl, combine the oil, olives, almonds, lemon juice, orange zest, oregano, chipotle pepper, and salt; mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Let sit at room temperature for up to 1 hour. (The salsa can be made up to 1 day ahead, but leave out the chopped almonds until just before serving to retain their crunch.)

Lay out the zucchini and eggplant on a flat dish or baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Be sure to carefully oil the grate, then grill, cut side down, until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes. Flip and repeat on the second side, then remove the zucchini from the grill and transfer to a serving dish. If needed, turn the eggplant back over to the first side and cook for 2 minutes more, or until tender. Transfer to the serving dish with the zucchini. Drizzle with the salsa and garnish with the sliced radishes.

with “everything” bagel seasoning, chive mascarpone, and smoked salmon roe

Thanks to modern-day grill baskets, cooking peas on a grill doesn’t seem like something only a crazy person would do. We toss blistered snap peas with half butter and half sesame oil, which doesn’t impart an over-the-top Asian flavor like many dishes with sesame oil do. It’s just enough to bring out the nuttiness in the everything-bagel seasoning, which is there for extra flavor, pop, and texture. Double the recipe for the seasoning if you want to have extra during the week for other sides like green beans, roasted potatoes, brussels sprouts, or slices of ripe tomato and avocado.

The peas and seasoning mixture are good on their own, but the creaminess of the mascarpone and saltiness of the smoked salmon roe make this dish sensational. Making mascarpone at home is easy and cost efficient: all you need is cream, lemon, and salt. And if you don’t have a smoker or don’t want to make the effort to smoke the salmon roe, just marinate the roe as instructed.

SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A STARTER OR SIDE DISH

Prepare a grill to high heat.

In a serving bowl, toss the snap peas with 2 tablespoons of the oil; transfer to a grill basket. Put the butter and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the empty bowl and set it nearby.

Place the grill pan directly onto the coals, if using, or over the hottest part of the grill; cook until the outsides of the snap peas start to blister, 45 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat, then toss or stir the snap peas to flip them and continue cooking for 45 seconds more. Return the snap peas to the bowl with the sesame oil mixture. Lightly season with salt, then stir to coat. Sprinkle with the everything-bagel seasoning; stir again to coat. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Garnish with a generous dollop of mascarpone, a spoonful of smoked salmon roe, and the chives; serve immediately.

“EVERYTHING” BAGEL SEASONING

MAKES 1 CUP

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

2 teaspoons nigella seeds

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

¼ cup toasted sesame seeds (see Note)

¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds

2 teaspoons dried onion flakes

2 teaspoons dried garlic flakes

1 tablespoon flaked sea salt

Toast the poppy, nigella, and caraway seeds, one type at a time, as they each cook at different rates. Place each batch in a small pan warmed over medium heat. Cook, tossing or stirring the seeds constantly until they begin to pop or bounce around the pan from the heat, about 1 minute for each. Remove each batch from the pan quickly to avoid burning, and add to a bowl. Once the seeds have cooled to room temperature, stir in the sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, dried onion, garlic flakes, and salt. If not using immediately, store in a very dry, airtight container up to 2 weeks.

SMOKED SALMON ROE

MAKES ¼ CUP

1 (2-ounce) jar cured salmon roe

1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

1 teaspoon soy sauce (gluten-free if desired)

Put the salmon roe in a small stainless steel pan and sprinkle with the mirin and soy sauce. Transfer to a cold smoker (see sidebar) and smoke for 15 minutes. Mix gently with a rubber spatula and smoke for 5 minutes more, or until the desired smokiness is achieved. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

with toasted garlic, lemon, and aged goat cheese

So maybe you can’t grill pasta, but the flavors and textures in this dish are pretty close to a fire-cooked spaghetti all’aglio e olio. When pulled with a fork, spaghetti squash really does look like pasta, so we ran with the theme. The skins, which char beautifully over the fire, make the perfect serving “bowls,” and the not-shy accoutrements make an otherwise bland squash a standout.

Much like pasta, this squash is a great dish for a party because it’s simple and affordable enough to scale up. You can also get a lot done in advance, like cutting, seeding, and roasting the squash, and making the garlic-lemon oil. Once you get the grill going, it’s just a matter of reheating the squash, then letting that cheese cascade down over the top—the best part.

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH

1 large spaghetti squash (about the length of a football)

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup Toasted Garlic–Lemon Oil

3 to 4 ounces aged, firm goat cheese (we love Briar Rose Creamery’s Chevarino Romano, a pecorino-style goat cheese)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 375°F and set a rack in the center of the oven.

Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the interior of the squash with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the halves, cut side down, to a baking sheet, then rub olive oil on the skins. Roast until the flesh is just tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove the squash from the oven and let rest until cool enough to handle. Cut each piece in half again to create wedges. Starting at the top layer, scrape each squash portion with the tines of a fork to loosen up the strands, letting the skins serve as a “bowl.” Season again with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to grill.

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. If using coals, once the fire has died down and the coals are glowing red, spread them out to create a level surface.

Place a metal cooling rack directly onto the coals, if using, and transfer the squash quarters to the cooling rack, cut side up. If using a gas grill, place the squash over the hottest area and cover the grill. Cook until the squash is heated all the way through, about 15 minutes. (The tough outer skins will get charred but should remain intact.)

Remove from the grill, and place each portion on a plate or in a bowl. Drizzle with the garlic-lemon oil, making sure to divide the garlic slices evenly. Using a fine grater, grate the goat cheese over the top of each squash quarter, distributing it evenly and abundantly. Garnish with chopped parsley.

with herbed dungeness crab and crispy capers

Because of their mutual delicateness, spring vegetables tend to go really well with shellfish, without overpowering the seafood’s subtle sweetness. Really, any crabmeat would do here, or you could substitute little bay shrimp.

What do provide a concentrated pocket of flavor are the crispy capers, which we dry, then fry, to rid them of their spongy quality and turn them into a crunchy garnish. If you do the frying up to several hours in advance, they’ll be ready and waiting when the asparagus is fresh off the grill.

Served alongside any protein or mushroom from the grill, this dish brings a surf-and-turf quality to any meal.

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH OR STARTER

Crispy Capers

¼ cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil

2 tablespoons nonpareil capers

Grilled Asparagus

1¼ pounds skinny asparagus, woody stems snapped off

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Herbed Crab

¼ cup water

½ cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon ají amarillo powder (or substitute 2 pinches cayenne pepper)

4 ounces Dungeness crabmeat (or substitute blue crabmeat), picked clean of any shells

3 tablespoons thinly sliced chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Kosher salt (optional)

To Serve

16 fresh tarragon leaves

To make the crispy capers, heat the vegetable oil in a small pot over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°F. Meanwhile, place the capers on a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Gently drop the capers into the oil and fry until they have opened slightly and dried out, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and let cool on a paper towel.

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.

Place the asparagus on a flat surface and drizzle with the olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly. Grill, turning frequently, until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and keep warm.

To make the crab, warm a skillet over medium heat on the stove. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, then add the butter, piece by piece, swirling the pan to emulsify. Once all the butter has been added and the sauce is thickened, add the lemon juice and zest, the ají amarillo powder, then the crab, swirling the pan constantly. Let cook over low heat until the crab is just heated through, about 1 minute; remove immediately. Stir in the chives and dill. Taste and add salt, if necessary.

To serve, spoon the herbed crab over the warm asparagus. Garnish with the crispy capers and tarragon.

with corn, tomatoes, fried egg, and manchego

Padróns are a Spanish Basque pepper that are similar to a Japanese shishito pepper, and they have a mysterious element: one in every ten or so tends to be spicy, while the others are fairly mild and sweet. Padróns are best served simply, blistered and seasoned with good olive oil and sea salt. Unlike other peppers, they are so thin-skinned and delicate that they never have to be peeled or seeded.

The elements of this dish can be broken down to suit your mood. You can grill the peppers quickly and shave Manchego on top, or just eat the padróns with a fried egg or on their own for a snack. We turned them into a more composed dish that would make a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner side dish, and it takes advantage of two of the best types of summer produce: tomatoes and corn.

If you don’t feel like heating the grill, sear the peppers in a hot pan, tossing occasionally, with very little olive oil.

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH, STARTER, OR SMALL MAIN DISH

40 to 50 padrón peppers

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

½ cup unsalted butter

Kernels from 2 ears fresh corn

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Freshly ground black pepper

4 eggs

3 ounces Manchego cheese (or your favorite hard cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano), finely grated

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.

Place the padróns in a large bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season with salt and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to a grill basket, or, if you don’t have one, place a sturdy metal cooling rack upside down on the grill so that the grates run in the opposite direction as those on the grill, forming a crosshatch pattern that should make the peppers harder to slip through.

Grill until the peppers begin to blister, about 2 minutes; shake the grill basket or turn the peppers over and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat but tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook until just warmed through, about 1 minute more; season the mixture with salt and pepper. Keep warm while you fry the eggs.

Warm a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining ¼ cup oil, then crack the eggs into the skillet. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook the eggs sunny side up. Baste the egg whites occasionally with the hot oil to help cook them without overcooking the yolks. As soon as the whites have turned from clear to opaque, remove the eggs quickly from the pan. Season the eggs with salt and black pepper.

To serve, divide the corn and tomato mixture among four dishes, then place the eggs on top. Distribute the padrón peppers among the dishes. Garnish with Manchego.

with buttered beets, blue cheese, and walnuts

This dish was inspired by our first trip to Europe together. We rented a cottage on a Provençal vineyard with a little kitchen and set out to the farmers’ market, where we picked up all kinds of great produce and cheese. Back at our place, we lit a fire of grapevine clippings in the fireplace and roasted the onion in the hot ashes.

As sharp as an onion can be when it’s raw, exposing it to the high level of heat on a grill gives you surprisingly quick caramelization, juiciness, and sweetness, transforming this pungent vegetable almost into a fruit. Still, the onion keeps its savory component in this dish, paired alongside earthy red beets and a strong-flavored cheese. We love that this recipe delivers big, bold flavors without too much richness or heaviness. It is our favorite accompaniment to a rib-eye steak.

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH

10 walnut halves

2 whole sweet onions (such as Walla Walla, Vidalia, or Maui), peeled

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 ounces Fourme d’Ambert blue cheese (or any high-quality blue cheese)

2 cups diced roasted beets (¼-inch cubes)

¼ cup water

½ cup unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

3 tablespoons saba (reduced grape must) or store-bought balsamic vinegar glaze

¼ cup thinly sliced chives

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spread the walnuts out on a small baking sheet or ovenproof dish and roast until lightly browned and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 200°F. Once the walnuts have cooled to room temperature, coarsely crumble or chop them up; set aside.

Prepare a grill to medium heat.

Quarter the onions lengthwise, keeping the root attached so the onion layers don’t separate. Drizzle each quarter with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer, cut side down, to the grill. Cook until dark grill marks form on one side, 3 to 4 minutes, then turn to another cut side and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Flip once more so that the onion is curved side down, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. If the onion feels tender, remove from the grill. If the inner onion layers still seem raw, transfer to a less hot portion of the grill and continue to cook until just cooked through.

Transfer the onions to four large plates or one large serving platter, separating the onion petals if desired. Crumble the blue cheese on top and keep warm in the oven.

Put the beets in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add the water; season with salt and pepper. As soon as the water begins to simmer, turn the heat to low and add the butter, a couple pieces at a time. Swirl the pan until the butter melts and forms a thick, emulsified sauce. Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning, if necessary, then spoon the buttered beets over the onions and blue cheese. Drizzle with the saba, then garnish with the walnuts and chives.

with za’atar and charred green onion yogurt

While you can use pretty much any winter squash for this recipe (other than spaghetti squash), we like that butternut have long necks (as opposed to just skinny, hollow rings) that can potentially be grilled like steaks or fillets. Butternut has a very intense richness that works well on the grill and goes well with strong flavors. To prevent its sweetness from taking over, we pair it with a savory yogurt and some bright spices.

Za’atar is a spice blend used in parts of the Middle East. Everyone’s grandma has a different recipe for it, and there can be anywhere from a few spices and herbs to a dozen or so. Usually the spice mix incorporates the toasty nuttiness of sesame seeds as well as the bright flavor of sumac, a berry that when powdered and dried gives a great tanginess. Make your own za’atar or buy it premixed at the market.

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH OR 2 AS A MAIN DISH

1 large butternut squash (2½ to 3 pounds)

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 green onions, trimmed

2 cups Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus coarsely chopped dill for garnishing

2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives

¼ cup za’atar, homemade or store-bought

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the butternut squash and slice the neck and bulb parts either crosswise into ¾-inch rounds or lengthwise (like in the photo); scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and brush with 4 tablespoons of the oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until barely softened, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove and let cool to room temperature.

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Coat the green onions with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly charred on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and grill on the other side. Let cool to room temperature.

Finely chop the charred green onions and transfer to a bowl. Add the yogurt, dill, chives, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper; mix well and adjust the seasoning as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Be sure to carefully oil the grate, and place the butternut squash on the grill and cook, turning once, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from the grill.

To serve, spread half of the charred green onion yogurt into the middle of a serving platter or four individual plates. Sprinkle each of the grilled squash slices with a heaping teaspoon of za’atar and place them over the yogurt, overlapping slightly if desired. Serve the remaining yogurt sauce in a small bowl on the side.

with faux béarnaise

Béarnaise is essentially a hollandaise sauce with herbs. You see it served with steak in French bistros, and it’s delicious with leaner, more mild-flavored cuts of steak because it amps up the richness. Since the traditional recipe requires an arm-numbing amount of whisking, we created this shortcut version with a mayonnaise base.

Think of this recipe as the vegetarian steak dish. Just as steak is so good with tomatoes because they help cut the richness, the same is true in this case of grilled portobellos. The trick to grilling tomatoes without making a mess is to choose a firm fruit and be sure the grill heat is ultrahigh and the grate is oiled and seasoned. Don’t fuss around with it much—leave the tomato slices until the point when they naturally release from the grill. You’ll know they’re close to that stage when you start to see bubbles escaping from the edges, kind of like when pancakes are ready to be flipped on the griddle.

SERVES 4 AS A STARTER OR SMALL MAIN DISH

Faux Béarnaise

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1½ teaspoons tarragon vinegar or champagne vinegar

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black peppercorns

½ cup mayonnaise, homemade or good-quality store-bought

2 teaspoons thinly sliced fresh tarragon leaves, or more to taste

Water

Kosher salt

Grilled Portobellos and Tomato

1 large heirloom tomato

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

4 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed, gills removed if desired

1 heaping tablespoon thinly sliced green onion

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.

To make the béarnaise sauce, in a medium bowl, combine the shallot, vinegar, and peppercorns; let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the mayonnaise and tarragon. Whisk in water 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, until the sauce reaches the desired hollandaiselike consistency. Season with salt to taste.

Slice the tomato crosswise into four thick slices, each about ¾ inch thick. Brush each slice with about 1 teaspoon oil and season generously with salt.

Brush both sides of the portobellos with the remaining oil and season with salt. Be sure to carefully oil the grate, then place the mushrooms stem side down on the grill and cook until they begin to soften and become crisp at the edges, about 3 minutes. Flip the mushrooms, moving them to a slightly less hot part of the grill. Re-oil the grill grates, then place the tomatoes on the hottest part of the grill and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes total.

Using a metal spatula, place a grilled tomato slice on top of each mushroom cap and top each with a generous dollop of the béarnaise. Cover the grill or top the mushrooms with a large bowl to warm through. Cook for 3 minutes more, then carefully transfer to a platter or plates. Garnish with the green onion and serve.

with bacon-sherry cream

Bacon-sherry cream is one of Greg’s favorite sauces to make, and everything we’ve ever served it with has been so damned delicious—summer corn, brussels sprouts, roasted scallops, lentils. It’s incredible on new potatoes, which take on crispy skins when grilled.

Though the sauce is cream-based and rich, it’s balanced with black pepper, acid from the sherry vinegar, and juicy sweetness from the grilled onion. You can make the sauce and thread the skewers in advance, then throw the skewers on the grill after your guests settle in.

SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A SIDE DISH

Bacon-Sherry Cream

½ cup chopped bacon (from about 2 thick-cut slices), homemade or store-bought

¼ cup unsalted butter

3 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed

2 tablespoons black peppercorns, crushed

½ bunch thyme (about 15 sprigs)

½ cup sherry vinegar

4 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Grilled Potatoes and Bacon

1½ pounds extra-small new potatoes (preferably no bigger than a ping-pong ball)

Kosher salt

1 small yellow onion

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

6 to 7 slices thick-cut bacon cut into 1-inch lengths, homemade or store-bought

To make the bacon-sherry cream, put the bacon, butter, and garlic in a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the peppercorns and thyme and cook, stirring constantly, until the thyme stops sputtering. Add the vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the cream and salt and bring to a boil, then quickly reduce to a simmer to avoid boiling over. Simmer for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Keep warm, reheating to hot just before serving.

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.

Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Add a heaping tablespoon of salt to the water and bring to a simmer; simmer until completely tender when pierced with a knife, 14 to 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a baking sheet. Let cool to room temperature.

Place the cooled potatoes in a bowl. (If any are larger than the diameter of a quarter, cut in half.) Cut the onion into 1-inch square chunks and add them to the bowl with the potatoes. Drizzle with the oil, salt, and pepper, and toss gently to coat. Using flat metal skewers, begin to skewer alternating pieces of potato, onion, and bacon, pressing them tightly together.

Once all the vegetables and bacon are skewered, be sure to oil the grate and place the skewers on the grill. Cook until the onions and bacon slices have some char to them and the potatoes are heated through, rotating often, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove the skewers from the heat and serve with the bacon-sherry cream in a bowl on the side or drizzled over the top of the skewers.

with taleggio cream and hazelnuts

Broccolini works surprisingly well on the grill (unlike regular broccoli, which tends to dry out and can take forever to tenderize). You don’t have to peel the stems, and the florets have a moisture and looseness to them that helps them crisp up nicely without disintegrating.

Though you can eat this dish in any season, it is ideal for fall or winter grilling. It’s lighter than a potato gratin—and does not necessarily require using the oven—but has a similar alpine flavor and feel due to the taleggio, a strongly flavored cheese with some solid funkiness that just so happens to melt really well. If you want to give this dish more of a gratinlike finish, plate the grilled broccolini in gratin dishes and broil until the sauce is bubbly and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH

1 pound broccolini, trimmed

Kosher salt

1½ cups heavy cream

6 ounces taleggio cheese, rinds trimmed away, cheese cut into ½-inch pieces

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Freshly ground white pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, to blanch the broccolini, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a large bowl of ice water next to the stove. Divide the broccolini into three bunches and place one bunch into the boiling water. Cook until bright green and slightly tender, about 1 minute; transfer to the ice water. Repeat with the remaining broccolini bunches. Drain and transfer to a towel to dry.

Pour the heavy cream into a small, heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low. Add the taleggio pieces and whisk slowly into the hot cream until melted. Add the nutmeg, then season with salt and white pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Coat the blanched broccolini with the oil and season with salt. Transfer to the grill, using a grill basket if desired, and cook until the florets begin to char lightly, 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for 1 minute.

To serve, place the broccolini on one large or four small plates. Spoon the taleggio cream over the broccolini, dividing it evenly. Garnish with the chopped hazelnuts.