I recently dined at an edgy new restaurant in Chicago, and no, it wasn’t a meat palace or grill joint. Bad Hunter proposes a “vegetable forward” menu with the likes of grilled radish salad and ember-charred snap peas served hot off a wood-burning J & R Oyler pit. A gentle reminder how much progress grilled vegetables have made in a country that, when I was growing up, scarcely acknowledged their existence. Today, we grill not just the obvious peppers, corn, and mushrooms, but artichokes, kale, and chiles rellenos. And we’re using grilling techniques that were unheard of for vegetables a decade ago. Beer-Brined Rotisserie Cauliflower, for example. Or Caveman Cabbage roasted on the embers. Or salt slab-grilled acorn squash. There has never been a more interesting time to grill or eat your vegetables. Here’s how.
with Charred Lemon Aioli
Yield: Serves 4
Method: Direct grilling
Prep time: 30 minutes for trimming and boiling the artichokes
Grilling time: 8 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal, wood, or gas. But for the most flavor, use wood or a wood-enhanced fire (see here). You also need 2 hardwood chunks or 1½ cups unsoaked wood chips (optional); a melon baller or grapefruit spoon; a metal skewer; a wire rack; and a basting brush.
Shop: When buying artichokes, look for flowers (for that’s what an artichoke is) that feel heavy and compact. When in season, baby artichokes are great for grilling. You’ll need three to four baby artichokes to equal one large globe artichoke. A Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. It has a wonderful perfumed flavor, but a conventional lemon will do just fine.
Insider tip: Grilled artichokes require a technique I almost never use: parboiling prior to grilling. (That’s what slackers do to ribs and it feels like cheating.) I came to this technique reluctantly: In The Barbecue! Bible, for example, you’ll find artichokes from Barcelona that are direct grilled from their raw state. The truth is, they come out somewhat tough and leathery. Parboiling keeps the artichoke moist, and you can still add a nice smoke flavor by enhancing your fire with hardwood.
At first glance, the dense, fibrous artichoke would seem like a poor choice of vegetable for grilling. Just don’t tell any Sicilians, who cook them on massive charcoal-burning grills set up in market streets in Catania and Palermo. Or the Spaniards or Californians, for whom wood-grilled artichokes are not only a popular vegetable, but an article of barbecue faith. The following makes a great starter as well as an uncommon vegetable side dish, and the smoky Charred Lemon Aioli takes it over the top.
Ingredients
Coarse salt (sea or kosher)
4 artichokes, preferably large globe artichokes
2 lemons, preferably Meyer lemons
8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted unsalted butter, extra virgin olive oil, or a mix
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
Freshly ground black pepper
Charred Lemon Aioli, for serving
1. Bring 1 gallon of water with 4 teaspoons of salt to a boil in a large stockpot.
2. Cut the thorny tips off the ends of the artichoke leaves with kitchen scissors. This is optional, but makes the artichokes easier to eat. Trim ⅛ inch off the stem end. (The rest of the stem is edible.) Using a chef’s knife, cut each artichoke in half lengthwise (even if the artichokes are small). Using a melon baller, grapefruit spoon, or your fingers, scrape out and discard the “choke” (the clump of fuzzy fibers just above the heart).
3. Finely grate the zest of 1 lemon and set aside for the aioli (you should have about ½ teaspoon). Cut both lemons in half and remove the seeds with a fork. Rub the cut parts of the artichoke with one of the lemon halves to keep them from discoloring.
4. Place the artichokes in the boiling water and cook until just tender, about 20 minutes. Use a metal skewer to test for doneness; it should pierce the artichoke with just a little resistance. Do not overcook; the artichokes should remain firm. Drain the artichokes in a colander, running cold water over them until they are cold. Position the artichokes cut sides down and drain them well on a wire rack covered with a dish towel or paper towels. The artichokes can be cooked ahead to this stage and refrigerated in a large resealable plastic bag for up to 24 hours.
5. Pour the melted butter or olive oil into a small bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of the chives. Reserve the remainder.
6. Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high. If using a charcoal grill, place hardwood chunks or chips on the coals. If using a gas grill, lay a few wood chunks between the heat diffuser bars or on the ceramic heating elements. If using a wood grill, do nothing more than light it; don’t let the flames die down completely—it’s good to have some smoke and fire. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well.
7. Brush the cut sides of the artichokes with chive butter and dab more butter between and over the leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the artichoke halves, cut sides down, on the grill running diagonal to the bars of the grate. Grill for 2 minutes, then give each artichoke a quarter turn to lay on a crosshatch of grill marks. Baste the tops of the artichokes with the chive butter, dabbing it under the leaves. While you’re at it, grill the remaining 2 lemon halves for the aioli.
8. When the bottoms are nicely browned and grill-marked, turn the artichokes over and grill the leaf side, again basting with chive butter. The artichokes are ready when sizzling hot and browned on both sides. Transfer the artichokes to a platter or plates. Drizzle with any remaining chive butter and sprinkle with the reserved chives. Serve the Charred Lemon Aioli for dipping.
Cut the barbed ends off the artichoke leaves using kitchen scissors.
Remove the fibrous choke from each artichoke half.
Yield: Makes 1 cup
Aioli (garlic mayonnaise) is a common condiment for artichokes in southern France, and it’s about to get more interesting with the sweet smoky juice of fire-charred lemons.
Ingredients
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon coarse salt (sea or kosher)
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (see Step 3)
1 cup mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s or Best Foods
Juice from the grilled lemon halves (see Step 7)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place the garlic, salt, and lemon zest in the bottom of a mixing bowl and mash to a paste with the back of a wooden spoon. Whisk in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and pepper. Add salt to taste as needed. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate until using. The aioli will keep for at least 3 days.
With Sweet and Sour Fire Sauce
Yield: Serves 3 to 4
Method: Caveman grilling (on the embers)
Prep time: 5 minutes
Grilling time: 15 to 30 minutes
Grill/Gear: Cavemanning must be done over charcoal or wood. You also need a grill hoe or garden hoe and a newspaper for fanning the coals.
Shop: I like savoy cabbage, with its crinkly leaves and sweet flavor, for cavemanning. You can certainly use regular green cabbage.
Insider tip: This cabbage calls for a technique I call ember-smoking. In effect, you burn the outside of the cabbage on the embers. This drives smoke flavor to the center of the cabbage. You can approach the flavor of caveman cabbage on a gas grill by direct grilling it until the exterior is charred (see Variation). You can also grill the cabbage whole, in which case you’ll need 40 to 50 minutes.
Cabbage has long been a barbecue staple, but most of us consume it in the form of slaw. Here’s a cabbage that’s actually barbecued—make that smoke-roasted on the embers. Jamaicans use a similar technique with whole breadfruit.
Ingredients
1 head savoy cabbage or green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cut in half from top to bottom
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
1. Set up your grill for caveman grilling and when ready to cook, rake the coals into an even layer, using a grill hoe or garden hoe. Fan with a folded newspaper to disperse any loose ash.
2. Lay the cabbage halves on the coals. Grill until charred black on all sides and very tender inside, turning often with tongs. This could take as little as 15 minutes or as long as 30, depending on the size and density of the cabbage. Use a slender metal skewer to test for doneness. It should pierce the cabbage easily.
3. Transfer the cabbage to a sheet pan and let it rest until cool enough to handle. Trim off the burnt outside leaves. Cut the cabbage into wedges and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the Sweet and Sour Fire Sauce.
Variation
Direct grilling method on a gas grill: Okay, so you don’t have a charcoal grill. You can still approximate the smoky char of caveman cabbage on a gas grill.
1. Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well.
2. Cut the cabbage as described in Step 3 and place on the grate, cut side down. Direct grill until the cut side is very darkly browned, 10 minutes. Turn it over and direct grill the rounded side until charred black, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve as described above.
Yield: About 1 cup
This sweet and sour fire sauce gives you plenty of balsamic sweetness and chile fire.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
Place the butter, vinegar, and hot sauce in a heavy nonreactive saucepan over high heat. Melt the butter, then boil the ingredients until syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes, whisking steadily. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Add salt and pepper to taste.
With Spice-scented Yogurt
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Method: Smoke-roasting/indirect grilling followed by direct grilling
Prep time: 10 minutes
Grilling time: 35 to 50 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal or gas. You’ll also need a disposable aluminum foil pan (9 by 13 inches) and 2 hardwood chunks or 1½ cups wood chips (if using the latter, soak in water to cover for 30 minutes, then drain).
Shop: Buy organic rainbow carrots (which come in red, purple, and white in addition to the usual orange). They tend to taste more, well, carroty than cheap commodity carrots, and there won’t be any residual pesticides. One sign of freshness is bright springy green tops (which you can use to make pesto).
Insider tip: These carrots call for a two-step grilling process (indirect grilling followed by direct grilling), so although they’re cooked in a foil pan and never directly on the grate, I feel comfortable including them in a book on grilling. The indirect grilling softens and smokes them, while direct grilling caramelizes and crisps the exterior.
Call it the carrot moment. This slender root vegetable is turning up on fashionable menus everywhere. (I recently had terrific roasted carrots with spiced yogurt at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s plant-based abcV restaurant in New York.) Sometimes roasted, sometimes smoked or grilled, carrots are now served as starters, desserts, and even in cocktails. Sometimes they precede the steak; sometimes they are the steak. Of course, they also make a killer side dish. Think of these sweet, smoky, crusty, meaty, tender carrots as vegetable brisket.
Ingredients
2 pounds medium-size whole carrots, trimmed and peeled
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
Spice-Scented Yogurt (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme for serving
1. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high.
2. Arrange the carrots in a single layer in a large disposable aluminum foil pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Place the carrots in the foil pan on the grill grate away from direct heat. Add wood chunks or chips to the coals. Close the grill lid.
4. Smoke-roast the carrots until almost tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Move the carrots (still in the pan) directly over the fire and grill until the exteriors are darkly browned and crusty, 5 to 10 minutes, turning with tongs to ensure even browning.
5. Arrange the carrots on a platter or plates. Spoon the Spice-Scented Yogurt over them and sprinkle with thyme, if using.
Note: One easy way to sprinkle fresh thyme is to rub an upright bunch between the palms of your hands. The leaves will fall over the carrots.
Yield: Makes 1 cup
Roasted carrots with spiced yogurt has become a new American culinary classic, playing the tart tang of the yogurt off the earthy sweetness of the carrots. Cumin, coriander, and hot red pepper flakes add a North African accent.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
½ to 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon or lime zest
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin and coriander seeds and roast until fragrant and lightly browned, 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon. Lightly crush the roasted spices with a pestle or the back of a smaller frying pan to crack the coriander seeds.
2. Place the yogurt in a bowl and stir in the toasted spices, hot red pepper flakes, lemon zest, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. The yogurt should be highly seasoned.
Yield: Serves 2 as a meatless entrée; 4 as a side dish
Method: Rotisserie/spit-roasting
Prep time: 10 minutes plus 6 to 8 hours for brining
Grilling time: 45 minutes
Grill/Gear: You need a grill with a rotisserie and a sharp-tined carving fork.
Shop: These days, cauliflower comes in rainbow colors, but the traditional white works just fine, too.
Insider tip: Spit-roasting combines the virtues of direct grilling and indirect grilling. As with direct grilling, you get the browning that occurs when food faces fire directly. As with indirect grilling, the food roasts slowly and evenly. If your grill lacks a rotisserie, indirect grill the cauliflower to cook it through, then quarter it and direct grill to brown it.
I like to think of cauliflower as the rib roast of the vegetable kingdom—large, dense, meaty, and well suited to methods traditionally associated with meat, such as grilling, roasting, and cavemanning. Like meat, you can brine it (in this case, in a soulful mixture of dark beer, orange zest, and fennel) and, like meat, you can spit-roast it or grill it. The result: cauliflower with a savory crust and rich umami flavors. You even get to carve it into steaks. Tip o’ the hat to Rhubarb restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina, for the idea.
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower and Brine
1 large head of cauliflower
1 bottle (12 ounces) dark beer
3 tablespoons coarse salt (sea or kosher)
2 strips orange or lemon zest (remove them with a vegetable peeler)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, plus freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
4 cups ice water
For the Curry Butter Baste
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
2 teaspoons curry powder
1. Trim any green leaves off the cauliflower and prick it deeply all over with a carving fork.
2. Make the brine: Place the beer, salt, orange zest, fennel, coriander, and peppercorns in a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 4 cups of ice water. When the brine is cool, add the cauliflower. Brine it, refrigerated, for 6 to 8 hours—the longer, the richer the flavor.
3. Set up your grill for spit-roasting and heat to medium-high. Drain the cauliflower and blot dry. Thread it onto the rotisserie spit (the spit should go from top to bottom). It helps to make a starter tunnel through the cauliflower with a slender metal skewer. Secure the cauliflower in place with the rotisserie prongs.
4. Make the baste: Melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan and stir in the shallots and curry powder. Cook until the shallots are fragrant and lightly browned, 2 minutes.
5. Spit-roast the cauliflower until the cauliflower is darkly browned and tender (it will be easy to pierce with a bamboo or metal skewer), 45 minutes, or as needed, basting often with the curry butter.
Yield: Serves 6
Method: Smoke-roasting/indirect grilling
Prep time: 20 minutes
Grilling time: 30 to 40 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal or gas. You also need 2 hardwood chunks or 1½ cups wood chips (if using the latter, soak in water to cover for 30 minutes, then drain).
Shop: Choose poblanos that are large, straight, and round; they’re easier to stuff.
Insider tip: Vegetarians generally get short shrift at a barbecue, but here’s a dish that’s loaded with protein, fiber, and flavor. It looks pretty impressive, too. You can vary the flavor profile by changing the spicing and beans. For a North African version, for example, use chickpeas flavored with coriander, turmeric, and paprika.
If ever there was a dish ready for a live-fire makeover, it’s Mexico’s chiles rellenos. The original—cheese-filled, batter-dipped, and deep-fried—weighs in at 600 calories per serving. But stuff the same chile with beans and smoke-roast it on a grill instead of deep-frying. You wind up with a Mexican classic that not only tastes cleaner and more vibrant, but at 380 calories, it’s better for you, too. Call it barbecue health food, and yes, your vegetarian friends will love you.
Ingredients
6 large poblano peppers
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium-size onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped (for a spicier filling, leave the seeds in)
cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup canned low-sodium black beans, drained, rinsed, and drained again
1 cup canned pinto beans, drained, rinsed, and drained again (or more black beans)
¾ cup grilled or plain cooked corn kernels (optional)
3 cups (about 12 ounces) coarsely grated pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, or white cheddar cheese
Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
1. Cut the poblanos in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and ribs. Leave the stem intact. Arrange on a sheet pan.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeños, cilantro, and cumin and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the black beans, pinto beans, and corn and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Stir in 2 cups of the cheese and salt and pepper to taste; the mixture should be highly seasoned. Spoon the bean mixture into the poblano halves. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, dividing it evenly among the peppers.
3. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well. Add wood chunks or chips to the coals or follow the gas grill smoking instructions.
4. Place the peppers in the center of the hot grill grate (arrange them so they run parallel to the bars of the grate), away from the heat, or in your smoker. Cover the grill and cook the peppers until they are tender and the cheese is browned and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a platter or plates and serve at once.
Yield: Serves 4
Method: Direct grilling
Prep time: 10 minutes
Grilling time: 8 to 12 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled on charcoal, wood, or gas. You also need butcher’s string (optional); wooden skewers or chopsticks; and aluminum foil to make a grill shield (optional).
Shop: Select corn with the husk on—preferably a sweet local variety that’s just come into season in your area.
Insider tip: The “grate” corn debate centers on grilling with the husk on or husk off. To me, there’s no question: husk off. This enables you to caramelize the natural plant sugars in the corn. When you grill with the husk on, you steam the corn, rather than grill it. I don’t remove the husk completely. Rather, I leave it attached at the bottom, but tie it back to form a handle for eating the corn. The aluminum foil grill shield keeps the husk from burning.
I’ve been grilling corn since my earliest days in barbecue. Starting with the grilled corn with cilantro garlic butter in The Barbecue! Bible, I’ve profiled dozens of renditions—Mexican-style (slathered with mayonnaise and grated cheese), Indian (doused with lime juice and cayenne pepper), Japanese (brushed with sesame soy butter), and so on. My latest version features a sweet-salty baste of mayonnaise, soy sauce, and maple syrup. But where it really gets interesting is the coating—shredded coconut, which you toast right on the corn. Do you have an ingenious grilled corn recipe? Share photos on reddit.com/r/BarbecueBible/ or on my Facebook page.
Ingredients
4 ears sweet corn in the husk
¼ cup mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s or Best Foods
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1. Husk the corn, stripping the husks back as though you were peeling a banana, leaving the husks attached at the base. Remove the silk. Tie the husks back below the corn to make a handle, using a strip of husk or butcher’s string. (Alternatively, strip off the husks altogether and impale the corn through the pith end on sturdy wooden skewers or chopsticks.)
2. Combine the mayonnaise, soy sauce, and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl and whisk to mix.
3. Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well.
4. Lightly brush the ears of corn with maple-soy mayonnaise. Grill the corn until well browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side, 8 to 12 minutes in all, rotating the ears so they grill evenly. Position the corn so that the tied husks hang over the edge of the grill or away from the hot coals, or slide a folded sheet of aluminum foil under them so they won’t burn. Continue to baste the corn as it grills.
5. When the corn is browned, baste it one more time and transfer it to a sheet pan. Sprinkle it with most of the flaked coconut, gently patting it onto the corn with your fingertips. Return the corn to the grill and sprinkle it with the remaining coconut. When the coconut is lightly toasted, transfer the corn to a platter and dig in.
Grill the corn directly over the fire. Make sure the husks hang over the edge. Or slide an aluminum foil shield under the husks to keep them from burning.
If you wish, you can sprinkle the corn with shredded coconut while it’s still on the grill. Or transfer the corn to a sheet pan, sprinkle it with coconut, and return it to the grill.
Grilling the corn over wood imparts a rich smoky flavor.
Yield: Serves 3 to 4
Method: Direct grilling
Prep time: 10 minutes
Grilling Time: 6 to 10 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal, wood, or gas. You also need a vegetable grid or grill basket (optional) if grilling small kale leaves.
Shop: Kale comes in many varieties, including the common curly and red Russian varieties. All are good grilled, but my favorite is dinosaur kale (aka cavolo nero, lacinato kale, and black kale), recognizable by its long, slender, dark blue-green crinkly leaves and sweet earthy flavor. This is the easiest kind of kale to clean and grill. Note: Kale becomes sweeter after the first frost, so this is one vegetable that’s great for grilling in autumn or winter.
Insider tip: Kale stems are noticeably more fibrous and chewy than the leaves—especially in curly varieties. Remove them following the directions in Step 1. When grilling small kale leaves (like red kale), place them in a grill basket. Arrange larger leaves directly on the grate.
How did we live without kale? Once the province of Italian and Portuguese cooks (who boiled it in soups and stews), kale has become the “it” veggie of the millennials. We consume it by the ton in chips, salads, rice bowls, and even smoothies. So it was only a matter of time until kale hit the grill. At first glance, this broad leafy vegetable would seem like an odd candidate. You’d think the leaves would wilt or burn. They don’t. Instead, the high dry heat of the grill delivers a smoky char and potato chip crispness. Think barbecue health food loaded with calcium, potassium, B vitamins, and fiber. And don’t think of firing up your grill without trying it.
Ingredients
2 bunches dinosaur kale (12 to 16 ounces in all)
2 tablespoons Asian (dark) sesame oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce or Asian fish sauce
1 clove garlic or a small shallot, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons sesame seeds or chopped peanuts
Hot red pepper flakes, to taste
Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
1. Wash the kale and spin it dry in a salad spinner or shake it dry. Lay a leaf on a cutting board and, making an elongated V-shaped cut, remove the thick part of the stem. (You can leave the tender part of the stem near the top intact.) Repeat with the remaining leaves—you may not need to stem the tender inner leaves. Blot off any excess water with paper towels.
2. Combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic in a small bowl and mix with a fork. Lightly brush each kale leaf on both sides with this mixture using a pastry brush. Sprinkle the kale on both sides with sesame seeds and hot red pepper flakes.
3. Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to medium-high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well.
4. Arrange the kale leaves in a single layer on the grate, working in several batches as needed. If the kale leaves are small, you can grill them on a vegetable grid or in a grill basket. Grill the kale until browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes per side, turning with tongs. Transfer to a platter and serve. I like to eat grilled kale with my fingers. It’s messy—it’s supposed to be, so provide napkins. The kale should be sufficiently salty from the soy sauce, but don’t hesitate to add salt if you want to.
Direct grill the kale until browned and crisp on both sides.
With Bacon, Herbs, and Parmigiano-Reggiano
Yield: Serves 4
Method: Direct grill
Prep time: 20 minutes (including time for the onions)
Grilling time: 5 to 8 minutes for the mushrooms
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal, wood, or gas. But for the best flavor, use wood or a wood-enhanced fire (see here). You also need 2 hardwood chunks or 1½ cups unsoaked wood chips and a grill wok or open vegetable grilling basket.
Shop: You want a selection of exotic mushrooms such as shiitakes, oyster mushrooms, and king mushrooms. You can find them at most supermarkets.
Insider tip: There are two ways to grill large quantities of small vegetables: in a grill wok or wire grill basket or threaded onto bamboo skewers. The former are less labor intensive and their perforated or wire mesh construction allows plenty of smoke and fire flavors to reach the food. Just remember to preheat the wok empty so you start with a sharp blast of heat.
Travel the world’s barbecue trail and you’ll find mushrooms of all stripes on all manner of grills. The reasons are simple: Porous in texture, mushrooms absorb herb, spice, and smoke flavors like a sponge. And high in water content, they stay moist even when exposed to the withering heat of the fire. The mushrooms in this recipe get a triple blast of flavor: from smoky bacon, fresh herbs, and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Ingredients
1 pound mixed exotic mushrooms (choose a mix of shiitakes, porcini, oyster mushrooms, morels, hedgehog mushrooms, king, cremini, and/or others)
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, dill, and/or other fresh herbs
2 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts finely chopped
2 strips bacon, grilled and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slivers
Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or melted butter
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1. Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high.
2. Trim the sandy ends off the mushroom stems. If using shiitakes, discard the whole stems. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Cut any large mushrooms in halves or quarters so all the mushrooms are about the same size. The pieces should be at least 1½ inches across.
3. Place the mushrooms in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the parsley or other herbs, scallions, and bacon. Add salt and pepper to taste. Right before grilling, stir in the olive oil.
4. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean; there’s no need to oil it. Place the grill wok or basket on the grate and heat it as well. Add the mushroom mixture and grill until the mushrooms and bacon are sizzling, browned, and tender, 5 to 8 minutes, shaking the pan and stirring with a wooden spoon.
5. Transfer the mushrooms to a serving bowl (or serve right out of the grill wok). Sprinkle with the cheese and serve (see Note).
Note: These grilled mushrooms are awesome served on slices of grilled bread.
Yield: Serves 3 to 4
Method: Direct grilling
Prep time: 10 minutes
Grilling time: 6 to 8 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal, wood, or gas. For maximum flavor, grill over a wood or wood-enhanced fire (see here). You also need flat bamboo or metal skewers or toothpicks.
Shop: You’ll want a sweet onion for this one. Varieties that come to mind include Vidalia, Maui, Walla Walla, and Texas Sweet. Extra points for organic: Remember, root vegetables can easily absorb pesticides.
Insider tip: Cutting the onions in wedges exposes the maximum flesh to the fire. But it also makes them prone to falling apart. Skewering them holds the wedges together. Insert the sharp point of the skewer through the narrow edge of the onion wedge first.
These luscious fiery grilled onions were inspired by a Venetian classic: cipolline in agrodolce (sweet and sour onions). The Project Fire twist? Charring the onions first to caramelize their natural plant sugars.
Ingredients
1 large sweet onion, peeled
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
1. Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high.
2. Cut the onion into 12 wedges from the tip through the root end. Skewer the onion wedges onto bamboo skewers, or skewer each individual wedge with a toothpick. Brush the onions on all sides with extra virgin olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well. Arrange the onion wedges on the grate and grill until sizzling, browned, and soft, 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning with tongs. Start basting the onions with the Sweet and Sour Fire Sauce after 3 minutes and baste several times.
4. Transfer the onion wedges to a platter or plates and unskewer. Spoon the remaining sauce over them and dig in.
Stuffed with Caramelized Onions and Cheese
Yield: Makes 8 potato halves (enough to serve 4 to 8)
Method: Smoke-roasting
Prep time: 20 minutes
Grilling time: About 1¼ hours
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal or gas. For a more pronounced smoke flavor, use charcoal. You also need potato grilling nails or 4 ten-penny nails (optional) and 2 hardwood chunks or 1½ cups wood chips (optional; if using the latter, soak in water to cover for 30 minutes, then drain).
Shop: Organic baking potatoes and onions. Cave-aged Gruyère cheese. Excellence lies in provisioning.
Insider tip: Of course, you can “bake” a potato on the grill, but if you’re going to go to the trouble of firing it up, why not blast the potato with wood smoke? Smoke makes vegetables taste a lot more interesting, just as it does meats.
Smoke-roasted potatoes have long been a family staple. We love the crackling crisp skin and smoky flavor. I like to think of this version as a mash-up of baked potatoes and French onion soup. Like the latter, it’s loaded with caramelized onions, and when you eat it (make that devour it), long gooey strings of melted cheese stretch from your fork.
Ingredients
Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
4 large baking potatoes (12 to 14 ounces each), such as russets
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium-size onion, peeled and diced (about 1½ cups)
6 ounces smoked ham, cut into matchstick slivers (optional)
½ cup crème fraîche or sour cream, or more as needed
2 cups (8 ounces) coarsely grated Gruyère or other full-flavored cheese
Pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika) for sprinkling
1. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well.
2. Scrub the potatoes on all sides with a vegetable brush under running water. Rinse well and blot dry with paper towels. Prick each potato skin 5 to 6 times with a fork. If you wish to speed up the roasting time, insert a potato nail or ten-penny nail in each. (The metal conducts the heat to the center.) Brush each potato with the butter (you’ll need about 2 tablespoons in all) and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Place the potatoes on the grill grate away from the heat. Add the wood chunks or chips if using. Smoke-roast the potatoes until the skins are crisp and the flesh is soft, about 1 hour. (Insert a bamboo skewer to test for doneness; it should go in easily.)
4. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet. Add the onions and ham (if using) and cook over medium heat until a deep golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Lower the heat as needed so the onions brown evenly. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
5. When the potatoes are cooked, transfer them to a cutting board. Remove the nails, if using, and cut each potato in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Using a spoon, remove most of the potato flesh, leaving a ¼-inch-thick layer next to the skin. (Note: For the best texture, scoop the potatoes while they are still hot.) Coarsely chop the scooped potato and place in the mixing bowl with the ham and onions.
6. Add the crème fraîche and 1 cup of grated cheese and gently stir to mix with a rubber spatula. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The mixture should be highly seasoned. Stir as little as possible so as to leave some texture to the potatoes.
7. Stuff the potato mixture back into the potato skins, mounding it in the center. Sprinkle each potato with the remaining cheese and dot the tops with butter. Sprinkle each stuffed potato with pimentón. The potatoes can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead to this stage, covered and refrigerated.
8. Just before serving, if the grill isn’t still at the ready, set it up for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high. Place the potatoes on the grill grate away from the heat until the cheese is melted and browned and the filling is hot and sizzling, 15 minutes or as needed. (Potatoes that have been refrigerated will take a bit longer.)
with Parmigiano-Reggiano
Yield: Serves 4
Method: Smoke-roasting
Prep time: 20 minutes
Grilling time: 1¼ hours
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal or gas. If you want a smoke flavor, use charcoal. You also need a hasselback potato cutter (such as the one made by the Companion Group) or 2 wooden chopsticks or pencils and 2 wood chunks or 1½ cups hardwood chips (if using the latter, soak in water to cover for 30 minutes, then drain).
Shop: Organic baking potatoes. Real Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Insider tip: As a griller, I’m always trying to bring smoke and fire flavors from the outside of the food to the center. These potatoes call for an accordion cutting technique whereby you make a series of deep parallel cuts through the top of the potato almost to the bottom (the chopsticks on either side keep you from cutting all the way through). The resulting slices open the interior of the potato to the smoke flavor.
I think of these singular spuds as “potato chips on the bone.” The slices fan out during roasting, giving the potatoes the vague appearance of an armadillo. This looks cool as all get-out and gives a baked potato some of the crispness of a potato chip. Incidentally, the name comes from the swanky Hasselbacken restaurant, which opened in Stockholm in 1853 and is still serving its eponymous potatoes.
Ingredients
4 large baking potatoes, such as russets, scrubbed
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons finely minced chives
1. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high.
2. Place each potato on a hasselback cutting guide or between 2 wooden chopsticks or pencils. Using a sharp knife, cut each potato crosswise into ⅛-inch-thick slices, but don’t cut all the way through; you want the potato to stay intact. Do this right before cooking so the potato won’t oxidize. (The guide or the chopsticks will prevent you from cutting too deeply.) Brush the potatoes with melted butter, forcing it between the slices. Season generously with salt and pepper. If you want to cut the potatoes ahead of time (up to 4 hours), drop them in a bowl of ice water once sliced. There’s an added advantage here: This helps spread the slices apart.
3. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well. Place the potatoes on the grill grate over the drip pan away from the heat. Add the wood chunks or chips to the coals. Close the grill lid. Smoke-roast the potatoes until the slices begin to fan, 30 minutes.
4. Brush the potatoes with melted butter, again dabbing it between the slices, and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Continue smoke-roasting until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are browned and tender, 30 to 45 minutes longer. Sprinkle with chives before serving.
with Fresh Mint
Yield: Serves 4
Method: Caveman grilling (grilling on the embers) in a grill basket
Prep time: 10 minutes
Grilling time: 5 minutes
Grill/Gear: Grill over charcoal or wood. You also need a grill basket; a grill hoe or garden hoe; and a newspaper for fanning coals.
Shop: Sugar snap peas (sometimes called snap peas) are a small pea variety you eat pod and all. Look for smaller sugar snaps—organic if possible.
Insider tip: Sure, you can roast large vegetables, like beets and cabbage, in the embers. But what about small vegetables, like snap peas, snow peas, or green beans? The answer is simple: Grill them in a wire mesh grill basket positioned directly on the embers. You get a surface charring and resulting flavor that’s different from conventional grilling. Shake the basket a few times (or stir with long-handled tongs) so all the peas roast evenly. If you own a gas grill, try charring them on a plancha.
I first experienced fire-roasted sugar snap peas at Tar & Roses in Santa Monica. The next time was at The Dabney restaurant in Washington, D.C., where chef Jeremiah Langhorne placed the grill basket directly on the embers. On a recent trip to Chicago, I enjoyed them at the trendy Bad Hunter and El Che Bar, and they were so crusty and smoky-sweet, I vowed the next time would be on my own grill. You can char any small green vegetable, from snow peas to green beans to fiddlehead ferns, in a grill basket in the embers. The optional jalapeño pepper reinforces the heat.
Ingredients
1 pound fresh sugar snap peas
½ cup thinly slivered fresh mint
1 jalapeño pepper, very thinly sliced crosswise (optional)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or to taste
Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
1. Set up your grill for caveman grilling. Let the coals burn down to glowing embers.
2. String the peas by breaking the tip off the stem end and pulling the string away from the inside curve of the pea. Place in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the mint, jalapeño (if using), olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a grill basket.
3. When ready to cook, rake the coals into an even layer, using a grill hoe or garden hoe. Fan with a folded newspaper to disperse any loose ash. Lay the grill basket with the peas directly on the embers. Grill the peas, stirring occasionally with tongs, until browned and charred in places, about 5 minutes. (A few burnt spots add flavor.) Transfer the peas to a platter and serve.
Stuffed with Wild Rice, Cranberries, and Pecans
Yield: Serves 4
Method: Salt slab grilling/indirect grilling
Prep time: 20 minutes
Grilling time: About 45 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal or gas. You also need a Himalayan salt slab (available at grill shops and gourmet shops) and grill rings or crumpled aluminum foil doughnuts (optional).
Shop: Wild rice used to require a solid hour of boiling to make it edible. Save yourself some time and buy it par cooked or precooked. Two good brands are Fall River and Canoe.
Insider tip: Salt slab grilling is a relative newcomer to the world of live-fire cooking, but it belongs in your repertory for at least three reasons. It subtly flavors the food. It provides a steady even heat source. And the process looks cool. Warning: Do not make this recipe in cold weather. Hot salt slabs have been known to crack or explode when exposed to cold air.
This rustic salt-grilled acorn squash makes a perfect Thanksgiving side dish. Wild rice, pecans, and cranberries speak to the season and the festivities and especially to the turkey, which of course, you’ll grill or smoke (here or here).
Ingredients
2 medium-size acorn squash
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
1 strip bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips
1 shallot, peeled and minced
8 fresh sage leaves, thinly slivered
½ cup pecan pieces
½ cup dried cranberries
1½ cups fully cooked wild rice
Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup pure maple syrup, or to taste
1. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and build a medium-hot fire. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean; there’s no need to oil it. Place the salt slab in the center of the grate away from the heat and slowly preheat it as well. (Heating it quickly could cause the salt slab to crack.)
2. Cut each squash in half from top to bottom and scoop out the seeds. Place each squash half, cut side down, on the salt slab. Roast until just tender (squeeze the sides to check for doneness), 30 minutes, or as needed.
3. Meanwhile, make the stuffing: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Lightly brown the bacon, shallots, and sage leaves, 3 minutes. Stir in the pecans and cranberries and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the wild rice and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Invert the squash halves. Spoon the stuffing into the cavities. Pour 1 tablespoon of maple syrup over each squash half, covering the filling and the edges. Place ½ tablespoon of butter in the center of each half.
5. Return the stuffed squash to the salt slab (filling side up). Use grill rings or crumpled aluminum foil twisted into small doughnuts to hold them upright. Continue grilling until the butter melts and the filling is hot, 10 to 15 minutes.
Note: For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and sauté the shallots, pecans, and cranberries in 2 tablespoons butter, or for vegans, olive oil.
Variation
For simple salt slab squash without the stuffing, grill the squash halves on the salt slab as described through Step 2. Invert and brush the edges and cavities with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar and drizzle with 2 teaspoons maple syrup. Place 2 teaspoons butter in each squash cavity. Continue grilling on the salt slab until these flavorings cook into the squash, 10 to 15 minutes.
with Korean Barbecue Sauce
Yield: Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a starter
Method: Plancha grilling/direct grilling
Prep time: 15 minutes
Grilling time: 8 minutes
Grill/Gear: Can be grilled over charcoal, wood, or gas. You also need a well-seasoned plancha or cast-iron skillet.
Shop: Use extra-firm or firm tofu for grilling (the firmer the better). Another option is to use prebaked tofu (one good brand is Nasoya). Gochujang is a salty, fiery paste of fermented soy beans, rice, and chiles. Look for it at Asian markets, Whole Foods, or Amazon. If unavailable, substitute miso, which will give you a very different, but equally delectable Asian barbecue sauce.
Insider tip: Tofu—even extra firm tofu—is quite soft, with a vexing tendency to stick to the grill grate. A two-step process will help you avoid this: first, press the tofu under a weight to extract some of the excess water. Then sear it on a plancha or in a skillet before grilling it.
Grilled tofu is a barbecue staple in Korea, Japan, and elsewhere in Asia, and it turns up more and more at forward-thinking restaurants and barbecue joints in North America. If you eat tofu already, I don’t need to sell you on its health benefits (high in protein and calcium and mercifully low in fat), or how its porous texture and mild taste soak up smoke and spice flavors like a sponge. Confession time (surprising for a grill guy like me): My wife and I grill tofu at least once a week. Skeptical? The following grilled tofu “steaks” with fiery Korean Barbecue Sauce will turn you into a believer.
Ingredients
1 pound fresh extra-firm tofu, drained well
½ cup sake or rice wine
¼ cup water or as needed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) gochujang (see Shop)
1 scallion, trimmed, white part minced, green part thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Asian (dark) sesame oil, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing on the tofu
Vegetable oil for oiling the plancha and the grill grate
1. Press the tofu (optional): Cut the tofu in half widthwise, then cut each half in half through the narrow side to make 4 flat steaks. Place these on a cutting board with one end slightly raised. Place a second cutting board on top of the tofu and press it for 15 minutes. This extracts the excess liquid and makes the tofu firmer. Otherwise, simply cut the tofu into steaks as described above.
2. Meanwhile, make the Korean Barbecue Sauce: Place the sake, water, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a saucepan and boil, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Add the gochujang, scallion white, and sesame oil. Gently simmer the ingredients for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking well, to obtain a smooth, pourable sauce. If too thick, whisk in more water. The tofu can be pressed and the sauce made up to 24 hours ahead to this stage, covered and refrigerated.
3. Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high. Place a plancha or cast-iron skillet over the fire and gradually heat it as well.
4. Brush the tofu slices with sesame oil on both sides. Oil the plancha and arrange the tofu slices on it. Cook until firm and browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
5. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well.
6. Brush the browned tofu slices with some of the barbecue sauce. Arrange the tofu slices on the grate running on the diagonal to the bars of the grate. Grill until sizzling and browned on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, giving each slice a quarter turn after 1 minute to lay on a crosshatch of grill marks. Brush with more barbecue sauce as the tofu grills. Alternatively, you can continue to grill the tofu with the barbecue sauce on the plancha.
7. Transfer the grilled tofu to a platter or plates and serve with the remaining Korean Barbecue Sauce on the side.
Note: This makes more sauce than you probably need, but it keeps well and you’ll definitely want leftovers.