The Gardener & the Grill

GARDENERS KNOW THAT VEGETABLES PICKED FROM THEIR OWN gardens have a color and flavor far superior to any bought in a store. Grillers know that vegetables keep their vivid colors and flavors better when they’re grilled rather than steamed or boiled. The good news for both gardeners and grillers is that vegetables cook fast, taste fresh, and need a minimum of flavor enhancers when they’re grilled. Sometimes all you really need is a brush of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to have a simply grilled, great-tasting vegetable. If you want to make grilled vegetables the star of the show, however, a sauce or drizzle makes a great finish to the dish.

To grill vegetables, there are a few techniques that are easy to master. First, brush them with olive oil to keep them from sticking to the grill grates. Use a perforated grill rack if you’re worried that a thin vegetable like asparagus or a small one like whole baby pattypan squash or cherry tomatoes could fall through the grill grates.

If you love to cook in a wok indoors, try using a metal grill wok to stir-grill marinated vegetables, sometimes in combination with a protein, for a one-dish meal. A grill wok is a perforated metal grill gadget that you can find at barbecue and grill, culinary, and hardware stores. To use a grill wok, you simply marinate the bite-size pieces of vegetables and protein in a sealable plastic bag. Turn the marinated mixture out into the wok, preferably with the wok placed over a sink or the grass in your backyard so the excess marinade drains away. Then place the wok over direct heat and use wooden paddles or long-handed grill spatulas to turn and stir-grill the food every minute or so with the grill lid up. You can serve stir-grilled dishes over cooked pasta, rice, couscous, or polenta, if you wish.

Larger root vegetables and winter squash are best par-cooked before grilling. Microwave these dense vegetables for a few minutes so that they just finish on the grill. This two-step method keeps them from drying out over the high heat of the grill, as they take longer to get tender than vegetables like asparagus, eggplant, or summer squash. Use the indirect (or no-heat) side of the grill with the lid down so vegetables get scorched and caramelized—essentially roasted—without grill marks from direct-heat grilling.

Whenever possible, grill extra vegetables to have on hand for appetizers, sandwiches, salads, or pasta dishes that you can enjoy during the rest of the week.

CHAPTER 6:

VEGETABLE SIDES