ArcaMax Chef - The Pleasures of Grilling Vegetables

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The Pleasures of Grilling Vegetables

By Wolfgang Puck, Tribune Media Services

Many smart home cooks aim to get more than just one good meal from a session in their kitchens. They'll purposely prepare extra so they'll have leftovers to serve the next day, or they'll make use of the time to precook something entirely different for another meal. That efficient approach can also hold true when you're cooking a meal outdoors. Whenever I'm manning the grill, for example, I always make sure to cook lots of vegetables, so I'll have enough to make a favorite appetizer or main dish the following day: a chopped grilled vegetable salad. This is one of the lightest, easiest ways to enjoy food from the grill. Provided you prep and cook vegetables following a few simple guidelines, they come out perfectly: tender yet slightly crispy, beautifully browned, with their natural flavors intensified and complimented by a hint of delicious smoke. And yes, you'll be tempted to enjoy them as a side dish to your grilled main course but I also hope you'll prepare some extra for my Mediterranean Grilled Chopped Vegetable Salad. I always prefer to start with fresh, in-season organic vegetables, which are likely to have better flavor and texture and more nutritional value, as well as being safer for you, your family and the planet. The key to cooking vegetables on the grill is to make sure they cook through perfectly -- tender, yet still slightly crisp to the bite -- without burning. To help achieve that goal, I cut most vegetables into slices 1/2 inch thick. Some, of course, can be left whole, such as mushroom caps, asparagus spears and baby vegetables but if these are harder and denser, like asparagus and little carrots, I'll blanch them first -- boiling them briefly, then cooling them quickly in an ice water bath -- to get some of the cooking out of the way before finishing them on the grill. I also make sure the vegetables come out right by grilling them over indirect heat -- that is, cooking the vegetables on the cooler side of the grill, not right above the heat, so they are less likely to scorch. A simple marinade of olive oil and herbs also keeps them moist. Then I cool them quickly, spreading them out in a single layer, so they don't go on cooking from residual heat. All that's left to do is chop them up, toss them with a flavorful dressing and garnish to your liking -- simply with some shavings of cheese for an appetizer or vegetarian main dish or with grilled hot or cold meat, poultry or seafood for a heartier entree. I promise you that, while enjoying this salad, you'll pat yourself on the back for being such a smart, strategic grill cook! MEDITERRANEAN GRILLED CHOPPED VEGETABLE SALAD WITH FETA Serves 4 1 medium eggplant 1 medium zucchini 1 medium yellow squash 1 medium fennel bulb 1 small red onion 8 asparagus spears 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt Freshly ground black pepper Water 30 green beans, trimmed 10 baby carrots, trimmed 1/2 cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives 1 cup mixed baby lettuces 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, plus 1/4 lb block 3 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar 1/2 cup Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette (recipe follows) 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves Cut the eggplant, zucchini and squash diagonally into slices 1/2 inch thick. Trim the fennel and cut crosswise into slices 1/2 inch thick. Peel the onion and cut crosswise into slices 1/2 inch thick. Trim the asparagus. With 1/2 cup of the olive oil, coat all the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Set the vegetables aside. Build a fire in a charcoal grill, or preheat a gas grill, for indirect-heat cooking. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and fill a mixing bowl with ice and water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and, as soon as it returns to the boil and the beans are bright green, use a wire skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice water. Add the baby carrots and boil until tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to the ice water. Drain the vegetables and set aside. When the fire is hot, place the vegetables on the cooking grid not directly above the heat. Cook, turning as necessary to prevent scorching, until are nicely browned and tender-crisp, 5 to 7 minutes total cooking time. As they are done, transfer the vegetables to a platter and leave to cool. Cut the grilled vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces. Cut the carrots and green beans on the bias into 1/4-inch pieces. Put all the vegetables, olives, lettuces and crumbled feta in a large salad bowl. Add the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well. Divide the 1/2 cup of vinaigrette among 4 large salad plates, spooning it around the edge. Mound the salad mixture evenly in the middle. Using a cheese plane or swivel-bladed vegetable peeler, shave the block of feta over each salad. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately. SUN-DRIED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE Makes 5 cups 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil 3/4 cup sherry vinegar 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes 1/2 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives 1/4 cup pitted and chopped NiA oise olives 1/4 cup honey 3 tablespoons drained chopped capers 2 tablespoons minced shallot 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves 1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon grated orange zest Salt Freshly ground black pepper Put all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, adding a little salt and pepper. With a wire whisk, whisk them together briefly, then taste and, if necessary, adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

This news arrived on: 05/23/2007

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