Grilled Summer Vegetables
From the kitchen of Chef Jeff

In an attempt to state the obvious, summertime is grilling season.  Steaks, tri tip, ribs, chicken, fish…all are standard fare.  But what about the rest of the meal?  When we grill, we expend a large amount of heat energy, most of which is wasted.  So, why not try grilling vegetables as a side dish to that glorious slab of meat and use up some of that wasted heat?  The benefits of grilling vegies are many.  Whether it is the smoke or the concentration of natural flavors in the vegetables, grilling just makes them taste better.

Corn on the cob is great on the grill.  There are many approaches to grilled corn; husk removed, silk removed but husk left on, or my favorite, leave the husk and silk in place and just grill it.  Average time for grilling corn varies depending on how you prepare it as stated above, however a rule of thumb is 20-30 minutes for corn with the husk and silk left in place, and less time for the other variations.  During the grilling process, starch is converted to sugar, giving the corn a sweet taste.

Other vegetables, such as bell peppers, summer squash, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, and mushrooms taste great grilled as well.  For these vegies, I prefer to use a wire mesh basket with a clip on lid for cooking over a grill.  Just chop the vegetables into bite size or larger pieces, toss with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place in the basket and grill away.  If you use a basket with a clip on lid, you can easily toss the vegies during grilling to ensure even cooking, otherwise, stir regularly.  Remove the vegies when they reach the desired degree of doneness, about 10-15 minutes.  You can add these grilled vegetables to rice or pasta, or serve as is.  You can also chill them and toss with fresh greens for a nice summer salad.

Know go out and grill!

Bon Appetite!!