When barbecue expert Steven Raichlen traveled the world searching for novel grilling traditions, he marveled at across 60 countries.
The way live fire brings people together. The universal embrace of smoky flavors. The theatrical nature of what could otherwise just be a family getting food on the table.
鈥淚f you simmer a pot of soup on the stove, nobody鈥檚 going to gather around and watch the show,鈥� said Raichlen, author of 鈥淭he Barbecue Bible鈥� and 32 other books.
He wasn鈥檛 searching for grilled vegetables. He found them everywhere anyway.
Grilled mushrooms, peppers and even artichokes in Italy. Planks of asparagus laced onto wire-thin skewers in Japan. Corn and chilies served in countless ways in Latin America.
Much of what he found ended up in 鈥� ,鈥� which also is a nod to his wife, daughter and cousin, all vegetarians. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 sort of self-defense.鈥�
But he notes that nearly all his books devote a substantial section to vegetables.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing like the high, dry heat of the grill that intensifies a vegetable鈥檚 sweetness,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n so many cultures, grilled vegetables really have a very important place.鈥�
How to get the most out of vegetables on the grill
The first thing to consider is the structure of the vegetable, Raichlen said, and then select the appropriate method.
As a general rule, high-moisture vegetables like zucchini, peppers and mushrooms are best served by direct grilling, meaning cooking over a high-heat fire with the lid open. He recommended bringing the temperature to 500 F to 600 F.
Denser vegetables like turnips, cauliflower or leeks are better served by indirect grilling, or cooking next to the fire, with the lid closed, at 350 F to 400 F.
Closing the lid presents another opportunity to inject the vegetables with smoky flavor by adding wood chips or chunks to the fire or smoker vault of a gas grill, he said.
鈥淭hen you can smoke as well as roast, so you wind up with very incredible flavors,鈥� he said.
Or try 'caveman grilling'
Many cultures char certain vegetables directly on hot coals, which Raichlen calls 鈥渃aveman grilling.鈥�
Baba ganoush, the Middle East鈥檚 smoky eggplant dip, is the best-known example.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an absolutely magical dish, because the eggplant has a smoking device built right into it,鈥� he said, referring to its thick skin. 鈥淎ll you do is char the skin and it permeates the flesh.鈥�
Tomatoes, onions, squash and zucchini work, too. Just fan the embers with newspaper to blow away excess ash. Sear the vegetables on all sides, turning frequently, and scrape away the most-burnt parts.
Don鈥檛 limit yourself to the obvious
Beyond corn, peppers and other usual suspects, Raichlen also has grilling recipes for potatoes, beets, carrots, avocados and even lettuce.
He makes a grilled version of the steakhouse classic wedge salad with a quick homemade dressing spiked with chipotle peppers. Simply cut a head of iceberg lettuce into quarters and briefly sear the cut sides. The edges get sweeter and pick up smoky notes while the center stays cool and crisp.
Before grilling, it鈥檚 best to scrub the grill grate and coat it with vegetable oil 鈥� good advice for all types of grilling. And it鈥檚 usually a good idea to first season vegetables with an olive oil-based marinade.
Then it鈥檚 a matter of 鈥渄oing a dance on a razor鈥檚 edge鈥� between pleasantly charred and outright burnt, Raichlen said. 鈥淵ou try and get as close to burnt as possible without actually burning.鈥�
Two recipes from Raichlen's 鈥淗ow to Grill Vegetables鈥�:
Armenian Charred Eggplant Dip with Tomatoes and Onions
Serves: 4 to 6, about 2 cups
Time: 10 minutes to prep, 6 to 10 on the grill
2 small or 1 medium eggplant, about 1 pound
2 large plum (Roma) tomatoes
1 sweet onion (unpeeled)
1 large clove garlic, peeled, loosely wrapped in aluminum foil
1鈦�2 teaspoon freshly and finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped dill or parsley
Directions
Set up your grill for ember, or 鈥渃aveman,鈥� grilling. Rake out the coals in an even layer and fan off loose ash. (Alternatively, this recipe can be made with high-heat, direct grilling.)
Lay the vegetables on the coals and grill, turning often with tongs, until the skins are charred and flesh is easily pierced with a skewer, about 2 minutes for the garlic, 4 minutes for the tomatoes, and 6 to 10 minutes for the eggplants and onions.
Transfer the veggies to a wire rack set over a rimmed sheet pan to cool. Scrape and discard the really burnt parts. Roughly chop the vegetables.
Place them in a food processor and pulse to a coarse puree. Work in the zest and juice and enough extra-virgin olive oil to obtain a loose puree. Add the dill, season to taste with coarse salt and black pepper. Serve with pita bread or chips.
Grilled Wedge Salad with Smoky Ranch Dressing
Serves 4
Time: 15 minutes to prep, 3 to 4 minutes on the grill
1鈦�3 cup mayonnaise
1鈦�3 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotles in adobo
1鈦�2 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or dill
1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into quarters through the core
1鈦�4 cup chopped smoked almonds
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, chipotle, and lime zest and juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Wait to stir in the cilantro until just before serving.
Set up your grill for high-heat, direct grilling. Scrape the grill grate clean and coat with vegetable oil.
Brush the cut sides with olive oil. Arrange the wedges cut sides down on the grill on a diagonal. Grill until lightly singed, 1 to 2 minutes, giving each wedge a quarter turn after 30 to 60 seconds to lay on a crosshatch of grill marks. Grill the other cut side, working quickly so the lettuce remains raw in the center.
Transfer the wedges to a platter, spoon over the dressing and sprinkle with almonds.
EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE: Albert Stumm writes about food, travel and wellness. Find his work at https://www.albertstumm.com
Albert Stumm, The Associated Press
