Guide to Grilling Vegetables
Sliced eggplant, summer squash and zucchini: Cut into half-inch-thick slices diagonally, arrange on tray or plate, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Coat a perforated grill rack with oil and place over medium heat. Arrange vegetable slices on rack and grill 4 to 6 minutes or until soft but not falling apart. Turn once during cooking.
Portobello mushroom caps: Their large size makes them perfect for grilling directly on the grill grates. Simply brush with olive oil while cooking, turning once.
Corn on the cob: Grill them in their husks. Simply peel back corn husks, but don’t remove. Remove and discard the corn silks, though. Gently rinse ears of corn, pull husks back up around corn, and tie the husks shut with kitchen string. Soak in water 30 minutes to 2 hours. Drain corn and grill on rack directly for 20 to 30 minutes or until the kernels are tender, turning once halfway through cooking. If you’re using cleaned ears of corn, simply wrap each ear in foil and grill.
Kabobs: Place similar sized chunks of fresh produce such as bell peppers, onions, cherry/grape tomatoes, button mushrooms and/or zucchini on skewers and grill directly on grates until they reach desired texture, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Carrots: Fresh thin carrots with greens intact grill up amazingly sweet. Simply trim greenery to about one inch, brush carrots with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill directly on grates or on perforated grill rack until slightly crisp-tender, about three to five minutes.
Asparagus: Precook asparagus spears in skillet or microwave until it’s just barely starting to soften. Grill directly on grates or on perforated rack for about three to four minutes.
Potatoes and Onions in a Pouch: This is the only way I make potatoes in the summer! Make a “pan-like pouch” with heavy duty foil. Use two layers for extra strength. Create an 8 inch square size or large 9 by 13 inch size, depending on the volume of potatoes. Cut potatoes and onion into even sized chunks or slices, toss with minced garlic and olive oil, a few chopped fresh herbs if desired, and seal foil tightly. Place pouch directly on hot grill. Cook until tender, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on size and volume, and stir several times while grilling.