Enhance Your Cookout With Fresh Summer Produce
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Collapse ▲When daydreaming about your weekend cookout, you may envision a sizzling juicy steak or burger. Why not add farm-fresh veggies for even more flavor, color and nutrients your body needs for ultimate summer health and performance?
Grilled vegetables are delicious and simple to prepare. Quick-cooking types like asparagus, peppers, zucchini, onions, mushrooms and eggplant may be brushed with oil or marinated and placed directly on the grill, in a grilling basket or on skewers. Vegetables that take longer to cook, like potatoes or cauliflower need to be blanched or steamed before grilling. This shortens the grilling time, so they don’t scorch or dry out on the outside before they are fully cooked on the inside. Preheat, clean and lightly oil the grilling surface first. Turn as necessary over medium heat until your veggies have a lightly browned exterior, grill marks and a pleasantly charred flavor.
For a delicious side, try these tasty, colorful veggie kabobs marinated in a rosemary lemon vinaigrette. Any flavored vinaigrette you like will add flavor and moisture.
Grilled Vegetable Kabobs
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon or brown mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and pepper
- 6 portobello mushroom caps (4 to 5 inches in diameter), quartered
- 2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise and sliced 3/4 inch thick
- 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 small lemons, quartered
- Whisk oil, mustard, rosemary, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Transfer half of dressing to separate bowl and set aside for serving. Toss mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers with remaining dressing, then thread in alternating order onto skewers.
- For a gas grill, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot. Then turn all burners to medium.
- Place kebabs and lemon quarters on grill. Cook covered and turn as needed, until vegetables are tender and well browned. Transfer kebabs and lemon quarters to serving platter. Juice 2 lemon quarters into reserved dressing and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over kebabs and serve with remaining lemon quarters. Serves 4 From America’s Test Kitchen
Tips to avoid excessive charring
Grilling meat poultry or fish with intense heat or open flames can lead to formation of potential cancer-causing compounds. Meat that has been charred to much is not only a health concern, but a culinary concern. Foods that cook until they are charred are bitter and too dry to enjoy. There are ways to minimize the buildup of carbon on meats, fish and poultry as they grill.
Marinades contain herbs, spices and acidic ingredients that can significantly reduce the formation of these compounds. Before grilling foods that have been marinated, let most of it drip away before placing it on the grill. Most marinades contain oil that may cause flare-ups.
Trim visible fat from meat to avoid flare-ups. Cut away any charred parts before eating. And of course, keep the grill rack as clean as possible.
Margie Mansure is an extension agent with N.C. Cooperative Extension. As a registered dietitian/nutritionist chef, she offers nutrition and cooking classes to community members. margie_mansure@ncsu.edu