13 June, 2009

Barbecued Veggies

Potatoes

Take a couple of pounds of small red potatoes and quarter them lengthwise. Drop them into boiling, salted water and cook them partway – maybe to the point where they’re halfway done.

Remove from the hot water, rinse in cold water (to keep them from over-cooking) and dry them. Spread them on a baking sheet. Preheat your barbecue at this point.

Spray lightly with olive oil and season fairly heavily with seasoning salt and fresh ground pepper.

Put them on the barbecue, in a part of the barbecue that is not overly hot; medium heat is fine. Cook for a total of about 10 – 15 minutes, turning once in the meantime. Use coals or add some fruitwood to a gas barbecue for extra flavor. They’re ideal if they have some good brown color on the outside, but the inside is not overly soft.

Onions

Use sweet onions if possible. Peel and slice thick, at least ¼”. Spray lightly with olive oil and season modestly with seasoning salt and fresh ground pepper.

Put them on the barbecue, in a part of the barbecue that is not overly hot; medium heat is fine. Cook for a total of about 10 – 15 minutes, turning once in the meantime. Use coals or add some fruitwood to a gas barbecue for extra flavor. Do not over-cook. They’re ideal when they’re al dente like good pasta: just a bit of firmness to the bite.

Bell Peppers

Quarter the peppers lengthwise; remove all the seeds. Wash in cold water.

Put them on the barbecue, in a part of the barbecue that is not overly hot; medium heat is fine. Cook for a total of about 10 – 15 minutes, turning once in the meantime. Use coals or add some fruitwood to a gas barbecue for extra flavor. Do not over-cook. They’re ideal when they’re al dente like good pasta: just a bit of firmness to the bite.

Zucchini

Use young zucchinis, before the seeds have developed. Do not peel; slice thick, at least ½”. Spray lightly with olive oil and season modestly with seasoning salt and fresh ground pepper.

Put them on the barbecue, in a part of the barbecue that is not overly hot; medium heat is fine. Cook for a total of about 10 – 15 minutes, turning once in the meantime. Use coals or add some fruitwood to a gas barbecue for extra flavor. Do not over-cook. They’re ideal when they’re al dente like good pasta: just a bit of firmness to the bite.


I love to barbecue veggies any time I'm barbecuing meat: it compliments the flavor of the meat, and allows us to do all the cooking outdoors so the kitchen stays cool on hot days. Besides, my family really enjoys barbecued veggies with our barbecued meat.

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