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Admit it: even in the pickiest of households, the charred flavor of a perfectly grilled vegetable means that zucchini and summer squash once again win pride of place at the dinner table: even kids will eat vegetables when prepared this way! But do you know how to grill vegetables to perfection? We have the secrets to make a perfectly grilled vegetable a staple of your summer table.
1. Pick a Flavorful Marinade
While an in-season vegetable is going to pack a punch of flavor no matter what, there’s no harm in dressing them up a little bit. A flavorful marinade goes a long way in adding both flavor and lubrication to the grilled vegetable, making it easier to grill and tastier once finished.
Marinades can range from the simple to the complex. We like starting with a base of oil, acid and aromatics and working our way from there; about equal parts oil and acid works nicely. For example:
- Eggplant marinated with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and rosemary
- Zucchini marinated with grapeseed oil, lemon and basil
- Summer squash marinated with grapeseed oil, lime juice and mint
Pick your favorite veggies and combos, marinate for anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours, and soon you’ll see: the possibilities are endless.
2. Regulate your Temperature
You want a nice char on your vegetables, but you don’t want them to be burned on the outside and raw on the inside.
For this, you want a medium-high temperature, but how can you tell if your grill is medium-high?
The easiest way may be with a point-and-shoot thermometer and aim for 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit, but if you don’t want to invest in such a gadget, you can also estimate if your grill is hot enough by holding your hand about 4-5 inches from the grill, until it becomes too hot. If you can hold your hand there for between 4 and 5 seconds, you’re good to go.
3. Turn them Into a Meal
When you’ve mastered how to grill vegetables, you’ll want to make them the star of your dinner table – not a measly side. It’s easy to turn grilled vegetables into the a delicious main dish. Here are our favorite ways:
- Pick a variety of vegetables with a host of different colors, and arrange them on a beautiful platter. Add some freshly sliced, homemade bread, and dinner is done.
- Bulk up the protein of your grilled veggie selection with some grilled homemade tofu or seitan.
- Top a plate of grilled vegetables with a poached organic egg or two. You get the added bonus of the tasty yolk running down and creating an extra sauce for your vegetables.
- Pair them with grilled halloumi, like in our grilled halloumi salad.
Whatever way you choose to serve your grilled vegetables, be sure you pick veggies that are at the peak of their season and, of course, sustainably grown. Talk to your local farmers to see what heirloom varieties are in season, and above all, have fun with it.
Related on Organic Authority
Grilled Shishito Peppers Recipe
Grilled Artichokes Recipe with Gremolata
Grilled Carrots with Honey and Dill
Grilled vegetable image via Shutterstock
The post How to Grill Vegetables to Absolute Perfection (Secrets Revealed!) appeared first on Organic Authority.
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Original content comes to us from Organic Authority http://ift.tt/1UUyorA