Grilled Vegetables vs. Roasted Vegetables

Lovin' the veggies!

The best way to eat them?  Seasonally.  If you eat what's in season your vegetables will be at their peak flavor, providing you with the best tasting dishes.  During the summer my favorite way to cook them is grilling.  We were grilling veggies all summer long, inside on the grill pan, and outdoors on the BBQ.  Some of my favorite summer veggies that repeatedly showed up in my house were:  Eggplant, Yellow Summer Squash, Zucchini, Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes, and Corn.

During the fall months and into the holidays I love to roast my veggies.  I love how roasting caramelizes them and brings that sweet wonderful flavor you can't find in other methods of cooking.  Some of my favorites are:  Acorn Squash, Beets, Yams, Sweet Potatoes, Bell Peppers, Celery Root, and Pumpkin. 

Let's talk about grilling.
Grilling is cooking over a direct heat source such as a fire or gas grill.  Grilling brings out vegetables natural sugars while infusing a smokiness   A key to grilling vegetables is to cook them briefly and simply on a hot indoor, or outdoor grill. 

 - Oil your vegetables for added flavor and to prevent sticking

 - A small grill pan or basket works well in grilling smaller vegetables that may fall through the rack.

 - Cook over medium-high to high heat for about 5-6 minutes per side, looking for some charred surfaces.

 - Good with a sprinkle of herbs or a citrus splash.  A light vinaigrette or sauces are also a good choice as a topping.

Here are some of my grilled summer veggies:

Let's talk about roasting.
Roasting is a dry-heat oven cooking method, using an open pan.  You can roast many items such as meat, fish, fruits and vegetables.  Roasting takes little prep work and once it is in the oven, it does all the work for you!  The high heat used in roasting allows the food sugars to form on the surface or carmelizing, and gives you that sweet flavor and brown crust, while the inside stays tender. 

 - Cook at a high temperature, usually 450 degrees, for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. You can toss or turn half way through the cooking cycle.

 - Vegetables are usually coated with  a little olive oil or melted butter to promote browning and keep them from drying out.  Season with salt & pepper or your favorite herb mixture for added flavors.

 - Use a roasting pan that is just large enough so that the vegetables are all lying flat and there is some space in-between.  Overcrowding will result in steaming instead.

Here are a combination of roasted yams, sweet potato, and pumpkin:

 

Kitchen tip #1:  Make sure to cut your vegetables in uniform sizes so that the food cooks evenly, and at the same rate.  Smaller pieces tend to cook best as they reduce the roasting time and allow for a deeper carmelization.

Kitchen tip #2:  when roasting pumpkin choose a small pumpkin which are sweeter and lend better to cooking.  Varieties to look out for are Sugar Pie, Baby Bear, or Cheese pumpkins.  The large ones don't cook very well.

Make sure to eat your veggies!!!



Here's another wonderful salad perfect for summer!

This salad is a take on the traditional Italian dish, Panzanella, which is a salad made with ingredients such as tomatoes and bread.  I love Panzanella and I first tried it when my Mom and I went to Italy.  So popular in Rome, this dish made such an impression that I've been making a traditional version for years.  But...this time I wanted to twist it up a bit by adding grilled vegetables.  Ones that you would typically find in a Ratatouille.  The combination is outstanding!

To make it interesting I used a cheese focaccia bread that I grilled and then cubed.  It gives the salad extra flavor and a little flair!  If you can't find the cheese focaccia, a good crusty Italian country bread will be perfect, or crusty french bread for that matter.  

The grilled vegetables bring depth of flavor to the salad.  Eggplant, zucchini, red onion, bell pepper, and tomatoes taste wonderful grilled.  Other special additions are little cubes of mozzarella and a killer vinaigrette.  There is nothing better than bringing fresh seasonal ingredients together in a different combination that allows their flavors to just shine and be the star of the dish!

All together this salad is a winner!  You can put this together in under 30 minutes.  It's great for a weeknight meal and for those that want to enjoy a meatless dish. 

I hope you love this dish as much as we did!

Cheese Focaccia Panzanella with Grilled Ratatouille

Makes: 4 servings

½ lb. assorted sweet peppers, halved and seeds and membranes removed

1 eggplant, cut into ½ inch thick slices

½ lb zucchini, cut lengthwise into thin strips

½  red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded

1/3 of a loaf of cheese foccacia, split in half and cut each half in to 4 pieces (8 pieces total) 

2 T olive oil

¼ t salt

¼ t ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, halved

1/3 c olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

1 T finely shredded lemon peel

6 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed

Salt & pepper

½ c chopped parsley

Lightly brush all sides of the peppers, eggplant, zucchini, onion, tomatoes, and bread slices lightly with the 2 tablespoons oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.   Grill vegetables in a grill pan over medium heat until vegetables are crisp-tender, turning occasionally.   About 10 minutes total.  Remove vegetables from grill.   Allow to cool enough to handle.  Cut vegetables into 1-inch pieces.   Set aside.

Grill bread about 4 minutes or until browned and crisp, turning occasionally.   Cool slightly.   Rub bread with cut sides of garlic.  Cut into 1 inch pieces. 

Place grilled vegetables in a large bowl.  Add bread to vegetables.

For dressing, in a small mason jar add 1/3 cup oil, the vinegar, and lemon peel.  Shake to blend.   Season to taste with salt and black pepper.   Add the dressing to the grilled vegetables and bread.  Add your cubed mozzarella.   Toss gently to combine.   Toss with parsley and serve.

linked to:  Full Plate Thursday
Weekend Potluck