How To Grill Veggies: Tips and a Few Recipes

With the expertise of guest chef Randal Smathers, we set up at Rutland’s newest community garden to demonstrate to neighbors and passersby how easy and tasty it is to grill fresh vegetables.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway of the event was that almost anything can be grilled. Tomatoes, peppers, squashes, onions, snap peas, fennel, and corn were just a few items we used with a degree of success. We don’t suggest grilling rhubarb, however – though it was a fun experiment.

Here are a few of Randal’s grilling tips:

• Oil the grill – not the veggies. This prevents burning and an unpleasant oily taste. When oiling the grill, do so just lightly and apply with a paper towel. It’s also important to make sure the grill is well cleaned beforehand.
• It’s much easier to grill the veggies first, then chop. Smaller pieces are more difficult to control when on the grill, and it’s easy to lose them down the grates.
• Pay attention to the grill. Foods can cook pretty quick, especially veggies, and it doesn’t take long for something to burn.

And here’s what we made:

Grilled Veggie Salad

There’s really no recipe for this one. Just grill up your favorite mix of vegetables, slice, and toss together with just a little olive oil, salt, and any fresh herbs you have on hand.

Grilled Salsa