Grilled vegetables made easy
Barbecue recipes for veggies call for oiling your produce prior to grilling. Either spray with a light coating of cooking oil or toss in a bowl with a little bit of oil. Avoid adding too much, as dripping oil causes excess flames which can burn your veggies. After coating the veggies in oil, sprinkle with your favorite seasonings. Make the grilling process easier by either skewering your produce or placing them in a grill basket. You can cut your veggies large enough so that they won’t slip through the basket or barbecue grate, or place your produce in aluminum foil packets and grill in this manner. Spray the interior of your packets with cooking oil and fill with dense veggies, like sweet potatoes, regular potatoes and parsnips. For crispy veggies, cut thin slices; for meatier produce, make big, chunky cuts.
Produce that grills well
Veggies and fruits that do well when grilled and taste terrific include squash, pineapple, cherry tomatoes, onion, green beans, sweet peppers, asparagus, eggplant, corn, okra and potatoes.
Pickling summer veggies
Another way to preserve your summer produce is to pickle it. Pickling allows you to extend the enjoyment of your produce for a few extra weeks. Good produce for pickling includes cucumbers, beets, carrots, artichokes, green beans, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, ginger, okra, peppers, tomatoes and peaches. To pickle your produce, prepare by washing and drying well. Then chop or dice, depending on the veggies and the desired shape you want. Beets and carrots often work well in rounds, whereas cucumbers are best cut into spears. Place your veggies into mason jars, filling each one three-quarters of the way full. Next, add herbs and spices, such as dill for cucumbers. Then make your brine, which is a mixture of vinegar, water and sugar:
- To make 6 cups of salty brine, boil for two minutes in a large saucepan: 3 cups distilled white or cider vinegar, 3 cups of water, 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sea salt and 2 tablespoons sugar.
- To make 6 cups of sweet brine, boil for two minutes in a large saucepan: 3 cups distilled white or cider vinegar, 3 cups of water, 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sea salt.
Add your brine to the veggies, filling your jar up to a half inch from the brim and covering all of the veggies. Lid the jar and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours before serving. Veggies pickled in this manner can be kept for up to a month in the refrigerator.
