City Harvest's Tips for Making the Most of Your Vegetables
May 2nd, 2011 - By Lari Robling
The summer season is a great time to clean up that old grill and start roasting and grilling fresh vegetables. You can even roast veggies in the wintertime too with a conventional oven, but the grill works best and gives off the best flavor.
How to roast sliced zucchini, other summer squash, eggplant or sliced onions:
Slice the veggies to about 1½-inch thick. Toss in a bowl with a bit of vegetable oil.
- If roasting: Pre-heat oven to 400°. Lay vegetables on a baking sheet. Roast for about 25 minutes, checking half-way through.
- If grilling: A grilling sheet or basket helps keep the vegetables from falling through the grill. Otherwise, makes sure your veggies are a little thicker and cut lengthwise. Grill over medium heat, staying with it to ensure it doesn't burn.
How to roast or grill peppers:
- If roasting: Pre-heat oven to 400°. Lay peppers on a baking sheet. Roast until the pepper sags and browns slightly.
- If grilling: Lay peppers whole on a grill. Grill until browned on sides turning every few minutes. Take off the grill.
- After roasting or grilling: Some people like to put the peppers in a paper bag, so they sweat as they cool, others like to let them cool by sitting out. Either way is fine. When it cools, the pepper skin will wrinkle and come off easily. Open it up and remove the seeds.
How to roast whole heads of garlic:
Pre-heat oven to 400°. Take a small slice off the top of a whole head of garlic. Lay on a sheet of foil, drizzle a teaspoon of vegetable oil on the top. Wrap the foil tightly around the garlic. Wrap again in a second piece of foil. Roast for 30 minutes. (This is easy to do on the grill, wrapped in foil.) Open foil and let cool. Roasted garlic will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.
