How to grill and serve Portabella Mushrooms and other tasty grilled vegetables

This is the best time of year to enjoy the fruits of the season! Yes, every garden is starting to produce fresh veggies, Oh, how I love this time of year! In your area, the offerings may be different from what is offered to me in my area, but we all should take advantage! Here in Texas the availability of produce is off the hook…at my local Farmers Market it seems the choices are endless. Today I will offer some insight into Grilling Veggies, a fantastic way to enjoy, while offering a vast variance of flavor. Grilled Veggies are versatile in that they take on flavors of the seasonings used to season them. So they can vary in flavors to accent any type cuisine! Enjoy them as a snack, use them in hot or chilled soup, as an entree, and present them on party trays sure to impress any crowd

1. The art of grilling veggies is a simple task to master! Veggies are so forgiving, just don’t burn them, or overcook them as they will tend to either turn to mush or in some cases get dried out.
2. Some vegetables like Bell Peppers and Tomatoes advance in taste when grilled, depending in the use it may be required to remove the skins. If this is the case grill them whole and char the skin to Black on a very Hot Flame then take them off the fire and wrap in plastic wrap to make them sweat, after they rest till cooled, the skins will just wipe away, by charring it will add a smokey roasted flavor. Peppers need to be tossed in a light coat of oil to grill if you plan on leaving the skins on and marked well but not charred, just tender crisp.
3. Squashes like Yellow , Zucchini, Mexican, should be cut long ways and the core with the seeds discarded as this is where most of the water is and will make them soft. I suggest tossing in a bit of oil as well and seasoning with some garlic and dried or fresh herbs,marking them on both sides on a hot grill, cook them tender crisp as they will continue to cook a bit when removed from the grill. This is a time when more mature vegetables are great to use, but not so big they are pithy.
4. Eggplant is wonderful on the grill, and I suggest cutting it long ways as well, with the skin attached so it will remain together. Eggplant is very low in water and needs to absorb some Oil before grilling. So bush with some cooking oil [ I like to use flavored oil like Almond, Walnut, or Herb infused oils from Roland Foods} if I have some available. Just to add another depth of flavor! Mark both sides well on the grill, Eggplant needs to be cooked through, and will be softer than other veggies but a fantastic treat!   www.rolandfoods.com
5. Corn is great on the grill as well. I like to peel the husk back remove the silks coat with butter and pull the leaves back up over the corn after seasoning with some salt and pepper. Then I place them on the grill and cover cooking for about 20 minuets turning every 8 minutes. You can also remove the husk and silks, butter add salt and pepper wrap in Tin Foil and grill as before. Check the corn sometimes it may take a bit longer if it is a younger corn.
6. Onions are great to grill and offer fantastic flavor when added to savory recipes, or topped on a Burger or Steak. They can be cut in rings, or wedges and I suggest after grilling splash with a good Balsamic Vinegar it will add a sweetness to the onions, they should always be cooked well till very limp and salted before cooking. Some times I even sugar them if they will be used pureed to top a "Brochetta" or added to a sour cream for a dip!
7. Carrots and Root Vegetables may be grilled as well, they always require being peeled, and sliced thinner to get good results. They need to be tossed well in oil and flavored with salt and pepper. I love them when combined with some grilled "Fennel" and tossed in a reduction of Balsamic Vinegar and Ruby Port. [To make this reduction see the note below, try it as a sauce on grilled Fruits as Grilled Fish or as a topping on Vanilla Ice Cream] White Potatoes do not grill well I suggest the more red colored sweet potatoes.
8. Now to the art of grilling Mushrooms, this is a bit tricky as the smaller varieties like Button, Shiitake, or Baby Bellas should be grilled whole and expect them to shrink! Portabella Mushrooms are the choice I suggest for best results! There are two things you need to do before cooking a Portabella  in the oven or on the grill. Remove the stems, and use a spoon to scrape the gills from the underside. I suggest splashing with some Balsamic Vinegar inside the cap, NEVER SALT MUSHROOMS! Then drizzle the inside with some oil and some Herbs, Basil is the one I find to add a nice flavor to the mushrooms. I also like to sometimes use a bottled Italian style dressing they work great as a flavoring. Don’t jump off the bridge like my friend Pam did, she thought some Ranch Dressing would work….LOL! Do I need to say she is cooking challenged, and needs to eat out always…LOL! Cream style dressings never work! Always cook after letting them absorb the oil it takes about 20 min. to marinade the mushrooms, I always find cooking the mushrooms in the oven is my choice method and don’t overcook them about 15 min, max. at 350 degrees. But I do grill sliced Portabellas after tossing in some oil, and suggest seasoning after cooking they work well on Burgers or any grilled sandwich.

The next time you have a grill-out try to offer these choices on a platter as a side, or as an alternative to a Salad, just dress with the reduction* listed below, and add some crumbled Feta Cheese! And for a perfect "Veggie Gazpacho".

• Take 4 Grilled Plum Tomatoes, 1 medium sized Yellow Squash grilled, 1 grilled Zucchini, 1 grilled Red and 1 Yellow Peppers, 2 seeded and grilled Jalapeno Peppers, 1/4 cup Lemon Juice, 1/4 cup Cider Vinegar, 1 -32oz can V8 vegetable Juice    www.v8juice.com, 1/4 cup Virgin Olive Oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp Black pepper, 1 tsp Roasted Garlic, I love the "Alessi" brand. Put it all in a blender and use the chop button, you don’t want it too smooth just soup like, and chill for 2 hours or over night. Serve with a dollop of Sour Cream and some chopped Cilantro, and Green onion tops for an added freshness!   www.vigo-alessi.com
• If you change out the Cilantro with some Fresh Basil, and blend the soup mixture smooth and add some Italian Herb Seasoning, just heat it and it is a perfect Spaghetti Sauce!

• Balsamic & Port Wine Reduction:
• Take 1+1/2 cup Ruby Port and 1 cup Balsamic Vinegar, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, bring to a boil in a sauce pan, and reduce by half or thicker if you like, I like it thick, this way you use less and the punch of flavor is even better!
• I like to use "Taylor" or "Fairbanks" Port, Marsala, Madeira,and Sherry Wines for cooking, they offer quality and value and can be found at any Liquor Store, Never use Products found in the grocery aisle they are not very consistent in production, and are expensive.

Remember Grilled Veggies are an affordable choice and make quite an impact when serving large groups of people at a gathering. They make a beautiful presentation, and go well with any combination of foods! They are also healthy, and a great choice to keep around for use in many recipes add flavor sauces, stocks, stews,  or enjoy as a main coarse. The options for use are endless………………….