Ideas for vegetarian grill recipes?

[IndyGirl]

Obviously:
Grilled tofu (though I could use a great tutorial on how to grill it successfully, as tonight's sort of sucked...)
Grilled pizza
Grilled quesadillas
Potatoes/garlic in foil packets

Other ideas? I'm looking for creative, unusual ideas.

This is embarrassing, but I don't really know how to make other veggies on a grill. Foil packets? or is there another way?

Has anyone successfully grilled tempeh?

[Scrofula]

Paneer is great on the grill. It's pretty common in India to serve 'vegetable kebabs', which are typically paneer, onions, green peppers and tomatoes in a yogurt-based marinade, skewered and grilled. I bet this would work great with other vegetables, or with halloumi instead of paneer.

Grilled sweet potato is also pretty awesome. I've seen people use foil for that.

[cathyeats]

I'm not usually a huge tofu fan, but I love these tofu kebabs with peanut sauce. Here is the recipe. (And if you are interested in something more unusual, I do a mean smoked seitan that will even impress meat-loving barbecue fanatics.)

Tofu Vegetable Kebabs with Peanut Sauce

1/2 c. smooth, unsalted peanut butter
1/2 c. hot water
2 T. reduced sodium tamari, or soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari if you are gluten-sensitive)
2 T. mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine, available in most supermarkets)
2 t. sesame oil
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
14 oz. extra firm tofu, cubed
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium onion, quartered and cut into chunks
8 oz. mushrooms, quartered (or halved if small)

Soak 10 bamboo skewers in water for 20-30 minutes. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl and stir until the peanut butter is mixed in. Place the cubed tofu in the sauce and marinate for 20 minutes. Remove the tofu from the sauce, then thread the tofu and vegetables onto the skewers. Start a fire in your grill. When the coals are nice and hot, grill the skewers for 7-10 minutes, turning several times and brushing liberally with the peanut sauce. Drizzle any additional sauce over the skewers just before serving.

Photo here: http://www.whatwouldcathyeat.com/2010...

[King of Northern Blvd]

Grilled Broccoli Raab. Split any thick stems and mix with Oil, a little water( to help them steam) and some salt. Throw them on the grill for a few minutes tossing them around to get all the leaves a bit crispy. Awesome!

[katecm]

Last night I grilled sliced green tomatoes then topped them with spicy sauteed peppers and black beans. A few cubes of avocado on top and a spoonful of salsa verde and it was great!

Also, since you mentioned onions. I like to grill vidalia onions. Nice thick slices, on indirect heat so that they cool evenly, and the key is to glaze them with honey and mustard mixed together. So good!

[IndyGirl]

I bet glazing them with something sweet is the ticket so that they caramelize. Great idea.

Are green tomatoes just unripened regular tomatoes? I'm asking because unfortunately I don't think my tomato plants will ever ripen. I just don't have enough sunlight. :( (The good thing is that this is the case because I have too many gorgeous mature trees!)

[katecm]

They are. They can be hard to find because of that - farmers would rather have ripe, more-expensive tomatoes, so generally only sell the ones that fall. But they're still delish!

Another good option for you would be roasted red peppers. Grill until they're thoroughly charred, then throw them into a freezer bag (I think sandwich bags are too frail) to steam. Peel the charred skin and you're done.

[IndyGirl]

Tonight's grill experiment included:
sliced eggplant (I pressed it with salt to drain some of the lquid/bitterness, and then marinated with balsamic and EVOO)
halved vine-ripened tomatoes (not great tomatoes in the first place, but it's not time for real tomatoes yet and I wanted to try it out first)
potatoes/roasted garlic in foil
red onions in EVOO. I put these right on the grate and they didn't come out so well--cooked unevenly and many, many, many fell right through. Any suggestions for improving this next time? I'm thinking just include them in the foil with the potatoes and garlic.
polenta again!

[Philly Ray]

For onions, cut them into thicker rounds and then run a skewer through the round. They are less likely to fall apart and easier to turn.

[Chocolatechipkt]

Grilled tofu ... I've been doing it like any kind of meat, flavor-wise. To prepare, I slice it and then press it (on a towel, between two cutting boards) to drain off some of the water. Make sure to oil the grill first, or else you'll never get the tofu off.

I've also made tofu meatballs (Italian and Vietnamese style) that I've grilled.

Grilled stuffed zucchini

Grilled corn cakes (like corn burgers, that is, not corn pancakes etc.) Any other veggie burgers, too.

[JungMann]

Shanghai bok choy is really good on the grill. The leaves char and take on a nutty flavor while the stalks cook into tenderness. And like so many others here, I loved grilled eggplant either by itself or in a salad.

[odkaty]

My comments from the other thread:

I cook eggplant parmesan (everything but fried) on the grill every summer. Or choose a firmer variety like green brinjal, which I don't batter.

Pizza
Bread
Grilled panzella (grill the squash, asparagus, tomatoes, bread)

Also, when grilling corn, I just strip the husk and grill over indirect heat, turning often. Soaking is completely unnecessary.

[katecm]

Do you bread the eggplant? I that what you meant by everything but fried? I marinaded plain slices in balsamic, lemon olive oil and crushed red pepper the other night, then grilled them and topped with a very quickly warmed tomato sauce. It was so summery!

[odkaty]

I have, but I prefer non-breaded.

[IndyGirl]

I made balsamic marinaded eggplant o nthe grill tonight and it was awesome. You guys are the best!!!

[IndyGirl]

So you do you mean you bake the eggplant and then assemble the dish and bake it on the grill? I would love to know more about how you do this!!

[odkaty]

Grill the eggplant and add sliced fresh mozzarella to the eggplant in the last stages of grilling. Occasionally sliced tomato and onion gets grilled too. Layer on your plate, top with sauce and serve.

[LNG212]

In addition to the great ideas already in this thread, you could do some haloumi (presuming the people are not vegan, of course). Also, do consider grilling some fruit - pineapple, stone fruits, etc. are excellent on the grill! (and then serve with ice cream - yum!)

Have fun.

[IndyGirl]

We are NOT vegan, love cheese in fact. Halloumi is going on the shopping list! I also love the pineapple idea--thanks!

Everyone, in addition to zucchini and corn on the cob with cayenne/chili powder, we grilled some sliced prepared polenta from the little tubes. That was absolutely fantastic and needed nothing at all except a slight dusting of good parmesan once grilled. Heaven!!!

More ideas--I'm pushing myself to learn how to do this so it becomes quick and simple. I'm still getting my feet wet!

[goodhealthgourmet]

so happy to hear how well it all turned out...you'll be a Grill Master (Mistress?) in no time.

[LNG212]

Oooh, that polenta idea is great. I've never purchased the tubes before but I've seen them in the store. We'll have to give that a go too. Thanks for sharing your menu(s). It all sounds delicious.

[goodhealthgourmet]

no need to purchase the tubes if you usually make it from scratch...just cook up a thick batch on the stove, spread into a lined pan, chill until firm, and cut into squares or triangles or use a cutter to punch out rounds. you can also skip the stove & refrigerator, and just firm-bake in the oven.

[LNG212]

Thanks for the instruction. I always wondered how restaurants got it firm when mine is always soft (and gooey and delicious though). I bet the polenta and mushroom on the grill would go great together.

[goodhealthgourmet]

sure thing! and for various Hound opinions and experiences regarding oven-baked polenta, check out this thread:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/454690

[porker]

I've heard but yet to try: grilled cabbage. Apparently cut into wedges and grill until lightly charred. I'm sure some kind of oil/moisture would help, plus S&P.
Going to try soon.

[odkaty]

I've been successful with cabbage and romaine ... the skewered spring mix was a disaster, though, in retrospect, I could have gone with chard or collards instead.

[odkaty]

I've had good luck with cabbage (standard, napa, etc) and romaine. Spring mix rolled on skewers was a fail :-)

Cut in wedges and brush with oil.

[BigSal]

Pam amb tomaquet (pan con tomate). Grill thickly cut country bread, rub with garlic and cut side of tomato, drizzle with olive oil and pinch of salt. Bruschetta- similarly grilled bread rubbed with garlic, drizzled with olive oil, but one can add toppings like diced tomatoes and basil and basil or beans (cannellini or garbanzos seasoned with herbs, vinegar and olive oil), etc.

Also, this is a lovely grilled vegetable salad from Ottolenghi with asparagus, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and manouri cheese, served with arugula that is dressed in a basil oil. I make it with haloumi cheese rather than manouri and it is a summer favorite. http://eattherightstuff.squarespace.c...

Or for a Japanese take on grilled vegetables- nasu no miso dengaku (grilled eggplant with a miso sauce).

[IndyGirl]

I love the pan con tomate idea. We'll be doing that very soon. Thank you for the idea!!

[porker]

Zuchini sliced lengthwise and about 1/4 inch thick, onion just as thick, tomato 1/2" thick, red/yellow/green pepper cored and quartered, portobello sliced 1/2" thick - all tossed in balsamic, or drizzled with olive oil, or your favorite Italian dressing, S&P, then grill. Char all on high grill (drizzle with your left-over oil or balsamic or dresing while grilling ). Enjoy.
Side benefit - rough chop any leftovers, toss into a chicken broth, add a pinch of thyme, simmer awhile. Use an immersion blender and make as smooth or chunky as you like - grilled veggie soup.

[IndyGirl]

I did the zucchini in balsamic tonight--fantastic!

[haiku.]

Something I like doing is skewering vegetables on preferably a wooden skewer (soak in a bit of water first), so people can pick them up easily and eat. Things I've used in the past: sliced peppers, onion, marrows, mini gem squash, patty pans, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, radishes, carrots... Just slice the bigger ones into roughly the same size as the smaller, mix them up and thread onto stick. Marinate in a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, any other seasonings you might like, maybe a bit of balsamic vinegar. Put it straight on the grill. Eat when it looks good. Thanks to the skewers, it won't fall though. Just put something like the peppers on either end, so nothing slides off.

Corn on the cob on the grill is also good. Think there was another thread on that recently.

Herb bread, or little grill breads stuffed with eg a sundried tomato tapenade mix also work well.

[goodhealthgourmet]

Corn on the cob on the grill is also good. Think there was another thread on that recently.
~~~~~~~~~~
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/792442

[IndyGirl]

We did this tonight-it was awesome! I used cayenne and chili powder with some kosher salt to dust it after it was finished.

[goodhealthgourmet]

next time try it Mexican-style (elote)...grill the corn, then slather with a combo of mayo and Mexican crema (or sour cream). dust with chili powder, and sprinkle with finely chopped fresh cilantro, and a healthy dose of shredded cotija, Pecorino or Parmigiano. i also add smoked paprika and occasionally a pinch of toasted cumin to mine. finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

it's FANTASTIC.

[goodhealthgourmet]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/790832 (numerous other links within).

and if you read through some of the tempeh threads you'll find many recommendations for this Maple Grilled Tempeh:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/...

Foil packets? or is there another way?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
foil packets are great for steaming and a *hint* of grill flavor, but you need to do them directly on the grate or in a grill basket if you want that hearty, tasty char.

[IndyGirl]

I DO want that tasty char! Grill marks, or what's the point! :) So are there tried-and-true methods o achieve that tasty char on the grill itself? I always worry about scorching things, or having things stick, or fall through the grate as they shrink (zucchini for instance shrinks as it cooks and expels water).

I have made that maple grilled tempeh recipe before, but not on the grill. I forgot about it since I've only made it in the kitchen. Will have to rediscover that one.

[goodhealthgourmet]

treat vegetables the same way you do everything else - they're no more prone to scorching than something like pizza dough or tofu. make sure you oil the grate well, cut the vegetables into pieces large enough to avoid falling through the grates, and keep an eye on them. if you're still worried about it, you can buy a grill basket:
http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&n...

but i'm personally not a big fan unless i need to grill a large volume of small pieces, because it's difficult to ensure that everything cooks evenly, and you can't get in there to turn individual pieces without taking the entire thing off the flame and opening it.

trust yourself, and do them directly on the grate with a good pair of tongs for maneuvering. it really just takes a little practice and confidence, and really, what's the big deal if you incinerate a few pieces that slip through the cracks?

oh, and a tip for dealing with zucchini & eggplant - salt, drain & rinse the slices before grilling them to draw out excess moisture and help reduce shrinkage. the resulting firmer texture also makes them easier to handle.

[IndyGirl]

I did do zucchini right on the grate tonight. Worked terrifically (I kept thinking, be confident! What's the worst that can happen?)!

[goodhealthgourmet]

told you so ;) way to go!

[Philly Ray]

Grilled portobello caps. You can eat them like burgers.

[IndyGirl]

of course! any favored recipes?