BBQ Veggies.

[Peachcreek]

Tonight I BBQed fresh green beans, eggplant, whole garlic, red bell peppers and zuchinni. The green beans were new to me. I soaked them in a mix of water, soy sauce, mango chutney and garlic-chili paste. I cooked them in a heap in the middle of a covered grill and occasionally turning and dousing them with a little of the reserved marinade. I think leaving them in a heap would help steam them a little as they cooked. It worked beautifully. Every one got eaten but it occured to me that they would probably improve in flavor if dressed lightly in sesame oil and left overnight.

[phatch]

I've had a smoked sweet potato/yam. That's good. Same for potato salad made with smoked potatoes.

On the grill, I'm partial to zuchinni and crooknecks.

My grill grate is not conducive to green beans. I'd have to adda cross mesh with a cake cooling rack or such, but it's something to try. The sesame oil sounds like it would flare up pretty good, be careful. I think I would blanch the beans first, then straight into a vinaigrette (soy, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic) for a while, then on to the grill

Phil

[Mezzaluna]

I love eggplant and mushrooms on the grill. Can someone tell me why zucchini turns out bitter? Does it need the salt-and-drain treatment like eggplant? I also slice a large onion in 3/4" slices, then poke toothpicks in from the edges in a few places to keep the rings together. Yum! I like yellow onions on the grill better than Vidalias or other sweet onions.

[Pete]

For thinner or smaller veggies they make a great grilling pan for veggies. It looks like a med-large saute pan with high sides but then it has holes all over it to allow smoke and flame through so that you get that grilled flavor. Sesame oil would work great with your veggies as not much is needed to flavor items. That way you don't really have to worry about flare-ups.

[chefboy2160]

Please do not forget about corn on the cob . Roastin ears as they have been called for many generations . I like to soak them in sugar water overnight before they hit the grill . This is true quisine in the Americas . My Hispanic and local Indian friends consider this one of the best ( as well as onions ) . I myself love shrooms and peppers charred on the broiler . Shish Kabob is one fantastic way to gel all of these flavors . Oh and peach , thanks for the angle on green beans , sounds yummy and I will try this soon . The sky is the limit .
Keep cooking , Doug..........................

[cape chef]

Peachcreek,

How did you do the whole garlic bulbs?

I would think they would burn before there done on the grill unless you wrap them in foil with some salt and evoo.

[Peachcreek]

For whole bbq'ed garlic I first remove the loose paper from the bulb and then I soak it for 10-20 minutes in water or some sort of soak ( soy sauce/water, teriyaki/water). Then I put them on the indirect heat side and turn them occasionally. I do my garlics and bell peppers at the same time, with the peppers over the direct heat to roast and the garlic on the cooler side. After they cool I peel them and dress them in a little olive oil. I don't use much oil in my marinades and soaks as it tends to flare-up. I usually use oil to dress the veggies after they are grilled. I find a using a little sugar of some sort in veggie soaks helps them brown and make good char marks.
I modeled my green bean recipe after a dish I had at a Chinese restaurant that they called "Spicy dry-fried green beans". The bbq'ed beans came out a little different but along the same lines- slightly sweet, peppery, with a hint of char and smoke. I did them in the middle of my kettle bbq in a heap to retain their moisture and kind of steam them. They were a little tough from not being pre-boiled and I might do that next time. The texture was very good the way they turned out. If I were to do them in any quantity I'd look for something like Petes' veggie pan. I stood there and babied them to make sure they did'nt burn or fall through the grill. I ended up only losing maybe 6-10 from falling through or getting ash on them. I cooked a little over a pound of them last night.
Chefboy, I bbq my corn on the cob the same way, maybe not soaking it overnight, just a few hours and right on the grill. That is the way I do it on caterings- left in the husks it holds well and then we shuck-to-order as people want it.