If you have ever tasted grilled shiitake mushrooms in an izakayain Japan or enjoyed blistered padrón peppers in one of Spain’s tapas bars, you know there are many joys to grilling vegetables. As an Aussie, barbecue is ingrained into my culture, but it’s my world travels that have helped me step up my skills when it comes to grilling vegetables. Sure, anyone can throw a shrimp or steak on the barbie, but what about vegetables? My friend chef Johan Eriksson of Centrum Krog in Piteå, Sweden, tells me the keys to grilling vegetables are practice and timing: "Get to know your grill .
.. and you will find that your vegetables are sweeter, juicier and even richer in taste than boiling and steaming them.
” With summer produce season in full swing, here are my top tips for grilling vegetables. The options for grilling vegetables are endless, so be brave and don’t limit yourself to just large chunks of zucchini, onion and peppers this season. Mushrooms are a favorite of mine, but Brussels sprouts and snow peas are just as delightful with their natural juices that are released when kissed by a flame.
Chef Ross Lusted of Woodcut in Sydney recommends vegetables that are naturally high in sugar, such as sunchokes, which caramelize beautifully on the grill. Cruciferous vegetables and salad greens do well when blistered as large wedges over high heat. I love charring large kale leaves on the grill before tossing them in a Caesar-style dressing, and Eriksson tells me that even cabba.