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 Danger
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Flaming Vegetables!
Dedicated veggie Jayne
Smith introduces the fine art of the meatless barbie.
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"I feel sorry for vegetarians - they
can't have barbecues". Yes, I really heard someone say
that!
We grill every weekend and
never has a piece of meat or fish been seen in our backyard!
With the fabulous variety of fruits and vegetables available,
there's no need to imagine that a vegetarian barbecue will
fall short in any way. After all, using fire is the most ancient
of cooking techniques and today, grilling should be simple
and fun.
Standard in our household,
because of their ease of preparation, are vegetable brochettes.
So many vegetables are suitable if cut into chunks - on our
skewers you are likely to find a combination of eggplant,
zucchini, mushrooms, peppers of various colors, tomatoes,
onions, olives, artichoke bottoms ... as attractive as they
are tasty. We love to experiment with marinades for the vegetables;
last weekend our choice was olive oil, fresh lime juice with
the grated rind of the lime added - what a lovely fresh flavor.
And why not add flavor using the skewers themselves? Use lemongrass
or rosemary twigs instead of those metal skewers.
Away from the constraints of the kitchen, when you grill it
is the ideal time to experiment with different foods and different
flavors.
Our barbecues are adventures
- what are we going to try next? Mushroom, tomato and zucchini
brochettes brushed with mango chutney? Eggplant marinated
in oil with cumin and coriander, grilled and served with a
mint yogurt and toasted naan bread? Grilled falafel with peppers
and olives served in pita bread? Portabello mushrooms stuffed
with blue cheese, grilled over mesquite and served in a sesame
bun? Marinated vegetables with chunks of fresh pineapple grilled
on lemongrass skewers with a soy and honey sauce? Who knows!
Cheese is a grilling favorite.
Halloumi from Cyprus is perfect for the grill as it cooks
beautifully and doesn't melt. Simply grilled and served alongside
a combination of crisp lettuce, raddiccio, fresh Cyprus tomatoes
and Greek dressing, it's a perfect but simple meal. Cubes
or slices of various cheeses can be concealed in vegetable
casings so that the cheese melts delightfully when the vegetables
are grilled.
Try making pizza on the grill.
It is easy and produces a deliciously different meal.
Vary the toppings to suit your own tastes - try a different
vegetable combination every time.
And don't forget those favorite
grill staples - corn and baked potatoes. Fold back the corn
husks and tie them with string. This way, you have a convenient
handle to turn the corn on the grill. Offer a selection of
toppings for the baked potatoes. Let your imagination run
away with you! Try a herb and citrus butter or sour cream
with chives and paprika - more experimentation!
For dessert, remember that
the grill brings out the wonderful flavors of fruit - try
a grilled mango and pineapple medley with a touch of brandy
or your favorite liqueur poured over and a dollop of ice cream.
Experiment with Curacao, Grand Marnier, Amaretto, Drambuie,
Cassis or whatever you have to hand - a little goes a long
way!
Serve your vegetarian barbecue with a variety of delicious
fresh salads, some great crusty bread and a good selection
of wine!
Using your grill, you can make
fabulous foods ranging from a gourmet meal to a casual snack.
We often make Cheddar cheese and mango pickle sandwiches
using wholewheat bread, wrap them in foil and put them on
the grill. In the time it takes to make the salad, the cheese
will be melted. Remove the foil for a short time to toast
the bread. While we're eating them we throw unpeeled bananas
onto the grill and leave them until they go black. Split the
skin, pour in a little Bailey's Irish Cream and you have an
instant, self-contained dessert. Quick, easy and tasty.
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