Verdure Grigliate
Whatever's in season goes on the grill, more or less in this order every time -- zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and anything else that looked good that morning. This is less a recipe than a method, and once you have the method, the specific vegetables stop mattering very much.
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
- 1 eggplant, sliced into rounds
- 2 bell peppers, cut into wide strips
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Fresh herbs (parsley, basil, or oregano), chopped
- A splash of red wine vinegar
- Fine sea salt and black pepper
Serves 4–6.
Cookware Required
- la griglia o la padella scanalata (a grill or ridged grill pan)
Method
Brush all the vegetables lightly with olive oil, and season with salt. Grill in batches over high heat, turning once, until each piece is tender and marked with real char, not just grill lines -- a few minutes per side is usually enough, though eggplant tends to want a little longer than zucchini.
Arrange the grilled vegetables on a platter while still warm. Whisk together a little more olive oil, the garlic, herbs, and a splash of vinegar, and drizzle it over everything. Season with a final pinch of salt and pepper.
Quando Va Storto
If the vegetables taste steamed rather than grilled, the heat wasn't high enough, or the grill was too crowded and trapped moisture instead of letting it escape. If they're charred outside but still raw in the center, the pieces were cut too thick for the heat you were using; go thinner, or lower the heat slightly and give them more time. And if the whole plate tastes bland despite the char, it needed the garlic-and-vinegar dressing at the end -- grilled vegetables on their own are good, but this dressing is what actually makes the dish.