Dry-Heat Cooking Methods for Vegetables

The following general guidelines for vegetable cookery should be considered regardless of the cooking method used:

•  Vegetables should be carefully cut into uniform shapes and sizes to pro­mote even cooking and provide an attractive finished product.
•  Cook vegetables for as short a time as possible to preserve texture, color and nutrients.

• Cook vegetables as close to service time as possible. Holding vegetables in a steam table continues to cook them.
• When necessary, vegetables may be blanched in advance, refreshed in ice water and refrigerated. They can then be reheated as needed.
• White and red vegetables (those with flavonoid pigments) may be cooked with a small amount of acid such as lemon juice, vinegar or white wine to help retain their color.
• When preparing an assortment of vegetables, cook each type separately , then combine them. Otherwise, some items would become overcooked in the time required to properly cook others.
• Broiling and grilling use high heat to cook vegetables quickly. This preserves their nutritional content and natural flavors. The radiant heat of the broiler or grill caramelizes the vegetables, creating a pleasant flavor that is not generally achieved when vegetables are cooked by other methods.
• Selecting and Preparing Vegetables to Broil or Grill
• Broiling is often used to cook soft vegetables such as tomatoes or items that might not rest easily on a grill rack. Broiling is also used to warm and brown items just before service. If necessary, the vegetables can be basted to prevent them from drying out under the broiler's direct heat. Sometimes a cooked vegetable is napped with sauce or clarified butter and placed briefly under the broiler as a finishing touch at service time.
• A large range of vegetables can be grilled. Carrots, peppers, squashes, egg­plants and similar vegetables should be cut into broad, thin slices. They can then be placed on the grill in the same manner as a portion of meat or fish to create attractive crosshatchings. Smaller vegetables such as mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and pearl onions can be threaded onto skewers for easy handling.
• Seasoning Vegetables to be Broiled or Grilled
• Vegetables contain little fat and therefore benefit greatly from added fat when being broiled or grilled. The added fat can be a brushing of clarified but­ter or a marinade such as one made from olive oil and herbs. Some vegetables may be brushed with butter and coated with bread crumbs or Parmesan be­fore broiling.

Procedure for Broiling or Grilling Vegetables

•  Heat the grill or broiler.
•  Use a wire brush to remove any charred or burnt particles that may be stuck to the broiler or grill grate. The grate may be wiped with a lightly oiled towel to remove any remaining panicles and help season it.
•  Prepare the vegetables to be broiled or grilled by cutting them into appropriate shapes and sizes, then seasoning, marinating or othenvise preparing them as desired or directed in the recipe.
• Place the vegetables on the broiler grate, broiler platter or grill grate and cook to the desired doneness while developing the proper surface color.
• Here you can find a delicious and easy recipe for Grilled vegetables. My family love's it and is quite simple. All you need is :
• Grilled Vegetable Skewers

  Ingredients:

• 6oz. Zucchini
• 6oz Yellow squash
• 12 Broccoli florets, large
• 12 Cauliflower florets, large
• 24 pieces Onion, large dice
• 12 pieces Red bell pepper, large dice
• 12 Mushroom caps, medium
• For  Marinade:
• 4 oz. Rice wine vinegar
• 8 oz. Vegetable oil
• 1oz. Garlic, chopped
• 2tbs Dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• How to made:
• Combine all ingredients for the marinade and set aside.
• Cut the zucchini and yellow squash into 1/2-inch thick semicircles.
• Blanch and refresh the zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, onions and red bell pepper
•  Drain the vegetables well and combine them with the marinade. Add mushroom caps to the marinade. Marinate the vegetables for 30-45 minutes, remove and drain well.
• Skewer the vegetables by alternating them on 6-inch (10-centimeter) bamboo skewers.
• Place the vegetable skewers on a hot grill and cook until done, turning is needed. The vegetables should brown and char lightly during cooking .Serve hot