Fruits, veggies prove both versatile, tasty on barbecue

The temptation is coming. Soon area farmers’ markets will be awash in all kinds of fresh vegetables and fruit. It’ll be tough to not load up.

But what do you do with all that produce when you get it home?

Chef Jamie Purviance, who lives in the San Francisco Bay area and reaps the benefit of fresh local produce, said in a telephone interview, “It’s a crime to not use it on the grill.”

According to Weber’s 16th annual GrillWatch Survey, 68 percent of people who do the ‘cue say they grill fruits and veggies, with onions topping the list, followed by corn, potatoes and mushrooms.

Diane Green, who sells a variety of organic produce at the Sandpoint Farmers’ Market, has been devouring grilled asparagus all spring. “It is the most delicious way of eating asparagus I have ever encountered,” she said.

She simply coats the spears lightly with olive oil and cooks them on the grate farthest from the heat for about 10 to 15 minutes.

She says she’s looking forward to veggie kebabs later in the summer when cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers and eggplant are plentiful.

Barb Arnold, who sells herbs at the Kootenai County Farmers’ Market, says her favorite grilled veggies are bulb fennel, radicchio, onions and small carrots, “all tossed with olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Dynamite.”

When people ask Anna Ethington, of Anna’s Herbs at the Spokane Farmers’ Market, what to do with eggplant sold at the market, she shares her yummy recipe for Grilled Teriyaki Eggplant (recipe follows).

Pick up any of the new grilling cookbooks and you’ll find several pages devoted to grilling fruits and vegetables. Most vegetables do well on the grill when brushed lightly with olive oil and cooked over a medium-high heat until they begin to caramelize. Small pieces can be speared on a skewer and then grilled.

Fruits such as pineapple, peaches, apples and pears soften and sweeten on the grill and often are served with simple sauces such as maple syrup or atop ice cream.

Here are few recipes to try:

Grilled Tomato and Onion Soup with Toasted Parmesan Croutons

From “Weber’s Real Grilling”

2 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, cored

4 medium yellow onions, cut into 1/2 -inch slices

Extra-virgin olive oil

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock

1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic

1 tablespoon finely copped fresh thyme

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 baguette

Brush or spray the tomatoes and onions with oil. Grill over direct medium heat until the tomato skins begin to blister and the onions are tender, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl and when cool enough to handle, peel away the skins and discard (work over the bowl to reserve all of the juices).

Place a sieve over a large saucepan and gently squeeze the tomatoes over the sieve to catch the seeds. Discard the seeds. Roughly chop the tomatoes and onions and add them to the saucepan along with the tomato juice from the bowl, the chicken stock, garlic and thyme. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the soup for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make the croutons: In a small bowl, blend 1/4 cup of olive oil with the cheese. Slice the bread on the bias into 12 pieces, each about 1/2 -inch thick. Spread the oil mixture over both sides of the bread. Press the mixture into the bread as you work. Grill the bread over direct low heat until golden, about 4 minutes, turning once.

To serve, ladle about 1 cup of soup into each serving bowl. Place two croutons on top.

Yield: 6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 211 calories, 11.6 grams fat (3.2 grams saturated, 49 percent fat calories), 8 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrate, 8.5 milligrams cholesterol, 3.9 grams dietary fiber, 457 milligrams sodium.

Grilled Teriyaki Eggplant

From Anna Ethington of Anna’s Herbs at the Spokane Farmers’ Market

2 medium-large eggplants, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds total

Salt

Teriyaki Marinade, as needed (recipe follows)

2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Slice the eggplants 1/2 -inch thick and peel. Salt them and let stand in a colander for 30 minutes, then rinse well. Prepare a medium-hot grill. Brush the eggplant slices generously on both sides with Teriyaki Marinade. Grill on each side until nicely browned and tender, about 5 to 10 minutes on each side. Remove and let cool slightly on a cutting surface. Cut into strips and place in a serving dish. Stir in the scallions. Add enough additional Teriyaki Sauce to moisten and flavor the eggplant to taste. Sprinkle the top with diced red pepper and sesame seeds.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 211 calories, 10.7 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 45 percent fat calories), 3.2 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 6.6 grams dietary fiber, 1,212 milligrams sodium.

Teriyaki Marinade

1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari

1/4 cup sake or white wine

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 to 2 cloves crushed or minced garlic

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Combine all ingredients in a small container. Let stand until the sugar is dissolved.

Grilled Salsa

From Sey Lo and Steve Smoot of the Spokane Farmers’ Market

1 small bunch cilantro

6 green onions, green cut from white part and reserved

8 large cherry tomatoes

1 hot pepper, Giant Thai or similar

1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Heat grill to medium-high. Place cilantro and green part of onions in a grill basket and gently wilt, being careful to not dry out or burn. Next, grill the white part of the onions until they begin to caramelize and turn golden. Place tomatoes on the grill and heat until the skins split and easily slip from the tomatoes. Blacken the pepper just enough until the skin can be peeled.

Using a mortar and pestle (or a food processor), crush the vegetables until they reach salsa consistency. Add sugar and salt to taste.

Yield: About 1 cup

Approximate nutrition per 1/4 cup serving: 16 calories, less than 1 gram fat, less than 1 gram protein, 3.7 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 150 milligrams sodium.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

From Chef David Blaine, Latah Bistro

For the sauce:

12 cherry tomatoes

1 good sized garlic clove

4 large basil leaves

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

1 medium yellow squash, 1/4 -thick cut lengthwise

1 eggplant, 1/4 -thick cut lengthwise

8 romaine hearts (yes, romaine) in individual leaves

Any variety medium onion, sliced 1/4 -inch thick

1/4 cup crumbled feta

2 loaves ciabatta bread, cut into 4 (4-inch-wide) portions, sliced laterally and lightly grilled

To make the sauce, char the tomatoes and garlic on grill. Put them on a skewer if they run the risk of falling through the grate. After getting them hot, toss in a blender with basil and blend until the mixture forms a chunky consistency. Drizzle in a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil while it blends. Add salt and pepper to taste. This is the sauce for the sandwich. If it is too runny, strain off some of the liquid.

To make the sandwiches: Coat remaining vegetables lightly in olive oil and salt and pepper. The vegetables will cook at different speeds, so add the romaine at the end. It’s a good idea to stand at the grill and pull them off when they begin to soften. Assemble the vegetables on grilled bread, top generously with sauce and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Yield: 4 sandwiches

Approximate nutrition per sandwich: Unable to calculate due to recipe variables.

Vegetable Souvlaki

From “Food Network Kitchens Get Grilling”

8 small red-skinned waxy potatoes, halved (about 10 ounces)

Juice of 4 large lemons (about 3/4 cup)

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 medium zucchini

1 Asian eggplant

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares

16 small button mushrooms, trimmed

16 grape or cherry tomatoes

1 bunch scallions (white and green parts), cut into 1 1/2 -inch pieces

4 pocketless pita breads

Tzatziki (recipe follows)

Put potatoes in a small saucepan with cold water to cover and season with salt. Bring to a boil and simmer just until tender, about 10 minutes.

Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, herbs, 2 teaspoons of salt and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Drain potatoes and toss into marinade while still hot.

Halve the zucchini and eggplant lengthwise and cut into 1-inch-thck half-moon pieces. Add to the potatoes and toss. Cover and marinate at room temperature 1 hour or in the refrigerator up to 12 hours.

If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before grilling. Prepare a grill with medium heat.

Thread all vegetables on 8 skewers by alternating vegetables or threading all one kind on a skewer. Reserve the marinade. Grill vegetables, turning skewers 2 or 3 times, until vegetables are tender and slightly charred, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the skewers to a serving platter. Lightly drizzle with reserved marinade. Grill pitas until warm. Serve with vegetables and tzatziki.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 575 calories, 23 grams fat (5.2 grams saturated, 36 percent fat calories), 18.6 grams protein, 78 grams carbohydrate, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 11 grams dietary fiber, 2,744 milligrams sodium.

Tzatziki

2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt or 1 cup Middle Eastern style plain yogurt

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 clove garlic, peeled

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon dried mint, finely crumbled

Stir yogurt and put in a coffee-filter-lined strainer over a bowl. Let it drain in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or overnight. (If using Middle Eastern-style yogurt, skip this step.) Discard watery liquid in bowl and put drained yogurt in a medium bowl.

Grate the cucumber on a wide-holed side of a box grater into another bowl. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt and toss gently. Set aside for 20 minutes, then squeeze the cucumbers to express as much liquid and possible. Add the squeezed cucumber to the bowl of yogurt.

Smash garlic, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear to a coarse paste. Add garlic, oil, lemon juice and mint to cucumber mixture and stir to combine. Refrigerate for about 1 hour so flavors come together.

Yield: About 1 cup

Toasted Angel Food Cake with Grilled Peaches and Ice Cream

From “The New Gas Grill Gourmet”

4 fairly firm fresh peaches

2 tablespoons butter, melted

8 slices angel food cake, about 1-inch-thick

Nonstick cooking spray (preferably butter flavored)

Vanilla ice cream

Preheat the grill with all burners on high for 10 minutes and the lid down.

While the grill is preheating, cut the peaches in half, remove the pits and brush the halves with the melted butter.

Once the grill is hot, turn off the center burner (or one side if a two-burner grill) and turn the other burners to medium. Place the peach halves, skin side up, over the turned-off burner. Close the lid and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once (or twice if using two burners). Transfer to a platter and loosely tent with aluminum foil.

Turn all the burners to low. Coat both sides of the angel food cake slices with cooking spray. Place the cake slices on the grill and toast quickly, about 45 seconds per side.

Place a grilled peach half and a slice of angel food cake on each serving plate. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Yield: 8 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 252 calories, 10.4 grams fat (6.3 grams saturated, 37 percent fat calories), 4.3 grams protein, 37.4 grams carbohydrate, 37 milligrams cholesterol, 1.4 grams dietary fiber, 294 milligrams sodium.