Grilled Vegetables
Vegetables on coals go wrong in two ways: sliced too thin, or thrown on all at once. Aubergine and peppers want longer heat, courgette and tomatoes want it short, so work in stages. Salt afterwards rather than before — salt draws out water, and you need a dry surface for those dark stripes to form.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 210 kcal
Ingredients
Vegetables
Dressing
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What to use instead
Lemon juice instead of balsamic makes the whole platter fresher and less sweet.
Makes: a large platter for 4
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Cut the vegetables
Slice courgette and aubergine lengthways into 1 cm strips, halve the peppers, cut the onion into wedges through the root so it holds together. Leave the tomatoes on the vine.
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Step 2: Brush with oil
Brush the cut sides with two spoons of the oil. Don't soak them: excess oil drips into the coals and makes acrid smoke.
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Step 3: Start with the slow ones
Over moderate heat, lay down the aubergine and the peppers, skin side down. Give them 6–7 minutes, until the skin darkens and blisters.
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Step 4: Add the rest
Now add courgette and onion for 4–5 minutes a side. Tomatoes go on last and need only 3 minutes, until the skins split.
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Step 5: Peel the peppers
Pile the hot peppers into a bowl and cover for 5 minutes: the skin loosens by itself and slips off easily.
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Step 6: Make the dressing
Mix the remaining oil with crushed garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper.
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Step 7: Combine
Pile the warm vegetables onto a platter, spoon over the dressing and turn them gently — warm vegetables take on flavour far better than cold.
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Step 8: Serve
Tear the basil over the top by hand. Just as good hot as at room temperature an hour later.
Tips & variations
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Tip
Put small pieces on a grill basket — without one, half of them end up in the coals.
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Variation
Add mushrooms or baby corn: give the corn 10 minutes and turn it often.
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Storage
Under a layer of oil in the fridge they keep for 3 days and are perfect on bruschetta or through pasta.
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Swap
Lemon juice instead of balsamic makes the whole platter fresher and less sweet.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 210 kcal | 840 kcal |
| Protein | 4 g | 16 g |
| Fat | 14 g | 56 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17 g | 68 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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