let me grill next to your fire

Every year around this time, I get really excited about summer barbecues ... and then I remember I don't eat red meat and it bums me out.

The non-meat options at a cookout can be fairly slim, leaving me making a condiment burger (you vegetarians know what I'm talking about: cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and mustard on a bun, sigh) or just piling my plate high with chips and potato salad, which, truth be told, isn't the worst fate in the world.

When I'm on the grill, I'm all about mixing things up by adding fish, veggie burgers (not the kind that taste like mulch), those little aluminum-foil packets of vegetables, and fruit. Despite my best efforts and avoidance of serving (or even saying) things like tofu, the results don't always go over well with old-school, meat-eating grill snobs.

So until Steven Raichlen comes up with the veggie equivalent of beer can chicken, I'm on the hunt for fun and unique ways to grill up delicious, veg-friendly treats. A quick online search for grill accessories turned up a few things. Some are new, some may just be new to me, but all have me fired up:

• grill tray (see photo above) — nachos melted into perfection right on the grill? Me gusta! (Williams-Sonoma)
• jalapeño roaster — a little wacky, but sure (Williams-Sonoma)
• mesh grill-top chef's pan — smoky veggies that don't slip through the cracks = awesome (Williams-Sonoma)
• pizza stone — ooh, brick-oveny goodness (Williams-Sonoma)
• panini griller — just when I thought these sandwiches couldn't get any fancier (The Steven Raichlen Store)
• garlic bread griller — smoke mixed with all that garlic and butter must be perfection (The Steven Raichlen Store)

What are your best veggie grill recipes? Favorite grill tools? Let us know!

Comments

Banana Boats

Full size banana in skin split down the center longways, add tiny marshmellows, drizzle hersheys chocolate inside. Close and wrap in aluminum foil and grill for 15-30 minutes depending on the heat of the fire. Wah Lah! Homemade banana pudding with a twist. Eat right out of the peel.

Black-bean burgers taste much better than regular veggie burgers, especially when paired with south-of-the-border toppings like jack cheese, salsa, and onions.

Souvlaki -- uh, shish kebab for you non-Greeks -- can be made with alternating chunks of portobello mushroom, Manchego cheese, and onions.

And for dessert::: grilled pineapple topped with cinnamon and served with a side of ice cream.

There's nothing better than grilled corn on the cob. We always wrap it in foil with some coarse sea salt and minced garlic and throw it on the grill. Then slather it in butter, and you've got yourself one tasty summer treat!

I myself do eat meat -- but like to cut back for health reason --
The best alternative that I have found is the portabella mushroom -- Sprinkle it with Montreal Steak Seasoning and Worcestershire Sauce, then grill -- just fix it up with all regular condiments and this is the best veggie style burger that I have had.

We once hosted a cookout where every item on the menu was grilled, including dessert.

Our vegetable course included corn and asparagus (which everybody grills nowadays), but also grilled artichokes.

The trick is to cook the artichokes the standard way for 50% of the cooking time. Then slice in half so they lay flat on the grill. Spoon out the non-edible portion, and then place the artichokes on the grill flat side down for the remaining 50% of the cooking time.

Dessert was grilled fresh pineapple skewers with a brown butter sauce and grilled fresh peaches with whipped cream and a raspberry sauce.

We had a meat course, but we could easily have made it purely vegetarian.

I've used the jalapeno roaster and it's great. You can stuff the peppers with all kinds of stuffing. I found the cheese was to much so I mixed rice & black beans w/ a Mexican spices to cut down on the greasy cheese.

Thanks for the info, I have been/still go to BBQ's where I have to eat condiment burger's while other make fun of me....

You forgot to mention vegetarian kabobs, those are my favorite. The combination of baked tofu, onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers haven't scared off my die hard meat eating friends yet.

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Goooooddddd!!