2020-05-01_Shape

Hold off on the salt

Salt vegetables right after they

come off the grill, not before.

“This is an important step.

Vegetables are made of water.

When you put salt on them, the

water weeps out, which cools

the grill and removes mois-

ture,” Christensen says. Salting

afterward prevents this.

Use a basket

To get smaller vegetables close to the

flame without letting them fall through

the grates, try this grilling basket (williams

-sonoma.com, $50), one of Christensen’s

favorite tools. “I use it to sauté vegetables

on the fire,” she says. It also cooks whole,

halved, and diced cherry tomatoes, brus-

sels sprouts, squash, and asparagus. And

it works well for shrimp and scallops.

Play with char

“A good char on vegetables like whole

cucumbers, squash, peppers, and onions

gives you the best of two worlds. The vege-

tables have that crunchy fresh sweetness on

the inside and the cooked texture and bar-

becue flavor on the outside,” Christensen

says. Slice charred vegetables, and add

them to a salad. Or chop them finely and

turn them into a salsa-like condiment.

befood smart

68 SHAPE.COM MAY 2020

Fresh ideas for grilling veggies

WAYS TO FIRE

UP YOUR FLAVOR

ADD SMOKY-HERBY NOTES

“Tie together a little bouquet of hearty

herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano

with kitchen twine, and set it on the grill

next to the food you’re cooking. When it

becomes slightly charred, dip the herb

bouquet into olive oil and lemon juice, and

brush your food, giving it a glaze and an

herby taste,” Christensen says.

BRINE IT

Brines lock moisture and flavor straight

through into the center of meats. “Most of

my brines are straightforward—water, salt,

and a bit of sugar or honey. Sometimes I’ll

add thyme, garlic, or tea,” Christensen says.

“Pat the meat dry with paper towels, and don’t

season the outside until right before grilling

so the salt doesn’t draw all the brine out.”

GO FOR A POSTMARINADE

“When meat and vegetables come off the grill,

they’re open to absorbing ingredients. This

is the perfect time to create secondary flavor

notes,” Christensen says. Spoon your sauce

or zesty vinaigrette over just-grilled food.

HOW TO GET

GRILL MARKS

“You need your grill to be

really hot,” Christensen

says. “When it’s ready, oil

a towel, and use tongs to

hold the towel while you oil

the grates.” Let the food

cook fully on one side

before flipping it.

3

SHA0520FSFEA.indd 68 FINAL CONTENT 3/12/20 6:15 PM