Leaving garlic in your sauté pan or bread in your toaster a little too long often leads to inedible results. And as hard as you try to scrape off the layer of black from all sides of the toast, you are usually left with something that ends up not in your stomach but in the trash. The same is not true of grilling vegetables. Burnt is definitely better.
Maybe not completely burnt, but cooked very well done with blackened edges is something I actually try to achieve with vegetables. My all-time favorite overly done grilled veggie is the red potato.
As with many veggies, preparation is simple and the only real requirement is a little olive oil to help achieve the crispy browned exterior. You can add salt, pepper, garlic, and onion if you like, but the long cook time of the potatoes brings out a great flavor that makes the other ingredients optional.
I've included all of the optional ingredients in the recipe below, but my potatoes (pictured here) were made with only oil, salt, and pepper and then served with other grilled veggies on the side.
You can find this and other grilling recipes in our "Summer Grilling Recipes" feature.
Grilled Red Potatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil sufficient for coating the foil and drizzling on the potatoes
8-10 baby red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1 sweet onion, sliced
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste
•Stack 2 approximately 2-foot-long pieces of aluminum foil on top of each other.
•Spread a layer of olive oil in the center and top with the potatoes, onions, and garlic. Season with the salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil until lightly coated.
•Fold over the aluminum foil to create a packet. Double fold the edges to ensure that the potatoes stay sealed.
•Cook on a grill for 20 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the potatoes are crispy on the outside.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
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Comments ( 6 )
hi, let me just say this is a really cool blog and i totally applaud all the vegetarian/vegan stuff, but i just have to say that i've heard somewhere that burnt food can give you cancer. something about it making you release carcinogenic molecules. idk, just thought you might want to look into it.
Posted by Jessie | June 23, 2008 10:37 PM
Posted on June 23, 2008 22:37
Hi Amy,
We don't eat a ton of potatoes here, so I've never grilled them, but this does sound tempting.
I really love grilled asparagus and grilled eggplant slices... provided their grilled long enough.
Nothing is better than griled veggies.
Jane of VeganBits.com
Posted by Jane | June 23, 2008 11:03 PM
Posted on June 23, 2008 23:03
Yes, I've heard that too but the studies I've read often talk about the dangers of grilling meat and they say that grilled vegetables are a great alternative. They admit that grilled vegetables may not be 100% free of the cancer causing agents, but that the risk from eating them is much lower. I've also heard that the carcinogens occur naturally in our diets and it's nearly impossible to avoid them 100%. And based on what i've read, moderation is key here.
With that said, I am not a health expert so if someone who is more well informed is reading, please let us know what is correct!
Best,
Amy
Posted by Amy | June 24, 2008 9:26 AM
Posted on June 24, 2008 09:26
Re: "burnt is better". Please correct me if I am wrong, but I understood that burnt food was carcinogenic.
Kind regards
David
Posted by David Hicks | June 25, 2008 9:25 AM
Posted on June 25, 2008 09:25
That look delicious! I can't wait to try it!
Posted by Michael Willemsen | June 25, 2008 6:32 PM
Posted on June 25, 2008 18:32
Grow your own tomatoes. You can grow them patio style in a pot as well...
Now I can try your receipe for Fried Green Tomatoes!
Posted by Mona | July 4, 2008 5:40 AM
Posted on July 4, 2008 05:40