Grilled Vegetables

This is the time of year for grilling and for getting fit. Invest in a vegetable basket, such as the Weber Style, and do both at the same time with vegetables on the grill. Here are some suggestions for a meal for four people, or a side for several more. Feel free to vary and invent!

The mixture pictured includes baby tomatoes,
asparagus and zucchini in bite-sized pieces.

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
1 small red onion
1 small head broccoli
1 cup small brown mushrooms

Marinade

3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
chili flakes, salt & pepper to taste

Slice the onion. Slice the eggplant thinly (this is important for absorbing the marinade and because it takes longer to cook) and cut into small wedges. Cut the peppers and broccoli into bite-sized chunks. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and halve them.

Press the garlic clove and mix it in with the vinegar, oil, herbs and seasoning. Add the vegetables and marinate them for a couple of hours.

Heat the grill to 500 degrees. Place the vegetables in the basket on the grill. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring once or twice to ensure they are not burning, but do just begin to caramelize.

Red Onion Marmalade

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
3 large red onions, finely sliced
1 tsp dill seed
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 cup red wine
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil and butter in a skillet. Add the onion and dill seed, and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the brown sugar, chili sauce and  a couple of tbsp cold water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, then add 125ml red wine and 75ml balsamic vinegar.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until syrupy. Serve with Glamorgan Sausages.

Glamorgan Sausages

Here's another recipe handed down from my Welsh ancestors. In the Welsh language these are: Selsig Morgannwg. These simple sausages don't sound like much but they taste surprisingly good, and they will delight your vegetarian guests.

Ingredients - Serves 4 (12 sausages)

6oz fresh white breadcrumbs
4oz cheese (Caerphilly is authentic, but a mixture of Cheddar and goat’s cheese, such as feta, works well)
1 small onion or white part of one leek
handful of fresh parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, finely chopped
2 eggs
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
dried breadcrumbs
1 tsp mustard
salt and black pepper
groundnut oil for frying

Grate the cheese. Chop the onion or leek very finely. Mix with the herbs, fresh breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Beat together 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, add mustard and use enough of this to bind the mixture. Divide into 12 and roll into sausage shapes.

Dip each sausage into egg white plus any remaining beaten egg mixture, then into well-seasoned flour. Chill for at least 20 minutes, then dip into egg again and coat with dried breadcrumbs. Fry in hot oil for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with Red Onion Marmalade.

Tapenade

This is a killer dip or spread, bringing the flavor and sophistication of the Mediterranean to your table. Use the serving suggestions from my Three Dips post. It also has a wonderful affinity for eggs: mash up with boiled egg for a sandwich filling, or spread on toast then top with fried or scrambled eggs.

Note that it is very rich, and quite salty, so do not be tempted to add more!

Ingredients for one bowl

8 oz Kalamata olives, stones removed
2 anchovies (rinse to remove excess salt rinsed off)
1/2 cup capers, drained
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled
pulp/juice of half a lemon
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
a small handful of fresh herbs - a mixture of parsley, basil and oregano works well

Place all the ingredients in a food processor such as the Vegemix, and blend until well mixed but still with little chunks for texture. Adjust seasoning with black pepper, chili pepper and/or lemon juice as needed. This keeps well for a week in a covered jar.