Blog: Summertime and Grilled Summer Vegetables

Summer has exploded in the Eastern states and throughout the Midwest, celebrated by hordes of children suddenly free of the school routine and women relieved to pass on the kitchen tools to their men tending the grill. Our summer here in Southern California has been tip-toeing around us, offering mere moments of heat intermittently exchanged with the fresh ocean breeze. Our nights are still chilly, and the mornings see dew on my succulents.

We don’t really have to exchange our clothes to match the seasons, and our shorts and tank tops are mixed in with the jeans and light sweaters that are sufficient to shield us from the "cruel" California climate. And we don't really have to look at the calendar to start the season of grilling.

Lighting up the grill excites me again and again: the woodsy smell of charcoal, the orange glow of embers in the chimney, the dance of the ash flakes, and the crackling of the flames combine in a synergic sensory opera that awakens some wonderfully primitive feelings that assure us that everything is fine with the world. There is meat. And there is fire. And soon there will be meat on the fire. Bliss.

While the steaks are luxuriating, loosely covered on the counter in the aftermath, I bring out a bowl of vegetables glistening with olive oil. We still do not own a vegetable basket that fits on the grill, but a piece of sturdy aluminum foil makes a perfect bed for the colorful piles. By the time I plate the steaks and lean a crusty piece of olive oil bread against our plates, the tomatoes are nicely shriveled, the asparagus tender, the onions fragrant, the peppers yielding to the fork, and pink, halved radishes still firm, but without a crunch. The heat has mellowed the rosemary and enticed the thyme, and the smells from the vegetable plate are in serious combat with the assertive, smoky aroma of the steak.

The chill had crept into the air and we have to reach for the sweaters and hoodies while we eat the last bites of our summer dinner. Fresh breezes carry the hints of the Pacific into our dining room and I can say with complete sincerity I am not envious that my friends in Ohio are cooling off from the sweltering heat splashing in our old neighborhood pool.

GRILLED VEGETABLES

There is really no recipe for this dish.

Pick any combination of spring/summer vegetables:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Red onions
• Bell peppers
• Zucchini
• Corn
• Asparagus
• Radishes
• Green beans
• Broccoli
• Squash

Clean and chop if necessary. Place into a bowl. Sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Drip some olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar on top. Sprinkle with herbs:

• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Basil
• Oregano

Mix to distribute the oil, herbs, and spices. Prepare a sheet of heavy aluminum foil and place it on a cookie sheet for easier transportation. Pour the vegetables on foil evenly and in one layer. Lift all four edges of the foil and make walls around the vegetables. Place on the grill holding the walls, and let cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes with tongs, until done to your liking.

The vegetables can also be roasted in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 425 degrees.