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Grilling recipes

Asparagus salad with roasted red pepper and shaved parmesan

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon red wine (or other) vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/ 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 red bell pepper
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
4 cups mixed salad greens
2 ounces Parmesan cheese

Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, minced garlic and mustard. While whisking, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Roast the red pepper on the grill, turning occasionally, until completely charred, about 10 minutes. Place in a plastic or paper bag to steam for 10 minutes, then peel and seed. Cut into thin strips.

Meanwhile, brush the asparagus with the marinade. Grill, turning occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.

Spread the mixed salad greens on a serving platter. Arrange the asparagus. Using a small, sharp knife, cut the Parmesan into very thin shavings and sprinkle over vegetables. Before serving, drizzle remaining marinade over salad.

— Adapted from The Vegetarian Grill by Andrea Chesman (Harvard Common Press, $14.95)

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 193 calories, 8 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 15 g fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 288 mg sodium.

Hot, earthy chipotles — smoked jalapenos, sold in cans in grocery stores — are a natural flavor pairing with many grilled foods. In this recipe, a little minced chipotle is blended with butter to brush on the corn, but minced chipotle is also great stirred into mayonnaise or ketchup to add kick to your favorite condiment.

Grilled corn with chipotle butter

Makes 8 servings

8 ears corn, still in husks
4 tablespoons (1/ 2 stick) butter
1-2 teaspoons minced chipotle in adobo sauce

Soak the corn in cool water for at least 20 minutes. While corn soaks, melt the butter and stir in the minced chipotle. Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill.

Carefully peel back the husks, keeping attached at the stem end, and remove the silk. Brush the corn with the chipotle butter and then fold the husks back over the corn. If desired, secure the husks with kitchen twine (or a long strip of corn husk).

Grill the corn until the husks are dry and the kernels begin to brown, about 15 minutes.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 128 calories, 17 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 7 g fat, 16 mg cholesterol, 74 mg sodium.

As pretty as they are, kebabs are not a very practical way to grill, because different foods cook at different rates. If you want your mushrooms thoroughly cooked, precook them on a vegetable grill rack before assembling the kebabs.

Mushroom & mozzarella kebabs

Makes 4 servings

Zest and juice from 2 small lemons
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chile oil
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 small red chile, seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
16 fresh shiitake mushrooms
16 button mushrooms
16 cherry-size balls of fresh mozzarella

In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, chile oil, rosemary, chile, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir in mushrooms and mozzarella to coat. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill. Thread mushrooms and cheese onto 4 skewers (or pre grill mushrooms — see note at right) and grill 5 to 10 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked and cheese is warm. Baste with remaining marinade while grilling.

— Adapted from Grill It! Vegetarian by Anne McDowall (Courage Books, $12.98)

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 298 calories, 30 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 17 g fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 132 mg sodium.

Stuffed squash works equally well as a main or side dish. The Mediterranean-inspired filling would also be delicious in bell peppers.

Twice-grilled stuffed zucchini

Makes 4 main-dish servings or 8 side-dish servings

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
4 ounces goat cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
4 small zucchinis
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Prepare a medium fire in the grill. In a small bowl, combine sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, garlic, bread crumbs, pine nuts, basil and thyme. Set aside.

Slice zucchini lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out a trough down the center of each half. Brush lightly with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, cut-side down, until grill marks form, about 5 minutes; turn and grill lightly on other side. Remove from grill.

Stuff each zucchini half with 1/ 8 of the filling. Wrap in foil and return to grill. Cook about 15 minutes, until zucchini is soft and filling is warm.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving, based on four: 231 calories, 12 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 16 g fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 153 mg sodium.

Falafel — little patties made with seasoned chickpeas — is traditionally deep fried. This tasty grilled version has much less fat. You will need a vegetable grill rack to cook the falafel.

Grilled falafel sandwiches

Makes 4 servings
Sauce:
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
Relish:
2 plum tomatoes
1/2 small cucumber, peeled
1/2 bell pepper, seeded
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Falafel:
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained
4 slices whole-wheat bread
8 green onions, trimmed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 pita rounds

Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill.

In a small bowl, combine the tahini, yogurt, honey, lemon juice and water. Set aside.

In bowl of food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and onion. Pulse to chop. Transfer relish to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

No need to rinse out bowl of food processor. Puree the chickpeas and bread and transfer to a large bowl. Puree the green onions, cilantro, parsley and garlic; add to the chickpea mixture. Stir in the cumin, coriander, red pepper and salt and pepper. Knead mixture with your hands to combine, then form into 21/ 2-inch patties. Brush on both sides with olive oil.

Cut each pita round in half to make two pockets; wrap in aluminum foil. Grill the falafel patties until lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side. Warm the pita on the side of the grill.

Serve relish and sauce alongside the falafel patties and pita; allow diners to assemble their own sandwiches.

— From The Vegetarian Grill by Andrea Chesman (Harvard Common Press, $14.95)

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 682 calories, 94 g carbohydrates, 13 g fiber, 27 g fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 882 mg sodium.

Green fig varieties are especially pretty, but any fresh fig will work. Peaches and nectarines are also delicious instead of the figs.

Figs with cinnamon cream

Makes 6 servings

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons brandy, divided
2 teaspoons honey
3 tablespoons butter
9 large ripe figs
1 tablespoon brown sugar

In a mixing bowl, stir together whipping cream, cinnamon, 1 tablespoon brandy and honey. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill. Melt butter and stir in remaining tablespoon brandy. Slice figs in half lengthwise and thread side by side on skewers so cut sides are exposed. Brush both sides of figs with butter mixture and sprinkle with brown sugar.

Grill figs until sugared surface is bubbly and golden. Remove from grill and skewers and place 3 halves on each serving plate. Whip cream mixture until soft peaks form. Serve figs with a dollop of whipped cream on each plate.

— From Grill It! Vegetarian by Anne McDowall (Courage Books, $12.98)

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 223 calories, 19 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 16 g fat, 52 mg cholesterol, 70 mg sodium.

Smoky tomato salsa

Makes 2 cups
1 pound plum tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 poblano chile
1/2 red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro,
chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced chipotles in adobo sauce
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Salt to taste

Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill. Slice the tomatoes in half. Peel and skewer the garlic. Brush the tomatoes, garlic, chile and bell pepper with olive oil.

Grill the vegetables, turning occasionally, until tender and slightly charred, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables as they are done. Place the chile and bell pepper in a plastic or paper bag to steam for 10 minutes to loosen the skins.

Peel the chiles, tomatoes and bell peppers. Finely chop the vegetables. Combine in a bowl and stir in the onion, cilantro, chipotles, lime juice and salt to taste.

• Adapted from The Vegetarian Grill by Andrea Chesman (Harvard Common Press, $14.95)

•Approximate nutritional analysis: 14 calories,

1 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat (trace saturated), trace cholesterol, 2 mg sodium.