How to grill an iceberg

With the heat of summer comes the big draw. For people, it’s about shedding layers of cold-weather clothing to absorb the sun’s rays and feel the air on their skin. For backyard barbecues, it’s the tarps or tapered covers that have (hopefully) protected them from the Colorado winter.

Grilling is a signature of the season, appreciated because it is quick, does not heat up the kitchen and gives a good taste to the food. Burgers, brats and all kinds of meats are the most obvious dishes to eat. But smoke and fire can transform the bountiful summer produce you consume for its nutritional value into a food you eat for pure pleasure.

“I love grilling,” says Aaron Lande, executive sous chef at Academy Boulder, a senior living campus. “Grilling brings out the greatest expression of a vegetable: the sweetness, the aroma, the complexity.”

Although grill lines look nice and impart some flavor, you can’t just throw a rutabaga on the gas or charcoal fire and assume it will taste like a dream. Here are Lande’s tips for fine summer produce, perfected over thousands of hours of grilling at Boulder-area restaurants like Eridu, Lucky Pie, Blackbelly and Laudisio.

Choose your grill: “I love charcoal, just because of the flavor you can’t get any other way. The key is to let the charcoal burn until it glows red,” says Lande. For convenience, most backyard cooks opt for gas grills.

High heat always: Whether charcoal or gas, the only hard and fast rule is that the grill must be “very hot,” according to Lande. “You hear a real sizzle as soon as you put something in it. If you grill over low or medium heat, you will not get that flavor and character. That’s the whole problem, isn’t it? »

Avoid the smoker: They’re great for protein, but not great for most vegetables unless there’s brief exposure. “It has to be very fast, otherwise they absorb too much smoke.”

“Whatever you do,” Lande advises, “avoid Liquid Smoke,” a bottled flavor substitute often used on meats. An easy way to add a smoky touch is to use a high quality smoked salt.

Salt, pepper and oil: This simple trio is all you need to quickly grill your favorites like asparagus, baby artichokes, green onions, pre-cooked Yukon Gold potatoes (for potato salad), onion slices yellow, broccolini and small bok choy.

Oil is essential when grilling. “You want the same amount of cooking all over the vegetable, and oil makes that easier,” he says. Sunflower oil is Lande’s favorite because it doesn’t burn, unlike olive oil. Save good olive oil for seasoning and finishing vegetables after grilling.

A common mistake is not seasoning food enough. Be sure to apply salt and pepper before and after cooking, he adds.

Rubs versus marinades: Seasoned spices can be used lightly before grilling, and marinades like a basic salad dressing are an easy way to add extra flavor. Adjusting these spices determines where in the world you grill. Lande notes the central role that grilled vegetables play in many cuisines: Italian, Spanish, Greek, Indian, Mexican and Thai.

Summer squash: Zucchini and other varieties of summer squash are perfect for grilling and are sponges of flavor. Lande recommends grilling quarter-inch slices of squash lengthwise to expose more surface area to the heat. The squash should be grilled over high heat and removed quickly.

Eggplant: There are two eggplant options: long, thin Asian eggplant whole or cut in half, roasted quickly and does not need to be peeled. The inside is soft and tasty.

The classic Italian eggplant must be peeled. Lande recommends salting half- to three-quarter-inch slices of eggplant before draining them for an hour in a colander. “Squeeze them then add oil, salt and pepper before grilling,” he says. Try eggplant parmesan slices with fresh mozzarella, grated parmesan and basil leaves.

Iceberg and romaine lettuce: The much-maligned iceberg lettuce is wonderful on the grill. Oil, season half a head and sizzle for a few minutes before making this wedge salad with grilled croutons.

To grill romaine for Caesar salads, wash, dry and cut the bottom of the stem. “Cut the head in half, season, and place it on a hot grill until you get those nice grill marks while still retaining the crunch,” says Lande.

But sweet: One word – “Olathe” – signals summer to Coloradans. There are two ways to grill whole cobs. For a simple corn on the cob, remove the husk, remove the silk, rub the cob with butter and seasonings, then grill for about five minutes.

For corn salads, charred corn salsa or Mexican street corn (but), remove the shell, oil, season and cook until grill marks appear.

Tomatoes: Large, extremely firm tomatoes, red or green, can be grilled in thick slices for burgers. Lande suggests roasting small, sweet, local cherry tomatoes whole on the grill before adding them to salads.

Chilis: Small, sweet peppers can be seeded and roasted whole. Peppers grill best quartered or on skewers. Grilling hot peppers (from Anaheims to habaneros) makes it easier to remove tough skins before using them in various dishes.

Peaches and cantaloupe: Sweet and juicy Palisade peaches and Rocky Ford melons can also be grilled. Lande loves serving grilled peaches with burrata cheese and aged balsamic vinegar. Roasted fruit can also be used in fruit salsas.

Read more food news from John Lehndorff