Low impact BBQ
A BBQ without meat doesn’t have to be boring, but at first I didn’t know how to do it. I often prepared veggie skewers but that was always a lot of work. The trick is putting the entire vegetable on the grill.
[cmr_ratings no_title=1 no_table=1 hide_if_no_rating=1]
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Ingredients
Sweet potato (1 per person)
Aubergine (0,5 - 1 per person)
Shallots or onions (2 per person)
Portobello (1 per person)
Corn cobs (1 per person)
Bell pepper (1 per person)
Creme fraiche (150 ml)
Soft goat cheese (ca. 180 g)
Lemon (1)
Olive oil
Cumin
Paprika powder
Oregano
Cinnamon
Sea salt & pepper
Prep
Don’t fire up the BBQ too hot (around 150-200°C, like an oven). If you can, leave some space on the sides without coal so you can move around veggies that are at risk of turning black.
Grill
Sweet potatoes
Place a whole potato on the grill right at the beginning. They take about 40 minutes until you can cut them in half and eat them with a spoon. Drizzle with olive oil and cinnamon! It’s like a dessert.
Shallots or onions
Put them on with skin and all. The skin will turn completely black and that's okay. When they're soft on the inside, you can squeeze them out of the peels and eat the whole thing. You won't believe how delicious this is.
Aubergine with creme fraiche
Place the entire aubergine on the grill, or directly on the charcoal, for about 10-15 minutes until it's very soft. If the skin turns black it's okay. Then cut it in half and with a spoon, scoop out the 'flesh'. Serve with a sauce made of creme fraiche, salt and pepper, and plenty of lemon juice.
Portobello
Put the whole mushroom on the grill.
Corn cobs
Turn regularly for about 10 minutes. Then spread some marinade on them: olive oil, cumin, paprika powder, salt, oregano
Bell pepper with goat cheese
Cut a bell pepper (preferably the pointed, long ones) in half, put a piece of goat cheese or feta inside and wrap in foil. They're ready when the bell pepper is soft and the cheese has melted.
Meat tip: Chicken drumsticks
This isn't vegetarian but it's the most sustainable meat option. Most people are used to eating chicken breast, but in India I learned that chicken thighs and legs have a lot more taste. That’s because those muscles are used more, especially if it’s organic chicken. This prevents the meat from drying out and makes the perfect BBQ meat.
Bonus tip: grill basket
If you're doing this more often I can highly recommend a grill basket. You can cut all kinds of veggies, throw in a bit of goat cheese and put the whole thing on the grill and it will be very delicious.
This is a recipe from the Fork Ranger book
