Once I crack open the grill, it’s all grilling, all the time, until the leaves fall off the trees.
Now that early harvests are arriving at markets, the thrill of rolling veggies out onto the grill with a minimum of prep and a maximum of flavor is a nightly event in my house.
Last Sunday’s market delivered spring onions and zucchini, and both married beautifully with the simplest vinaigrette marinade and a few minutes over the fire. We served this with foil-grilled tilefish, but grilled veggies complement everything.
Grilled Spring Onions and Zucchini
Serves 2
Spring onions look a lot like scallions but they have larger bulbs. We got a bunch of white and a bunch of purple.
They tasted the same, but the purple ones were prettier and deliver the added health benefit of bringing different-colored produce into your diet.
The onions take about half as long as the zucchini to cook, so time it well. These are fine served at room temperature, so you can do these ahead if it makes your life easier. The leftover zucchini was delicious on a green salad for lunch the next day.
- 2 zucchini, stem removed and sliced lengthwise into even strips
- 1 bunch spring onions, rinsed
- ¼ cup mild-flavored oil like canola or vegetable
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Generous sprinkle of pepper
In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper with a fork.
Place the vegetables in a baking dish and pour the marinade over the vegetables. Using your hands or tongs, move the vegetables around so they all have a coating of the marinade. Leave the vegetables at room temperature for an hour or more.
Heat a grill to medium high. Place the zucchini on the grill and cook for about 6 minutes per side, 12 minutes total.
When you flip the zucchini, place the spring onions on the grill. Flip them after a couple of minutes; if you time it right, both will be done simultaneously. Remove the vegetables from the grill, cover them with foil and enjoy as desired.
