about broiling/roasting veggies

almost any vegetable becomes sweeter and more intensely flavored when
grilled, broiled or roasted.  if you can, grill them.  failing that,
broil.

the basic technique is to take your veggie and slice it into managable
slices.  they should be rather large, since you will be flipping them
(think eggplant sliced longwise) and about 1/4 inch thick.  too thin
and they just burn up, too thick and they will be raw in the middle.
brush with olive oil or spray with cooking spray and either grill over
hot coals or place on a cookie sheet and run under the broiler for
several minutes.  a little charring is desired.  when done, use
kitchen shears to cut them into serving sizes for your recipes.  a
little sprinkle of salt really brings out the roasted flavor.

some vegetables that grill up well:

zucchini
summer squash
eggplant
portobella mushroom caps (grill whole)
red peppers (see below)
cherry tomatoes (use a pie pan, they don't hold their shape, but OH so good!)


red peppers are a little different, though.  just place them whole,
with no oil, straight on a rack under the broiler, turning so that all
sides are well charred.  remove from oven and place in a paper bag.
tighly close the bag and let the peppers sit for at least 15 minutes
to allow them to steam the skins loose.  under running water peel off
the skin, remove the stem and seeds.  drizzle with olive oil and store
in the refridgerator for up to a week.

home made roasted red pepper are a breeze to make, and far tastier and
more economical than the jarred kind.

a mild goat cheese is a perfect match for grilled veggies, which ever
way you want to use them.

some recipes with grilled veggies:

-red and green pasta salad
r-redpep-pastasalad.txt  (see http://www.d33ann.com/recipes/salads.html for a description)