There’s bound to be plenty of cheeseburgers and potato salad at any Memorial Day picnic, but don’t forget the veggies. Here are Whole Foods Market’s Chef Chad Sarno’s tips for grilling vegetables:
- DO get more flavor from the flames. Cutting veggies into slices provide more surface area on the grill, which gives more golden-brown goodness.
- DO give ‘em some space. As you remove veggies from the grill, spread them out on a large baking sheet instead of stacking them, which can cause them to steam and get soggy.
- DON’T “flip out.” Once it has hit the grill, handle your food as little as possible. Flipping or turning too soon can result in sticking.
Recipe: Grilled Asparagus Bundles with Dijon Citrus Vinaigrette
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons honey or apricot paste (dried apricots soaked in water to soften and blended)
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
1 1/2 teaspoon minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
Pinch ground black pepper
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
Chives
1/4 cup chopped peeled orange or mandarin
Prepare a grill or grill pan for medium-high-heat cooking.
To make the vinaigrette, whisk together honey, mustard, vinegar, juice, tarragon, shallot, zest and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. Grill asparagus until browned and tender, 4 to 8 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Separate grilled asparagus into 4 bundles and tie each with chives. Drizzle with vinaigrette and top with chopped orange.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 60, Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 360mg, Carbohydrate: 13g, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 4g, Protein: 2g