Preview: Grilled Vegetables Olivada

by Dawn T in Rouxbe Videos

Print Rate: 93%
Print Recipe
Grilled Vegetables Olivada

Preview: Grilled Vegetables Olivada

by Dawn T in Rouxbe Videos

Delicious grilled vegetables are tossed in a healthy mixture of capers, olives, red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.

Serves
6 to 8
Active Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins

Step 1: Making the Vinaigrette

Making the Vinaigrette
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • 1 cup picholine olives (or any type of olives)
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

To prepare your mise en place, finely mince the garlic, roughly chop the capers and place both into a bowl. Next, pit and coarsely chop the olives. Add the sugar, chili flakes, red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil and mix to combine. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables.

Related Tips & Techniques

Step 2: Preparing the Vegetables

Preparing the Vegetables
  • 2.5 cups cauliflower (12 ounces)
  • 2.5 cups broccoli (6 ounces)
  • 1 small red onion
  • 12 asparagus stalks
  • 2 peppers (yellow, red, or green)

To prepare the vegetables, cut the cauliflower into large pieces (about 1.5 to 2-inches) Then trim the broccoli and cut about the same size as the cauliflower. Cut the onion into wedges, trying to keep the core in tact. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and trim, if needed. Cut the peppers in half, and remove the ribs and seeds. Then slice into wedges and set everything aside.

Related Tips & Techniques

Step 3: Grilling the Vegetables

Grilling the Vegetables

To grill the vegetables, preheat your grill to medium-high. Once hot, add the vegetables in a single layer. When grilling vegetables, we prefer not to use any oil, until after they’re grilled, as the oil can cause flare ups, which can blacken your vegetables and make them bitter.

Turn the vegetables over once they start to turn golden brown, which should only take a couple of minutes, per side. It’s best to check them often though, as they will continue to cook even after they come off the heat. You may need to cook the vegetables in a few batches. If the asparagus tips are cooking faster, rotate them to a cooler side of the grill.

The vegetables should still be a bit crunchy when done. Now, transfer to a platter and set aside.

Step 4: Finishing the Dish

Finishing the Dish

To finish the dish, cut the asparagus on the bias into thirds. Then place the cauliflower and broccoli into a large bowl and gently toss with some of the olive mixture. Keep layering and mixing the vegetables, leaving the most delicate ones to the end. Once done, transfer to a bowl and serve.

Notes

In this video, the vegetables were cooked on an inside grill; however this works just as well on an outdoor barbecue.

Comments

Checking for Doneness

The hardest thing for me about cooking is checking for doneness. I think you have covered the issue very well for pasta, meat, and fish in your other videos. I liked especially the picture were you had raw, done, and overdone bits of pasta side by side.

Hearing the words "until golden brown" or "until a bit crunchy" makes me wanna cry hopelessly. The grilling part left me hoping for more in depth instructions on checking for doneness.

by Jarkko T | June 21, 2010 | Permalink
Rouxbe User Photo
Rouxbe Staff
Re: Checking Vegetables for Doneness

The part that is hard about telling people when vegetables are done is that many people like there vegetables cooked differently...some like a little more crunch while others may like them completely soft all the way through.

Also times will depend on how thick the vegetables were cut and how high the heat was etc.

For more information, you may want to watch the lesson on "How to Cook Vegetables in Water. Even though it is about cooking vegetables in water the lesson goes provides some good info about what to look for when checking vegetables for doneness (in particular topic 4).

Hope this helps - cheers!

by Dawn T | June 21, 2010 | Permalink
Re: Re: Checking Vegetables for Doneness

The link you provided was exactly what I had been looking for especially for broccoli and carrots.
While watching the "Cooking Vegetables" video I noticed also that I have been boiling my potatoes (in turbulent water) instead of simmering.
Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

by Jarkko T | June 23, 2010 | Permalink
Rouxbe User Photo
Rouxbe Staff
Re: Re: Re: Checking Vegetables for Doneness :-)

FYI - about the potatoes...you can also steam them. This is my now my favorite way to cook potatoes as they never become waterlogged. Cheers!

by Dawn T | June 23, 2010 | Permalink

You must be a Rouxbe student to ask questions and comment. If you are already a Rouxbe student, please login.