Vegetables are so often overlooked when it comes to cooking on the grill, and if it is only red peppers or corn on the cob you are grilling, you are missing a world of excellent dishes and side dishes that can come off the grill.
If you've eaten in any live-fire restaurant, you'll likely have had one of the following recipes, but it is straightforward to make and works fantastically as a side dish that you can cook over coals while the meat is resting!
Char-Grilled Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Chili, Lemon, and Garlic
Ingredients:
Purple sprouting broccoli, 500g
Olive oil, 3 tablespoons
Fresh red chili, finely chopped, 1 tablespoon
Garlic cloves, minced, 2
Lemon zest and juice, from 1 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Prepare the Broccoli: Trim the ends of the purple sprouting broccoli and rinse under cold water. Pat dry.
Marinate: In a bowl, combine olive oil, chopped chili, minced garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Toss the broccoli in this mixture and let it marinate for 15-20 minutes.
Grill: Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat. Grill the broccoli on each side for 3-4 minutes until it’s tender and charred.
Finish and Serve: Drizzle with lemon juice before serving. This dish is excellent as a side with grilled meats or a vegetarian option.
Char-Grilled Purple Sprouting Broccoli with Feta, Lemon, and Greek Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients:
Purple sprouting broccoli, 500g
Olive oil for grilling
For the Sauce:
Greek yogurt, 200g
Feta cheese, crumbled, 100g
Lemon zest and juice from 1 lemon
Fresh mint, chopped, 2 tablespoons
Garlic clove, minced, 1
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Prepare the Broccoli: Trim and rinse the purple sprouting broccoli as in the previous recipe.
Grill: Brush the broccoli with olive oil. Grill on medium-high heat on each side for 3-4 minutes until nicely charred and tender.
Make the Sauce: While the broccoli is grilling, mix Greek yoghurt, crumbled feta, lemon zest and juice, chopped mint, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Serve: Drizzle the sauce over the grilled broccoli or serve it on the side.
This version pairs wonderfully with any grilled meat, fish or as a vegetarian main course.
