I hesitate to refer to this as a "recipe" because it's more like "this thing we've been doing for 20-something years."
Hold on.
I need to compose myself. Typing "20-something years" just hurt my head.
You guys, I have been a vegetarian for 22 years. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? And GET OFF MY LAWN, WHIPPERSNAPPERS! ::sob::
Anyway, not only am I a long-term vegetarian, I'm also a huge lover of fire. Food + Fire = My idea of a good time. As such, it stands to reason that I have figured out a way to grill pretty much every vegetable there is. Sometimes "simple" and "cheap" are factors that are thrown into the grilling love, though, and that's when we throw together these Hobo Style Grilled Vegetables. There aren't really any rules involved. You can let your budget and your personal taste be your guide.
You will start out by cleaning and cutting your choice of vegetables. Your vegetable chunks should be bite-sized. Keep in mind that the smaller you cut them, the faster they will cook on the grill.
I think of carrots, potatoes, and onions as the base for this recipe. Everything past that is an "extra." If I'm going all out, here's what I use:
Baby carrots
B-size potatoes (I like to use a mix of golden and blue potatoes--they taste the same, but the color variation is fun)
Yellow onion
Red pepper
Zucchini
Yellow squash
Grape tomatoes
Celery
Once all of your vegetables are clean and cut, you throw them in some foil along with a little olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary. You'll close up that foil (making a little "hobo bag") and throw it on the grill for 25 minutes or so, or until the carrots are as cooked as you want them.
I go by the carrots when I'm figuring out doneness because they take the longest to cook. I also do it because there are few foods I hate more than super mushy carrots. I want them to still have a bit of crispness to them, so I remove the vegetables the second those carrots are a perfect al dente. The zucchini, squash, celery, tomatoes, and onions will be soft and the potatoes will be thoroughly cooked by default. I promise.
Since grill temperatures can vary greatly, the easiest way to test doneness is to carefully unfold the foil and taste a carrot. I promise it works.
We usually pair these vegetables with sausages (faux for Alexis and I, the real deal for the husband), but honestly they are good with just about anything. They were excellent with my veggie burger that had onion rings, Gouda cheese, and BBQ sauce on top earlier tonight.
One last note...double or triple or half or whatever this recipe as needed. I figured out approximate proportions for everything, but these veggies are very forgiving. You don't need to follow these directions exactly.
Hobo Style Grilled Vegetables
2 cups clean, chopped vegetables (Any combination of peppers, squash, zucchini, carrots, onion, potatoes, celery, tomatoes, etc.)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. Place the chopped vegetables, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper on top of a large piece of aluminum foil.
2. Drizzle the olive oil over top.
3. Fold the aluminum foil over the top of the vegetables, creating a pocket. You want to make sure there is no places for the vegetables to fall out.
4. Place on the grill and cook for 10 minutes. Flip and then cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are grilled to your liking.
If you're feeling wild and crazy, toss a little shredded parmesan cheese on top of the finished Hobo Style Grilled Vegetables. It's a nice little twist to a simple yet fantastic side dish.
Oh, and if you're a fan of grilling, there's a giveaway you might like over here.