Monday 14 October 2013

Vege-rama

Here at Cook Castle, we have been embracing Brisbane's scorching weather and preparing ourselves for the summer onslaught. And as always, it starts with the food. The French provincial foodie of winter gives way to Malibu Tropicana cook-as-much-as-possible-on-the-bbq. So it's good cuts of meat or just-caught fish with some marinade or a spice-rub and tossed onto the heat. 

Our bbq has a gas wok attachment, so I slice up all manner of vegies and toss them about while the meat is cooking. Tonight we had red capsicum, green capsicum, fresh corn cut from the cob, green beans (they were just topped and tailed), broccolini, a handful of baby spinach and another handful of frozen edamame beans (which the manufacturer had thoughtfully taken out of the pod before freezing). When they were cooked, I stirred through some hoisin sauce and sprinkled toasted pine nuts on top. Easy, fab and yummy.

Which got me to thinking about other easy ways to add a bit of zing to vegies. Here's a few suggestions:

  • toss in lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper
  • sprinkle with fresh herbs like rosemary, coriander or basil
  • mix with a little soy sauce and sesame oil
  • drizzle with a little honey
  • grate a little low-fat cheese over them
  • grill with a spray of olive oil, a few garlic cloves, salt and pepper
  • add a quick splash of Tabasco sauce
  • stir-fry with a little oil and curry powder
  • toast slivered almonds in the oven and sprinkle on top
  • and when all else fails, there's always butter...