Two Awesome Vegan Barbecue Dishes
There are plenty of tasty vegan barbecue dishes you can add to the medley on your grill. Here are two Saturday, June 02, 2018
Some barbecue snobs claim that the whole concept of vegan barbecue is a contradiction in terms, since "barbecue" by definition refers to grilling meat. Well, to paraphrase Bugs Bunny, let's not go splitting hairs, here.
They're wrong anyway. Ultimately, the term derives from a Taino Indian word that means, appropriately enough, "sacred fire pit." So why not include well-grilled veggie dishes, whether as the focus of the feast or simply as awesome side dishes? Some of these recipes are darned tasty.
Tempting Tomatoes
You may know that fried green tomatoes are a southern culinary specialty. Well, have you ever tried grilled tomatoes?
Here's an unforgettable recipe for grilled green tomato sandwiches I've modified from one presented by Good Housekeeping. It's less formal than theirs (who really needs focaccia bread?) and leaves out the Canadian bacon they recommend.
1 large lemon
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
Bread of your choice
1 pound of green tomatoes, sliced into half-inch "steaks"
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Extract the juice from the lemon, and grate about a teaspoon of the peel. Combine both in a bowl with the pepper and mayo and set the mixture aside. Next, sprinkle the tomato slices with salt on both sides, then lightly brush them with the oil.
Grill them over medium heat for 6-7 minutes, turning them once, until they brown slightly and soften a bit. If you like your bread toasted, toss it on the grill for 3-4 minutes.
Spread the mayo mix on the bread, assemble the sammies, slice them into fourths, and enjoy 'em while hot!
Edible Eggplant
If grilled green tomatoes sound good, how about some eggplant with basil? It's superbly easy. Here's how this one goes for one large fruit:
1 eggplant, sliced into 3/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of fresh chopped basil
1 teaspoon of rosemary
Brush the eggplant slices with the olive oil, then sprinkle them with the remaining ingredients. You may have to press the herbs down with a spatula to get them to stick. Once they're on there, gently place the slices on a medium to hot grill and sear them until they're done, turning them once.
This process should take about ten minutes or so. Then eat the slices while they're still hot. I think you'll be surprised at how flavorful the eggplant becomes when cooked on a grill.
Mmmm...
Keep these recipes in mind the next time you've got a vegetarian or vegan over for your next cookout; there's no reason for them to be deprived just because they don't eat meat. Otherwise, these vegan barbecue treats are a delightful addition to any meal.
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