01/06/2026
WHEN DONE RIGHT, grilled vegetables bring colour, sweetness, and a tender-crisp bite that plays perfectly against the richness of grilled meat. 🍖
START BY SEARING the vegetables until they've picked up some colour, then get a braising pan going with your root vegetables, tap water, some fat, and seasoning, letting them cook low and slow until just tender but still firm to the bite. 🥕
DURING THIS TIME, they pull in moisture and soften partway through, which means when they hit the heat, the outside can caramelize and char the way they're supposed to, without the inside lagging behind. The result is something with genuine depth: smoky and charred on the outside, soft and rich in the middle. 🔥
THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM to push the braise even further, and the easiest place to start is the liquid itself. Water works, but chicken or vegetable stock (preferably homemade, if you have the time) is the smarter starting point. It gives the vegetables a savory foundation that carries through to the final dish. From there, smashed garlic, thyme sprigs, or a bay leaf can only make it better. 🍃
THE FAT, TOO, can use an upgrade. Reach for something with flavour, extra-virgin olive oil or butter both work well. They make everything taste richer while pulling in all the aromatics you added to the braise. 🧈
AND LAST BUT not least, don't skip the seasoning before the grill. Salt and pepper cover the basics, but smoked paprika, Aleppo pepper, and celery seed each bring something worth having. Add a light coat of oil right before the grates, and you've built a side dish with enough depth that it stops feeling like a side dish at all. 😀
Source: www.tastingtable.com
