Vegetables such as potatoes and fennel are often parboiled before grilling, for the best texture; you can add additional flavors by tossing them with spice blends between boiling and grilling. Increase the amounts given below if you wish to keep the mixes on hand for convenience. The spice mixes are best stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark spot for up to 6 months.

　　

Ingredients

　　

Step 1

After grilling, brush the vegetables with herb oil (opposite), or drizzle with any of the vinaigrettes on page 356–357. They can also be marinated in vinaigrette or herb oil up to several hours; brush off excess before grilling.

　　

ASPARAGUS

Step 2

Use spears that are no thicker than 1/2 inch. If desired, bunch together 6 or 7 trimmed spears; thread a skewer through upper third of spears, gently turning skewer to keep spears from breaking. Repeat at bottom. Or simply place the spears perpendicular to the grates, and take care in turning them. Brush with olive oil or herb oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat, turning once until marked and just tender, about 9 minutes total. Serve with grilled lemon halves, if desired.

　　

BELL PEPPERS

Step 3

Grill whole peppers over high heat, turning occasionally until charred all over, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from grill and place in paper bag or place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand 10 minutes. Rub off skins using paper towels. Halve peppers and discard seeds.

　　

CARROT

Step 4

Halve lengthwise and cook in salted boiling water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Brush with olive oil or herb oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat until heated through and marked, 8 to 10 minutes. Brush with herb oil before serving, if desired.

　　

CELERY ROOT

Step 5

Halve lengthwise and cook in salted boiling water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Brush with olive oil or herb oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat until heated through and marked, 8 to 10 minutes. Brush with herb oil before serving, if desired.

　　

CORN

Step 6

Remove husks and silk; discard. Brush cobs with oil. Season with salt. Arrange cobs on grill parallel with the grates. Grill over medium-high heat, turning occasionally until slightly charred and kernels are tender, about 15 minutes total. Serve with regular or compound butter (page 166). In-husk variation: Peel back husks without completely removing. Remove silks. Return husks to original position, and soak corn in water 10 minutes. Grill until charred and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with compound butter.

　　

EGGPLANT

Step 7

Halve eggplant lengthwise; cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch wedges (or 1/2-inch-thick slices lengthwise). Brush cut sides with olive oil or herb oil. Grill slices, one cut side down, over medium-high heat, until just golden and marked in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer to cooler part of grill (medium heat). Grill, other cut side down, until marked, 5 to 6 minutes. Or grill wedges, skin sides down, until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt.

　　

FENNEL BULBS

Step 8

Trim and cut into 3/4-inch wedges or 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cook in salted boiling water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Brush with olive oil or herb oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat until heated through and marked, 8 to 10 minutes. Brush with herb oil before serving, if desired.

　　

LEEKS

Step 9

Trim leeks. Halve lengthwise, rinse well. Add to a pan of boiling salted water. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Brush with olive oil or herb oil. Grill, cut sides down, over medium-high heat, with grill covered, until marked and softened, about 6 minutes. Flip; grill until soft, about 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.

　　

RED AND YELLOW ONIONS

Step 10

Cut onions into 1/2-inch-thick pieces and keep rings intact. Thread a skewer horizontally through several slices. Brush generously with olive oil or herb oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill onions over low heat with grill covered, until marked and softened, about 15 minutes. Flip; grill until cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes more.

　　

POTATOES

Step 11

Cover potatoes with cold water. Add salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until just tender (they should offer slight resistance when pierced with the tip of a knife), 12 to 15 minutes. Drain. Halve or leave whole. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with spice mix (page 348) or salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Thread onto skewers. Grill cut sides down over medium-high heat, turning once, until charred in spots and tender, about 10 minutes total.

　　

RADICCHIO

Step 12

Halve through stem if small, quarter if large, stem end left intact to hold leaves together. Brush with olive oil or herb oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat until marked and cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes, turning once. Brush with herb oil before serving, if desired.

　　

SCALLIONS

Step 13

Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat until charred and tender, about 2 minutes per side.

　　

SWEET POTATOES

Step 14

Slice lengthwise about 1/3 inch thick. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat, turning once, 2 to 4 minutes per side.

　　

TOMATOES

Step 15

Halve tomatoes. Brush with olive oil or herb oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill tomatoes over medium-high heat until slightly charred and flesh is soft and heated through, 8 to 10 minutes total.

　　

YELLOW SQUASH AND ZUCCHINI

Step 16

Cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Brush with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill slices over medium-high heat until marked and tender, 6 to 8 minutes total. Or, cook chunks of squash until tender in salted boiling water, about 5 minutes. Brush with olive oil or herb oil and grill over medium heat until marked and heated through, 8 to 10 minutes. Brush with herb oil before serving.

　　Reprinted with permission from Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook by Martha Stewart. Copyright © 2008 by Martha Stewart. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Martha Stewart is the author of dozens of bestselling books on cooking, entertaining, gardening, weddings, and decorating. She is the host of The Martha Stewart Show, the Emmy-winning, daily national syndicated program, and founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which publishes several magazines, including Martha Stewart Living; produces Martha Stewart Living Radio, channel 112 on SIRIUS Satellite Radio; and provides a wealth of ideas and information on www.marthastewart.com.