(I like to add quartered mushrooms)
(See below for other vegetable combinations. You need about 4 cups of cut-up vegetables.)
1/2 cup Italian Salad Dressing (I likeNewman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing for this, be sure to use a dressing with oil as the first ingredient.)
pinch of dried herbs like thyme, oregano, or fennel (optional)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to season vegetables after grilling
Cut ends off the zucchini, then cut in half lengthwise and cut into slices not quite 2 inches thick. Peel onion, cut off ends, cut in half, then break apart into individual layers and cut each one into same-size pieces. Cut red bell pepper in half, cut out seeds and stem, and cut into pieces the same size as the onion and zucchini.
Put the vegetables into Ziploc bag or plastic container with tight-fitting lid, choosing the smallest size you can to fit all the vegetables so they get well coated with the marinade. Pour in enough dressing to coat the vegetables, about 1/2 cup. Add dried herbs if desired, then close the bag or container and marinate in the fridge for 4-6 hours (or all day is fine if you're at work.)
When you're ready to cook vegetables, put the grill pan on the grill grate and preheat grill (and pan) to medium-high heat. (You can only hold your hand there for a few seconds at that heat.) Drain vegetables into a colander placed in the sink and let dressing drain off while you preheat the grill. (This is very important to prevent flare-ups when you add the vegetables to the grill pan.)
When grill and pan are hot, pour in the vegetables and spread them around so as many as possible are touching the surface of the pan. Cook with grill lid closed, stirring the vegetables every 5 minutes or so to insure that they get lightly browned on all sides. Cook about 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked but still slightly crisp and starting to char on the edges. (I don't mind if mine get a bit charred, but keep an eye on them if you'd like them less browned.) Serve hot, with salt and fresh ground pepper to season. (If you have some good balsamic vinegar, a drizzle of that is good on these too.)
The types of pans which are good for this:
We have often grilled green beans, which are one of Jake's favorites, and we like asparagus grilled too.
Other Vegetable Combinations Kalyn Recommends for Grilling:
--Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Sweet Onions
--Sugar Snap Peas, Red Bell Pepper, Sweet Onions
--Sugar Snap Peas, Par-boiled Carrots, Sweet Onion (boil the carrots for 2-3 minutes and drain before you marinate)
--Sweet Potato, Zucchini, Sweet Onion (marinate sweet potato separately and cook it about 5 minutes before adding other vegetables to the pan)
--Asparagus, Red Bell Pepper, Sweet Onion (cut asparagus into fairly short pieces, cut on the diagonal)
--Eggplant, Zucchini, Red Bell Pepper
--Eggplant, Red Bell Pepper, Sweet Onion
