Ellen Kanner

soulful vegan writer

  • About
  • CONSULTATION
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • RESOURCES
  • RECIPES
  • Video
  • Shop
  • Appearances
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • $0.00
You are here: Home / MAIN COURSE / Grilled Vegetables – Grits or Polenta Cakes and Zucchini

Grilled Vegetables – Grits or Polenta Cakes and Zucchini

July 5, 2021 by Ellen Kanner Leave a Comment

Grilling — a summer tradition.  But guys, the heatwave has been relentless and deadly.  It’s just too hot to stand in the heat over an open fire.  It’s not safe and it’s not fun.  Very well, if you must grill, I recommend consulting grillmaster, Steven Raichlen.  Usually Mr. Meat Man, he finally gives vegetables their grilling due in his new book, How to Grill Vegetables (vegetable forward, not vegan).

 

Me, I suggest bringing it inside. The grits cakes and zucchini roast beautifully in an oven, so you can keep cool-ish.

Grits or Polenta Cakes

Call it grits, polenta, or mamaliga (it’s Romania’s native dish), it’s cornmeal porridge, humble, affordable, delicious, and comforting.  And with this method, easy.  Thank Paula Wolfert and her genius hack.  It makes perfect grits every time, no matter what you call it.  No standing over a hot stove, no risking splatters on your stovetop or you.

Adorable zucchini, baby vegetables and fancy greens courtesy of @the_chefs_garden_ohio, one of the fabulous sponsors for the #Sexysummersalads class I did with @chefelrod.

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if desired
1 cup coarse cornmeal (sometimes labelled grits or polenta)
4 cups water
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Generously oil a deep ovenproof casserole with one tablespoon of the olive oil.  Pour in cornmeal and water, add a little sea salt — you’ll probably want more when it’s done.   Give it a stir, so it forms a slurry.  It will not look pretty.   Have heart.  Place baking dish in the oven and leave it to work its magic for 1 hour.

Take out the mamaliga, and give it a vigorous stir  Season generously with sea salt and pepper.  Add more olive oil if desired.  No lumps, no splatters.

To make grits cakes:

Lightly oil an 8 X 8” baking pan, a clean, empty 24-ounce container of vegan yogurt. Allow polenta to cool slightly. Then pour into chosen container, cover and refrigerate for six hours or even overnight, until grits condenses and becomes firm.

Turn out and slice as desired, such as rounds, batons, triangles.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lined a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat. Place grits cakes on top.  Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Roast for 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly blackened.  Flip grits cakes gently and roast for another 10 minutes, or until they’re golden and crispy.

Yes,  you can also grill them. Top with grilled vegetables or roasted zucchini, or any variety of summer produce.

Serves 4 to 6.

grilled zucchini

grilled zucchini

Grilled Zucchini and Lemon with Fresh Herbs

Summer harvest and summer grilling come together for a vegetarian summerfest in your mouth. For optimal results, use produce, preferably organic, at its peak. A standout by itself. To make it a meal, serve with white beans.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course, Side Dish

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lemons rinsed well and sliced crosswise in paper-thin slices
  • 2 zucchini sliced into long, slender planks
  • 1 red onion sliced crosswise into rings
  • 1 handful mint leaves torn
  • 1 handful oregano leaves
  • 1 handful parsley leaves
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste pepper

Instructions
 

  • Bring a small saucepan of water to boil, poking out the seeds. Drop the lemon slices in the water to blanch for a minute. Drain well and blot dry.
  • Brush lemon slices, onion and zucchini blanks with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Grill lemon slices for about a minute — a grill basket is great for this — or until the start to blacken, then flip and grill the other side. Set aside.
  • Brush the zucchini planks and sliced onions with remaining olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Grill a few minutes per side, or until softened and the onion is slightly caramelized, about 8 minutes, a little longer for the zucchini. My go-to source for grilling vegetables — and for many things — is “The Old Farmer’s Almanac.”
  • Arrange grilled zucchini, onion and lemon on a platter. Scatter herbs on top and drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired. Set aside and leave out at room temperature for about 30 minute before serving, so the flavors get to know each other.

Notes

No grill? No problem. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take 2 baking sheets or roasting pans. Place a parchment sheet on each. Lay lemon and onion slices on one sheet, leaving room in between the lemon and onion. Spread the zucchini planks on the other sheet. Brush everything lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Roast the lemon and onion slices until they start to char at the edges, about 15 minutes, and zucchini for 30 minutes, flipping the zucchini about halfway through, as it starts to blacken and blister. Prepare as above, topping with fresh herbs and perhaps a little more olive oil. Allow to rest and mellow for about 30 minutes before serving.
Keyword grilled, grilling, herbs, lemon, summer, vegetables, veggies, zucchini

 

Grits or Polenta Cakes

Call it grits, polenta, or mamaliga (it’s Romania’s native dish), it’s cornmeal porridge, humble, affordable, delicious, and comforting. And with this method, easy. Thank Paula Wolfert and her genius hack. It makes perfect grits every time, no matter what you call it. No standing over a hot stove, no risking splatters on your stovetop or you.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more if desired
  • 1 cup coarse cornmeal sometimes labelled grits or polenta
  • 4 cups water
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Generously oil a deep ovenproof casserole with one tablespoon of the olive oil. Pour in cornmeal and water, add a little sea salt — you’ll probably want more when it’s done. Give it a stir, so it forms a slurry. It will not look pretty. Have heart. Place baking dish in the oven and leave it to work its magic for 1 hour.
  • Take out the mamaliga, and give it a vigorous stir Season generously with sea salt and pepper. Add more olive oil if desired. No lumps, no splatters.

To make grits cakes:

  • Lightly oil an 8 X 8” baking pan, a clean, empty 24-ounce container of vegan yogurt. Allow polenta to cool slightly. Then pour into chosen container, cover and refrigerate for six hours or even overnight, until grits condenses and becomes firm.
  • Turn out and slice as desired, such as rounds, batons, triangles.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lined a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat. Place grits cakes on top. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
  • Roast for 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly blackened. Flip grits cakes gently and roast for another 10 minutes, or until they’re golden and crispy.
  • Yes, you can also grill them. Top with grilled or roasted zucchini, or any variety of summer produce.
Keyword grits, grits cake, polenta, vegetables

Looking for more zucchini recipes? Try these.

  • Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
  • The Zucchini Song

dividerEK


dividerEKThank you for reading my vegan stories and plant-based recipes. I sincerely love to connect with listeners and would like to hear your feedback, takeaways, “ah-ha!” moments, etc in the comments.

Connect with me for discounts, exclusive tips, and other freebies:
• Join my NEWSLETTER for exclusive content & offers
• Join my social networks on LINKEDIN, TWITTER and FACEBOOK

Want to learn more?
Explore more of my VEGAN RECIPES, and my COOK BOOKS.
Do you want a happier life, a greener plate, and a delicious world? Then sign up for VEG THERAPY.



Filed Under: Grilling, MAIN COURSE Tagged With: grilled, grilling, herbs, lemon, North American Vegetarian Society, plant-based diet, Soulful Vegan, vegetables, veggies, zucchini

« Sexy Summer Salads and The Chef’s Garden
Keeping it Cool with Ajo Blanco »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

VEGAN EXTRAS

  • SHARE YOUR VEGAN STORY
  • RESOURCES
  • MY FAVORITE PEOPLE, MY FAVORITE RECIPES

RECOMMENDED VEGAN READS

Recent Posts

  • Harira —A Soothing Bowl of Wonder for Everyone
  • Irish Soda Bread
  • Dal in Living Color
  • Sukuma Wiki – Stretch the Week and Celebrate Greens
  • Mardi Gras Mushroom Étouffée

EXPLORE VEGAN RECIPES…

  • Juneteenth Bowl
  • Lentil and Brown Rice Soup With Lemon and Mint
  • Ital Vital Farmers Market Caribbean Stew
  • Arugula Pasta with Salsa Cruda
  • Date Honey

Archives

Some posts might contain affiliate links of books that I love. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links.

~ Search Site ~

RSS Newsletter

  • March 2023 March 1, 2023
  • February 2023 February 1, 2023
  • A Little Ask and a Little Delight January 17, 2023
  • January 2023 December 29, 2022
  • December 2022 December 1, 2022

~ Signup for my Newsletter~

~ Follow me on Twitter ~

© 2023 ELLEN KANNER - site by Kapok Graphics