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By Root 722 0

down to the roots for storage as starch and move sugars back up from the roots to other parts of the plant for energy. For this reason, stems are rigid, fibrous, and veined with vascular channels. They also support a steady flow of liquid from the bottom to the top of the plant, a characteristic that helps us judge their quality. Stems like celery and the bulbous part of fennel should be snappingly crisp. This plant part also includes vegetables located further up the plant, such as cauliflower and broccoli. These vegetables are known as stem-blossoms because they include a flowering portion of the plant. An artichoke, on the other hand, is a true blossom, the flowering part of a thistle plant. The plant category of stems also includes some vegetables that combine stem and leaf, such as broccoli rabe, Broccolini, and fiddlehead ferns, all of which can be grilled. Because stems are thruways for liquid, flaccid stems can be restored to their former turgidity. Cut the bottom of the limp stalks, submerge them in ice water, and they will draw up moisture and become rigid again.

Leaves

Vegetables like cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and Belgian endive are actually the plant’s leaves. They produce energy for the plant through photosynthesis, which transforms sunshine and the carbon dioxide in the air into sugar. To soak up as much sunshine and carbon dioxide as possible, leaves are broad and flat and consist of a large network of air pockets. They are mostly air, in fact, which is why leaves such as cabbage and spinach can shrink by up to 75 percent in volume when cooked. The air pockets make leaf vegetables highly susceptible to dehydration and wilting, which is why tender mesclun greens quickly go from tender-crisp to limp in your refrigerator. But on the grill fresh, crisp leaf vegetables like radicchio, bok choy, and even cactus pads (nopales) concentrate in flavor with only minimal shrinkage.

Fruits

Savory or sweet, the part of the plant known botanically as the fruit guarantees the plant’s regeneration. The fruit produces the seed. Whether savory or sweet, fruits tend to be brightly colored to entice creatures to eat the fruit and spread the seed, ensuring the plant’s survival. Vegetables in this category take many forms, such as tomatoes, peppers, okra, eggplant, corn, zucchini, winter squash, and green beans. They all have seeds and come in various colors and degrees of sweetness. As its seed matures, a fruiting vegetable ripens and fills up with sugar and juices, all of which make these vegetables the most popular type that we eat. In general, choose vegetables in this category by how plump and colorful they look and how fragrant they smell.

How to Grill Vegetables

Vegetables come in all shapes and sizes. Each one requires slightly different preparation, and many vegetables can be grilled in more ways than one. Almost all benefit from generous oiling to help prevent the vegetables from sticking to the grill. Beyond that, size, thickness, and density are your best criteria for choosing how to grill a vegetable.

Roots

The fibrous density of roots and tubers means they grill fastest when sliced. Beets, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and radishes can be sliced about ¼ inch thick, oiled and seasoned, and grilled directly over medium-high heat until tender. Roots can also be grilled whole using indirect medium heat. Tough roots with thick skins, such as beets, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, can also be wrapped in foil and nestled in the embers of a hot charcoal fire. The skins will char and the flesh inside will absorb some smoke flavor as it softens from the heat. Scoop the flesh right from the jacket.

Stems and Stem-Blossoms

Stems and stem-blossoms like celery, cardoons, fennel, asparagus, and hearts of palm are best grilled whole over direct medium-high heat. To grill large or bulbous stem vegetables like fennel, slice them first. Very large stem-blossoms such as cauliflower can be grill-roasted whole or cut into florets over indirect medium heat.

Leaves and Stem-Leaves

Leaf vegetables like radicchio,