Mixed Vegetable Grill

Grilled vegetables can be absolutely wonderful. Courgettes, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, slices of bulb fennel and clusters of radicchio leaves are particularly delicious grilled and can be served either on their own or as an accompaniment to roast meat or poultry. The grill should be very, very hot as the vegetables must become charred on the outside to give them their irresistible smoky flavour. If you are lucky enough to have a ribbed griddle pan or a char-grill on your stove, the vegetables will be attractively striped with black lines, but an overhead grill can also produce good results. In the summer, a charcoal or fruitwood barbecue, especially with a few rosemary, thyme or fennel sprigs on it, can be fantastic, but it is more difficult to get the cooking exactly right.