h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

One of the disadvantages to apartment living is not being able to cook food on an outdoor grill- I don't have my own backyard to grill in. But grilled veggies, veggie burgers, polenta, etc, are so nice! Especially during the heat of summer when you don't want to run the stove or the oven for any length of time. K has a little George Foreman electric grill thingy, which is nice for preparing a single toasted sandwich or something, but isn't really big enough for doing dinner for two or more.

In way of compromise, I've just bought myself a grill pan. It's a flat pre-seasoned cast iron one, with grill ridges on one side and a flat griddle surface on the other. It doesn't have any real handles to speak of, but rather little grips on either end. It might be a bit unwieldy to move from the stovetop to the sink while still hot, as it weighs 17 lbs, but I'm sure I'll manage, once I get a mat for the bottom of the sink so I don't scratch it (sink is stainless steel).

So I'm thinking it'll be nice to grill veggies and polenta and such during the summer months. Yes, cast iron pans need to be heated quite hot, but I would imagine that food will cook very quickly on it and so it'll heat the house up less than roasting stuff in the convection oven?

And the griddle side will be nice for making pancakes more than one at a time.

Anyhoo, I'm fishing for suggestions. What are your favorite foods to grill (meatless, please)? I'd be esepcailly keen on things one might not normally think of putting on a grill.

"esepcailly"?

ESPECIALLY.

I simply cannot type properly today. Too tired.

"I'd be esepcailly keen on things one might not normally think of putting on a grill."
Now you're asking for it!

I'd probably do best to avoid body parts or science experiments...

Parathas. You can make your own and stuff 'em with the curry of your choice. (or use a naan dough, which is simpler)

You'll not want halloumi, though.

Do you have these sandwich makes in USAland? http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/images/br/breville-tr13s-daisy.jpg


Looking for that, I came across a joke which probably nobody else will get:
http://blog.wired.com/photos/uncategorized/2009/03/05/sandwich.png

Ooh! Look! A chocolate bong:
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/04/get-a-whiff-of.html

Least likely to put on it: Tortilla pancakes folded in half, filled with cinnamon sprinkled or chocolate sauce covered bananas. Peanut butter works too, but not for me.

Good ol' standard: Parcels of vegetables (wrapped in tin foil) give a very different flavour to skewered vegetables. I tend to keep it simple, with red onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers.

Don't worry Ed, I got it too. Snicker.

Something you'd probably already tried:

Bananas stuffed with mint

I became a master of sandwich maker cookery in my old shared flat, so I wouldn't have to go to the kitchen

Not sure about grilling, though. Try baking bread directly on the grill.

Want one! http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/02/shark-attack-te.html



But...PC look away now:

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/10/chew-on-this-ga.html

Gaaaah!

I'll definitely warm tortillas on it if I'm grilling vegetables to have with them. I'll have to try stuffing bananas. And come to think of it, plantains would probably grill nicely on there.

Veggies probably wouldn't even need foil- and they'll get lovely grill marks on them.

Grilled peanut butter sandwiches.

We don't have sandiwch makers like that here, that I know of, the closet thing I've seen is a panini press.

And I totally want that shark fin tea infuser!!

Oh- and it's a nice, big 20" X 17" pan. Covers two burners. So complete meals could be cooked on it, if planned accordingly. I'm thinking tofu would grill nicely, too?

Me, too!

My favourite sandwich maker creation is probably the hummus and cream cheese sandwich - but on cold rainy days you just can't beat two slices of buttered bread with bittersweet chocolate between them, toasted so it melts.

I'll have to try grilling a nice hummus sandwich. I also love grilled "cheese" with sliced tomato. Or guacamole. Never tried chocolate, though, I must try that!

Tempeh?

Mmmmmmm! Brilliant! Previously, I've just made tempeh by crumbling and simmering in water till it's not so tough. If I were to grill it, would I just marinate it a bit and then slice it?

I've seen bacon made from sliced tempeh. I've never found it tough, though. When I have it (which is not for *ages* - I can't find any these days), I cook it in coconut cream with onions, garlic, ginger, green chilli and soy sauce. Madhur Jaffrey frys it in strips and spices it.

I suggest...Slice into 'rashers' (except thicker) and then marinate in tamari, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and honey/maple syrup.

I've had tempeh bacon (recently) at the veggie diner we do weekend brunch at. It's tasty! It was on a tofu "fried egg" sandwich with soy cheese, sliced tomato and avocado, alfala sprouts, dark green leaf lettuce, and sourdough bread. Jaysus, was it good.

Last night's dinner: marinated (ginger, garlic, Bragg's, mirin, rice vinegar, agave syrup) and sliced a block of extra-firm tofu into about 10 slices. Sprayed with cooking spray and grilled. Also grilled shiitake mushroom caps, green onions, and even the baby bok choy. The tofu stuck a bit- next time it'll need to have a lot more moisture pressed out of it first. Otherwise, it was yummy, and the mushrooms and onions carmelized very nicely. The pan wasn't too hard to clean, even considering that some of the tofu has stuck.