When It's Raining and You Can't Cook Out

By Tommy C. Simmons, an enthusiastic cook
Photograph by Tommy C. Simmons

Nothing is more appealing than a slice of rustic bread topped with sizzling grilled vegetables right off the Weber. And it can be pretty disappointing after you've made a lovely herbal focaccia bread, seasoned your assortment of vegetables picked up that morning at the farmers' market and it starts thundering and lightning outside.

No, you won't be cooking out this evening.

If this has happened to you more than once, you've probably already devised an indoor roasted vegetable recipe that works just fine. If not, try mine.

Grilled vegetables sometimes have to become roasted vegetables when it's storming and you can't cook out.

Home kitchen-tested recipe

Roasted Vegetables

Serves 4 to 6. Recipe is by Tommy Simmons.

2 yellow squash
2 zucchini
1 Vidalia onion
1 bell pepper
Handful of fresh string beans
Olive oil
Italian seasoning blend
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. wine vinegar (red or white)
Dash Tabasco Sauce with Chipotle
Rustic bread or focaccia
Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese or crumbled feta cheese

1. Slice squash, zucchini and onion into thin wheels. Seed bell pepper and cut into strips. Combine prepped vegetables with green beans in a mixing bowl.
2. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over vegetables in the bowl. Then add seasonings, brown sugar, vinegar and Tabasco Sauce with Chipotle. Let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Spray a foil-lined baking pan with olive oil and pour vegetables into the pan. Spread them out and then bake at 400 degrees until vegetables are cooked through. Turn up heat to broil and brown edges of vegetables to caramelize the sugar. 
4. Ladle onto toasted rustic bread and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese or a few crumbles of feta. Enjoy.

Testing note: If you have a George Forman indoor grill, you can opt to partially cook the vegetables on the indoor grill. I've found that you still need to finish them in the oven at a higher temperature to achieve the caramelized edges and flavor.

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