Greens on the Coals turns the plate around: vegetables on the barbecue are the main course here, and meat is at most a side note. The book shows what happens when you put a pointed cabbage, a pumpkin or a whole cauliflower into the embers instead of the oven. Smoke gets drawn in, sugars caramelise and the texture turns out very different from what you're used to. You get technique and recipes woven together, so you understand why something works.
What you learn about vegetables on the barbecue
Every vegetable asks for something different. Watery vegetables want it hot and short, hard roots want it gentle and long.
- Direct roasting for colour, leaves and bite
- Indirect cooking for roots, cabbages and pumpkin
- Smoking with wood that doesn't overpower the vegetable
- Cooking in the ash, straight between the coals
- Combinations of smoke, acid and fat that keep flavour balanced
Who this book is for
For vegetarians, for people eating less meat and for barbecue fanatics who want to broaden their repertoire. Also handy if you're hosting guests with different wishes at the table.
How to use it on a kamado
The kamado excels here: the moist, closed chamber stops vegetables from drying out. Work indirectly with a heat deflector for the long dishes, and take it out if you still want colour on your cabbage stump.
Bill's tipUse mild wood types for vegetables. Heavy smoke drowns out the sweetness you're actually trying to bring forward.
Find more inspiration among the other titles in BBQ books. For the cooking itself, cast iron pans and plates and a mild kind of smoking wood chips come in handy.
