Keep the vegetables in large pieces when you grill them so that they don’t fall through the grates. I cut zucchini and eggplant lengthwise, peppers into quarters, asparagus whole, etc.
Ingreadient :
an assortment of vegetables, such as:
2 to 3 bell peppers, any color, stemmed, seeded and quartered
1 to 2 zucchini or summer squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 to 2 onions, red or white, peeled, ends trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1/2 to 1 lb. asparagus, thick bottom end trimmed
eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
any other vegetables you like grilled: mushrooms, scallions, endive, Treviso, snap peas, etc.
1 to 2 jalapeños, stem removed, seeded or partially seeded if sensitive to heat
4 to 5 cloves garlic
1/2 small onion or 2 to 3 scallions (whites and most of the greens)
a small bunch cilantro, about a cup
kosher salt to taste
for the cilantro-lime crema:
1 cup (heaping) cilantro, about 1 ounce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
for assembly:
flour or corn tortillas
pickled vegetables such as radishes, turnips, jalapeños, onions
grated cheese such as queso fresco, cotija, cheddar, Monterey Jack
fresh lime wedges
Direction :
Grill the vegetables: For charcoal grilling, I fill two chimney starters with coals and let them burn for about 30 minutes. Then I dump the coals into grill, replace the grate and let it heat for at least 5 minutes before placing the vegetables (or meat or fish, etc.) on top. I grill vegetables uncovered when using charcoal, but covered when using a gas grill. There is no recipe here: simply, spread the vegetables on the grill grates in a single layer, grill until you see condensation forming on the exposed side, flip vegetables and grill until lightly charred on the underside. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl—pile the vegetables on top of one another as they emerge from the grill. The heat from the vegetables will help the vegetables continue to cook.
Chop the vegetables into smallish pieces (reference the photos for guidance). Dress with olive oil and salt. Toss. Taste. Add more salt and oil until the veg tastes good. Add a squeeze of lemon of vinegar if desired. If serving immediately, keep warm in a 250ºF oven. Otherwise, store in fridge.
Meanwhile, make the tomatillo salsa: Place all ingredients in a food processor, and purée until smooth. Taste. Add more salt to taste.
Make the cilantro-lime crema: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cilantro with the lime juice until fine. Add the sour cream, sugar, and salt, and purée until smooth. Taste, adjusting seasoning with more salt or lime juice. Alternatively, mince the cilantro by hand, then add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Prepare the tortillas: Warm tortillas as your like. (I sometimes throw them on the grill; sometimes I fold them in half and tuck them into a toaster, sometimes I heat them in a sauté pan with a little bit of oil. Whatever method I choose, I ultimately wrap the warmed tortillas in foil and either serve immediately or keep them warm in a low-temp oven).
Serve: Scoop the warm grilled vegetables into warm tortillas, spoon over the crema, salsa, and any other fixin’s you like.