Grilled Summer Vegetables from the Board
Grilled summer vegetables are simple to get right: cut courgette, pepper and aubergine into even pieces, marinate them in olive oil and herbs, grill over a hot flame, and serve warm straight from the wooden board – finished with a fresh grind of salt and pepper. These three are at their peak with us in July, and a good summer evening barely needs anything more.
No complicated recipe, no fuss – just good vegetables, a hot grill and a little Nordic calm. That's what summer tastes like.
Ingredients
For 4, as a side dish or a light main:
- 2 courgettes
- 2 peppers (red and yellow)
- 1 aubergine
- 1 red onion
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 sprigs of rosemary or thyme
- 1 clove of garlic (optional)
- Coarse sea salt and black pepper
- ½ lemon, for drizzling
Method
- Preheat the grill to a fierce, direct heat (about 220°C).
- Wash the vegetables and pat dry. Using a sharp chef's knife, cut the courgettes and aubergine into slices about 1 cm thick, the peppers into wide strips, and the onion into wedges. Even pieces cook evenly – that's really the whole secret.
- Toss the vegetables in a large bowl with the olive oil, the herb leaves stripped from their stalks, and the finely chopped garlic. Season lightly with salt just before grilling, so nothing turns watery.
- Place the courgettes, peppers and onion on the hot grill and cook for 3–4 minutes per side, until nice char lines form. The aubergine can go a little longer, until it's soft.
- Tip the warm vegetables straight onto a wooden board and grind fresh salt and pepper over the top from the salt and pepper mill – coarse salt and pepper release the most flavour this way.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon and serve straight from the board.
kjøk Tip
A clean cut keeps the vegetables' cells intact, so less juice escapes on the grill and everything stays lovely and moist. Our Damascus-pattern chef's knife, with its distinctive blade grain, sits calmly in the hand for jobs like this.
Caring for it stays simple and Nordic in style: wash the knife and board by hand, never in the dishwasher, and don't leave them standing in water. Rub the wooden board and olive-wood handles with a little food-grade oil now and then, and they'll stay looking good for years. Just keep the mills dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which vegetables are ideal for grilling in summer?
Courgettes, peppers, aubergine, red onions and mushrooms are all great choices – they're in season in July and August, need no special preparation, and pick up those lovely charred flavours quickly on the grill.
Do I need to pre-cook the vegetables before grilling?
No. Cut into even pieces, summer vegetables cook through on the grill in just a few minutes. Only firmer varieties like squash or carrot benefit from a brief pre-cook.
How do I stop the vegetables sticking to the grill?
Preheat the grill properly and brush the vegetables (not the grill) lightly with oil. Only turn them once the pieces release on their own – that way nothing tears.
