On Christmas Eve this year, my son was outside at the grill, shorts and t-shirt clad, as gentle snow fell all around him. Undaunted, a native Vermonter is made of cold hardy stuff; he expertly grilled the steaks for the meat eaters, and they were delighted. At least he had shoes on so I didn’t have to fret.
It’s not unusual to find us outside grilling every month of the year, but sometimes, there’s just too much snow to plow through, or even to find the grill, just to prepare a few veggies for that smoky summer essence. Or it is too damn cold. This week, it was too damn cold, with a bitter north wind, so the last thing I wanted to do was stand outside, even over a hot grill. It wouldn’t help. We did manage a couple of walks with the dogs this week, brief but bracing, and thank god for the one really sunny day with vibrant blue skies. We didn’t even care that it was only 20 degrees F. because the wind died down, just for us it felt like. Oh the beauty of it all! Snow drifts and icicles, stark contrasts with pristine earth and sky. We found lots of deer and coyote tracks, and bunny trails, in the snow, and then, having had enough of the beauty and the cold, headed back to think about supper and prepare a cookout, indoors. One thankful note, the days are definitely getting a bit longer and that improves everyone’s mood a lot.
When it’s just too cold outside
Let’s cook
I have a couple of top-of-the-stove grill pans, one smallish round one, and one larger rectangle that holds the food more efficiently. It’s still limited in size and everything needs to be grilled in batches, but if what we’re craving is that grilled flavor, we just practice a little patience. Although I try to eat mostly what is grown locally when I can, I was lured by some lovely zucchini this week at the co=op, as well as some beautiful sweet red peppers. They tasted like summer, and they grilled beautifully indoors.
Where’s the smoke?
But something is missing of course – the smoke! So we have to use a few tricks to round out the flavors if we want to delude ourselves into summer. Sometimes I just give a quick sear and finish it off tucked in the fireplace, but I recognize that not everyone has a fireplace, and since I don’t have any special equipment, it’s awkward balancing business at best. My little smoker has very limited capacity, but does work quite nicely. The dome is quite small, so this must be done in batches as well, so all in all, real smoke is not easy to work with in the kitchen. Yes, I’ve tried turning on the vent fan and rigging up a stove-top smoker with roasting pans, foil, and wood chips, but it’s a lot of work, and mess, and you have to really be dedicated to bother with it all.
A little goes a long way
My mom was a fan of liquid smoke, a little bottle of very intensely smoke flavored liquid that I did not like because she often used a heavy hand. It doesn’t take a lot to be too much. Additionally, I figured it had to be some chemically altered artificial ingredient. In reality, liquid smoke is a natural ingredient that is created though an actual condensation of real wood smoke, then purified to remove any bits. It even comes organic, whatever that means when we’re talking about burning wood, and come in many flavors such as hickory. It’s been around a long time too. Invented in 1895 by E. H. Wright, his liquid smoke is still in production and the hickory version currently sits on a shelf in my pantry. I find it amazing.
Liquid smoke is widely available in little bottles, but is also used commercially in just about everything from barbecue chips or sauces, smoked meats and cheeses, canned baked beans, and many other condiments. In the home, it should be used very sparingly, not like mom, and it can enhance a marinade, a sauce, beans, or even a cocktail where one might want a smoky finish. At least that’s what the bottle tells me.
Enter, paprika
Another great spice to enhance indoor grilled veggies is smoked paprika, one of my favorites! Such a lovely flavor is just a shake away. I really love La Chinata sweet smoked paprika, and it also comes in a hot variety. Of course I’ll use it in dishes such as paella where it is expected, but routinely I sprinkle this in and on just about everything from scrambled eggs to a baked potato. It also adds a lovely color, especially if added to an oil while sautéing.
Let’s smoke some carrots, sort of
In addition to making a large platter of grilled veggies this week, lightly brushed with olive oil and a bit of liquid smoke, I also experimented and made a vegetarian crostini with carrots standing in for smoked salmon. This was definitely hit, and I taste-tested it on my grandson who loves a bagel with smoked salmon and I got a definite thumbs up. “This is carrot?” he asked incredulously! This is a good option if you want a vegetarian offering for game day, and it’s quite inexpensive as well. My only problem with it was as I was creating the marinade, I dripped a bit of the liquid smoke on my fingers and it remains more than a memory, but it is at least quite pleasant.
So take it easy with the smoke, close your eyes, and you might think you’re having a cook-out, outside!
Grilled Vegetables, Inside
- An assortment of vegetables to grill: zucchini, broccoli, beets, carrots, cauliflower, radishes, peppers, onions, mushrooms, potatoes, whatever you love! Mix up the colors!
- Olive oil
- Liquid smoke
- Any other seasoning you like
So simple, just put a few tablespoons of olive oil in a little dish and add a quarter teaspoon of liquid smoke. Brush this on the cut- or sliced-up vegetables, however you like to grill them outside in the summer. I enjoy mixing up the colors to make an eye-appealing presentation. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a little smoked paprika if you like.
Heat your grill pan over high heat and add the vegetables in a single layer. Grill until starting to soften and brown, turn, and continue grilling until done. Do this in batches if need be, keeping the first grilled warm.
These are delicious hot or room temperature and are very nice the next day atop a salad.
What do you mean it’s not smoked salmon on this toast?
Choose two ample carrots, nice fat ones, and place in a shallow pan of water. Bring to a boil and cook for about five minutes, or until just starting to soften. Chill under cold water.
Make a marinade from:
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- Zest of a lemon
- 2 tbsp. capers or dill pickles minced
- 2 tbsp. caper juice or pickle juice
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 crushed garlic clove
- 1 tsp. minced dill or parsley
- ¼ tsp. liquid smoke, plus a bit more
Whisk these together in a bowl, and add a bit of sea salt and black pepper. Use your potato peeler to strip off long slices of the carrot. Add to the bowl, and using your fingers, gently incorporate the carrot strips with the marinade. Let this set for four or five hours, or overnight.
Use these strips as you would use slices of smoked salmon. We made a marvelous crostini of (stove-top) grilled olive bread, smeared with a local truffle-honey goat cheese, and sprinkled with thinly sliced onion, topped with the smoked carrot slices. Pretty amazing in taste and texture.
“Barbecue is like jazz. It’s best when you improvise.” ~ George Benson
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Those veggies look amazing …. just like summer! Are you kidding me with carrot-topped crostini? That I have to taste to believe! Gorgeous post, my friend. 🥕
You’ll be amazed my dear!
As yet again, writing from Australia, I have to smile at our varying language use. We NEVER grill outdoors, that is barbecuing, which indeed we love very much – but each of our kitchen stoves has a pull-out ‘grill drawer’ between the hotplates and the oven > that is where all our hugely popular grilling gets done. Oh – some people have a grill inside and atop in the oven as well. And most of us also have grill pans for occasional use. Admittedly no smoky flavour !!! But outside – we look blank if you use the word 🙂 ! Love your carrot smoked salmon – fun idea! And your barbecued vegetable platter looks lovely, especially in February 🙂 !
The above is ‘Eha’ as perchance you may have guessed – my current WIFI system allows some matters to travel, but simply can’t see the important bits 🙂 !
Oh no! I hope you can get it resolved! I had a terrible time when we first moved where I am now; then we got fiber optics and the world changed!
I know the little quirks in languages can be confusing! What you call the grill, we call the broiler, and we love that too! When we are outside, we barbecue on the grill! Unless of course one is in the smoking camp, then it’s just pure slow smoked barbecue with no mention of the word grill.
Thank you, Dorothy, for the interesting tale of your grilling outside, but not for me as it is too cold and windy! I do all the cooking in the kitchen. We don’t have the liquid smoke here!
Joanna
You’re very welcome! Stay warm my friend!
Your food are so delicious and inspiring in every moment of each season. I am deliciously inspired for that cozy gathering and family love. 💞
Always an extra chair at the table!
))))❤️(((( your heart is a plate full of love!
I’m impressed
Thanks Sheree!
Looks delicious! I’ll have to try the liquid smoke!
Just remember to use just a tiny bit to start and add as you go!
A delicious spread of all the good things. Kudos to the cook outdoors doing the honours!!
No Liquid Smoke for me. I purchased a product which I can’t remember what it was – a macadamia spread maybe – but when I got it home I just could not bear the smell of it and it was very strong flavoured. So I’ll stick to the nice charcoal flavour of the BBQ.
Mary :))
I get you! A tiny bit of the stuff goes a very long way!
Wow I am very impressed, Dorothy and what a novel way to use the humble carrot instead of smoked salmon I take my hat off to you if I wore one 🙂 x
Thanks Carol! Since I gave it a second chance, I’ve been playing with that liquid smoke! Fun!
It sounds fun not that I have ever used it …
Looks pretty amazing. 👀🍃
Thanks!
So many veggies to choose from! It looks wonderful and that carrot salmon is one my summer favorites.
I think there’s nothing better than a beautiful platter of vegetables, no matter the time of year.
This beautiful arrangement of grilled veggies on the plate make me feel like spring is around the corner. So thanks for that! (I’ll complain about summer in due time, though! ;))
Your vegan “smoked salmon” trick is such a great idea! 🙂
Thanks Ronit! Sometimes I think we are never pleased except for that wonderful, bug- and humidity-free day in May that we always dream about!
Wow what great new ideas Dorothy! I learnt about a new ingredient called liquid smoke! And the vegetarian version of smoked salmon ala carrot is genius!!
Thanks! It’s always worth a try to give something different a shot. I really liked the smoke, but I was careful!
Oh, this will fuel my body with the good stuff! Roasted bliss!
So good! We can all use our favorites!
You reminded me of a memory of my mother using liquid smoke. She didn’t grill outdoors so she used it sometimes to add that flavor. I love you platter of veggies, it looks so good!
Ah, I hope they were good memories and your mother was not as heavy handed as mine!
Your use of carrot is extraordinary, Dorothy! And thank you for reminding me of the liquid smoke in the back of my spice cabinet.
It’s just smoke, it probably lasts forever!
What is it about grill marks that makes everything look mouthwatering? I love how you used “indoor smoke” here! I have a bottle of Colgin’s pecan liquid smoke but I’ve only ever used it in sauces or chili, never thought to try it as a marinade for veggies. Yum! Likewise, the lox-style carrots look incredible and I will be trying your recipe!
I didn’t know how liquid smoke was made – fascinating! Those are beautifully grilled veggies.
Thanks Mimi! I didn’t know how it was made either, so I looked it up. I was totally surprised it was real smoke. Live and learn.
Thanks for the tips on liquid smoke! And for the recipe for smoked “carrot” salmon.
Thanks Karen! I have been having fun revisiting this ingredient.
Wowsah, this a humdinger of a post. Didn’t know you could do that with carrots. Sounds utterly delicious! On my list of things to try.
I think you’ll like it!
I’m going to try some smoked paprika on my veggies tonight! What a fabulous idea. I love the image of your son grilling in the snow in shorts and a t-shirt. Oh you northerns! I’m also roasting some salmon, I wonder if that smoked paprika might be good with that too? I can always try. Thanks for the lovely stories and cooking tips. Hugs to you my friend, C
The smoked paprika would be great on the salmon. I like to mix some finely minced garlic, smoked paprika, and olive oil and brush the salmon all over, or pile it on top and pop under the broiler! Yum!
Update! It was delicious. And can I just say I got compliments from the roommates! Win. xoxo, C
It’s one of those recipes I have always in the back of my mind, and it works even better on roasted shrimp. Just sayin’!
I would never had thought about putting the food in the fireplace, brilliant! I only use liquid smoke when I make beef jerky, my husband doesn’t like it. Great post Dorothy!
Thanks so much!!!
We’re one of those who grills year-round–just not in pouring rain and wind and lightning. 🙂
Yes, we do have limits, don’t we!
Love those grilled vegetables! And I really like adding paprika to dishes–love the flavor it adds!
It’s such a lovely spice!