It takes a while for this dish to cook on the grill, but at least you won't be heating up your kitchen on a late summer evening. (Susan Mintert)
Whether you grow your own tomatoes and zucchini or get them from the farmers market or grocery store, late summer is prime time for these garden vegetables. This vegetable tian is made up of layers of vegetable rounds and cooked on the grill in a cast-iron skillet.
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Susan Mintert is the host of the Indiana Home Cooks podcast and blog.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper (plus thyme or oregano, if desired)
- One large yellow sweet onion, sliced in 1/4-inch thick slices
- 4-5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 4-5 Yukon Gold or red skin potatoes, depending on size, sliced 1/4-in thick
- 2-3 ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4-in thick
- 2-3 small zucchini, sliced 1/4-in thick
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
On the stove, heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, or another pan suitable for the grill, to medium-low. Get the outdoor grill preheated to 375º. Drizzle in the skillet about 2 T olive oil, then put in onion slices and begin to cook, no higher than medium-low. You are not cooking them completely, just getting them started. After a couple of minutes, add the garlic, stir, and continue cooking gently for another minute. Then remove from heat and turn off the stove. Season the onions and garlic with just a pinch of salt and pepper, and add another drizzle of olive oil.
To the skillet, on top of the onions, add the potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini in layers. Either potato/tomato/zucchini, in a fan arrangement, or a potato layer, followed by tomato layer, followed by zucchini layer. Whatever makes you happy. Season lightly as you add layers. Top with the parmesan cheese and another generous drizzle of olive oil.
Using oven mitts (it may still be hot from the stove) take the skillet out to the preheated grill (375º). Place it on the grill over direct heat. After 10-15 minutes, move to indirect heat and finish cooking, about 30 more minutes. At that point, cover the pan with aluminum foil and continue cooking 15 more minutes, for a total cooking time of 60 minutes on the grill. Test potatoes for doneness before removing from grill.
When done, set the skillet aside while you finish preparing the rest of the meal. The tian can sit for up to 30 minutes before serving. It’s also good served at room temperature. Serve it right out of the skillet.
