Recipe: Grilled Vegetable Medley with Macadamia (or Almond) Nut Butter

VEGETABLE MEDLEY WITH
MACADAMIA (OR ALMOND) NUT BUTTER

To grill vegetables, test for medium or medium-hot coals. Place vegetables on a piece of heavy foil or on the grill rack directly over the preheated coals. If placing directly on grill rack, lay vegetables perpendicular to wires on the rack so vegetables don't fall into coals. Grill, uncovered, for the times given below or till tender, turning occasionally. Watch closely.

FOR THE NUT BUTTER:
1/4 cup margarine or butter
2 Tablespoons ground macadamia nuts or almonds
2 Tablespoons walnut, almond or olive oil
1 Tablespoon snipped cilantro or parsley
FOR THE VEGETABLES:
2 pounds asparagus, baby carrots, eggplant, fennel, sweet peppers, leeks, new potatoes, and/or zucchini or yellow summer squash, cut into 1-ingh-thick slices
Salt
Pepper

FOR NUT BUTTER:
In a small saucepan combine all nut butter ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes or till nuts are toasted, stirring occasionally.
To prepare vegetables: Rinse, trim and cut up the vegetables. In a saucepan bring a small amount of water to boiling. Add desired vegetables and simmer, covered for precook time specified below. Drain well.
Grill according to Grill Times below, brushing with occasionally with nut butter. Sprinkle grilled vegetables with salt and pepper.

VEGETABLE PRECOOK AND GRILL TIMES:
Asparagus: snap off and discard tough bases of stems. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well. Tie precooked asparagus in bundles with strips of cooked green onion tops. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes.
Fresh baby carrots: cut off carrot tops. Wash and peel. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes.
Eggplant: cut off top and blossom ends. Cut eggplant crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Do not precook. Grill for 8 minutes.
Fennel: snip off feathery leaves. Cut of stems. Simmer 10 minutes. Drain well. Grill for 8 minutes.
Leeks: cut off green tops: trim bulb roots and remove 1 or 2 layers of white skin.. Simmer 10 minutes or till tender, then halve lengthwise. Drain well. Grill for 5 minutes.
Sweet Peppers: Remove stems. Quarter peppers. Remove seeds and membranes. Cut into 1-inch-wide strips. Do not precook. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes.
New potatoes: halve potatoes. Simmer 10 minutes or till almost tender. Drain well. Grill for 10 to 12 minutes.
Zucchini or yellow summer squash: wash, cut off ends. Quarter lengthwise into long strips. Do not precook. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Grill It Right cookbook