Cooking vegetables on a grill pan and choosing the right pan

Hi all! With the onset of cold weather, one is drawn to heavy, fatty and unhealthy foods. This is true, because the body is preparing for winter, making reserves. But what about trying to stay slim despite the changing seasons? Traditional methods of struggle remain - to give preference to proper, but satisfying food. The ideal option is to cook in a harmless way. For example, without oil. Today I’ll tell you how to cook meat and vegetables in a grill pan, healthy, tasty, beautiful and low in calories.

Inside you will find interesting recipes and descriptions of the subtleties of how to choose the right dishes that will last for decades and will delight you.

What is a grill pan, its advantages and disadvantages

I have had a specially coated utensil in my kitchen arsenal for several years now – a grill pan for the stove; I can’t get enough of it. She always helps out and works perfectly. This has a lot of advantages:

Significantly expands gastronomic possibilities (I can cook any dish from the world’s cuisine: from Russian to Asian cuisine);
Lasts a long time (with proper, simple care, the utensils “work” for decades);
Helps make healthy food ( minimum fat , maximum preservation of vitamins);
Easy to use (just you, dishes, stove - nothing more. A great date in the kitchen);
It’s easy to cook without oil, resulting in a low-fat diet food (a lifesaver for those losing weight);
All recipes come out perfect, even the most seemingly complicated ones;
Several different ingredients are combined in one vessel: vegetables with meat (due to size, convenient coating);
Saves cooking time (high temperature brings food to readiness in 15-20 minutes).

A nice bonus is the beautiful stripes from frying in a grill pan on meat and vegetables (they look especially nice on eggplants and zucchini). It seems as if the plate has just come from the fire. You can add spices with a smoky, smoked aroma, it will be almost like a picnic.

Perhaps the only drawback is the heavy weight of the utensils. It’s difficult to carry something like this with you on hikes or on vacation; you can’t trust children to carry it (you’ll be wary once again while you’re carrying the pan from place to place, God forbid it falls on your leg).

Features of use

Have you ever seen pieces of meat or fish with even brown stripes? These are dishes cooked on a grill pan. This is what makes food beautiful and appetizing. A grill pan differs from ordinary kitchen utensils in the following parameters:

corrugated surface – provides ready-made dishes with appetizing stripes;
thickened bottom – distributes and retains heat;
characteristic recesses on the sides allow excess fat to be drained.

The ribbed bottom, imitating a grill grate, does not allow food to touch the surface. Thanks to this, the dishes are juicy, tasty and low-fat.

7 benefits...

Once you figure out how to cook on a grill pan, it will immediately become your favorite utensil, and no wonder. The frying pan has many advantages that set it apart from its peers. There are seven main advantages of grilling.

Quick cooking. A frying pan with a thick bottom, once heated, can hold heat for a long time. Thanks to this ability, food cooks much faster. At the same time, they do not dry out.
The benefits of dishes. Food releases juice during frying. When it burns in a regular frying pan, it forms a carcinogenic crust that is harmful to health. On the grill, food does not come into contact with the bottom thanks to the grooved surface. The juice flows onto the hot bottom and gradually evaporates during the frying process.
Oil saving. Cooking on a grill pan does not require a lot of oil. It is enough to spray the surface and brush it with a special brush. And sometimes it is permissible to fry without oil at all.
Ease of preparation. The grill pan is loved by both experienced cooks and beginners. Its surface completely protects food from burning and sticking to the bottom. Therefore, even a beginner will feel like a real guru with her.
Diet food. Appetizing steaks or vegetables are steamed. They are not fried in oil, so they do not become greasy. And if you consider that they are not completely fried, it becomes obvious that such food can diversify the diet. This is why a grill pan is needed by people who adhere to proper nutrition.
Beautiful view of meat or vegetables. It is much more pleasant to eat food that not only tastes good, but also looks appetizing.
Versatility. A grill pan allows you to cook several dishes at once. You can fry a meat steak, “conjure” vegetables and cook mushrooms. And all these products may not come into contact with each other at all, so the taste of the dishes will not be affected.

... and 3 disadvantages

The grill pan, which has an impressive list of advantages, also has some disadvantages. Be prepared for them. Although there are significantly fewer disadvantages than advantages. Let's look at three of them in more detail.

Smoke. Grilling food produces smoke. Therefore, you can only cook with the hood on or the window open.
Heavy weight. Grill pans are distinguished by their impressive weight. Although the weight depends on the size of the dish and the material from which it is made. Lightweight models are available.
Lack of cover. The grill usually does not include a lid. And this is one of the significant disadvantages. After all, during frying, juice and fat begin to splatter. They can burn your hands and contaminate the surface of the stove. But while grilling, you can use any lid that you have and fits in size. This will reduce the spray radius and protect your hands from injury.

What is a grill pan for?

We've decided on the basics, now let's get down to the important stuff.

Firstly, you don’t have to use fat . You should not pour it when frying any eggplants. The vegetables will retain their juice. The maximum worth doing (and even then not always) is to lubricate the bottom with an oiled brush in the thinnest layer. You can use the usual olive or sunflower oil. Or coconut, this product can withstand high temperatures and does not emit carcinogens. Plus - it gives a pleasant aroma.
Secondly, buy special tongs for turning the pieces. Useful for halloumi cheese (and any other cheese, so as not to damage the appearance), steak, fish. In general, they are more convenient and easier to cook with.
If you love stews, consider purchasing a lid , and some models already come with one.

Double sided

When frying on a double-sided device, there is no need to turn the food over; you just need to close the lid and turn the product itself over. Both parts are secured with magnetic locks. Inside, as a rule, there is a special compartment for water into which all excess moisture will drain. Most popular products:

Model name: Gipfel 32 cm.
Price: 4734 rubles.
Characteristics: diameter 32 cm, induction bottom, non-stick ceramic coating, bakelite handle. Material: cast aluminum.
Pros: the dishes are made from environmentally friendly materials. High resistance to physical impacts. Multi-layer bottom reduces cooking time.
Cons: heavy in weight.

For a long time, Sinbo has been providing a wide range of products in the small home appliance sector. One of the most popular products is:

Model name: Sinbo SP 5218.
Price: 2900 rubles.
Characteristics: surface coating: granite, handle material – anti-plastic. Housing made of solid energy-saving aluminum. High resistance to high temperatures. Dimensions: 32 x 24 x 9 cm.
Pros: non-stick external and internal surface.
Cons: Not suitable for induction cookers.

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The nuances of working with food

Don't be under the illusion that a stove can replace an open fire and fry the thickest pieces well. Therefore, when frying, always beat off the pieces and make them about one and a half centimeters. Otherwise, they will not be cooked well and will be raw (although lovers of rare steak will appreciate it).
Perhaps you can remain calm only because of the thickness of the fish or chicken breast. These foods will still cook fairly quickly.
Also cut the vegetables into thin pieces. And the potatoes (they will definitely be cooked) before placing them on the ribs.
Add spices and herbs, especially fresh ones. When exposed to heat, they will impart a pleasant aroma to the dish. In general, you have a lot of room for creativity and imagination.

I’ll be happy to share a couple of my favorite recipes.

For gas stove

The capabilities of cookware for a gas stove help you diversify your meals with little time spent. This type of device ensures that food is prepared without the use of harmful substances, thereby helping to maintain health for many years. The most popular products can be found in the online store:

Model name: Neva Metal “Ferra Induction” with Titanium PC II coating.
Price: 3390 rubles.
Characteristics: bottom thickness 4 mm, wall height 4.6 cm, titanium coating is unpretentious, but durable and reliable.
Pros: Suitable for glass-ceramic, induction, electric and gas stoves. The thickened bottom provides uniform heating of the dishes and accumulates heat. Thanks to the removable handle, the device can be used in the oven. Dishwasher safe.
Cons: high price.

The famous Swiss manufacturer AXENTIA uses pure materials in production. Grill pan made of cast aluminum does not require the use of fats:

Model name: AXENTIA, cast iron, black.
Price: 1699 rubles.
Characteristics: coating – non-stick, there are non-heating handles, material – thermoplastic and aluminum.
Pros: Durable, suitable for almost all types of stoves and hobs.
Cons: Not suitable for induction hobs.

Grilled vegetables

Our whole family really loved this dish and use it as a side dish, it’s very easy to prepare, the vegetables turn out juicy and aromatic.

How to cut vegetables

Champignons into two parts.
Eggplants into 0.5 cm slices or slices.
Zucchini or small white zucchini in layers of 0.5-1 cm.
Striped bell peppers.

Why is it needed?

It will be useful for many to find out exactly what a similar grill pan with protrusions and a textured surface is needed for.

There are a number of people who believe that the meaning of this tableware is purely to give a special design to the product. This is wrong. The grill pan is used for preparing healthy food.

Imagine a pork steak. It is laid on a heated surface, but is located on a hill due to the ribs. Fat flows into these spaces. It begins to evaporate there and imbues the dish with a special aroma.

But the meat is not in a layer of its own fat. This protects against excess carcinogen cholesterol. It also prevents the dish from burning. Some of the harmful fat disappears, but the piece remains as juicy as possible.

And yes, the ribbed surface creates a beautiful pattern. It was as if the dish had been cooked on a grill.

Chicken breast with Italian herbs

Grease the bottom with coconut oil and heat the grill. Take the breast and pound it with a mallet or the blunt side of a knife.
Add spices, Italian herbs (preferably fresh, especially basil and something from spruce).
Fry the chicken for 5 minutes on each side. I advise you to make berry sour sauce .

It's also easy to fry fresh or frozen vegetables with the chicken: green beans, peppers, broccoli and cauliflower.

Chicken fillet in garlic and sour cream marinade

It's no secret that fried white poultry often turns out too dry and tasteless. This happens because young housewives unknowingly make some mistakes that lead to such a disastrous result. To cook juicy, tender chicken on a grill pan you will need:

300 g chilled fillet.
10 g ginger root.
2 cloves of garlic.
1 tbsp. l. mayonnaise.
5 tbsp. l. thick sour cream.
½ tbsp. l. lemon juice.
Salt and spices.

Having dealt with the list of what is required, you need to figure out how to cook meat on a grill pan. Washed and dried chicken is cut into steaks and marinated in a mixture of salt, spices, ginger, mayonnaise, lemon juice, sour cream and half the available garlic. After two hours, the fillets are placed in a heated grill pan and fried for several minutes on all sides. Shortly before turning off the heat, add the remaining crushed garlic to the bird.

Cheese steak

Take suluguni or halloumi , cut it into pieces 3-5 millimeters thick.
There is no need to lubricate the bottom with anything, the cheese is already quite fatty.
When the pan is hot, lay out the pieces of cheese for literally 1 minute, and immediately remove with tongs. An excellent appetizer, to decorate the bottom with chopped greens to taste.

Electric

Electric frying pan models are compact and can be easily transported to any place. You don’t need any special steps to care for them – you just need to wash them thoroughly. On an electric grill, you can set the frying mode without worrying about cooking food. The most popular products are:

Model name: ENIGMA IEG-350.
Price: 10398 rubles.
Characteristics: the tabletop electric frying pan is equipped with a smooth working surface with two heating zones, a rim on three sides, and a retractable grease collector.
Pros: uniform heating of the surface helps ensure high-quality processing of products. Equipped with electromechanical control.
Cons: high cost.

A convenient, versatile electric device from Rotel will help you throw a real party in any weather. It can be used in the country house, in the yard or at home in the kitchen:

Model name: Raclette for 6 persons.
Price: 4451 rubles
Characteristics: The frying plate is made of natural natural stone.
Pros: thanks to good heating and heat-intensive properties, products are fried deeply and evenly. The device comes with wooden spatulas.
Cons: high price.

Reviews

Vika: “I have a rectangular Teflon Tefal grill. I am very pleased, I love cooking steaks and vegetables. The main thing is that there is almost no oil, I just sprinkle the vegetables a little.”

Olya: “My family loves grilled sausages and cheese most of all. This is such a great snack that goes well with beer, wine and coffee.”

Tatyana: “Most of all I love grilled fish. My husband and I recently bought an average-priced rondelle, and we couldn’t be happier. True, we bought a square one, a whole fish won’t fit, but the steaks are perfect.”

Important rules for frying

Do not fry at high temperatures.
Try to minimize the use of oil or do without it altogether.
Cover the pan with a lid to reduce the formation of carcinogens.
Generously add spices to prevent the formation of harmful substances.

Cooking modes

Make the most of your purchased gas grill pan. By experimenting with “improvised” means, you can make dishes varied. For example, if you place pots on a wire rack or wrap vegetables in foil, you can easily bake main courses.

To quickly cope with baked goods, be sure to pour water into the lower part and open the lid as little as possible. To retain heat, more expensive models are equipped with special inserts that cover extra holes and make the frying pan an airtight oven. For utensils, you can safely use wax paper and silicone baking molds.

You can also place it on a tray on foil - this way the food will come out with a crispy crust. If you cover the hole with foil and line the bottom in this way, the food will be cooked as if it were steamed.

What foods are best to fry?

Fried tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini - sounds crazy? But nevertheless, it’s worth, if not preparing a full-fledged dish from them, then at least adding them when frying.

When heated quickly, fiber breaks down and beneficial substances become more accessible for absorption.

These can also include onions and garlic - unless, of course, you fry them until black and control the amount of oil.

In addition, if we compare the usefulness of fried and boiled fish, the first will win - when boiling, a lot of useful substances go into the broth, and when frying, valuable nutrients remain in the fish, and harmful ones due to the speed of cooking do not have time to form in critical quantities.