Getting good marks: grilled vegetables are value-added ingredients that, when formulated into convenience meals, enhance their flavor, appearance and mouthfeel. The addition of these vegetables also manifests manufacturers' dedication to superior, quality cuisine

Prepared Foods, Nov, 2004 by Marcia A. Wade

Fire- and Smokehouse-roasted Veggies

Generally, the terms fire-roasted and smokehouse-roasted describe a cooking process that takes place over a direct, open flame. However, depending on the processor, the vegetables may or may not be cooked with oil or have grill marks on them.

Fire-roasted, smokehouse-roasted and most grilled vegetables have a more intense, pungent flavor profile than caramelized vegetables, in the last nine months or so, fire-roasted has been the buzzword in the vegetable industry. Fire-roasted ingredients have a smokier, char-grilled, more intense flavor because of the open flame. The products also look more natural because of a mix of dark colors instead of one grill mark line going across the food, notes Rittman.

Smokehouse-roasted vegetables are an intense, smokier version of fire-roasted veggies, and work best as stand-alone flavors. "[Our company] puts a little bit of extra virgin olive oil on the vegetables. and we roast them at a slightly slower speed for our smokehouse roasting process," explains Boisvert. The vegetables are naturally smoked in a process that traps the smoke--similar to cooking on a barbecue grill with the lid on. "You get a more intense, rich, smoky flavor profile and you also have grill marks on them." Both this and the caramelizing process are unique to her company, she says.

The extremes of freezing, heating and retort processes can break down grilled flavors. Seasonings can maintain and enhance it. The demand for added value has prompted suppliers to raise the bar with the addition of vegetable seasonings like three-chili, chipotle or fajita seasonings, notes Cook.

The addition of seasonings is generally a foodservice request, Boisvert observes. "Typically, an industrial manufacturer is going to add his own seasoning at some point in the process, whereas the foodservice customer will want a product that is completely ready, seasoned and ready to go."

Color-coordinated

Keeping green vegetables green is a difficult task. However, different suppliers have different directives to prevent color leaching. Maintaining a proper pH will deflect color leaching. Green vegetables need to be cooked in an alkaline environment and all other colors need an acid environment, says chef Artlip.

Par-cooking a green vegetable in an alkaline environment will set the color. "This is accomplished by formulating alkalinity into your marinade," explains chef Artlip. "Then, if you cook it on a really hot grill, you get that bright green pepper or asparagus." Citric or acetic acid and other natural ingredients like balsamic vinegar or orange juice can bring down the pH, depending on the application and its flavor profile, suggests Rittman.

She explains that some of the other ingredients in the meal could affect the vibrancy of the vegetables' colors or whether those grill marks are visible. For example, it is hard to distinguish the fire-roasted tomatoes and fire-roasted red peppers in a tomato sauce. "Although these might contribute great flavor combinations, it will look like one continuous sauce," pictures Rittman. In contrast, a tomato sauce with grilled yellow peppers will add value because of the prominence of the peppers, the grilled marks and the contrast of color.