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Grilling raw vegetables can be a disappointing experience. So often, the outsides char and burn long before the insides are cooked through. Bishop offers an unexpected solution: microwaving.

First, he suggests marinating vegetables for a half hour or more. Then, before skewering into kebabs, he says to microwave the vegetables with the marinade for a minute or two. This partially cooks the vegetables and gives them a head start on the grill. Plus, you get more flavor from the marinade cooked into the veggies.

When making kebabs of mixed vegetables and meat, Bishop also recommends cutting the meat in large chunks and vegetables small. Since vegetables usually take longer to cook, this ensures an equal cooking time.

And if you don't have a grill? Bishop enthusiastically recommends oven-roasting!

Roasting concentrates flavors and brings out sweet notes that would otherwise be lost from steaming or blanching. Cut the vegetable into large pieces, oil them very well, and roast them in a 450-degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Although nearly all vegetables can be roasted, Bishop was particularly insistent that we give roasted cauliflower and roasted broccoli a try.

We're game! What about you?!

• To hear the rest of Jack Bishop's tips for cooking summer vegetables, visit the Good Food website and download the entire podcast.

Related: Grill Tonight: Baby Artichokes with Caper-Mint Sauce

(Image: Flickr member woodleywonderworks licensed under Creative Commons)