Vegetable Antipasti

Serves 4

It's Summer and that means everyone is out there barbecuing! This could get tricky for some of you that don’t have a backup plan for those carefree, let's just hang out and throw something on the grill moments. So, here is a recipe for some grilled veggies! Not only are they good for you but they are also delicious and will make you feel you are not missing out on anything. I will warn you, though, make many of them because yours may be the more popular dish!

What you will need:

2 red bell peppers
4 baby fennel bulbs
1 large eggplant
2 large zucchini
1 red onion
1 recipe Herb, Lemon, and Garlic Marinade (recipe below)
a few fresh herb leaves, like basil, dill, fennel, mint, and parsley
extra virgin olive oil, to taste
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

What to do:

Cut the bell peppers into quarters and remove and discard the seeds. Trim the fennel, reserving the frods, and cut the bulbs into ¼ inch slices. Cut the eggplant into thick slices and cut in half again. Cut the zucchini into thick slices diagonally and cut the onion into wedges.

Put all the vegetables in a large bole, add the marinade, and toss gently until evenly coated. Cover and let marinate in a cool place for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the grill, then cook the vegetables on the grill rack until they are tender and lightly charred. Let cool, then peel the bell peppers.

Arrange the vegetables on a large platter, sprinkle with the herbs, reserved fennel fronds, olive oil, and lemon juice, then season (very lightly) with salt and pepper.

Serve at room temperature.

Herb, Lemon, and Garlic Marinade

What you will need:

2 springs of rosemary
2 springs of thyme
4 bay leaves
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
pared zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
1 teaspoon cracked black perpercorns
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

What to do:

Strip the rosemary and thyme leaves from the stalks and put them in a mortar. Add the bay leaves, garlic, and lemon zest, and pound with a pestle to release the aromas.

Put the mixture in a bowl and add the peppercorns and olive oil. Set aside to steep until ready to use.

Bon Appetite!!