2012 Summer Favorites: Grilled Vegetable Salad

The day I realized not all salads are made from raw, leafy greens, was a day that changed my life. I like a big ol' bowl o' roughage just as much as the next gal, but I'm not always in the mood for it. 

That's why this recipe is so fantastic. It takes the best things about summer: Produce at its peak, lots of fresh herbage and cooking on the grill, and marries all of the flavors in one scrumptious salad... without the rabbit food.

Easy peasy, beautiful and delicious, this dish will impress dinner party guests and possibly, even your husband. Mine loves it.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:
2 Red Bell Peppers (orange or yellow will also work) 
1 Large Zucchini
2 Large Portobello Caps
1 Bunch Asparagus (buy the bunch with the fattest stalks you can find, that way they won't fall through the grates)
     *I also used eggplant, until I realized I hate it. Other veggies welcome. 
Drizzle of olive oil
Sprinkle of garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:
About 1/2 cup of olive oil
About 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
Juice of one lemon
Lots of fresh herbs: My favorite are Thyme, Basil and Oregano (careful with the Oregano, a little goes a long way).
1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle of sugar or a few drops of honey if needed 

Method:
Light grill and preheat to medium.

Wash, and prep all veg by cutting into large pieces. You see from the photos that I left mine quite large, just cut in half. This will keep them from falling through the grates and makes the grilling process much easier. 

     *A produce guy once told me that the gills on the underside of a Portobello mushroom are like its intestines, so it's best to scrape them out before eating. I have never noticed a difference in the way Portobellos taste when I take this extra step, but I've also never been able to get those words out of my head. Now, neither will you. You're welcome.

Next, trow everything into a very large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, (not too much) and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Lay vegetables directly on your grill grates and turn after about 10 minutes of cooking. Cook an additional 10 minutes or so on the second side. You're not looking to cook these vegetables to death, you still want some crunch, so use your best judgement. If they look like they need to come off sooner, go ahead and remove them. 

Once off the grill, squeeze the juice of one lemon over all of the veggies and toss with a large spoon. While the vegetables are cooling, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh herbs, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk with a fork. 

When the grilled veggies are cool enough to handle, cut them into smaller bite-sized pieces, put them in your serving bowl and drizzle with dressing. Toss everything well and sprinkle with extra herbs, if you've got them. Enjoy!