Summertime, and the livin’ is easy… (Sing along, I know you know the tune) We are getting to the part of summer where fresh vegetables are plentiful and so good! One of my favorite summer dishes is a grilled mixed vegetable platter using whatever is in season. The double bonus is that fruits and veggies at the height of their season are at their best and their cheapest! I just let everything sit in a basic marinade until I’m ready to grill, then toss them on a platter with fresh herbs (I love a combination of basil, mint and cilantro or thyme) and sprinkle with a bit of feta. It is a very easy and colorful way to serve a lot of vegetables at once. Today’s platter includes artichoke, asparagus, yellow squash, zucchini, Portobello mushroom, cherry tomatoes and lemon, all grilled to tender, sweet, slightly charred perfection. Somehow the grill brings out a lightly carmelized flavor that you can’t get with other types of cooking. The artichoke needs to be boiled or steamed for about 15 minutes before grilling but the other vegetables can be cooked right away. I grilled the tomatoes in a foil pouch so they didn’t get lost in the grates. I just tossed them with some olive oil, garlic, oregano and a dash of salt and pepper, simple but delicious! If you are lucky enough to have any leftovers, grilled vegetables are great in salads, sandwiches or on pizza (my fave)! So head to the farmer’s market and fire up the grill!
2 large artichokesGrilled Artichoke and Mixed Veggie Platter
2 lemons
1-2 zucchini
1-2 yellow squash
1 bunch asparagus
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup feta, crumbled(optional)
1/2 cup or more mixed herbs, chopped(basil, mint, thyme or cilantro)