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Warm grilled eggplant, prosciutto salad: This summer, the passel of grilled vegetables takes center stage with the luxurious addition of prosciutto and sharp cheese. (Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune) |
True confession: I always overbuy at the farmers market. If I go with limited dollars, I find myself looking for the best bargains. A full wallet prompts stocking up — for what, I am not sure, because I will go back the following weekend and perhaps hit the downtown markets during my lunch hour. I am just happier with a full complement of vegetables in the fridge.
All this produce procurement necessitates cooking. Fine by me — especially when the grill is lit anyway. So, just as I overload the market basket, I overload the grill with onions, eggplants, squash, tomatoes, potatoes and more. Rendered tender and golden, full of smoky flavor, these vegetables inspire a host of ideas. Some get stirred into salad, soup and pasta. Others make phenomenal sandwich fillings, scrambled eggs and frittatas.
This summer, the passel of grilled vegetables takes center stage with the luxurious addition of prosciutto and sharp cheese. To season the vegetables during the grilling, we use a gourmet-store purchase of a Tuscan-inspired grill rub made from coarse salt, dried rosemary, thyme, marjoram, fennel seed and a pinch of sugar. Bottled Italian seasoning easily stands-in; jazz it up with sea salt and a pinch of sugar to promote browning.
For a casual dinner party, we're serving mounds of the warm grilled salad accompanied by warm flatbreads. The yeastless dough is a piece of cake to assemble — especially in a food processor. Plain Greek yogurt helps tenderize the breads.
For great crunch and flavor, cook the flatbreads on the grill after the vegetables are done. Otherwise, a super-hot cast-iron pan filmed with a little oil produces amazing breads that are somewhat reminiscent of the naan I love so much from the neighborhood tandoori restaurant. A tip: Be sure to turn on the exhaust fan so the smoke does not tempt you to reduce the heat under the pan.
Casual grilled dinner menu
Prosecco
Marcona almonds
Warm grilled eggplant and prosciutto salad
Herb and cornmeal flatbreads
Thickly sliced heirloom tomatoes
Espresso over vanilla ice cream
Pistachio biscotti drizzled with dark chocolate
Warm grilled eggplant and prosciutto salad
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients: 1 large or 2 medium (1 1/4 pounds total) eggplant, ends trimmed, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
2 large or 3 medium (1 1/4 pounds total) zucchini, ends trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch thick slabs
All this produce procurement necessitates cooking. Fine by me — especially when the grill is lit anyway. So, just as I overload the market basket, I overload the grill with onions, eggplants, squash, tomatoes, potatoes and more. Rendered tender and golden, full of smoky flavor, these vegetables inspire a host of ideas. Some get stirred into salad, soup and pasta. Others make phenomenal sandwich fillings, scrambled eggs and frittatas.
This summer, the passel of grilled vegetables takes center stage with the luxurious addition of prosciutto and sharp cheese. To season the vegetables during the grilling, we use a gourmet-store purchase of a Tuscan-inspired grill rub made from coarse salt, dried rosemary, thyme, marjoram, fennel seed and a pinch of sugar. Bottled Italian seasoning easily stands-in; jazz it up with sea salt and a pinch of sugar to promote browning.
For a casual dinner party, we're serving mounds of the warm grilled salad accompanied by warm flatbreads. The yeastless dough is a piece of cake to assemble — especially in a food processor. Plain Greek yogurt helps tenderize the breads.
For great crunch and flavor, cook the flatbreads on the grill after the vegetables are done. Otherwise, a super-hot cast-iron pan filmed with a little oil produces amazing breads that are somewhat reminiscent of the naan I love so much from the neighborhood tandoori restaurant. A tip: Be sure to turn on the exhaust fan so the smoke does not tempt you to reduce the heat under the pan.
Casual grilled dinner menu
Prosecco
Marcona almonds
Warm grilled eggplant and prosciutto salad
Herb and cornmeal flatbreads
Thickly sliced heirloom tomatoes
Espresso over vanilla ice cream
Pistachio biscotti drizzled with dark chocolate
Warm grilled eggplant and prosciutto salad
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients: 1 large or 2 medium (1 1/4 pounds total) eggplant, ends trimmed, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
2 large or 3 medium (1 1/4 pounds total) zucchini, ends trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch thick slabs
