This week is all about celebrating summer veggies with recipes inspired to maximize delicious plant-based power. Regardless of what else I'm serving, weekend dinners in the summertime always include a large melange of grilled or roasted vegetables, simply seasoned with salt and olive oil. They fit in nicely no matter the cuisine and can take on a global flair at a moment's notice with the right dressing. Check out https://www.illinoistimes.com/arts-culture/the-sauce-is-the-boss-18729619 for more recipe inspiration.
These oversized offerings of veggies also form the basis of a week's worth of nutritious lunches and revamped side dishes that are delicious and provide a nice baseline of nutrition. My roasted cauliflower salad has become a quick lunch staple when I'm rushing off to work, and the grilled vegetable platter is actually a deconstruction of one of the most popular sandwiches from when I catered. Eternally popular at parties, this assortment of grilled veggies with crusty sliced baguette and tangy whipped chèvre also makes for an elegant yet casual late-night nosh.
Cauliflower salad with creamy tahini dressing
Ingredients for the dressing:
¼ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup tahini
1-2 cloves garlic, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of one lemon
Salt to taste
Ingredients for the salad:
2 cups roasted cauliflower, at room temperature
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon curry powder or berbere seasoning
1 small cucumber, diced
3 tablespoons each roughly chopped mint and parsley
Combine the dressing ingredients and mix well. Add water as necessary to achieve a creamy yet pourable dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Assemble the salad ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss with the dressing. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve.
Roasted zucchini and sweet corn salad with cherry tomatoes and basil
Ingredients
2 ears sweet corn
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1-2 cloves garlic, to taste
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
2 medium zucchini
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large handful basil leaves,
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or heat a grill to medium high heat.
Place the two ears of corn, unshucked, into a microwave. Cook on high for seven minutes, then remove the ears and wrap in a towel until cool enough to handle.
Make the dressing. Press or grate the garlic into a mixing bowl. Add the vinegar, mustard, four tablespoons olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and whisk well to combine.
Wash and halve the cherry tomatoes, then add them to the bowl with the dressing.
Wash and trim the zucchini, then slice it into rounds about ¼-inch thick. Toss the sliced zucchini with ½ tablespoon of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Arrange the zucchini slices on the baking sheet in a single layer then bake in the oven for seven or eight minutes, until they've softened slightly and are just beginning to brown. Alternatively, grill the zucchini slices over hot coals for about two or three minutes per side, until just lightly charred. Transfer the cooked zucchini rounds to the mixing bowl with the tomatoes and toss gently to coat.
Shuck the corn when it's cool enough to handle but still warm. Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels directly into the mixing bowl along with the zucchini. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Roughly chop the basil and add it to the salad just before serving.
Grilled vegetable platter with whipped chèvre
Ingredients
For the whipped chèvre:
4 ounces soft goats cheese or feta
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon lemon zest
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs such as chives, thyme or marjoram
Ingredients for the vegetables and bruschetta:
3 bell peppers (1 ½ pounds)
2 zucchini (1 ½ pounds)
3 small eggplants (1 ½ pounds)
3-4 portobello mushrooms (1 ½ pounds)
3 heads romaine lettuce or radicchio
1 baguette, cut into ½-inch slices
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
First make the whipped chèvre. Add the goat's cheese, garlic and lemon zest and process until creamy. Add the cream while the motor is running and continue to process until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add salt and black pepper to taste, then transfer to a small serving bowl.
Heat the grill to medium-high. Wash and slice the vegetables into slices large enough so that they don't fall through the grates, about ½-inch thick. Mushrooms can remain whole to be sliced after they're grilled. Quarter the lettuce lengthwise through its core.
Toss the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill in batches, about two to four minutes for the lettuce and about eight to 12 minutes for the other vegetables. Transfer to a large serving platter. Similarly, toss the sliced baguette with olive oil and sprinkle with salt before grilling until lightly charred, then add to the platter along with the whipped chèvre. Garnish with additional herbs as desired and serve.
