Veg-Head Monday: Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables

We missed Easter last week. By the time I even realized it WAS Easter, we were on the plane heading home from Hawaii. Whoops.

I could have just let things pass, but the Minxes love nothing better than a good egg hunt, so I just postponed the holiday for a week.

When Easter arrives this early in the calendar, chances are good that we're going to have to settle for an indoor version of the egg extravaganza, which seriously bums the girls out. To them, indoor egg hunt=castrated egg hunt. The last few years, they've had to settle for the castrated version, and it's made them cranky.

Happily, the weather cooperated this year. We enjoyed a 70-degree day and my parents drove up and we enjoyed a lovely Spring lunch.

Perhaps because I've been missing Greece (and thinking of our trip there about a year ago), I wanted to channel the Mediterranean this year.

This "salad" takes a little time, but it's worth the trouble. Nothing makes vegetables sing like a sizzle on the grill, some fresh herbs, a sprinkle of creamy feta, and a bath in good olive oil.

While we dug into lunch, the girls pillaged the backyard for eggs and frolicked in the sun. And while I still yearn for Grecian shores, if pressed, I'd have to say that my heart was exactly where it wanted to be this weekend. At home.



Grilled Mediterranean Vegetable Salad
serves 6-8

2 small, firm eggplants
2 zucchini
1 large red onion
1 bunch cherry tomatoes
2 red bell peppers, roasted and seeded
salt
pepper
olive oil
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup basil, chopped
good balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Heat grill to medium-high. Slice eggplants and zucchini into 1/4-inch slices. Sprinkle eggplant and zucchini slices with a healthy handful of salt; place in a colander to drain for 20 minutes.

While eggplant and zucchini drain, coat bell peppers in olive oil. Grill, turning on all sides, until skin is blackened and charred. Remove peppers from grill and place in a bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.

While peppers sit, cut onion into wedges. Brush with olive oil and grill until slightly softened and charred. Remove from grill.

In a grill basket, place tomatoes (drizzled with olive oil) on the grill and grill until slightly blistered. Remove from grill.

Rinse eggplant and zucchini slices and pat dry. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill until slightly charred and softened, turning once. Remove from grill.

Remove skin and seeds from red bell peppers and cut into strips.

Layer all vegetables on a big platter, drizzle with good olive oil, good balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle feta and basil over the top.

Serve with crusty bread to lap up all of the veggie/olive oil goodness.