Grilled Vegetables – Strata style

Bring out the barbie!

It’s  barbeque season and at the same time, my vegetable garden is starting to go wild, especially the zucchinis. Here is a special occasion (or just to impress your friends and family)  recipe  of grilled vegetables. For vegetarians you can serve as a main dish along with a big salad of your choice and perhaps a rice or potato dish on the side (Greek potatoes are one of my favourites-stay tune for that recipe)Non-vegetarians-add a meat/fish dish like West Coast Salmon (see my blog for this recipe) to round out your meal along with your fave salad. Note: you could use a George Forman grill inside or grill outside in a Vegetable basket right over the grill. Another option, if you don’t have a grill basket is to place aluminum foil over the grill and poke holes in it so you don’t lose 1 delicious morsel of your vegetables.

 

Grilled Vegetable Strata (Of course, it’s Gluten-Free!)

 

 

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, cut into 4 1/4-inch pieces, lengthwise.
• 2 small zucchini, cut into 8 1/4-inch pieces, lengthwise
• 2 large beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 8 1/4-inch circular pieces
• 1 large purple  onion, cut into thin circular (or semi-circular) slices
• Fresh cylindrical  bocochini , cut into 8 1/4-inch circular slices
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3  medium garlic or shallot  cloves, finely chopped-using a garlic press makes this easy)
• 1/4 cup Cilantro, stems removed and finely chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

Method

Grill the vegetables (on medium/high) about 5-10 minutes until soft and you see the grill lines and turn. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the garlic/shallots (for a bit more spice add some red pepper flakes too) and cook just until the garlic begins to color – about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat immediately, add in the Cilantro , salt and pepper.

Put it all together

In a baking dish, place two pieces of eggplant in a glass baking dish. Season with black pepper  Drizzle with the oil/garlic/cilantro mixture. Top with 4 pieces of tomato, grind black pepper and top with 4 pieces of bocochini cheese Drizzle with the oil/garlic/cilantro mixture Top that with 4 pieces of the zucchini, season and repeat with remaining vegetables and bocochini cheese. Add the purple onions on top. Season. Drizzle with the oil/garlic/cilantro mixture. Cover with foil. Keep warm in oven till ready to serve. Expect your guests to ask for this recipe of grilled vegetables!