Grilled Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 medium yellow squash, ends trimmed and discarded, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
• 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
• 3 medium zucchini, ends trimmed and discarded, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
• 2 medium eggplants, ends trimmed and discarded, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• Serving suggestions: Couscous Salad and Pesto with Yogurt, recipes follow

Directions

Preheat grill pan. Combine olive oil with salt and pepper.

Peel the outer slices of the eggplant and zucchini. Lay the vegetables on a large baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Place vegetables on grill pan, turning just once, until everything is marked with dark stripes, about 10 minutes.

When done transfer to a large platter.

Couscous Salad:

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups couscous
• 1 seedless cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, plus cucumber slices for garnish (about 1 cup diced)
• 8 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice, plus tomato slices for garnish (about 1 cup diced)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped scallion

In a saucepan combine the broth, water, 1/4 cup of the lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the oil, bring the mixture to a boil, and stir in the couscous. Cover the pan, remove it from the heat, and let the couscous stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and let it cool in the pan.

In a very large bowl stir together the cucumber pieces, tomato dice, scallion, the remaining 1/3 cup oil, the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, and salt, to taste, and let the mixture stand for 15 minutes. Add the couscous, stir the salad well, and chill it, covered, for 1 hour. The salad may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Serve the salad garnished with cucumber and tomato slices.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Pesto with Yogurt:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt

Mince garlic and mash to a paste with salt. In a food processor puree garlic paste, basil, walnuts, Parmesan, and oil until smooth. Add yogurt and combine well. Pesto keeps, its surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, for up to 5 days.

Yield: 1 1/3 cups