Grilled Herb Vinaigrette with Grilled Vegetables
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 329
- Total Fat
- 26
- Saturated Fat
- 4
- Carbohydrates
- 25
- Dietary Fiber
- 6
- Sugar
- 13
- Protein
- 3
- Cholesterol
- 0
- Sodium
- 612
- Total: 1 hr 25 min
- Active: 45 min
Ingredients
12 medium carrots, quartered lengthwise
11 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 large leeks, ends trimmed
14 to 16 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 jalapeno, seeded and halved
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 medium orange, juiced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Directions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high.
- Drizzle the carrots on a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle evenly with salt and use a small strainer to sprinkle evenly with the cumin. Arrange the bell pepper halves cut-side up next to the carrots, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt and sift with paprika.
- Cut the outer layer off the leeks and trim and discard 2 inches off the top. Split the leeks lengthwise and rinse the dirt out from the inside layers. Wipe dry and keep them in intact halves. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Grill the vegetables (leeks and peppers cut-side down) in a single layer in a medium-hot area of the grill. Close the lid and cook until you see liquid emerge, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn everything on its second side, then close the lid and cook until the peppers are tender but still hold their shape, 5 to 8 more minutes.
- Move the peppers to a cooler or foiled area of the grill, then close the lid and let the carrots and leeks continue to cook until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, an additional 5 to 8 minutes.
- Season the parsley in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place the parsley on a medium-hot part of the grill and cook until fairly charred, 10 to 12 minutes. Chop the parsley finely. Drizzle the jalapeno with 1 tablespoon olive oil and grill until charred, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the jalapeno from the grill and coarsely chop.
- Combine the red wine vinegar, brown sugar and orange juice in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the mustard, parsley and jalapeno. Taste for seasoning.
- Place the leeks on a flat surface and cut each half into 3 even pieces. Cut the peppers in half again. Arrange the carrots, peppers and leeks on a serving platter and top with the dressing.
Cook’s Note
Grilling is something that I associate with American cooking, and with the spring and summer months. I just caught a wonderful waft of hamburger grease as I was strolling down the street this afternoon, and it straight-up made my stomach growl. Of course, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken and shrimp are classics for the grill, but I find myself increasingly gravitating toward unusual grilled vegetables. It's a new way of looking at the grill. What flavors. And grilling keeps the food light and "clean" but loads it with tons of flavor. I also use this method of making a little vinaigrette (you can also make a simple one with one part lemon juice and two parts olive oil), then tossing some vegetables like eggplant or asparagus on the grill and cooking until tender. I char them for a few minutes in the hot area of the grill, then move them to a cooler spot to finish cooking without overcharring. Then, I douse with vinaigrette and devour. Here are some tips for grilling vegetables: Be patient. Some vegetables take longer or less time to cook. The cooking times here are parameters. Touch the vegetables and cook until tender. Place a double-layer of foil in a less-hot section of the grill so you can use that area as a refuge if the vegetables get too charred before they are tender. Keep the lid closed when cooking.