Since moving to our new home in the burbs, I'm constantly building my pool-side munching recipe arsenal for weekend entertaining. We were hosting a few friends for a little mid-afternoon happy hour... so not quite lunch, but not quite dinner. Ordinarily, I'd cobble together a charcuterie board. But something about a spread of hearty meats and cheeses just didn't seem quite right. Plus, I really love to cook outside when entertaining outside.
Crudités seemed refreshing, especially when dawning a bathing suit... but carrots and ranch didn't scratch the itch. And then it dawned on me: Grilled Vegetable Board!
Eating your veggies can seem a bit drab, but I find them so delightful on the grill! But what veggies to choose? My go-tos are zucchini, yellow squash, peppers and asparagus. Each of these veggies hold up really well when grilled. Paired together they make for a variety of colors, flavors and textures on your board.
I like to pair the veggies with some kind of flavorful dip. Hummus would be great. I opted for a lemon, herb aioli. If you have the time, make yours from scratch. Otherwise, a good quality, store-bought bottle will do you just fine!
To bring just a bit more heft to the board, I decided to serve the veggies with creamy burrata and grilled crostini. To complete the caprese riff, I grilled a few tomatoes ever so slightly and tucked in a few bunches of basil. Of course, your guests are welcome to mix and match the veggies, aioli and burrata however they chose.
Finally, I adorned the board with a few other goodies for added texture and pops of flavor. Peppery salami seemed like a good Italian pairing. As did a handful of herb-marinated olives, artichokes and peppadews - no prep needed here; simply a purchase from the grocery store!
To compose any board, I always like to keep color blocking in mind so as not to end up with a confetti mess. Start with some of your larger, heartier ingredients and work your way down the line. And don't forget your serving spoons and tongs!
This board pairs wonderfully with a chilled glass of rose or perhaps a glass of bubbly. Whatever you're drinking, there's a little something tasty for everyone.
Grilled Vegetable Board
Ingredients
· 1lb asparagus spears
· 1 red bell pepper
· 1 orange bell pepper
· 1 large zucchini
· 2 roma tomatoes
· 1 lemon
· Olive oil
· Italian seasoning
· Salt & pepper
· 1 baguette
· 1 garlic clove, peeled
· ½ cup good quality aioli, herb or garlic
· 8oz burrata
· Balsamic reduction
· 3oz salami or prosciutto
· ½ cup assorted olives
· ½ cup artichoke hearts
· ¼ cup peppadew or pepperoncini peppers
· 1/3 cup marcona almonds
· Fresh basil
Preheat grill to 450-500F.
Prepare the vegetables. Trim off the woody ends of the asparagus. Remove the stem and seeds from the bell peppers and cut into 4 flat sections. Slice the zucchini into ovals about 1/2in thick. Slice the tomatoes in half length-wise. Slice the lemon in half. Transfer each of the vegetables to a large platter. Drizzle the veggies with olive oil and season liberally with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Slice the baguette on the diagonal to create long oval slices of bread. Drizzle each slice with a bit of olive oil.
Place the asparagus, peppers, zucchini and lemon on the grill. Grill over high heat for about 3-4 minutes until developing nice grill marks. Flip each veggies and grill for another 3 minutes or so. Take care not to overcook. The veggies should be warmed through, but still crisp. Remove and tent with tin foil to keep warm.
Place the tomatoes cut-side down on the grill. Cook for about 3-4 minutes and remove.
Grill each slice of bread on both sides until golden brown and the edges begin to char a bit. Remove from the grill and rub each piece of toast with the garlic clove.
To serve… Spoon the aioli into a small ramekin. Place the burrata in a shallow dish. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic reduction. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Place the aioli and burrata onto a large board or platter. Slice the peppers and tomatoes into strips. Arrange each of the veggies and bread onto the board surrounding the burrata and aioli. Nestle in bundles of salami or prosciutto, olives, artichokes, peppadews, and almonds. Garnish with bunches of basil.
Serves 6
GF Friendly
Gluten Free Friendly!
Schar makes a great gluten free baguette!
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