4th of July Grilled Balsamic Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 lb. white eggplant, quartered
• 1 lb. purple eggplant, quartered
• 1 lb. yellow squash, halved
• 1 lb. zucchini, halved
• 1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 2 T. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. pepper

Combine veggies in a large mixing bowl; set aside. Whisk remaining ingredients together; pour over veggies, tossing to coat. Place veggies, cut-side down if applicable on a hot grill; grill for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn; grill until tender, about 3 to 5 additional minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Open-Faced Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

Ingredients: 6 ciabatta rolls or 1 loaf of crusty country style bread; rolls cut in half horizontally, bread sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices

• 1 eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 2 red bell peppers, each cut into sixths
• 1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 2 portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 red onion, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• Olive oil, as needed for grilling
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

For the pesto vinaigrette

• 2 tightly packed cups of basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• Salt to taste
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Additional salt and pepper as neededLightly brush all vegetables with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill over medium-high heat until tender. For the pesto vinaigrette Place basil leaves, pine nuts and garlic in food processor. Add a small pinch of salt and grind to a paste. With machine running, slowly add the oil. Transfer sauce to a bowl and stir in the cheese and the lemon juice by hand. Correct seasoning.To assemble sandwiches
Spread each side of ciabatta or slice of bread with a little pesto vinaigrette. Layer on the grilled vegetables, top with sliced mozzarella, and garnish with more pesto vinaigrette. Serve open-faced.

Questions? Contact Michael Woods, County Director at mdwoods@uiuc.edu

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