Is there any cuisine more synonymous with summer eating than so-called “Mediterranean food”? Probably not, I think. There’s something about the abundance of eggplant, tomato, zucchini – everything accented with lemon – that really makes you feel like popping open a bottle of cold and bracing white wine and enjoying the sunshine. Also- grilled everything. Nothing says summer like char, right?
Greek food – heavy on the garlic – is something I love but also tend to eat in moderation, because it’s so rich. I’m thinking grilled meats slathered with deeply flavorful sauces, toasted pitas to sop it all up and a bright, acidic tomato salad on the side. So I’m super into the idea of this vegetable salad, which features all the usual flavors (tahini! garlic! lemons!) on nicely charred veggies. A lighter version of the usual all-out feast. Still entirely delicious.
To make this salad, you do need to be into raw garlic, but you do not need to have a grill. You can get the perfect charred veggies right under your broiler! Obviously if you do have a grill, feel free to fire it up for even smokier vegetables.
This salad makes the perfect after-work dinner- it can really stand on its own, because eggplant and thickly sliced zucchini are pretty meaty vegetables. It also makes a stunning platter as part of a fancier dinner for guests (plus, you’ll all smell like garlic afterwards so it doesn’t really matter). It will also make you feel like summer is actually happening even when you look at the 7-day forecast and you see a lot of suspicious-looking 60-degree days in June. Magic, right?
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 zucchini, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and quartered
- 2 long eggplants, sliced crosswise
- 1 large potato, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon mixed dried thyme, rosemary and oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 1/2 oz. (100g) baby spinach leaves
- 3 1/2 oz. (100g) arugula leaves
- 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons tahini
- 2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Freshly ground white pepper
Instructions
- First make the sesame sauce. Pound the garlic with the salt in a mortar and gradually blend in the tahini. Gradually add about 1 cup water, a little at a time, working it into a sauce until the desired consistency is reached. Add as much lemon juice as you like and a pinch of white pepper. Alternatively, process the garlic, salt, tahini, half the water, the lemon juice and pepper in a food processor until smooth, then add more water as required. Set aside.
- Preheat the broiler and brush a cookie sheet with oil. Put all the vegetables into a large shallow bowl. Combine the 5 tablespoons oil with the garlic, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper in a screw-top jar, fasten the lid and shake vigorously until thoroughly blended. Pour the mixture over the vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Drain and arrange vegetables on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Broil for about 5 minutes, then turn the vegetables over with tongs and broil for about 5 minutes more, or until the vegetables are tender. Arrange the spinach and arugula leaves on a large platter and top with the broiled vegetables. Drizzle with the sesame sauce and service immediately.
Notes
From Vefa's Kitchen
