Mario Batali's Capri-Style Grilled Vegetable Salad
This is a typical Italian way of preparing vegetables, but Mario first had it in a little restaurant called La Capannina on the Isle of Capri, and so he thinks of it as Capri-style. The vegetables listed here are merely guidelines, use whatever is fresher and seasonal. Recipe is from Mario Batali's cookbook, "Italian Grill".
INGREDIENTS
Nutrition- 1⁄4cup red wine vinegar
- 3
- 1
- 1teaspoon ground cumin
- 1teaspoon colman's dry mustard
- 1teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- 1⁄2
- 1grated orange, juice and zest of
- 2
- 2medium red onions
- 12spears pencil asparagus
- 12
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin, mustard, pepper flakes, olive oil, and orange juice (reserve the zest for garnish). Set aside.
- Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut the peppers into quarters and remove the cores and seeds. If using baby zucchini, remove the blossoms and set aside; cut the zucchini lengthwise in half. If using small zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (discard the first and last slice from each). Cut the onions into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Trim the scallions. Snap off the tough bottom parts of the asparagus stalks.
- Place the vegetables on two large baking sheets. Brush lightly with some of the marinade and season lightly with salt. Place on the grill over medium-high to high heat (you will probably have to cook the vegetables in batches) and cook, turning once or twice, until tender and slightly charred on both sides: the eggplant will take about 8 to 10 minutes, the peppers 10 to 12 minutes, the zucchini 6 to 8 minutes, the onions and scallions 4 to 6 minutes,and the asparagus 5 to 7 minutes. Remove each vegetable from the grill as it is done and return to the baking sheets.
- Cut the peppers into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Arrange the vegetables decoratively on a large serving platter and drizzle with the remaining marinade. Sprinkle with the orange zest, the zucchini blossoms if you have them, and the basil. Serve warm or at room temperature.