Recipe: Tunisian Grilled Vegetable Salad
I hate to say it, but it is past the middle of August and so we all must face the reality that for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, summer is coming to an end. Even though I live in Florida where it is always summer I can feel the change at an instinctual level. I have started craving heartier meals, with autumnal ingredients, like squash and herbs like sage and there has been this urge in me to drink hot chocolate. I have even been having dreams about snow and our old house in Vermont…So even though the temperatures are still hot and humid, there is something about the air that is changing and it is creating in me the need to use up the summer surplus – do something with all those eggplants, peppers and tomatoes. Preserve them from rotting in my fridge now that my taste buds have shifted.
I have made a lot of grilled vegetable dishes over the summer and for me it is essential to have them – they are great for sandwiches and wraps, wonderful stirred in pasta and perfect just as is. The grilling of the vegetables brings out the natural sweetness in the vegetables and the marinade adds tang. It is best to prepare the vegetables a day ahead so they have time to marinate overnight. Leftover grilled vegetables go great in a wrap with a dressing made of Tahini, Greek Yogurt, Olive Oil and Sumac, which has become my condiment of choice this season! I use it in place of mayo.
This recipe is a wonderful Tunisian dish which is served alongside of hard-boiled eggs, anchovies, olive oil packed tuna and green olives. It is great as a meal served with warm pita bread.
I featured it in my Mediterranean Cooking Class that I taught last week. It was perfect as we had some vegetarians in the group and they could still eat this dish, by passing on a few of the garnishes! They loved it! So this dish is also very versatile.
INGREDIENTS:
3 medium bell peppers
3-4 fresh chilies to taste (I like anaheims and poblanos)
1 medium eggplant
a little olive oil for baking
3 medium tomatoes
2 medium onions, unpeeled
4 cloves of garlic
½ TBS ground caraway seeds
½ TBS ground coriander seeds
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 TBS fresh basil, chopped
OPTIONAL garnishes: hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped olives, chunks of well-drained tuna or anchovies.
METHOD:
Preheat grill or broiler. Rub peppers, chilies and eggplant with olive oil. Place on grill or under broiler until skins are charred. Keep turning vegetables until all the skin is black on each side. Place vegetables in a paper bag and set aside for about 5 minutes so they can steam in the bag. Remove vegetables and peel the skin away. Cut the peppers and eggplant into a small dice and place in a large bowl with all their juices.
Preheat oven to 450 F. Brush olive oil over the bottom of a small roasting pan. Then pour a little more olive oil on your hands and rub the tomatoes and onions. Place veggies in roasting pan and roast for about 10 minutes, turning pan halfway through. When tomato skins are cracking and easy to peel, remove them from the pan, but allow the onions to continue roasting for another 15-20 minutes.
Remove peels from tomatoes and slice them in half, letting the juice run out. Dice them and toss them in the bowl with the peppers and eggplant. Remove the onions from the oven, discard the skins dice them and add to the bowl of diced veggies.
Pound the garlic with a bit of salt in a mortar, or use the back of a spoon until it has become a paste. Add the caraway and coriander and mix this paste into the vegetables. Set aside for at least an hour before serving.
Just before serving, mix olive oil with lemon juice and stir into the veggies, adding chopped basil and fresh black pepper if you desire. Garnish with optional ingredients if you choose.
Here is another great marinade for grilled veggies:
equal parts of extra virgin olive oil and vinegar of your choice
1 clove crushed garlic
1 small container of olive oil packed anchovy fillets – if you do not like anchovies, you can add about 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil to a TBS of capers.
1 TBS fresh thyme, or herb of your choice
Mix all together and pour over vegetables. Allow to marinate for at least 1/2 hour before serving!
Windy - August 23, 2007 at 10:41 am
I think the weather in US is better than the UK. I remember that we only have at most two weeks sun in this summer so far! Love your grill veg esp. when it’s on the grill, so colourful…
Figs Olives Wine - August 23, 2007 at 10:49 am
Looks wonderful Jenn! Don’t you love how our appetites are all tuned in to the seasons? I must be sure to try that dressing – sounds lovely.
s'kat - August 23, 2007 at 11:52 am
That really does look like the perfect sort of transitional dish! I may have to try this out on my mates tomorrow at cocktails.
Cris - August 23, 2007 at 2:35 pm
And Spring is just around the corner here! What a nice surprise to hit the continue button and find these beautiful vegetable pictures!
Cynthia - August 23, 2007 at 4:57 pm
Jenn, this is perfection, the flavours and textures you have going on in this salad… indescribable
Anh - August 23, 2007 at 7:05 pm
This is a great way to enjoy fresh veg! Perfect!
Valli - August 23, 2007 at 11:51 pm
I love barbequed vegetables. I like to find the smallest eggplants and tiniest yellow and green zucchini’s I can find. They make a beautiful presentation as do your Tunisian vegetables. I would still like to be in Florida where I could take your Mediterranean cooking classes!!!! By the way I have nominated you for a “Droolworthy Blogger” award. If you would like to accept check out my blog sometime and pass it on if you like….
Newyorkerbyheart - August 24, 2007 at 8:08 am
Hi,
wow this looks soooo good 🙂 I think I’ll have to make this in the near future….
You’re such an inspiration.
My best
Newyorkerbyheart
http://www.newyorkerbyheart.blogspot.com
Patricia Scarpin - August 24, 2007 at 10:29 am
It looks delicious and it is so beautifully presented, Jenn!
The Leftover Queen - August 24, 2007 at 10:58 am
Hi Windy! Thanks! Wow, only two weeks? You need to come to FL for vacation! It is always summer here, even in winter!
Hi Amanda! yes, I look forward to that change every season. It is one of those things that reminds me how we are still in tune with the changes of the earth. A good thing in my opinion.
S’Kat! Let me know how it turns out!
Cris! Exactly! Thanks!
Hi Cynthia! Thanks so much!
Anh! It is quite wonderful, indeed!
Hi Valli! I agree about the small little veggies. They do taste the best! I wish that you could take my classes! Thanks for the nomination! I was just over at your site and didn’t notice it! Silly me! Thanks!
Thanks so much NewYorker! I missed you up there before! I am sorry!
Thanks Patricia!
VeggieGirl - August 24, 2007 at 12:13 pm
wow, those grilled vegetables are absolutely stunning!! great way to serve fresh vegetables, and to welcome in the new season change.
and thank you for adding me to the Foodie Blog Roll! :0)
Toni - August 24, 2007 at 12:32 pm
I love any and all vegetables grilled. This looks beautiful. I love the addition of the paste added to the veggies!
Sylvia - August 24, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Love vegetables grilled too.And Jenn your dish is superb full of different textures and flavors.Congrat
lia - August 25, 2007 at 1:20 am
Jen this salad is really appetizing! am going to make this soon 😉
The Leftover Queen - August 25, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Hi VeggieGirl! Thank you and welcome to the Blogroll!
Hi Toni! I love them too! Thanks!
Hi Lia! Good! Let me know what you think!