Scrumptious salads fresh off the grill
If you think about it, the Vineyard is a pretty veggie-friendly place. We’ve got farm stands and farmer’s markets and community-supported agriculture programs. We have vegetable gardens at every single one of our schools now (hurrah!), and if all the prize-winning veggies at the Ag Fair are any indication, hundreds of home vegetable gardens too. I’m pretty sure that most Vineyarders are about as pro-veggie as they are, say, pro–bay scallop, or pro–lobster roll. Heck, people even buy gnarly rutabagas and three-foot-long fennel bulbs at my tiny farm stand. Somebody’s cooking this stuff!
All this makes life pretty swell for a cookbook author like me who winds up developing about a hundred vegetable recipes a year. Whew, yes – that’s a lot. But here I can always find good veggies to cook with and plenty of friends willing to taste-test. And I have one other secret that lets me create an endless variety of vegetable recipes: a repertoire of good techniques. I always begin working on a recipe by thinking about what kind of technique – roasting, braising, sautéing, or stir-frying, for example – will work best with a particular vegetable. What will create the most delicious results, so that everyone will love the dish? Because my goal in life is to convert the veggie skeptics of the world (not you, of course!) into believers.
Putting the word “grilled” in front of “veggies” is a good place to start. Like roasted veggies, grilled veggies tend to feel a bit more ecumenical – and a lot more delicious – than say, steamed veggies or even raw veggies. The flavor factor is huge, because the high heat of grilling brings out the best in a vegetable. Grilled mushrooms taste meatier, grilled asparagus gets nuttier, grilled peppers go all sweet and fruity. Actually, I think grilled veggies are so delicious, so fun to cook, and so universally appealing, that I take them one step further and turn them into dinner – in the form of main-dish salads.
I am sneaky like that, I admit. In fact, my new cookbook, The Fresh Green Table (from Chronicle Books this June), is all about turning vegetables into main events. But since I’m not a vegetarian (just a veggie lover), I try to think like an omnivore and create recipes for dishes everyone will like – things like pizzas, pastas, soups, stews, frittatas, gratins, pilafs, tarts, and, naturally, salads.
While I often use roasted vegetables in main-dish salads during the winter, it’s those grilled veggies that star during late spring and summer. Here on the Vineyard, this works out especially well since a day spent outdoors (which is where most of us are after the long winter) can easily segue into dinner when the grill comes on. Maybe you’re growing a few of your own salad greens and you have only to walk over to the garden to snip a few. Or perhaps you’ve just picked up a lovely bag of greens from Chilmark’s North Tabor Farm or Blackwater Farm in West Tisbury. Maybe you’ve snuck into Morning Glory’s greenhouse in Edgartown and bought a bundle of freshly cut asparagus, or you’ve lucked into one of those cute pints of tiny little new potatoes from Edgartown farmer Bob Daniels.
Even if you’ve only got a zucchini and a bell pepper from the grocery store, you can think about making a grilled veggie salad. My favorite recipe from The Fresh Green Table is my Grilled Zucchini, Bell Pepper, Goat Cheese, and Grilled Bread Salad (see page 72). So yummy. But the Grilled Sesame Ginger Asparagus and Portobello Salad with Napa and Spinach Slaw (page 73) is delicious in a whole different kind of way. (Think Asian, not Italian.) And here’s the thing – any of these salads can stand up to a little meat on the side, so there’s no need to worry about the carnivores. Sometimes I even go ahead and include a little meat, fish, or shellfish in the salad, like in my Grilled Potato, Shrimp, Green Bean, and Summer Tomato Salad (page 70).
Now I hear you saying, “But, but, I’m not sure I know how to grill veggies!” Or, “I always burn them!” Don’t worry; I’ve given you a list of my favorite grilling tips in the sidebar below. And I have to tell you, there’s really only one important thing to know: Grilling is all about getting to know your grill, which means cooking on it a lot. It’s the old “practice makes perfect” thing, so just get started! I could stand here all day and give you detailed instructions (which, because I can’t help myself, I do in the recipes on the following pages), but what works on my grill might turn out slightly differently on yours. Your medium heat might be my medium-high.
These days, I’m a gas-grill girl. While I love a charcoal fire, for everyday cooking you can’t beat the convenience of a gas grill. Plus, since most vegetables are on the grill for such a short time, there’s hardly time for them to absorb the extra flavor they might get from a charcoal fire. That said, if you’re a charcoal griller, you can easily use my recipes, since you’ve probably already learned the first trick I mentioned (getting to know your grill – or in this case, your fire). I always find that building a two-level fire is smart when using charcoal. If you bank your coals to one side, you’ll have both a hotter area and a cooler area to cook over. The hottest area of any grill is great for searing, but not all vegetables will cook completely through with only direct heat. Stubborn vegetables like eggplant and onions can wind up undercooked – even if they’re well-browned on the outside – if they don’t get a little time to finish cooking off the direct heat (on a cooler part of the grill). Even on a gas grill, heating one area (like two out of three burners) slightly higher is a good idea.
Lastly, while these main-dish salads are impressive – and perfect if you’re, say, having another couple over for dinner – there are nights when you’d probably like to do something simpler with grilled veggies. To that end, I encourage you to try the different components within these recipes. Those grilled potatoes are real family-pleasers and they’re just as good with hamburgers as they are in a salad. If you’ve ever roasted a bell pepper under a broiler or over an open flame, you’ll be amazed at how much easier (and hands-off) this is on a covered grill. And grilled asparagus – wow, so fast, so easy. Even something like the quick-to-make Double Tomato Dressing (page 73) is so versatile that you could use it atop any grilled fare in the summertime. And grilled bread is just about the easiest, most delicious thing you can pull out of your grilling bag of tricks – any night, any time of the year.
Grilled salads from The Fresh Green Table by Susie Middleton
Grilled potato, shrimp, green bean, and summer tomato salad
A salad for everyone, this is fresh and filling and rather bountiful-looking, if I do say! It’s the perfect end to a summer day, and I imagine you sitting on the deck or balcony or at a picnic table, enjoying the twilight, a glass of something chilly, and this pretty salad. Even better, maybe you’ve harvested the beans and tomatoes (and potatoes!) from your garden. This salad looks especially nice on wide, shallow, square or rectangular white plates. Serve with grilled bread, if you like (see directions in zucchini recipe that follows).
Serves 4
• 16 baby red potatoes
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 20 large shrimp, peeled
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 pound small, ripe red, orange, yellow, or other colorful tomatoes (such as Green Zebra), cut in half or wedges
• 3 tablespoons (any combination) basil, mint, or parsley leaves (sliced, coarsely chopped, torn into small pieces, or left as whole small leaves)
• 6 ounces Bibb or Boston lettuce, torn into smaller pieces, washed and dried
• 2 cups mâche or stemmed watercress (optional)
• Vinaigrette, recipe follows
• Sliced chives, scallion greens, and/or small edible flowers (such as chive blossoms or violets) for garnish (optional)
1. Put potatoes and 2 teaspoons salt in a Dutch oven or other large saucepan and cover with a couple of inches of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 18 to 22 minutes. Drain and spread out on a few layers of dish towels to dry and steam off excess moisture for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Rinse saucepan and fill three-quarters full of water. Bring to a boil and add green beans and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until beans are just tender, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and let cool in one layer on a dish towel.
3. Preheat gas grill on medium. Combine mayonnaise and mustard in a medium mixing bowl. Put shrimp in another bowl, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 teaspoons mustard mixture. Toss well to coat shrimp. Cut potatoes in half and add to mustard mixture. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss gently until well-coated.
4. Arrange shrimp on grill, cover, and cook until well-marked on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a bowl and cover loosely with foil. Arrange potatoes, cut-side down, on grill and cook until well-marked on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. (Don’t disturb potatoes for the first couple of minutes or they will stick.) Turn them over carefully with tongs and cook until skin side is lightly browned, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
5. In a bowl, combine tomatoes with half of the herbs and a pinch of salt. In another bowl, put Bibb or Boston lettuce, mâche (if using), and remaining herbs, and sprinkle with a little salt. Put green beans in another separate bowl. Re-whisk or shake vinaigrette. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons vinaigrette over shrimp, 2 tablespoons on tomatoes, 2 to 3 tablespoons on lettuces, and 1 to 2 tablespoons on beans. Toss each gently, taste, and add a little more dressing if needed. Drizzle a little dressing on potatoes as well.
6. Arrange four shallow bowls or dinner plates on your counter. Mound lettuce at the top or in the center of each plate. Arrange shrimp, potatoes, beans, and tomatoes in groups up against lettuce. Sprinkle each salad with a tiny bit of salt and drizzle each with a bit more dressing if necessary (you will not use all the dressing). Garnish with chives, scallions, and/or edible flowers if using. Serve right away.
vinaigrette
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon minced anchovy (about one anchovy)
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Freshly ground pepper
1. Combine all ingredients (including several grinds of fresh pepper – be generous!) in a glass measuring cup or glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Whisk or shake vigorously to combine. (If making ahead, be sure to bring to room temperature before using and mix again.)
Grilled zucchini, bell pepper, goat cheese, and grilled bread salad with double tomato dressing
This vibrant, fun-to-assemble, delicious taste of summer bursts with flavor, starting with a layer of grilled bread, followed by grilled zucchini, goat cheese, grill-roasted red peppers, lots of fresh herbs, and a tomato vinaigrette with both cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. You can prepare much of this salad ahead, but wait until the last minute to grill the zucchini and bread. Then have fun assembling the layers however you like.
Serves 4
• 2 large red bell peppers (choose long peppers over blocky ones)
• 2 large zucchini
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Four 1/2-inch-thick slices peasant bread (from a boule or other large loaf – slices should be oval, about 7 inches long and 3 or 4 inches wide)
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and sliced in half
• 3 cups baby arugula leaves
• 1/4 cup very roughly chopped basil and mint leaves
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese (crumbled while still cold), at room temperature or slightly warmed
• Double tomato dressing, recipe follows
1. Preheat gas grill on high. While grill is preheating, put whole peppers directly on grate, lower lid, and cook, turning every couple of minutes, until peppers are well-blistered and blackened in most places, about 10 to 12 minutes. (They do not need to be completely blackened all over or the skin will stick.) Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with foil. Let sit for 10 to 20 minutes. Over a fine-meshed colander set over a bowl (to catch juices), peel skin away from peppers; it should come right off. (Reserve any accumulated juices.) Set peppers on a cutting board and split them lengthwise naturally along the lobes. Gently remove and discard seeds – do not rinse peppers. You will probably wind up with 6 or 7 long pieces (total from both peppers). You will need 8 long pieces total so split two pieces in half lengthwise again. (They will be thinner pieces, which is fine – you can use them as the top layer.)
2. Reduce grill heat to medium. Trim ends off zucchini and cut in half crosswise (not lengthwise). You will have four pieces, each about 3 or 4 inches long. Stand each up on one end on cutting board. Trim a little sliver off of two sides of each piece (to avoid eventual pieces with a lot of skin), and then cut down through zucchini at 1/4-inch intervals to yield 4 or 5 slices or “planks” per zucchini half. You’ll have a total of about 16 to 20 pieces. Lay zucchini pieces down on a foil-lined sheet tray and brush generously on both sides with olive oil (you’ll use a total of about 2 1/2 tablespoons) and season with a little salt.
3. Generously brush bread slices on both sides with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Put on a tray or plate to take to grill.
4. Lay bread slices and zucchini slices on grill and cover. Grill bread until golden brown on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Cook zucchini until well-marked on the first side, about 3 to 5 minutes. Flip over and cook other side until marked, about 2 to 3 minutes more. (Transfer zucchini to a tray or plate and cover loosely to retain some heat if not assembling right away.) Rub grilled bread on both sides with cut sides of garlic.
5. Portion arugula leaves evenly and arrange on four plates, scattering leaves loosely. (Save a few for the top.) Sprinkle about a third of the herbs over arugula. Place one piece of bread in the middle of each plate. Drizzle bread with accumulated pepper juices (if you have any). Top each piece of bread with two pieces of grilled zucchini (arrange them on a slight diagonal). Sprinkle half of the goat cheese on zucchini. Cover goat cheese with one piece of roasted pepper (use larger pieces on this layer, and again, arrange on a slight diagonal). Sprinkle another third of the herbs on roasted pepper, and then top with remaining goat cheese. Arrange two more slices of zucchini and remaining herbs over goat cheese. Top with last piece of roasted pepper. Spoon an equal amount of Double Tomato Dressing around and over each of the “sandwiches” and top with a few leaves of arugula. Serve right away.
double tomato dressing
Makes 1 1/4 cups
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped, drained, oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped mix of fresh mint and basil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon good-quality black-olive tapenade
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 ounces small cherry tomatoes or other tiny tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size
1. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except fresh tomatoes until well combined. Gently fold in fresh tomatoes. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare salad. Stir gently before serving.
Grilled sesame ginger asparagus and portobello salad with napa and spinach slaw
This salad is a great way to celebrate spring and the arrival of the first Island asparagus. Once you’ve prepped the ingredients, grilling takes only 10 minutes. One tip: Don’t dress the slaw until right before serving. A few seared scallops, a piece of striper, or even a small serving of sushi rice could easily sneak on to the plate with this too.
Serves 4
• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed, gills scraped out with a spoon
• 3/4 pound thin asparagus, trimmed (about 32 to 36 thin spears, or 8 or 9 per salad)
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups sliced napa cabbage (use mostly leafy tops)
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus 4 sprigs for garnish if desired
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 to 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
1. In a glass liquid measure, combine 1/4 cup peanut oil, rice wine, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Whisk well and transfer 3 tablespoons of mixture to a separate small bowl. Put portobello caps, stem side-up, in a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish and pour remaining marinade into four caps (drizzle a little around top edges as well). Let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Stack mushroom caps to one side of dish and add asparagus spears to it. Season asparagus with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and roll spears around in any marinade that has dripped off the mushrooms (tilt mushroom caps and pour some residual marinade over asparagus). Add up to 2 teaspoons peanut oil to make sure spears are well-coated; rub bottoms of mushroom caps with some marinade/oil as well.
3. Preheat gas grill on medium-high. Arrange portobello caps, stem side up, on grill grates. Cover and cook until very well-browned or marked on the bottoms, 5 to 8 minutes. There should be a lot of liquid in the cups, and it should be simmering (this helps cook the stubborn insides of the mushroom!). Carefully turn caps over with tongs (liquid will spill out so beware of flare-ups) and cook until edges are browned, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer mushrooms to a cutting board and let cool for a minute or two. Slice thinly on the bias, keeping slices of each mushroom together.
4. Arrange asparagus on grill (you can cook these along with mushrooms if you like). Cover and cook until nicely marked on the bottom, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, carefully turn over asparagus, a few at a time (keep them at an angle to the grate), cover, and cook until other side is just marked, about 1 minute. (Do not overcook; they will still be bright green.) Transfer asparagus to a tray or plate.
5. In a mixing bowl, combine napa cabbage, baby spinach, half the scallions, and half the cilantro. To reserved marinade, add lime juice, sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Whisk well. Spoon all but about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dressing over napa-spinach mixture and toss well to coat thoroughly.
6. Arrange 4 rectangular or oval plates (white is nice) on your counter. Divide slaw mixture evenly among the plates, arranging it as a bed for the veggies. Arrange one-quarter of asparagus spears across each bed of slaw (a diagonal angle looks pretty), and then arrange one sliced mushroom over each salad in a similar pattern, so that asparagus spears and mushroom slices cover the bed of slaw. Drizzle remaining dressing over salads, and sprinkle with remaining scallions and cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. Garnish with a cilantro sprig if desired. Serve right away and savor the flavors of springtime. u
All recipes by Susie Middleton from The Fresh Green Table (Chronicle Books, June 2012).
(Originally published in the Home Garden Spring-Summer 2012 edition of Martha’s Vineyard Magazine)
Bill & Sheila’s Barbecue and grill
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