Grilled Vegetables & Chive Dressing

 

Check out the veggies in the photo. I have a plan for each one. The asparagus are fat ones, I snap the stems where they want to break. The peppers have been quartered, seeds and pith removed with a paring knife and then peeled. I remove the soft punky seeds from the zukes and summer squash. The gills and stem have been removed from the mushrooms. The plum tomato is quartered and the white pith is cut out.  Broccoli is split down the stem focusing on even sized pieces of stem. Onions are cut in half and skin left on.  I choose slender supermodel carrots and split lengthwise. I wash all the veggies except the carrots. The carrots are organic and I don't want to wash the organic off. The water that clings to the green vegetables will help stem them a little while they grill.

I keep my fire in the center and use the edges for the slower cooking veggies. I close the lid when I'm not tending to the grill. I have the thicker stem ends facing towards the fire. This will keep the flower tips on the asparagus and broccoli from burning. I spray all the veg with a little non stick spray and season with sea salt.  After everything is grilled I cut into serving pieces and toss with the dressing then arrange on the plate.

The Chive dressing is a basic vinaigrette. 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. A great trick is to use the metric side of your measuring cup. It makes the 3 to 1 ratio really easy. 300 milliliters of oil 100 milliliters of vinegar. Way easier than cups and tablespoons.

I use my food processor for this. I add the mustard garlic and shallot into the bowl and slowly add the oil. Check out the feeding tube cover on your machine. I should have a small hole in it. Fill that with your oil and it will slowly incorporate the oil hands free. Cool.

Chive Dressing

• 1 Tablespoon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon mayo, homemade if you have any
• 2 Tablespoon honey
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 shallot small dice
• 300 milliliter neutral oil, I used grapeseed, canola or peanut is fine, no EVOO
• 100 millileters vinegar, white wine or cider, no distilled vinegar
• 25 milliliter white wine
• Juice & zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 cup chives very small dice
• sea salt & white pepper to taste

Add first five ingredients in bowl of food processor

Slowly add oil, try the trick using your feeding tube cover described above

Add wine, vinegar and lemon juice and process another minute

Add chives, salt and pepper. Taste, taste and taste

Leek Vinaigrette

Just in time for Easter. This dressing is a great foil for big thick meaty asparagus. Hot, warm or cold are all good ways to enjoy this. Leeks are milder and sweeter than onions witha hint of garlic. They have a silky texture when cooked and the green ends are good for making stock. Zero waste.

You will need a blender or food processor. I chose the blender

• 2 cups sliced leeks some green is OK, washed well, don't want no dirt in my dinner
• 1 shallot sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth
• 1 Tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 1 teaspoon Dijon style mustard
• 1 egg
• 1 cup EVOO
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 orange zest and juice
• 1/2 lemon zest and juice
• 1/4 cup good quality vinegar, I like sherry vinegar for this a good red wine vinegar will do
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 turns of a pepper mill
• 2 Tablespoon freh dill (optional)

Sweat leeks and garlic in a little oil over low to moderate heat.

When nice and soft add the wine/vermouth and simmer for a minute or two. Set aside to cool. I like to take them out of the pot and onto a plate.

In a blender add the two mustards, the egg and the leeks. Puree

Add the oils slowly with the blender running.

Add the juice and zest of the citrus and the vinegar

Add the salt pepper and dill (optional)

Taste and adjust the seasoning