Okay, so James and I made something last night that was completely uncharacteristic of us. First of all, the dish contained no meat which doesn't happen often in our house. That has happened a handful of times that I can think of and that's mainly because I was controlling the dinner menu, not James (c'mon, the guy used to cut meat in a grocery store). Secondly, the dish consisted of vegetables that we don't consume on a regular basis. And finally, we cooked the vegetables in a way unfamiliar to us. If it hadn't been so darn hot outside, I would have sworn hell had frozen over.
Let me also say that we had a refrigerator full of vegetables that needed a home. So we simply created one with this new recipe. This is a great way to use up some of the bounty of your vegetable garden.
Linguine with Grilled Summer Vegetables
2 zucchini (about 2 pounds), sliced in half lengthwise
1 small eggplant, sliced into 4 pieces lengthwise
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut to lay flat
1 red onion, sliced into 1/2 inch rings (do not separate rings)
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 lb linguine (gluten-free)
2 oz grated Parmesan (about 1 cup)
1. Preheat gas or charcoal grill. Fill a large saucepan or stockpot without enough water to boil linguine, place on a medium-high burner and cook pasta until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside in a large serving bowl.
2. Place vegetables on a large baking sheet. Skewer the onions to hold in place. Baste the vegetables with 3 tablespoons olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables, turning once and cook for 8-10 minutes. Cut cooked vegetables into 1-inch pieces and toss with pasta.
3. In a small bowl whisk together basil, 5 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and Dijon mustard. Toss with vegetables and pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan and toss lightly. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Let me also say that we had a refrigerator full of vegetables that needed a home. So we simply created one with this new recipe. This is a great way to use up some of the bounty of your vegetable garden.
Linguine with Grilled Summer Vegetables
2 zucchini (about 2 pounds), sliced in half lengthwise
1 small eggplant, sliced into 4 pieces lengthwise
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut to lay flat
1 red onion, sliced into 1/2 inch rings (do not separate rings)
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 lb linguine (gluten-free)
2 oz grated Parmesan (about 1 cup)
1. Preheat gas or charcoal grill. Fill a large saucepan or stockpot without enough water to boil linguine, place on a medium-high burner and cook pasta until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside in a large serving bowl.
2. Place vegetables on a large baking sheet. Skewer the onions to hold in place. Baste the vegetables with 3 tablespoons olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables, turning once and cook for 8-10 minutes. Cut cooked vegetables into 1-inch pieces and toss with pasta.
3. In a small bowl whisk together basil, 5 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and Dijon mustard. Toss with vegetables and pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan and toss lightly. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.