Meals Matter

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Contributed By: DCC
San Francisco Chronicle

Ingredients

Italian Marinade (see recipe below)

1 Red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, deribbed and cut lengthwise into 8 strips

1 Green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, deribbed and cut lengthwise into 8 strips

2 Zucchini, cut lengthwise into 4 slices

2 Yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 4 slices

1 Eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch rounds

2 Portobello mushrooms, cleaned and cut into 1/4-inch strips

Preparation

Prepare the marinade.

Place the bell peppers in a flat, microwave-safe dish and pour in half of the marinade, making sure to coat the pieces well.

Place the zucchini, squash, eggplant and mushrooms in another microwave-safe dish and pour in the remaining marinade.

Tightly cover both dishes with plastic wrap.

Microwave the peppers for 6 minutes; microwave the other vegetables for 4 minutes. They should still be a little crisp.

Prepare a fire in a barbecue grill. Let the coals burn down to the gray-ash stage.

Working in batches, place a single layer of vegetables (reserving the marinade) on a vegetable-grilling rack on the barbecue, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until you see charred grill marks on the bottom side of the vegetables. Turn and grill the other side for 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Serve the marinade on the side as a dipping sauce.

Cook's Notes

Microwaving prepared vegetables in a marinade infuses them with flavor and allows you to finish them on the grill in a matter of minutes. The vegetables may be marinated and microwaved 1 day ahead, stored in the refrigerator, then grilled as needed. Just about any combination of vegetables will work including asparagus, red onions and carrots. Cooking times may vary.

Italian Marinade:
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped basil for garnish

Combine the garlic, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well.
Sprinkle the basil over the grilled vegetables.
Yields a generous 1/2 cup

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