Grilled Peppers And Goat Cheese Salad Recipes

GRILLED PEPPERS AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Roast red peppers on grill until charred, turning as each side blackens. Transfer to a large bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Using paper towels, peel off blackened skin.
• Lay peppers flat on a clean work surface. Using a sharp paring knife, cut open peppers and remove seeds and ribs. Slice into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and season with salt and black pepper; set aside.
• Slice goat cheese into four pieces, and place directly on grill. Heat, covered, until cheese starts to soften and melt. Remove from grill.
• Place one piece on each serving plate. Arrange lettuce leaves next to cheese on each plate. Drizzle greens and cheese with remaining tablespoon oil; season lightly with salt and black pepper. Divide reserved peppers among plates; serve immediately.

GRILLED VEGETABLE SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Cut out the pepper stems and then slice each lengthwise along the ribs or ridges into 3 or 4 large triangular wedges. Trim the stem and blossom ends from the zucchini and squash and cut them lengthwise into thin slices. Trim the eggplant and cut crosswise into 12 slices 1/4 to 3/8-inch thick. Peel the onion and cut into 1/4-inch slices.
• Trim the portobello mushroom stem even with the cap so it will lie flat on the grill. Brush all over with 1/2 tablespoon of the Rosemary Garlic Oil. Set aside.
• Set a cast iron grill pan over high heat and coat with vegetable cooking spray. Let it warm up for 3 to 5 minutes (or light your outdoor grill). Using a pastry brush, coat the zucchini, squash, eggplant, and red onion slices with about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining oil; it will be a very thin film, but it should be enough. The peppers do not need any. Grill the vegetables, except the onion in batches as necessary, on each side, rotating them 45 degrees to make cross-hatch grill marks. They should be cooked until they are nicely browned, but not charred, cooked through but still hold their texture. The peppers will have black marks on the outside, but they are eaten with their skin and bright color intact. Grill the mushroom stem side down first, so when it is turned and finishes cooking, the juices will be retained. Reduce the heat to medium high and grill the onion, turning and rotating as described, until tender and browned but not burned. Here are the approximate cooking times, which will vary with your grill: Peppers - 6 to 7 minutes per side Zucchini and squash - 2 to 3 minutes on first side, 2 minutes on second Eggplant - 4 to 6 minutes per side Red Onion - 3 to 4 minutes per side Portobello - 5 to 6 minutes per side As the vegetables are cooked, transfer them to plates or a large baking sheet lined with wax paper. Transfer the portobello to a cutting board and let cool for at least 5 minutes; then slice. Be sure to reserve any mushroom juices. Season the grilled vegetables and mushroom lightly with salt and pepper.
• Line a large round or oval serving platter with the arugula. Arrange the grilled vegetables decoratively in bunches around the edge of the platter. Pile up the pepper wedges in the center.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and lemon juice with the remaining Garlic Rosemary Oil. Mix in any reserved mushroom juices. Drizzle evenly over the salad. Crumble goat cheese on top. Serve at room temperature.
• Combine all the ingredients in a small glass jar with a lid. Let stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes, preferably 1 hour. If not using within several hours, cover and refrigerate for up to a week.;

GRILLED EGGPLANT AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the olive oil over the slices of eggplant and toss to coat. Grill the eggplants until tender and grill marks appear, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Place the eggplants side-by-side on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, goat cheese, basil, and mint. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
• Cook's note: Plating the eggplant salad this way allowed the cheese to stay bright white. The salt and pepper showed up on it. The herbs remained green and fluffy. The grill marks on the eggplant were distinct.