Grilled Vegetable And Goat Cheese Napoleons Recipes

VEGETABLE NAPOLEON WITH GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM AND TOMATO BASIL BISQUE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper and saute until they begin to soften. While they are cooking, cut fresh tomatoes in half, squeeze out seeds. Stir the fresh tomatoes into the skillet along with tomato paste and diced canned tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer partially covered to integrate flavors, about 5 minutes. Add stock and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Season portobello mushrooms with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil. Place on baking sheet in oven for 10 minutes.
• Remove pan of tomato mixture from heat, stir in cream and season with salt and pepper, to taste. While the mushrooms are in the oven, puree sauce in batches in food processor. Remove mushrooms from oven and let cool.
• To assemble napoleon, place a portobello on serving plate. Top with 1 slice of cheese followed by a slice of tomato, then another slice of cheese, another tomato slice and the second portobello on the top layer. Ladle warm sauce over the vegetable napoleon and finish with a basil sprig, for garnish.

GRILLED POTATO AND GOAT CHEESE NAPOLEON WITH BALSAMIC-BASIL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a pot of salted cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, but still firm, 12 to15 minutes. Drain and let cool before cutting each potato in 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• While the potatoes are cooking, combine the vinegar, garlic, mustard, basil and 1/2 cup of the oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat your grill to medium.
• Brush the potato slices on both sides with the remaining 1/4 cup oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on the grill, close the cover, and grill until lightly golden brown and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
• Carefully transfer the potatoes to a flat surface. Make stacks by layering the following: 1 slice potato, 1 tablespoon goat cheese, 1 slice potato, 1 tablespoon goat cheese, 1 slice potato. Place the stacks back on the grill, close the cover, and grill until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute.
• Transfer the potatoes to a platter, drizzle some of the vinaigrette on and around the potatoes, and sprinkle with the chives.

GRILLED VEGETABLE, HERB AND GOAT CHEESE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.
• In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, tarragon, thyme, salt, and pepper. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a medium bowl. Add the zucchini and eggplant and toss until coated. Place the vegetables on the grill pan or grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until tender. While the vegetables are cooking, spread the olive oil mixture on the baguette halves. Using a spatula spread the goat cheese over the olive oil mixture. Place the cooked vegetables on the bottom half of the baguette. Arrange the spinach on top of the vegetables. Place the top half of the baguette over the filling.
• To serve, cut the baguette into 4 sandwiches. Serve immediately or wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

ROASTED VEGETABLE NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. and brush 2 baking sheets with some of the olive oil.
• Arrange as many vegetables as possible in one layer on sheets. Brush vegetables with some remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables in middle and lower thirds of oven, switching positions of sheets in oven half way through roasting, until just tender and lightly browned, 10-15 minutes. Transfer vegetables as roasted to a tray, arranging them in one layer. Roast remaining vegetables in same manner. Vegetables may be roasted 1 day ahead, cooled completely, and chilled, layered between sheets of plastic wrap on trays and covered. Bring vegetables to room temperature before proceeding.
• In a small bowl stir together ricotta, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Put 1 eggplant slice on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Spread 1 tablespoon of ricotta mixture over eggplant. Cover ricotta mixture with 2 potato slices and layer with 2 zucchini slices, 1 onion slice, 1 mozzarella slice, 2 to 3 tomato slices, 2 zucchini slices, and 1 onion slice. Spread 1 tablespoon ricotta mixture over onion and top with 1 eggplant slice. Make 5 more napoleons using remaining vegetables, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella in same manner.
• Insert a metal or wooden skewer through center of each napoleon to make a hole from top to bottom. Trim rosemary sprigs to 1-inch taller than napoleons and remove bottom leaves from each sprig, leaving about 1-inch of leaves around top. Insert 1 sprig into each napoleon and bake in middle of oven 5 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and vegetables are heated through.