Grilled Vegetable Hero With Pickled Peppers And Provolone Recipes

PAT'S GRILLED VEGETABLE HERO

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to medium.
• In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the vegetables on the grill, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove to a plate and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
• Slice the bread in half lengthwise with a serrated knife. Toast the bread on the grill Remove the bread and evenly spread Lemon Mayo on both sides. Evenly divide the vegetables on the bottom halves of the bread. Top with the sliced mozzarella and a handful or so of the basil. Cover with the top half of the bread and secure with toothpicks. Slice into 4 portions and serve.
• Add the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper, to taste, to a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

QUICK-PICKLED CHARRED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Make the brine:
• Put the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the garlic. When it cools, pour it into a large, nonreactive metal or glass bowl.
• Make the pickled vegetables:
• Start the coals or heat a gas grill for medium-high direct cooking. Make sure the grates are clean.
• Prep the vegetables. Put the vegetables on the grill directly over the fire. (For smaller pieces, use a perforated grill pan, or skewer them to make them easier to handle.) Close the lid and cook the vegetables, turning them as necessary, until they brown deeply on all sides without softening; how long this takes will depend on the vegetable and how hot the fire is, but figure between 5 and 15 minutes total for most vegetables. Stay close to the grill, check them early and often, and move them to cooler parts of the grill to control the coloring.
• As they finish, transfer them to the bowl with the brine. When all are done, toss the vegetables with the brine to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate, tossing the vegetables every 30 minutes so, until the flavor and texture fully develop, at least 3 hours. Serve right away, or keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Variations:
• Quick-Pickled Charred Vegetables with Chile, Lime, and Star Anise: Perfect with Vietnamese noodles, soups, and salads: For the brine, use 1 1/2 cups rice vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 5 pods star anise. After the liquid simmers, add the grated zest of 1 lime and 1 sliced jalapeño or Thai bird chile (remove the seeds for less heat).
• Sweeter Quick-Pickled Charred Vegetables with Ginger: Akin to sweet-and-Sour Chinese and Korean pickles: For the brine, use 1 cup each rice vinegar and sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/3 cup thinly sliced or julienne fresh ginger. After the sugar dissolves in Step 1, let the brine bubble gently for another 15 minutes to develop the ginger flavor.
• Spicy Dilly Pickled Vegetables: Terrific made with green beans or okra: In Step 1, substitute 1 tablespoon dill seeds and 2 teaspoons red chile flakes for the mustard and coriander seeds. After adding the vegetables, toss in several fresh dill sprigs if you like.

GRILLED VEGETABLE HERO

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Arrange zucchini, bell pepper and tomato on rimmed baking sheet. Whisk dressing and chopped basil in medium bowl to blend. Brush cut side of each roll with 1/2 tablespoon dressing mixture. Brush vegetables with remaining dressing mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill cut side of rolls until toasted, about 1 minute. Place rolls, cut side up, on plates. Grill vegetables until tender and lightly charred, turning and brushing occasionally with any dressing mixture left on baking sheet, about 10 minutes.
• Arrange warm vegetables on roll bottoms. Cover each with 2 slices cheese, 4 whole basil leaves and top of roll.

GRILLED PROVOLETA

Steps:

• Heat grill to 400 degrees F.
• Drizzle cheese with a touch of olive oil. Place cheese on the grill for 45 seconds. Flip the cheese and grill for another 45 seconds. Transfer cheese to a small round baking dish. Sprinkle with oregano and crushed red pepper. Serve immediately, using small knives to spread the cheese mixture onto bread slices. Drizzle Chimichurri sauce over.
• Place garlic, aji molido, parsley, chili flakes, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and puree until well ground. With the machine running, add vinegar and slowly pour in oil; process until emulsified. Transfer to a deep jar. The sauce can be kept, covered, for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.