The heat wave finally broke in Cleveland; it is a beautiful, sunny day with cool temperatures in the high 60s. I had an hour between picking up and dropping of my kids at their various activities, and since it was so gorgeous outside, I decided to go to one of my favorite places: The Westside Market. I didn’t have anything specific in mind to buy but knew that it would be well worth my time. The beauty of going to the market is that the vegetables look so fresh and vibrant, and you can rely on them tasting just as good as they look. This trip to the Market did not disappoint.
My first pick of the day was a huge organic sweet onion bulb. It caught my eye as soon as I walked up to my favorite stand. I knew immediately that dinner would consist of veggies grilled in my grill basket and topped with one of CW2C’s vinaigrettes. I love this time of summer when it is so easy to find such wonderful produce. Grilling the veggies so they get that chargrilled flavor with a nice crisp texture only enhances their flavor. I also picked up baby asparagus, golden zucchini, a green pepper, and a red pepper. I couldn’t wait to get home and marinate my vibrant veggies with olive oil and a few fresh herbs from my herb bench.
Grilled Veggies
Wash and clean your choice of vegetables. I decided to grill the organic sweet onion bulb sliced in half. I chopped the rest of the veggies. Toss your vegetables with olive oil, kosher salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and chopped rosemary, oregano and thyme. To retain your vegetables’ crunch, grill over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, tossing occasionally to get them slightly charred all over. As for the onion, place flat side down and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes then flip and cook for another 5 minutes. If you prefer a softer onion, add 5 minutes of cooking time to each side.
There are many ways to enjoy grilled veggies. Prepare them as either a main or side dish for dinner. Use the leftovers the next day in a salad for your lunch. You can even begin your day with the leftovers, served with eggs for breakfast. Any way you serve them, breakfast, lunch or dinner, you won’t be sorry.